ode to kalpana

I first met Kalpana in my sixth grade.We had recently relocated to Trivandrum and there I was Maharashtra chi mulgi standing in the Malayala nadu knowing nothing of that language.Someone told us that Kalpana was the best teacher of the language.She was friendly,she was humourous and she helped to learn easily.So began my Malayalam lessons from her.But I could meet her only once a month.A three hour class of fun,frolic ,entertainment and education-those were her classes.In less than a year not only could I understand the language but could speak reasonably well in it too.though i no longer needed her classes,she continued to remain an integral part of my life.she encompassed not only aspects of my life but also my entire family.My family was with me in this entire endeavour,right from the first class!!!!
Kalpana taught all of us.....
for almost 7 years we regularly visited her every month and came home enriched..sometimes happy,sometimes sad,sometimes thoughtful,sometimes pensive...
Today I heard she is gone,gone for ever...I felt i had lost a link to my past.Kalpana has been replaced by Big Bazaar....Kalpana was the theatre where I saw my first Malayalam Movie!!!!!
Kalpana was where I began my tryst with Malayalam movies.Here was where I cried along with Mammooty,laughed with MohanLal,romanced with Rahman,danced with Shobana,learnt sarcasm under Balachandra Menon, and empathised with Nedumudi Venu.
Today she stocks washing powder!!!!!