The Afghan embassy in Delhi.

Five days after former Ambassador of Afghanistan in India claimed that their embassy in Delhi was closed permanently, Afghanistan's political deputy of Foreign Affairs said yesterday that the embassy will continue to function as usual.

He had said this in an interview on Afghanistan's national television. They were in contact with the MEA while the Afghan consulates in Bombay and Hyderabad were active. India has not yet recognised the Taliban government. 

The Consul General of Bombay, Ms Zakia Wardak, has been overseeing the functioning of the embassy in Delhi. Past diplomats of the Afghan embassy have sought asylum in other countries which is one of the main reasons for the Afghan embassy to be in a state of disarray. 

She has confirmed that it would be business as usual, with her office providing necessary directives from time to time.

My take

What a sad state of affairs? Wonder when the Taliban steps down and lets a mature leadership to take over the reins of the country?

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 5, the chores and was ready by 10.

Sent my monthly mail to the group.

A quiet Thursday.

India's big opportunity.

India's bid to attract foreign capital just received a shot in the arm. Foxconn announced in an exchange filling that it will invest $1.6 billion on several projects in India. Though the details aren't known, the funds are for 'operational' needs, possibly to set up two factories in Karnataka for the manufacture and assembly of iPhones.

This is one among many examples where Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai. and other Taiwanese manufacturers are continuing to exit China in preference for countries such as India, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. Big US multinationals have also announced they are diversifying their investments. Intel and Microsoft are moving some operations from China to the US. Nike and Dell said they will relocate to Vietnam and Mexico.

There is a growing disenchantment with China. The political climate under Xi Jinping has turned increasingly nationalistic and unstable. Their post-pandemic rebound has been tepid because of a real estate slump and growing local government debt. The uncertainty has pushed Chinese families to save rather than spend, thereby depressing demand. 

India seems to have had a good start. Creating a stampede of investors will now depend on two factors - whether we can reduce red tape and how quickly we can provide the necessary infrastructure.

Tailpiece.

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

Went for the matinee show of 'Kaathal' starring Mammootty and Jyothika. It's good. Talks about the tumultous family life of Mathew, who's gay and Omana, who's normal.

The evening chores.   

With the 3rd drydock, CSL will become a ship-repair hub.

The Rs.1,799 cr drydock, with a 100 year design life, will be among the largest in the country. To be readied for ops by Jun 2024.

What is a drydock?

A drydock is an enclosed basin that can be flooded to allow a ship to be floated in, followed by locking shut the entrance gate and then drained to allow that ship to come to rest on a dry platform. This functionality makes drydocks the most precious asset of any shipyard that deals with building as well as repairing of large ships.

Highlights of the drydock

* Can hold 242 mn litres of water which is more than the capacity 96 Olympic-size swimming pools.

* 70,000 MT of steel forms were used, which is almost 9.5 times the quantity of steel used for construction of the Eiffel Tower.

* About 7.2 lakh tonnes of concrete used in construction, which is 1.25 times the concrete used in the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.

* About 5,000 RCC piles with diameters ranging from 600 mm to 1,200 mm were installed, which is almost 26 times the number of piles installed in Burj Khalifa.

* About 5,50,000 cum of excavated material disposed off at sea.

* Cost Rs.1,799 cr

* Design life 100 yrs.

* Dimensions 310 m x 75/60 m x 13 m.

* Draught 9.5 m

Key features 

* Stepped layout to accommodate large and wide vessels

* Can take specialised and technologically advanced vessels

* Can handle vessels up to 70,000 tons docking displacement

*Apart from the 600-ton gantry crane, it also has two jib cranes of 75 ton and 45 ton capacity

Gantry crane

* The new drydock will be equipped with a gantry crane of 600-ton lifting capacity, which makes it the biggest when compared with the existing cranes of the yard. The crane has a span of 134 m and maximum height of 81 m. It is equipped with an upper trolley with two 300-ton hooks and a lower trolley with one 400-ton hook. Total weight of the crane is 3,667 tons.

* Contract for turnkey supply, design, manufacture, transport, installation, erection, testing and commissioning of gantry crane was issued to South Korea's Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries.

* Crane components were dispatched from South Korea on 17 Sep 2023 and the vessel arrived at CSL on 09 Oct 2023. Hyundai Samho will complete installation and commissioning of crane, which will be ready for operation at CSL's new drydock by May 2024.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 5, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

The maid was at work today. She cleared up the 'diyas' post Karthika celebrations.

A quiet Tuesday otherwise.

1st dark sky reserve in Eastern Ladakh.

Eastern Ladakh will soon have South East Asia's first night sky sanctuary. 

The sanctuary was being set with the help of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore, which is affiliated to the Department of Science and Technology under the GoI. It will be the 15th or 16th of its kind in the world, will fascinate star gazers.

Accordingly, a tripartite MoU was signed  between the Ladakh administration, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics for launching the Dark Sky Reserve. The site will have activities to help boost local tourism and economy through interventions of Science and Technology.

The Dark Sky Reserve will be located at Hanle village in Eastern Ladakh as a part of Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary spread over 1,073 square kilometres and it is located adjacent to the Indian Astronomical Observatory, the second highest optical telescope in the world at an elevation of 4,500 mts.

GI-tagged treasures of Ladakh, including sea buckthorn, Raktsey Karpo apricots, Ladakh wood carvings and Pashmina wool are being showcased in the "Ladakh's Pride' exhibition, that's currently on. 'Leh Berry', an exclusive food product of the cold desert, the commercial cultivation of medicinal plants at a height of above 15,000 ft are being promoted. "Sanjeevani Booti', locally known as 'sola' is included.

Courtesy. Mayank Singh in the NIE

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 5, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

Selvam had come by for pressing clothes. Gave him 5 Grand on account of his son, Raja's, wedding.

Collected my reading glasses from the clinic.

26/11

It has been 15 years since the 26/11 terrorist attack took place in Bombay. Every year we keep remembering the martyrs, the victims and the enormous sadness that the deadly incident had imposed on the country.

There are so many things left unanswered even to this day. Let me try to list them as to what they are :-

  

  1. What are the investigating agencies doing regarding the solving of the entire terror attack? 

  2. Who was the mastermind behind it? 

  3. When and where was the script of the attack planned?

  4. Why were the decision-making bureaucrats of the Home Ministry in the hill station of Murree in

      Pakistan when the attack was on?

  5. Why was Kasab - the terrorist caught live - with a Hindu identity? Identifying documents and           

      saffron threads around his wrist et all!

  6. Why was Barkha Datt allowed to cover the ghastly events taking place within the Taj Mahal Hotel

      live, especially after it has now been established that the Pakistanis knew the exact positions and

      numbers of commandos, security forces in the innards of the hotel?

  7. Why was Barkha Datt given unrestricted access to our forward posts at Kargil by which the exact

      positions of our gallant soldiers were compromised? To cite an example, Captain Vikram Batra, the

      hero of Tololing Point was killed by enemy attack within 24 hrs of his interview with the journalist

      in his bunker? (The positions were passed on through the satellite telephones to the masters who

      had, then, passed on the information to their minions on the ground).

  8. Why hasn't P Chidambaram, the Home Minister at that time, not issued a complete information 

      regarding the whole affair?  

  9. Why hasn't the journalist, Barkha Datt, been taken up for interrogation for her lapses?

Here are just a few that I can think of. I'm sure there must be many more that might have slipped my mind.

My salutes to the brave hearts, tears and prayers!

My take

The investigation needs a closure, the details of the findings be brought to the public and the culprits be brought to book, forthwith. Enough of dithering has taken place till now!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a trifle before 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

A quiet Sunday.

Was registered in the Indian Oil - Adani piped gas distribution system that's gonna come in this neighbourhood over the next six months. 

Interesting numbers about India.

Important numbers that describe today's vibrant India.

* Population                                          144 cr

* Aadhaar Card holders                       136 cr

* Internet users                                    120 cr

* Mobile subscribers                           114 cr

* Total enrolled voters                          98 cr

* E-commerce users                             80 cr

* Smartphone users                              65 cr

* OTT users                                          50 cr

* Social Media users                            40 cr

* UPI users                                           30 cr

* Food delivery platform users             28 cr

* BHIM Payment users                          20 cr

* Urban/Rural population                     37/63

* Digital Learning user                           9.3 cr

* E-Sanjeevani Healthcare                     9.3 cr

* Health Insurance cover                       51.4 cr

* Stock Market users                               8 cr

* Mutual Funds investors                        3.5 cr

My take

The statistics above gives us a fair idea as to where India is poised and gives us also an insight as to where we need to work hard to attain superpower status.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter to 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 9.

The maid comes for work.

A quiet Saturday. 

Tallest railway bridge in Manipur nears completion.

The construction work of the world's tallest railway bridge - the Noney Bridge - has crossed 80%. It's an engineering marvel, is being constructed at a height of 141 mts and is an integral part of the 111 km Jiribam-Imphal railway project. It's 703 mts long.

The construction of the railway project involves 55 

multiple tunnels which measure a total length of 61.32 km. The project will have 11 major bridges and 137 minor bridges.

The Jiribam-Imphal new railway line project is one of the crucial connectivity projects for the north-eastern region. The work is at an advanced stage and nearing completion, reports Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR).

The railway line project is poised to spur economic development in Manipur and the surrounding regions. The efficient transportation of goods and passengers via rail will reduce costs, enhance trade and encourage investment in industries and infrastructure. Additionally, it is likely to create new job opportunities and contribute to the overall prosperity of the region.

In June last year, at least 14 people were killed after a massive landslide flattened a railway construction camp in Noney district.

Noney bridge will reduce the travel time between Jiribam and Imphal from 12 to 2.5 hrs.

My take

Yet another milestone to integrate the NE to the mainland!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a 10' to 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 9.

Lekha had ordered for a Black Forrest cake and I cut it around 1200 hrs.

Messages and calls were flowing in continuously.

Some old and some perhaps new.....

I've just finished reading a book about the world's greatest basement......It was a best cellar

It's my first week working at the bicycle factory and they already made me a spokesperson.

My laptop caught pneumonia, apparently because I left Windows open

I thought swimming with Dolphins was expensive until I went swimming with sharks......It cost me an arm and a leg

The main function of your big toe is to make sure all the furniture in the house is in the right place

Horses have lower divorce rates. It's because they are in stable relationships

It's pretty obvious that if I run in front of a car I will get tired but if I run behind a car I will get exhausted

My teachers told me I'd never amount to much because I procrastinate so much. I told them you just wait

90% of bald people still own a comb: they just can't part with it

Every morning I get hit by the same bicycle.......It's a vicious cycle

The word incorrectly is spelled incorrectly in every dictionary

I've been experimenting with breeding racing deer. Peoplw have accused me of just trying to make a fast buck

The other day I yelled into a colander and I strained my voice

What do you call a row of rabbits hopping backwards?....A receding hareline

Always trust a nudist......They have nothing to hide....

Tailpiece.

Got up at a 10' to 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 9.

Today's 'Guruvayur Ekadasi'. Lekha had gone around 8 and returned after the 'darshan' of the good Lords at Guruvayur and Mammiyur. She said that the crowd was massive.

The maid was at work.

A quiet evening..

Operational contact in Solki, Kalakot.

1. Date and time  -  22 Nov, 0900 hrs.

2. Location  -  Solki, Kalakot.

3. Details  -  An operation was launched in General Area Solki, Kalakot 

                     based on a specific intelligence of presence of terrorists in

                     the area. Own troops were fired upon by terrorists on 22 

                     Nov at 0900 hrs while the search was in progress.

4. Casualty details

Fatal Casualties

* Capt MV Pranjal - 63 RR/Signals (body evacuated)

* Capt Shubham - 9 Para (SF). Body evacuated.

* Hav Majid - 9 Para (SF). Body evacuated.

Non-fatal Casualties

* Maj Mehra, 9 Para (SF) evacuated to CH, Udhampur, stable (imjury in

  arm and chest)

5. Operation in progress.

My take

My salutes, prayers and tears for the brave hearts.

History

60 years back, on this date, around 10' past 1000 hrs, the then US President John F Kennedy was shot

dead at Dallas, Texas as he was moving in an open limousine. His wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, was beside him at that moment. The dastardly act reverberated everywhere, plunging the world into sadness.

I remember this date because I was supposed to collect my TC from the Naval Primary School at Colaba, Bombay and the school was closed as a mark of respect to the slain leader.

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle before 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

Went to the eye clinic and ordered for my new pair of reading glasses after Dr Ambily's review.

A quiet evening.

  

The price of being a warrior.

"About five years ago, when I was on leave, I found myself standing in the middle of the cereal aisle at the Publix with my arm around some guy's throat. I was squeezing so hard he pissed himself. My fiance at the time went to climb on my back just so I didn't actually kill the guy.

Do you know why I was doing this? Because he hadn't moved his car when I asked!

I was the best of the best. Able to shut down, control, manipulate all basic human instincts towards one goal. The completion of my mission.

The effects of committing extreme violence on other human beings are biological and physiological.

That's the price of being a warrior!"

     *        *        *

Correct meaning of "OK" is the name of a German engineer Otto Krovens who worked for the Ford car company in America.

As chief inspector, he wrote his initial as OK upon each car he passed.

Hence it continues till date as All correct.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a trifle before 6, the chores and Sajish, the 'khalifa' came by around a half past 7 to give me a haircut.

The maid was at work today.

Sent my material on 'Anecdotes' to the Secretary, NDAAA for publishing in the Compendium that's being brought out during the occasion of the NDA Platinum Jubilee Celebrations in mid-Jan 2024.

 

Why do birds chirp in the morning?

The first theory suggests that the early morning air is coolest as well as the driest of the day. This allows the songs of the birds to travel the farthest.

Two things are accomplished by this :- 

Firstly, other males are sent a signal to stay away. 

Secondly, it is hoped that females from far off distances will get attracted.

According to the second theory, it is to show how strong a male bird is.

Early in the morning, birds have not had a healthy breakfast nor have they had time to warm up.

If a male bird can still sing loudly  and strongly in the morning, it gives a clear message to other male birds that you are a strong defender of our territory.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a trifle before 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

Lekha goes to the ration stand to get our dues. Sukesan, the autorickshaw driver, got two utensils repaired. Rejith makes his visit.

Ramesh and Aby come by and clear the surroundings. Clipping the grass and trimming the creeper.

Cleaned Crazy's tyre hubs. 

The Qatar files.

The declassified story of Indian Navy Espionage.

Turkey's obsession about reviving Ottoman regime. Pakistan's old obsession about India hatred and the  Jadav episode.

Canada taking mileage from the above, has put Modi in a spot.

But something is brewing.

Tailpiece.

Left home by a half past 5 and reached the venue of Lekha's mom's 'kudumbayogam', at Nangiarkulangara, by a half past 10. A well organised function. Met quite a few members of the family.

Sajish had driven my car. Returned by 2000 hrs.

Battle of Rezang La - 18 Nov 1962.

The inscription on the war memorial at Rezang la.

How can a man die better

  Than facing fearful odds

For the ashes of his father's

   And the temple of his Gods.

To the sacred memory of

The heroes of Rezang - la

114 martyrs of 13 Kumaon

        Who fought

To the last man last round

Against hordes of Chinese

                 on

        16 Nov 1962

     Built by all ranks

13th Battalion the Kumaon Regiment

Greetings from the Kumaon Regiment on Rezang La day.

We pay our respects to Maj Shaitan Singh and 114 brave 

soldiers of C Coy, 13 Kumaon who stood steadfast and 

made the Supreme Sacrifice....

My take

Namann. Shradhaanjalee!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a trifle before 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

To the Rajah Petrol Pump to fill the Chevy with fuel and to check tyre pressure.

A quiet evening.

Lesson in life!

Subrata Roy, the head of the famed Sahara Group passed into the mist of time unwept, unhonoured and unsung! Mind you, once upon a time, he was the apple of the eye to many, many celebrities but where are all of them, today?

Did anyone hear from the Bollywood celebrities or cricketers who thronged Roy's parties and many of whom he had bailed out of financial troubles?

Or from any of his employees or bankers?

Or from any of the hundreds of common folks whose education/marriages he had sponsored?

Total silence, right?

No obituaries.

Not even tweets or photos of the good times.

There is a life's lesson one can learn from the life of Subrata Roy.

* Our fame is only till we feed or fuel others' desires and the day we stop, we are condemned to be forgotten by a world where gratitude is a rare commodity.

* So let's build our own credibility through ethics without bothering to please all and sundry and serve humanity in whatever miniscule way we can, without a care for recognition.

* And one important lesson for businessmen/businesswomen. Keep your businesses independent of politicians. Nurture it on merit, seeking neither short cuts nor favours.

Courtesy. Commander S Sriramakrishnan.

   *     *     *

And here's some more of the unfortunate Roy saga.

From Amitabh Bachchan to LK Advani and from Mulayam Singh to Bal Thackeray, Subrata Roy had gathered VIPs from the entire country for the wedding of his two sons in 2004. This marriage @ Rs.500 crores was considered the most expensive....And today after waiting for almost two days, the grandson lit the funeral pyre. Both the sons sitting abroad, expressed their inability to reach their father's deathbed. This is the world! According to a poet, "Those for whom they had died, they remained performing ablutions".

His treasury managers were always on the hunt for private bonds and debentures that were too risky to be rated. They had front companies through which they received kickbacks for accepting such trash.

Adieu Subrata dada! You must have understood what life was all about during your bad times and must have kicked your shins - many a time - for all the mistakes that you'd committed during your lifetime. Feel bad for you as a fellow human being. Tears and prayers! May your next life be impeccable!!

Tailpiece.

The 1st of the Malayalam month of Vrushchikam and Shashti too! Swami Saranam!!

Will be a vegetarian for the next two months, till the 1st of Makaram (14 Jan).

Got up a trifle before 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9. 

Finished up pending jobs and returned when Lekha had gone to town to fix up a few things.

A quiet Friday.

Lekha had helped me in washing down our Chevy.

An after thought!

Both his sons have pending legal issues here and will be arrested if they venture a visit. The sons' children are minors studying abroad and they came and performed the rituals. Subrata Roy's wife and sons have renounced their Indian passports and have opted for Macedonian citizenship.

Marry Now, Pay Later (MNPL)

Managing wedding expenses is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, worries of future couples. To ease their concerns, financial firms and wedding planners are promising them funds to finance their big day. 

Dubbed Marry Now, Pay Later (MNPL), the schemes are popular in the West and are gaining traction in Kerala. Essentially, a prospective couple can avail a loan from the firms or planners to cover the expenses and pay it as EMIs (equated monthly instalments).

This way, the younger generation can stick to their plan of having a grand wedding without blowing up the savings.

"Came to know of MNPL schemes when I approached a Pune-based wedding planner. My bank was charging 18% on personal loan, while the wedding planner offered Rs.5 lakhs at 12% interest. Though the returning window is shorter, the schemes are a blessing for those who can afford them", says Neethu Gireesh, an IT professional based at Kochi.

Salaried employees earning a minimum of Rs.2.4 lakhs per annum and having a good CIBIL score can avail the loans. If it is 750 or above, the rate of interest will be low. If it is 650, the rate will be higher.

And unlike personal loans which take at least 1-2 weeks to get through, marriage loan can be availed in three days with limited documentation.

Courtesy. Aishwarya Prabhakaran in the NIE

Tailpiece.

Got up around 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9. Meanwhile, Lekha had gone to the Guruvayur temple to have a darshan of the good Lord.

The maid had come for work. Bed linen were changed and washing machinex was carried out of the soiled clothes.

Off to Thrissur to complete the pending work at 1 and returned by 4. 

Crime and punishment.

28 Jul    Ashfaq Alam abducts the girl from her house in Choornikkara. He takes her to a place behind 

              the Aluva market, where she's raped and murdered.

29 Jul     Police record Alam's arrest. They recover the girl's body.

01 Sep    Police file chargesheet at Additional District and Sessions Court against Alam.

03 Oct    Trial begins.

04 Nov   Court finds Alam guilty of 16 offences.

14 Nov   Court sentences Alam to death.

My take

The common man's hopes on the judiciary have been raised since he has seen that justice can be delivered within a reasonable period of time! The cynic in me, however, has one doubt : was this possible because the convict was a migrant worker and had no one to back him, the seriousness of his crime notwithstanding.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

My course mate and friend, Parrat had called up and we'd a long chat. Will be meeting him during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of the NDA during mid-Jan '24.

A quiet Wednesday.

This day in 1962.

While India is celebrating Children's Day, here is another day that is forgotten in history.....

The Battle of Walong

This day in 1962....the only attack by the Indian Army was launched.....as a birthday gift from a general to a PM? A heavy price was paid by the Kumaonis that night!

Denied even 1 day to prepare for the attack, they went in as ordered.

Out of the over 200 men that had gone into the attack, only 90 returned.

That very night, the Chinese returned the compliment - attacking the positions Kumaonis had occupied only a day earlier. Yet, the now depleted defenders repelled this attack, inflicting heavy casualties on the PLA.

Before the 2nd attack, 4 Dogra reinforced them, having broken through blocking positions established by the Chinese.

A 2nd attack too was repulsed but the position fell on the morning of 16 Nov 1962, in the 3rd attack.

6 Kumaon won 5 Vir Chakras on this single day.

6 Kumaon ended the war with 400+ casualties, including fatal, injured and PoW - more than half the battalion strength.

Also, stubbornly holding on to their land in Walong.

At Walong, troops lacked everything but guts. 

"6 Kumaon at tri-junction fought, fought and fought till there was nothing left, after that there was an eerie silence".

My take

Karrmatth veeron ko namann!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

The Eureka Forbes service rep had come by and replaced the old machine with the new one.

Lekha had gone to town to get a few urgent work done.

A quiet evening.

How 'bimaru' is Bihar?

Just taking one indicator into consideration! State of Education.

* 6.47% people in Bihar are graduates

* 22.67% studied up to classes 1-5, 14.37% up to classes 6-8, 14.71% up to classes 9-10,

   9.19% cleared higher secondary, 0.58% have done diplomas or trained in ITIs

* 0.82% are post graduates

* 0.07% have PhDs or are chartered accountants (CA)

* 14.54% of those in the general category are graduates. That includes general, engineering and                 medical graduates.

* 9.14% of backward castes, 4.44% of economically backward class, 3.12% scheduled castes, 3.53%

   scheduled tribes are graduates

* In the general category, 32.49% of Kayasthas are graduates followed by 19.34% Bhumihars, 18.18%

   Brahmins and 16.46% Rajputs

* Among OBCs, Kurmis have the highest percentage of graduates (10.44%) while the corresponding       for Yadavs is 5.69%

* 22.21% Christians, who are counted as the BCs, are graduates

* 31.16% have no formal education

* 1.15% (15,08,085 people) have their own laptops with regular internet connection. Within SCs 

   3.7% (95,490) have laptops with internet.

My take

Statistics doesn't lie!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a trifle before 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

Rema, Achu and Karthika went for darshan at Guruvayur at a half past 8.

They left for Thrippunithura by a half past 1.

The usual evening chores. 

 

On the occasion of Deepavali.

Today is Deepavali - the Festival of Lights. The day Lord Rama had returned to Ayodhya after his victory over Ravana!

In the heart of the night, a glimmering sight,

Deepavali's festival, a beacon of light.

A celebration of hope, a triumph over despair,

In the sparkling lights, we find love in the air.

The diyas are lit, the sky with fireworks blaze,

As we honour Lord Rama in myriad ways

Victory of good over evil, a tale so profound,

In every heart and home, its essence is found.

Families unite, with laughter and cheer,

Sweets and treats to share, and the ones we hold dear.

The festival of lights, a radiant display,

Wishing you a Happy Deepavali, in every way!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 5 along with Lekha, the chores and was ready by 9.

Sajeesh came by on the dot and by a quarter past 9, we were off to Tirur and reached Thrikkandiyoor by a half past 9. It was nice to be with Asokan and Preetha, their sons, Govind and Sanath. Met a lot of people.

Returned to The Quarterdeck by a half past 4, after buying fruits and crackers.

Rema, Achu and Karthika had come in by a half past 8 by the Kannur Deluxe. Burst crackers after their arrival.

Climate Refuge in landmark pact.

Tuvalu is a nation of nine coral islands nestled in the South Pacific. It has been defined by the United Nations as "extremely vulnerable" to the effects of climate change, with most of its landmass level less than five metres above sea level.

Most of it is predicted to be underwater - at least some of the time - by 2100. Around 40% of the main atoll, Funafuti already gets submerged during periodic "king" tides that wash away taro and cassava which were the islands' staple crops.

Two of the atolls represented on its flag of 11 stars have already disappeared.

Citizens will have the right to live in Australia under a landmark pact unveiled yesterday - an offer of refuge as their Pacific homeland is lost beneath the seas.

Live and work in Australia

Tuvalu citizens would be able to "live, study and work" in Australia. Tuvalu has a population of 11,000.

Australia's Geopolitical Win

The pact will be seen as a significant strategic win for Australia, which is competing with China for influence in the region.

The treaty also commits Australia to defending Tuvalu in the face of natural disasters, health pandemics and "military aggressions". And it offers Australia a say in any defence pact Tuvalu signs with other countries.

My take

This is what I'd term as a "meaningful and supportive" pact!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a trifle past 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

A quiet Saturday!

The evening chores, wound up a trifle early to take on a long day, tomorrow!

 

  

Gaza's India connection.

World War I Indian graves in Gaza. The genesis of  today's conflict is a mosque guarded by a lone Indian soldier. 

In the thick of fighting between Israel and Hamas, there lies a small cemetery cared by Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).

The cemetery has graves of 50 Indian soldiers who fought against the Ottoman army to liberate what is now called Israel (Battle of Haifa, 1918).

Ever since Hamas has taken over Gaza in 2007, it's been shelled multiple times, over 300 grave stones have been damaged. The present condition of this cemetery is not known.

Over 1,50,000 Indians had fought as part of Egyptian expeditionary forces in Egypt and Israel, they played a major part in winning the Battle of Haifa.

Out of a total of 3,961 graves, there are 50 marking Indians.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a trifle before 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

The maid had come for work.

The new Aquaguard machine was dropped by the courier.

 

India's 1st Urban Ropeway Project in Shimla.

The construction work for the much-awaited 13.79 km-long-ropeway in Shimla will begin in Sep 2024. It will be the second longest in the world after La Paz in Bolivia, aimed to decongest the state capital-cum-tourist-hotspot.

It will have 13 boarding stations and one turning station 9where cabins are transferred from one cable loop to the other). The boarding stations will be :-

     * Taradevi

     * Judicial Complex Chakkar

     * Tuti Kandi parking

     * New ISBT Railway Station

     * Old ISBT

     * Lift

     * Secretariat

     * Navbahar

     * Sanjauli

     * IGMC

     * Ice Skating Ring

     * Hotel Cecil

     * And turning station at Victory Tunnel.

This project will have three lines viz., Monal, Deodar Cedar and Apple.

The project at an estimated cost of Rs.1,550 crores, once completed will provide an eco-friendly, affordable, green, safe mode of transportation and enhance the ease of living and tourism to Shimla, known as "Queen of Hills".

* Will be completed in 2029

* The ropeway will have a capacity of airlifting 3,000 persons per hour per direction (PPHD) with 10-       person sitting capacity in each cabin.

* The project will cover 76 km of the road network.

Projects in pipeline

1. Thathri-Chunja glacier ropeway

2. Baba Balaknath, Anandpur Sahib - Naina Devi, Narkanda Hatu, Old Himani Chamunda

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle late towards a half past 6.

Lekha had gone to the Guruvayur temple, around a half past 8 this morning, for the 'darshan' of the good Lord.

A quiet Thursday.

 

Just back!

After about 10 days, am back to blogging. The cataract surgery on my left eye had gone of smoothly but the doctor has advised rest for another fortnight till the Tuesday after next. Sob, sob!

Many things have happened over the last week plus but I shall only touch upon Israel’s systematic annihilation  of Hamas and its underground network of tunnels along with its ammunition stocks. Trust that country to be steadfastly digging its heels on eliminating the Hamas terror network for good.

Here’s wishing Israel all the very best in eliminating the disgusting Hamas terror network.