ELAKIYA- A POETRY USING HETERONYM

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#BlogchatterA2Z challenge and NaPoWriMo-2022

I honestly don’t know what got into me or rather, who got into me when I started with this poem. Maybe I was just inspired by this poem by Nissim Ezekiel– Very Indian Poem In Indian English ( a must-read). Without much ado, let me introduce this heteronym character Elakiya as part of my Intuitive Poetry Series. All she wants to do is communicate in a language she knows and terms fit. Expressions matter more to her than grammar. Excuse her!

Introducing Elakiya:

ELAKIYA

I don’t understand dating
what do you do? You go to coffee shop
with a person, alone, drink coffee,
eat snacks, talk and get to know 
the other person only to say no?
and repeat from first, again?
search another person?

For me, it was just one-time 
like a wholesale wholesome dating
all of my family dating 
with my in-laws–family, 
not me and the boy only, ok?!



My thatha aacchi, mama, mami, 
periyappa , periyamma, chitappa, chitti, 
attha, mama, anna, anni, 
all my family dating their side of
big important relatives who have come
all in shiny clothes wearing lots of gold jewels

All had sweets, snacks and filter kaapi 
(hot and for free)
talked and talked about our matrimony
about my study & his job,
about my cooking & his salary,
about my jewels & their dowry
all talked and talked about our matrimony

After all talking and deciding,
their side all seeing each other and nodding head
and telling my parents “engalukku sammadham”
(it means yes for marriage)
then my parents and relatives see each other, nod and smile
my amma having tears in eyes and looking at me
I look down, shy, and smile

My family and their family exchange
big plates containing sweets, fruits, 
flowers, betel leaves and nuts
then only all ask him to stand near me
and I look down again and shy
and all ask me to fall at his feet and I do

Then they tell us to talk, in private
in my room, with the room open
amma has put a chair for him near the door
and I was standing near him
all are giving glances at us, gigling

Amma gave a plate of kesari and mixchur
to give him; I gave him
I was standing, looking down and shy

He was eating kesari and mixchur continuously
in between asking me, pudichirukka?
I look down, shy and smile,
saying pudichirukku (I like)

He continues eating mixchur, with head down, 
taking handful at a time, 
eating-noruk, noruk, noruk
while my mother in law comes in
to give both of us munch chocolate
and go, smiling at me

He finished mixchur then ate munch
and looked at me, I guess
I was looking down and shy
by then everyone called us
and that is how
our marriage was confirmed
over a plate of mixchur and a munch
with filter kaapi (hot and free)

How did you like Elakiya? Do let me know in the comments!

You can find other characters from the Intuitive Poetry Series, here: