Mom returns.

After almost seventy days, mom's back with us. We'd dropped her at my sister's place at Palakkad because of Lekha's impending hospitalisation and surgery on the tenth of last month. Though it was a necessary arrangement, for her it was nightmarish to spend the forenoons all by herself when my sister and brother-in-law were off for work.

"I used to watch the television for a while, read books and magazines and take naps", my mother answered in reply to the question as to how she spent her time when she was all by herself at home. I'd offered to drop her at the Bangalore residence of my second kid sister, but for some reasons she'd turned it down. She detests long journeys - though I try to have frequent stops enroute - and "Bangalore gives me the impression that I'm too far away from you."

They'd arrived by about a quarter to 4, in the evening and after an hour or so my sister, brother-in-law and Achu were on their return trip. And mom began to get used to the changed circumstances - consequent to Lekha's confinement, post surgery - in right earnest.  For us, it was back to the earlier times with long flowing conversations laced with mom's humorous interludes. She has updated herself on the list of people - both, relatives and friends - who'd dropped by during her absence and will systematically, call each one of them from tomorrow to tell them as to how "she'd missed seeing them and would love to see them as early as possible."

Already, three of our friends living in the vicinity have promised to drop by tomorrow itself and our immediate neighbour was the first to call on, soon after her arrival. By their reactions, it was obvious that they too were missing her company all these days. Even more than us, I wonder?


Tailpiece.

The reality was that I'd wanted my mom to spend another ten days at my sister's so that I could concentrate on her requirements once Lekha's hospital visits had tapered. But mom was ready to tide over those 'rough patches' and was insistent that she returned. Her lonely mornings were too much to bear, perhaps!

Can't help but laugh at the ignoramuses.

Yoga is fast becoming topical and a subject heatedly debated around for all the wrong reasons. Shallow people view the indulgence in yoga as the blind following of what's being seen as the Hindu religion's contribution to society - the 'sooryanamaskaram', an important 'asana', is the one that seems to irk the non-Hindus. But is it justified?

The ignorance about 'sooryanamaskaram' is perplexing. The basis of this 'asana' is all about the effects of sunlight on the human body. Scientifically, it's been proven beyond doubt that the morning sun and the evening sun emit a fair amount of infra red rays, which in the correct doses, are essential for the overall well being of the body. It's for the same reason that a person undergoing ayurvedic treatment for an ailment is massaged with herbal oils and exposed to the sun as part of the therapy.

It's also an accepted fact that the energy in the human body is at high levels in the morning and tapers towards the evening hours. The story of the legendary 'Karna' of the Mahabharatha is also a case in point though the sceptics might say that he possessed the qualities because he's his son and it's after all a myth.

I'm tickled by the latest demand for 'modifications' to make yoga acceptable to all, which are:-

      (a) Sooryanamaskaram should not be made mandatory and
      (b) The rendering of the related 'slokas' should also not be made compulsory!

I can only liken it to an insistence of abolishing the shooting of goals into the opponent's goalpost in a game of football........er, to make the game more egalitarian!


Tailpiece.

One can't help but view the paradox. The world over, many people irrespective of nationality, have embraced yoga as an essential tool to leading a healthy life. And in India, the cradle of yoga, we fight over trivia. Even God must have put his hands up - in utter despair - this time!
      

Adieu Christopher Lee.

The famed British actor, Christopher Lee, passed into the mist of time succumbing to respiratory complications. He was 93.

Long time back, while at school, the biggest bet among us was to read the book, 'Dracula' through the night and to be able to walk through a dimly lit road, on the periphery of the school subsequent to it. It was considered a sign of raw courage and your contemporaries and friends looked at you with deference on successful completion. I was among the handful who were able to manage the feat but the mortal fear that I'd endured during the entire sequence still rankle my mind after so many years.

It was then a burning desire, within me, to see the movie. And like many foreign films that I've viewed, I was spellbound to see not only Dracula, but his castle and the way he slithered down the rope like a lizard - in the wee hours of darkness for his nocturnal activities - in almost the same manner as I'd conceived after reading the novel. The way he zeroed in on his prey - mostly, a bevy of young, troubled women - and sunk his ominously prominent canines into their jugulars, making them his slaves for life, perpetuated horror of the worst form.

Kudos to Christopher Lee for immortalising(?) the character and giving it a personality that only he possessed!

I saw him later as the villainous Scaramanga in the James Bond flick, 'The man with the Golden Gun'
and found him to have become urbanised in it! He had also appeared in the blockbusters, 'Star Wars', 'Lord of the Rings' and quite a few others.

It's said that despite being a master of the horror genre, he detested horror so much so that he even did not like the word. To quote him, "It implies something nauseating, revolting, disgusting which one sees too often these days. I prefer the word fantasy".

The hallmark of a true and fabulous actor!

RIP, Christopher Lee. My humble homage to a great actor. Generations to come will remember you for your contributions to cinema.


Tailpiece.

Christopher Lee and Dracula, the Prince of darkness have become inseparable. It shows the extent to which he'd got into the skin of the character!

     

Our distorted outlook towards security!

The high drama that took place at the Karipur airport of Kozhikode last evening is yet another classic case of our distorted outlook towards security.

The Incident.

Around 2130h, a scuffle had broken out between Fireman Aji Kumar and Sub Inspector Sitaram Choudhary of the Central Industrial Security Force, at the entry gate near the Air Traffic Control tower, over the issue of frisking. Soon, more personnel belonging to both the groups joined the fracas and in the resultant scuffle, the loaded pistol of SI Sitaram Choudhary let go one round that saw the unfortunate death of Head Constable SS Yadav of the CISF, when he had taken the bullet on his head.

The subsequent rampage and the consequent scare prevalent within the airport premises resulted in the flying operations being suspended for many hours.

My take.

This is yet another classic case of our distorted views on security. I'd like to remind all of us the words of a dreaded terrorist - on being interrogated - about how the terrorists view security and I quote, "How long can your security forces remain vigilant? 24 hrs, 48 hrs or even 72? But somewhere in between, slackness will set in and the guard is temporarily down and it's that moment that we capitalise to send home the killer shot to do the needful!"

Security has to be 24x7, with zero tolerance in slackness. Period! And it has to be applied on all people equally, without fear or favour, irrespective of their 'positions on the pecking order' or their proximity to power!! In the process, one might have to go through 'checks' many a time in a day but that's a necessity whether one likes it or not. The security forces, on the other hand, must be constantly educated about the need for carrying out meaningful searches while being humane during the process. I've heard an oft repeated refrain and I quote, "Oh, those security guys are dumbos, they do not even know as to what they're doing. They simply go by their seniors' orders".

We, the people, therefore, have to undergo their searches, pat downs where necessary and continuous surveillance through their electronic eyes without any grudge. It's part of the game!

Instead, we get sentimental about Shah Rukh Khan being searched at a US airport.......... Remember every group in an airport is important for its smooth functioning, no group is more important or better or superior to the other and all the support groups have to pull together to make the airport taut and a pleasurable experience to be in it, for the milieu of passengers that pass through, every moment.

This unfortunate incident has happened because of a play of egos, misplaced feeling of importance, in other words, an ugly turf war between the support groups of the airport and has to cease forthwith. There needs to be a fundamental change in attitude!

RIP, Head Constable Sharad Singh Yadav. With tears and prayers. Here's wishing that your near and dear ones are able to brave through their tremendous loss and these distressful times.


Tailpiece.

Carrying out security duties is the most difficult and a thankless job. Let's learn to respect them and help them in carrying out their duties by co-operating with them wholeheartedly.  

Only in Kerala can development be stalled for narrow political considerations!

Vizhinjam, a sleepy fishing harbour, about 25 kms south of the famed Kovalam beach is all set to become a busy hub of shipping activity within a decade. Work on the much talked about Vizhinjam International Seaport is to begin on 01 Nov, this year by the Adani group thanks to the Oommen Chandy government giving the go ahead today.

The two fundamental factors that make Vizhinjam an ideal contender to become an international seaport are:-
       
      (a) It's smack on the international maritime highway and
      (b) It has a depth of about 24 meters all the year round!

The seaport project was conceived 25 years ago but had gone through a tortuous path of decision making because of personal egos, narrow political considerations, the usual Malayalee reticence to change, ably aided by certain external factors too. A quick recount of those factors show as to how development is stalled and the rightful ownership to its benefits are denied to a people by false propaganda and vicious campaigns and here, I go:-

      (a) Lack of political will.
      (b) Bureaucratic red tape.
      (c) International lobbies had used 'paper NGOs' to stall the project because its advent would
            have seriously dented the business of Colombo, Dubai and Singapore ports.
      (d) Tamilnadu was keen to have the port of Kolachel, about 50 kms further south on the coast,
            to be developed for the purpose - that the concerned ministry was with a minister of the DMK
            party in the UPA government only aggravated the issue!
      (e) 70% of the international transshipment of Indian cargo business is currently handled by the
            port of Colombo - the Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal at  Kochi             notwithstanding, but that's another sad story again - and Vizhinjam can pose a serious threat
            if it offers competitive rates!
      (f) The bid submitted by the Chinese Harbour Engineering Company, in 2006, was shot down
           due to security considerations which then went on to develop the Hambantota port in Sri
           Lanka that had commenced operations in 2010, becoming yet another contender in the stakes.
      (g) The LDF government had, then, short listed the Adani group to undertake the project but it
            was shot down by the UPA government at the center citing the group's closeness to Narendra
            Modi which was further augmented by the factor mentioned at serial (d) above.
      (h) The vexed issue of land acquisition for the project had dragged on for the past so many years
            with almost all the forces, against the project, playing merry hell. Thankfully, 90% of the
            acquisition has been completed by now.

Therefore, when the UDF government of Oommen Chandy tom toms the fruition of the dream project as its major achievement, the LDF is peeved about it and has been talking of a massive scam of Rs.6,000 crores out of the Rs.7,525 crore project!

How should the common man react to such an allegation?


Tailpiece.

I leave you with a pertinent question, "The port, had it been commissioned in the normal course after conception would have made a huge difference not only to the debt-ridden state economy but also rejuvenated the country's revenue". Shouldn't the forces who'd thwarted the project till now answer for letting down the people? 

To stop train, pull chain.

The chain, with a handle and painted red, was a fixture that we'd got used to seeing in all the trains during the years of train travel that were undertaken in the course of our lives. It would have served the purpose of bringing the train to a halt in case of dire emergencies in the days of old. Lately, it's been misused to stop the train at unscheduled stations or more commonly, at the outer of a busy station to make a quick getaway to either cover a ticket less travel or to head for a destination without having to cut through the town's messy roads, causing undue delays for the passengers who're continuing with their journey!

All these would now become a thing of the past with the Indian Railways building new coaches sans the chain. In these days of sophisticated communications - cellphones, satellite phones et all - informing the driver, to stop the train if required, is easily possible. Technological advancements must be incorporated to keep important services meaningful, state of the art and user friendly.

Let me try to recount at least ten changes that I've seen in train travel since my childhood days and I shall try to put them down chronologically, to the extent feasible and so, here, I go:-

     * The substitution of the steam locomotives with diesel and electric traction.
     * The much reduced incidents of connecting up carriages, broken from one train to be hitched on
        to another due to the increased number of trains and better connectivity.
     * The vestibule connectivity because of which one can disembark from and reembark on to the
        train as per convenience.
     * No requirement to eat at/from the railway eateries as the vendors give you packed meals at your
        seats.
     * The loss of feel (One could ship in plenty of dust and soot in the process) of the nature and its             breathtaking sights while travelling in air conditioned carriages.
     * One hardly comes across even the names of the stations enroute because of the advent of
        super fast trains which have minimum stoppages.
     * No requirement to collect drinking water from railway stations as bottled water has come to
        stay.
     * The use of computers and recharging of cellphones in carriages have become more common.
     * Computerisation has helped people to buy their tickets online, reducing/eliminating the time
        required at standing queues at the stations!
     * Improved communications have brought about a 'virtual reduction' of distances, thereby
        reducing the need to 'see off' people departing by train. Perhaps, a platform ticket @ Rs.10/-
        is an added dampener.
     * Personal luggage accompanying the passengers have been reduced to a couple of pieces or
        at the most, three to four because of efficient road freight and permissible during one's transfer!


Tailpiece.

It's against this backdrop that I'd like to recall my first journey to the NDA on 10 Jan '73:-

    - The journey from Thiruvananthapuram to Ernakulam was by meter gauge. The entire family,
       including my grandparents, had come to see me off at the station and it was an occasion for many
       moist eyes!
    - From Ernakulam Junction, there was a carriage earmarked as the 'NDA Special' which was
      hitched on to the Kerala Express, bound for Madras.
    - At Arkonam, our carriage with five others were broken for a six hour halt, before being hitched
      on to the Madras-Dadar Express.
    - Poona - as Pune was known then - was reached at 0830h on the third day since I'd commenced
      my journey!

         
           

Righting an old wrong?

The day had begun on a fast note as Lekha had to visit her doctor for another review. That the whole process of registration, dressing up of the wound and the briefing about how to do it at home, meeting up with the doctor to understand his observations and clearing our doubts to the buying of medicines and bandage material took just over an hour, showed that we'd mastered the system much to our relief! There were cases right in front of us where doctors hadn't fetched up despite the patients' long wait.

We're, therefore, back home much before lunch time.

In the evening, there were two of my classmates from school who'd dropped by along with their wives. While I've been frequently meeting one as he works here, at Guruvayur, it was the other whom I was meeting for the first time after passing out of school in May '72. A simpleton to the core, he used to be at the receiving end of everybody's jokes and pranks. Disarmingly simple in his outlook, he believed everyone blindly to a fault. The following narration of an incident will highlight the fact.

He was a good footballer and he fancied himself to be the school's goal keeper. A rumour, therefore, was floated that he'd been officially bracketed to keep the goal for the school's team and he was told that he needed to practice hard so that there was no proverbial miss between the cup and the lip. To hone his skills, the practice was to be carried out with a fruit('Punnakka' is its Malayalam name) since its much diminished size would make him sure of his 'goal keeping' skills! There was a small crowd that had egged him on in this endeavour and I, too, was a villain of the piece in being part of that crowd. An hour or so of this wicked game on our part, he had realised his folly and I can still see an uncontrollably sobbing Mohandas sad at the thought of his hopes of becoming the school's keeper crumbling and dashed for ever. And the beauty about the whole thing was that he wasn't angry with any of us for befooling him!

That, in essence, is Mohandas Kollodi and I must confess that we weren't great friends at school as each of us moved around in our own circle of friends. We're bonding after so many years and by doing so, that wrong on my part was being righted, so I presumed.

But he'd the last word which again highlighted his sterling personality, "Oh, Rajeev, just forget it. That was the work of a schoolboy's pranks and no, I have no ill will towards you, in fact, I'm glad that this evening was possible. Now that we've met, we'll keep meeting up again".


Tailpiece.

He'd retired on 31 May after a blemishless and meritorious service in the insurance sector. Mohandas, it's people like you who're worthy to have as friends and who make life worth living! Take care and never lose your simplicity!! My Maman, who was passing by and boarding the late night train was also able to meet him.