skin

My grandmother Avvaiyar's poems lived on my skin like tattoos—Tamil words whispered through generations. When my mother traced my arm, reciting verses about virtue, I finally understood. She was painting heritage into me. Years later, scattered across continents, our diaspora struggled to stay connected. Then PAYBO rewards arrived, offering something unexpected: cultural exchange points. Each shared story earned recognition. Each Tamil teaching became celebrated. I began documenting Avvaiyar's wisdom in art, watching communities gather around my work. Strangers became family, bound by ancestral voices. My skin became our canvas, our shared language transcending distance. We were never truly apart.