The events of the day.

It's a quiet Sunday and the day progressed at a snail's pace. The normal household chores were gone through as part of the day's work and more over, they're exercises for the body as I give myself a rest on Sundays insofar as the morning walk's concerned.

 1. Mohanachandran is at Mannuthy.

     My classmate and his wife, Manju were at the Agricultural and Veterinary College at Mannuthy
     in connection with the 60th year celebrations along with their college alumni. They'd
     initially planned to spend a day, after that, with us which they changed at the last moment as
     something had cropped up and consequently, they had driven back to Thiruvananthapuram with
     a promise that they'd be dropping by next month.

 2. At the chemist's.

     My customary evening walk was towards town as I'd to replenish mom's and Lekha's medicines
     for the coming month. The chemist that I frequent is open all days, including Sundays. Moreover,
     it gives me the opportunity to visit the Guruvayur temple on the return leg. It did take some time
     but with the medicines in hand I was headed home when the proprietor of the shop intersected me
     as I was negotiating the last 700 mts to my house. Profusely apologetic, he said that he'd erred on
     the addition of figures in the bill and had charged less and would I allow him to rectify the mistake
     on the road side itself as he'd to get back to the shop without anyone knowing as to what had
     happened. I'd obliged him without a second thought because I didn't want to be the cause for his
     financial agony!

 3. The interesting aspect of the Municipality's water connection.

     As I'd said earlier, 'The Quarterdeck' is now buttoned up to the municipality's water distribution
     system. But there's a strange twist to it! The water distribution, currently, is erratic and therefore,
     the supply is restricted to a few days of the week. It's gonna take another six months for the
     augmentation of the existing facilities, from the southern grid, for the consumers of Guruvayur
     to be benefited with round-the-clock water supply. In view of the foregoing, a new customer
     is supposed to certify that he/she will not complain about the non availability of water once the
     system is buttoned up! They're only responsible for the laying of the system. Period! Kerala
     Water Authority ki jai ho!!

     Then, why did I go for the connection you might ask. The reasons are:-

         (a) Once the system starts distributing water, continuously, on a regular basis six months
               from now, getting a new connection would entail a long waiting period!
         (b) The connected documents become yet another 'proof of one's residence' and
         (c) I'd not engaged any middlemen/touts.


Tailpiece.

The next task is to convert the Haryana registration of my Chevy to that of Kerala's. I'm
already in possession of the NOC from the RTO of Gurgaon and have registered my request through the local 'Akshaya' kendra. Hope it isn't gonna take too much of time but in one's life, out here, there never is a dull moment! 

Adieu ONV sir.

Ottaplakkal Neelakandan Velu Kurup sir, popularly known among Malayalees all over the world as ONV, passed into the mist of time this evening around 1635 hrs. Renowned poet and lyricist, he breathed his last due to age related illness. He was 84.

I remember my last meeting with him quite a few years back, at his residence when my Maman and I had gone to invite him for a function related to the 'Vaayana Dinam'. I remember him wanting to have a good look at PN Panicker's grandson, then and had held my hand for a while. I shall never forget an anecdote of his that he'd passed on about my grandfather during that meeting and I quote.....

"I used to be invited by Panicker sir for all the meetings concerning the Grandhasala Sangham and initially, I used to love attending them because I got a chance to speak to a large gathering of people and could share my poetic creations. Gradually, I got a bit tired of it all and would find excuses to skip Panicker sir's invitations to similar programmes. After a while, Panicker sir had called me aside and asked me that if youngsters like me kept away from such interactions how could he spread the slogan of 'Vaayichu valaruka, Chinthichu vivekom neduka' to the people. He didn't scold me or give me sermons - which he could have - but instead made me understand the purport of my presence. That put me in my right senses and from then on, I never ever missed any of his invites. People like PN Panicker are born once in a lifetime and I feel that I'd the fortune to be associated with him."

RIP, ONV sir. My tears and prayers for a great poet and a wonderful human being. Here's wishing that God gives the strength to his near and dear ones to pass through these stressful times.

       *                                         *                                           *

2. Dangerous!

What's happening in the JNU campus at New Delhi? The descending into the campus of the likes of Rahul Gandhi, Seetaram Yechuri, D Raja and others point to dangerous portends. Politicising student agitations can have ramifications because all the political parties know fully well that it has the potential to snowball into catastrophic dimensions that will defy logic and rationale.

The actual ground realities say something and had they studied them, they wouldn't have rushed in to end up looking like a bunch of misguided kids! And so, here I go into the sequence of events of the last week at the JNU campus:-

   - A group of students held an event, "The Country without a Post Office", at the campus on
     09 Feb attended by most of JNU's political outfits, to support the democratic right to self
     determination of the people of Kashmir and to protest the judicial killing(?) of Afzal Guru. 
   - It soon turned out to be a scuffle between the ABVP and the Left organisations. Here are
     the samples of slogans shouted:-
         - Bharat ke tukde honge hazaar.
         - Bharat ki barbadi tak jung zaari rahegi.
   - The varsity says that it was mislead by the organisers who'd asked for permission for a 
      "cultural programme". The ABVP had pressed for cancellation and termed it as anti-
      national.
   - JNU Students' Union president, Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested on 12 Feb in connection 
     with a case of sedition and criminal conspiracy.The police also wants to identify the other
     accused, through his interrogation.
   - The Left inclined SFI have distanced themselves from the protests against the arrests!

There has been a widespread debate to term the incident 'Anti national' vs. 'Stifling of dissent'.

I, now, leave the final deductions to all of you.


Tailpiece.

The same crowd of opposition leaders had rushed in to offer their 'support'(?) to Rohit Vemula's family on the latter's death at the University of Hyderabad, a couple of weeks ago. They don't seem to have been chastened by the closure of that agitation once the truth was out in the open.

Why doesn't somebody matured enough in the Congress put some sense into their VP's head?  

Thiruvananthapuram and back.

I'd missed out on the alarm timed for 0145 hrs and when my sister had woken me up, it was a half past 2. Anto was supposed to come by a quarter to 3 to drop us at the railway station. I zipped through the morning chores that reminded me about my Academy days! Anyways, we could board the train well in time but the railways had again done something that they resort to quite often these days - substitute an a/c three tier coach for a chair car, the refrain being that there's an enormous shortage of coaches! And for some unknown reason, the vestibule connection wasn't available!!

The result was that none of the vendors cared to drop by and we got down at Pettah, before the Thiruvananthapuram Central station, at 9, to make a quick dash to Indira kunjamma's house nearby, because we hadn't even had the morning cuppa! After a hurried breakfast, we'd set off for the venue of the wedding.

It's a great occasion to be with most of our close relations especially, those from Paravoor and as usual, I'd gone around meeting each and everyone lest that none was missed out as such occasions come rare and far between. We made a quick get away after wishing Nisha and Dipu a long, happy and prosperous married life. Nisha's parents were thankful because we'd travelled the farthest to attend their daughter's special day. Indira kunjamma had us dropped at Thampanoor from where I saw Rema off, on the bus to Kottarakkara before I clambered onto my train, which left at 1430 hrs.

Coming via Kottayam, the train was unduly delayed because of extensive work in connection with the doubling of the track and I reached Thrissur only by a half past 8 where Mini and Geetha, along with our sa'arthi, George were on the platform, waiting for their train to Bangalore which fetched up eventually, late by an hour and a half. I could, thus, see them off too before heading for Guruvayur.


Tailpiece.

1. Earlier, George had taken Lekha, Mini and Geetha to the 'Thirumaandhaamkunnu temple' about 60 km north from here, around 0800 hrs, so that Mini could wind up the third and final pooja, in connection with Ammu's marital prospects! They'd returned a trifle after lunch!!

2. Today, for the first time, I'd refused to part with my window side seat for a lady. Actually, between the lady, her infant child and her husband, they had two aisle seats. I'd plugged my laptop into the socket on the bulkhead and was in no mood to relent, as I was sorting out the backlog of mail. Nevertheless, it was boorish on my part! Wonder why I was so?

3. The municipality water supply system was being buttoned up and Binesh, the contractor, had called up to say that our neighbour's son wasn't permitting him to burrow the pipes into the shallow trenches dug on the ground that would pass in front of his parents' - they were away - house. An alternate route had to be identified, subsequently.

4. For all the running around that Maman and I'd done on the 8th, the CM has allocated a seed money of Rs.10 lakhs for the PN Panicker National School for Social Development in the state's budget, presented by him, in the Assembly today.

Adieu Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad!

To be buried under layers of ice and snow for many days, then to come out of it battling for survival shows the sheer grit and determination of this valiant soldier. Unfortunately, the harsh environment had taken its toll before he was wheeled into the Army Research and Referral Hospital at New Delhi for medical management. He passed into the mist of time this morning, around 1145 hrs, plunging his family and the entire nation to grief. I don't think that there's anyone in this country, after hearing about his serious condition despite the miraculous escape, who wouldn't have prayed for him to come out of the trauma, hale and hearty.

But God seemed to have other plans and took him away from us. RIP, Hanumanthappa and your nine other colleagues who fell to the harsh climactic conditions of the Siachen Glacier. My salute to your fighting spirit along with my tears and prayers. May the almighty give strength to your family to tide over these stressful times!

It's people like you who enable us to sleep peacefully every night!!

     *                                  *                                        *

Both my sisters are here.

Rema had fetched up a trifle after tea time, from Palakkad. The two of us are off to Thiruvananthapuram by the 0315 train to attend a wedding in the family after which she goes off to Pidavoor to her mother-in-law and I, return to Guruvayur. Meanwhile, Mini and Geetha had another round of visits to the temples close by.

Mom was thrilled to see the three of us together after what seemed to be a long time.


Tailpiece.

Binesh and his team have begun the work to bring the municipality water into 'The Quarterdeck'. The system will be buttoned up by the weekend.

And finally, the 'Baana yudham'!

I'd gotten up at my usual time and set off for my customary walk but with a difference....I'd armed myself with my cellphone! Mini, my sister, had reached Thrissur from Bangalore along with her friend at 6, by the morning train and I was tracking her movements since I couldn't receive them, because my Chevy was at the service station.

Eventually, they were with us for the morning cuppa. They'd gone to the temple, later in the morning, for the 'darshan' of the good Lord while I'd gone to the town for doing my personal jobs. It was also Vichani kunjamma's birthday and all of us had a chat with her while wishing her many happy returns. Mom was really thrilled talking to her kid sister and I heard her beckoning her to Guruvayur.!

Mini, her friend, Geetha and Lekha had planned to go to the temple by a half past 8 - after an early supper - for witnessing the last pooja, 'the Seeveli' and the krishnanaattom, 'Baanayudham', thereafter, which was scheduled at 2230h. Finding an auto rickshaw was the most difficult part of the exercise! Usually, no auto rickshaws are sighted after 2000h in the stand near our place - so, if there was an urgency, one needed to have their contact numbers. While I was waiting for one, a guy had come to say that he'd a prior booking and continued on his way and it was after about 15' of wait, that I was able to get hold of one.

The three ladies, then, made a quick exit. I and mom stayed back because it would have been difficult for mom to attend the krishnanaattom - though, she was keen - for the following reasons:-

      - to maintain a sustained interest in anything for a prolonged period is difficult for her, these days.
      - she has to be in bed, latest by 2215h.
      - her requirement to go to the rest room periodically and
      - the seating arrangement or lack of it makes it difficult for her!

For Mini and Geetha, it was after many months of planning that the event had materialised!


Tailpiece.

* Am impressed by the way the two 'mothers' were going about doing things so that their daughters got the best in their lives!

* Caught up with my reading!   

Back at 'The Quarterdeck'.

The day had begun on a leisurely note compared to the previous couple of days. But we're at the Foundation, by 9, for the day's activities. The important activity was to short list candidates for the first course on 'green jobs' at the ''PN Panicker School for Social Development'', which will come into existence on 01 Mar, the 107th birth anniversary of the legend.

There were thirty candidates - both young men and women with the parents, accompanying a few of them - in the first batch and there will be a total of three such batches from among whom the final class of 30 will be short listed. The session started off with a seminar in which the concept of green jobs was explained, amplifying the various disciplines under the course and three points were emphasised:-

     - the concept of green jobs, though prevalent in developed nations, is new in our country.
     - consequently, government jobs are less but is being widely popularised by companies and
       private institutions in a big way(The Vizhinjam International Seaport is gonna be a green port,
       giving emphasis to the use of solar energy for power generation, innovative means of waste
       management, production of potable water through Reverse Osmosis plants etc).
     - the 6 month(Spread over 240 hrs and scheduled during weekends) course will be imparted by
       guest lecturers who're specialists in the field and the course certificate that would be awarded
       on completion, will be a requisite for attainment of jobs in the field.
     - we do not assure job attainment but it will help individuals attain confidence in taking up                     projects on their own and
     - anyone who felt that it sounded Utopian and wishy washy could leave without having to go
       through the interview.

Out of the thirty, seven had walked away without waiting for further deliberations after hearing us out at the seminar. The interview began soon after and it lasted for a trifle over two hours.

Meanwhile, Sasi, the director of my organisation had arrived. After deliberating over certain issues, decisions were given and the pay cheques, signed. Our efficient accountant, Lekha, was at hand with all the necessary information. We'll now be meeting at a function at Kollam on the 25th, followed by my acquaintance visit to all the units under our organisation, spread over two days which will entail days of travel and the requirement of staying away from home!

Valsala gave me lunch, ordered from the nearby canteen of the Gandhi Smaarak Bhavan, after which it was a dash to the railway station and Omanakuttan did it in his inimitable manner through the busy traffic. Thanks, Lekha, Sasi, Valsala and Omanakuttan for looking after me. You've been kind and I'm indebted to you.


Tailpiece.

The Superfast to Nizamuddin did falter at the Alappuzha, Chertalla and Ernakulam stations for trains that took time to cross over. Just prior to getting down at Thrissur, I'd wished my fellow travellers a happy journey and to a group of four 'a safe umrah' and posted myself at the waiting point near the exit. Soon after I'd alighted, one of my fellow travellers, Shawn, a 30 yr old young man working in a hospital at New Delhi, came frantically to me reporting the loss of his mobile phone that he'd kept for charging at the plug point near my seat. Without hesitation, I showed him mine and offered my bag for his search, to remove even an iota of doubt, which he refused. Then I'd asked the guy who accompanied him to ring on his number so that if at all the phone was on my person - I could be a rogue, you know! - it could be retrieved!! I could see him go through the agony of having lost his prized possession and as far as he's concerned, I'm sure, that the rest of the  journey was gonna be a nightmare.

Hope he could get his cellphone on return to the coach. If not, one of us is definitely a thief and the culprit!?............ I shudder to think of that young man's predicament!!  

A wide range of activities.

I'd got up fairly early in the morning as Maman had packed in a lot of activities. We're off from home by a half past 7 because our meeting with the chief minister had to take place before 0830h, when he'd leave for the Assembly to attend the day's session. The Qawalis refused to start and we'd to push it for a while to start it in gear and I'd started perspiring with my day's clothes on - a situation that I detested. Breakfast had to be shunned to keep the appointment.

Despite the initial hiccups, we reached 'Cliff House', the residence of the chief minister in time. Padmakumar, a member of our staff at the Foundation and a person well versed with the goings on at such occasions told us to edge into the inner chamber after getting clearance from the security guys. We could, thus, meet the CM and hand over the papers about the 'PN Panicker Institute for Social Workers and Development', for which, the students for the first two batches of courses were being interviewed tomorrow. We're the last ones who could meet him and what was heartening to see was the old man's pleasant demeanour despite his hectic schedule. There was a sizeable crowd who had to be satisfied in meeting his private secretary and hand over their requests to him! We sure had short cut the system and no cheers for that!

The Qawalis was pushed, yet again, and brought back to life by a couple of off duty policemen, who're part of the CM's security detail, damn sweet of them! Our next stop was at the Foundation to collect a few more relevant papers and we met the Deputy Speaker and the Education Minister in that order. Breakfast was wolfed in between the two visits, phew! It almost turned out to be a ritual that had to be completed! Meanwhile, my new 'saarthi', Binoy had fetched up from Paravoor.

Around 12, I and Binoy had set off for Paravoor for my interaction at the organisation that I'd taken charge recently. After about two hours and a quick lunch, I could set about my work without of course, the Director who was away at Kollam, on an errand. Listening to the feedback and after taking stock of the activities, I'd gone to meet my uncle and be with him for a while. He and the male nurse tending him are the occupants of the huge house which was once filled with people and laughter, My uncle looks nice and is in good spirits. After taking his consent it was decided that Binoy would park the vehicle in his premises because of three reasons viz.:-

     - the security of the vehicle was assured and it could be washed down everyday
     - the office premises were just within a circle of 5 kms and
     - the boy's house was pretty close too!

Binoy had dropped me at the railway station and gone back to park at my uncle's place and secure from there. My train was about an hour and twenty minutes late and therefore, I'd plenty of time to sit at the platform and contemplate........

      - remembered my childhood days when I and my cousins used to spend our vacations at Paravoor
      - the eagerness with which the late Leela kunjamma used to host us
      - the abundance of the mangoes and other fruits to indulge upon.

Sadly, I'd forgotten to pray at Leela kunjamma's cremation site while leaving, wonder why? Perhaps, my long wait at the station was the consequence!

Had reached Thiruvananthapuram before 8 and Omanakuttan was there at the exit as pre-arranged. We'd, then, gone to meet Mukundettan - a BJP leader and a good friend - and the discussions went on till about 10 with him insisting that I must involve myself in spiritual activities connected to the Guruvayur temple. He was quite thrilled to know that we stayed there and has promised to visit us when he came in next!


Tailpiece.

It's hectic, but was happy that I could finish the backlog of work