Chinnasaami and the Special Theory of Relativity: A Child’s Journey into Einstein’s Magic

Sriranga VN
Jul 23, 2025
3 min read

Chinnasaami.....Special Theory of Relativity

Chinnasaami gave a scare to the cat and slowly started whistling an upbeat tune. Life was good. Saami, as everybody called him, was pretty heck satisfied with the unfolding days.

He had got up early at dawn, watched the geese make their way in plane-like-formation, watched the butterflies dance away to the scented flowers. He had sat at the pond and watched the two turtles prance around in ever complicated glides. He had watched the fishes play around creating swirls in the clear pond. A satisfying day, he sighed in contentment.

"Chinna", he heard his amma shout. "Come here, enough of day dreaming. Do a bit of homework". Uggghh...he growled. "Son, study well, and become a great doctor, she coed lovingly.."

God!, Chinnasaami reflected, as he made his way in the opposite direction to the house, to his usual stone bench underneath the mango tree. Ma, he thought, always wanted best for him. But, he was a maverick. He was unlike others. He saw a spark in himself and knew one day, Chinnasaami would be a world changer like Einstein....ha, yes, he laughed.

He scrambled onto his cozy bench and watched as the caterpillar tried to mince the leaves. As the squirrel, surprised by Chinnasaami, scouted away. Ah....life is good!

He thought of his dad whom he adored. What a man! His dad, the doctor, was the hero for him. Dad, was so handsome with his fair, brown skin n plumb cheeks, a side cut black hair and soft spoken voice. "Mari", his dad called him. ..

He loved this man, not bcoz he was handsome, but, bcoz he was unlike others. Chinnasaami had learnt so many things from his dad. He could listen for hours as Appa spoke in his well- inotated soft spoken voice about all things on the universe.

Yesterday, Appa had spoken about his fav Einstein and Theory of Relativity. Appa had said, something about E =MC2. Dad had explained that Einstein had proved, Energy equals Matter and got the Nobel prize. And that both energy and matter can be converted to one other under right conditions...

As Chinnasaami sat, he reflected on this as the bettle chased the huge grass hopper.

Ah, Energy n Matter are interconvertible. If I have matter, I can change it to energy and vice versa, Chinnasaami thought .

As Saami watched a leaf drop swirling from the roof of tree, he thought maybe that's what happens in our body. The food, the matter, is converted into energy by the cells for man to do his daily living. Same with all living things, Saami realised with a flash.... Thats how all bodies work, he smiled.

Saami had a big smile on his face, when he thought about the pleasure on his Appa's face as he would tell him this Special theory of Relativity applications. Dad would be mighty happy and Saami would swell with pride.

One day, Chinnasaami knew he would be a Einstein in some field, even though everybody thought, Chinnasaami was bit off in his mind. Ha, ha, he would have the last laugh. Life was good!

Meanwhile the sparrow dived down and caught the fat grub. Whistling of the wind brought a tune to Chinnasaami and he whistled as he sauntered back to the rambling house remembering Appas big proud smile......