Off to Thiruvananthapuram.

The day had begun on a quiet note and the essential Sunday morning chores were gone through like passing the bed linen, followed by our clothes, through two cycles of the washing machine. Packing for the two day sojourn didn't take much time. I was a bit apprehensive about getting an auto rickshaw around noon because I'd gone through the jitters last time!

This time, without taking a chance, I'd rung up Anto and thankfully, he was available. He, however, fetched up a trifle late giving me a few anxious moments! Two counters were live at the railway station because of the rush of passengers to buy the tickets but the guy at the window that I'd made a beeline for had taken off, perhaps for the rest room. The wait was making me, as well as the people who'd joined behind me, uneasy when our hero returned chewing a paan and was back to business as though nothing had happened! The ticket for Rs.10/- catered for my short trip to Thrissur from where I'd get my connecting train.

I'd got into the coach immediately behind the engine which was full of passengers, so much so, that I
travelled standing till Thrissur. More surprises were in store for me in that the train from Lokamanya Tilak station was late only by an hour and 35'. After the train had chugged in, I found an old lady sitting on my seat and the TTE gave me another.

The train kept adding on minutes to the delay it had already clocked which disheartened me coupled with the factors cited below(these might be my perceptions, though the railways may have plausible answers):-

   (a) it had the least priority as it waited at stations for the other trains to pass and all of them,
        without exception, seemed to be in a tearing hurry.
   (b) no vendor visited the coaches, again, because of the dwindling numbers of the passengers.
   (c) the a/c in the coach was pretty harsh and it took a couple of reminders to the conductor to
         bring it to acceptable levels.

The only saving grace was Omanakuttan, with the vehicle at Kochuveli, and we made the long stretch home with him giving me a rundown of what was happening and about the programme on 01 Mar, on account of Muthachan's 107th birth anniversary celebrations.


Tailpiee.

It was nice being with Maman and his family but the journey was one that I wanted to forget but couldn't!

Man's quest to remain young forever.

Researchers of the Newcastle University in UK have identified that the activity of a key metabolic enzyme found in the 'batteries' of human skin cells decline with advancing age. The 'mitochondrial complex II' significantly decreases in older skin.

The findings may lead to a greater knowledge about how the other organs in the body age, which could, in turn, pave the way for drug developments in a number of age related diseases including, cancer.

To quote the scientific bulletin, "As our bodies age, we see that the batteries in our cells run down and the phenomenon is known as decreased bio-energy, resulting in the increase of harmful free radicals. We now have a specific bio-marker - a target - for developing and screening anti-ageing treatments and cosmetic creams that may counter the decline in bio-energy."

The wonder drug to arrest ageing cannot be far away!

My take.

Is it worth living forever? Can man really change the laws of nature? Or is it that the very same laws are meant to be changed as mankind acquires knowledge about the secrets of life?

I'd asked this question earlier on this forum. Does one like to live when all those, with whom one started life, have passed into the mist of time and the younger generations start getting bored of seeing one a bit too long?  


Tailpiece.

But death cannot be avoided or be asked to slow down. Aged in countenance or youthful in looks at the time of death is inconsequential!

People are basically nice....

I go by my firm belief that everyone is basically nice, it's the circumstances that get the beasts out of individuals. So, the best way to get a work done is to appeal to that niceness!

This morning, I'd gotten ready, earlier than usual as I'd to run an errand - the follow up to yesterday's faux pas at the newspaper vendor at the railway station. I'd also clubbed the collection of the clothes from the dry cleaners which was due today. Since the auto rickshaw driver anticipated the closing of the railway level cross due to an imminent train, I'd asked him to head for the cleaners first only to be told by the lady, at the counter, that the clothes would fetch up by afternoon and that she'd inform me on arrival!

And then, it was the turn at the newspaper vendor's. It was the lady who was tending the vend and I narrated the story to her. My need was only to get the magazine and I'd suggested that she could keep the newspapers' cost as a punishment for my error(?). She'd immediately called up her husband who confirmed the story and told her to handover the magazine along with the day's newspapers! However much I insisted upon her to keep the newspapers, she was insistent that I took them and that was that! Vidyadharan and Valsala, you've been kind. Thanks!

          *                                       *                                       *

Since the Rashtrapatiji was having a 'darshan' at Guruvayur at 1600h, the traffic had been regulated since morning and consequently, the busy highway passing close by, was deserted most of the day. The 'Krishnanaattom' has become very popular and he and his group were entertained by the troupe soon after their visit to the sanctum sanctorum.

          *                                       *                                        *

Maman had called up to say that the public meeting scheduled for the 28th, at Thiruvananthapuram, had been cancelled and therefore, I could delay my trip by a day if I wanted and I happily chose that option! Poor Paulson had to juggle my train reservations accordingly.

          *                                       *                                        *

Manikandan, my Customer Service Adviser, rang up to tell me that the total bill for the repairs on my Chevy was Rs.56,818/- and that it had been sent to my insurance company for clearance and release. Sadly, I realised as to what a colossally bad driver I was to have brought in such serious damages to my car. The only saving grace was that no damage was inflicted upon the passengers! I vowed to myself that I'd be a patient driver from now on.

           *                                      *                                        *

Jayakrishnan, my point man at New Delhi, had reported that he'd gone to the concerned desk at the MoD armed with my letter, to sort out an issue regarding a 'No Demand Certificate', from the accommodation cell, to clear a pending audit of my personal accounts. The concerned officer had initially said that it was a misinterpretation at the 'Navpay' in Bombay that had caused the two year delay. He has, finally, agreed to send a letter to the Navpay on Monday. Phew! Thanks, Jayakrishnan, for the running around that you did for my sake.


Tailpiece.

Bernie had rung up this evening to tell me as to how his boorish neighbour was going out of his way to placate him, who seems to be intrigued and unsettled by Bernie's silence/social boycott! First was a series of forwards on his e-mail address followed by a telephone call asking for the 'TataSky' man's number and Bernie was sure, "He didn't need the number, he was just trying to reestablish communications."

    

A long and interesting day.

The day had begun at 5 and after going through my chores, Anto's auto rickshaw fetched me up at the railway station, in time, for the quarter to 7 local but not before Lekha'd packed my breakfast, which I had at the Thrissur railway station's waiting room during my hour long wait for the onward train.

Meanwhile, I'd fallen a victim to my absentmindedness. I'd bought the day's newspapers and an India Today but while paying the vendor, had kept them at the counter and forgot about them as I clambered onto the train. That the train continued to be at the platform for more than 5' and I'd taken a seat just opposite the vendor's stall didn't ring the requisite bell in my mind. But soon after the train had started moving, everything came in a flashback leaving a helpless me, as nothing could be done for retrieving the reading material!

I'd, meanwhile, altered my plans on the advice of my Director, whereby, I'd got down at Chengannur where Binoy and Vishnu, with the Qawalis, were waiting. It was a half an hour's journey to the venue of the meeting and I made my first tryst with history for the day. The 'Desasevini Library', perched on the highway at Kulakada was set up by my grandfather in 1948 and as I was being taken into the hall, I saw him smiling from a photograph of his, displayed prominently! Ravindran Pillai sir, the President of the Library, held me in a tight embrace on hearing about my ancestry as he was closely associated with my grandfather in the 'Library Movement'. He gave me an anecdote...

"Since the library was on the highway, Panicker sir used to visit whenever he passed by and on one such visit, seeing the muck of smoked cigarette and beedi butts, he'd grabbed a broom and started cleaning up the area when I and another took over the cleanship! "

The meeting with about 60 odd women trainees was winding up because I was late and I'd begun my short interaction, apologising for the same. There was no looking back and I'd the audience interacting freely with me, thereafter. The next unit was about 12 km further south, where the septuagenarian, Babykutty sir, the prime mover of the organisation, broke down recalling his association with Panicker sir and made a moving statement that he felt my grandfather's presence through me! I held him because I'd no words in return! He's asked me for a truss work on the building, to prevent leaks in the building's roof and a well, within the premises, for potable water. His needs have been put in my scribble pad for early disposal.

And, then, we're off to Kollam - but not before a fleeting visit and interaction with our people at another of our units at Neduvathur - for the two meetings to chalk out our activities for the next financial year and to streamline business rules. A quick bite of lunch and the deliberations at the Sopanam Auditorium took us till about a half past 5, after which we'd gone to the beach to beat the oppressive heat and while away time till my train chugged in from Thiruvananthapuram at 1835 hrs.


Tailpiece.

1. Hectic, but I enjoyed every minute!
2. While at the beach, I met Mr. Shukoor, my director's friend and to my surprise, who also happened to be a colleague of my dad's youngest brother, Narendran kochachan, at the Indian Rare Earths.

Hey I, too, use Johnson's Baby Powder!

A Missouri state jury has ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $72 million, as damages,  to the family of a woman whose death from ovarian cancer was linked to her use of the company's talc based Baby Powder and Shower to Showe for several decades.

Jacqueline Fox, who lived in Birmingham, Alabama died in Oct '15 after being diagnosed with the dreaded illness three years ago. She was 62.

The company seems to have been in the know, since the '80s about the risk and yet resorted to "lying to the public, lying to the regulatory agencies".

I, too, have been using Johnson's Baby Powder since my childhood. My thinking was that since it was meant for children, the makers would ensure strict quality control. But....


Tailpiece.

Calls for a change of brand? O, come on, not at this stage? Come what may!

Learning from mistakes doesn't seem to be in our DNA.

My observations of the current happenings tell me that many of us do not learn from our mistakes. Without much ado, here I go:-

 (a) The LDF Boycott of the Chief Minister.

       The LDF is at it again. They're hell bent on boycotting the chief minister for his 'corrupt' ways.
       Today's violent incidents - involving the LDF workers and the police, leaving many injured - at
       Irinjalakuda and Kodungalloor of Thrissur district couldn't deter the CM from taking part in the
       programmes.

       Over the coming days, the push and shove are only going to get worse and the mob could do
       worse if not checked. Wonder why the leadership doesn't take a note of the happenings
       and persuade the cadre to execute their dissatisfaction peacefully? Otherwise, the upper hand
       they seem to have, by virtue of a recently conducted poll, to form the next government, will be
       frittered away giving way to a sympathy wave for the UDF!

       Violence and negative actions can never win friends that translate into votes!

  (b) The Ongoing Drama at the JNU.

        Consider the activities that are currently under way:-
              (i) The Delhi High Court has asked the five students, who've been absconding for over a                           week, to surrender to the police to facilitate speedy investigation.
             (ii) The five have refused to appear before the university probe panel saying that they've
                   no faith in the varsity. Since when have the accused - that too for anti-national
                   posturing - started getting such options?
            (iii) The issue is being taken up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha where the ruling members
                   are in a minority.
            (iv) Rahul Gandhi and gang want a legislation that will safeguard the 'right to dissent in
                   campuses'.

         The truth is the casualty by the hurling of half truths and innuendos. But what's being achieved
         is that yet another Parliament session seems to be headed for a logjam.

         Come on, Rahul Gandhi and the so called youth brigade, you need to set an example to the
         rest that your brand of politics is different from that of your predecessors in that you strive
         for the nation's good, always and every time.

         The people of India would like to know what your USP is other than your genetic inheritance!

   (c) The Jats are backing off?

         Realising that their efforts to get themselves notified as OBCs are not gonna bear fruit
         simply because of its flaw, the Jats have decided to call off their agitation. They've said that
         they'd resume it at a later date after taking all aspects into account.

         And now, how about making good the damages caused even though you can't bring back
         the dead to life?


Tailpiece.

With everyone taking up cudgels against the establishment, I'm beginning to wonder as to whether there's a concerted effort to run the country down in the eyes of the outside world.
           

The JNU fracas - a layman's point of view!

I've been watching and following the JNU fracas for a while. I'd even followed the 'anti national' vs 'stifling of dissent' debate - lest I miss out on the nuances. I wanted to know whether there was any fundamental difference between the 'jhola' carrying college goer of today from that of the '70s - my generation!

Idealism is the watchword in every college campus. For the average college goer, a lost cause becomes a passion because the college days become the crucible, where everyone tries to carve a niche for himself/herself. The process undergoes repeated changes as an individual sheds many images and is constantly on the lookout for the 'right' one and it attains closure when he/she finally takes up a professional career. I'd seen my friends at the University College campus in Thiruvananthapuram who'd taken up anti establishment stands - only because it had a mass appeal and there was enhanced mystique when they fell foul of the police and retrieved themselves - change their opinions to merge with the professions they were in......the biggest turn around being when some of them, due to a twist of fate, adorned the uniform themselves! And not to forget, the political parties were ever eager to patronise them to achieve their ends!! 

In other words, the college going youth was looked at by their elders from that point of view....a combination of studies and 'acceptable' mischief!

Coming to the JNU fracas, I'd like to believe that the students seem to have been taken for a ride by a caucus who loathe India. Otherwise after raising anti-India slogans and when confronted by the police, why did they chose to give them the slip and go absconding? They're, now, seeking a safe haven within the campus. What made them shout slogans honouring the hanged, Afzal Guru, the architect of the Parliament attack? What was honourable in Yakub Memon, who was involved in the Bombay blasts?

There's absolutely no doubt that the guilty students who'd dabbled with the misplaced caucus should face the law and undergo appropriate punishment. For starters, Umar Khalid and the four others must hand themselves over to the police for interrogation to get at the truth. There's no escaping that! And the college authorities must ensure to allot the hostel for genuine, bonafide students of the institution please.


Tailpiece.

The visit of the political leaders into the university campus - without understanding the ground situation - was blasphemous and mischievous. They do not even have the gumption to apologise to the nation after realising the goof up they've made! Sad!!

PS.
I feel I, too, have a stake in the prestige and the good name of the Jawaharlal Nehru University because I'm a science graduate, affiliated to that institution, after having done my training at the National Defence Academy during 1973 - '75!