At Wayanad.

Last night, it was decided between Maman and me that he'd call me up when he crosses Ernakulam, early in the morning today so that I could adjust my arrival at the turning off point towards Ponnani, at Chavakkad on our trip to Kozhikode for the district level meeting of our co-ordinators and volunteers scheduled at 1030 hrs. Accordingly, I'd tied up with Hameed to drop me around a quarter past 5.

But things did not work out the way it was planned by us. Perhaps, proving the point yet again that, "man proposes and god disposes". Maman called me up at a quarter past 5, saying that he was off Haripad and that he wouldn't be able to reach me in time. Could I, therefore, proceed to Kozhikode by myself to be at the meeting?

Accordingly, Hameed dropped me at the KSRTC bus stand at a 20' to 7 and I clambered on to the 7 o'clock superfast, bound for Kozhikode and reached my destination by a quarter to 10. After a quick wash, I'd the vegetable sandwiches made by Lekha sitting at the bus stand itself. Soon after, I headed for the TBS (touring book stall) library which was the venue for our meeting.

Adv Rajan, our co-ordinator at Kozhikode, was anxiously waiting for my Maman and wasn't he relieved to see me? The meeting started on the dot at a half past 10 and I became the cynosure of everyone's eyes being my grandfather's grandson! Interacted with the audience and gave them an outline about the aim of the meeting. Mr PV Gangadharan, the ageing patriarch of the KTC whose contribution, as a producer, towards the Malayalam film industry in the form of quite a few good movies is folklore, was the chief guest. He met me with a lot of love and affection and spoke about his interactions with my grandfather. He spoke about the importance of digital literacy and said that every library must have the photograph of PN Panicker! He was unanimously elected as the Chairman of the Kozhikode District General body of the PN Panicker Foundation.

While seeing him off, I told him about the enormous pain inflicted upon the family by a vicious article written by Pirappancode Murali recently, in the Malayalam daily, 'Mathrubhumi', which his family owns. He, then, asked me to counter it and to meet the Executive Editor, Mr V Ravindranath regarding the matter. And once Maman had arrived, that's exactly what we did after a simple and scrumptious lunch at the Gandhi Peace Foundation.

Meeting up with the executive director of the Mathrubhoomi was a sheer delight. He has agreed to do the needful. With that we cut from Kozhikode on our long drive to Wayanad but not before buying the famous 'Kozhikode halwa' - our co-ordinator, Karayil Sukumar from Kannur is also with us. Lekha, our financial wizard, Bijumon sir the national co-ordinator of reading and our sa'arthi, Ajith comprise our team. 

Enroute, we also took part in the 568th episode of the Aazhchakkoottam on "Sister Abhaya case's legal battle and how it created an awareness in society" by Jomon Puthanpurackal - who'd single handedly put the facts of the case to the judiciary till the murdered nun got justice - from 1600 to 1700 hrs. 

We commenced our drive by a half past 6 to Wayanad through rain and reached our night halt at Mananthavady by a half past 10. Dinner, that was light, was had enroute at Kalpetta. Arjun Kuttu - our co-ordinator of Wayanad - and his dad were there to receive us and to tuck us into our beds.

It was a fairly long day!

Tailpiece.

Go up at 5, the chores and was ready by a half past 6. Leaving Lekha is always a difficult thing to do but I've asked Muthachhan to keep her safe and look after her during my absence. And I know that he will! And moreover, our neighbours had told me that they'll keep an eye on her.