Slice of life: ‘You need to find the religion that works best for you’

I have been running this business for about nine years. I have a shop down the road. This is my friend’s shop. Since he is not in town, I am covering for him. He has been here for more than 15 years. Business is good because I am near the station. Since the summer is soon to start, coconuts are getting expensive. 

Afterwards, we will be able to get them for really cheap, maybe Rs 3 to 4 per coconut. I come from a village near Dindigul. My family is from a farming community. I left because I did not listen to my parents properly. People say if you listen to your parents you will be able to go far in life, but I didn’t. So I came to Chennai. I came to the city when Kalaignar was the Chief Minister. 

Back then, Chennai was known in my village for being a very safe place. Well, it still is, isn’t it? Women are walking about with confidence because they will be safe no matter what. I converted to Christianity after I moved to Chennai. The principles and rules of that religion spoke to me. I used to be a Hindu, and it is not like anything bad happened to me. It is just that once I took up the Christian faith, things in my life started looking better. My family took it well. They accepted me. See that’s the thing – all the religions say different things and set different rules. I suppose you need to find the one that works best for you. And at the end of the day, everyone in Chennai is wonderful. So it all works out for good.