At Kollam.

Got up at 5, sent all the messages, lit up the puja room lamp, didn't open up the house as the house was shut down last evening.

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked within the house: recited my prayers.

Bath followed by breakfast. 

Kicked off from home at 10, returned to pick up our Aadhaar Cards and resumed our journey.

Took the NH 544 route via Ernakulam: it was a grave mistake. There was a series of traffic blocks all through. Took eight hours to reach Lekshmi's house at Kollam.

Met up with Aniyan's and Lekshmi's relations.

Had dinner and were dropped at the Sea Palace Hotel.

Slept at our usual time.

You won't believe.....

What India feeds the world....

   1. Rice                                         largest producer.

   2. Wheat                                      second largest producer.

   3. Sugarcane                                second largest producer.

   4. Millets                                     largest producer.

   5. Pulses                                      largest producer.

   6. Spices                                      largest producer and exporter.

   7. Tea                                           second largest producer.

   8. Bananas                                   largest producer.

   9. Mangoes                                  largest producer.

 10. Coconut                                   second largest producer.

 11. Ginger                                      second largest producer.

 12. Onion                                       second largest producer.

 13. Garlic                                       second largest producer.

 14. Tomatoes                                  second largest producer.

 15. Potatoes                                    second largest producer.

 16. Milk                                          largest in population

 17. Goats and buffaloes                  largest in population.

 18. Cattle                                        largest in population.

 19. Fruits and vegetables                second largest producer.

Tailpiece.

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

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked within the house; recited my prayers.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch, watched television followed by siesta.

Shut down The Quarterdeck systematically.

A quiet evening.

The annual medical review.

Last year, on this date, I had undergone an open heart surgery and today, I was back at the AIMS, Kochi for the first annual review.

The day had started at 4 for us. We went about our chores and were ready by 6 when Kannan, our chauffeur for the day, was at the gate and we cast off by a quarter past 6. The Kodungalloor route was chosen but the traffic was very heavy indeed and we could reach the AIMS only by a 10' to 9. 

There was a lot of time wasted in the procedural work at the reception and there were a lot of patients waiting to go through the registration formalities. The civilians manning the booths do not apply their minds many-a time and ESMs go through insufferable delays at the reception counter!

Rema and Padmakumar were there an hour before us, as I'd said that we'd fetch up by 8! Their presence was a great help to go through the formalities. We were at the CVTS by a half past 9 and went about the various tests that I was supposed to go through before meeting up with the doctor.

While Rema, Lekha and Kannan went to have their breakfast, within the hospital in one of the many cafes, the lab nursing staff drew my blood samples and then, I went through the ECG. In the meanwhile, I'd a quick bite of breakfast of an egg sandwich, which the girls had picked up for me. I, then, went through the rigmarole of the x-ray of my chest. The Echo was done last and armed with the results of all these tests, met cardiologist Rajesh Jose around a quarter past 1.

The clinical readings classified me as completely fit, said the doctor and my next review was to be a year later. Picked up the medicines from the pharmacy for 3 months, had lunch at the AIMS canteen and commenced our return.

Dropped Rema and Padmakumar at Edappalli as they had plans to do a bit of shopping at the Lulu Mall.

We reached The Quarterdeck by a half past 5. After the evening's wash and change, Lekha had made crisp dosas and coconut chutney for dinner.  

A tiring day, of course but one more 'must do' item in the bucket list has been ticked off as done!

And this was my first @ 70 that didn't need a referral!  

PN Panicker Foundation's social care responsibility.

As part of the PN Panicker Foundation's social care responsibility, the distribution of sanitary napkins for schools, in various parts of the state, are being undertaken in a planned manner. 

Yesterday and today, under the stewardship of Sri N Balagopal, the Vice Chairman of the Foundation, the distribution of one lakh sanitary napkins each were distributed under the supervision of Sri Sadasivan, the Mayor of Kozhikode municipality at Chalappuram, Kozhikode and former Agriculture Minister VS Sunil Kumar at Chendrappinni in Thrissur. 

The schools were :-

   (a) Government Model Higher Secondary School, Chalappuram, Kozhikode            03 Feb

   (b) Chendrappinni Higher Secondary School, Thrissur                                               04 Feb

Through this activity, the Foundation endeavours to stress upon health literacy, skill development and empowerment of women.

Tailpiece.

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

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked within the house; recited my prayers.

Bath, followed by breakfast of appams and stew.

Worked on my laptop.

Lekha's beautician was on call.

Lunch, watched television followed by siesta.

The evening chores.

Palliative care.

1. Improves quality of life

2. Provides relief

3. Relief from pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression and insomnia

4. Emotional and psychological support for patients and families

5. Provides clear communication and decision-making support

6. Helping patients understand treatment choices and align care with their values

7. Co-ordination of care across doctors, hospitals and home-based services

8. Support for caregivers, including counselling and respite

My take

An important aspect in today's world!

Tailpiece.

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

Morning cuppa with Lekha. 

Walked within the house; recited my prayers.

Bath followed by breakfast of puri-bhaaji.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch. Watched serials on television.

Siesta.

The evening chores.

Union budget 2026.

Here are the highlights of the Union Budget 2026.

Infrastructure

7 high-speed rail corridors.

Bombay-Pune, Hyderabad-Bangalore, Pune-Hyderabad, Madras-Bangalore, Hyderabad-Madras, Bangalore-Varanasi, Varanasi-Siliguri.

Environment

Backing clean energy

Customs relief for lithium-ion battery inputs, solar and nuclear exemptions, carbon capture funding.

Agriculture

High-value crops

Emphasis on coconut, cashew, cocoa, sandalwood, sets aside Rs.350 cr for this push, aimed at raising farm incomes.

MSMEs

Rs.10K cr MSME growth fund

Big push to small businesses via capital support, faster payments, enhanced credit guarantees.

Healthcare

Medical tourism

Destination mapping to boost medical tourism, district trauma care and allied health professional training.

Manufacturing

Rs.40K cr for semi-conductors

Focus on renewable technology, battery supply chains and local value addition in advanced goods.

Education

Future readiness. University townships near industrial zones, creative tech labs in schools, committees tying education to jobs. 

My take

A strategic budget!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent all 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.

Bath followed by breakfast.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch and a delightful one at that!

Watched television followed by siesta.

To Dr Jimmy for review in the evening.

Pashupatinath Temple.

 Located on the banks of the Bagmati River in Khatmandu, Nepal. Pashupatinath is among the most consequential sacred spaces in the Shaiva world. Dedicated to Shiva as Pashupati - the Lord of all beings - it situates divinity not beyond life but within its full cycle - from birth to death. Regarded as one of the major Jyotirlingas, the temple anchors Nepal within the sacred Shaiva geography of South Asia. The shrine derives its sanctity from its function as a death facing tirtha.

Along the river bank, cremation pyres burn continuously, binding worship to impermanence. This amalgamated ritual field expresses the Shaiva principle: liberation approached through proximity to decay, not through withdrawal.

Spiritually, Pashupatinath does not promise escape from death but demands understanding of it. It trains the devotees to recognise mortality as initiation rather than catastrophe and decay as a teacher rather than an enemy. Daily observances here follow Vedic and tantric protocols. Pilgrimage intensifies during Maha Shivaratri, when large numbers of sadhus and devotees assemble.

My take

Sambho Mahadeva!

Tailpiece.

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

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked within the house; recited my prayers.

Bath followed by breakfast.

Worked om my laptop.

Snoozed around quite a bit.

Lunch, followed by siesta.

The evening chores.