Reading Day (10).

Got up at 5, sent the messages, turned off to sleep yet again. Got up at a half past 7 when the whole house was up and agog. Went about my chores preparing for my movement to Thalavoor this evening. 

Reminded Mr. Thampan about his evening's talk with us.

Maman is okay after his tooth extraction though his food intake leaves much to be desired. He had a good night's sleep which means that the pain is under control.

Washed all my soiled clothes, pressed the washed ones and finished my packing for going off to Thalavoor. Updated my blog, browsed my mail.

A quick nap.

Lunch followed by siesta.

Left for Poojappura with Chambu on his scooter.

It started raining soon after we'd reached our destination.

Mr Thampan had come in by a half past 5. The session was nice with a lot of participation from the audience post-talk.

Dropped Mr Thampan at his residence before we set course for Thalavoor. Reached Raj Nivas by a 20' past 9. Lekha had arrived earlier by a half past 5.

A quiet dinner and evening, thereafter.

Reading Day (9).

Got up at 5, sent the messages and turned off to sleep yet again. Got up at a half past 6, when the household was up and agog. 

Breakfast of idlis and chutney.

Set off for the Foundation at 9; dropped off at Sreenethra as my right eye seems to have caught up with an infection causing a red colouration. It ECHS empannelled and things went like clockwork. The environment was good and the staff very helpful, cordial and ever smiling.

Met Dr Shabna who has given me two drops to be administered on the infected eye every 3 hrs and the second, every 4 hrs. Lekha did the honours.

Lunch was bought from outside and after a quick bite, went to SK Hospital for Maman's tooth extraction. Returned after 2 hrs.

Tea and off to Poojappura. Kaaryavattam Sreekantan Nair spoke on "Kavitha saamoohya maattathinu". For the first time in this series, the audience was more than 35! The interaction was good and with Thomas coming in toward the end, it had reached a crescendo!

Thomas dropped me back home as Maman had left early for home and Chambu was not keen to take me on his two-wheeler without a helmet.

An early evening comparatively.  

 

Reading Day (8).

Got up at 5, sent the messages and turned off to sleep yet again to get up at a quarter to 7. Went through the chores and was ready by a quarter past 10.

Read a bit, rested quite a while being a holiday.

Lunch was at Padma Cafe at Statue. Good sadya!

Reached the Poojappura traffic circle by a trifle past 5.

Today's talk was by Sudarsan Kaarthikapparambil on "Lahariniranja kaumaaram". Nice interaction by the crowd, though sparse, at 28! I shared my experience too.

Poories and assorted Gujju flavoured dishes from the Saurashtra shop.

A quiet evening thereafter.

Reading Day (7).

Got up at 5, sent the messages and turned off to sleep yet again. Got up at a 20' to 6, the chores, washed two sets of clothes and was ready by 9. A quick bite of breakfast and we were off to the Foundation via the clinic from where the VSSC-empaneled form for Ammayi - for going to the Chaithanya Eye Hospital tomorrow.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch was ordered from outside - a fish curry, meals for both Maman and me.

Siesta on the first floor.

Off to Poojappura by 5 via the Treasury to hand over our payment order to Bijumon sir to facilitate early encashment. The crowd took time to fetch up and we finally, kicked off Dr Usha Rani's "Bhakthiyum Vibhakthiyum" at a 25' past 6.

Meanwhile the crowd has been observing me, both behind and in front of the scene toward the conduct of the "Sarga saayaahnam". The strength was still hovering around 30, which I ain't happy about! The lecture was excellent followed by a very spirited interactive session.

Said my piece since Usha Rani had insisted upon it. 

 

Reading Day (6).

Got up at 5, sent the messages and turned off to sleep yet again. Got up at a 20' to 7, went through the chores and was ready well in time. We were off to the Foundation by a 5' past 9.

PJ Kurien had signed on the letter for supplementary allocations from the budget for Muthachchan's monument. I, somehow, feel that it's all a drama to throw us off their backs. And the story goes on!

Worked on my lap top.

Lunch and I'd asked Vasantha to go it easy on the quantity of food being given to me every afternoon.

This evening, my going to Poojappura was delayed by 45' as our tempo had come late from the two errands given to it.

Today's topic was "Anyamaakunna Malayalam" by Vilakkudi Rajendran which was great information and interestingly put across and the audience reaction was simply good. Had asked Johnson Roche to do the summing up.

Was a bit late by the last few days' standards! 

Reading Day (5).

Got up at 5, sent the messages and turned off to sleep yet again. Got up at a half past 7, went down to have the morning cuppa and had then gone through the chores. Was ready by 9.

Off to the Foundation. Worked on my laptop.

Off to the All Saints' College, met the college principal, Smt Rasmiye and the Malayalam professor, Udayakala to fix up the district-level reading program to be presided by CP John, the transport minister at 0930 hrs on 03 Jul.

Lunch and a very short siesta.

Off to Poojappura for the Sarga saayaahnam to listen to Venpakal Ganesh sir on "Kalayiloode saahithyathinte valarcha" which was enthralling in its content. 

A trip to the Foundation to pick up Maman's cellphone which he'd forgotten!

A late evening!

Reading Day (4).

Got up at a half past 2 to reduce water levels and found that sleep was hard to come by. Recited my prayers partially and turned off to sleep yet again.

Got up at 5, sent the messages, went through my chores and was ready before 9.

At the Foundation by a half past 9. Worked on my laptop.

Lunch; Vasantha was off key compared with her previous performances. Wonder whether Anish had spoken to her about my unsuccessful attempt to make her permanent at the Foundation after my word with Maman!

A bit of rest.

Off to Poojappura for the Sarga saayaahnam. It was Mr Suresan on the topic, "Chiriyum chinthayum". He'd suggested that we increase by another session on laughter in our itinerary!

Dropped Suma kunjamma at Kawadiar. Got flak over it.

A quiet evening thereafter. 

Reading Day (3).

Got up at 5, sent the messages and turned off to sleep yet again. Got up at a quarter past 7, went through the chores and was ready by a quarter past 9.

Had breakfast of puttum pazhavum pappadavum.

Worked on my laptop.

Took a short nap; had lunch.

A short siesta and we were off to the late Narayana Kurup sir's residence to offer our condolences. He was a lecturer in Malayalam at the University College, years back and was an admirer of PN Panicker. His body had been taken to the "Santhi kavaadam" by the time we reached there; spoke to Mrs Narayana Kurup and the family. He'd passed away last evening due to old age related illness; he was 92. Om Shanti! Sadgati.

We, then, went across to minister CP John's residence at Xanadu. He will interact with the students of Carmel Convent School, Thiruvananthapuram on 03 Jul at a half past 9 in the morning.

The next venue was at the Maanaveeyam Road where, on the occasion of the World Yoga Day, World Music Day and the Reading Month, we'd a an hour and a half's program by Isha Foundation's Sidharth Babu, a paralympian himself! Smt Anu Kumari, the Thiruvananthapuram District Collector had inaugurated the function!

And from there, we'd gone across to be part of the Sarga Saayaahnam program for the evening - a conglomeration of poets which was nice and cute.

Was back home by 8.

A quiet evening and dinner.    

Reading Day (2).

Got up at 5, sent the messages, went through my chores and was ready by a 10' to 9. We left for the Foundation at 9, dropped Maman there and an hour later, had gone along with Rajannan to drop Aniyan at the Railway station. He was returning to Kidangoor.

A quiet day to begin with.

Had got the caretaker going on plucking the coconuts for the three of us - Mini, Rema and Lekha. Mini had collected about 20 of them for her use in Bangalore! She, Ammu and Mithun had spent time with Rema and Padmakumar.

Lunch was handled by Vasantha, who'd given us rice, sambar and lime pickle.

Rested awhile.

Off to the Poojappura traffic circle for the "Sarga saayaahnam"; today's was ex-chief secretary VP Joy's talk on "Samakaalika samoohathil kavithakalude prasakthi". It was very interesting; I marvel at his elephantine memory as he recited poems that he'd studied during his childhood! I gave a brief 'Vote of Thanks' and assured the audience that "Reading shall never die".

A few from the audience congratulated me for articulating Muthachchan's idea on reading!

Secured from the Foundation by 8.

A quiet evening thereafter!

The 31st Reading Day.

The beginning of Reading Month 2026!

Got up at a half past 4, went through the chores and was ready by a half past 7. The announcement of the Reading Day and highlights of PN Panicker had come on the Akashvani and the FM Radio.

We were beside Muthachchan's statue by a 10' past 8. The floral tribute by the family and the cultural bigwigs went off smoothly. 

Mini, Ammu, Lekha and Letha came in from Kottarakkara, on time, in our car. Had breakfast at Abbas' teashop. Suma kunjamma footed the bill!

At Kanakakkunnu Palace by 11. It gradually got packed with students and elders.

The program started 45' late as the chief minister - he's also the Finance Minister - had presented the budget in the Assembly. He was accompanied by Shamsuddin, the Education Minister, PC Vishnunath, the Cultural Minister and Roji John, the Technical Education minister.  

The program went off fine with the audience being served both refreshments (Frooti and a piece of cake) and lunch (Vegetable Biriyani and peas curry). The CM has exhorted the children to make 'reading' a habit from today! He seemed to be excited while being with the children.

The outstation guests left, after lunch, by 2.

The evening program by Dr Manakkaala was nice on the topic, "Sangeethavum samoohavum)". The audience was less in strength at a paltry 32!

Returned home by a quarter to 8; dinner was lunch, heated up.

Brought up the diary and the blog online!

At Thiruvananthapuram.

Got up late, wonder why? It's, probably, because of the additional medicines that I'm taking for my sore throat. Made up for the delay and sent all the messages. Opened up the house for the day, lit up the puja room lamp and switched on the hymns on the television.

Morning cuppa with Lekha. It was nice being back at Raj Nivas.

Walked within the house, recited my prayers.

Bath and breakfast of idiyappams and eggs masala.

Monish had come on the dot; we cast off at about a quarter past 9. Dropped Lekha at Letha's place and headed for Thiruvananthapuram. Bought a belt from Bata, short of Kesavadasapuram.

Reached the Foundation by 12 and weren't people happy to see me back amid them?

Went to the Kanakakkunnu Palace to review the work being undertaken.

Had a simple lunch of rice, thiyyal and injikkari - the last two provided by Shekhar. Girija has been replaced by Vasantha who's very caring. Missed Girija, though, who'd looked after me during the last Reading Month celebrations!

Worked like a postman, cut and pasted addresses.

Went through the MC's - Soorya - dialogue delivery rehearsal. 

Made a trip to the Kanakakkunnu Palace but there wasn't any progress and the gates were locked!

Returned to have a quiet dinner of gruel, pulses, mango pickle and pappadam.

Spoke to Lekha and slept off around my usual time.

  

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!

 

@ Bilaspur (4).

Got up at 5 as Lekha wanted to get into the saree that she was planning to wear at the wedding for which, Rema assisted her. Sent the messages and we’d our breakfast at 9.

The wedding took place at 1145 hrs before the commencement of the ‘rahu kaalam’. A nice and colourful event with over 300 guests. After the numerous rounds of photography, lunch was had around a half past 1. We retired into the cosy confines of our room, deciding against going to Yash’s house in connection with the ‘griha pravesam’ of the married couple.

The event was meant for the close relatives of both the families and the house was a flat in town. A good siesta thereafter.

The evening’s ‘reception’ was again, a boisterous affair and we handed over the gift to the newly married couple. It was comparatively an early night as we head for the airport at 5 in the morning!

@ Bilaspur (3).

Got up at 5, sent the messages and turned off to sleep yet again to get up at a half past 7.

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Wash, change and breakfast.

Attended the ‘haldi ceremony’, at about 11, in yellow coloured clothes! Applied haldi on the young couple as part of the ritual.

Lunch followed by siesta.

The ceremony of receiving ‘dakshina’ and offering our blessings. Lekha and I danced in separate groups for the production of reels on the occasion!

The ‘sangeet’/entertainment program began an hour late for the power trips to be licked. 

A long drawn out dinner but it was nice.

@ Bilaspur (2).

Felt uncomfortable for a few hours because of a late dinner. Was okay by a half past 2 and slept well. Got up at 5 thanks to the alarm. Turned back to sleep again and got up at a half past 7.

Morning cuppa with Lekha. Washed up and had gone down for breakfast. Came back to our room and then, were part of the reception for the bride’s party.

Lunch at 2 followed by siesta.

Went for the “mehndi” by 7. A three-hour lovely evening of music and meeting up with people. Had dinner - a light one at that!

Rema, Padmakumar, Achu and Karthika had come in late.

At Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.

Dateline 07 Jun 

Our day had begun at 4. After freshening up, recited my prayers while walking within the house. Lit up the puja room lamp and we were ready by 7.

Sajish came in then and we kicked off at a quarter past 7. Got through the first step of entering the cab as it was bright and sunny at Guruvayur which changed gradually as we drove southward when it began to pour.

Got off at the Saravana Bhavan near the airport and Lekha and I’d a plain dosa with coffee for breakfast.

Entered the airport three hours before our boarding time, got wheelchair assistance for Lekha and reached the boarding point at gate 9 and waited for our call. Departed Kochi at a quarter past 12 and reached Goa - on transit - by a quarter past 1.

Befriended Jacob Zachariah and Raji who shared their small eats with us and I gave them our coke. Lunch of poha (for Lekha) and dal chawal (for me). They disappeared on landing at Raipur! Reached Raipur by 4. Dinesh Yadav was our sa’arthi for the long 135 km drive to Bilaspur.

Reached Hotel Grande Emerald by a half past 7. Met Bharathi chechi and Santhosh on arrival. Rest and bath; later dinner with Manoj and family.

A comparatively early night!

A thoroughly wet day.

Got up at a quarter to 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.

It was a thoroughly wet day. Walked within the house, recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

Bath followed by breakfast of upma, bananas.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch, watched television for a while followed by siesta.

A quiet evening. Rejith, of Black Swan, comes with a batch of dry washed clothes.

Shut down The Quarterdeck by evening.

Gifted the maid with 100/- for a good job done!

An afternoon Google meet of the Foundation for :-

  

   * details of setting up a 'community radio station' passed on to our folks 

   * the details of celebrating the Vaayana Maasam 2026.

 

12 years that redefined India.

The story of New India is not built on a single achievement. It is the result of bold reforms, visionary 

initiatives and transformative milestones that have reshaped the nation over the last 12 years. 

* JAM trinity

* GST

* 4 crore + pucca houses

* Vaccine Maitri

* Semiconductor revolution

Together, these milestones reflect a commitment to reform, innovation and inclusive growth.

Guided by the vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas, the Modi government has shown how decisive leadership and effective execution can turn aspirations into achievements.

Tailpiece.

A quiet but wet Friday.

 

The changing Northeast India.

Once seen as a distant frontier, the Northeast is today emerging as a hub of connectivity, investment and opportunity under PM Narendra Modi's leadership.

* National highways expanded from 10,905 km in 2014 to over 16,200 km.

* Landmark projects like the Sela Tunnel and Bhairabi-Sairang railway line are enhancing all weather

   connectivity.

* Operational airports doubled from 9 to 17 under UDAN.

* Natural farming is gaining momentum across Assam, Nagaland and Manipur.

* The Rs.27,000 crore Tata semiconductor plant is positioning Assam as a manufacturing powerhouse.

* Violent incidents fell by nearly 70% between 2014 and 2024.

* 12 historic peace accords have strengthened stability across the region.

Tailpiece.

From better roads and railways to peace and prosperity, the Northeast is scripting a remarkable new chapter in India's growth story.

Touching a baby bird will cause its mother to abandon it.

The fact

Most birds do not abandon their chicks simply because a human has touched them.

What's really happening

A common belief is that parent birds can smell human scent on their chicks and reject them. However, most bird species rely far more on sight and sound than smell when caring for their young.

If a nesting falls from its nest, wildlife experts generally agree that it can be returned safely. In most cases, the parents will continue feeding and caring for it as normal.

However, excessive disturbance near a nest can stress parent birds and may cause them to avoid the area. The real risk is repeated interference, not human scent.

Why it matters

This myth can discourage people from helping young birds that have accidentally fallen from their nests.

Understanding how birds actually care for their young can improve wildlife rescue efforts and give vulnerable chicks a better chance of survival.

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 on the courtyard, recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

Bath, breakfast of appams and stew.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch, watched television followed by siesta.

A quiet evening.

Ammu does it!

My niece, Ammu, had begun her American sojourn  for about five years. Initially, she was at the Boston University doing her course which she'd passed out with flying colours. She took up a part-time job with the banking giant, JP Morgan Chase and has been at it all the while.

From Boston she'd shifted to San Francisco and was doing her job there. In between, she'd gone through quite a few job interviews within the bank which always had a bit of ill luck toward the end.

She never lost heart, persisted with her perseverance and here's the result. 

It was nice to hear her happy voice breaking the exciting news to us! Here's us wishing her the very best in her onward endeavours!

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 partly on the road in front of the house and within the courtyard; recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

Breakfast of appams and egg masala.

Worked on my laptop.

Bath, lunch, watched television for a while followed by siesta.

The sky was overcast throughout the day with rains spread most of the time.

A quiet evening!

Israel seizes Beaufort Castle in Lebanon

Israel has vowed to push deeper into Lebanon after its military took over the medieval castle of Beaufort, calling it a "dramatic shift" in the campaign against Hezbollah. The Iran-backed militant group said it targeted Israeli army positions and infrastructure in Shlomi and Nahariya in northern Israel, while air raid sirens blared in the Acre area.

Meanwhile, the US continues to be in a stalemate on the Iranian front.

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 on the road in front of the house, recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen. 

Work of giving protection to the rubber trees that are being tapped, within the compound of Raj Nivas, was completed today.

A quiet Monday.

A case for virtual autopsy.

"Doctor, is it possible to avoid performing a post-mortem on my child?" It was a heart-wrenching question that a forensic surgeon in Kerala had encountered recently when an eight-year-old, who had drowned in a swimming pool during a family outing, was brought for post-mortem examination. For grieving families, the anguish is often compounded by the thought of a surgical blade  cutting into the body of a loved one, the distress of seeing it stitched up after examination or religious beliefs surrounding death and dignity.

To address such concerns, forensic experts in Kerala have proposed a modern method - "virtual autopsy" (VA) or 'virtopsy'. A detailed project report for establishing a VA centre in the public sector is pending with the state government.

The technique makes it possible to determine the cause of death without cutting open the body. While VA may not be applicable in all cases, it could significantly reduce the need for conventional open-body autopsies.

Core equipment proposed

* 16/32-slice CT scanner for whole-body scans, particularly bone injuries and internal trauma

* 1.5T/3T MRI scanner for detailed soft tissue, brain and cardiac evaluation

* 3D image reconstruction workstations for forensic visualisation and virtual dissection

* Forensic radiology software with medico-legal modules such as Amira, Mimics and OsiriX MD

* Picture archiving and communication system (PACS) with secure cloud back up

My take

A step in the right direction; it would be using technology to our advantage.

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.

It's Lekha's birthday by the English calendar. Wished her first thing in the morning!

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked on the road in front of The Quarterdeck, recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

A quiet Sunday! 

At Thrissur.

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

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked halfway down the road in front of The Quarterdeck as there was shade above from the harsh sun, recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch, a spot of siesta.

Off to Thrissur to attend the Foundation's meeting to discuss the district-level co-ordination of the Vaayana Maasam activities. Badaruddin accompanied me.

A quiet evening thereafter.

A hectic Friday!

Got up at a 10' to 5 to see off Rema and Sathyabhama, who had their reservations in the Guruvayur-Madurai Fast Passenger. 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 and carried out my exercise regimen.

Selvam had come for pressing the clothes and Ramesan and his understudy came for the monthly clean up. Lekha gave them puri-bhaaji for breakfast and the sight of them having food was too good.

Bath and breakfast.

Worked on the laptop.

Lunch; watched Crime Patrol followed by siesta.

The evening chores.

Kuttu, Vani, Naina and Sidharth along with Suma Kunjamma dropped by around 8 and left by a half past 10.

A late evening!

Eid Mubarak ho!

Wished Afroze Ahmed, Aboosala, Badaruddin and their families a happy Eid. 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 on the courtyard, recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

Bath and breakfast of upma, banana.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch.

Siesta but woken up at a half past 3, by Venu's Electronic shop at Chavakkad to say that our induction cooker was ready after guarantee repairs. Called up Sukesan, dashed across and got the item back as I know that Lekha was finding it difficult to manage things in the kitchen without it for the past fortnight.

A quiet evening, thereafter, after Rema and Sathyabhama had returned from the "Mahaabhaagavatham Samarpanam". 

Hit the sack at our usual time.

A fast - happening day!

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. Rema and Sathyabhama went for their 'Mahaabhaagavatham samarpanam" as of the last three days. Sukesan had come and picked them up in his autorickshaw at a quarter to 6. 

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Rema, had returned around 11, after she'd finished her recital for the day. She and Lekha had gone across to the market for urgent purchases and she'd returned after lunch.

Unni, of the Sarathy Autocars, Kottarakkara had connected me to a local Maruthi servicing guy at Choondal. Vineesh had come in by 12 and we proceeded to the place, forthwith.

Got the car washed and Joby drove back the gleaming Victoris by 5, in the evening. Phew, that was an achievement!

Must pick up the RC of the car from Jimmy, tomorrow. Had recharged the FASTag last night.

All actions regarding the car have, thus, been completed.

Tailpiece.

There was a whole lot of tamasha in respect of Pinarayi Vijayan. The Enforcement Directorate had raided 12 places all across the state, connected with him and the CPM had gone on a rampage, damaging two cars of the ED Officials. The DYFI/SFI ruffians, then, took shelter in the party's area committee office.

The party, then, posed a challenge to the police by asking them to prove the identities of the guilty so that they could hand them over later, at the police station.

Here's what I liked of the stance of the DCP. Increasing the forces' strength around the area committee office of the CPM, he insisted having the culprits handed over to the police forthwith which, evetually, the local party leaders did. He'd handed over the identities of 12 ruffians and managed to get 7!

The Kopra reservoir.

Kopra reservoir, Chhattisgarh's first designated Ramsar site in Bilaspur district, has emerged as an inspiring model for embodying the core spirit of the International Day for Biological Diversity 2026 - "Logical Action, Global Impact".

Active public involvement key to transformation

Regular cleanliness drives, massive tree plantation initiatives and the implementation of bio-fencing are being carried out consistently through community mobilisation. This active public involvement has also fostered a deep sense of shared responsibility.

The reservoir has established itself as a critical sanctuary for thousands of migratory birds that traverse international borders. The rich aquatic ecosystem offers an abundant supply of food and a peaceful resting ground for these avian visitors.

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 and Padmakumar.

Sajish gives me my monthly haircut and massage.

A quiet day.

The agony put aside. Phew!

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. In between, saw Rema and Sathyabhama go in Sukesan's auto rickshaw to the temple.

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked on the courtyard; recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

Breakfast of idlis and sambar.

Worked on the laptop.

Snoozed for a while and we were off to Saroja Hospital to meet up with Dr Sreekumar Pillai. Despite the traffic blocks, we could reach there by 2.  The doctor confirms that there's no malignancy and he has given her medicines for a fortnight. If the white plaque remains, it will be removed under anaesthesia. A great worry removed after a long while.

Returned home and checked at Jimmy's studio and Shabir's bakery.

Squared up my study for Padmakumar, coming this evening. He fetched up at a half past 6.

A quiet evening.

Back at The Quarterdeck.

Hit the sack by a half past 1 and was up at a half past 4. Went about my chores and we were ready by 6. Monish was outside the house at about a quarter to 6 and we kicked off by a quarter past 6.

There were rains all through our route and we reached Lekha @ her sister's place by a quarter past 8. It was a lovely breakfast and we'd a taste of Lekha's birthday cake. We left by about a quarter to 9 and I'd decided to drop Aniyan at his house.

We reached Kidangoor by a quarter past 11 and received the happy news that Paru has has become a woman! Gave her a small gift on the occasion. And we left soon after.

Reached The Quarterdeck by a quarter past 4. Sent Lekha to catch her 40 winks while I unpacked.

Rema and Sathyabhama came by around a half past 6. And we talked about a lot of things.

A quiet evening thereafter!  

@ New Delhi (6).

Dateline 23 May

Our tryst with the chief minister.

Met Mr VD Satheesan, the chief minister, at the Kerala House this afternoon. He has assured us that he’d attend the Vaayana Dinam program on 19 Jun at the Tagore Theatre. 

We presented him with Muthachhan’s English biography and draped a shawl around his shoulders.

Returned to Thiruvananthapuram from New Delhi by the Indigo flight at 2030 hrs. Landed up short of midnight!

@ New Delhi (5).

Got up at 5, sent all the messages and was ready by a half past 9. Walked within the room and recited my prayers. Maman and Aniyan went for breakfast and brought me my breakfast.

Off to the Kerala House for briefing Prof PJ Kurien, then to the Kerala Emporium at Connaught Place to buy mementoes for the VVIPs. Returned via Logani’s at Khan Market after placing orders for the 30 new invitation cards.

A quick change to formals and were off to the Vice President’s Enclave by a half past 2. There was no question of lunch! Had picked up the new cards in between.

The Book Release of Sathyan’s “The Library Man of India - The Story of PN Panicker” went off like clockwork. Great speeches made by the Vice President, MoS Suresh Gopi and Prof PJ Kurien. Maman was good in his introduction.

Went to the Kerala House to fix up our appointment with the CM of Kerala tomorrow through PJ Kurien. 

Returned to our guest house. A quiet evening!

@ New Delhi (4).

Got up at 5, sent all the messages, tea and rusks came a trifle late at about a half past 7. Went about my chores, washed my undergarments and finished bath by about a half past 8. 

Walked within the premises and recited my prayers.

Went and had our toasts and omelette from the vendor who has become friendly now.

Got our tasks done and ticked each serial away with glee.

Lunch at a wayside eatery in Sector 5, RK Puram. Achari took us there!

Returned and worked on the speeches of Maman and Suresh Gopi. Fought with Maman over the script.

Went for an evening cuppa. Returned and completed the remaining work. Sent Shabd back home.

A comparatively early dinner; didn’t have any appetite so just had curd.

An early hitting of the sack!

@ New Delhi! (3).

Got up late at a half past 7, went through the chores and was ready by 9. Walked within the premises and had recited my prayers.

Had breakfast of toasts and omelette at the wayside dhabha and washed it down with a piping-hot cup of tea. Returned to catch up on our work on the laptop with Shabd.

Went to Logani Printers at Khan market to get the invitation cards printed. Had lunch of “sambar rice” at the Mysore Cafe which was nice. Returned to base and continued with our work. Emergencies and queries came and went with each and everyone sorted out with appropriate decisions.

Ran an errand to Loganis’ to collect our cards. Rajasree had come by to help us like she did yesterday. Off to the media offices to invite them over for the Book Release function.

Had gone across to Mathrubhoomi, Malayala Manorama, Asianet and the Vishwa Yuva Kendra. Invited them for the function. Returned by a half past 7.

Dinner was at Vandana ji’s house at a half past 9. A quiet evening thereafter.

@ New Delhi (2).

Got up around a quarter past 3, sleep refused to come by subsequently and I recited the first half of my prayers. Maman, citing lack of sleep, came and switched on the light in our room and disturbed our sleep. Recited the second half of my prayers then.

Got up at 7, had tea, went through my chores - washed my undergarments - and was ready by a half past 9. Went for breakfast of masala dosa followed by a piping hot cup of tea! Returned to our pad and went about doing the day’s work.

Went to the Vice Presidential enclave to express our misgivings on their approved Minute-to-minute programme and dais plan. We were sad that Shaddy and Geeta Malhotra haven’t been approved to sit on the dais! 

Lunch of Curd Rice at the Mysore Cafe, returned to our pad to continue with our work of compiling the details of the attendees with the accompaniment of Rajasree, Anil and Sasi. Yakkittiyak all the way.

Went out at about a half past 8 for dinner. Had a rumaali roti and chicken curry!

Returned to our pad and hit the sack at my usual time.

@ New Delhi!

Got up at 12, went through the chores and we (Maman, Aniyan and self) set off for the airport. Our flight took off at a 10’ past 3. Were served a meal around 3 AM. Reached New Delhi by a half past 6, half an hour before ETA!

Kishori drove us to Jor Bath, where we had a wash and change and had breakfast of toasts and omelette, washed it down with a cuppa tea.

Maman and I sent quite a few messages regarding the Book Release function on What’sApp. Lunch of idlis, chutney and sambar fetched by Kishori.

Off to the Vice President’s office to discuss the nuts and bolts of the forthcoming Book Release program.

Returned to have a meeting with our co-ordinaries at the guest house. An outline plan has been drawn out.

At Thiruvananthapuram.

Our day began at 4 AM, we went about our chores and were ready well in time. Monish, our chauffeur, came at a quarter to 5 and I sent him to sleep in the car.  We were ready by a half past 6 and we kicked off at. quarter to 7.

Breakfast was at Korattur by about a half past 8.

Reached Lekha’s sister’s place, by 2, for lunch. Met Iñdu’s parents and dropped her mom at the private bus stand.

Resumed our journey and reached Maman’s place by a half past 5. Ran an errand of going to the Foundation as Maman had to collect a few papers. Aniyan and Chambu accompanied us.

We’ve to leave for the airport at 0100 hrs tomorrow!

Lekha and I complete 35 years together!

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.

Handed over the gift to Lekha while she, too, handed over another.

Washing machinex of the soiled clothes.

We were ready by 9 when Nimyl reached us. After an early breakfast, we were off to the Saroja Multi Speciality Hospital to collect Lekha's tongue's biopsy report. O boy, it was a solid block enroute!

Lekha's report shows that there's nothing to worry but it recommends another 'wedge surgery' to rule out the foggiest of doubts.

Reached Dr Kripal, the gastro enterologist, who'd carried out my review. The next is after three months!

Collected medicines.

Returned home. Shebir brought us the anniversary cake and a few sweets on Lekha's directives.

Lunch (ordered from Pazhayidathu and it was nice!) watched television followed by siesta.

Shut down 'The Quarterdeck' in stages.

A great day when we received messages and calls, wishing us a great day! Damn sweet of them!! 

A breakthrough for Alzheimer's treatment in India.

Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly has launched donanemab in the Indian market under the brand name Lormalzi. The once-a-month 350 mg infusion has been shown to slow the progression of the disease  by dissolving the amyloid beta protein plaques in the brain, proven to be a classical sign of the neurodegenerative disease.

The innovative drug - third to be approved for the disease by the US  Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) and the first one to be launched in India - will be prohibitively expensive. A single dose of the drug might cost Rs.91,688. However, Eli Lilly will soon begin an access programme to ensure that patients can get the drug at lower prices.

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.

Blood drawal for finding out my Blood Sugars - Fasting and Post Prandial, Hb and LFT. Got the results at 12. My readings are under control, phew!

Walked on the courtyard; recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen. The AM dropped by to see our new car.

Lekha's aarathi by the silver coin, today being the 1st of the Malayalam month of Edavam.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch, Lekha had made a lovely fish curry. Saw the last and final episode of "Snehakkoottu" but didn't see the end as I'd gone out to meet Shebir, the bakery owner followed by siesta.

Aniyan also is coming to New Delhi for the book release.

Went to town to buy a gift for us for our 35th wedding anniversary.

A quiet evening thereafter.

Back at The Quarterdeck.

Dateline 14 May

Our day had started at 4 today. Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Sent all the messages, opened up the house in a limited fashion, lit up the puja room lamp and switched on the hymns on the television.

Monish had fetched up late, went to the Thrikkonnamarkotu temple to do puja on the new car. After that the usual halt at the Randalummoodu Nagaraja kshetram, exchanged pleasantries with the priest.

At Pidavoor to pick up Rema and Padmakumar. Hello to Aji.

Breakfast at the Padma Cafe, Adoor.

Lunch at Thrippoonithura and had our dinner packed.

Reached Guruvayur by a trifle past 5. To the car spa for the vehicle's wash before offering her for puja. It was pouring. The priest, Gireesh did the puja well; befriended him!

Reached The Quarterdeck by a quarter past 8. Sent Monish back immediately.

The house was opened up partially.

A power interruption at 2200 hrs. So, we slept at a half past 10 as we were dog tired!

Tackling the Strait of Hormuz crisis.

Prime Minister Modi's advisory on the present Hormuz crisis has taken centre stage with the opposition - RaGa calls it inefficiency - crying "no way".

Currently, this is happening all over the world.

  * Several states in the US have encouraged citizens to work from home.

  * South Korea asked citizens to use washing machines and vacuum cleaners on weekends to reduce 

     demand.

  * Pakistan Super League matches were played without crowds to reduce energy consumption.

  * Sri Lanka declared Wednesdays as a national holiday to conserve fuel.

  * Bangladesh ordered shopping malls to close by 7 PM and banned decorative lighting to save

     electricity.

  * China encouraged citizens to switch to electric vehicles (EVs).

  * Thailand advised citizens to set air conditioners at 27 degrees and avoid wearing coats and ties to

     reduce cooling demand.

  * The UK reduced highway speed limits to 80 kmph to improve fuel efficiency.

  * Germany introduced car-free Sundays to conserve fuel.

  * Spain mandated early closing hours for offices to reduce electricity consumption.

  * France banned short domestic flights where the same journey by train takes less than three hours.

  * Brazil encouraged citizens to use public transport more frequently.

  * Italy mandated a minimum AC temperature setting of 27 degrees in public buildings.

  * The Philippines implemented work-from-home measures and reduced operations in shopping

     malls to save energy.

This is happening all over the world. All countries have increased prices of petrol and issued mandatory harsh measures. India is the only country in the world where no harsh steps have been taken.

My take

Understand the global crisis!

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 television.

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked within the house; recited my prayers.

Bath followed by breakfast of idlis, chutney and sambar.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch, watched "Snehakkoottu" followed by siesta.

Wash and off to the Sarathy Autocars. Got our Maruti Victoris after completing all the formalities.

Off to Maha Ganapati kshetram for carrying out a puja on our car. Monish was with us. Then went across to Christhuraj Hospital to look up Letha who's admitted.

Got back at a 10' to 9.

How neat is NEET?

Yet another question paper leak insofar as NEET is concerned. 135 questions, released by the miscreants have found their way into the question paper that were attempted by about 26 lakh students - all over India - on 03 May. The union government has cancelled the examination and handed over the probe to the CBI.

The student unions of all the political parties have gone on a rampage on the streets of Delhi and elsewhere.

The kingpin has been picked up by the police from somewhere in Nasik. It was the alacrity with which the Rajasthan police went about the probe that established the mischief. Till now, around 14 people have been nabbed by the police!

I have a few questions connected with NEET, which are :-

   * why do question paper leaks take place almost with a regular frequency?

   * why haven't the system steadied up after so many years of its inception?

   * have the previous probes been taken to their logical conclusion?

   * have the culprits been punished?

A lot many questions remain unanswered! NEET definitely isn't neat!!

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 television.

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked within the house: recited my prayers.

A colonial breakfast of toasts, eggs and jam.

Worked on my laptop.

Lekha had taken her elder sister, Letha to the doctor as her right foot wasn't looking good and she needs hospitalisation for three days to administer antibiotics.

Lunch, saw "Snehakkoottu" followed by siesta.

Massive thundershowers in the evening followed by power interruptions!

A quiet evening.

 

PM's advisory...

 ...on prolonged shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz.

  1. Citizens can reduce petrol and diesel usage by using metros, public transport.

  2. Railway transport preferred for goods movement.

  3. Covid-era efficiency measures can be revived like :-

    

      * Work-from-home

      * Online conferences

      * Virtual meetings

  4. Choose domestic tourism and celebrations within India.

  5. Prioritise Made-in-India, locally manufactured products, including daily-use items such as shoes,

      bags and accessories.

  6. Opt for car-pooling when private vehicles are necessary.

  7. Increased use of electric vehicles wherever possible.

  8. Delay non-essential gold purchases for the next one year to reduce pressure on forex outflows.

  9. Citizens must avoid unnecessary foreign travel, overseas vacations and foreign weddings.

10. Families should reduce edible oil consumption.

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 television.

Walked within the house; recited my prayers.

Bath followed by breakfast of puttum pazhavum.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch, watched "Snehakkoottu" followed by siesta.

The evening chores.

My new car's registration number is taking time to come from the Guruvayur SRTO; have put Sajish, Thomas on the job.

Another meandering Sunday....

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 television.

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked within the house; recited my prayers.

Bath followed by breakfast of dosas and an omelette.

Worked on my laptop. Cine star, Vijay takes oath as the chief minister of Tamilnadu. 

Letha comes in Sindhu's autorickshaw with lunch for us. Damn sweet of her and it keeps her boredom away of being by herself!

Lunch, saw them off and had our siesta.

Evening tea and snacks.

Maman had called up earlier and said that I'd to be at Delhi from the 18th - along with him - for the release of our book on Muthachchan by the Vice President on the 22nd! My only wish is that it could be delayed by a week so that I could seek the advice of Dr Sreekumar Pillai regarding treatment of Lekha's tongue!

Another of those quiet evenings!

 

Mini, off to Bangalore!

Got up at 5, sent all the messages, opened up the house in a restricted fashion, lit up the puja room lamp and switched on the hymns on the television.

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Our idea was to avoid wasting Mini's time as they were on their long, return drive to Bangalore. We were all going to Padmakumar's house to have Rema's breakfast. We left soon after 7, met Syamala after her last night's surprise tryst with the hospital! Had breakfast of idiyappams, appams and curry.

Mini and Mithun resumed their journey at 0800 hrs.

Left Padmakumar's place by 1100 hrs. Rema gave us packed lunch.

Washed the set of soiled clothes, recited my prayers.

Lunch, watched television for a while followed by siesta.

Pulled out the dry clothes from the clothing line before the rain.

Power interruption for 2 hours which was restored by 9 PM.

Mini had reached her home by a quarter past 9.  

A comparatively quiet day!

Dateline 08  May

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 television.

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked within the house and recited my prayers.

Letha had come in an autorickshaw and both the sisters went to Kottarakkara for the following :-

    * the 'darshan' of Maha Ganapati

    * buy certain add ons for her ear studs.

    * buy grocery

    * buy our lunch

She had returned by a quarter past 1!

Lunch, watched "Snehakkoottu" followed by siesta.

Pulled in all the clothes that were put up for drying. Between us we'd washed down quite a bit of clothes including a pair of bedsheets!

Thundershowers and power had got interupted at 5 and was restored only at a 5' past 11! A miserable evening spent in darkness. 

    

At Raj Nivas.

The day started at 4 for us this morning. Monish came in about five minutes later and went off to sleep in our Chevy. We were ready by a half past 6, Lekha gave Monish his cup of tea and we kicked off by a quarter to 7. It was drizzling all the way.

We'd breakfast in Swami's Anubhavam at Chalakkudy - idiappams and kadala kari - by a quarter past 8.

Took the Angamali route and were in time for lunch, Letha's place, by a quarter to 2. Dropped Monish at Kottarakkara and drove our Chevy to Raj Nivas, reaching there by a half past 3.

Unnigopan, from Sarathy Autocars came to collect our Chevy and we signed the agreement paper by 5. "Crazy" has been with us since Oct 2010 and I'd run a total of about 1,29,000 km todate! My mom and dad have ridden in it and Lekha and I had developed a fondness for her. She had never let us down throughout the last sixteen years. Once she'd developed a problem, when Lekha was travelling from Guruvayur to Ayur and she came to a grinding halt in front of my sister, Mini's house.

I suppose she'd developed a fondness for us too. Driving through the roads in her was quite relaxing and I never felt the tiredness, even after a long drive, ever. Will miss you Crazy and we shall always remember as to how you'd brightened our lives!

Another worry in the background is the results of the biopsy done on Lekha's tongue. O God, hope that the test results are not sinister! Mini's fatty liver is another constant worry!

We should get our Maruti Victoris latest by next Wednesday.

 

The Great Nicobar Project.

It's a game changer for India's maritime future.

India is on the verge of a maritime transformation!

For far too long, our cargo has relied on foreign stops but the Great Nicobar Trans-shipment Hub is set to change the game.

 * Planned capacity .              16 million TEUs.

 * Strategic location.              just 40 nautical miles from the Malacca Strait.

 * Economic boost.                Retaining $200 - 220 million in port handling charges annually.

This project is more than just about infrastructure. It's about reclaiming our maritime sovereignty and

building a truly self-sufficient India.

My take

Building up of strategic infrastructure is an ongoing activity for the progress of a country which is aspiring to be a superpower in the not too distant future.

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 on the courtyard, recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

Breakfast of dosas, chutney.

Lekha goes to town for the following :-

    * to check with the gas agency about the position of supply

    * to get the monthly dues from the ration stand

    * to get her ornaments put back at the jewellery

    * to Harisree supermarket for groceries

Bath.

Lekha's beautician comes in for her help.

Lunch, watched "Snehakkoottu" followed by siesta.

Shut down The Quarterdeck systematically.

Dropped in on the Air Marshal on his discharge from Rajah's Hospital.  

The day after the results.

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

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked on the courtyard, recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

Breakfast of idlis and sambar.

Worked on my laptop.

The aftermath of the election results :-

* Kerala. Endless rounds of discussions have begun to zero in on the chief minister from among the

   three viz. VD Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala and KC Venugopal. Meanwhile, Pinarayi Vijayan has 

   submitted his resignation but will not meet the Governor!

* Tamilnadu. Vijay is preparing to take over as the chief minister and the Congress has decided to

   support him annoying the DMK because both of them are part of the Indi alliance!

* Pondicherry. The incumbent chief minister is preparing to take oath with his new team.

* Assam. Hemant Biswa Sarma is preparing to take oath with his new team.

* West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee refuses to resign saying that she has won a moral victory - wonder

   what that is? She has refused to go to the Governor. Meanwhile, the BJP is preparing its team

   to take over.

Lunch, watched "Snehakkoottu" followed by siesta.

The evening chores.

A quiet evening.

Tailpiece.

The atmosphere has definitely cooled after last midnight's rain! 

What a day?

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 on the courtyard, recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

Bath and breakfast of toasts, egg, chhole bhature.

Worked on my laptop.

An early lunch.

Off to the Saroja Multi-Speciality Hospital at Thrissur for Lekha's tongue's biopsy by Dr Sreekumar Pillai. By the time we left the hospital, it was a half past 5.

Wayside refreshments before reaching home.

A quiet evening thereafter!

Tailpiece.

The UDF has swept Kerala with 102 seats, with the BJP capturing Nemom (Rajeev Chandrasekhar), Chathannoor (Gopakumar) and Kazhakkoottam (Gopakumar).

BJP has won Assam, West Bengal and the NDA, Pondicherry. 

Kept me riveted on to the television during my spare time.

How to read anyone?

 * Status                          revealed by their shoes

 * Discipline                    revealed by their nails

 * Background                revealed by how they sit

 * Intentions                    revealed by their eyes

 * Personality                  revealed by how they laugh

 * Confidence                  revealed by how they walk

 * Loyalty                        revealed by where they look

 * Intelligence                 revealed by how they listen

 * Maturity                      revealed by how they argue

 * Respect                        revealed by how they treat people  who can't help them

 

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 on the courtyard, recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

Bath followed by breakfast of "chhole bhature".

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch, watched a longish episode of Crime Patrol followed by siesta.

The evening chores.

A quiet Saturday.

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 our courtyard, recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

Bath followed breakfast of puttum gram curriyum.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch, watched an episode of Crime Patrol followed by siesta.

The evening chores.

Back to back meetings on Zoom :-

    * With the ex-Kazak girls at a half past 6

    * With our batchmates at 9.

A late evening!

Fast track nod for China FDI in seven sectors.

The Modi government has identified seven critical sectors/manufacturing activities for faster approval investments from China.

The seven sectors are :-

     * Capital Goods Manufacturing

     * Electronic Capital Goods

     * Electronic Components

     * Polysilicon and Ingot wafer (solar manufacturing inputs)

     * Advanced Battery Components

     * Rare Earth Permanent Magnets

     * Rare Earth Processing

My take

A step in the right direction!

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.

Recited my prayers.

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

We were ready by a half past 7 and kicked off soon after. Rakesh was our sa'arthi.

The doctor reviewed the MRI scan and has called us on Monday, the 4th for further action.

A quiet day.

Lunch, watched "Snehakkoottu" followed by siesta.

The evening chores. 

Girls outperform boys...

.....in state board exams.

Girls continued to maintain a dominant lead in Class 10 and Class 12 examinations of the Chhattisgarh Board, the results of which were announced on Tuesday. The data revealed a major upward trend in academic performance compared to previous years. In the higher secondary exam, the state recorded an overall pass percentage of 83.04%. Out of the 2,44,453 students who appeared, 2,02,549 passed. 

Girls recorded a pass rate of 86.04%, while boys' performance stood at 78.86%. For the high school exams, girls again outperformed, with an 81.03% pass rate compared to 72.27% for boys. 

The overall pass percentage was 77.15%.

Tailpiece.

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

Bath followed by breakfast of sewaiyan upma.

Worked on the April mail and pumpede it out around 1200 hrs.

A boisterous lunch with everyone.

Off to the State Co-operative bank's office for our district co-ordinators' meeting. Adv Chandramohan had inaugurated the meeting.

Our next meeting will be in mid-May and a co-ordinating committee of 51 members will be formed by then. 

To Kochi on work.

Dateline 29 Apr

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 on the courtyard, recited my prayers and carried out my exercise regimen.

Breakfast of sewaiyan upma.

Worked on my laptop.

After an early lunch, took off for Kochi to take part in the book appreciation at the Chaavara Cultural Centre. Reached there by 3 and rendezvoused Maman and team. Met Father Anil Philip.

The district level co-ordinating committee meeting, followed by discussions on IAS Escalator, authored by K Mohandas, IAS the elder son-in-law of R Balakrishna Pillai. A nice evening where I interacted with retired IAS bigwigs like Paul Antony, Tom Jose, PC Syriac, Dr Dhanalakshmi and Sri Raja Sreekumar Varma.

Dinner at our old haunt, the Ceylon Bake House and reached Lekha and The Quarterdeck by 11.

Settled them down to their beds within no time.