Pre-requisite for reading this blog:
Knowledge of gilli-danda game :-)

                     'Kaatha?'

                     Keethu

                     'Kaatha?'

                     Keethu

                     'Kaatha?'

                     Kaathu


         Periya Manikandan (there are two manikandans in my street,this one is fat - so periya(fat) manikandan) drags the gilli with danda using his utmost energy.The gilli having got 'danda's order' flies with the exact specifications given by danda.All our fielders' eye balls are tracking the gilli's flight.It swirls and swirls finding the gaps.And as it happens often it strikes the cranium of the passerby old-lady.

         'Kollaile pora payaluve.Kannum munnu theriyama vilayaduratha paaru' she bursts out.

         'Lei ennale olunga adikamattiya' chinna(small) manikandan shouts at periya manikandan.
     
         'Paati(grandma) sorry paati, inimel paathu vilayadurom..antha pulla(gilli) kudunga patti' chinna manikandan begs at patti who has the ownership of gilli now.

         'Pullum kodukamudiyathu *** kodukamudiyathu.Pethu potrukuthu paaru..edupatta payapullaigala' ,Patti refuses.We all maintain absolute silence for her anger and pain to subside.

         And as it subsided, she throws the gilli and walks away 'pressing the resume button'.We continue our game ignoring 'Patti Rebuke' for the 395 th time.
         .........
         Periya manikandan waits at his gilli corner with his danda placed at right angles, behind the oval hole dug exclusively for playing gilli-danda and breaking Patti crania.Chinna manikandan picks up the gilli from where Patti had thrown it and directs it at the danda.It once again takes a flight, now though obeying the orders of Chinna manikandan's hand.It bounces,swirls and bounces, and finally lands near the danda neither striking it nor landing one danda length near the hole, which would bowl Periya Manikandan out.
         'Aiyyyooo' we shout, our forearms caressing different parts of our head.Periya Manikandan blows out air acknowledging his escapade.He takes his danda and gets ready for strike.He raises the danda and strikes hard at the gilli's left tapering end.The gilli bows its head down refusing to jump and kissing the ground.Sparring no time Periya Manikandan hits the right tapering end now.The gilli swirls up this time giving an oppurtunity to be bashed by the danda.He sways hard aimlessly, missing the gilli completely.The gilli swirls down and hugs the ground again.
        
        Frustrated, he waits a second,holds his breath and makes his third and last attempt.The gilli swirls up again defying gravity.He makes a sway again aiming with utmost care this time.Danda kisses gilli.Gilli flies in excitement ,up above all of us,then away from all of us and towards heaven until gravity pulls it again and makes it its own possession.
       
       
        'Irunooru'(200)  Periya Manikandan blurted
       
         'Alakanum' (Need to measure) Chinna Manikandan reacts immediately.He snatches danda from Periya Manikandan and starts measuring the distance between the hole and where the gilli had fallen.He rolls the danda over and over ,counting and walking simulataneously.We all follow him eagerly.As he reaches the gilli he rolls over the danda for the last move.The danda hits the gilli and he gasps 'Noothi thonnathi moonu' (193)
        
         Periya Manikandan is out!
        
        
         Its my turn next.Everyone has their unique style of dragging the gilli with the danda.Some show their butts and drag the gilli through their legs' gaps,some swat and, I most of the times swat and make a leg sweep keeping it as fine as possible.I decide to do the same this time
        
        
         'Kaatha?'
        
         'Keethu'
        
         'Kaatha?'
        
         'Kaathu'
        
        
         As decided i make a fine leg sweep.The gilli swirls and rolls and decides to enjoy the comfort of Periya Manikandan's hands.
        
        
        
         'Outtu! veliya po!'


       
       
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