At Jodhpur (5).

Got up at 5, sent all my messages and turned off to sleep yet again. Got up leisurely and was ready to go for today’s outing by 10.

Our first place of interest was the Umaid Bhavan where we’d a good walk around. The present royal descendant, Maharaja Gaj Singh - all of 77 years - stays here with his family. He has a good collection of vintage cars.

Our next stop was at a Bishnoi neighbourhood where we saw unending flocks of Siberian Cranes that had migrated from that far. We’d alighted from the bus and taken in smaller groups in sturdy jeeps to drive through the rough terrain. 

We also saw plenty of Black Bucks - incidentally, it was a few more distance, from where we’d turned around to return - where the famous Salman Khan and the Black Bucks’ case had taken place.

The Bishnois are a clan who are animal lovers and tree lovers. If anyone were to mess with them on these two issues, they’re goners because the Bishnois wouldn’t hesitate to even kill the culprits.

Was the actor planned to be encountered by the clan for his misdeed? It’s rumoured that he’d got himself entangled with someone from the royal family! It seems to be folklore.

Finally, it was time for our dispersal party which started young and entertainment on till 11 PM.

A great get together with a promise to meet next in Dec ‘26.

At Jodhpur (4).

Got up at 5, sent all the messages. Was ready by a half past 8, had a light breakfast and we were off on a visit to historical sights.

The first monument was ‘Jaswant Thaada’. A beautifully made mausoleum, in white marble, by the eight wives of a popular king. Has properly manicured lawns and it was nice to be there.

Prashant Singh, our guide, spoke flawless English and I liked his narrative that covered places and events very accurately.

Our next destination was the Mehrangarh fort, a massive and well preserved monument. Went by the elevator for Lekha’s sake. At the end, came to know Makhan and Meena closer. Bought coffee for Bina and Asha.

A nice - but cautious lunch - at a retired Major Saab’s hotel called the “Spice Story”.

Returned to our hotel for a quiet evening.

At Jodhpur (3).

Got up at 5, the tent was quite comfortable and the weather was excellent. Sent all the morning messages, wished Pat and Parameswaran many happy returns. Had my morning cuppa and took Lekha’s to the tent for her to have.

Breakfast, followed by packing up and kicked off for today’s assignment. Stunned the people with my temple-going rig and we’d the darshan of the “Satya Chhaya devi”. Since there were a lot of steps, Lekha sat below while I’d gone for the darshan of the goddess. Reached ‘Ghanta ghar’ and from there carried out the heritage walk to the wondrous water conservation system. Had 'kesar lassi and chilli pakoras'.

Lunch at at a wayside restaurant and finally, settled down at Indana, our home for the next three days! A quick wash and change and we were off for the son et lumiere about Jodhpur. Went by ‘mock train’ and Sudha - Wads’ wife - narrowly escaped an accident under my watch because of the callousness of the driver. Lekha walked on the return leg.

A quiet dinner at Indana on return.

At Jodhpur (2).

Got up at 2, sleep played hard to resume, recited my prayers and went back to sleep.

Got up at 5, sent all the messages. No, we were at the Fairfield by Marriott, had both breakfast and lunch then left for the ‘desert safari. We were there by a half past 4, Vijay took us for the romp, Lekha misplaced the wallet but could retrieve it as the driver was honest.

Acknowledged Vijay’s honesty by presenting him with Rs.500/- Went for a camel ride on Hukam Singh’s Pappu. Felt nice.

Living in tent for the night.

Entertainment and dinner.

At Jodhpur.

The day started at 1 - after midnight- as the chimes of the alarm went off. Felt a twad bad that Lekha was being put through this time regime.

We were ready by a half past 2 when Sajish came by with his taxi and we kicked off for the airport soon after but not before handing over all the papers regarding our Chevy for its re-registration by the 31st of this month. Hope everything falls into place!

We reached Kochi airport by a quarter past 4 and thanks to our being there at that time helped us to clear things to make it a great journey. Our flight took off on the dot and landed at Hyderabad on the scheduled time. The wheel chair helper, Arun dropped us at Gate 10 for our onward journey to Jodhpur.

Had a mighty breakfast of ‘Chhole Bhature and chana’ along with grilled veg sandwiches, soaked with coffee. The waiting for our onward flight ended at a quarter to 3, finally from gate 120. The flight was uneventful and Lekha and I’d ‘kadi chaval’ and hot chocolate. Reached Jodhpur by a quarter to 4.

The entire Kochi gang celebrated our get together right in front of the airport It was a fantastic evening!

Stitched ship!

Navy recreates stitched ship based on 5th century Ajanta paintings.

Funded by the Ministry of Culture, the INSV Kaundinya has been constructed using a traditional method of stitching by a team of skilled artisans from Kerala and is based on a 5th century ship depicted in paintings seen in the Ajantha caves.

The Indian Navy formally inducted and named an ancient stitched sail ship as the INSV Kaundinya at a ceremonial  event held at the Naval Base in Karwar. 

The project was initiated through a tripartite agreement signed in Jul 2023 between the Union Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy and Hodi Innovations, with funding from the Ministry of Culture and is meant to showcase India's rich shipbuilding heritage.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent all the messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day.

Walked on the road in front of the house as there was bright sunshine and recited my prayers.

Lekha'd groomed me, bath and breakfast.

Lekha goes to town to fetch an off white top for the forthcoming get together.

Lunch, saw Crime Patrol.

Siesta.

Shut down The Quarterdeck. A quiet evening.

 

Vision 2031 : Kerala wants to be India's leading industrial destination.

Transforming Kerala into India's premier industrial destination through strategic reforms. dedicated corridors, innovation hubs and sustainable development initiatives is the core aim of Vision 2031.

Innovation hubs

(a) Vizhinjam - Eight integrated growth clusters

(b) Thiruvananthapuram - Aero-defence and drone industrial cluster

(c) Kochi - Global City smart hub

(d) Wayanad - Coffee and agro clusters

(e) Malabar region - Kerala sports metropolis

Plausible and attainable with sustained efforts. 

My take

But will our militant trade unions permit such a growth?

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent all the messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day.

Walked within the house because of rain and recited my prayers.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch, watched Crime Patrol, Snehakkoottu followed by siesta.

Started our packing for the Jodhpur trip commencing Sunday.

Gold.

Records worst single-day plunge since 2013, falls over 6%

After record rally of more than 70% so far this year, the yellow metal fell 6.3% on the 21st, its biggest single-day fall in more than 12 years.

Profit-booking, trade talks behind slump

The sharp fall in prices is attributed primarily to profit booking and a slew of positive news flows which have shaved the sheen off the safe-haven metal. A key factor is the upcoming meeting of US President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping to iron out their trade differences. Other factors are a strong dollar and the likelihood of the ending of the US shutdown.

Analysts warn of short-term volatility

* Silver too registered a sharp fall of 7.8% - its worst since 2011 - on the 21st as the historic squeeze in 

   the London market began to ease

* Analysts warn of more volatility in the short term as the market is likely to correct further. On whether

   the price of gold will fall below Rs.1 Lakh per 10 gms soon, one analyst said, it is difficult to predict

Rs 1,32,294 per 10 gms - the record price peak gold touched last Friday

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent all the messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day.

Sajish comes by to give me my haircut and massage.

Bath followed by a quick breakfast. Off to town for the following :-

     * pick up the print outs of our tickets from Jimmy's

     * give our clothes to the pressman as Selvam is away in Pondicherry on holiday

     * to the bank to pull out money, clear my doubts from the Manager

     * buy a charger for my new power bank

     * collect our dues for the month from the ration stand

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch, followed by an episode of Crime Patrol and 'Snehakkoottu'.

Siesta.

The evening chores.

8

UDAN network to cover 120 new destinations.

UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik), the regional Connectivity Scheme  will be continued beyond 2027 and its network will extend to 120 new destinations. The focus of connectivity will be with hilly, North-Eastern and aspirational regions.

UDAN was implemented on 21 Oct 2016 under the National Civil Aviation Poilcy to make flying accessible and affordable for all. It was launched with a 10-year vision to connect  Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities through a market-driven yet financially supported model.

UDAN is not just a scheme; it is a catalyst for change and a testament to India's commitment to make air travel inclusive, sustainable and an integral part of our development journey. So far, over 1.56 crore passengers have travelled on board the 3.23 lakh flights operated under it.

Under the scheme, 649 routes have been operationalised as on date connecting 93 unserved and underserved airports, including 15 heliports and 2 water aerodromes. The government has disbursed more than Rs.4,300 cr as Viability Gap Funding (VGF) and invested Rs.4,638 cr in airport development.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent all the messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day. Carried out our customary Wednesday 'aarathi' and then, had our morning cuppa which Lekha had made.

Walked within the house and recited my prayers.

Breakfast of Poorie-bhaaji.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch, watched Crime Patrol and our regular serials. Siesta.

A quiet evening, thereafter.

Paraprosdokians.

Are figures of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected and is frequently humorous (Winston Churchill loved them).

  1. Where there's a will, I want to be in it.

  2. The last thing I want to do is hurt you....but it's still on my list.

  3. Since light travels faster than sound, some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

  4. If I agreed with you, we'd be both be wrong.

  5. We never really grow up....we only learn to act in public.

  6. War does not determine who is right, only who is left.

  7. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

  8. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.

  9. I didn't say it was your fault., I said I was blaming you.

10. In filling out an application, where it says, "In case of emergency, notify....."I answered, "a doctor".

11. Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer 

      gut and still think they are sexy.

12, You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.

13. I used to be indecisive but now, I am not sure.

14. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.

15. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian, any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

16. You are neve too old to learn something stupid.

17. I'm supposed to respect my elders but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent all the messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day.

Lekha and I had the morning cuppa at a quarter past 7.

Updated Ramadasan kochachhan about Indirakkutty's medical condition. The chores, walked within the house and recited my prayers.

Breakfast.

Worked on my laptop for a while.

Lunch.

Watched Snehakkoottu, and an episode of Crime Patrol.

Prasanna and her daughter, Bhavana called on us.

A Guinness record!

Today's Deepavali - the festival of lights. On this occasion, 29 lakh 'diyas' (earthenware lamps) were lit in the 56 ghats of Ayodhya. The "Deepotsavam" has found a place in the Guinness Book of World Records!

Epilogue.

Got up at 5, all messages were sent, the hymns were switched on the home theatre, lit the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day.

The maid was on leave on account of Diwali.

Breakfast and recited my prayers after that.

A quiet Monday otherwise but the day started with the water motor not working. Roy, the plumber, came at a half past 10 and got it going....the foot valve had got faulty! The plug point in the master bedroom was also repaired.

Lit up the 'diyas' after sunset on the balcony and on the ground floor. Nothing was kept on the front boundary wall's pillars thanks to pitter patter rain! 

Finishing up the backlog.

Got up at 5, sent all the messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day. Lekha gave me my morning cuppa at a quarter past 7.

Sukesan had come by at a quarter to 8. Saw Rema off at the KSRTC bus stand as she boarded the FP to Vyttila which left around a 5' past 8.

Breakfast before bath. Clothes and bedlinen put in for washing machinex.

Worked on my laptop.

Madhu-Sudha dropped by for a tete-e-tete. 

Lunch followed by siesta.

Unni and Kala dropped by and we went yakkitiyakking.

A quiet evening! 

Back @ The Quarterdeck!

Got up at 5, sent all the messages and went back to sleep yet again. Ammayi gives me my morning cuppa at a quarter past 7.

Got ready quickly, had my breakfast of idlis and Rajan dropped me at the autorickshaw stand. Reached the bus stand, made friends with a young PG student, Salman. He was floored to hear about the saga of the Kerala Library/Literacy Movements and PN Panicker.

Got the Kozhikode-bound low floor a/c bus @ 10. Met and befriended Emmanuel and Manju, my co-passengers. Lunch at Karunagappally. 

The conductor, Nisha was very helpful and blushed when I thanked her.

Tea and snack @ 1700 hrs along with Emmanuel and Aamir..

Reached home @ 1030 hrs. It was raining.

Dinner and a quiet night’s sleep.

Back to Tvpm.

Dateline 17 Oct 

Got up at 5, sent all the messages and turned in to sleep yet again. Ajay ji gives us our morning cuppa.

We had our bath at Vandana's house as our geyser wasn't working. Left the guest house at a half past 11. Had toasts and omelette for breakfast.

To the Khanna market to get Maman his electronic clock.

To the NITI Aayog and met Mr Talwar and Shashank Shah; both were helpful. I suppose we'll hear the positive news by next Wednesday, the important being, the use of their emblems for our International Conference on 02/03 Nov.

Lunch at New Madras Cafe.

Maman was ungodly sick and puked after having tea given by Ajay ji. Hats off to his determination for holding forth during our visit despite his illness.

Left the guest house by 6 PM. Gave a small Diwali gift and wasn't he thrilled?

Had just Rs.150/- in my wallet. Will pull out money from the ATM at Tvpm before setting off to Guruvayur.

Our flight t/o at 2250 hrs.  

At New Delhi (3).

Got up at 5, sent all my messages, leisurely grooming and was ready by a half past 9. Lekha, from Mini’s place, reports about our Chevy’s clutch problem. They proceed in Aarcha’s car for Lekha’d appachi’s sanchayanam. 

They attend the event, Lekha was glad that she could meet all her relatives. She and Rema look up Indira kunjamma and return. They proceed to Guruvayur in Aarcha’s car.

We were out of the guest house by a half past 10. Breakfast of Mysore Masala dosa and filter coffee. Bought my moccasins, socks, polish and belt from Sreeleathers. To Shaddy’s for discussions and lunch.

Meeting with the CMD, CSC regarding the impending international conference. Returned after Maman’s purchase of electronic timer device and honey.

Dinner for Vandana’s family and Pamposh. A late night. 

Lekha and Rema were crossing Chalakkudi @ 2305 hrs!

At New Delhi (2).

Got up at 5, sent all the messages. Got up leisurely by a half past 7 when Ajay ji got us our morning cuppa. There was water flow disruption in the morning; and therefore, had to take bath in the landlady’s house.

Left for our work at a half past 10. Breakfast of bread and omelette at the thattukada - superb! 

At Shaddy’s place; interacted with him and his staff. A great interaction.

At Ayush Bhavan and got our man’s details.

At the NITI Aayog; met Shashank Shah who has promised to get back to Maman on Friday.

‘Lunch’ at Karnataka Bhavan, at a half past 4, in the evening.

Back at our guest house by a half past 6. Pamposh had dropped by and we’d talked till 8, over many things.

A quiet evening. 

Lekha and Rema takes off at a half past 9, in the evening, to Tvpm to attend Appachi’s sanchayanam.

Off to New Delhi.

Sleep was cut short thanks to the departure time of a half past 6, of the AI 830 to New Delhi. Got up at 3, washed up and went about my chores and I was ready by a half past 4, when we left for the airport.

Anish had brought his car as ours had a starting trouble. We brought up the rear among the passengers but entered the aircraft first as Maman was provided wheelchair assistance. Keeping my fingers crossed while egging him on during the journey.

Got seats 14 D to F since there were no passengers to claim the middle seat, we placed our hand bags in it during the flight. We reached New Delhi by a half past 9 and Munna chauffeured us around. Earlier, prepared the documents for handing over at the Logani’s in Khan Market. Lunch was at Karnataka Bhavan and I’d a masala dosa.

Dropped our mail for the Prime Minister at the PMO. Went to NITI Aayog but none of the people, whom we wanted to meet, were available on their seats. We then visited the Khadi Bhavan.

Returned to our guest house thereafter. Vandana gave us tea. Scientist Pamposh dropped by and we had a long chat. Dinner from Vandana which was lovely.

Slept earlier than normal.

Tailpiece.

Our dear Thampi sir, all of 85 years, passed into the mist of time this morning around a quarter past 8. Can never forget the new year celebrations of 2015 at the Somatheeram with him. After the evening, I’d forgotten my car keys there and he’d collected it to hand it over to me the next morning.

At Thiruvananthapuram.

Got up at 4, recited my prayers and went through the morning chores. Was ready by a half past 6, Kannan was available. We set off soon after, dropped off Rema and Karthika’s mom at the eastern entrance of the temple.

Reached Thrissur railway station half an hour before my train’s arrival. Had breakfast soon after boarding, chocolate around 11 and the banana at 12.

The train reached its destination by a quarter past 2, Anish picked me up in the Magic. Lunch, served by Girija and Sindhu as company.

Corrected two mail for our Delhi trip.

Off to Lekha’s appachi’s place. Sat with Mohan and Preeti for about half an hour reminiscing about Ammaavan and appachi.

Returned to the Foundation and headed for the Pallium to see Indirakkutty. She’s in a sad state. Sat with her for more than an hour.

Reached Maman’s place by a quarter past 8. A quiet and an early evening!

An alternate viewpoint (2).

...contd (2).

Machado was also one of the political architects of La Salida, the 2014 opposition campaign that called  for escalated protests, including guarimba tactics. Those weren't 'peaceful protests as the foreign press 

claimed; they were organised barricades meant to paralyse the country and force the government's fall.    Streets were blocked with burning trash and barbed wire, buses carrying workers were torched and peo-

ple suspected of being Chavista were beaten or killed. Even ambulances and doctors were attacked. 

Some Cuban medical brigades were nearly burned alive. Public buildings, food trucks and schools were

destroyed. Entire neighbourhoods were held hostage by fear  while opposition leaders like Machado

cheered from the side lines and called it "resistance".

She praises Trump's "decisive actions" against what she calls a "criminal enterprise", aligning herself

the same man who cages migrant children and tears families apart under ICE's watch while Venezuelan 

mothers search for their children disappeared by US migration policies.

Machado isn't a symbol of peace or progress. She is part of a global alliance of fascism, Zionism and

neoliberalism, an axis that justifies domination in the language of democracy and peace. In Venezuela,

that alliance has meant coups, sanctions and privatisation. In Gaza, it means genocide and the erasure 

of a people. The ideology is the same: a belief that some lives are disposable, that sovereignty is nego-

tiable and that violence can be sold as order.

If Henry Kissinger could win a Peace Prize, why not Maria Corina Machado? Maybe next year                they'll give one to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation for "compassion under occupation". Every            time this award is handed to an architect of violence disguised as diplomacy, it spits in the face of            those who actually fight for peace : the Palestinian medics digging bodies from rubble, the jour-

nalists risking their lives in Gaza to document the truth and the humanitarian workers of the flotilla

sailing to break the siege and deliver aid to starving children in Gaza, with nothing but courage and

conviction. 

But real peace is not negotiated in boardrooms or awarded on stages. Real peace is built  by women      organising food networks during blockades, by Indigenous communities defending rivers from              extraction, by workers who refuse to be starved into obedience by Venezuelan mothers mobilising

to demand the return of children seized under US, ICE and migration policies and by nations that          choose sovereignty over servitude. That's the peace Venezuela, Cuba, Palestine and every nation 

of the Global South deserves.

....concluded.

Courtesy. Michelle Ellner

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent all the morning messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the lamp in the puja room and opened up the house for the day. 

Lekha made our morning cuppa.

Walked on the road in front of The Quarterdeck and recited my prayers.

Bath followed by breakfast. Rema and Byja went, soon after.

Got reservation in the non-a/c chair car.

Did my packing. 

A quiet evening, yakkittiyakking.

An alternate viewpoint (1).

When Maria Corina Machado wins the Nobel Peace Prize, "Peace" has lost its meaning. 

I almost laughed at the absurdity. But I didn't, because there's nothing funny about rewarding someone whose politics have brought so much suffering. Anyone who knows what she stands for knows there's nothing remotely peaceful about her politics.

If this is what counts as "peace" in 2025, then the prize itself has lost every ounce of credibility. I'm Venezuelan-American and I know exactly what Machado represents.

She's the smiling face of Washington's regime-change machine, the polished spokesperson for sanctions, privatisation and foreign intervention dressed up as democracy.

Machado's politics are steeped in violence. She has called for foreign intervention, even appealing directly to Benjamin Netanyahu, the architect of Gaza's annihilation, to help "liberate" Venezuela with bombs under the banner of "freedom." She has demanded sanctions, that silent form of warfare whose effects - as studies in the Lancet and other journals have shown - have killed more people than war, cutting off medicine, food and energy to entire populations.

Machado has spent her entire political life promoting division, eroding Venezuela's sovereignty and denying its people the right to live with dignity.

This is who Maria Corina Machado really is :-

* She helped lead the 2002 coup that briefly overthrew a democratically elected president and signed 

   the Carmona Decree that erased the Constitution and dissolved every public institution overnight.

* She worked hand in hand with Washington to justify regime change, using her platform to demand         foreign military intervention to "liberate" Venezuela through force.

* She cheered on Donald Trump's threats of invasion and his naval deployments in the Caribbean, a

   show of force that risks igniting regional war under the pretext of "combating narcotrafficking."

   While Trump sent warships and froze assets, Machado stood ready to serve as his local proxy,

   promising to deliver Venezuelan sovereignty on a silver platter.

* She pushed for the US sanctions that strangled the economy, knowing exactly who would pay the

   price: the poor, the sick, the working class.

* She helped construct the so-called "interim government" a Washington backed puppet show by a             self-appointed "president" who looted Venezuela's resources abroad while children at home went

   hungry.

* She vows to reopen Venezuela's embassy in Jerusalem, aligning herself openly with the same

   apartheid state that bombs hospitals and calls it self defence.

* Now she wants to hand over the country's oil, water and infrastructure to private corporations. 

   This is the same recipe that made Latin America the laboratory of neoliberal misery in the 1990s.

....to be continued.

Courtesy. Michelle Ellner

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 4, sleep wasn't forthcoming. Switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the lamp in the puja room and opened up the house for the day.

Lekha made our morning cuppa.

Walked within the house due to the morning rain, recited my prayers.

Bath and breakfast. Worked on my laptop.

Rema and Byja arrived by a quarter past 11. A boisterous lunch!

Siesta.

The Asian Paint's technical team inspected the seepage on the roof. Remedial action will be taken from 05 Nov due to the rain and our forthcoming journeys.

Rema, Byja went for the 'darshan' in the evening.

A boisterous dinner followed by yakkitiyak. A late night.

   

Milestones.

Adieu Appachi 

Mrs Parukkutty Amma, Lekha's 92 year old appachi passed into the mist of time yesterday afternoon - around a quarter past 12 - at her residence in PTP Nagar in Thiruvananthapuram - due to old-age related illnesses. She's the wife of the late P Kesava Pillai, the chairman of KSEB during whose tenure the Idukki hydro-electric project was commissioned.

They have three sons who live with their families in Kerala.

She's the only sister, elder to six brothers - Lekha's dad was the second brother.

Saw her for the first time at our wedding on 16 May 1991 and was immediately impressed with her calm and efficient demeanour. She had a special liking for Lekha and me.

Adieu appachi! Our tears and prayers. We shan't forget you!!

Adieu Sasi

Commader KP Sasidharan passed into the mist of time around a half past 1, yesterday afternoon, at his residence at Nettoor, Maradu, Ernakulam. 67 year old Sasi leaves behind his wife, Chitra, Arvind and Anusuya. He's an alumni of the 52nd course, NDA.

My first tryst with Sasi was in Apr '91 when we were together at the DSSC, Wellington to do the 47th Staff Course. We got along well and we used to go for sailing on most Sundays, at the Pykara lake.

He was knowledgeable and was clear as to what he would do after leaving the IN. He'd the Master's ticket in shipping and acquired an MBA degree, as backups. We used to meet quite often either at his house or mine, on the Gorkha Hill, as Lekha and Chitra had also become good friends. His children, Arvind and Anusuya were fond of us! The two of us also used to be part of the same car pool - he owned a Fiat while I, a Standard Herald Cleopatra!

After the course, we used to meet occasionally as we were posted at different stations.

Can't believe that he's no more. 

Adieu Sasi! Can never forget those nice times that we'd spent together when you used to speak about your future plans. May Chitra and the children have the strength to tide over these difficult times.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent all the messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day.

Lekha had made the morning cuppa.

Walked on the road in front of the house and recited my prayers. Got ready soon after and was off to the LF College, next door, for the inauguration of its renovated library. The recent Vayalar Rama Varma award winner, E Santhosh Kumar was the chief guest. 

Skipped the lunch, went to the bank for the following :-

     * rendered my Life Certificate as part of the pension formalities

     * renewed my internet banking password

     * corrected the Bhim App anomalies

     * collected my updated passbooks

Meanwhile, Sukesan had collected my renewed driving licence.

A quiet evening.

  

Intense search operations on.

Two para commandos of the Army have gone missing since the 7th in the dense Gadool forest area of Anantnag district in Jammu and Kashmir during an anti-militancy operation.

The   communication with the two commandos was lost two days back. Repeated attempts to contact them on their handsets and track their movement through GPS have proved unsuccessful. They must have got separated from their team amid challenging terrain and poor visibility in view of inclement weather from the last few days.

A massive search and rescue operation has been launched jointly by the Army, police and CRPF men in the forest area, involving hundreds of security personnel to comb every inch of the forest area. They are also being assisted by sniffer dogs. Additionally, choppers and drones have also been deployed. The dense forest area is difficult terrain and connects south Kashmir with Kishtwar and Doda districts of Jammu region.

The Gadool forest area had witnessed one of the deadliest militant attacks in Sep 2023 which resulted in the deaths of Col Manpreet Singh, CO, 19 RR, Major Ashish Dhonchak, DySP of J&K Police Humayun Bhat and army jawan Pradeep Kumar.

My take

Have the militants changed tactics by shifting to jungle warfare?

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent all the messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day.

Lekha made our morning cuppa, walked on the road in front of our house, recited my prayers. Bath followed by breakfast. Worked on my laptop.

Lekha's appachi, Ammini Amma - all of 93 years - passed into the mist of time this afternoon, around 1200 hrs. 

Our visit to Dr Shenoy tomorrow has been rescheduled to Tuesday.

Have been invited to the inauguration of the renovated library of the LF College tomorrow at 1000 hrs along with Santhosh Kumar, the winner of this year's Vayalar Rama Varma award for his novel, "Thapomayiyude Achan".

A quiet evening.

Contronyms.

Contronyms (also called Janus words or auto-antonyms) are words that have two opposite meanings - depending on the context. In short, a contronym is its own opposite!

  1. Sanction. To officially allow or to punish for breaking a rule.

  2. Bound. Heading toward a destination or restricted from moving.

  3. Dust. To remove dirt or to cover with fine particles.

  4. Screen. To display something (like a movie) or to hide it from sight.

  5. Weather. To survive or endure or to be worn down over time.

  6. Left. To go away or to remain behind.

  7. Trim. To decorate or make neat or to cut off excess parts.

  8. Seed. To plant seeds or to remove them from a fruit.

  9. Clip. To attach firmly or to cut short.

10. Oversight. Careful supervision or failure to notice something.

11. Dusting. The act of cleaning or applying fine powder.

12. Off. Not operating (the light is off) or activated (the alarm went off).

13. Flog. To promote enthusiastically or to criticise severely.

14. Apology. A statement of regret or a justification for one's actions.

15. Strike. To hit forcefully or to miss completely (in baseball).

16. Fast. Moving quickly or firmly fixed in place.

17. Lease. To give something for rent or to rent it from someone.

18. Weathered. Strengthened by experience or damaged by exposure.

19. Pop. To appear suddenly or to vanish quickly.

20. Hold up. To support or lift or to cause delay or obstruction.

My take.

Interesting information.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent all my morning messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day.

Lekha made our morning cuppa.

Carried out the usual Wednesday 'aarathi' of the house, walked on the road in front of the house and recited my prayers.

Bath, followed by breakfast of idlis and sambar.

Washing machinex of bed linen.

Worked on my laptop till lunch time.

Lunch; watched television followed by siesta.

A quiet evening.

The English language.

30 outrageous English words that mean something totally innocent.....

  1. Intercourse. Simply means "communication or exchange".

  2. Coccyx. The tailbone at the end of your spine.

  3. Assiduous. Hardworking and diligent.

  4. Uranus. The seventh planet from the sun.

  5. Dickens. An old exclamation meaning "the devil"(used by Shakespeare).

  6. Cocktail. A mixed alcoholic drink.

  7. Buttress. A stone structure that supports a wall.

  8. Pianist. A person who plays the piano.

  9. Dyck. An old spelling of "ditch" in Middle English.

10. Shag. In British English, a type of carpet; also a bird.

11. Titmouse. A small bird.

12. Penal. Relating to punishment (as in "penal code")

13. Masticate. To chew food.

14. Cockspur. A type of hawthorn plant.

15. Annals. Historical records.

16. Angina. Chest pain from reduced blood flow to the heart.

17. Cockpit. The area where a pilot sits in an aircraft.

18. Cumulus. A type of fluffy cloud.

19. Bastardize. To corrupt or debase something (not necessarily a person).

20. Assay. To test or examine something, especially metals.

21. Dicty. Slang for fancy or high-class (early 1900s).

22. Titillate. To excite or arouse interest(not always sexual).

23. Fagot (archaic). A bundle of sticks.

24. Scunthorpe. A town in England (not what you think).

25. Humpback. A type of whale.

26. Pecker. Slang for "courage" in old American English.

27. Shiitake. A type of mushroom.

28. Dicky. British slang for something unstable(like a "dicky chair").

29. Cockchafer. A type of large beetle.

30. Anusim. A Hebrew word for Jews forced to convert in history.

My take

Quite interesting.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent the morning messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the lamp in the puja room and opened up the house for the day.

Lekha made the morning cuppa.

The chores and was ready by a quarter to 8. Sukesan took me to the temple and I shepherded Colonel Devinder Preet + 6 into the sanctum sanctorum, with the help of Suma kunjamma's friend as fixed up yesterday and returned soon after.

A quiet Tuesday.   

 

A lovely evening!

Had got up at 5, sent all the messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the lamp in the puja room and opened up the house for the day. 

Lekha made the morning cuppa. The chores and was ready by 9. Went with Sukesan, got the ophthalmologist's certificate, collected the additional passport size photographs and went across to the Akshaya Kendra near the RTO.

Sent my application for the renewal of driving licence.

Returned home to carry out my usual work. Worked on the laptop.

Lunch.

Watched television followed by siesta.

Devinder Preet Singh, his friends and their wives had dropped by at The Quarterdeck this evening. The guests were :-

      * Colonel Devinder Preet Singh

      * Colonel Ramachandran Vizhakat and Mrs Padmini

      * Wing Cdr SR Kapekar and Mrs Anjali

      * Colonel Amit Rai and Mrs Alka

Tailpiece.

A day that sorted out issues.

The five mental obstacles to peace.

Kleshas!

* Avidya (Ignorance)                          

   Believing temporary things are permanent.

* Abhinivesha (Fear)

   Fearing death and holding on to life.

* Dvesha (Aversion)

   Disliking or avoiding unpleasant things.

* Raga (Attachment)

   Holding on to past pleasures.

* Asmita (Egoism)

   Focusing too much on body or mind.

My take

How one ends up in disgust towards life! Must consciously try to avoid!!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent all the morning messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the lamp in the puja room and opened up the house for the day.

Lekha made our morning cuppa.

Walked on the road in front of The Quarterdeck and recited my prayers as part of my morning exercises.

Went about our chores. Rejith, from the Black Swan drycleaners, comes by to remove and collect our white, lace curtains for dry cleaning.

Spoke to Saraswathi teacher, the Headmistress of UPS Thalavoor to find out when I needed to transfer money for the repair of damaged Library Books. She has said that she would get back to me. The school buildings have been marked unfit for use and consequently, the school is scattered in two different buildings to tide over the difficulty.

The first female Archbishop of Canterbury.

Church of England named Sarah Mullally as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, the first woman to hold the 1,400-year-old-office.

To lead 85 million Anglicans in 165 countries

As the principal leader of the Church of England, Mullally, 63,will now lead85 million Anglicans across 165 countries. She will replace Justin Welby, who resigned last year over a child abuse cover-up scandal. Mullally is a former cancer nurse who worked as the UK government's Chief Nursing Officer for England in the early 2000s. She became a priest in 2006.

To officially take charge in Mar 2026

* Mullally will be known as Archbishop of Canterbury-designate till she is confirmed in Jan 2026 and

   officially takes charge in Mar 2026.

* She may face opposition from conservative churches in Africa and Asia, which rejected the reforms

   introduced a decade ago that made it possible for a woman to become the Archbishop of Canterbury.

2018

When Mullally was appointed the first woman bishop of London.

My take

Simply great!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a trifle past 5, sent all the messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the lamp in the puja room and opened up the house for the day.

Lekha made the morning cuppa.

Selvam had come in for pressing the clothes; he was leaving for his hometown to partake in Raja's little daughter's birthday and will return by the 10th. Ramesh and Jinoj came for the monthly clearing of the weeds, trimming the small/intermediate trees and clearing the wet garbage, kitchen waste outlet.

A quiet Friday otherwise. Walked on the road outside the house and recited my prayers.

India, China direct flights.

To resume on 26 Oct after 5-year freeze.

* IndiGo to connect Calcutta, New Delhi with Guangzhou via nonstop flights

* Flights mark key step in normalising bilateral ties, trade, tourism

The flights were suspended in the aftermath of the Doklam crisis and further delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

IndiGo will use its Airbus A320neo aircraft to operate these flights that will re-establish avenues for cross-border trade and strategic business partnerships and promote tourism between the two nations.

A series of confidence-building measures have been undertaken between the two countries to stabilise ties.

This has included :-

     * High-level diplomatic and military dialogues

     * Increased Track-II engagements

     * Easing of trade restrictions on select goods and now,

     * Direct civil airlines flights

My take

If 'RIC' of the BRICS have to formalise a business partnership, then every step toward it must be taken.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 4, recited my prayers. Woke up Lekha at 5, who made our morning cuppa.

Lit up the puja room lamp, switched on the hymns on the home theatre and opened up the house for the day.

Our chores and we were ready by 7. Lekha, today, walked into the Chevy and we were off for the Elite Mission Hospital by a 10' past 7.

Met Dr Jyoshid by a half past 8, who reviewed her two wounds.

Reached home by 10 but not before buying fruits from Rajan's shop at Choondal.

A quiet Friday.

Turkiye's 18-hour ultimatum.

....which fizzled out pathetically! 

Late at night, the Turkish Coast Guard became alarmed when they saw a shape suddenly emerging from the Mediterranean Sea. Soon it is discovered to be a warship.....and an Indian warship. A message is quickly sent for it to 'stay put'. In the morning, amid a tense atmosphere in Turkiye, an emergency meeting of the government and the military was held. Afterward, the Indian warship was sent a 18-hour ultimatum, "Return, or you will be responsible for any further action". However, the Indian warship doesn't respond.

In fact, until today, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye have considered this special area of the Mediterranean Sea their fiefdom, intimidating the coastal countries, prohibiting their vessels and those of other countries, from entering and leaving that area. However, this time, it is an Indian warship, 'Trikhand' that has come within the range. The next day, Turkish warships aggressively surrounded the Trikhand and issued another ultimatum. This time, an answer came in a single sentence : "The Trikhand is on its way, following international rules and has not encroached on any country's border, hence the question of retreat or return doesn't arise".

Meanwhile, three more Indian warships equipped with 'BrahMos' arrive behind Trikhand. By then Turkey, citing NATO, is attempting to stir up trouble across Europe. This Indian destroyer, Trikhand, built at Russia's Kaliningrad Shipyard, was travelling with its entire fleet to Greece, where it was to participate in joint maritime exercises with Greece and France. With only half an hour remaining for the ultimatum issued by Turkiye, France issued a statement stating that the Indian warship fleet was on its designated route and was not encroaching on any country.

Seeing its strategic and international position weaken, Turkiye tried to stir things up but all its efforts were in vain. And the Indian warship fleet proudly set off for Greece.

The new India is respected and seen as a major power worldwide. India stepped out of the Indian Ocean and controlled China's bullying in the Red Sea and today stripped Turkiye of its self esteem in the Mediterranean Sea.

My take

Turkiye was itching to do something stupid but stopped short as it found India's steadfastness and the international support.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent all the messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day.

Walked within the house and recited my prayers.

Breakfast.

Worked on my laptop. 

A quiet Thursday. Sanath had called up to say that he has cleared the NDA written examination.

The US President and his defence secretary speak to the Military brass.

To end 'politically correct' leadership in the armed forces.

They have declared an end to "woke" culture in the US armed forces.

Promotions based on race, gender to end

The Defence Secretary had called military leaders to the Marine Corps base in Quantico, near Washington yesterday, without publicly revealing the reason. During his nearly hour-long speech, he said that the US military has promoted too many leaders for wrong reasons based on race and gender. "The era of politically correct leadership ends right now at every level".

President Donald Trump

* The US President bragged about US nuclear capabilities and warned the posse of top military leaders 

   that "America is under invasion from within....the purposes of our military is only to protect our 

   republic.

* In keeping with the nonpartisan tradition of the armed forces, the military leaders sat mostly stone-

   faced through Trump's remarks.

Equal fitness standards for both male and female soldiers in offing.

My take

Definitely, an interesting development. The armed forces need to be apolitical for the good of a country.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a trifle past 5, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day.

Carried out the usual Wednesday 'aarathi'.

Walked on the road outside the house and recited my prayers.

Breakfast followed by bath.

A quiet Wednesday.