Was woken up by around a half past 5 as Ammayi had put on the lights in the adjacent room to press clothes but I continued to linger on bed as there was no great need to get up that early. Had Muthachhan been alive today, he would have celebrated his 111th birthday as per the English calendar! By a quarter past 6, I had got off from the bed and woken up Maman. In fact, he, too, was lying awake!
Went through the chores and were ready by a quarter to 8 and the four of us left the house. Muthachhan's photograph travelled with us as it takes the prime position at the venue on all such important occasions. Enroute, at Sasthamangalam, we stopped at a restaurant for breakfast of idlis and filtered coffee. We reached the Foundation soon after where Aji, our sa'arthi was waiting for us. We filled up the Eeco, parked there, with all the stuff that needed to reach the venue for specific use.
Aji was behind the wheel in the Eeco and I was driving Maman's car. The short drive was harrowing, to say the least, because of the idiotic manner in which some of the Sunday morning motorists drove! We were at the venue, within Hotel Chaithram, by about a quarter past 9 and saw the entire set up coming live as the event management people gave it their best.
Soon, the hall was overflowing with people. Sheeba, the compere, came a trifle late giving us certain very anxious moments. The both of us went through the minute-to-minute, one last time, to ensure that everything went off without a hitch. I found that the young lady had done her homework. The guests came in a steady trickle and with the arrival of the chief guest - the Honourable Governor of Kerala, Shri Arif Mohammad Khan - on the dot at 11, the one-hour programme had taken off in right earnest.
It went off like clockwork with the speakers maintaining time discipline and the Honourable Governor seemed to be in his elements as he recounted interesting anecdotes from his school days at the Jamia Milia Islamia! He has become an ardent fan of my grandfather and has offered to work with us from now. The programme wound up by a quarter past 12 but everyone, with whom I'd talked to after it, was impressed and enjoyed being part of it.
It was followed by a sumptuous Kerala lunch. Maman's car seemed to have starting trouble and I eventually, had to drive the Eeco to the Foundation, leaving our car for the mechanic to do a spot check of the defect and effect repairs. After sending the press release of today's event to the media houses, I made it to Indira kunjamma's house to pick up Lekha and go to the railway station. There was a bit of a communication gap wherein I had to get back to Hotel Chathram to retrieve my laptop from our car!
Our train - the Thiruvananthapuram-Guruvayur Intercity express - had taken off at the right time and is still maintaining the right time as I punch in this post. If all goes well, we should be at Guruvayur by half an hour past midnight!
Tailpiece.
A hectic Sunday, well spent!
Went through the chores and were ready by a quarter to 8 and the four of us left the house. Muthachhan's photograph travelled with us as it takes the prime position at the venue on all such important occasions. Enroute, at Sasthamangalam, we stopped at a restaurant for breakfast of idlis and filtered coffee. We reached the Foundation soon after where Aji, our sa'arthi was waiting for us. We filled up the Eeco, parked there, with all the stuff that needed to reach the venue for specific use.
Aji was behind the wheel in the Eeco and I was driving Maman's car. The short drive was harrowing, to say the least, because of the idiotic manner in which some of the Sunday morning motorists drove! We were at the venue, within Hotel Chaithram, by about a quarter past 9 and saw the entire set up coming live as the event management people gave it their best.
Soon, the hall was overflowing with people. Sheeba, the compere, came a trifle late giving us certain very anxious moments. The both of us went through the minute-to-minute, one last time, to ensure that everything went off without a hitch. I found that the young lady had done her homework. The guests came in a steady trickle and with the arrival of the chief guest - the Honourable Governor of Kerala, Shri Arif Mohammad Khan - on the dot at 11, the one-hour programme had taken off in right earnest.
It went off like clockwork with the speakers maintaining time discipline and the Honourable Governor seemed to be in his elements as he recounted interesting anecdotes from his school days at the Jamia Milia Islamia! He has become an ardent fan of my grandfather and has offered to work with us from now. The programme wound up by a quarter past 12 but everyone, with whom I'd talked to after it, was impressed and enjoyed being part of it.
It was followed by a sumptuous Kerala lunch. Maman's car seemed to have starting trouble and I eventually, had to drive the Eeco to the Foundation, leaving our car for the mechanic to do a spot check of the defect and effect repairs. After sending the press release of today's event to the media houses, I made it to Indira kunjamma's house to pick up Lekha and go to the railway station. There was a bit of a communication gap wherein I had to get back to Hotel Chathram to retrieve my laptop from our car!
Our train - the Thiruvananthapuram-Guruvayur Intercity express - had taken off at the right time and is still maintaining the right time as I punch in this post. If all goes well, we should be at Guruvayur by half an hour past midnight!
Tailpiece.
A hectic Sunday, well spent!
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