The 31st Reading Day.

The beginning of Reading Month 2026!

Got up at a half past 4, went through the chores and was ready by a half past 7. The announcement of the Reading Day and highlights of PN Panicker had come on the Akashvani and the FM Radio.

We were beside Muthachchan's statue by a 10' past 8. The floral tribute by the family and the cultural bigwigs went off smoothly. 

Mini, Ammu, Lekha and Letha came in from Kottarakkara, on time, in our car. Had breakfast at Abbas' teashop. Suma kunjamma footed the bill!

At Kanakakkunnu Palace by 11. It gradually got packed with students and elders.

The program started 45' late as the chief minister - he's also the Finance Minister - had presented the budget in the Assembly. He was accompanied by Shamsuddin, the Education Minister, PC Vishnunath, the Cultural Minister and Roji John, the Technical Education minister.  

The program went off fine with the audience being served both refreshments (Frooti and a piece of cake) and lunch (Vegetable Biriyani and peas curry). The CM has exhorted the children to make 'reading' a habit from today! He seemed to be excited while being with the children.

The outstation guests left, after lunch, by 2.

The evening program by Dr Manakkaala was nice on the topic, "Sangeethavum samoohavum)". The audience was less in strength at a paltry 32!

Returned home by a quarter to 8; dinner was lunch, heated up.

Brought up the diary and the blog online!

At Thiruvananthapuram.

Got up late, wonder why? It's, probably, because of the additional medicines that I'm taking for my sore throat. Made up for the delay and sent all the messages. Opened up the house for the day, lit up the puja room lamp and switched on the hymns on the television.

Morning cuppa with Lekha. It was nice being back at Raj Nivas.

Walked within the house, recited my prayers.

Bath and breakfast of idiyappams and eggs masala.

Monish had come on the dot; we cast off at about a quarter past 9. Dropped Lekha at Letha's place and headed for Thiruvananthapuram. Bought a belt from Bata, short of Kesavadasapuram.

Reached the Foundation by 12 and weren't people happy to see me back amid them?

Went to the Kanakakkunnu Palace to review the work being undertaken.

Had a simple lunch of rice, thiyyal and injikkari - the last two provided by Shekhar. Girija has been replaced by Vasantha who's very caring. Missed Girija, though, who'd looked after me during the last Reading Month celebrations!

Worked like a postman, cut and pasted addresses.

Went through the MC's - Soorya - dialogue delivery rehearsal. 

Made a trip to the Kanakakkunnu Palace but there wasn't any progress and the gates were locked!

Returned to have a quiet dinner of gruel, pulses, mango pickle and pappadam.

Spoke to Lekha and slept off around my usual time.

  

From The Quarterdeck to Raj Nivas.

Our day had begun at 4, though I must admit that I'd got up 10' later than Lekha as I'd overslept. Quickly caught up and went through the chores but was ready only by a quarter to 7. Earlier, by a 10' past 4, Monish had come by and caught up on his sleep.

We'd cast off by 7, fuelled the Victoris, returned to The Quarterdeck and picked up the injection, the car's papers and the bucket. Finally, cast off by a quarter past 7. Had breakfast at the Aryaas in Chalakkudy and reached Rema's flat at Thrippunithura by a half past 10. Rema had administered the injection - to enhance my Hb - on me.

We set off soon after. In between, we'd tea and snacks as lunch was getting delayed. Finally reached Letha's house by a quarter to 3. After a lovely lunch, we cast of by a quarter to 4. Lekha had dropped a portion of her luggage there as she'd return tomorrow once I leave for Thiruvananthapuram for the Vaayana Maasaacharanam!

Reached Raj Nivas by 4, the caretaker was there to receive us. Had a cuppa tea, a quick siesta and then SM Babukkutty Chacko and Saji had called on us. Chatted for a while. They're in the process of building a

War Memorial, which is nearing completion.

A quiet evening thereafter! It was nice to be back home.

FIFA facts (2).

 ....contd (2).

11. Paul Pogba's 2016 transfer fee of 105 million Euros was, at the time, larger than the entire annual 

      GDP of several small island nations.

12. In high-altitude stadiums like La Paz, Bolivia (3,600 km), the ball travels measurably faster and 

      farther. Visiting teams have called it "physically impossible" to play there.

13. The World Cup trophy cannot be held by the winning nation. They receive a gold-plated replica.

      The real one stays with FIFA permanently.

14. A football player runs on average 10-13 km per match, the equivalent of running two 5K races back

      to back, while sprinting, tackling and thinking tactically the whole time.

15. A football pitch's grass is cut to exactly 25-30mm for top matches. Groundskeepers spend more 

      preparation time on the surface than most fans ever notice.

16. During a penalty shootout, players' heart rates can exceed 180 bpm, the same as a full sprint, while

      standing completely still.

17. The first World Cup in 1930 had no qualifying rounds. Countries were simply invited and several

      said no because the boat trip to Uruguay was too long.

18. VAR can detect an offside by a margin of just a few centimetres, roughly the width of a thumb

      and disallow a goal scored from 70 metres away. 

19. Some Premier League clubs generate more revenue on a single matchday than entire national 

      football federations earn in a full year.

20. The fastest goal in World Cup history was scored by Turkiye's Hakan Sukur, just 11 seconds into 

      the third-place match against South Korea in 2002. Most fans hadn't even found their seats.

.......concluded.

Tailpiece.

Got up late, sent the messages all right, opened up the house for the day, lit up the puja room lamp

and switched on the hymns on the home theatre.

Hanina and Aadila, of the Rajah Medical team, came to draw my blood for the cbc and crp. The results were passed on to Dr Jimmy as he'd desired.

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked within the house, recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

Bath and breakfast of puttum payarukariyum.

Worked on my laptop.

Lekha goes to the temple to have a darshan of the good Lord.

Badaruddin comes and collects Muthachchan's photograph; briefs me about the meeting called by the District Collector toward the conduct of the Reading Month 2026.

Lunch followed by siesta.

FIFA facts (1).

Now that it's the FIFA Cup season, let's visit some interesting facts :-

    1. Brazil is the only nation to have played in every single FIFA World Cup, all 22 editions from

        1930 to 2022, never missing a single one.

    2. The ball used in the 2010 World Cup (the Jabulani) was so aerodynamically unpredictable that

        goalkeepers across the tournament compared it to a "plastic bag in the wind".

    3. Messi holds a record 8 Ballon d'Or awards, more than the combined total of most entire national

        teams have won major international trophies.

    4. A professional footballer makes over 1,000 individual decisions per game, most in under half a

        second.

    5. The fastest player speed recorded in the Premier League is 37.38 kmph set by Micky van de Ven

        and players hit these speeds mid-match, under fatigue, in real competitive pressure.

    6. Cristiano Ronaldo became the first individual in history to surpass 1 billion social media followers.

        His Instagram alone has over 639 million, more than the combined populations of the US, UK

        and Germany.

    7. The net behind a goal is not required by the Laws of the Game. It's technically optional.

    8. India qualified for the 1950 World Cup but withdrew because FIFA banned barefoot play as the 

        myth claims but due to funding issues, logistical chaos and the AIFF simply not prioritising the

        tournament over the Olympics.

    9. A goalkeeper defending a penalty has to dive before the ball is struck. The human eye simply 

        cannot react fast enough afterward.

  10. The entire Laws of the Game that govern football worldwide fit into a document shorter than

        most corporate employee handbooks.

        .........to be continued.

Tailpiece.

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

Sajish comes by and gives me my monthly haircut, massage.

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked within the house, recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

Breakfast of dosas and 'kadala'.

An early lunch.

To the Saroja Hospital to meet up with Dr Sreekumar Pillai for her review.

Jimmy changes the antibiotic after seeing my state of health.

Adieu brave men!

Five Indian Air Force personnel were killed and one was injured when an AN-32 transport aircraft crashed after landing at the Air Force Station in Jorhat, Assam, yesterday. The incident took place around 10 AM at Rowriah airbase in Jorhat. The aircraft had taken off from the same base for a routine sortie.

The deceased personnel are :-

* Squadron Leader Prashant Singh

* Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar

* Sergeant Jitendra Sharma

* Agniveervayu Khemaram  Kumawat

* Agniveervayu Danish Alam

Adieu my dear brothers! My tears and prayers!! May your families have the strength to tide over these difficult times!

The name of the co-pilot has not been released by the IAF for reasons of protocol. Can imagine what must be going on in his mind......he's cursing himself for not having joined his buddies on their way to Valhalla. It's a very awkward situation to be in.

Tailpiece.

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

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked within the house, recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

Breakfast of dosas and chutney.

Bath and work on my laptop.

Lunch, followed by siesta.

The evening chores.

 

A quiet Saturday!

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

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked within the house, recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

Bath followed by breakfast of dosas and chutney.

Worked on my laptop.

A comparatively early lunch and was off to Thrissur, by a quarter past 2, for overseeing the district level Foundation's committee's decisions regarding the various actions to be taken for the Reading Month '26. The meeting was over by a quarter to 6. Was satisfied.

Returned to a quiet evening.