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.

The Indian Luxury Paradox.

A crib one always has is to go West for a "better life" but when you look at the daily math, India offers a level of convenience that is a billionaire's dream in London or NYC.

Here's why Everyday India is Indian Luxury Paradox.

1.  The 7 AM Routine. Fresh physical newspaper at your doorstep for the price of a single peanut.. In

     the west, this is a dying, high-priced subscription service.

2. Data Democracy. While the world pays $50+ for basic internet, we enjoy high-speed 5G for about

    Rs.300/- per month. We have the cheapest data on the planet and it has turned our economy digital

    overnight.

3. The "10-Minute" Miracle. Forgot ginger for your tea? Blinkit, Zepto or Swiggy Instamart have it

    at your door before the water even boils. In Europe, you're putting on a coat and walking 15 minutes

    to a store that's probably closing soon.

4. Healthcare on Demand. Need a specialist? Walk in. Need a blood test? Someone is at your house by

    6 AM to take a sample and the report is on What'sApp by noon. No 3-month waiting lists, no 

    "insurance-approved" nightmares.

5. The Human Support System. Domestic help - cooks, cleaners and drivers - isn't elite here, it's the

    backbone of the middle class. It grants us the greatest luxury of all : TIME.

6. The UPI Revolution. From a Rs.5 chai at a roadside stall to a Rs.50,000 laptop, it's all one scan

    away. No wallets, no "Card Machine Down" excuses, no transaction fees. The world is still playing

    catch-up.

7. "Free Essentials". Walk into any restaurant and get a glass of water without a Rs.5 charge. Get

    your clothes ironed for pocket change by the local Press-wala. It's the small things that make life 

    smooth.

8. The Social Safety Net. We don't live in a "litigation culture". We live in a community culture. If 

    you're in trouble, your neighbour is more likely to bring you khichdi than a lawsuit.

The Bottom Line.

India isn't just a country; it's a high-functioning ecosystem of convenience. While the West is busy with the "DIY" struggle (mowing their own lawns and waiting weeks for a plumber), India provides a service-rich lifestyle that is affordable, accessible and deeply human.

Verdict. We often realise the value of the "Indian Comfort" only when we have to do our own laundry and dishes abroad!

So - Go East or West India is the Best

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. 

Off to Rani Menon's Eye Hospital at Thrissur for Lekha's review.

Returned and had a delayed lunch followed by siesta.

Met Jimmy at his clinic to get treatment for my bad throat.

A quiet evening thereafter.

 

Back @ The Quarterdeck!

The day began at 3 for the both of us today, went through the daily chores and were ready by a quarter to 5. We, finally, left by a quarter past 5 in a Tempo Traveller which was literally hunting for fuel as many bunks - we'd crossed three such ones on our way to Raipur, from Bilaspur - did not have the requisite stock!

Reached the airport well in time; Lekha and I were photographed with the staff of Indigo - young Priyanka and Rahul. They said it was for some official purpose! We were nine of us on the flight to Bangalore. Breakfast was on me, being the 'patriarch' and the youngsters enjoyed it.

We broke off at Bangalore, on landing - Achu-Karthika got off at Bangalore, Sharath, Manoj-Mini and their daughters, Shreya and Sraddha were off by another flight to Thiruvananthapuram.

Reached Kochi by 2, Sajish was there to pick us up, lunch at Saravana Bhavan and we sped for Guruvayur, reaching The Quarterdeck by 5. We'd unpacked and opened up the house as there were evening showers.

Slept at our usual time. 

The last four days at the wedding jamboree of Yash and Adhira were blissful and full of fun. Enjoyed every bit of it!