A turn around!

Today's thoughts cover a hotch-potch of many events that seem to be taking place together but they're interesting milestones, all the same. Let me coast on, without much ado.

 (a) China is relaxing its one child policy.

 Couples will be allowed to have two children if one of the parents is an only child. The one child norm was
 strictly enforced - often brutally, when authorities relied on permits, fines and in a few cases,  forced
 sterilisations and late-term abortions! Well, things seem to have been looked at practically by the communist
 party's plenum taking a serious note of the acute gender imbalance prevalent in the country. Statistics for the
 year 2012, says that almost 118 boys were born for every 100 girls with the practice of female infanticide
 and the abandoning of baby girls have become rampant.

 A point worth considering in our country too?

 (b) Justice VR Krishna Iyer's birthday.

 Justice VR Krishna Iyer celebrated his 99th birthday in style. People, from all walks of life, have been
 visiting him to convey their love, affection and regards to one of the best legal minds of this country. On
 behalf of the PN Panicker Foundation, I wish him continued good health and strength to guide us with his
 wisdom and deep insight about the society's requirements.

 (c) Sachin Tendulkar's last Test.

 I must confess that I felt quite sad that Sachin got out at 74 and could not make a century in his last test.
 Well, what does one say about him? The media has been full of Sachin memorabilia and I wouldn't like to
 add on anything so as to cause unwanted fatigue. But Indian cricket is gonna miss him and the impeccable
 manner in which he carried himself all through!

 Success never went into his head.

 (d) Carlsen, one up.

 Carlsen has notched a win in the fifth game, playing with white pieces. As he, himself had said that the first
 to win a game need not necessarily win the match in the post-match press conference, the game is still open
 and can be anybody's.

 What's heartening is that the enthusiasm for chess has picked up among the Indians. Hope that it's gonna be
 an enduring trend!


 Tailpiece.

The central government's latest diktat on the implementation of the Kasturirangan committee report on the
protection of eco-sensitive areas of the western ghats, has unleashed violence and unrest in the hilly tracts of the districts of northern Kerala. Political parties must ensure that peace prevails and rumour mongering avoided at all costs because it's too easy to incite the people, who'd be affected by the implementation.   

A salute to the silent workers.

The sudden rains accompanied with strong winds, sometime during the dark hours had uprooted a huge rain tree on the main avenue, leading towards our residential area. The fallen tree would have definitely caused a traffic block for the whole or most part of the day but for the prompt action taken by the concerned authorities. I was witness to a team of 11 personnel of the Fire Service Force methodically having the huge trunk cut into numerous pieces and neatly stacking them up by the roadside for subsequent disposal. They're being guided in their task by the police team, on duty, from the nearby post.

They'd sacrificed their sleep so that the public could use the thoroughfare by the crack of dawn! Hats off to those gentlemen whose silent efforts go unnoticed and I wouldn't be wrong when I say that many of us take their efforts for granted. I'd tried to make conversation with their team leader and thanked the team for their efficient work and his answer was unassuming and typical of these simple souls and I quote, "Sir, we're just doing our duty". But I knew that he was mightily pleased that appreciation from the public was forthcoming and I'd continued with my early morning walk.

Thanks for your efforts and salutes to your professionalism!


Tailpiece.

1. We'd set off by a quarter to 8 to Haripad to attend my uncle's grandson's wedding. Shruti, a teacher and Sreejith, an IT professional at Bangalore got wedded at a colourful ceremony at an auditorium beside the NH 47 itself. It was nice meeting a few of our relations from my dad's family after what seemed to be quite a while. Mom was the center of attraction, being the eldest matriarch in attendance and wasn't she quite excited? Incidentally, today's a holiday in view of Muharram.

2. It also happens to be the 124th birth anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru which was celebrated with pomp and gaiety in all the schools, yesterday.

The overwhelming desire to help.

Salma, the daughter of Lily and Lekha's understudy, has to undergo a surgery urgently. It's gonna cost a lot of money and they need financial assistance.

I'd convened an extraordinary meeting of the core committee of the residential area's decision making body and had presented the case to help out the family. And there was a groundswell of support and I sensed an overwhelming desire to help on the part of the members which was heartening.

The drive has begun in right earnest and we're gonna make it in time for the surgery, scheduled for the coming Monday.

Salma, you're gonna get well. We'll monitor your early recovery.


Tailpiece.

There's goodness in everybody. Yes, I strongly believe in Douglas McGregor's 'Theory Y' on motivation!

Killers on mobikes!

There has been a spate of accidents, involving two-wheelers, on the roads of Kochi. Six year old Christina Jose, hit by a speeding bike on Monday, is the latest to lose precious life for no fault of her's but to the reckless error of a speed crazy monster. And to understand the magnitude of the crisis, I'm gonna reel out statistics even at the cost of being considered ruthless!

According to police records, 95% of two-wheeler accidents have been caused by 100cc, 150cc and 200cc bikes and the ones, courtesy the superbikes - >500cc - were less, perhaps showing that their ownership is restricted to a clutch of super-rich brats, flaunting their wealth and exhibiting a false sense of bravado! But the menace of the mobikes is here to stay.

Being a frequent driver myself, the one thing that amazes me is that most of us behind the wheel seem to be short on two things - patience and compassion. I was fortunate to be taught the rudiments of driving by the offensive moustached, yet gentle-as-a-lamb, Sasi - our family's trusted 'saarthi' for years. It was he who'd ingrained into my system that one must drive in such a manner so as to never give any sort of discomfort to the other motorists.

Driving, today, has become a night mare. Let me try to list out the 'nays', generally, indulged in by the mobikers:-

            (a) driving at prohibitive speeds.
            (b) weaving through traffic through gaps that aren't there but forced to provide by the four-wheeler
                  driver who wants to avoid any form of disfigurement to his/her own vehicle.
            (c) using high capacity horns - usually meant for heavy vehicles - continuously and menacingly.
            (d) flouting rules and overtake from either sides, giving lane-driving the go by. Overtaking from
                 the inner side of a turn is the most bizarre of them all!
            (e) using cellphones or listening to music on headphones with a gay abandon. How do they get
                 to hear the other vehicles, I wonder?
            (f) breaking into conversation while driving abreast of each other, giving the other motorists the
                scantest regard.
            (g) indulging in offensive driving to scare the wits of those who might try to give sane advice and
                 a tip or two to safe driving.
            (h) risking their own lives by not wearing helmets.

With such sort of fellow travellers, how can one ever think of safe driving?

Stern measures are the need of the hour. To begin with, how about 'on-the-spot-cancellation-of driving licences' for dangerous drivers?


Tailpiece.

1. My prayers for young Christina and may her folks have the strength to tide over their grief.
2. Wonder what Sasi would have to say if he'd been witness to the chaos on the roads today?
3. Driving should invoke comfort and pleasure while attaining the intended destination. It should generate a 'feel good' emotion failing which, it's gonna affect the health of the driver!      

All in a day!

It's the start of another week and the city of Kochi has been preparing for a few events for long. Thankfully, there has been no disruptions of traffic in the course of today's event even though the newspapers had warned the public of traffic regulations!

 (a) Prince Charles is in town.

 Prince Charles and his wife have commenced their four day visit to Kerala this morning. They're being
 given a glimpse of the best of God's own country and seem to be overawed by the art and cultural milieu
 presented by the local artistes. And on the 14th, the Prince would be celebrating his birthday at the lake
 resort of Kumarakom.

 Royalty continues to generate great interest among us commoners!

 (b) India vs West Indies.

 Kochi will host the first one day international between India and the West Indies on 21 Nov. To honour
 Sachin Tendulkar, the VIP pavilion is gonna be named after him and the ceremony is gonna take place a
 day prior to the match.

 The Malayalees are quite ecstatic about the affair!

 (c) Kasparov at Madras.

 Gary Kasparov is at Chennai to witness the Anand - Carlsen fight for the world championship. His
 utterances, thus far, seem to be showing a bias towards the Norwegian. It's fine but is it also a planned
 strategy to put psychological pressure on Anand to commit crucial errors or to provide finer tips to
 the young contender? Notwithstanding the foregoing, may the best man win!

 I must recall that, years back, I'd felt low when Fischer had beaten Spassky. The latter was quiet and
 dignified compared to his abrasive opponent!


Tailpiece.

Seeing the untold suffering and devastation caused by the typhoon 'Haiyan' on Philippines, through the numerous television grabs, one feels sad. Nature's fury has been quite harsh. My humble prayers for the thousands who'd lost their lives and it's my fond hope that the rehabilitation process is gonna be swift and all encompassing!   

Another hectic Sunday.

Lekha was up early in the morning to pay her visit to the Kottarakkara 'Ganapati kshetram'. Over the years, I've observed with a sort of curiosity in the manner with which she dictates terms with her favourite god and gets away with them! And as I've said earlier I'm not always inclined to visit temples because everyone has his or her beliefs on the subject and I've learnt to accept that in toto.

We'd commenced our journey back to Kochi a trifle after 10 and the drive was smooth, uneventful. And we're back at home in time to have the afternoon siesta.

Leaving the trivia aside, let me indulge in a bit of serious talk. And since I'd started this piece with temple going and people's belief in a power capable of granting favours in return for the good deeds or hand out instant retribution for wrongs done, let me embark on my voyage to know a bit more about myself. To get into the 'good books' of the god, man can go to any extent and the one action that has always made me smile is when people pay penance before the elephant headed god, holding both their ears and bowing in quick succession with the fond thought that their mistakes would definitely be pardoned! Had they proffered their apologies to their victims directly, much of the anguish and the fear of retribution from celestial powers could have been avoided!!

But hold it, they also take it as an occasion to wipe their slates clean off all the backlog of bad 'karma' and would't take much time to get on with the next fresh round of misdemeanour!!

No, I ain't suggesting that I'm beyond all this. I've my share of the wrongs along with the rights, with the meek acknowledgement that the tendency is more towards the former because.....er, I'm still in the process of growing up.


Tailpiece.

I've trekked up the shrine of Sabarimala for my tete-e-tete with Lord Ayyappa for eighteen years. The strict regimen of 45 days' abstinence from the good(?) things of life - during the Nov, Dec months - was followed in right earnest and I enjoyed every bit of it with the satisfaction that I could do so without missing any of it!

And I must let you into this trivia - when I'd gone on my first trek up as I wound through the long, serpentine queue and reached the sanctum sanctorum, the sight that I was privy to was the priest's backside obliterating the view of the good lord. And before the priest moved away, I was whisked away from the spot by the policemen on duty saying that my time with Lord Ayyappa was long nigh over! Later on it was courtesy my uncle's ingenuity that I did indeed get a full 'darshan'.

Was it the god's way of telling me that he wasn't pleased with my preparations to visit him, I wonder? I've asked this question to many knowledgeable people but all that I've got as answer has been an uneasy smile! They do not want to hurt my feelings by telling the truth, perhaps!!

  

Two differing commitments.

A day when two differing social commitments had to be met.

Am driving and shall fill in with the details after I reach the destination.....

And finally, the story.....

The first event was a wedding engagement ceremony and the guy who was involved was Sakthi, Lekha's nephew who's taken up a job in Bahrain. His engagement with Gopika was a simple ceremony involving a close clutch of friends and relatives. And the morning drive from our place was indeed a long one through narrow, dusty roads towards Kallada. It was nice meeting up with Lekha's folks after what seemed to be a long time. The conversations were lively and catching up with folks was not only interesting but a requisite after the long hiatus! The elders look healthy and majestic and though age has taken its toll, their spirits continue to be alive and kicking.

The effortless return drive and a short snooze were enough for us to take on the next commitment - offer our condolences to the family of the 94 year old Saraswathi Amma, who'd passed away about 10 days back. An aristocratic lady who had a pleasant countenance and exchanged happiness with the others despite her physical discomfort. She used to tell me that she liked her interactions with me! I said my small prayer for her at the newly made mount of mud where her physical remains were consigned to the flames last week and a gentle breeze blew past, at that very instant, making me feel her presence.

RIP Vidya's Achamma. I shall always remember your smiling face and the wonderful things that you've told me and above all, miss your inquisitiveness about the way the things were going for me. My humble prayers.


Tailpiece.

Since the stretch of road was bad, we'd taken an autorickshaw to go to Vidya's house. Thank god we did so, my Chevy would have been badly mauled had I insisted on driving it.