Junior's jestcapades

At times, makes me wonder, while rest of the time I am absolutely unsure, that, how the hell he manages to do what he does.

Ever since he noticed the Big Boss promo, the part where Kamal introduces the show, before and after the ad break, as “Vanakkam... Ithu Vivo v9 vazhangum Big Boss”, it had caught his fancy and he rephrased it as “Veena vaana big boss” with the traditional way of telling “Vanakkam” with folded hands. Gradually, the rest of the sentences went out of his mind but the “vanakkam” part remained and somehow he linked it to the fact that, it’s a way of greeting. One day, when the apartment driver had come to our house, junior greeted him with folded hands and said “vanakkam”. The driver was stunned and he was so happy. He immediately responded back with joy and repeatedly they said Vanakkam to each other. Ever since, it has been the way of greeting for junior and wherever he meets anyone new, he would immediately say “vanakkam” to them. More than “hi” or “morning/evening” wishes, I find that people are overjoyed when someone  wishes them in mother tongue and everyone responds back with one of their own. While on a mall visit, we met a north indian couple and when junior greeted them they were so happy that they decided to make it a habit of their own. When I went to his play school to pick him up, everyone – right from his aaya paati to his class miss, where calling junior to say vanakkam and he duly responded to every single one of them. They told me that, as part of their lessons to teach greetings to kids, which had only the English way of greetings, it had been updated to include saying vanakkam. They even showed me videos of kids telling vanakkam to each other.  It’s a simple thing and probably something pretty basic for anyone and everyone to follow. The reason why it struck me with awe was not just because he is my kid. But how people relate and adapt to positive change.

You need not be in your thirties to trigger something. It can start from three itself!!