When the elders of the family descended without notice.

The day had begun on a quiet note. Lekha and her assistant had gone to town to get a few things done and a cheque that I'd filled to be handed over to the manager of the hotel, in which rooms have been booked for Ammu's engagement ceremony, turned out to be wrongly done....the date was written as 09 Dec 2012! Why and how I made that mistake was out of my comprehension. A quick dash to replace the cheque and in the process, told Vrinda, my cousin who'd called me then, that I'd call her later.

Later on, around lunchtime when I'd called her up did I realise that they're already at Guruvayur and felt a pang of regret that I should have taken that call and invited them to my house. They'd arrived by a half past 2 at night and had taken rooms in a hotel, close to the temple. Unni kochachhan(83), Santha kunjamma(81) and Sarala kunjamma(79) along with Sarala kunjamma's children - Vrinda and Veena. They're a group of eight and had come to pay their obeisance to Guruvayurappan. As Vrinda put it, it was the ongoing part of a religious journey to pass through the bad phase of her life.

They'd gone - minus Unni kochachhan - to look up Radhan chettan, who's recuperating at his home. He is on a slow road to recovery with the dressing on his foot being changed, every three days! They'd fetched up at our place, after that, by teatime. On a personal level, I'm invariably taken back to my childhood days whenever I see the two sisters - Santha kunjamma used to carry me around when I was in diapers, often to my mom's displeasure who felt that her child had to be left to himself and enjoyed from far. She relived those days, went around 'The Quarterdeck' as she was visiting us for the first time, reminisced her ill fated marriage to Pandey chettan - who'd his roots in Maharashtra - that was short lived (Precisely for ten months) leaving her with a son, Unni. She's extremely beautiful and Pandey chettan was quite possessive about her and abhorred her interaction with any guy and at Muthachan's place there was no dearth of guests. In fact, she currently stays with Unni, his wife and a daughter in the house adjacent to their ancestral house, 'Puthuvayil Veedu' - which is a national monument in the making, being the house in which the legendary, PN Panicker was born and had spent his childhood!

Sarala kunjamma, had joined us later and spent time at the Raj Nivas at Kottarakkara to help mom, during her days as the Kura Post Mistress. We children were bathed and given food while mom carried out her professional commitments. She had left for Neelamperoor short of her marriage to Unni kochachhan who was a film representative. He used to visit us quite often, at Raj Nivas, as to quote him, "It was always like coming to my home!"  

I'd gone to drop them at the hotel and to meet up with Unni kochachhan. He looked healthy, has put on weight, is hard of hearing with occasional bouts of dementia but what really touched me was the manner in which he'd got up to sit bolt upright on the bed that he was lying down, on seeing me.

It's the love of these elders that makes life really worth living.


Tailpiece.

They'll be leaving by the afternoon train tomorrow, for Puthupally, after seeing Guruvayurappan on the 'Ekadasi' day.

Putting things in place.

The countdown for my niece, Ammu's engagement ceremony scheduled on 29 Jan '17, is on. Rema had fetched up from Palakkad by 10 AM for the purpose. She and Lekha were to go to each of the proposed sites, look into various details to match them with our requirements before zeroing in on the most acceptable and to pay up the advances, accordingly. They've done a neat job and we've selected our choices. The following factors were taken into consideration:-

     (a) The hall and the rooms, where the guests stay, have to be in the vicinity so that minimum
           distances were to be traversed.
     (b) The decoration of the hall has to be tasteful not loud or garish.
     (c)  Food was to be traditional and reasonable in rates.
     (d) The dining area had sufficient water points for wash and rest rooms, good looking and clean.
     (e)  The trickle of guests were expected from PM 28 and they'd depart by PM 29. The hotel had
            to cater for the evening tea with a light snack, supper and the morning tea/coffee.
     (f)  Minimum number of steps to traverse and a few ground floor rooms had to be earmarked for
           the elders from both sides.
     (g) The overall budget would be controlled as we did not have money to splurge or waste on
           ostentatious celebrations.
     (h) The elegance and the simplicity of the event were to be on focus.
     (j)  Every guest will get personal attention from us, the hosts, as the numbers would be under 100.

Rema returned to Palakkad by 1420 hrs after setting up things. I'd seen her off from the nearest bus stop.

     *                                *                                 *

Today was the beginning of the Kerala Government's 'Haritha Keralam' initiative. Towards this drive, a group of bright, young girls from the nearby Little Flower College had come by to enlighten us about managing our waste with specific reference to plastic left overs. I was glad that the team was well briefed by their college from the way they spoke. I was struck by two things:-

      * Most of the college going girls looked quite small as against their age and many of them
         would have been mistaken for school going kids. Is it the trend of the times? Or has it got
         anything to do with the junk food that kids have and thereby, missing on the essential
         nutrients for a fair growth?
      * There was a sizeable crowd of kids in the group. Was it to give them enough courage to
         tackle the people that they'd come across? The trend of burning plastic is resorted to by most.

Since Lekha was out, I'd done the interaction with the team. They thanked me in unison for being co-operative and attentive to their explanation.


Tailpiece.

Thrust in agriculture seems to be the aim of the 'Haritha Keralam' exercise. Let's hope that the programme doesn't lose steam, midway, as many government schemes have shown before.

Today's an interesting day.

Ole (Olaus) Roemer, a Danish astronomer, had calculated the speed of light this day (07 Dec 1676), 340 years ago! He did so by observing the eclipses of Jupiter's moon, Io, during the years 1668 to 1674.

     * By timing the eclipses of the Jupiter moon, Roemer estimated that light would take 22 minutes
        to travel a distance equal to the diameter of the Earth's orbit around the sun.

     * The speed of light in a vacuum is 1,86,282 miles/second (2,99,792 kms/sec).

     * In theory, nothing can travel faster than light.

     * If one could travel at the speed of light, one can go around the earth 7.5 times in one second.

Roemer's measurement is based on the following assumptions:-

     * Io orbits around around Jupiter and the time it takes is 42.5 hrs.
     * If an observer stays at a constant distance from Jupiter, he will see that it comes out of the
        eclipse at the same interval of 42.5 hrs.
     * The Earth revolves around the Sun once a year.
     * Because the distance between Earth and Jupiter is changing, Io eclipse interval will change.

     *                           *                           *

Back at 'The Quarterdeck'.

Our day had commenced at 5 AM. Since Saly had gone for her yoga classes, it was Lekha who'd made the morning cuppa for the three of us. We were on our return journey by a 20' to 7. The road was comparatively free, with sparse traffic and passing through Kadavanthra, Vyttila and Idapalli junctions hardly took any time. Breakfast was at the Saravana Bhavan, short of the Paliyekkara toll plaza. Viswambharan, the security guy at the hotel was anguished and surprised when I'd told him about mom.

We're at Guruvayur, half an hour later and we'd made two stops - one at the chemist's to buy a medicine for Lekha and the other at the ICICI Bank to drop my credit card cheque in the drop box. Immediately on reaching home, I'd gone to the nearby internet cafe to scan my voter's ID card and send it to my office at Kollam as I'd promised, Vishnu, yesterday.


Tailpiece.

Why do Hindus cremate their dead?

Hindus believe that burning the body to destroy it, helps the departed soul to get over any residual attachment it may have developed for the deceased person! Burial, among the Hindus, are only for holy men, saints and children < three years, the belief being that the former two would have attained a level of detachment!!

Something that I'd come across recently.

Lekha's review.

And finally, it was the day of the reckoning and Lekha's review by her doctor after two months. There was a slight change in our programme, in that, Vishnu from my office at Kollam had come by the Venad express to collect my personal particulars and signatures on two forms, which when submitted to the bank at Chathannoor will get our bank accounts transferred from Thiruvananthapuram. After handing over two passport size photographs, a copy of my PAN card and a copy of my identity card to Vishnu, we'd dropped him at Kadavanthra on our way to Shenoy's Care.

Lekha's appointment was at 12 but by the time we'd met the doctor and were off to our next serial, it was a quarter to 3. I've never understood the sequence in which the patients were presented to the doctor but I've reasons to believe that a haphazardness/vagueness exists whereby the minions, in between, have a way of pushing their favourites towards the front of the queue!

I'd three queries to ask of the doctor based on Lekha's recent blood and urine analyses:-
      (a) Why has her white blood corpuscles' count reduced from 8,300 two months back to 5,600
            this time, though it's well within acceptable limits?
      (b) There has been a persistent 2 to 4/HPF pus cells in her urine over the last three reports which
            means she has a mild urinary tract infection. Isn't it harmful to the kidneys?
      (c) There has been an on-off pain around her left knee which has been a worrying factor.

The doctor had allayed our fears on all the three but has suggested a biopsy of her liver within the next six months to a year.

We'd then gone across to the canteen to buy grocery, a delayed lunch of hamburgers and cold coffee after which we're off to the Seematti showroom to pick up a gift for Gayatri, whose wedding we'll be attending, at Kollam, next Wednesday. We'd visited my grand aunt, soon after, though she was fast asleep - we touched her feet and interacted with Ramakrishnan and the others.

We're back at Jojy's place a trifle after sunset and wasn't li'l Shanaya thrilled to see us with her for another evening? It was a nice way to unwind after a hectic day.


Tailpiece.

It's gonna be an early morning tomorrow as we prepare to return to Guruvayur at 6 AM.

Off to Kochi.

It's a leisurely morning as our kicking off for Kochi was delayed till after lunch. Did my morning bit of exercises by walking Padmakumar up to the gate and by using the stairs. After that it was a long chat with my sister and Achu, who'd returned after the night shift. There were a few more things tied up for the ensuing days towards the preparation for Ammu's betrothal ceremony!

After a quick lunch of lemon rice and assorted stuff, rustled up by Rema, we'd set off for Kochi via the Marico plant to drop Achu for his shift, commencing at 1400 hrs. It was about 12 kms on the reciprocal to our intended course and by a quarter past 2, we're headed for our destination. Enroute, we'd tea and a snack at a wayside eatery, short of the Paliyekkara toll booth. Its proprietor, Eldo, gave us his personal attention that made the experience memorable and we spent almost a three quarter of an hour because of it - a long duration compared to the normal time that we apportion for such breaks!

It's a nice evening with Jojy, Saly, Mily, their daughter-in-law and Shanaya, their powerhouse, full-of-chatter and adorable grand daughter. Meanwhile, the news about the death of Jayalalitha, the chief minister of Tamilnadu, had come about at 1700 hrs only to be retracted a few minutes later. The eventual announcement came around 2330 hrs!

      *                            *                               *

The news about the tipping over of INS Betwa at the naval dockyard at Bombay is a sad one. Another naval mishap during peacetime! I'm sure the inquiry will come out with the facts leading to the mishap so that the IN takes corrective actions to prevent recurrence of a similar tragedy! The ship was docked along with two other vessels and it was during the undocking operation when tragedy had struck. I pity the Commander-in-Chief to have a tipped ship in his backyard while the entire crowd is visiting his base, for a look see, on the occasion of the navy week!

A painful spot of news for people like me, a veteran! My opinion is that it's a teamwork that has gone awry!! Sad!!!


Tailpiece.

It's sad that Ms. Jayalalitha, the chief minister of Tamilnadu, has passed into the mist of time and it's understandable that holiday is declared within the state to enforce the mourning formalities. It's, however, not understood as to why the schools and government offices have been shut down in neighbouring Kerala and why it should be a national holiday. A day's mourning, to my mind, would have been adequate. A case of going overboard on emotions and protocol!

But it's worthwhile to run through what she has done for her people:-
     (a) Every child that has passed class X gets a free bicycle.
     (b) Every child that passes 10 plus 2 gets a laptop.
     (c) A child that's born in a government hospital gets a kit containing soap, talcum powder, child
          wear, diapers, towel, oil, shampoo called the 'Amma born baby kit'!
     (d) Free natal care.
     (e) A government servant on childbirth can be on leave for a year to tend her child and her pay
          is put into her bank account.
     (f) If the newborn is a girl child, the government provides Rs.50 grand for her wedding expenses
          along with the wedding pendant(Thaali).
     (g) The poor gets a television set, wet grinder, mixer and other appliances, necessary in any
           household, from the government.
     (h) The poorest of the poor gets food from the 'Amma canteens', dotting every nook and corner
           of the state, for Re.1/-!

I've two questions connected to this, which are:-
     (a) A welfare state breeds inefficient and lazy people. Is this the reason for the stoppage of the
          migration of the Tamilians into neighbouring Kerala, in search of work? The migrant workers
          from east and north east India have substituted them though!
     (b) The contractors supplying the wide range of items to the people must be making hay while
           the sun shines. Do they plough back a share of the profits accrued from the massive sale to
           the politicians or the party that have landed them the contract?

Something to ponder.

My first assignment as the family patriarch!

The day had begun at 3, this morning when we'd gone through our chores and the four of us - Padmakumar, Rema, Lekha and I - had set off for Payyannur. We'd young Appu behind the wheel to ensure our arrival at the destination, by 1100 hrs, to avoid embarrassment for the boy, Midhun's folks. A word about Midhun - he and Ammu had first met at Manipal within the premises of the banking training center and Cupid had done the needful.

We left Palakkad at 20' past 4 and had hit the highway that had sparse traffic at that time of the day. After a sumptuous breakfast at an eatery on the bypass to the town of Kozhikode at a half past 7, we'd resumed our onward journey and reached Payyannur by 7' past 11. Ammu's dad and her uncle had already fetched up in the morning - the former, from Bangalore and the latter, from Ayoor! Without much ado, a vehicle had taken us straight to Midhun's mother's uncle's place to discuss and finalise the details of the forthcoming events.

Accordingly, we'd arrived at a common decision for the engagement ceremony to take place at 29 Jan '17 at Guruvayur (Midhun's mom had expressed a desire to have one ceremony at Guruvayur while Ammu's mom wanted to have the other at the Thrikkonnamarkodu devi's temple at my parents' place) and the wedding to be solemnised at the temple near my parents' house! The exact date of the wedding shall be decided at the engagement ceremony from the window of 16 Apr to 15 May after taking everyone's point of view and their availability. After having decided on the essentials, we'd joined Midhun's family, for breaking the ice, over a high tea. The entire sequence of events had not taken more than an hour.

We'd lunch at a hotel nearby and by a half past 2, embarked on our return trip.The traffic was less, compared to that of a working day but tragedy struck while negotiating the early stretch of the Kozhikode bypass when Appu had gathered sufficient speed to overtake a vehicle, that was caught by the 'Doppler' of a mobile Police Control Room. The circle inspector, at the spot, showed 'benevolence' to Appu - seeing his demeanour but refused to accept the simple fact that a bit of acceleration was required for overtaking and therefore, the burst of speed justified - by fining him Rs.300/- instead of the customary Rs.1,000/-, wonder why? I refused to reason it out with him because the policeman's explanation had failed to satisfy me.

The return journey took more time, in that, we reached back at my sister's place by about 2130 hrs. After settling down at home we'd worked out a rough calculation on the expenses in connection with Ammu's impending marriage.

........A day well spent. I think I can be happy on my first assignment as the patriarch of the family because everyone said so.


Tailpiece.

(a) There were calls, messages and What'sApp initiatives from friends and relatives with wishes on the occasion of the Navy Day.
(b) Will be staying with Jojy and Saly for the first day of our stay at Kochi.

Off to Palakkad.

Was up with the lark as usual and after lighting the lamp, went about shutting down 'The Quarterdeck' as a prelude to our long journey. Saw a missed call from Jayettan, whose daughter had got married here, the day before yesterday, but connecting up with him seemed to be impossible because there was a continuous engaged tone emanating from his telephone. It was only when my cousin had called up from Kochi, that the fog had lifted, because he'd wanted to confirm as to whether I could make myself available at the Hotel Devaragam to be one of the witnesses for the marriage certificate of Sreevidya and Pradeep, that was to be issued by the Municipality.

I found the environment in the office quite stifling. Many of the overhead lights were not switched on, neither were the fans(Perhaps, it was to prevent the documents from flying off) nor were the air conditioners. Wonder how the staff can work in such stuffy conditions? We'd reached the place by a half past 11 and could leave with the certificate only by a quarter to two! Despite a proliferation of computers, the delay in transactions was mysterious to my restless mind. The reason was actually quite simple, it's an average Indian's - especially, a Malayalee's - attitude of keeping people waiting because he derives a strange 'sense of power' out of it! Sad!!

After a quick lunch, we'd set off for Palakkad. This was for the first time that we're doing this route after mom's passing away and that thought was hanging heavy. I'd even glanced behind at the rear seat to have a glimpse of mom by some sort of miracle!.......What's that old saying, "If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride". Mom, I really missed you!

The traffic was quite easy despite the fact that it was a weekend and we reached my sister's house before 4. Madhavan, the security man and my sister were at hand to receive us. It was nice to interact with Achu after what has been a long time. He seems to be enjoying his new job at Marico and is proud of the responsibilities that the company has assigned to him! The gawky lad is slowly transforming to a confident man, who laughs easily!!

Padmakumar had come from his office by a quarter to 7. Over another hot cup of tea with him, we discussed the details, threadbare, of what we'd talk with Ammu's fiance's folks. It was comparatively an early evening to cater for the long day ahead, tomorrow!


Tailpiece.

Ikka, next door, is quite impressed with our travel itinerary. What I realised was that he misses us when we go out on our short forays! I've given him a rundown of our journey this time.