::Thaipusam Duty Calls.
1:10 a.m. - 2007-02-03
So finally the KLKfest is over and all of us can heave a hearty sigh of relief. Having been a volunteer(and that too on 26 hour shift), i think i have a lot to talk about!
Let us put aside the evident dearth of kavadis(i will assure you that after it hit about 9, there were a lot more kavadis in sight and there had been kavadis dripping in from the night before so it wasn't really a shocker that there weren't that many kavadis at night).
Let us also put aside that the police were as always the same ineffective bunch(no offence,but most of them were NSF and honestly had no clue what they were supposed to be doing. Even worst were the plainclothes policemen. Who wouldn't be able to identify 5 non-indian men walking together on the volunteers side, wearing polo tshirts, BLACK-ish shoes and all carrying a pouch at the back. Its about time,they start assimilating).
Lets forget the ah-ah-aahs and the killer spins these kavadis took at times that was super super painful for even those watching.
I'm so so tired of giving out plastic bags. I felt like the most generous person on the face of the earth for that 26 hours. I'm also tired of getting my hands groped by all the people on the other side of the barricade. I'm not being mean and honestly i have a lot more respect for these people after Thaipusam but these foreign workers would practically grab your hand along with the bag!! But they were really the least of my concerns cos they were pretty cooperative for most of the part.
I'm really irked and annoyed by some of our local people actually. I don't understand which part of VOLUNTEER they don't understand. Do i look like i own the temples? Do i look like i can move 1000s of people with my hands? They'd look at you with this piercing stare and insist that YOU were the cause of all their woes. Every Thaipusam you face these same jams. You know that its like that right? Then come earlier! Or just go stand outside somewhere!
Then there are all these KLKids who keep trying to make friends with people. I'm tired and stoned after my 23rd hour and i really just want to be left alone and you'd have to endure catcalls, winks and other little acts of attention seeking actions. After some time you get so used to it, their words practically fall through you. One boy got it from me though.
Boy: Hi,make friends panna mudiyuma?
Me: You're younger than me.
Boy: No. Will anyone ever ask a person who is younger than them to make friends not?
Me: Is my age written anywhere on my face not? How old are you?
Boy: 22
Me:(oopsie) 28! How?
Boy: Sorry Ma'm.
Me: Ah ah..Go.
Then there are some aunties that are intent that you're just standing there to be a display item. I don't get it. Half my makeup has melted with the sun. I've been standing for hours. And thats when this auntie makes a passing remark that we female volunteers were just standing around there and waiting for boys to look at us.
I was really pretty pissed off at this comment. I went up to her and told her very diplomatically that we are just volunteers and we were only told to give us bags. I told her to look around carefully and see if any boys were looking at us or if we were even looking at any. After 26 hours of VOLUNTARY service we weren't even looking for a thank you. Just leave us out of your Thaipusam woes! I was really annoyed because we were only briefed to give out plastic bags and to more or less just keep an eye on things.
Then this other uncle comes up to me and tells me that he really needs to go backwards cos his friend's kavadi is there. I told him there are two ways to go about it. Either hit Tank Road temple then U-Turn back or walk against traffic. He starts the whole "you must open the barricade for me" argument and i had practically heard that 2534532 times that day. He told me we had really bad organisation. So i turned to him and told him he had really bad foresight cos he should have known beforehand where he wanted to go!
I mean come of it la! If i could make your kavadis go in faster, i'd be happy too! It would mean i could go home earlier. But what do i look like i can do?? Push kavadis? Drag people in? Put a travellator? WHAT???
On another note, here's a piece of advice to people who often change their phone numbers or lose contact with people. Just become a Thaipusam volunteer one year. From start to end, you'd just see all the friends you've made over the span of your life. From ex boyfriends to classmates to that girl from your sister's paatu class, to that boy whom you saw at GV Yishun and even the saree beauty queens(speaking of whom, the Pageant is already over. So why on earth are some of you still walking like there's sthg up your perk arses?)
Stop acting like the volunteers are there to serve you so that you can walk like Kings and Queens la people!
Some are better. They'd choose to stand around like they are couture models posing for some high-end fashion shoot. Its a WALKWAY not a STAND AND POSE WAY!
Then there are the KLKudikaarans. People make a penance then fast and pray and really stick to a strict lifestyle for so long. How are they repaid? By people who consume alcohol and happily bump into everyone else. If you choose to be as such, then go stand with all the people who are watching the kavadis or just go to a club. MS is just down the road.
At the end of the day, i just hoped that those of you who were there to pray, had a rewarding experience. Happy Thaipusam folks(if thats even an accepted greeting). And to those of you who saw me, Hello!
