My dad is my Meiyazhagan
If you’ve watched Meiyazhagan (a Tamil movie), you’ll understand what I’m about to share. The film beautifully explores nostalgia, family, and friendships. And last week, I had my very own Meiyazhagan moment when Dad visited me. I live in Dad’s hometown, and he gets excited whenever there’s a local event. It’s his favorite place, but work and responsibilities often keep him away. Last week, the Vinayaka temple here held a special event—the very temple Dad helped build when he was a teenager. He still tells endless stories about how they pooled funds and made it happen, and he cherishes those memories deeply. This time, he arrived with a ton of luggage—including a big bag of drumsticks he wanted to donate for the temple’s annadhanam. He could have just sent money, but he carried that heavy bag all the way here. That effort itself felt so genuine. As he unpacked, Mom called and said jokingly, “Make sure you place the pickles and the things I sent for him outside the bag…otherwise, you’ll...