At Thiruvananthapuram.

Had got up at 4 when Lekha's cellphone alarm had gone off. She'd set the alarm as she insisted on making breakfast and lunch, packed for me. Moreover, she tells me that the maid has taken a day off for the day. Now, small things like that make me angry. But I didn't want to say anything as I was embarking on a journey.

Was ready well before 7 and Hameed was at the gate on the dot. After fixing him up for a trip to the temple for Lekha by a half past 9, we set off for the KSRTC stand soon after. The superfast to Kattakkada Dam was standing by for its trip at 0725 hrs. Meanwhile met Mr Narayanan, the Station Manager and had a short chat with him before the bus was to set on its journey. A nice gentleman, who said that he knew my grandfather very well and had walked with him during the Library Movement.

The bus set off, on the dot, by 0725 hrs. It was a bright sunny day. There were road blocks and deviations galore, enroute and because of this, the bus reached the Vyttila Hub by a 20' past 10. The low floor a/c bus to Thiruvananthapuram had not yet come on the platform and I'd made a dash to the rest room. After easing up, when I'd returned on to the platform the bus was waiting and almost fully loaded. I was finally seated on the steps of the aisle when the journey had commenced.

It was basically to reach the Foundation by 3 and I was in no mood to wait for the next, which was only at a 20' past 12.

Had water from the bottle that Lekha had given me, for the journey. Lunch was had at Kayamkulam around a half past 1. The vegetarian frankies were nice and I reached the Foundation by about a half past 4. Manu and the car had come to pick me up, after Sudha ma'am and Ajith had gone for the distribution of the programme notices to each and every media office.

Reviewed the steps taken by the staff at the Foundation, for the programme regarding Muthachhan's 113th birth anniversary commencing from tomorrow. Went to have a final review at the site of the statue where I found that two more flex boards had to be erected before the start of the programme tomorrow. Spoke to the concerned guys, collected the office keys from Lekha, picked up Shekhar, our designer, from his house and returned to the Foundation to kill the issue. Maman is away in New Delhi and will fetch up only by tomorrow evening! It was nearing midnight when the job was completed.

Off to Maman's place to spend the evening. A short pow wow with Ammayi and Chambu.

Tailpiece.

Lekha had gone to the Guruvayur temple today. Since there was a dawn to dusk pooja, the temple used to shut down quite frequently and reopen. Hence, she returned home by lunch time. Tomorrow, on the occasion of Mahasivarathri, she has planned to go to the Mammiyur Siva kshetram. There might be quite a crowd but I'm sure she'd manage it.      

Why should older people need to talk more.....?

A doctor once told me that I must talk more when I am retired and old because there is currently no way to prevent memory loss. Talking more may be the only way.

There are at least three advantages, if the elderly people talk more.

First. 

Speaking will activate the brain and keep the brain agile because language and thinking communicate with each other, especially speaking quickly which naturally exercises the rapid reflection of thinking and also enhances memory. An elderly person who is not talkative is more susceptible to memory loss.

Second. 

Speaking can release a lot of psychological stress, expel mental illness and reduce mental tension. We often say nothing but bury it in our hearts and suffocate ourselves. This is the truth! So, it's a good thing to allow elderly people to talk more, not less.

Third. 

Speaking can exercise the active facial muscles and at the same time, exercise the throat and even increase the lung capacity and at the same time it can reduce the decline of eyes and ears and reduce latent dangers, such as dizziness and deafness. 

To summarize, when a person is old, talking as much as possible and actively interacting with people are the only ways to prevent Alzheimer's as there is no cure or full treatment as yet.

So, let us talk more.....

Tailpiece.

Got up around a half past 6, the chores and was ready by quarter past 10. Washing machinex of the bed linen was carried out.

Saw the programme on Lata Mangeshkar on Sony Channel. Lekha and I had listened many-a-time all the numbers because we have two CDs of Lata Mangeshkar's live-in programme at the St Albert's Hall in London in the early '70s. But it was nice, all the same. 

Helped Lekha in watering the plants. 

A favour returned.

Early morning today, India abstained from voting against the resolution in the UN Security Council condemning Russia on its military adventure against Ukraine. Mind you, in terms of relationships between countries, the underlying factor is that there are no permanent friends/enemies but permanent interests that matter!

Over 50 years ago, in 1971, the US threatened India to stop the 1971 war. An alarmed India sent an SOS to the Soviet Union. This is a story that has been neatly erased from Indian history books.

When Pakistan's defeat in the 1971 war seemed imminent, Kissinger spurred Nixon to send the US 7th Fleet's Task Force, led by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, to the Bay of Bengal. The carrier, at 75,000 tons, was the world's largest nuclear-powered carrier in the '70s with more than 70 fighter aircraft. A monster. The Indian Navy's fleet was led by the 20,000-ton aircraft carrier, Vikrant, with 20 light fighter aircraft.

The USS Enterprise was being dispatched to secure American citizens in Bangladesh was the official American statement. Unofficially it was to threaten the Indian forces and prevent the liberation of East Pakistan. India soon got another bad news.

Soviet intelligence reported to India that a powerful British naval group led by the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle with commando carrier HMS Albion, several destroyers and other ships were approaching India's territorial waters from the west, towards the Arabian Sea. The British and the Americans planned a co-ordinated pincer attack to intimidate India : the British ships in the Arabian Sea will target India's western coast while the Americans would make a dash to Chittagong. Caught between the British and the American ships was the Indian Navy.

It was Dec '71 and the world's two leading democracies were now threatening the world's largest democracy.

An SOS from Delhi was sent to Moscow. The Red Navy soon dispatched 16 Soviet naval units and six nuclear submarines from Vladivostok to block USS Enterprise. 

Admiral N Krishnan, the Chief of the Eastern Command of the IN, wrote in his book, "No Way But Surrender" that he was afraid that Americans will reach Chittagong. He mentions how they even thought of attacking Enterprise, in a do or die move, to slow it down.

In the 2nd week of Dec '71, the US 7th Fleet's Task Force, led by the monstrous USS Enterprise arrived in the Bay of Bengal. The British fleet was arriving in the Arabian Sea. The world held its breath.

But unknown to the Americans, the submerged Soviet submarines had overtaken them.

As USS Enterprise moved towards East Pakistan, the Soviet submarines surfaced without any warning. The Soviet subs were now standing between India and the US naval force.

The Americans were shocked.

Admiral Gordon told the 7th American Fleet Commander, "Sir, we are too late. The Soviets are here!"

Both the American and British fleets backed off.

Today, most Indians have forgotten about this colossal naval chess battle between the two superpowers in the Bay of Bengal.....

Moreover, the Americans and the other western powers tried to table a resolution, in the UN Security Council, condemning India as the aggressor and to cease hostilities forthwith, with the sole thought of giving an advantage to the miserably disposed Pakistan. It was the Soviet Union that vetoed the resolution to give the Indian armed forces sufficient time to liberate Dacca.

My take

That's the reason that we always say that India and Russia are strategic partners!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

Participated in the 557th episode of the Aazhchakkoottam : "Reading and Science towards Society's Progress" by Prof VK Damodaran, International Scientific Scholar. The interaction was short but interesting.

Another perspective!

Most of you don't remember my comment on the change of Indian petroleum minister last year. I am sure most of you understand why a career diplomat Hardeep Singh Puri was given the charge. The reason is the changing balance of oil and gas in the 21st century.

What Russia is today, West Asia was 50 years back. That's the crux of the Ukraine-Russia crisis.

99.99% of social media and media intellectuals are looking at military operations as an invasion by Russia to capture Ukraine or part of it which speaks Russian. Some even went to 'Akhand Russia' but none of it is right.

The current military operation will be over in the next 48 to 56 hours. So the question that arises : What will Russia achieve?

After this operation, Russia will be the undisputed global king of the North Pole and the Arctic. Hence out of oil, pharma, and arms, Russia will control arms and oil, the only two industries Russia has.

The Ukraine - Russia crisis is all about trillions of dollars worth of natural resources in the Arctic. With the current military operations, Russia will dismantle the US and European claim on Arctic resources ie. oil and gas for the future. If anyone thinks that Putin was in India for 6 hours to sell S400, I will say "grow up". Modi, in all probability, is aware of what was coming as Putin might have told him that during his visit.

So the question is, What is China doing in it with Russia?

China is the biggest consumer of oil and gas in the world. To fuel its dream of a global manufacturing hub, it needs oil and gas as West Asia is drying up.

The other reason is that China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project is screwed up completely. It is looking for a secure alternative route which is the North Sea. This route is almost half of the current route.

These are the seeds of Ukraine - Russian crisis. After this crisis, US and NATO will bite the dust. UN anyway is useless.

Last point which no one talks about. What is US' interest in Ukraine, apart from NATO and Russian military manufacturing knowhow?

US has hidden biolabs in Ukraine which is financed by the US Department of Defense. Now Russian forces have breached all biolabs operated by the US.

Now tell me : Strategically, whom should India support?

Remember, Modi is a businessman and geopolitics is all about business.

Hope you now understand why a career diplomat was made Indian Petroleum Minister?

This is victory without firing a single bullet!

Courtesy. Gaurav Pradhan.

My take

India is moving on to the world's centre stage!

Tailpiece.

Woke up at 4, the chores and was ready by a half past 5. Sajish was at our gate on the dot. Pulled out some money from the ATM and kicked off our journey through Thrissur. Breakfast was around a 10' past 7 at the Anand Bhavan, where Lekha and I shared a combo and filter coffee. We, incidentally, were the first set of guests!

We reached Mallan's Dental Clinic 5' before a half past 9. Lekha's dentures were set and we'd come to the end of the 6 month process!

Reached The Quarterdeck by 5. Kittu was waiting for us and Lekha had given him his feed, soon after. 

Russia invades Ukraine.

Russia, today, today launched a military operation in Ukraine in what could be the start of war in Europe over Russia's demands for an end to NATO's eastward expansion. Heavy damages have been inflicted on most of the main Ukrainian cities. And there are reports that anti-war protests have broken out on the streets of Moscow. PM Modi is expected to speak to President Putin sometime tonight and probably, we can expect a ceasefire soon.

Some Bitter Truths

* The US has 16 BSL4 (just like Wuhan). We keep hearing about the "next pandemic" from Bill gates.

* It is well known that Obama and Biden pulled off a coup in Ukraine in 2014 and installed their neocon leader, Poroshenko, in Ukraine as President. Then they commenced using Ukraine as the 'corruption headquarters laundering billions of US Aid money (US tax dollars) through Ukraine. Millions of that money went right into the Clinton Foundation as "donation". Really? Biden's son, Hunter was (still is) on the board of the corrupt Ukrainian company, Burisma as an energy consultant @ 50k $.

* Possible that Putin is working to root out the Obama/Biden/Clinton corruption by strategically bombing "military" installations? Why is the Ukrainian President Zelensky (remember he and Trump had a perfect phone call where Trump asked him about Biden) being so "indifferent"?

* Ukraine does not have true borders as stated by the UN Secretary General in 2014. Separatists in Ukraine want to be part of Mother Russia. Putin has recognized their independence from Ukraine.

* NATO has withdrawn one of their strike forces (1000 US military soldiers) and sent them back to Germany. Trudeau - considerably weakened by the ongoing truckers' strike - has done a 180 and surrendered by not going forward with the Emergency Powers Act.

* Looks like Putin is on firm ground though the international media is spinning it to make him look like the bad guy.

Courtesy. What'sApp

My take

Truth is stranger than fiction!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by a 20' to 10.

Tomorrow is Lekha's appointment with her toothy at Muhamma. Sajeesh will be our sa'arthi for the trip. Didn't want to take out my Chevy on the following counts :-

   

   (a) The ongoing work by the Kerala Water Authority in laying the pipeline on arterial roads.

   (b) We need to be there by a half past 9 and a professional driver would reach us there on time.

   (c)  And of course, there was no question of taking a chauffeur in our car. Cannot afford to screw up the clutch assembly, all over again.

Helped Lekha in watering the plants. Kittu and Mrs Kittu kept us in splits with their capers! 

National Awards 2021

The Foundation Does It Again

The PN Panicker Foundation has been awarded the coveted National Award for its outstanding contributions in creating a significant impact in Science and Technology Communication (Category A) during the last five years. The award consists of a memento, a citation and a cash prize of Rs.5 lakhs.

The organisation's Science Exploratory has gone into every nook and corner of Kerala making the ground work done by the Foundation, of reaching science to the masses and popularising it, a reality.

Heartiest congratulations!

    

 *      *      *

Adieu KPAC Lalitha!

The multifaceted actress, KPAC Lalitha of the Malayalam movies, passed into the mist of time last evening. She had been ailing with a problematic liver for a while and succumbed to it in the end. She was all of 74 years. People in the movie field have spoken a lot about her and anything that I might utter might sound shallow and too little and hence I desist but I shall add a few very personal thoughts of mine to tell you as to how much I liked her as an actress.

Who can forget the skirt-and-blouse-clad Panchami - Karuthamma's younger sister in the Sathyan, Sheela, Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair starrer in the evergreen hit, 'Chemmeen' - wailing on the beach when her sister and brother-in-law, Palani do not return to their hut? Or the female voice conversing - the protagonist is never shown in the movie - throughout with Mammootty, in the film 'Mathilukal'? Her histrionics was an inborn talent.

She has played a variety of roles and was loved and respected by her colleagues. She was given a befitting farewell by her relatives and the people at her house at 'Enkakkaad' in Wadakkancherry, this evening.

Adieu KPAC Lalitha! My salute to a fine actress and a wonderful person who has helped out quite a few people in the journey of her life. May her near and dear ones have the strength to tide over these stressful times.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by a 20' to 10. Carried out the usual Wednesday 'aarathi' of the house.

Worked on Muthachhan's biography.

Helped Lekha in watering the plants.

  

The crisis in Ukraine (2).

......contd.

Given what we know about Washington's opposition to Nord Stream, readers may wonder why earlier in the year the Biden administration lobbied Congress NOT to impose more sanctions on the project. The answer to that question is simple: Domestic politics. Germany is currently decommissioning its nuclear power plants and needs natural gas to make up for the energy shortfall. Also, the threat of economic sanctions is a "turn-off" for Germans who see them as a sign of foreign meddling. "Why is the United States interfering in our energy decisions", asks the average German. "Washington should mind its own business and stay out of ours". This is precisely the response one would expect from any reasonable person.

Public opinion is solidly behind Nord Stream which helps to explain why Washington settled on a new approach. Sanctions are not going to work, so Uncle Sam has flipped to Plan B : Create a big enough external threat that Germany will be forced to block the opening of the pipeline. Frankly, the strategy smacks of desperation but you have to be impressed by Washington's perseverance. They might be down by 5 runs in the bottom of the 9th but they haven't thrown in the towel as yet. They're going to give it one last shot and see if they can make some headway.

President Biden held his first joint-press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House. The ballyhoo surrounding the event was highly unprecedented. Everything was orchestrated to manufacture a "crisis atmosphere" that Biden used to pressure the chancellor in the direction of US policy. Earlier, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki repeatedly said that a "Russian invasion was imminent". Her comments were followed by State Department flak Nick Price opining that the Intel agencies had provided him with details of an alleged Russian-backed "false flag" operation they expected to take place in the near future in east Ukraine. Price's warning was followed by the NSA Jake Sullivan claiming that Russian invasion could happen  at any time maybe "even tomorrow". This was just days after Bloomberg News agency had published its sensational and utterly-false headline that "Russia Invades Ukraine".

Can you see the pattern here? Can you see how these baseless claims were all used to apply pressure to the unsuspecting German chancellor who seemed oblivious to the campaign that was aimed at him?

As one might expect, the final blow was delivered by the American president himself. During the press conference Biden stated emphatically that, "If Russia invades....there no longer be a Nord Stream 2...We will bring an end to it". So, now Washington sets policy for Germany??

What insufferable arrogance!

The German chancellor was taken aback by Biden's comments which were not part of the original script. Even so, Scholz never agreed to cancel Nord Stream and refused to even mention the pipeline by name. If Biden thought he could sandbag the leader of the world's third biggest economy by cornering him in a public forum, he guessed wrong. Germany remains committed to launching Nord Stream regardless of potential flare-ups in far-flung Ukraine. But that could change at any time. After all, who knows what incitements Washington must be planning in the near future? Who knows how many lives they are prepared to sacrifice in order to put a wedge between Germany and Russia? Who knows what risks Biden is willing to take to slow America's decline and prevent a new "polycentric" world order from emerging? Anything could happen in the weeks ahead. Anything.

For now, Germany is in the catbird seat. It's up to Scholz to decide how the matter will be settled. Will he implement the policy that best serves the interests of the German people or will he cave in to Biden's relentless arm twisting? Will he chart a new course that strengthens new alliances in the bustling Eurasian corridor or will he throw his support behind Washington's crazed geopolitical ambitions? Will he accept Germany's pivotal role in a new world order - in which many emerging centers of power share equally in global governance and where the leadership remains unflinchingly committed to multilateralism, peaceful development and security for all - or will he try to prop up the tattered post - War system that has clearly outlived its shelf-life?

One thing is certain; whatever Germany decides is bound to affect us all.

.....concluded.

- Courtesy Mike Whitney Archive

My take

Can Chancellor Scolz stand up to the big bully, Biden? Will the Nord Stream 2 ever stream?

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready before 10. Lekha, after an early breakfast, had gone to the ration stand to buy our dues and to collect the smart ration card.

Worked on Muthachhan's biography.

Helped Lekha in watering the plants. Kittu's delightful capers keep us busy.   

The crisis in Ukraine (1).

Is not about Ukraine. It's about Germany. "The primordial interest of the United States, over which for centuries we have fought wars - the First, the Second and Cold Wars - has been the relationship between Germany and Russia because united there, they're the only force that could threaten us. And to make sure that that doesn't happen". George Friedman, STRATFOR CEO at The Chicago Council on Foreign Affairs.

The Ukrainian crisis has nothing to do with Ukraine. It's about Germany and in particular, a pipeline that connects Germany to Russia called Nord Stream 2. Washington sees the pipeline as a threat to its primacy in Europe and has tried to sabotage the project at every turn. Even so, Nord Stream has pushed ahead and is now fully operational and ready to go. Once German regulators provide the final certification, the gas deliveries will begin. German homeowners and businesses will have a reliable source of clean and inexpensive energy while Russia will see a significant boost to their gas revenues. It's a win-win situation for both parties.

The US Foreign Policy establishment is not happy about these developments. They don't want Germany to become more dependent on Russian gas because commerce builds trust and trust leads to the expansion of trade. As relations grow warmer, more trade barriers are lifted, regulations are eased, travel and tourism increase and a new security architecture evolves. In a world where Germany and Russia are friends and trading partners, there is no need for US military bases, no need for expensive US-made weapons and missile systems and no need for NATO. There's also no need to transact energy deals in US Dollars or to stockpile US Treasuries to balance accounts. Transactions between business partners can be conducted in their own currencies which is bound to precipitate a sharp decline in the value of the dollar and a dramatic shift in economic power. This is why the Biden administration opposes Nord Stream. It's not just a pipeline, it's a window into the future; a future in which Europe and Asia are drawn closer together into a massive free trade zone that increases their mutual power and prosperity while leaving the US on the outside looking in. Warmer relations between Germany and Russia signal an end to the "unipolar" world the US has overseen for the last 75 years. A German-Russo alliance threatens to hasten the decline of the Superpower that is inching closer to the abyss. This is why Washington is determined to do everything it can to sabotage Nord Stream and keep Germany within its orbit. It's a matter of survival.

That's where Ukraine comes into the picture. Ukraine is Washington's 'weapon of choice' for torpedoing Nord Stream and putting a wedge between Germany and Russia. The strategy is taken from page one of the US Foreign Policy Handbook under the rubric: Divide and Rule. Washington needs to create the perception that Russia poses a security threat to Europe. That's the goal. They need to show that Putin is a bloodthirsty aggressor with a hair-trigger temper who cannot be trusted. To that end, the media has been given the assignment of reiterating over and over again, "Russia is planning to invade Ukraine". What's left unsaid is that Russia has not invaded any country since the dissolution of the Soviet Union and that the US has invaded or toppled regimes in more than 50 countries in the same period of time and that the US maintains over 800 military bases in countries around the world. None of this is reported by the media, instead the focus is on "evil Putin" who has amassed 100,000 troops along the Ukrainian border threatening to plunge all of Europe into another bloody war.

All of the hysterical war propaganda is created with the intention of manufacturing a crisis that can be used to isolate, demonize and ultimately, splinter Russia into smaller units. The real target, however, is not Russia, but Germany. The Biden team wants to "goad Russia into a military response" in order to sabotage Nord Stream. That implies there will be some kind of provocation to induce Putin to send his troops across the border to defend the ethnic Russians in the eastern part of the country. If Putin takes the bait, the response would be swift and harsh. The media will excoriate the action as a threat to all of Europe while leaders will denounce Putin as the "new Hitler". This is Washington's  strategy in a nutshell and the whole production is being orchestrated with one goal in mind; to make it politically impossible for the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to wave Nord Stream through the final approval process.

........to be contd.  

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by a 10' past 10. The delay was because I was following the President's Fleet Review on television which was a grand event, as usual.

Worked on my Muthachhan's biography.

Helped Lekha in watering the plants.

50 days into 2022.

And already.......

 1.  Nuclear fusion saw another major breakthrough.....a 'huge step' in the quest for clean energy.

 2.  A woman was cured of HIV through a breakthrough in stem cell treatment.

 3.  MIT engineers created an 'impossible' new material......stronger than steel but as light as plastic.

 4.  An international team of scientists used supercomputers to unlock a 'giant leap' in the fight against antibiotic resistance.

 5.  A new 'game-changing' carbon capture technology could deliver a step change in our ability to remove dioxide from the air.

 6.  Researchers set a new Guinness World Record for fastest-ever DNA sequencing technique.....using it to sequence a human genome in just 5 hours and 2 minutes.

 7.  A new breakthrough in spinal cord implant 'could potentially allow paralysed people to walk again'.

 8.  A ground-breaking new technology regrew a frog's lost leg......and it might work on humans too.

 9.  Surgeons completed the first-ever heart transplant with a genetically-modified animal heart....saving the life of a 57-year old and taking a big step towards helping solve the global donor organ shortage.

10. Biodegradable surgical tape has been invented....making some intestinal fixes as easy as 'duct tape around leaky pipes'.

11. James Webb, the awe-inspiring $10 billion space telescope 25 years in the making, took its first images.....a huge scientific milestone.

12. An autonomous drone carrying a defibrillator saved the life of a 71-year-old having a heart attack.....a first in medical history.

13. Researchers in Sweden found a promising way to use solar power to convert carbon dioxide into fuel....using ultra-fast laser spectroscopy.

Just a few of the many incredible achievements in the first 50 days of the year.

The world is far from perfect but we shouldn't forget that about 90% of all scientists that ever lived are alive today. Never before have had so many people whose sole purpose of work is to better understand how the world works.

Courtesy. What'sApp

My take

Can mankind ever stop dreaming?

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 6 being a Sunday, the chores and was ready by 10.

Made our customary calls to my sisters and Achu.

Helped Lekha in watering the plants. 

Avoid gossips.

"Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity".

A proverb.

Once upon a time, an old man spread rumours that his neighbour was a thief. As a result, the young man was arrested. Days later he was proven innocent. After being released, he sued the old man for wrongly accusing him.

In court, the old man told the judge, "They were just comments, they didn't harm anyone".

The judges, before passing sentence on the case, told the old man, "write all the things you said about him on a piece of paper. Cut it up into little pieces and on the way home, throw the pieces of paper out of your car window. Tomorrow, come back to hear the sentence".

The next day, the judge told the old man, "Before receiving the sentence, I want you to go out and gather up all the pieces of paper that you threw out of your car window yesterday".

The old man said, "I can't do that! The wind spread them all over the place and I won't know where to find them".

Then the judge replied, "The same way, simple words and comments may destroy the honour of a person to such an extent that a person will not be able to fix it. If you can't speak well of someone, don't say anything at all. Let's all be masters of our mouths, so that we won't be slaves of our words".

"Gossips are worse than thieves because they steal another person's dignity, honour, reputation and credibility which are impossible to restore. So remember this : when your feet slip, you can always recover your balance but when your tongue slips, you can never recover your words!"

Tailpiece.

Got up at a 20' past 6, the chores and was ready by 10.

Went to town to buy grocery from Harisree Supermarket, the fruit basket from the customary shop at the western entrance of the temple and the root, 'Raamacham' (which we use in our drinking water after boiling). Hameed was my sa'arthi.

Participated in the 556th edition of the Aazhchakkoottam : "Is Kerala in the vice grip of drugs?" by Shri Rishiraj Singh, IPS, Former DGP, Kerala Police. It was a nice interaction. The Foundation must actively get involved in reducing the use of drugs.

Participated in a prayer meeting of the Ex-Servicemen group of Thrissur to offer condolences to veterans, Maj PR Pillai, Col Varghese Kolangadan and Mrs Kochuthressia (wife of veteran Maj Devassy), who'd passed into the mist of time, recently.. 

The new Education Policy revisited.

The cabinet has given the green signal to the New Education Policy. After 34 years, there has been a change in the education policy. The notable features of the new education policy are as follows :-

5 Years Fundamental

* Nursery @ 4 years

* Jr KG @ 5 years

* Sr KG @ 6 years

* Std I    @ 7 years

* Std II   @ 8 years

3 Years Preparatory

* Std III  @ 9 years

* Std IV  @ 10 years

* Std V    @ 11 years

3 Years Middle

* Std VI   @ 12 years

* Std VII  @ 13 years

* Std VIII @ 14 years

4 Years Secondary

* Std IX     @ 15 years

* Std SSC   @ 16 years

* Std FYJC @ 17 years

* Std SYJC  @ 18 years

Special and important things

* Board will be in class XII only, MPhil will be closed, college degree of 4 years.

* Class X board is over.

* Now students up to Std V will be taught in mother tongue, local language and national language only. The rest of the subjects, even if it is English, will be taught as a subject.

* Now only Std XII board exam will have to be given. Whereas earlier, it was mandatory to give Std X board exam, which will not happen now.

Examinations will be held in the semester from class IX to class XII. Schooling will be taught under the 5+3+3+4 formula.

At the same time, the college degree will be of 3 and 4 years. That is, certificate on the first year of graduation, diploma on the second year, degree in the third year.

3 year degree is for those students who do not want to take higher education. Whereas students pursuing higher education will have to do a 4-year degree. Students doing 4-year degree will be able to do MA in one year.

Now students will not have to do MPhil. Rather, MA students will now be able to do PhD directly.

There will be no board exam in Std X.

Students will be able to do other courses in between. The gross enrollment ration in higher education will be 50% by 2035. At the same time, under the new education policy, if a student wants to do another course in the middle of a course, then he/she can do the second course by taking a break from the first course for a limited time.

Many reforms have also been made in higher education. The reforms included graded academic, administrative and financial autonomy etc. Apart from this, e-courses will be started in regional languages. Visual Labs will be developed. A National Educational Scientific Forum (NETF) will be started. 

* One must understand that there are 45,000 colleges in the country.

* The rules will be the same for all institutions, government, private, deemed.

My take.

It is my fond hope that education becomes more meaningful and it helps shape a student into a responsible citizen of the country.

Tailpiece.

Got up around a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by 10. Washing machinex of the bed linen.

A quiet Friday.

Helped Lekha in watering the plants. 

Adieu LCdr Ashutosh Balichwal!

This morning I got the sad news about my course mate, Ashutosh Balichwal, having passed into the mist of time. He was grappling with post-Covid complications at the hospital in Rajkot, Gujarat. Actually, last month he was admitted, first time into the hospital, for having contracted Covid-19 and was discharged a week later with the RT-PCR test clearing him. And we all were happy for him.

But a twist in the tale was in store for each one of us, close to him. Within a matter of a few days, he was back again in the hospital with post-Covid complications from which he never recovered. He was buttoned on to the ventilator from where he never came out. He leaves behind Santosh, his wife and Anubhav, his son.

I first met, Balichwal, on board the old INS Delhi as a cadet, in Jan 1977. He was from the Naval Academy and me, being an ex-NDA, took our time to become friends. He was a guy, full of mirth and had an exhaustive collection of colourful jokes. Like me, he was also a Sainik School product from Sainik School, Chittorgarh. 

After we passed out from INS Delhi, we were on board INS Beas for training as Midshipmen. We'd still not become the best of friends and the both of us went around with our circle of friends. It was during our tenure on board in Autumn '77, that the ship participated in the multi-nation 'Monex' or Monsoon Experiments and going through the roughest of weathers, we developed camaraderie and became friends. We had, indeed, come to know of each other's draughts!

Then we went about our Sub Lieutenant's courses - during the whole of 1978 - and underwent training in various naval establishments, all across the country. By early '79, we had dispersed into various ships for the award of Watch Keeping Ticket. We crossed each other's paths albeit briefly, from time to time, in the course of our subsequent appointments.

He'd left the IN and taken on a second career in the Merchant Marine and did well for himself. In fact, he was still working as the Harbour Master at Rajkot and guiding ships in and out of harbour. His wife was at Navi Mumbai sorting out certain legal issues, their son was doing well in the Merchant Marine and hence he lived by himself at Rajkot, in the port's accommodation. 

He used to call up frequently and talked about a lot of things and we traced our course mates and as to what they were up to, these days. Of late, he had become very philosophical and I used to pull his legs on that score. Was he aware of what was in store for him, in the immediate future, I wonder? And from what I learn from the others is that, he made it a point to be in touch with as many of us, as possible. And he used to talk at length about anything and everything. He used to tell me that he enjoyed talking to me!

I remember him being upset over the passing away of Gen Bipin Rawat, the CDS with whom he'd interacted many times.

Will miss his calls and his lengthy conversations.

Adieu Balichwal! Om Shanti. Sadgati. My salute, tears and prayers to a lively course mate. May god give the strength to Santosh and Anubhav to tide over this irreplaceable loss.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

Had gone to the nearby chemist, Johnson, to buy plaster. He was very keen to talk on seeing me after a long time.

Helped Lekha in watering the plants.

PS.

Balichwal's ashes were immersed at Dwarka today, 18 Feb, Chautha, in Jamnagar, on Sunday.

The HMV dog.

Nipper, the HMV logo dog is recognised by music lovers across the world. The iconic logo featuring a phonograph and a dog staring at it has featured on hundreds of millions of records.

Francis Barraud was an English painter who had a brother named Mark. When Mark passed away, Francis inherited a bunch of his stuff. A phonograph player, recording of Mark's voice and Mark's dog, Nipper.

Francis observed that when he played the records, Nipper would run over to the phonograph, puzzled, as to make out where the voice came from. The scene remained so etched in Francis's memories that even after 3 years of Nipper's demise, he painted the same, calling it "His Master's Voice".

He tried selling the painting but record companies turned him down as they thought there's no connection (real brand connect) between a confused dog listening to a gramophone and a music label.

Little did they know that this painting was to become an emblem for the music aficianados.

The Gramophone Company purchased the paintings for 100 pounds. Fast forward to eight years and the hugely popular logo made the company change its name to HMV after the painting.

"His Master's Voice" logo was used around the world and the motto became well known in different languages. In Europe these include "La voix de son maitre" (French), "La voz de su amo" (Spanish), "La voce del padrone" (Italian), "Die Stimme seines Herrn" (German), etc.

Having featured on hundreds of millions of records produced by the HMV label over more than a century, Nipper was immortalized with his own blue plaque in London in Nov 2014.

                                         In 1899 at 126 Piccadilly

                                              Francis Barraud

                                    completed his famous painting

                                         of 'Nipper' that became

                                                     known as

                                              His Master's Voice

                                            British Plaque Trust

Tailpiece.

Got up at a 20' past 6, the chores and was ready by 10. Earlier, carried out the usual Wednesday 'aarathi' of the house.

Worked on the draft of Muthachhan's biography.

Ramesh had come by to complete the work that was pending. Helped Lekha in watering the plants.

Hypocrisy!

Protest in India

* Lasted for 378 days

* 11 rounds of talks

* Loss of Rs.2,731 cr

* 1000 trains cancelled

* Ruckus on 26 Jan 2021

Protest in Canada

* Started on 27 Jan 2022

* No negotiations

* Accounts frozen

* Emergency Act invoked

And Trudeau, you'd fully supported the 'free and just'(?) protests of the Indian farmers. Why don't you have the guts to talk with your protesting truckers? 

And the international press calls Modi a fascist and India, undemocratic. Go, take a walk!

     *       *        *

The "Baan Stambh"

There is a fascinating mystery called "Baan Stambh" in the ancient Somnath Temple of Gujarat. On the south side of the temple, overlooking the sea, is a pillar called "Baan Stambh". An arrow is built on the top of the pillar which points towards the sea. The existence of this pillar is mentioned in some ancient books from the 6th century.

There is an inscription carved on the pillar in Sanskrit which means, "there is no earth terrain from this point of the sea to the South Pole.

Now the fun fact. If you start travelling from Somnath Mandir towards south, you will indeed not find any mountain or piece of land until you reach the South Pole (Antarctica). The nearest land towards South Pole is nearly 10,000 km away.

So the mystery is - how did our ancestors know this fact in the 6th century?

Did they have aerial map of the earth?

What degree of knowledge of Astronomy, Geography, Mathematics and indeed Maritime Sciences they must have had!

Our ancient Indian heritage is indeed a marvel!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a 20' past 6, the chores and was ready by 10.

It was a quiet Tuesday.

Helped Lekha in watering the plants.   

Let's not forget.

14 Feb 2019

The Pulwama attack occurred when a convoy of vehicles carrying Indian security personnel on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was confronted by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber at Lethapora in the Pulwama district of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Deaths

40 (+1 suicide bomber).

Perpetrators

Mastermind was Mohammad Ismail Alvi aka Saifullah, Adnan or Lamboo.

The aftermath

The tit for tat was the surgical strike by the IAF at Balakote, deep in Pakistani territory. And the heartless opposition wanted proof!

I offer my salute, tears and prayers to the brave hearts!

      *       *       *

A few interesting tidbits

* The sincerity of the husband is known during the sickness of his wife.

* The sincerity of the wife is known during the difficult financial situation of the husband.

* The true love of the children is known during the old age of the parents.

* The true nature of the siblings is known during the distribution of inheritance.

* The sincerity of friends is known during hard times.

* The true relatives are known when one is far from his country or lonely or sick.

* True love is known when there is no means of benefit.

* And a true believer is known during times of hardship.

       *       *       *

Very nice definition of TIME

* Time is slow when you wait!

* Time is fast when you are late!

* Time is deadly when you are sad!

* Time is short when you are happy!

* Time is endless when you are in pain!

* Time is long when you feel bored!

Every time, time is determined by your feelings and your psychological conditions and not by clocks.

So have a nice time always!

Tailpiece.

Got up by a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by 10' past 10. Today is the first of the Malayalam month of Kumbham and the usual aarathi was carried out.

Off to Preethi's internet cafe to extract a copy of the draft of my grandfather's biography.

Our backyard has been cleared and cleaned.

Helped Lekha in watering the plants.

Knowing when to quit.

On 22 May 2019, Mount Everest saw a traffic jam as 300 mountaineers made it to the summit that day, creating it, a picture of which went viral the next day.

German alpinist, David Gottler was not among those who summited. He was just 200 meters from the peak when he turned back. David was also among the lucky ones. In 2019, the Everest climb saw 21 mountaineers die while attempting to scale the world's highest peak - the highest number to die so far!

Why did he turn back despite being an experienced climber who had already conquered five of the 14 different 8,000m peaks on earth.

He took a crucial decision. That day that the risks were away too much to attempt to summit despite being so close.

His experience told him that the crowd trying to reach the peak would make him wait for his turn which could prove fatal as above 26,000 feet you are in the death zone when there isn't enough oxygen for humans to breathe.

The summit of Mount Everest is 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) high, an elevation at which each breath contains only one-third of the oxygen found at sea level. And David was a purist who was climbing without supplemental oxygen.

At only 200 meters from the peak David took perhaps the most sensible and courageous decision of his life - to give up the climb and come down.

He didn't win the mountain that day but he won over his ego. Only a man without an ego can decide when to give up and when to clench your teeth and push on regardless.

All our lives we have been constantly told by motivational speakers and others, never to give up and yet here was an experienced mountaineer who simply says that making it to the peak is not all that matters, when even the less experienced ones were summiting that day.

There were many who went up that day but in the process exhausted their oxygen supplies while waiting for the queue of other mountaineers to clear up before they could summit. Some of them ran out of oxygen on the way down and died.

The true climbers respect the mountains and as Sir Edmund Hillary said; "Human life is far more important than just getting to the top of a mountain".

There are climbers who climb to enjoy the view and not always to plant a flag on the peak.

Sometimes in our lives it is more important how we enjoy living than how "successful" we are in the eyes of others or even ourselves. Quitting takes a lot of courage and sometimes only the wise can give up even when success seems so near.

They always ask themselves : What is the cost of winning? Is it worthwhile to scale the summit?

My take.

However successful one is, one needs to remain humble and in touch with reality!

Tailpiece.

Got up around a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by a 10' to 10.

A quiet Sunday when I caught up on my reading.

Helped Lekha in watering the plants.

Saw Kittu limping, his rear right leg seems to be giving him problems. Hope he gets over it soon.

Much ado about hijaabs......

The sudden flare up of the 'hijaab' issue and the way an innocuous subject is being thrust as a grave one among the masses is very conspicuously, conspiratorial! The funniest thing is that the same young lady who seems to be straining her voice in support of wearing of the hijab is shown in another photo sporting a pair of jeans and top, puffing on a cigarette......critics might apologetically come to her rescue by saying that the photo is a morphed one!

Firstly, is there any controversy on the subject? One has never heard of it, at least till now. And therefore, it would be worthwhile to have an in depth analysis about this flare up which I, frankly, find it fishy!

What does the Holy Quran say about the hijaab? The fact is that there is no mention about it at all. I shall quote the relevant portion which is Chapter 42:30 and 31. HIJAAB - ITRAA : applicable to both men and women : "cast down your eyes in presence of the opposite sex/gender and cover your modesty".

Where does it talk about hijaabs, I wonder? It's pure imagination, given a twist, by the hardliners and nothing else. If that is settled, what about its timing? The following factors are discernible :-

* UP, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa are going through the state assembly elections during Feb - Mar 2022.

* A clear win in UP is a must for the BJP towards the election of the new President that will take place by mid-2022. 

* Pollsters have predicted a win for Yogi Adityanath, in UP, for his governance in the state that has greatly improved the law and order situation and for reducing corruption to a great extent. They've given positive results for the BJP in the other states, too, even in Punjab where its alliance with Captain Amarinder Singh's new party is expected to put up a good fight. 

* Many Muslims, in UP, have come out strongly in support of the PM and Yogi.

* The hijaab issue had flared up in a few schools of Udupi, in Karnataka and anti-national forces have been quick to fan it into a major controversy even when the matter is awaiting judgement from the High Court.

I find a clear pattern in the sudden flare up of a non-issue - the perpetrators have two clear aims, one tactical and the other strategic viz. :-

(a) Influence the outcome of the Assembly elections, is the tactical one.

(b) To oppose the legislation of the bill for the Uniform Civil Code that PM Modi has promised, is the strategic one.

PS.

Has the withdrawal of the Farm Laws, by the PM, given the opposition to fight for a losing cause?

Tailpiece.

Got up at a trifle past 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

Went to town to buy the fruit basket, grocery and vegetables along with fish for Kittu. The auto rickshaw had dropped me at our gate. The pipeline laying has been completed till our feeder road and our vehicles can be driven out in case of an emergency.

Participated in the 555th session of the Aazhchkkoottam : "Covid Pandemic and the Spread of Omicron" by Dr Ekbal Bappukunju, Chairman, Covid Expert Committee, Government of Kerala and Former VC, Kerala University from 1600 - 1715 hrs. An interesting interaction!

Helped Lekha in watering the plants.

Midhun, from the National Supermarket, dropped by to bring us a few more grocery items.

The origins of some of our strange customs....

1. Why?

Why do men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes have buttons on the left?

Because

When buttons were invented, they were expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left. As wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid's right! And that's where women's buttons have remained since.

2. Why?

Why do ships and aircraft use 'Mayday!' as their call for help?

Because

This comes from the French word m'aidez meaning, 'help me' and is pronounced, approximately, 'Mayday'.

3. Why?

Why are zero scores in tennis called 'love'?

Because

In France, where tennis became popular, the round zero on the scoreboard looked like an egg and was called 'l'oeuf',, which is French for 'the egg'. When tennis was introduced in the US, Americans(naturally), mispronounced it 'love'. And then the word stuck on.

4. Why?

Why do Xs at the end of a letter signify kisses?

Because

In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.

5. Why?

Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called 'passing the buck'?

Because

In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility of dealing, he would 'pass the buck' to the next player.

6. Why?

Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?

Because

In earlier times it would be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would only touch or clink the host's glass with his own.

7. Why?

Why are people in the public eye said to be 'in the limelight'?

Because

Invented in 1825, limelight was used in lighthouses and theatres by burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light. In the theatre, a performer 'in the limelight' was the centre of attention.

8. Why?

Why is someone who is feeling great 'on cloud nine'?

Because

Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud. If someone is said to be on cloud nine then that person is floating well above worldly cares.

9. Why?

In golf, where did the term 'Caddie' come from?

Because

When Mary, Queen of Scots, went to France as a young girl, Louis, King of France, learned that she loved the Scots game 'golf'. He had the first course outside of Scotland built for her enjoyment. To make sure she was properly chaperoned (and guarded) while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her. Mary liked this a lot and when she returned to Scotland (not a good idea in the long run), she took the practice home with her. In French, the word cadet is pronounced 'ca-day' and the Scots changed it into caddie.

10. Why?

Why are many coin collection jar banks shaped like pigs?

Because 

Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of dense orange clay called 'pygg'. Whe people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as 'pygg banks'. When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a container that resembled a pig.

And it caught on.....! 

My take

Great stories! This is how traditions and customs are born.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 6, the chores and was ready by 10. The maid was given an off, by Lekha, as the temple near her house was celebrating its annual festival.

Appunni and Subi came in by 9 and they began their work in right earnest. Completed their overall work by lunchtime and they have done a good job. The Quarterdeck has been 'Dr Fix It...ed'. It has become cooler. The house has become quiet all over again

Lekha's beautician friend, Seena, had come by for pedicure and related activities.

Helped Lekha in watering the plants.

What an astonishing thing a book is....

It's a flat object made from a tree

with flexible parts on which are

imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles.

But one glance at it and you're inside

the mind of another person, maybe

somebody dead for thousands of years.

Across the millennia, an author is

speaking clearly and silently inside your

head - directly to you.

Writing is perhaps the greatest of

human inventions, binding together

people who never knew each other,

citizens of distant epochs.

Books break the shackles of time.

A book is proof that humans are

capable of working magic.

- Carl Sagan

  Cosmos

    *      *      *

Do we know the actual full form of some words?

* OK                   Otto Krovens

* Newspaper      North East West South Past And Present Events Report

* Chess               Castle, Horse, Elephant, Soldiers

* Cold                 Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease

* Joke                 Joy of Kids Entertainment

* Aim                  Ambition in Mind

* Date                 Day and Time Evolution

* Eat                   Energy and Taste

* Tea                   Taste and Energy Admitted

* Pen                   Power Enriched in Nib

* Smile                Sweet Memories in Lips Expression

* SIM                  Subscriber Identity Module

* Etc                    End of Thinking Capacity

* Or                     Orl Korec (Greek word)

* Bye                   Be With You Every time

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle past 6, the chores and was ready for Sajish, the khalifa, to give me a haircut at a half past 7. Went through my exercises on the bicycle and went through my prayers.

Appunni and Subi had fetched up at their usual time of 9 and went about their work. The washing down of the sun shades was completed.

Helped Lekha in watering the plants.

Had a tumble on the balcony but got off with superficial concussions. Phew!

Geeverghese, of Sabu Electricals, came in topped up the distilled water levels of the inverter and the battery of the solar lighting on the terrace.

 

 

The last page of our notebooks.....

Came across this interesting piece on What'sApp and I thought that I must share it with you.

A place where we check

whether our pen is working or not

A place where we calculate

the percentage out of the marks we

got

The last page of our notebook......

A place where we play the game

of flames with our secret crush's

name

Then strike it off so that no one

sees

and not giving a chance for our best

friend to tease

The last page of our notebook......

A place where we chat

with our friend when the class is

going on

Unable to listen

the boring lecture going on since

morn

The last page of our notebook.....

A place where we write

beautiful lines of our favourite song

A place where we and our friends

play

tic-tac-toe with marks of right and

wrong

The last pages of our notebooks.....

aren't just pages, They are much

more.....

They are precious diaries.......

where we unknowingly treasure our

teenage memories.......

Many of us would be reaching

close to the last page of our note

books but remember there is still

a lot of space on that page so

keep writing and filling up the 

page with your happiness.

That last page still remains the

most precious page of our lives. 

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle after 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. Earlier, had informed Maman about the passing away of Cdr Suresh Chand. He was sad because he'd met with the Chands, at their house in Erandwane in 1999, while on a visit to Pune.

Appunni and Subi had come by at a quarter past 9, quietly slipped into their working rig and went about giving the second slap of the primer on the top surface of the house which is roughly, 750 sq mts. The metallic stand of the overhead filter was also painted for the first time..

An hour before lunch time, they had got down to cleaning the two tiers of sun shades all around the house. A lot of moss and muck was removed.

Adieu Commander Suresh Chand sir!

This was the message from the Navy Foundation Pune Charter that saddened me this morning and I quote, "Regret to inform sad demise of Veteran, Cdr Suresh Chand(00561Y), 81 years, today at Pune. On behalf of the President and all the members of NFPC, we offer our deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to Mrs Vidya Chand and their grieving family members and pray that they find strength to face the irreplaceable loss with fortitude. Funeral and last rites planned today with family members only". Om Shanti, Secy NFPC.

The message took me back in time by 43 years. After doing my Sub's Courses I was appointed on board INS Krishna, a ship based at Kochi but was fast finishing her refit in the Naval Dockyard, Bombay. I'd joined on board, on 13 Jan 1979, for the award of Watch Keeping Ticket (that authorises a naval officer to handle a naval ship on his own and in those times, the average time taken to get the certificate was about six months). The ship was then commanded by Cdr Bhupinder Singh Achreja, a pilot and the Executive Officer was then Lieutenant Commander Ambalathingal Chacko Jose (AC Jose. We'd served together again in INS Agrani, at Coimbatore later, from Jun '84!). 

Cdr Suresh Chand had taken over from Cdr BS Achreja by Mar '79. The ship had by then returned to Kochi on completion of refit and it was sailing a lot. The ship was part of the Ist Training Squadron and we'd Midshipmen of the 16th Integrated Course(54 NDA and their equivalent from NAVAC. Saw the 55th course and their equivalents from NAVAC too) and I was their SoG or Sub of the Gun - the junior most officer on board, responsible for their overall discipline and behaviour. Krishna had a fine complement of officers and sailors and our Ward Room was the most taut and the happiest among the ships at Kochi then. 

Incidentally, I'd seen then Lt Cdr Suresh Chand, three years earlier, as 'Squadee' Foxtrot in my VI term at the NDA, during Autumn '76. He'd walked into my cabin when I was up early in the morning - around a half past 4 - to write letters to my parents and grandparents. And he was on his morning rounds as the Battalion Duty Officer! He had asked me as to what I was doing, perused my efforts, nodded his head and walked away.

I looked forward to the sailings of the ship as I learnt the nuances of ship handling, navigation and seamanship and every other aspect that a young officer was expected to know. The Captain and the others went out of their way to teach me. Being the lone officer for watch keeping, the Captain and his charming wife, Vidya Chand took me under their wings. I've spent great times at their place - the first bungalow on the 1st Cross Road in Katari Bagh - with the good lady washing the after dinner dishes, sir wiping the wet crockery and cutlery dry and me sitting on the cooking platform talking about anything and everything under the sun!

They have two children, Deepika and Gaurav. Mrs Vidya Chand was the air hostess on board the ill fated Air India aircraft that brought back the mortal remains of PM Lal Bahadur Shastri from Tashkent. The Captain used to say that he'd name his son as Gaurav Chand Dhadwal, otherwise, he would be known as G Chand, which was bland!

I was the Ward Room Mess Secretary and along with Master Chief Steward Shetty, endeavoured to provide meals with imaginative menus and the President Mess Committee always backed me to the hilt. After the first quarter, during the audit of the Ward Room Mess Fund, the audit team found that it had incurred a drop of Rs.800/- in its Balance Creditor. I was pretty sure that I'd let down my captain and the ship and therefore, while presenting the books and accounts for his perusal and signature, I had handed over a cheque of Rs.800/- from my personal account. I will never forget that look of surprise on the Captain's face and with tears welling up in his eyes, he hugged me and tore off my offered cheque!

He used to be fond of my rather gruffy voice over the main broadcast while giving 'firing orders' during the gunnery shoots at sea. And sometime after my third month on board, there was this massive emergency on board when the generators had tripped during the middle watch between 0001 and 0400 hrs - it was a vintage ship, you see and the ship had to be stopped and was adrift in mid-sea. After taking all necessary actions, I'd called up the Captain on the 'sound powered telephone' and informed him about the emergency and actions taken. 

Within a short while, the ship was brought back to normal and with the entire lot of officers summoned on the bridge, the Captain had announced that he was awarding me my Watch Keeping Ticket. I remember taking his permission to have the bar opened to provide Champagne to celebrate that important milestone in my naval career that moment itself! Consequently, the entire lot of Krishna's officers were on the ship's bridge, sipping champagne at that unearthly hour of the night sharing my proud moment!!  

There was a scary occasion when the ship was sailing off from the north jetty in Kochi. I was the Quarterdeck Officer during the leaving harbour evolution. A tug was supposed to haul the ship's stern, thereafter the ship was to proceed astern for about 30 metres and then head for the harbour mouth. The tug line was just being secured and an enthusiastic Midshipman, who was the communication number reported to the bridge - on my behalf - that the tug line was secured. I heard the youngster's report and should have corrected the error but anticipating a delay in the tug's reaction, I and my boys concentrated on the synthetic hawser being secured on the bollard instead.

The bridge had ordered the tug to commence pulling and much to my horror, I saw the hawser going taut and running out through the fairlead abaft the bollard and Leading Seaman Ramanna being dragged by his leg - which had got entangled in a bight of the rope - out of the ship. In a quick reflex action, I'd bent down and pulled out the rope from the sailor's leg! (Incidentally, Ramanna's son is named 'Rajeev' as I'd saved him that day from certain disaster!) 

The tug was asked to stop pulling and the line was buttoned up once again and the evolution was carried out flawlessly and after we were safely out at sea, I'd gone across to the bridge to report my folly but the ship's Medical Officer, Surg Lt P Vijayashankar, had already given an eye witness account of my 'heroics' and I was permitted by the Captain to have a drink that evening - which is otherwise, avoided at sea!

I also remember a couple of trips to Thiruvananthapuram to meet up with Captain Syriac - a friend of my Captain ; he was a member of the Kerala Public Service Commission and another great guy - regarding the 'migration certificate' for Mrs Vidya Chand who wanted to pursue the BEd course with the Kerala University. She was subsequently a professor at the Elphinstone College in Pune, if my memory serves me right. For me, the trips to Thiruvananthapuram were invigorating, as my folks stayed there. In fact, during one of the weekends, Lt SAS Rizvi had joined me and he'd become good friends with my grandparents!  

There are a host of good memories during my tenure on board that ship and I consider myself to have been lucky to be there at that time. Shall list down the officers who were on board INS Krishna, during those times and they were :-

* Cdr Suresh Chand                   -  Captain

* LCdr AC Jose                          -  XO

* LCdr A Sarkar                         -  EO

* Lt Sharat Jain                          -  GO

* Lt DK Mohapatra                   -   EdO

* Lt Gursharan Singh                -   NO

* Lt HN Shirgavi                       -   SO

* Surg Lt P Vijayashankar         -   MO

* Lt Arunabh Ghosh                  -   LO

* Lt SAS Rizvi                          -   SEO

* Lt HS Manhas

* Lt PE Vanhaltren

* SLt (SDB) Sita Ram Yadav 

* SLt K Rajeev Nair

*LCdr KL Arora and Lt Ranjan Seth joined us as the EdO and NO, a month and a half before I was leaving the ship. 

I was transferred in Jun '79 as the Navigating Officer of INS Atul, a seaward defence boat, with the Captain telling me that, "It gives me a feeling that you continue to be with me and I shall watch your progress". I must confess that I felt bad at having to shift berth but we continued to be in touch with each other till a few years back.

Adieu Cdr Suresh Chand sir! My salute, tears and prayers to an officer and a gentleman who shaped my naval career. Om Shanti! Sadgati. May your near and dear ones have the strength to tide over these stressful times. 

Tailpiece.

Got up around a 20' past 6, the chores. Subi and Appunni began their work of laying the 'Dr Fix It' on the terrace. 

By the time the workers had secured, it was a half past 5. Helped Lekha in watering the plants.

        

What the hell is happening?

Today in Parliament

I happened to hear the Prime Minister's reply in Parliament on the President's inaugural speech in Parliament of this session. Cutting across party lines and setting my own political affinities aside, the opposition can and must take on the PM and the ruling party for their misdemeanours and wrongdoings. But it has no right to malign the country in the international forums and rundown the image of the country. Period!

And the blighter and immature guy that Rahul Gandhi is, stays away from today's proceedings because he knows that the PM will have retorts for all his wild and baseless charges.

Lok Ayukta Ordinance

The chief minster had returned from his medical trip to the US and a visit to the UAE before returning to Kerala yesterday. He heads straight to the Governor's residence - who has been sitting on an ordinance to clip the powers of the Lok Ayukta - a meeting between the two takes place and today, the Governor signs the ordinance. Is some minister seriously in trouble on aspects of corruption or is the Lavalin Case concerning the chief minister, himself, gonna explode soon?

As per the ordinance, a tainted minister need not resign on account of any order against him or her, from the Lok Ayukta! Can you beat that? How shameless can this scum of politicians be? Ugh!

Trust the commies to come out with such orders. And mind you, the CPI is against this ordinance and only time will tell us as to how it meekly surrenders to the diktat of the CPM!

The Sad Case of Dileep

Malayalam film star Dileep has got yet another reprieve by getting an anticipatory bail on another case and mind you, his earlier case of molesting an actress is still ongoing in court. He and his team have been obstructing justice all this while, intimidated witnesses and ensured that the outcome was delayed to the extent feasible.

What I can't understand is his psychology. If I were in his place, I would have ensured an early settlement of the court proceedings to clear my name because I am innocent.

His obfuscation just goes to prove that he is bloody guilty and is trying to delay the inevitable hoping like mad that he can buy off anyone and everyone to get himself off the hook. Shameless guy!

For the past few weeks, only his movies are being screened by every channel on television and the music programmes cover the songs picturised on him. What a monumental coward he is!

The Waywardness of the Guruvayur Municipality

The arterial Guruvayur-Kunnamkulam road has been dug up at various places for laying water pipes to enhance the the efficiency of the distribution of water, without giving adequate notice to the people staying around. There are no deviations marked and the side feeder roads that are narrow, get clogged with traffic making the motorists' lives a misery.

It can only be called arrogance and highhandedness on the part of the Municipality to take on such a monumental work without the consent of the people. The result is that one can't take out one's vehicles from the safe confines of the homes. 

The elected representatives of the Municipality think that they can do anything and get away with it! Shame on them!!    

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle after 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 10. 

Venugopal, Appunni and Subi began the work on our terrace. The black surface has been scrubbed with the help of a high speed water jet by the end of the day and has been readied for the Dr Fix It therapy tomorrow. Should stop seepage, for a while, in times of monsoons.

Talked to most of our family regarding outing for pooja at our family temples at Koduppunna, Kainakiri and the Kalarcodu kshetram over this weekend.   

Adieu Lata Mangeshkar ji!

It was with great sadness that I heard about Lata Mangeshkar's passing into the mist of time this morning at 12' past 8, due to post-covid complications. She was all of 92 years. I've since my childhood, listened to her songs along with the ones from the other languages too.

I shall go through a few songs - of her's - which I'd heard at home while growing up because my parents used to listen to them frequently. Without much ado, here I go :-

(a) Rasik Balma (Chori Chori).

A beautiful song sung by Nargis in the film with a tinge of sadness.

(b) Aaiye Meherbaan (Howrah Bridge)

Another beautiful song, picturised on Madhubala, that had a naughty touch to it.

(c) Jo Wada Kiya Woh Nibhaana Padega (Taj Mahal)

Picturised on Pradip Kumar and Bina Rai and a classic. I remember my parents listening to this repeatedly!

(d) Lag Jaa Gale (Woh kaun Thi)

Picturised on Sadhana and it's a beautiful song at that. The movie had a 'ghost' element in it.

(e) Gaata Rahe Mera Dil (Guide)

Picturised on the beautiful Waheeda Rehman and Dev Anand. A golden hit of its time.

(f) Phoolon Ka Taaron Ka (Hare Ram hare Krishna)

Picturised on two adorable kids - the younger versions of Prashant and Jasbir. A beautiful song at that!

(g) Tujhse Naraaz Nahin Zindagi (Masoom)

A beautiful and hauntingly lovely song picturised on Jugal Hansraj and Naseeruddin Shah.

These are some of the songs that come into my mind in the rush of emotions. What I'm trying to say is that I grew up hearing Lata Mangeshkar ji's songs, along with others of course and her passing away has saddened me no end.

Adieu Lata Mangeshkar ji! My Tears and prayers.

Tailpiece.

Got up about half an hour later than usual, the chores and was ready by a 10' past 10. The news about Lata Mangeshkar ji's passing away in the Breach Candy Hospital of Bombay was saddening. Heard her songs all through the day.

Helped Lekha in watering the plants.