Native

Native place is very special to everyone, especially for fella’s like me, who are from rural areas. Me and my wife used to fight which one is great (though our natives are adjacent ones within a km)
I tend to ask this questions to all my foreign friends whenever they order for ‘Madras Lamb Curry’ from an Indian restaurant.

“Do you know what 'Madras' meant in Madras Lamb Curry?”

Usually the answer would be ***Blink*** or “Isit the person who invented the curry?” and the few sharp ones wud give the right answer.
With all pride I would give the answer explaining I am from the same place (and the hidden part is Do you have anything spl from your native?? Haha)

Whenever we Indians meet here the intial discussion would be “ where are you from in India?”

“Madras”

“Where in Madras?”

“Not exactly Madras, native is down south mmm Do you know Tirunelveli”

“I know Tirunelveli – where there?”

“Tirunelveli district – Ambasamudram”

recently when I had this discussion with a Srilankan Tamil family in a friends party

“Ambasamudram – yeah we know that place very well”

***1000 watts bulb in my face*** Isit – how come?

“Infact we are looking forward to visit Amabasamudram in our next India trip”

“howwww whyyy” (****whats so special there while I am here ;) ***)

“Its very famous noo…”

“**(now got it) collars up*** – isit through tamil cinemas you know that place?" ****almost most of the recent films are filmed there only, haaa its very popular location you see ****

“No no – that’s where Sun TV Annamalai serial was filmed right? That temple is so nice that we wanted to visit that temple. Have you been there?”

me- ***blink blink isit I never knew this apart from that loosu character in that serial**** Ohhhh yeeeaahh…yes …we have been there…(was looking at my wife for help *** Do you know which temple they are referring*****

My wife – “Its not exactly in Ambasamudram – it’s a near by place Alwarkurichi”. Thank god she watched it while at India and knew something about this

Me – “****that’s enuf I will samalichufy now**** yeah that temple is famous I did my college there…blah blah even Marmadesam serial was filmed in a near by place Brammadesam ….blah blah”

My wife was staring at me ****enuf enuf idhu kooda unga oorra pathi theriyala thoooo (don’t you know even this about your place?) ****