At home in Varkala, but still a wee bit home-sick about Chennai – The Hindu

Before the pandemic, every March-April, C Vinod, a public relations executive from Chennai, would keep his summer pact with Varkala, his hometown.

He would meet up with his friends, some of whom would have flown in from The United States of America, Dubai and Switzerland. All of them, including Vinod, would primarily come to this beachside town in Thiruvananthapuram city for the ten-day ‘Arattu’ festival at Janardhana Swamy Temple.

For the last two years, the reunion of friends has not happened. Around three months ago, Vinod, and his family left for Varkala, packing only essential items.

“As the cases started to rise exponentially and there was shortage of beds and oxygen, I decided to go to my native place. Work from home and online classes made it possible,” says Vinod.

Usually, the annual trip to Varkala would energise him. In contrast, the current stay has left him frustrated, as he cannot engage in the usual activities he would while on a visiting Varkala. Simply because it is not a vacation that has taken him there now.

“I miss Chennai — the city is my workplace,” says Vinod. But he is counting his blessings.

His remote work and his daughter V. Avni’s (a tenth standard student) online classes run as smoothly as a well-oiled machine, thanks to marvels of technology.

Besides, his wife V. Anjana has green thumbs, and having a vegetable garden at home lets her wrought magic with them.

Vinod elaborates: “We grow ladies fingers, chillies, bananas and tomatoes.”