Funky Grandma - Tamil Paati from Matunga

This morning, I was in the taxi riding to work and I saw a really cute sight that brought a smile to my face. I was passing Shivaji Park (a park in central Mumbai which is well known for kids playing and practicing cricket). For residents in and around that area (including Matunga), Shivaji park provides a nice walking path at the periphery of the park. The weather was a bit cool today and several regulars were out walking at a brisk pace. One such regular was a grandma or Tamil Mami. She was a typical older woman I would find in my extended family for instance, wearing a sober coloured Kanjeevurum cotton sari, hair hurriedly pulled back into a bun (South Indians believe in inner beauty and not in external preening), wearing her typical flower shaped diamond earring. The typical resemblances stopped here. She wore power sneakers that looked beaten from regular use and she purposefully walked down the path listening to music on her ipod!!!

A typical funky paati

Now, weather she was listening to Vishnu Sahasranamam (Devotional Tamil music) or the latest grinding number from Akon is anybody's guess.

Three cheers for the progressive Tamil Paati (grandmom).