Goodbye 2010.

Yet another year is passing into history. There would be a lot of analyses about a year that had surprisingly knocked out the bottom of many of our beliefs. In our country sadly, corruption has hit an all time high and one's left wondering as to whether there's any institution that has not been tainted.

On a personal level, things have progressed in the same manner as in the previous years bordering, at times, on monotony. There were plenty of guests for us and in the process, we've been able to renew the bonds. There were however, a few painful farewells from within the family and from the extended family whose void will continue to linger, deep within.

As I wind up for the year, something in me tells that my mission in Delhi has been accomplished and I've to move on. The varied experiences have been a great teacher and has helped me to understand life better.

Hope 2011 proves to be exciting!

Adieu!

Yesterday, two fine people(Ravi and Meera's mom - shucks, I don't even know her name) passed away and we've been left poorer by the reduction in the number of people who always wished us well. While offering condolences to their near and dear ones, who've suffered the irrepairable loss, one was struck with the only truth in this world - death - yet again.

Ravi Dhankar was a close friend who'd lived his life well but an aspect of his that had endeared him to me was his fighting spirit. We'd rolled, laughed, played pranks on each other at every stage of our growing up and shared our dreams as well as the disappointments - giving comfort to each other when it mattered. By bringing about his end in a gruesome road accident, I feel that death has cheated him in its haste to take him away from our midst. Ameeta, Rohan and Adarsh, we grieve with you. RIP Ravi, you shall continue to live within us for all that you'd so willingly given us during your lifetime.

Meera's mom was a sprightly old lady in her early eighties, so full of life and quite fond of Lekha and me because in her words, we'd seen more in life than she'd! Whenever we're in Kochi we used to make it a point to look her up and she always insisted on playing the perfect host, despite the fact that she was bed ridden with a broken hip, when we'd met her last year. Her greatest asset was that she could be cheerful despite her physical discomfort. RIP Meera's mom, I guess I shall always remain indebted to you for the unadulterated love and affection that you'd showered upon me.

Tailpiece - When my PJ did the trick.

Meera and Sidharth are good friends of ours. It was when I'd called up on Meera's cell to offer my condolences, that I'd come to know about Sidharth's recent fall from the stairs(was it an indication about what was to follow, I wonder?) and consequently, had fractured his right hand which was in a cast.

The cell was passed on to Meera who was tearful and could barely speak. After mumbling about being with her during troubled times, I told her that it's in the day's Malayala Manorama, in graphic detail, as to how she'd pushed Sidharth down the stairs and in the process, sustained the fracture. Meera's reaction surprised even me - she laughed!

The immediate reaction from the assembled mourners, as I'd gathered later - 'the girl has gone hysterical with grief. She was very much attached to her mother, you know!' Sorry, Meera for that ill timed prank but I was just trying to lighten you up in my clumsy way!!

What's happening to us?

As a country, we're on the sure path to become a superpower, so everyone says. Indian professionals and scientists have, time and again, proved that they've it in them to bring about spectacular results in the areas they work in. But as a commoner, I wonder as to why we haven't been able to chalk out a definite plan - identifying achievable milestones - to reach our destination.

Two news items, of the previous days, have brought out the sceptic in me all over again. The failure of the launch of the GSLV launch is a body blow to our space programme. My thoughts and sympathies are for our space scientists who must be extremely dejected by the unfortunate outcome. It's my fond hope that the failures would steel them to achieve greater heights and ultimate success. We've to do it because we can.

The second story is about the acute shortage of tampons in the market, putting our womenfolk to extreme hardships. What really surprised me was the knowledge that it's only one company that manufactures this item in our country! When the television is full of advertisements on the consumable, why isn't there a conscious effort to manufacture more and have more players at it?

The index of prosperity of any country is the adequate availability of all essential items in the markets catering to the needs of the people of every cross section. Perhaps, one would counter argue that many people are starving and therefore, it would be frivolous to think of anything else that's considered a luxury. A 'heads-I-win-tails-you-lose' sort of a situation!

Notwithstanding the above, I'm sure we shall overcome.

Recommending a split!

Based on a relative's recommendation, a gentleman had called me up regarding his daughter's travails
in her married life. His son-in-law is a navyman who, from the girl's family's narrations, appears to be a
guy in need of money, more money and still, more money.

The sad part is that the instigators of this ugly marital discord are the boy's mother and sister. The girl -
who's an only daughter to her parents- has been harried and subjected to torture of an inhuman kind. Unfortunately, the couple has a one year old daughter and currently, the girl and her child have been brought back to her house at Kochi.What the
boy is now insisting upon, is that the girl's parents' must transfer their house onto his name!

The father was trying to find out as to whether I could help him out in sorting out this sordid mess. I've taken on the boy's background, facts about his parents' whereabouts in Thiruvananthapuram and his whereabouts as of now. He needs to be put in the right perspective after hearing out his version.

But based on my gut feeling, I'd told the hapless father that subject to his daughter's approval, they must go and appeal for a divorce as I feel that any marital relationship that's based on economics is a non starter.

The poor child born in wedlock will understandably go through hell but I'm sure, a new life free of fear, taunts and torture is a better bargain than being scarred permanently by continuing in the present situation.

A tricky situation, indeed! Hope I'm able to provide them relief.

Truly overwhelming!

The reactions of my close friends and staff on my marching orders have been truly overwhelming. In fact, a couple of them have gone to the extent of asking me as to why I was not using my 'contacts' to have it cancelled or even, deferred perhaps!

I could only tell them that while appreciating their love and affection for yours truly, I'd no intention of doing anything to stall what has come by. I take it that everything that happens is for one's good, in the ultimate analysis and this is yet another event in my life and I've to take it head on!!

I'm reminded of the poem, "The Charge of the Light Brigade", which is the story of the valour shown by a brigade of tough men - badly mutilated in an earlier battle, awaiting casualty evacuation and additional reinforcements - on receiving an erroneous order to advance to the forward area for combat, during the Crimean War.

And I quote those famous lines from the poem, now immortal:-

"Their's is not to question why
Their's is but to do and die
Into the valley of death rode the six hundred".

That, in essence, is the high value system that we uphold and all the rest shall follow!!!

'Paaleri Maanikyam'

I had the opportunity to see this Malayalam movie yesterday and must say that I enjoyed it thoroughly. The movie had won many awards this year and Mammootty, the superstar of the Malayalam film world, was pitted against Amitabh Bachchan for the award for the best actor for his performance in this movie.

But what fascinated me was that the story covered a wide canvas, timewise - from 1957 to the present day - and it has been beautifully scripted and crafted! The traditional method of registering a case prevalent in Kerala then, the high expectations amongst the people from the first communist government coming to power, the communists using the same chinks in the system to their advantage(the communists justifying such actions brings about a cruel anticlimax and people, soon become disillusioned with them and their ways) and the cruel exploitation of the lower castes are very well etched and hold the viewer's attention till the very end.

Mammootty essays three roles - as the father and two half sons - with immaculate ease and conviction. However, I must admit that I liked the father with a roving eye, where he doesn't spare any good looking woman in the area(his power, as a rich muslim landlord and pelf are used rather shamelessly to buy the governmental organs to submission), the most and a particular scene where he kills a man by stamping repeatedly on his chest brings out the cruelty of that character with all its ferocity! Shweta Menon(the model) lends credence to her role as a submissive lady to the cruel landlord but strangely, has a weakness for him! She's the head of the 'Paleri' household as her son is mentally challenged and 'Manikyam', her comely daughter-in-law!

Manikyam is brutally raped and murdered on a cold morning of '57 and the movie unravels the mystery of the bizarre murder. A good Malayalam film after quite a while!!

O Aparna! - a Bollywood script?

I was at the airport waiting for my flight to be announced. Delhi was smothered by fog, flying operations had gone haywire and flights were either cancelled or being rescheduled. It was gonna be a long wait and no sooner had I put my head into a book when I heard someone crying next to me and continuously muttering something incoherently. It turned out to be a young lady, who was running out of tissues, as she used up one after the other out of her stock. My first observation was as to who could be so heartless to drive such a beautiful person to tears or was it that she'd lost someone dear, whose final rites she was rushing to attend - the script writer, deep within me, had started taking wings!

Mustering my courage - one can be snubbed, you know and be asked to mind one's own business - I offered her my pack of tissues and she gratefully picked up a couple of leaves out of the pack and tried to smile with little success. Emboldened by her reactions, I asked her the reason for her melancholy. It turned out to be that a friend of her's had suddenly stopped regular communication and was being nasty of late. The young lady was pretty sure that he was friendly with someone else and this was the aspect that she hoped to find out on reaching Chandigarh, where she was headed to - the guy has no inkling as to what's coming at him and coincidentally, he shares the same name as mine!

Soon, over a cup of coffee, she wanted me to analyse as to what her friend was upto. It was indeed a tall order because I'd heard only one side of the story, nevertheless I offered the three fundamental truths about relationships that I believe in, which are:-
(a) A relationship is truly over when communication becomes scarce/non existent.
(b) If faults/differences are being constantly highlighted, it has to be deduced that the person is meeting someone else and a continuous comparison is being made to justify the present situation.
(c) And lastly, I cited a 'forward' that I'd received in the not so recent past which spoke about relationships being for a 'reason', a 'season' or 'lifelong' - the last category was however, less and far between.

As Aparna(that's her name) was going towards the exit when her flight was announced, she gave me a hug as though I'd given the elixir of her life. She has promised to keep in touch and let me know about all that happens. Yet another friend picked up courtesy a journey and it's my sincere hope that she has a pleasant experience!

My grandfather and Karunakaran.

Karunakaran, the veteran Congress leader has become memory. A man who gathered tremendous strength from his political life, he seemed to have answers for every move his opponents made, during his lifetime. Much has been and will be written or beamed by the print and visual media, respectively, over the coming days and hence I shall desist from revisiting those aspects!

His name to fame came about in 1969, when he became the Home Minister in a coalition ministry headed by the late Achutha Menon, who is still regarded by most as the best Chief Minister, Kerala has seen thus far. Karunakaran, of course, did not stay long in that capacity because of the infamous Rajan case(Rajan, an engineering student was picked up by the police due to his alleged links with the naxalites and died while in custody) and has been implicated in the Palmolein case too. But whatever one might say, he was an able administrator and the setting up of the Kochi International Airport and the Kaloor International Stadium were a couple of his most recent achievements.

I remember him for an incident at the Kerala House here, in Delhi, in Dec '94. My grandfather had gone to meet a minister from Kerala who was camping there at the time. After the meeting, as we(I and my maman were also with him) were coming out on the corridor, Karunakaran who was the CM then, was in his room holding one of his durbars. My grandfather tried to get into the room to say a cursory hello to him but was thwarted from the attempt by the overzealous security guys at the door.

An angry PN Panicker walked away in a huff, lamenting at the way politicians insulated themselves from reality with the trappings of power. Perhaps, Karunakaran must have been apprised of the commotion outside because he quickly came out, took my grandfather into his room and they exchanged pleasantries as we looked on. I suppose their friendship started when Karunakaran was acquiring his political stature - like many other political leaders across the political spectrum then - through the vibrant 'Kerala Library Association' set up by my grandfather. He, then, made it a point to see off my grandfather, at the entrance, as I drove away with him that evening!

Their association continued in the same vein till my grandfather's passing away in '95. I and my maman'd made it a point to appraise him of the activities of the PN Panicker Foundation as he evinced a keen interest and he used to put forth his suggestions which we faithfully incorporated.

I'd gone to the Kerala House today to pay my homage to the departed soul. In the process, I saw the very same corridor and the room where they'd met almost 16 years back on a similar cold wintry day and experienced a lump in my throat. And I realised that my eyes were moist!

RIP Karunakaranji!

Personal thoughts - old and new.

Smita Patil.

Today is her rememberence day. She was an extremely talented actress who'd a fantastic charm
on celluloid and I never missed her movies though I must admit that most of them left me sad
for days, immediately thereafter, as they depicted the harsh facts of life(except, of course the humorous
'Namak Halal'). But I must admit that
the frozen image of 'Smita Patil as an actress' in my mind, is the one in which she, as a slum
dweller, is having a bath under a roadside tap. No other scene in a Hindi movie has so strongly
depicted the urban economic disparity and the actress had expressed the angst with consummate ease.

Smita, your contribution to the growth of the Indian cinema will always be remembered. May you have eternal peace!


The mad scramble for DDA houses.

As the last day of receipt of applications for the allotment of the new DDA flats approaches - which happens to be tomorrow - there's a mad scramble for the registration forms, attendant bank loans and finally, the submission. Many well meaning friends have tried to egg me on but I've politely declined since I neither have the resources nor the inclination. And I do not have any intention to stay on here, at Delhi, once my mission is over.

But the fact that I'm trying to depict is yet another unique quality of the Delhiites, which simply defies logic, because I'm told that many in the crowd already have a house of their own!

An onion story!

It's a case of spiralling prices of onions all over again, out here in Delhi. As somebody had rightly said on prime time TV, for the common man, just an onion with rotis is a substantial meal. The price hike really seems to hurt everybody across the board. What I can't fathom is that apart from the fact that the Ministry of Agriculture has no contingency plan to provide the commodity at reasonable prices to its people, they seem to have been completely taken by surprise by the ticklish situation or was this situation consciously brought about?

But I'm reminded about a humorous incident that happened the last time such a situation had risen. A guy in the neighbourhood, for whom onions are a must for every meal, had gone and purchased a sackful of onions at the prevalent prices then - quite higher than normal - to tide over the situation! And it's also a fact that the very same gentleman doesn't touch onions during the fast of the 'navaratras' which he undertakes religiously, every year. That essentially is the spirit of the Delhiite - a never say die attitude!!

Tailpiece.
My man Friday, Bunty, has taken his tot of rum from my liquor cabinet saying that he was feeling very cold this evening. I oblige him and look at him with envy as I'm following the abstinence ritual connected with the Sabarimala season. Jokes apart, no there's no urge at all to imbibe and instead, I feel very nice that I can stay away from it all if I want!

The home made Christmas cake.

This morning was indeed hectic with me literally running out of the house to make it in time for an appointment. Traffic was comparatively sparce thanks to many of the Delhiites having prefixed and suffixed holidays to have a long, uninterrupted leave through the week.

My first stop was at the nearby hospital to look up an old friend who's undergone a surgery. She seemed to be cheerful and recovering well and should be discharged by this weekend. And my second stop was at the MI Room for monitoring my blood pressure that has been erratic for no rhyme or reason. Thankfully, the readings have come back to normal - perhaps, it was one of the rogue phenomena that, at times, perks up to give one the jitters.

In my case, frankly I did not have any misgivings about my health as there was no discomfort, whatsoever. The false alarm was sounded last week when I'd gone for lunch at a friend's place who'd this fancy gadget and had tried it on me to show as to how it works. The readings simply surprised me and presto, everyone present was adequately convinced that there was something seriously wrong and had I not vehemently opposed it, I would've been admitted into a clinic(A strong reason not to have doctors as friends!) forthwith!!

Then there was this meeting that dragged on to lunchtime. As I made it back to my office, there was Shaji - a mallu Christian and a member of the staff - with a nicely packaged Christmas cake that was baked at his home, meant for yours truly. Well, that was indeed the highlight of the day.

Thanks, Shaji for your wonderful gesture and here's wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

An unwanted clamour!

Sachin Tendulkar has scored 50 centuries in test cricket. A commendable feat indeed and at 37 yrs, he's shown what perseverence is all about. To keep himself fit and still having that hunger to wield the willow to score runs shows his class and also that he's a cut above the rest. Let many more runs flow from his bat and may he continue to play for India for many more years.

But having said that I must say that I do not understand the clamour made at some quarters for him to be conferred the 'Bharat Ratna'. As I understand, the highest civilian honour is bestowed on individuals whose contribution to the country's legacy is all round and spread over a wide canvas. Sachin has been honoured with the highest awards in the field of sports and he has even got a Padma award. He, therefore, needs to continue to do well as the country has given him so much and above all, an iconic status! For heaven's sake, do not deify him!!

Babita and I - my horse tales(2).

Yet another day on the Equitation Lines. I'd, by then, mastered the art of clinging on to Babita as wisdom dictated that a fall could have lasting ramifications. On this particular day, our instructor was in a foul mood and he, thus, found nothing going right with anyone of us. As a part of disciplining us, he made us exchange horses which was sheer torture.

We're supposed to dismount from one side of the horse, go from under its belly and mount the next horse nearby. And this rigmarole continued for a while by the end of which I was sweating through all my pores. By my rotten luck, I was astride on Peter Saldhana's steed(Peter was about 6 ft tall and the stirrups were adjusted to suit his leg length). And no sooner had all of us mounted our horses, the instructor asked us to follow him on a cross country gallop!

It was about a half-an-hour's torture but by the end of it I'd earned my spurs! I knew it because whatever was left of my fear of riding was overcome then. I must have been a comical sight all through as I was clinging on to the horse's neck(as the stirrups were woefully out of reach!) and in the process, partially blinding the poor animal who kept raising its speed in sheer panic thanks to its temporary blindness! And all the while Peter was riding astride Babita, like a jockey, hooked on to the stirrups adjusted to my leg length!!

As we finally came to a halt back in the equestrian area, my breeches were torn and I'd a deep gash on my right thigh brought about by the constant rubbing of a buckle of the saddle. As usual practice, when we patted our horses 'good bye', I saw Babita giving me a long, hard look as if to say, "I wouldn't have harmed you, ever". The instructor, Iqbal Singh, insisted on my reporting to the Military Hospital forthwith but I'd have nothing to do with it as I was worried about the breakfast break being eaten away, which was unthinkable! This is essentially an NDA cadet's mentality - more about it some other time, perhaps!!
* * *
Horse riding, from then, had become a favourite outdoor for me and Babita had become an important part of my life as we understood each other perfectly during our subsequent outings.

Epilogue.
A few years later, when I was posted into the Directing Staff of the Academy, I'd gone to visit Babita at the Equitation Lines only to be told that she'd passed into the mist of time a few months before. I remember feeling sad for quite a while, thereafter! RIP Babita and I hope that you're happy wherever you are.

Iqbal Singh, by then a JCO, had a lot of nice words for yours truly and insisted on having a photograph of him and his family, with me.

Babita and I - my horse tales (1)

My initial foray into the equestrian world was a comical one, when as a first termer at the NDA, I was initiated into this amazing outdoor sport. I was a beginner and had all the pitfalls of a greenhorn, perhaps, more than some of my contemporaries. At the Academy, two squadrons used to be combined to form a class at the equitation lines and 'Golf' and 'Hunter' squadrons were thus buddies on horsebacks!

Usually, the cadets were assigned to a particular animal and I thus came to partner Babita, a majestic, chestnut brown mare that had a few random white spots all over her shiny body. I remember the first time that I sat astride on her, I really felt on top of the world. It's said that a horse sizes up the quality of the rider within no time and Babita had amply measured my ability!
* * *
Prodded by the instructor, I dug my heels into the flanks of the hapless animal a bit too often that Babita looked back at me as if to say, "Idiot, I'm doing you a favour by allowing you to sit on me but don't you dare do anything funny". The message was received without ambiguity and I decided to desist from any further egging on. But Babita had to teach me a lesson in her own way and she did it soon after. The entire squad of 15 horses and the trainees were asked to go through a waterpoint where the animal's belly would have barely touched water. And as we're negotiating the puddle, Babita decided to bend her limbs drenching me in the process and she shot a glance back at a miserable me with a grin on her face! My breeches and the undergarments were wet in the bargain, putting me through a lot of discomfort. I never ever acted funny with her, thereafter.
* * *
On another occasion, then Captain 'Pickles' Sodhi, the Equitation Officer had come to see the progress we'd made on our riding ability and the instructor was very keen to show him as to how we negotiated a simple stile that acted as an obstacle. I was the first student and therefore, called upon to execute the manouvre. With the slightest of pressure on her flanks, Babita was off the mark and headed for the starting point from where I was supposed to get her to gather sufficient momentum to clear the obstacle. Babita's poise and her reactions indeed surprised and thrilled me as we waited for the instructor's final order. As it was given, Babita got on to a trot and then to a canter. As the obstacle came charging towards us, she bypassed it at the last moment and headed to join the squad by squeezing in between the other horses antogonising many of my course mates, in the bargain. Pickles Sodhi was simply shaking his head as if he knew that such an eventuality was expected and an angry instructor punctured whatever little ego that was left in me by his thunderous question, "Cadet Rajeev, tum ghode par savaar ho ya ghoda tum par"?

Charlie Mike.

Charlie Mike is a classmate of mine from school with whom I've had some fantastic times over the years and we continue to be in touch with each other though he's based at far away Madras. Life has been unkind to him in more ways than one and today, he's a far cry from the fun loving and crazy guy that I've known him to be during our formative years in the navy.

He joined school in 1965 and I'd joined the same class two years later, in class VII. I must admit that we weren't the best of buddies while at school as we'd a different set of friends since we were in different divisions and in different houses -he in 'C' and I in 'A' and housewise, he in 'Shivaji' and I in 'Tagore'. The one thing that I remember of him in school is the fact that he was the first and only guy amongst us to be stricken with 'Trachoma' and consequentially, sported red eyes for quite a while!

We actually became close after joining the IN on graduating from the NDA - as cadets on Delhi, his number was 60 and mine 61 - and I'd the privilege of knowing him from close quarters. He'd a ready wit and his arguments on any topic had a crazy twist, though essentially relevant to the situation. His ability to quickly read and appreciate a tactical situation, in a war scenario, was something that I've always admired.

Charlie Mike is a simple soul, hails from Palakkad and has always been close to his family. His brother and sister, whom he was rather fond of, had a tiff following the division of their ancestral property and he's still to get over the jolt, though the event had taken place many years earlier.

His wife, Sasikala, is essentially a simple and fun loving person who can never be harsh with anyone and they've two sons, Arjun and Aneesh, who've done the engineering course. Arjun, however, has had certain medical complications and hence, Charlie Mike has been dejected in a sense. He also has a recurrent problem in his right knee that had taken an impact, years ago, during a road accident on the Palakkad - Coimbatore route.

I'd spoken to him last evening and to my utter sadness realised that his zest for life is not what it was. May God give him and his family all that they wish for in life. And I'd like to be with the gregarious Charlie Mike of old and God, don't tell me that I'm asking for too much!

Vijay diwas.

16 Dec '71 shall always be remembered for the spectacular win by our armed forces over the descredited and demoralised Pakistani armed forces culminating in the birth of a new country - Bangladesh. It was a crowning moment for India and Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the then PM, showed that she was a fine wartime leader. In victory, she showed magnanimity and handed over the 93,000 POWs back to Pakistan and even the areas captured by the Indian Army on its offensive on the western borders. Some people sincerely feel that we shouldn't have given them back till we bargained and got some tangible gains. But I suppose, real statesmanship is when as victor one doesn't humiliate the vanquished!

Years later, in early '98 I'd the honour of being the LO to the chief architect of this fine victory, Field Marshal Sam Maneckshaw when he was on a four day visit to Kochi. For me, every minute spent with him was education that was precious and unforgettable. And in the process, there were nuggets of information that were passed on to me and he endeared himself to me with his ready wit and an easygoing charm.

Sadly, the celebration of the 'Vijay Diwas' today was a muted event restricted more or less to the service cantonments. What does one say about a nation that forgets to remember its Armed Forces once their need gets over?

I salute the indomitable spirit of all those valiant men who'd sacrificed their today for their country's tomorrow and sincerely hope that their near and dear ones have learnt to cope with their irrepairable loss!

Everything seems to be rotten!

I'm getting disillusioned with everything about our country, what with the non stop reporting by the media about everything that seems to be wrong in all aspects of governance and the attendant establishments. Scams are by the galore and fraudsters seem to have got into every level of the government and its institutions pressing for their agenda. Earlier, one used to feel smug about the fact that China and Pakistan - naming just our adversaries - were quite ahead of us in the degree of corruption, alongwith many others. But now one's at a loss after skeletons keep tumbling down everday with a sickening regularity.

And the aspect that frightens me is that the very watchdogs of our democratic set up, that are supposed to sniff out the wrongdoings so that appropriate corrective measures can be applied on time, seem to be floundering. Moreover, they seem to have lost their will to do what's expected of them. Or have they been stifled to the point of inaction by their political masters with enthusiastic help from the bureaucratic behemoth? When institutions lose their credibility, then everything is lost as it brings in general cynicism amongst the citizens - a dangerous proposition!

The latest fracas between the former CJI and a sitting judge of the Supreme Court is ugly, to put it bluntly. Another 'mallu' biting the dust? The controversy, however, needs to be sorted out at the earliest by the concerned parties and the truth must come out. Period!!

But having said this, the optimist in me feels that all that's happening around us, these days, will eventually clean up the system once for all and the 'good people' of the society will come out forcefully to make this country an envy to the rest of the world!!!

And may that take place at the earliest!

When things went right all the way!

This morning I'd an appointment at the RTO's office for the renewal of my driving licence. I was ready for inordinate delays and the possibility of running around for getting the papers scrutinised and cleared by the authorities as was the experience during my previous outing. Well, I was in for a shock and if I were to be permitted to use poetic licence, a pleasant one. Things are so streamlined that the movement from one counter to the next(and one really needs to go around a whole lot of them for their scrutiny of the documents) was systematic and since the entire procedure has been computerised, the whole exercise took me just twenty minutes! Technology intensive services really help the customer and thank God, our country is witness to such momentous changes.

The paper work is complete.
In the afternoon, I was informed that the final set of papers of my Chevrolet Cruze have arrived from the RTO's office. This has been the result of some painstaking moves by my friends, well wishers and to a much lesser intent, yours truly. It's the culmination of a long and arduous process of acquiring a new vehicle in Delhi, in these trying times!

The surprise call from Calcutta.
I was pleasantly surprised by a call, in the evening, from my friends(from my NDA days of '82 when I was a Divisional Officer to the cadets) who'd ganged up at Calcutta on the occasion of the 'Vijay Divas' being commemmorated on 16 Dec. It was nice hearing the Joshis(Jo and Priscilla) and the Koijams(Amrit and Padma) who'd looked after me during those days and have always endeavoured to be in touch with me at every occasion feasible, concerned about my well being and Lekha's health. It's nice to feel wanted and as each one of them had told me, I become a topic of their discussions whenever they conglomerate anywhere. And as I've said earlier, I feel honoured and humbled by such genuine show of affection. We've promised to meet up soon before this year ends and I need to juggle with dates to make it possible!

Saving the environment.

I must admit that whenever I'd heard that the earth that we inhabit is moving fast towards annihilation, thanks to the human plunder of its natural resources, I'd always thought that it was a line of argument adopted by the so called 'nature lovers' for whom anything about human beings came last, always and everytime! But as things start showing up at every change of season, one has reasons to believe, now, that these people have indeed been warning us of a real problem, that's looming large, to engulf us in the not too distant future!

The recent happenings at Cancun, at least show that the world has been seized of the enormity of the problem. While I wouldn't like to dwell upon the details of the deliberations, what's discernible is that there's a lot of mismatch in the perceptions of the developed and the developing world. While the developed world wants a seizure of developmental activities that involves wanton destruction of natural resources, the developing world feels that they've the right to go through with it to become developed and self sufficient before agreeing to self restraint. So long as this fundamental difference of opinion is not sorted out amicably there can never be a universal accord, wherein all countries work together in safeguarding the environment.

But what I want to highlight is the manner in which the seasons have begun to change drastically over the last few years. For example, the biting cold that's prevalent all over Europe and the British Isles today. In our country, the South West monsoons have almost culminated into the North East monsoons, judjing by what's being experienced in Kerala today. The cold has come comparatively earlier, this year, in North India.

Surely these changes have happened because of the carelessness shown by human beings, the world over, in exploiting the natural resources. When I say this, unplanned industrialisation is what I've in mind as one of the primary concerns.

Development with a humane touch would definitely be a step in the right direction. And yes, we need to safeguard the environment for the sake of the coming generations!

Disturbing news!

This evening's news on the Surya channel talked of an increasingly disturbing trend, amongst the school children of Kerala, of getting drawn into the use of drugs. The addiction ranges from the abuse of 'nail polish remover'(and I thought it was the most harmless of things!) to the use of 'brown sugar'.
Why do children get derailed in their journey of life at such an early stage? Are they disgusted with what they hear and see around them about the atrocious things that are happening in the society? Are their parents so busy that they've no time to spend with them? Or is it the 'in thing' to flaunt the use of drugs as a fashion statement?
Having asked the questions, time and again to myself, I'd like to believe that it's the handiwork of certain unscrupulous and disgruntled elements in society who're hell bent on making money at the expense of this country's future.
A concerted and combined effort on the part of the parents, school authorities and voluntary organisations need to focus on eradicating this scourge.

Can't the use of Endosulphan be curbed?
In the northern district of Kannur, in Kerala there are generations of people who've been ravaged by the extensive use of 'Endosulphan' as pesticide in the lush cashew plantations that are cash cows! Commerce at the cost of the health of the people is definitely unethical and self defeating. The horrible frames of the people suffering from the ill effects of the dreaded chemical makes one recoil in horror and shock.
There has been a sustained effort by the 'people's action groups' to put pressure upon the government to ban the use of this harmful chemical. But I suppose the pressure is not adequate enough to bring about the badly needed succour to the suffering people.

Tailpiece.
The cold in Delhi is getting to be intense as December progresses. Thankfully, today was clear and the sun had adequate strength. However, the Delhiites move around doing their normal chores without dwelling upon the discomfort! And that's the spirit that keeps thoroughbred 'mallus' like me to grin and bear it!!

In tribute.

Today, I'd received a mail from a coursemate of mine who'd attached a fine article written by Ameeta Mulla Wattal who's the Principal of the Springdales School on Pusa Road, Delhi. She also happens to be the daughter of the Indian Navy's hero of the '71 war, Captain MN Mulla, MVC who'd skippered the ill fated INS Khukri and had gone down gallantly while helping many of his shipmates to escape from the sinking ship! His brave action has already become folklore and will continue to inspire navymen in the years to come.

I was particularly touched by the proud daughter's efforts to analyse her father's action out of the probable reasons that she enumerates and comes with a clear answer, being her father's daughter. Without diluting her thoughts, I'd like to quote her as she analyses her father's driving motive in doing what he did then:-
"Was it a quest for immortality beyond death? Or was it an old naval tradition or did he make the choice because he felt it was the right thing to do?''
And she answers it in her own way when she says and I quote, "knowing him as I did, he felt that it was the right thing and it was the only thing that he would do".

Ameeta, you've just confirmed what many of us have always believed to be the truth. Your father is a hero and you can justifiably be proud of him!

We've done it!

I was really happy on reading a particular news item of the day. Rejecting the 'demarche' of the Chinese government asking India not to attend today's Nobel Peace prize award distribution ceremony (where Liu Xia Bao was felicitated) we've rightly stood up against Chinese strong arm tactics. And what is his crime for which the Chinese government is after him? He has written against the one party authoritarian rule in his country and has advocated for freedom of expression. He has dedicated his work to the innocents who'd laid down their lives in the Tiannenman incident of '99.
One is unhappy by China's continued irritating tactics of stapled visas for Kashmiris and one still cannot forget their recent visa denial to one of our Generals!
India must stand up against Chinese duplicity and convey to them that their obstinate attitude will not be tolerated anymore.

Much ado about nothing.
There was a hue and cry raised in the media about Meera Shankar's(India's Ambassador in the US) 'pat down' frisking done by their security officials at the airport despite the immunity that she possesses by virtue of being from the diplomatic corps. The powers that be, out there, have already apologised for the faux pas - but such behaviour on the part of the Americans is not something that's new. They seem to leave no loopholes in matters of security!
Rather than whine about it, we in India, need to take lessons from their security proceedures and subject everyone to stringent security checks in our environment too. In matters of our country's security we should not be bothered about other's opinions!!

A trip down memory lane.
Chaitanya had returned today after a short trip to Pune for attending the 48th course get together at the National Defence Academy. This course was immediately senior to mine and hence it was nostalgic to know about his coursemates' journey through life after passing out from the Academy in Jun '75. The familiar landmarks of the NDA brought in a touch of nostalgia and going through the updates about the course was informative.
And I was reminded of the wordings of that evergreen number 'Que sera, sera, whatever will be will be....'
And again, what does one say about a guy who gets unashamedly sentimental?

Blast from the past!

Lekha, alongwith my sister Rema, had gone to attend the wedding of a cousin of mine (from Palakkad) today, at Coimbatore. This youngster is flying back to the US with his wife, a fortnight from now, since he works there. At the venue, Lekha was asked about the whereabouts of yours truly by my relations from Palakkad. And one of them, Unnikrishnettan(as I call him) had called up and we'd a long chat laughing at our follies and fondly remembering the good times at my grandparents' house at Thiruvananthapuram way back(I was in class V then).

There was a particular incident, at play, through which I'd hurt him then. It was a game of carrom between Unnikrishnettan and my maman - I must concede that I was unashamedly partial towards my maman. As the game progressed, the time had arrived when both the players were sweating it out to pocket the 'queen' and 'her consort'. Maman had lost a golden chance and Unnikrishnettan was fairly well poised to go for the kill. He'd pocketed the queen and as he readied himself for taking the consort, I distracted him by shooting my hand across his line of vision and he, consequently missed a sure sitter!

Unnikrishnettan was in tears and wouldn't talk to me for the next couple of days despite my repeated apologies. Deep within me I realised that I'd hurt him and I was keen to make up with him before he left for Dubai, a few days later, for taking up his new job. The reconciliation never took place then and the incident had always remained in the innermost recess of my mind as an unfinished job. In the eagerness of living our lives, neither did we get a chance to come across each other nor did we endeavour(at least I didn't) to get in touch!

And today, finally the opportunity did arrive. The thorough gentleman that he's, he guffawed when I'd asked him to forgive me for my childhood folly and the ice was broken! He remains as he was simple and likeable, as I remember, despite his successes in life.

Unnikrishnetta, I'll look you up when I make it home the next time. That's a promise!

Spreading cheer!

I'd gone to a nearby hospital where my friend was admitted into the ICU as he was in an extremely precarious condition - Oxygen level in the blood at an alarming low of 60% coupled with an equally low level of Sodium! Since my visit was untimely, I couldn't enter the sanitised area and therefore, was unable to see him. But his immediate family waiting outside were visibly relieved and when his wife told me that she'd tell him about my visit, because she was sure that the news would perk him up and get him out of harm's way, I was humbled and had a lump in my throat!

I must insist that I'd not done anything out of the way and my visit was meant to convey that I too was with them during their difficult times. It was also meant to convey that I could be called on to render any sort of assistance that might come up during the long haul.

The reactions, yet again, confirmed the age old saying that it takes very little on one's part to light up others' lives. A bit of one's time, an appropriate gesture or sharing the pain goes a long way and mind you, it doesn't cost even a penny!

Tailpiece.

On the occasion, I was reminded of Mrs. Afshan Khan, our friend, who'd spent the entire day with Lekha while I was under the surgeon's knife for the removal of a troublesome stone from my urinary bladder, sometime in September last year. I guess I shall ever remain indebted to her for that wonderful gesture!!

Heartless acts!

One of the inmates of this huge colony had recently gone away on transfer. During their stay out here, they had a Boxer as their pet. Each member of the family, as I gather, used to show off their prized possession and the people around considered them to be genuine dog lovers! Well, the real story has now come out in the open. They've left the dog back and gone off to their new destination.

The Boxer is still bewildered and used to move around like a stray animal. Luckily, there are genuine animal lovers too, in our midst and one such family has taken the hapless dog under its wings.

Who gave the right to people to bring up pets and then dump them once their interest had waned? Why do these people consider owning pets only as a status symbol? The psychology of a dog is that, when it gets dumped, it starts fretting and starts to believe that there's something seriously wrong with it. Its end is pretty quick thereafter. And I'm sure that the type of people, cited above, do not value relationships even with their own kith and kin. I sincerely wish that they're taught a lesson or two in life without delay!

Blast in Varanasi.

This evening's blast in the vicinity of the 'Sankat mochan' temple of Varanasi is another cowardly and heartless act by its perpetrators. The violent death of that infant, I'm sure, will haunt them for the times to come! Hope the culprits are brought to book and the sternest punishment meted out to send out a clear message to the would-be-defaulters!

We shall overcome!

As one watches the television these days, it's getting to be obvious that we're a land of the wheeler dealers, the fraudsters, the fixers and the ones who've the least interest to do things the right way. Am I over reacting? But tell me, what does one make out of this madness where at least one scam is being unearthed, everyday by the media, with a sickening regularity? Isn't there any institution that can be fearlessly pointed out to be absolutely corruption free?

What makes it worse is that the tainted people have no gumption to stand up and justify their wrongdoing while deflecting the blame on to their opponents. It simply doesn't make sense.

Or is it that there's a sustained effort by the country's enemies to discredit every institution so as to create a general sense of helplessness amongst the people? It goes without saying that all the scams must be investigated thoroughly and the guilty be brought to justice at the earliest. I'm sure that such a cleansing act will finally churn out good people from the society to come up and assume leadership to guide the country to a prosperous future and ultimate greatness.

Yes, we shall overcome!

Why did it happen so?

I'd mentioned earlier that I've two birthdays - one by the English calendar, which is 24 Nov and the other as per the Malayalam calendar, which turns up anywhere between the third week of November and the second week of December. Lekha is the only person who wishes me on both the dates and insists on giving me gifts on both occasions!

This year, however, it did not turn out to be so. Lekha has been going through a rough patch insofar as her illness is concerned and has been visiting the doctor for over the last four months for medical management. Probably it's because of her physical discomfort and this time, she was surprised herself that she'd missed out on 24 Nov and was very, very apologetic.

And today was my birthday as per the Malayalam calendar. She'd over the past few days bought a card, some clothes as gifts and had ordered for a cake! But early this morning I'd got up hearing her cry because of excruciating pain all over her body. It took some time to manage her discomfort and she was feeling guilty that my birthday had kicked off on this note. It took all my powers of conviction to put her at ease and to convey to her that her good health was the best birthday gift for me.

I think that the resurgence of her old ailment(SLE) and an early setting in of winter in Delhi have made matters worse for her this year. It's my fervent hope that once she reaches home and her dad on Tuesday, things will turn around for the better. She'd join up with me here, at Delhi, sometime during the third week of Feb '11 after the winter has receded.

And therefore, it's gonna be a long lonely winter!

Today's Navy day!

04 December is celebrated as Navy Day. It commemmorates the spectacular attack on Karachi by the IN's, then almost freshly inducted, Missile Boats on this date during the Indo-Pak war of 1971. The rest is history.

The Navy is a fine service where individuals have a wide ranging set of opportunities to attain professional satisfaction. And there's no job that matches a 'Command at sea'! Furthermore, the navy's uniqueness is that it's a very important arm of the nation's foreign policy wherein naval ships visit other countries to spread goodwill.

And of course, the white uniform has an irresistible charm! On a very personal note, the most poignant experience has been that of the combined effect of the sea and a star filled sky while sailing on a ship - man's ultimate blending with nature. A truly humbling experience!

So, three cheers to the Indian Navy and here's wishing it many, many more laurels in the years to come!!

Whither India?

Today, Sivaswamy Kalanidhi, a dear friend had called up from Bombay to update me about his whereabouts. Kals, as he's known to his contemporaries, is simple, straight forward and always does things the right way.He'd been away in Madras for the last one month, calling on his near relatives and tying up things that had required his personal attention.

But on his return today and to his bewilderment, he found that somebody had vandalised his two wheeler. And the culprit is a local goon of sorts who was asked by Kals 'to behave' when he found him indulging in malpractices, prior to his trip to Madras.

Kals, however is unfazed and says that he'll make the goon understand by his methods - Gandhigiri of sorts, yet again. Here's wishing him the very best.

But what the hell' s happening in this country? Each and everyone seems to be taking the law in his own hands. Good people from the society must come together and nip this ugly tendency before it reaches a point of no return. And that's why I want Kals to succeed!

Today's a special day!

Today is 'World Disabled Day' and I'd prefer calling it 'the World Physically Challenged Day'.

Our country has come a long way in accommodating this sizeable population with compassion and empathy. Public utilities like the transportation system and its associated utility services like the airports, railway stations and bus stations have catered for the welfare of this cross section of the society and it's indeed a step in the right direction. But we need to do much more with a generous spirit of accommodation.

While taking a solemn pledge to contribute my mite towards the betterment of this population, it's my fond hope that the society, at large, would take care of them wholeheartedly and sincerely!

And to Aviraj and Arzoo, lots and lots of love with the best of wishes. May God be with you always. Here's a promise that I shall endeavour to be with you, always and everytime.

The Delhi diary.

It's December and we're in the last month of 2010 but it seems that we'd rung in the year just the other day. How time has flown, at an amazingly incredible pace - one can't even comprehend. The cold is biting and for a thoroughbred 'mallu' like me it's almost like being at the poles. The layers of clothing are a pain but essential to keep the cold away.

A series of scams have, otherwise, heated up the atmosphere. The parliament, supposed to be in session, is in a state of suspended animation and an amicable end doesn't seem to be anywhere in sight. Spokespersons from various political parties give their soundbytes through the media, ostensibly for our benefit, making us feel that we are all a bunch of idiots! And how long will the actually corrupt guys take to own up their mistakes and undergo the logical course of the law?

In the midst of all this, I'm amused by the 'mallu' angle in the scam. I mean, the malayalees have been in the news recently for their superb showing at the Delhi Commonwealth Games and the recently concluded Asian Games at Guangzhou besides excelling in varied fields all the year round! But sadly, now even in this aspect! And that's what deepens the angst.

The CVC, continues to make a mess of the circumstances and in the process, makes it somewhat clear that he's playing out his final act in public life. Did he have to go through this ignominy? Absolutely not, if he'd refused to become the CVC when his name was being linked to the infamous and by now, the vintage 'palmolein deal'(Karunakaran's rough days seem to be just round the corner) of Kerala and the recent 2G spectrum auction scandal!

While the political atmosphere has been heating up, the Delhi police has also been kept on its toes thanks to the rape of a young lady from Mizoram, by serial offenders, near Dhaula Kuan just a stone's throw away from where I live. Three of the accused seem to have been nabbed but what about the remaining two?
I've always felt that the Delhi police have a tough job in hand. Approximately within a distance of 25 - 30 km, a miscreant after having committed a crime within the city can slip into the neighbouring state without getting caught. Yet, despite this handicap and the meagre resources it has, they're doing a good job and we, as Delhi's citizens need to help them in their endeavours. I'm sure that they'd be able to nab all the culprits in this case as quickly as possible!

Hope things clear up at the earliest and the culprits are brought to book so that we can ring in 2011 and make it a wonderful year for all of us!!

An embarassing experience!

This morning I'd gone to attend a meeting which lasted for almost an hour and a half. As I came out of the venue of the meeting, I quickly charged into a nearby rest room to relieve my overburdened bladder. Despite my hurry, I was surprised to see the room devoid of the standing cubicles, but mentally attributed their absence to the vintage of the building and proceeded to carry out the ritual that I'd come in for, in one of the WCs at hand, without even bothering to bolt the door!

I guess God and luck were by my side today. As a 'relieved' me came out of the rest room, I saw three ladies entering and it was then that it dawned on me that I'd done my job in the ladies' rest room! Profusely apologising to them, I then made a quick, sheepish exit and it was yet another occasion when I'd wanted to shrink into my clothes!

My 'timing' seemed to be just right for saving me from a massive embarassment and excused me from giving feeble explanations later!

A sad footnote.

Over the weekend, the Surya Malayalam news channel covered the plight of Sangeetha, a young lady who' d chucked up her job, got soon after having attained graduation. She had taken this step to look after her ailing and bed ridden mother. They stayed in a wretched hut in the outskirts of the city of Thiruvananthapuram and were going through tough times to make both ends meet.

Once the news of their poverty had entered the public domain, there were quite a few good samaritans willing to offer help. But, alas, when one such group came knocking to give them hope, they were witness to the ghastly sight of the lifeless body of the young lady hanging from the roof and her mother's dead body down on the floor.

Why did Sangeetha end her life? Was she so overwelmed by her mother's death that she decided to end her life too? Or was she too proud of being supported by others without any effort on her part? I suppose these questions will remain unanswered and go alongwith them to their graves.

Here's me saying a silent prayer for them. RIP.

A nasty experience!

Yesterday, after Lekha's review by her doctor he'd recommended certain mandatory tests to be done. Accordingly, I'd called up a reputed pathological laboratory and had requested the doctor there, to send his representative to collect the samples this morning. However, the doctor expressed his inability to accede to my request as he was at home and had asked me to sms my telephone number to him promising that he would fill in the details after an hour or so.
Since I had not heard anything from him, I tried to contact him after my customary evening walk and had a harrowing experience. On the first ring, the receiver on the other end was picked up by a lady who then asked me to hold on till the doctor came and attended to my requirements.

After a while, I heard the gentleman asking as to who the caller was and immediately after, the call was disconnected. I tried the number a couple of times more but the same wretched experience was repeated. Having reached a dead end, I then contacted their HQs in Bombay to help me out and was given a few more telephone numbers of their other franchisees nearby. But after trying out each and every number I'd come to the conclusion that none of them would be of any help in my hour of need. And I sadly realised that the only alternative left for me was to take my wife to a nearby laboratory in the morning.

Lekha was in bad shape, with unbearable pain and could hardly walk. But after much coaxing and bulldozing on my part, I was able to take her to a pathological laboratory in the nearby Sadr market. With a bit of cajoling, the medical attendant, Sunil, graciously agreed to draw the blood sample from Lekha who was seated in the car and thus the event was successfully carried out. The results were in hand by evening and we're able to pass on the information to Lekha's doctor who could then fine tune the medicines being administered on her.

Though everything had ended well, I'd unfinished work. I called up the Bombay HQs of the pathological laboratory, whose franchisee had misbehaved and lodged a complaint on the basis of three factors viz.
(a) The doctor had misbehaved, in that, he'd refused to take a genuine call.
(b) If he could do this to a serviceman like me, then what would be the plight of a common man from the civvy street?
(c) The patient was suffering and don't these guys have the basic decency to uphold the Hippocratic oath that they'd faithfully taken on completion of their course?

I've, in my capacity as a citizen of this country, further told the HQs at Bombay that they needed to take action and let me know about it, just for the simple fact that the gentleman never, ever repeats such uncouth behaviour to another unsuspecting but needy customer!

My wandering thoughts!

Counterpoint.
This is a favourite column of mine that comes in the Sunday edition of the Hindustan Times and Vir Sanghvi, its author writes passionately, on issues, as I reckon. So I was really sad to read that he's taking a hiatus for sometime - and the sad thing is that he's not mentioned as to how long he's gonna stay away.
It's the result of the 'Radiia tapes' that have revealed a nexus between the media and the politicians. From the looks of it I'm sure that there's still more left to come out regarding the sordid affair. It's my fervent hope that the guys whom I'd considered as heroes do not turn out to be otherwise!

The third Delhi Gay Parade.
There was yet another edition of the LGBTs'(Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgenders) conglomeration, yesterday. They'd come out of their shyness to join hands and express solidarity to one another. Many of them carried flags bearing rainbow colours as a symbol of their fraternity.
I think, we Indians have grown up and shown magnanimity in accepting the fraternity. At least, these days one doesn't hear of any violent reactions to the unfortunate lot - I hope I'm not sounding patronising, but they too have a right to live. But no PDA -public display of affection - please!

The Wikileaks saga.
The Wikileaks are going to give many of us troublesome times as we come to know what the Americans think of us as a nation. The wisest thing is to reiterate the adage that 'in the realm of international relationships there are no permanent friendships but permanent interests that endure.'

At the service station.

Unlike what it's on a usual Sunday morning, today I'd to get up early to meet up with an appointment at the service station. My Cruze was due for its first (and free) servicing and alongwith my man Friday, Bunty, we set off around a half past eight to our destination. Despite our early kick off, my vehicle could only be registered as the second and those boys at the service station were polite yet businesslike. And I was introduced to the young, ever smiling and bespectacled, Dinesh Surya who'd be my 'service advisor' from now on and shall be associated with my car thoughout its attachment to the service station! Dinesh quickly outlined to me as to what would be done on my car and as it was driven into the servicing bay, I moved into the customer lounge.

I'd brought with me enough reading material and no sooner had I begun to browse my newspaper when a youngster, around his late 20s, came and sat next to me. I'm not exaggerating but that boy was continuously talking to his friend into his cellphone for the next one and a half hours, regarding anything and everything - some stamina, that was!

Then, there was this well groomed lady who'd come in with her Cheverolet Spark and was generally critical and angry with all and sundry - and to my reckoning, for nothing in particular that I could visibly comprehend. And seeing my quizzical face, Dinesh quickly filled in saying that there were quite a few customers who were vain, proud and ill mannered. I was disappointed because the lady had really impressed me with her initial poise and chic!

And then there was this portly gentleman, with a generous paunch, who was continuously updating himself on the 'one day international' at Gauhati, from the television set at the lounge. He was particularly harsh on the Indian players who'd supposedly missed a big hit according to his calculations(he used some real colourful words from the Hindi vocabulary for the purpose) and the New Zealanders who took wickets.

As I bid farewell to Dinesh and drove out of the premises, I noted that I really did not mind the two and a half hours spent at the servicing station, that I'd be frequenting from now on. And Dinesh gave me the parting shot, by thrusting his business card into my hands and saying that I just needed to get in touch with him if I required anything - even a complimentary wash for my car. I've become one of his favourite customers. Well!!

A severe misdemeanour!

Yesterday, I was telephonically told that a cheque of mine had not been honoured. And I simply could not believe it and hence, invited the organisation's representative to meet me this evening. On the appointed hour, the youngster was at my door and on perusal, I found much to my embarassment that I'd not put down my signature after writing the amount. A grave slip on my part, that's totally unpardonable, because one's supposed to be very meticulous while doing such things. No, it wasn't supposed to be a practical joke either! Honest!

A fresh cheque was issued and apologies tendered to the representative and to the head of the organisation. They were extremely nice and tried to save me from further embarassment by saying that it could have been an inadvertent slip on my part, thanks to my busy schedule!

A fact that I'd like to dismiss and label it as carelessness at its extreme. I shan't forgive myself for this misdemeanour for sometime to come and it's my fervent hope that it never, ever occurs again!

Snippets....

"Rajeev, I'm sorry that your name did not come to my mind readily when I was to give a suitable name to be part of a delegation to tour the US." This came from a friend of mine who used to be a regular visitor to my house everyday those days. I'd laughed it off as an inadvertent miss on his part and then went on to put him at ease.

* * *

"Sir, I used to deliberately keep you from meeting and interacting with that senior as I fully well knew that he was quite fond of you. Now, I feel that I'd not played fair by you, hope you'd understand." This by a youngster, who's doing well today, in one of his candid confessions this morning when he'd met me after a long break.

* * *

"Sir, I'd like you to give me an insight into a few topics and if you don't mind I'd like to note down the salient points. And here's a personal request that if the topic were to come up for discussion in a forum please let me tackle it and give me moral support by being with me silently." A junior's earnest request of me this evening.

* * *

In view of the foregoing, I seriously wonder:-
(a) Am I overbearing?
(b) Am I competing with people with whom I've no intention of competing?
(c) Am I unsettling the other's peace?

A humble homage!

Tomorrow's the anniversary of the ghastly 26/11 tragedy, played out in Bombay, two years ago. I hope that all corrective measures are in place to ensure that such an incident is never repeated again. It's only then that we can safely say that the sacrifices made by all of them, during the course of the event, have not gone in vain.
On a very personal level, I salute their resoluteness and pray for peace in their eternal lives.

It serves them right.
Today's news had a coverage of the seminar attended by one of the Kashmiri separatists - Mirwaiz Umer Farooq - at Chandigarh. The crowd was predominantly made up of Kashmiri pandits and it was so angered by Mirwaiz, when he said that 'he'd come from Kashmir to Hindustan to be at the seminar', that a few of them charged into the podium and manhandled the guy. To my mind the guy deserves it because his double standards stand exposed, as he has been a liberal receipient of this nation's resources in making him what he's today and has now bitten the hand that has fed him.

The turncoats try to score brownie points just to stay in the news but what they do not realise is that at some point of time their two timing is found out and then they lose their place under the sun - even their so called friends shun them.

I & me - in retrospective!

The day has been characteristically dull, all through, with a bit of the sun around noon. And then it rained and rained creating numerous puddles all over the city but must hasten to add that the traffic wasn't affected. I did not take any chance in that I'd gone for my customary evening walk, armed to the teeth against the cold, with a hooded windcheater and an umbrella.

Today's my birthday and it was nice to hear from friends, right from the morning, who'd called up to catch up from where we'd left last. A high tea was hosted for the entire office staff on the occasion. But the surprise was in the evening when Lekha and my uncle, who's currently on a short visit, had organised a small party in my honour with a few close friends of ours who are currently here at Delhi. I must sheepishly confess that I like celebrating my birthdays and receiving gifts - I'm still a child, you see!

I've done an audit on my life thus far and have come to the firm conclusion that I've got almost everything that I've wanted though I'd be kidding if I were to say that there've been no disappointments. I believe in Aristotle's saying that every individual is allowed to draw whatever resources one requires from the surrounding environment and society till the age of 30, after which, one's required to give back one's resources to that very same society, in gratitude.

Towards this end, I too have been contributing my mite that I'd rather keep as a secret within me because bragging about it just makes one's actions look contrived and hankering for publicity!

PS.
Incidentally, my birthday as per the Malayalam calender is on 05 Dec and all my relatives would do the honours on that day. So you see, I've two birthdays every year!!

On the beaten track.

Today was yet another day when I'd offered my shoulder for comfort and the receipient was none other than my friend Chaitanya. He was really sad that he'd missed his promotion to the next rank and in my assessment, he was a deserving candidate as he has all the requisites of a senior officer and to top it all, he's a nice human being. (Chaitanya, Thampi and yours truly were the threesome that Amba's wardroom of 1981 looked upto, for the style statement in whatever we did! Frankly, to my mind we just went about doing the things that gave us satisfaction and we'd an excellent rapport).

I've been through similar situations before too. From Jayaraman(intelligent and efficient with a nose for understanding the most complex issues in a jiffy and in my appraisal, the most deserving candidate for promotion) to Sukhjinder Singh(a legal wizard) to Swapan Kumar Gupta(a slogger of an engineer) to Mohinder Paul(a meticulous techie), Randeep Singh(the go getter)and now to Chaitanya, I'd been given the rare privilege by each one of them - though miles senior to me - to get a peek into their aspirations, innermost thoughts and the despair that they went through. I could only provide my silent company during their trying times - whether it made any dent on their personal agony would be best answered by them but I'd like to believe that I was of some help.

They are all fine gentlemen and I've had the privilege of learning quite a lot of things about life thanks to my personal interactions with them and shall remain eternally thankful to each one of them for the tremendous education imparted to me! One common doubt expressed everytime during my conversations with them was the dilemma of getting one's personal life harmoniously intertwined with the professional life and to my mind, sacrifices were a must.

It's my fond hope that Chatanya, too, would get over the pain within a short span of time and realise that successes and failures are transient and they've a time tag, beyond which they have no relevance!! Kya dialogue maara, eh?

Nostalgia and other thoughts.

Nostalgia.
This evening while I was on my customary walk, I was fortunate to revisit the old martial tune of 'Colonel Bogey'(Incidentally, Colonel Bogey is a fictional figure who played flawless golf). It was being played by an Army band in one of the Messes that happens to be on my route. I've marched numerous times, over my three years at the NDA, to the effervescent score that never failed to ignite a patriotic fervour from deep within me.
And hearing it again, after a long lapse, almost made me to fashion my strides to match the tune! I guess some things never change!!

A fantastic performance.
The viewing of today's episode of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' was indeed a treat. Raahat Taslim, a housewife from Giridih, was in fantastic form and walked away with Rs. 1 crore after what seemed to be an effortless performance on her part. She was smart and confident with a wide repertoire of knowledge. Congratulations Raahat and here's wishing that your boutique comes up well at the earliest.

The Bihar Election Results.
Going by the exit polls of all the major media channels, Nitish Kumar is all set to return to power with a thumping majority, thanks to his good work over the last five years. The people of Bihar have started to understand the meaning of 'development' and there's an all round respect for law and order. May the state continue to prosper under an honest and genuine leadership. (I'm, of course, still puzzled by his insistence on keeping Narendra Modi out of the election campaign - perhaps, he has a genuine reason or was he being prude and playing to the gallery?)
The people of Bihar definitely deserve good governance and development in all spheres at a hectic pace!

Back from a rejuvenating trip.

17 Nov.
The T3 terminal of the IGI airport at Delhi is indeed swanky with state-of-the-art systems and a pleasant ambience. And for once there were no glitches and the entire departure process was a pleasant experience. Felt really proud that such facilities have come to stay in our country. Chaitanya Shiroor was my fellow passenger and we could catch up on a number of things. Our flight departed an hour late and correspondingly landed at Kochi at 2130h where an efficient Francis was waiting with our vehicle, to receive us.

18 Nov.
After the official work got over, it was around 1430h and I decided to give my parents a surprise. Francis, literally chased a superfast bus slated for Thiruvananthapuram and helped me board it at Thoppumpady. I reached home by 2030h and didn't I give a surprise to my parents? It was a nice evening that stretched to midnight, with us talking about anything and everything - the nicest thing was that my parents, used to sleeping at 2200h, decided to stretch their evening for my sake!

19 Nov.
I left my house, alongwith my sister who was off to her school, after an early breakfast. The journey was fine and I was back in the Command mess by lunchtime. The rest of the evening was spent by visiting close friends and relatives with Chaitanya Shiroor in tow. Wonder whether he'd enjoyed the madness, that I'd put him through, in the course of the evening? And by the time we hit the sack it was around midnight!

20 Nov.
We'd to go to the airport by 0500h and as we passed through the bridge span over the River Periyar, I was reminded of the tragedy of Dec 1970, yet again.
I was in class X then and our entire class was housed at the YMCA complex (situated on the bank of the Periyar) in connection with our industrial visit to Aluva and the places around. After the visit, ten of us(I was one amongst them) were to go on a trek up the Anamudi hill. But alas, fate had willed otherwise. TD Gopinath, a classmate, lost his life in the treacherous waters of the Periyar.
In the morning, I and Gopinath had gone to the bathing ghat which was at the bottom of a flight of steps by the riverbank, right in front of the YMCA building. I'd called him up after finishing my bath but he said that he wanted to be in the water for a bit more of time and he seemed to be enjoying playing(that's the sight of Gopinath that's imprinted in my mind like a frozen snapshot) with a few others who're still in various stages of their bathing ritual! Little did I realise then that I was hearing him(and seeing him too) for the last time and I'd often wonder as to whether I'd have left him, if I'd the slightest premonition of the unfortunate sequence of events that were going to unfold soon after! To me, ever since that date, the bridgespan(the bathing ghat of the YMCA is visible from the span) over the Periyar at Aluva, has become a place where I shed a silent tear for TDG, always and everytime.
There was a three hour long wait at the airport as the Instrument Landing System had failed due to the previous night's heavy rains coupled with lightning and thunder. And correspondingly, we'd reached Delhi by 1330h and was still in time for a sumptuous lunch at home.

And to the doctor.
I was reeling under the onslaught of a nagging sinus, an irritating cough and the pain due to an ingrown nail on my right hand index finger. So I'd to visit the doctor alongwith Lekha, who was also due for her review. The result was a bandage on my index finger after an incision that was a bit painful while being executed but the doc did a good job!

21 Nov.
It was a quiet day, all through, with us going through our Sunday morning ritual of calling up everyone to update ourselves about each of them.
And today happens to be 'kartik purnima' - yet another festival of lights. As I punch in this piece, Lekha is busy getting the 'diyas' ready for being lit up!!

Off to Kochi.

It's another dull day with an overcast sky and without a hint of the sun. It's also a holiday in view of Bakr Id, but the customary visits to my friends to wish them on the occasion had to be restricted to a few telephone calls. I'm off to Kochi on work and it's my sincere hope that the departure process at the new terminal T3 is less painful than what it has been over the last few days.

Couldn't help it!

This morning I'd a date with the RTO of Gurgaon to register my new possession - the Chevrolet Cruze. And surprisingly, a dull day with an overcast sky did not dampen my enthusiasm even a wee bit, as driving through the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway, weaving through a moderately heavy traffic, pumped up my adrenaline instead! And we - Sanjeev, my man Friday and Dhan Singh, my go between with the RTO and I( was in uniform for two reasons. Firstly, so that no one messed up with things and secondly, to get back to work within the shortest possible time) - reached the place well within time.

The verification and the actual part of the registration process just took about ten minutes flat, much to my pleasant surprise. And then it happened.

A youngster - must have been in his late 20s -thrust a parking ticket into Sanjeev's hands, which was strongly reacted against by one of the RTOs saying that it was illegal and asked my man Friday to chuck it away. And I'd thought that the entire episode was over without any need for my intervention. But as I manouvred the car out of the enclosure, the youngster accosted me in a belligerant manner insisting that I paid for the parking which, incidentally was a paltry Rs. 15/-. To the statement that I was a serviceman, he said that no one was exempt and once again, insisted on getting his money. And that was the time I lost my shirt.

I've this fetish that no one has the right to disrespect a service uniform - and I strongly believe that this responsibility rests, equally, on both the wearer and the beholder. Period! In a slightly raised voice I'd to tell the youngster that what he was doing wasn't right as endorsed by one of the RTOs earlier. Probably, the menace in my voice made him back off after retrieving the parking ticket from Sanjeev. I wasn't pleased at my victory, in fact, I lost the plot when I'd raised my voice!

But why did he do it - he might've never seen a naval guy in whites and must've passed me for a valet, driving a luxury car from one of the nearby star hotels?

I'll never know that answer, ever!!

A couple of thoughts.

My sinus has been misbehaving.

It was a miserable day for me today. My sinus was on a rampage and I'd to keep visiting the nearby washroom to let go the phlegm that kept coming out, seemingly without any end. Concentration was indeed difficult and wonder how people, who'd interacted with me, suffered through my strangely rotten behaviour. I only hope that everything goes fine as tomorrow's gonna be a long day with me having to begin it with a necessary trip to Gurgaon.


My aunt on a Delhi jaunt.

Pappi, my aunt, has been with us since Sunday. She'd come in connection with some work at the BIS which she could do this morning. We've not been able to take her out due to the pressures of the working days, but she continues to insist that she finds the time spent with us quite interesting and I'd like to believe that statement. She leaves for Thiruvananthapuram tomorrow and has promised to visit us soon. For us, it was a nice interaction when we learnt quite a lot of new things. Thanks Pappi kunjamma, just keep visiting us!

14 Nov - Children's day.

I've always looked up to 14 Nov and the associated Children's day activities. I've won quite a few prizes be it for recitation, painting, essay writing etc during my early school days and later on for weightier competitions like debates, quiz competitions - the beauty of having participated in those competitions was that at least a prize or two were assured. And I love receiving gifts!

The second factor is that it's the birthday of Jawaharlal Nehru. I must let you into this one, my family, beginning with my grandparents, were ardent fans of his. So much so, on the day of his death there was no supper made in our house and we're in a state of mourning and as a kid of class IV, I couldn't comprehend the situation then. He, indeed, is a classic case of a charismatic leader and mind you, if he'd wanted he could have been dictatorial in his ways and ridden roughshod with his own agenda. Despite the whole hearted support of the entire country, he respected a free idea of thoughts. Admittedly, he'd made many mistakes during his lifetime but the position that he put India on the world stage, is the foundation on which the world still looks up to us as a great country!

I like every word and the ethos that he'd put into that masterpiece of his, " Discovery of India" because it underlines his tremendous love for his country. And so, rightfully, remembering him on his birthday is a tribute that we owe to this great son of India!!

And coming to children, for whom this day is dedicated because of his fondness for them. It's a treat to interact with the children of today - a privilege that I'd today being a spectator in a function organised by a school nearby - as I find them to be clearer in outlook and more knowledgable when I compare with what I was at that stage - I should confess that I was a hopelessly lost case!!!

I'm proud of the fact that today's children are tomorrow's citizens who'll surely take the country to further greatness. And may the spirit of 'Chacha Nehru' be their guiding beacon!!!!

An unexpected farewell.

This morning, Lekha and me had gone to the nearby market to fetch sundries and as part of our regular rounds, we'd made a visit to the 'SP Store' - a 'malayalikkada' which is run by an elderly malayalee couple. Usually, groceries that have a typical Kerala flavour are available there and on occasions - thanks to the camaraderie built up between us - they used to call us to announce fresh arrivals, telephonically. The 75 year old gentleman who's an ex-fauji(I've never asked him his name but called him 'chettan') had been admitted in a nearby hospital, almost a fortnight back, as gleaned by Lekha from the old lady last month while making purchases in connection with the visit of our guests from Kerala.

Today, the tearful old lady(chechi, as I call her) told us about his death that had occurred on the eve of Diwali. He'd suffered a massive heart attack eventhough he was showing considerable improvement in the previous days. They have a son and a daughter, who're abroad, but have since fetched up to attend the last rites. We're only too shocked by the suddenness of his passing away.

Chettan, as I knew him, was a genial man ever smiling with big, dark and brooding eyes behind a thick black rimmed pair of spectacles. I'd this curious feeling that the old lady did not quite trust his ability to calculate and distribute items to the customers, in recent times, as he was frequently sick and consequently, feeble and distracted. The winter months were miserable for him as he'd breathing problems and a worrisome heart but still managed to smile through, when he used to talk to us.

We shall miss him, whenever we visit that gocery store from now on. RIP chetta, you're indeed a good man!

PS.
The old lady also narrated this interesting story about his funeral related activities. His ashes were carried to Haridwar for immersion in the River Ganga. Just as the ceremony was being played out, a snake came out from nowhere and gave a few anxious moments to the bathers at the ghat. Chechi is convinced that Lord Siva had come to bless him as chettan was an ardent devotee of Siva!!

Truth is stranger than fiction!!!

When the past came in effortlessly.

Lekha and me had attended a wedding ceremony of the son of a very dear friend. The couple, Vibhav and Vanshika, have grown up in front of us and are coworkers in WIPRO at Bangalore. The function in the evening was, therefore, a close and cosy affair at the lawns of the Subroto Park, a stone's throw away from our house. We had the opportunity to meet many of our friends with whom we'd not interacted for quite a while and every piece of conversation, laced with genuine feelings, was a trip down memory lane. Telephone numbers have been exchanged and addresses have been updated with the promise that, from now on, we shall remain in touch come what may and hope it stays that way because in the eagerness to live our own lives, the promise is, more often than not, broken!

Thanks, KVK sir and Anita for having made this possible by inviting us into your intimate circle.

And Vibhav and Vanshika, here's uncle and aunty once again wishing you the very best in your journey of life. May all good things happen for you!

How much money is enough?

I've always been amused when people have asked me as to how much money should one have to feel comfortable in life. This is a question that can be answered only by the individual, as I reckon, because one's limits and datum are best known to one's own self. I must, however, corelate this doubt with two of the contestants that I saw on the 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' show, over the last couple of days.

Prem Batar of Meerut had won Rs. 1 crore and he went for the jackpot question of Rs. 5 crores despite the fact that he wasn't sure of the answer, his father and the expert on the show prodded him to quit and he was left with no lifeline. He, finally, had to leave with Rs. 3,20,000/-. Why did he do it? Surprisingly, when I searched for an answer within myself, I came to the conclusion that I too would have done the same thing that Prem Batar did! Perhaps, when one's in a position like that, the gambler within oneself gets emboldened to go for the kill with a scant regard to playing safe and doesn't, for a fraction of a moment, think about losing or the consequence of losing - it's a sheer gut reaction that goes awry!

Jyotsna Singh, a police constable disarmingly simple in outlook and her heart rending request to her estranged parents(on account of her love marriage!) to get in touch with her, must have tugged at the toughest of hearts. Interestingly, she'd got on the hot seat soon after Prem and had won a purse money of Rs. 12,50,000/- when faced with a question, where she decided to quit as she was unsure of the answer. The best part, according to me which showed the strength of her character, was yet to come.

Before quitting, when asked to hazard a guess, she'd indeed told the correct answer and everyone in the audience(that accounted for me too in front of my television set, at home) including Amitabh Bachchan, the host felt that she should have taken the call. Despite all these reactions, Jyotsna was absolutely at peace with herself and did not feel that she'd lost anything - for her, the amount she'd won was more than adequate and satisfying! Simply great and three cheers to Jyotsna for her resoluteness!!

And so, how much money is adequate enough? The jury is still out on the issue!!!

Chavan is sacked, Kalmadi is dumped!

So screamed the headlines of most of the newspapers of the day. Chavan's scalp being taken is understandable as he holds a position of responsibilty but what on earth is Kalmadi doing? Sacking him from the Congress party's organisational hierarchy doesn't mean a thing except when it paves way for more serious and swift investigations on his misdemeanour! And the snatching away of the chief ministership from Chavan is not the punishment - his role in the Adarsh society scam, hopefully, will go full ahead in the coming days.

Chavan's statement that his mother-in-law is not his relative made delirious reading. Arun Prakash, a former naval chief, had also made a similar remark in one of his articles( when Mrs. Prakash's nephew figured in a controversy) where he said and I quote, "one inherits relations out of marriage that one has no control of".

If extrapolated, one can go on to say that one inherits relations in life, at birth, about which one has absolutely no control. What makes these people mouth such atrocious statements that are preposterous and sadly, insensitive to the feelings of their near and dear ones? Is a position of authority so very important in their lives, to be clung on, even at the cost of sacred relationships?

I pity them and especially, against the backdrop of what's said in the Bhagvad Gita that all human beings come into this world on a pre-ordained script, written by the master script writer of them all. Anyone who feels that he's in control of his life totally and at all times, is living in perpetual delusion!

Today I met a real hero.

Saurabh, a young naval Commander, came to my office this afternoon to understand the nuances of a contract. He wanted to clear some of his long standing doubts on the subject with specific reference to a particular case and I was only too pleased to oblige.

After going through the official work that he'd come for I'd casually asked him as to why he was sporting a crepe bandage on his right wrist. His answer was something that I was not expecting at all. About five years back, he was stricken with Dengue fever. His platelet count continued to be abysmally low over a period of time, that his doctor had almost written him off! He tried quite a number of variations in his intake of medicines and diet and he claims that the most effective of the entire gamut was the course of 'freshly germinated wheat grass' that he went for. He claims he has come a long way from those bad days and has calmly accepted the harsh fact that frequent pains around his joints were something that he'd to live with. To reduce the intensity of the pain, he wears appropriate caps/crepe bandages around his joints and even around his waist to support his backbone, during winters.

And mind you, during his student days at the Delhi University, he used to play cricket with the likes of Maninder Singh, L Sivaramakrishnan and others for his college. Saurabh is all of 42 years of age and is currently staying here, at Delhi, with his wife and two sons.

Throughout our interaction this afternoon, what was most striking was the positive manner in which he looked at life in general and his all pervading cheerful nature. He's instantly become my hero and here's wishing that he goes far ahead in life shedding the pains completely!

The heartburns have begun!

Lekha and me had gone to the airport to drop my cousin in our Chevrolet Cruze. After a lot of minute and careful calculations, I'd parked the vehicle nicely(for a change!) at the kerb, earmarked for dropping the passengers. Little did I realise that my relief, at having done so, was going to be so shortlived and that I'd be staring at disaster of gargantuan proportions!

A Toyota Qualis came in and screeched to a halt uncomfortably close to my Cruze which instantly prompted me to give its driver the dirtiest look from my repertoire. I saw a lady trying to get out of its rear seat after having pushed her door outward, with all her might. I managed to retrieve the situation by quickly holding the 'menacing' door with both my hands, a few millimetres from my car's body and helped the lady to disembark within the cramped space. She was definitely flummoxed by this sudden show of chivalry by an 'alien' and sensing that something was amiss, her husband approached me with a menacing look.

All went well as the episode had, by then, been appreciated by the parties concerned and each one of us then went about doing our unfinished tasks.

I realised that my heartburns, on this score, were just about to begin as Delhiites drive around with a gay abandon and no one is bothered about my car being new!

A quiet Sunday!

After a hectic ten days, with guests in the house, today has indeed been laidback and quiet. The guests left yesterday, in two batches - the first, by a morning flight and the second, by an evening train. I'm a bit bothered about the second lot, in that, they will be passing close through the coasts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu, where a massive cyclone is gonna hit sometime this evening, which will definitely affect their movement. I only hope that their agony is for a short period, if at all there has to be one!

The house has suddenly become quiet after the sounds of laughter and conversations have died down. Lekha and me have got back to our normal routine.

The general outlook in the neighbourhood has also become subdued, since the depletion of the last clutch of Diwali crackers and there's an unusual quiet that has been brought about by the traffic regulations in force, thanks to the Obama visit and because he's been put up in the ITC Hotel Maurya, a stone's throw away from where I sit!

And it's acceptably cool, climatewise!!

The American obsession.

The Obama visit has elicited the same old Indian Reactions. Are we the friends that the Americans really want? Do they prefer us over Pakistan? Will we get unstinted support from them in all our endeavours? Shouldn't they be cultivating us since we're more genuine and above all, a democracy?

The questions are endless but many of the originators of these riddles are 'greenhorns' insofar as international relations between countries are concerned. In matters of international relations and diplomacy, it is permanent interests that determine a country's actions rather than friendships. For instance, the yanks are engaged with the Pakistanis in their fight against terror and more importantly, bring Osama Bin Laden - the 9/11 perpetrator - to book. Towards this end, it's important for the yanks to keep the Pakis in good humour and by uttering something against them, from Indian soil, would definitely have a retarding effect and more importantly, endanger their troops fighting in Afghanistan. It's another matter that Pakistan is in real trouble, in that, the Yanks have long since realised that they're and have been playing the dangerous game of 'running with the hare and hunting with the hounds'!

And Obama's visit to this country has been badly timed, coming as it is, soon after the drubbing that his party has undergone in the elections to the Senate and the House of Representatives. He'd campaigned vigorously against outsourcing of jobs as an important step to kickstart the American economy and offer more jobs for his countrymen. So how can he sing a different tune for the sake of making India feel good?

But what needs to be understood and appreciated is that the Yanks now fully understand the importance of teaming up with India and has been taking significant steps in this regard. It is, therefore, upto our government to take this forward to establish a meaningful patnership between the two countries on an equal footing!

It's hightime that India realises that it does not require American endorsement in everything that she does!!

A riotous Diwali.

Lekha and I've started celebrating festivals the way the people in the north of India do. We've always had quite a few people with us on such occasions and we also make it a point to have Meena, Lekha's assistant and her family to join us then. It gives us tremendous satisfaction to see the kids in action with the Diwali crackers.

And this time, we'd my cousin and her folks along with a newly married couple celebrating their first Diwali. With so many people thrown in, the get together had to be boisterous. And so it was. There were the others in the neighbourhood celebrating it with equal vigour, resulting in a boisterous atmosphere.

The festival of lights underscores the rich tradition and culture of this great country. It's my fond hope that every Indian finds true happiness and a taste of brotherhood on such occasions. Poverty should be eradicated in toto so that each and every household is lit up by the glow of its own 'diyas'.

On the eve of Diwali!

It was a light day at the office as the staff attendance had dwindled to a bare minimum. Many people had come to meet yours truly, personally, to offer Diwali greetings and exchange pleasantries. And I tried to connect up with as as many friends as possible on the occasion.

There was a power interruption in my block at sunset and thinking that I'd beat it, I'd set off for my walk earlier than usual. But it was not to be. The hassled guy, Ajith Kumar, who was on duty told me on enquiry, that power would be restored only after midnight as a length of cable that had got burnt needed replacement and that the whole repair work would take up a longer time as the new cable had to be fetched from the store. So, it ended up with me watching the other well lit buildings from the dark confines of my home, the brightly lit 'diyas' on my balcony notwithstanding!

The one thing that strikes me the most is the fervour with which the people in the north of India celebrate festivals. The intensity is much greater than what we in the south display or is it my mistaken perceptions?

Lekha returns from Kochi and my cousin's gang from Simla, tomorrow.

A wonderful journey.

Yesterday afternoon I'd boarded the Amritsar Express alongwith my friend, Swaroop Nandi, for Ludhiana. The journey was meant to be time bound. But the Indian Railways had other plans - the train started about an hour and a half late. I'd resigned to the fact that I could take the delivery of my new car a day late as the showroom would have put down its shutters for the day, by the time we reached there.

The gloom was lifted by a considerable extent thanks to the following:-
(a) Swaroop's inquisitiveness over an assorted set of issues.
(b) Two teenage girls(sisters) solving the puzzle of the Rubik's cube under six minutes.
(c) An energetic group of school children at their active best with their singing, anthakshari and excited chatter.
(d) A friendly young businessman, Rajat, from Phagwara who was my immediate neighbour.

I'd, in the meanwhile, been updating my whereabouts to the dealer, who made arrangements to have us picked up from the railway station and transport us to the showroom which was opened for our sake at that late hour(around 2130 h), so that I could complete all paperwork to set off for Delhi early in the morning. And a patient Gurmukh Singhji, a retired serviceman who was the Manager and the young salesman, Sulabh made that possible by their dedication to the work in hand.

After spending the night at a nearby hotel, we're up and about by 0530h and an hour later, we'd set off for Delhi, clipping in the new car. The showroom's sentry, Balighar Singh(another retired fauji) was more than helpful and very, very respectful.

The journey was indeed a pleasure with me driving the 'mean machine' to my heart's content and achieving speeds of my choice and comfort. And I do not know whether the metaphor's appropriate here, but "I really felt like a bird in the sky".

PS.
1. Lekha and me are the proud owners of a Chevrolet Cruze.
2. Today's the day of the 'dhanterras' and it's auspicious to buy metal, in any form and we seem to have purchased a metallic giant on the occasion. Well!

PPS.
Lekha is currently at Kochi attending the wedding and reception of li'l Sharanya.