The world is passing through dire economic straits!

West Asia conflict's timing is unfortunate for India, just when it was navigating enviable 'Goldilocks' period with low inflation and good growth.

                                                      - Sunitha Natti. 

Rs.19 lakh crore wiped out from Indian market in five sessions. India's equity benchmark indices - NSE Nifty and BSE Sensex - falling up to 4%.

The market capitalisation (m-cap) of all BSE-listed firms has come down from 468.28 lakh crores to 449.35 lakh crores in the past one week. The Sensex has shed 1,046 points during this period.

My take

It has been our experience that the delivery of new domestic gas cylinders has touched a month. Lekha had picked up ours directly from the godown on the prodding of the Gas Agency! 

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

Bath, followed by breakfast of dosas and chutney.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch, saw "Snehakkoottu" and siesta.

The evening chores.

The art of letting go.

Letting go is often misunderstood as emotional withdrawal. In spiritual traditions, detachment does not mean indifference but freedom from clinging. Gautama Buddha taught that tanha (craving) is the root of suffering : when the mind insists that pain must vanish, it fights reality. The Bhagwad Gita advises acting without attachment, as the result is shaped by many forces beyond control.

Modern psychology echoes this. Studies on non-attachment and acceptance-based therapies show that over-attachment keeps stress circuits activated, while acceptance and psychological distancing reduce anxiety. Clinging narrows identity and makes loss feel like annihilation. But non-attachment allows one to care without being owned by it.

How to practice healthy non-attachment

* Notice when desire hardens into demand ("I must have this")

* Reframe it as preference ("I would like this but I can live without it")

* Allow emotions to arise without repeatedly replaying

* Commit to right action instead of guaranteed reward

Tailpiece.

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

Sajish comes and gives me a haircut and massage.

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked within the house; recited my prayers.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch, watched "Snehakkoottu" followed by siesta.

The evening chores.

Back @ The Quarterdeck.

Our day had begun at 4, this morning. Went through the chores, recited my prayers and were ready by 6 though we, finally, cast off at a quarter past 6. Recited my prayers.

'Matha thekaoed' at the Randalummodu Nagaraja kshetram, topped up Crazy from a petrol bunk after  giving the short shrift to the usual bunk as Monish gave us negative observations on the quality of fuel dispensed there.

Breakfast at the Annapurna in Ettumanoor; met Jayakumar, IAS and spoke to him.

We reached The Quarterdeck by 1, had a lovely, simple lunch made by the maid on Lekha's directions. Sent Monish before that.

Siesta.

The evening chores.

Watched the serials; finished our squaring up work.

PN Panicker's 117th birth anniversary (7).

Got up at 5, sent all the messages and turned off to sleep yet again. Maman came and woke us up by a quarter past 6 and I delayed our departure by 15'!

Anish had taken leave as Akhila's grandfather's - an ex-Armyman passed into the mist of time - funeral was to take place by 1100 hrs. With Rajannan and Chambu, the driving duties were well divided. 

Lunch with Monica (Commonwealth of Learning), her daughter, Viraalika, Dr Pankaj ji and Khushwinder Singh along with Aniyan, Chambu and our sa'arathi, Rekha. Father Mulamoottil and Tanya, too, had joined.

Reached Kanakakkunnu Palace by a quarter past 2.

The ezhuthukoottam with Satija was good.

The session on Community Radio Stations was well accepted.

Finally, Revenue Minister, GR Anil, gave away the prizes. Sister Sebin Fernandez, Ms. Greeshma and Ms. Anjana received their prizes.

Settled out of the group by paying Rs.1,000/- from my pocket.

It brought the curtains down on the weeklong PN Panicker 117th birth anniversary 

Left the venue by a half past 5. Earlier, Lekha and Subi had arrived by a trifle after 4.

Dinner at a trifle short of Vaalakom!

Reached Raj Nivas by 9 and went about our usual chores for the night and for taking off early morning at 6. The caretaker had bought all the stuff what Lekha had asked for.

PN Panicker's 117th birth anniversary (6).

After seeing that Pankaj Srivastava had his dinner, Chambu and I'd dropped him at his hotel and returned home by around a half past 12. 

Got up at 5, recited my prayers and went through my chores. Was ready well before 7 but two things delayed us viz. Maman wanted to be dropped at the office and Anish, the driver came late. We, finally, left by a 10' past 8 and reached KIMS by a half past 8. 

Collected my blood results for the doctor's perusal who had then directed me to the cardiologist for approval to stop the blood thinner, for three days, before the forthcoming endoscopy/colonoscopy that's gonna be done on me. 

Dr Bijulal gave us the okay and we, then, returned to the Foundation via Padma Cafe, behind the Secretariat, after quickly finishing our breakfast.

The endoscopy/colonoscopy has been tentatively fixed for the 26th. Three days prior, the blood thinner will be stopped.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch at La Bella, a small eatery nearby, was our destination where the food was nice.

Met our Chairman, discussed the new situation as Justice Devan Ramachandran has intimated his inability to grace the occasion as his mother has undergone a brain hemorrhage. Sad; we'll have to find a suitable replacement! 

A quiet evening thereafter.

PN Panicker's 117th birth anniversary (Day 5).

Got up at 5, sent all the messages and turned back to sleep yet again to get up at a quarter past 7. Went through the chores, walked within the house and recited my prayers. Left for the Foundation by a quarter past 10.

Worked on the laptop; no response from the principal sahiba.

Lunch at the PWD Rest House canteen. It was nice.

To the KIMS Hospital to show myself to the gastro enterologist, Ajith Nair regarding my discomfort. The appointment was fixed up by Maman through the PRO for 1550 hrs.

Blood test was carried out to identify 'tumour fundamentals' (if any) and I'm to meet him at 8 AM tomorrow morning with the results. Am sure that things will fall in place, then.

Consequently, missed Anwar Sadaat's lecture on AI.

Reached home by a 10' past 7.

A quiet evening as I wound up for the day.

To the airport to pick up Dr Pankaj Srivastava, who's an invitee for our program at 2130 hrs. Since he hadn't had dinner, bought him dinner from Zam Zam and left him at the hotel. Took on an additional commitment.

By the time we hit the sack, it was past midnight. Phew! 

PN Panicker's 117th birthday celebrations (Day 4).

Got up at 5, sent all the messages and went through the chores. Walked within the house and recited my prayers.

Went to the Foundation by a quarter to 10.

Did my work on the laptop.

Went to the Holy Angels' Convent Higher Secondary School, Cotton Hill Girls' Higher Secondary School and the Carmel Convent Higher Secondary School to invite their Principals for the award ceremony on the 7th. Sister Sebi Fernandez, Mrs Greeshma and Mrs Anjana are the Principals.

Had lunch at the Gandhi Bhavan with Chambu.

The evening talk was on AI by Achut Shankar, the late Kerala University Vice Chancellor Dr VK Sukumaran Nair's son. Nicely articulated and well explained!

Secured at 1930 hrs.