A few pending jobs done.

We'd got up at 6 AM sharp, thanks to Lekha's cellphone's alarms. Went about our chores and we were ready well in time. For the first time after I'd fallen ill, I'd recited the 'Vishnu sahasranaama sthothram' and felt very nice about it. We were ready soon after breakfast when the maid was in.

Earlier, Sajid, our chauffeur for the day, had called up our maid to say that he would be delayed as he was stuck in the traffic at the Mammiyoor junction. He, however, came in before 10 and we'd taken off soon after.

We were at the ECHS, Kunnamkulam where I finished the formalities linking our cards with our Aadhaar cards. We, then, went off to the Pookkodu panchayat. Enroute, we'd picked up Guavas, one and a half kg for Rs.100/-, from a roadside vendor. These are bought in from the neighbouring Tamilnadu and are generally sweet and tasty!

The visit to the Panchayat was necessitated because of a notice received from the Guruvayur Municipality that I'd to pay house tax, to the tune of over Rs.4,600/-, with retrospective effect. This was clearly unwarranted because of the following reasons:-

    (a) Ex-servicemen are exempted from paying house tax if they own just one house.
    (b) A house with a plinth area of less than 2,000 sq ft is exempt from the tax.<2 are="" exempt="" from="" ft="" p="" sq="" tax.="" the="">    
<2 are="" exempt="" from="" ft="" p="" sq="" tax.="" the="">    (c) Since I and my neighbour had been going, annually, to the panchayat to endorse the above, I
          was armed with the receipt slips of the previous years from '14 which stood me in good stead!

Sunil and Arun helped me get through the impasse and endorsed so on the notice that was sent!

We'd, then, gone to the Akshaya Kendra at Thampuranpadi to send the online request for the renewal of our passports and the whole procedure took about 20'. The outfit will inform us as to when we've to present ourselves at the passport office, at Thrissur, for the final procedure which, hopefully, should be within a couple of days from now.

We were back at 'The Quarterdeck' by about a trifle past 12.

Preetha, the maid, is not gonna come for the next two days because of the strike called for by the trade unions.

The rest of the day was quiet with nothing happening! We went about our normal chores!! 
<2 are="" exempt="" from="" ft="" p="" sq="" tax.="" the="">
<2 are="" exempt="" from="" ft="" p="" sq="" tax.="" the="">
<2 are="" exempt="" from="" ft="" p="" sq="" tax.="" the="">Tailpiece.
<2 are="" exempt="" from="" ft="" p="" sq="" tax.="" the="">
<2 are="" exempt="" from="" ft="" p="" sq="" tax.="" the="">The central government's decision to push forth a Constitution Amendment within this Parliament session to facilitate bringing about 10% reservations for the upper castes on economic basis has taken the entire opposition by surprise! It's simply a game changer!!    

An active Sunday.

We'd got up half an hour late compared to our usual time because of the late night. We, then, went about our chores and were ready well in time but not before apologising to Padmakumar for missing his birthday - by the Malayalam calendar - yesterday. It was a bad miss!

After a week's routine, the workers were not there today! Rema's neighbours, Babita, Pravin and Babita's mom had fetched up on their way to the Guruvayur temple. They spent close to an hour with us. The rest of the work had carried on as usual, with Preetha cleaning up the carpentry waste of the week and consigning it to the flames.

I'd driven my Chevy to the petrol bunk, nearby, to check the tyre pressure because the air in the left, aft was really less.

At about 1430 hrs, Reji had come by to refix the grandmother clock. One of the ratchet teeth had bent during the transportation and he had rectified it and stayed on with me for about half an hour to ensure that the clock was running without glitches. In the meanwhile, Sanoj, the plumber had come by to take on his work along with a few that I'd identified over the last few days.

By the time he'd finished his work, it was tea time and therefore, there was no question of having a siesta!

It was a quiet evening thereafter!


Tailpiece.

The more I see Rahul Gandhi spewing venom and using falsehoods and innuendos to intimidate his opponents I wonder what the quality of today's youngsters is, who've joined politics. Of course, at 50, he's no more young and can only be considered so in a comparative sense but has a mental capability of not more than a 10 year old child - the children might get offended by my statement because many of them have far greater capabilities.  

When the kitchen renovation came to its logical end.

Had got up groggily but sharp, at 6 AM. We went through our chores and were ready well in time. Today was the last day of work in the kitchen - Anil and Ashokan had come in at their usual time.

Maman was given the consignment number of the parcel so that he could monitor its transit. Reji, the grandmother clock mechanic from Thrissur fetched up by about 12. He has taken its heart to his workshop and hopefully, would rectify its shortcomings and refit it by tomorrow. Otherwise, he takes it to Ernakulam and refits it not latest than the coming Sunday. I'd only given him my requirement - "Do let me know about your movements so that I know as to what the exact situation is at any given time!"

There was a minor emergency of sorts in the afternoon. Our caretaker at Thalavoor had gone to the bank only to realise that the money that I was supposed to have sent yesterday, had not reached his account. The funniest thing was that I'd got an 'sms' saying that the amount was deducted from my account and therefore, was of the feeling that the transaction was complete. But it turned out to be a false alarm!

Well, when he'd gone to pull out the money from his account this afternoon, he was told that the money had not fetched up. On his call, I tried sending it but the transaction would just not take place. Out of my wits' ends, I tried calling up my brother-in-law, Padmakumar, to ask him to transfer the amount and I could refund it at leisure, on Monday. But two things killed my initiative viz:-

     (a) I'd called him up at a half past 1 - asking the caretaker to be at his bank for another half hour
           till I sorted out the matter - and he wasn't on his seat as he'd gone to their canteen for lunch.     
     (b) These days he doesn't carry his cell phone as there's an embargo in carrying the instrument
           to the office - especially, the smartphones. It's the phone that has the particular application.

Achu was not contactable. I'd then, as a last ditch attempt, switched off my phone, flicked it on and presto, the transaction was carried out much to mine and the caretaker's relief. Phew!

Anil and Ashokan were sentimental as they bid us farewell in the evening. Six days at our place have made them our loyalists.

It was a quiet evening thereafter!


Tailpiece.

Incidents of violence continued to happen even today in various parts of the state. The police has arrested almost 3,000 people whom they feel could foment trouble. Why can't the government call everyone on to the negotiating table?

A day when I'd stepped out of the house, twice.

We'd got up on the dot at 6, gone through our chores but I was late in getting ready for breakfast. Since the maid wasn't slated to come in today, because of her medical review, clothes that required washing was put into the washing machine and and hung on the clothing line for drying. She, however, had fetched up as her doctor had postponed his check up due to a bereavement in his family.

The plumber, Sanoj, was the first to arrive to assess the quantum of work and he had left soon after.
Meanwhile, Ashokan and Anil had fetched up and they continued with their work in the kitchen.

Reji, sent by the grandmother clock man, Tomy, reached by about a half past 9 to work on the clock and on completion, left soon after. He was given Rs.500/- as onward fare to Thriprayar - 18 km south, from here for his next schedule of work. Lekha and the maid went for their weekly 'darshan' of Guruvayurappan soon after.

Lijoy had come by about a quarter past 12 with the brass trappings of the 'puja room' buffed, as we'd asked him to do. Between him and Ashokan, they'd fitted up the accessories.

I'd gone on my first errand to send Lekha's LIC papers to Ajay Mathew, the manager of the Punalur branch for further action. He was informed of the same over the telephone, too. The Puthenpally post office now has a new BPM - Riya, in place of Usha - as helpful as her predecessor! Meanwhile, had given our passports for scanning at the internet cafe which had scanned them and sent their efforts to my mail ID as I'd directed. The final piece of work was at the ATM close by.

In the evening, there was a sudden requirement of going across to the ABT parcel service to give an impetus to the consignment of the diaries for the Foundation. It was required as Maman was expected to go to New Delhi shortly! The job was done and I'd returned home much before sunset!

It was a quiet evening thereafter!


Tailpiece.

News comes of yet another woman - a Sri Lankan, this time - who has entered the sanctum sanctorum of the Sabarimala shrine today. She'd also covered herself from head to toe in a black cloth and escorted by the Kannur lobby of policemen who are known to be loyal to the chief minister and his party! What a shame? The clandestine ways of the government, claiming to have facilitated women's entry into the shrine.  

The first 'hartal' of the year.

Taking off from yesterday's widespread cases of arson, looting and violence, the 'Sabarimala Karma Samithi' had called for today's hartal. Though the association of shop owners and business houses have vowed to keep the shops and hotels open and the private bus owners stressing that their buses would ply on the roads, nothing seems to have gone as per their calculations. The protesters seem to have had their way!

Our maid has not been able to make it and Lekha was managing the kitchen front. The kitchen renovators consisting of Anil and Ashokan had come around at their usual time and resumed their work....that was the only consolation.

Maman's son, Chambu, was shifted from SK hospital, Edapazhanji to the KIMS hospital at Thiruvananthapuram - late in the night - with high fever. Samples of his blood and urine, coupled with other tests, are being undertaken to arrive at the right prognosis of his ailment, by a process of elimination! The lad is in the ICU!!

The kitchen renovation work is gonna extend till Saturday afternoon. Spoke to the head carpenter, Rajesh, to confirm the initial inputs and was seething with anger at the extension of the number of days and it was then that I realised that he was fulfilling his initial estimate of 10 man days! Anyways, to expect any sort of leeway from them is a tough proposition!!

In the evening comes the maid's phone call saying that she would not be coming in tomorrow because her medical review was gonna take place tomorrow.  So, the chores associated with the house will have to be handled by Lekha and me.

The rest of the evening was a quiet affair.


Tailpiece.

There has been widespread destruction of property - the KSRTC buses and the shops, that dared to remain open - and injuries to people and policemen in the wake of the clashes between various groups all through the day. The consensus between various organisations to resist bandhs and hartals, stitched up just a fortnight ago, seems to have fallen apart. Damn sad!      

Midweek!

Had got up on the dot, gone through our chores and Lekha was ready well in advance! Since I'd increased the duration of my walk to 15 minutes followed by initiating the washing machinex of the bed linen, I was late, for breakfast, by my usual standards.

Lekha and her assistant were off to the Mammiyoor Siva kshetram as per their weekly agenda and Lekha had work at the LIC office, followed by collection of the statement of her account from the bank. Meanwhile, the kitchen renovation work was going on in full swing with carpenters, Anil and Asokan toiling away the whole day.

Their leader, Rajesh, had come by with the granite guy, Stephen, who was briefed by yours truly regarding the type/size/shape of the additional piece to cover the gap that had come about after the fitment of the new gas stove.

Lekha got delayed because the bank manager, Vishnu, was out on an errand. Sad, I'd given him adequate notice about her visit and he, still, seems to have given it the go by. Will have to speak to him about it because such things are not acceptable. Anyways, she could get a statement of her account which has to be sent, along with certain other documents, to the Punalur branch of the LIC.


Tailpiece.

By afternoon came the news that early this morning, around a trifle past 3, two women activists without the mandatory offering-contained-cloth bag(Irumudikkettu) on their heads, - Bindu and Kanakadurga - completely covered with black sheets just having their eyes left uncovered and escorted by policemen rigged up in civil clothes prayed at the sanctum sanctorum of the Sabarimala shrine. They'd entered through a side entrance meant for the staff!

The chief minister was quick to hail the move and credited his government for having facilitated "women's" entry into the shrine. What he forgot in the bargain was that he'd cheated his people who had faith in him by constantly shifting his stand on the issue. It looked conspiratorial in that the clandestine entry by the women, took place soon after the 'women's wall' of last evening. If this drama had taken place before that, the number of women, forming the wall, would have been much low.

If the CM and his party are happy that they could pull off such a feat by their 'smartness'(?), they are sadly mistaken and could be in for a big shock. The repercussions of their actions were on display on the streets at many places with miscreants - taking advantage of the situation - damaging public property. I'm sure, though, violence is never a remedy. Actually, this government had got a reprieve after causing the devastating floods by their greed and a seemingly-not-so-keen-opposition to throw it off from power. They've cocked a snook for the second time and this time seem to have gloated over the fact that the ban on the entry of menstruating women into the Sabarimala shrine was a matter of deep rooted traditions and beliefs.....the upstart commies have always pooh-poohed the general beliefs of the people and trampled upon them. You got to see as to how vicious they are if one were to question their beliefs. The countdown to their electoral Waterloo has begun and they will realise that by simply getting irrelevant people like R Balakrisna Pillai, MP Virendra Kumar, Francis Antony and the breakaway Muslim League faction cannot get them votes!

PS.
Ever since I'd heard the news, there was a sense of deep despair in me. Had the police, through proper 'bandobast' taken the ladies through the trek, up the flight of the 18 sacred steps and then to the sanctum sanctorum, I'd have felt nice that the government was able to fulfill the Supreme Court verdict with elan and dignity........but to do it clandestinely, with the help of a couple of activists who are ignorant of the Sabarimala traditions and a few self seeking policemen, smacks of high handedness, chicanery, self doubt and fear.

      

01 Jan 2019.

We were watching the television and saw Salman Khan ringing in the new year at the stroke of midnight on the Sony Entertainment Television. After wishing each of us a happy new year and good tidings, Lekha and I had hit the sack by about a half past 12 but not before sending an sms to Commander Banjo, at London wishing him many happy returns. He'd called me around 2000 hrs to have a fairly long chat and Mrs Banerjee had also chipped in.

Savio, my doctor friend from Chicago had also called up to give solutions to my latest medical readings. His tips shall be followed in letter and spirit to get my SGOT/SGPT readings down to normal at the earliest. It was a fairly long chat and a very detailed analysis. Thanks dear friend, I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Lekha had prepared masala dosas for breakfast. Earlier, I'd recommenced my morning walk - duration was for about 15 minutes!

Lekha and her assistant had prepared lunch before the workers had entered the kitchen to commence their work on day 2. Their work has progressed as planned with the earlier innards of the foot lockers removed and the outer shell of the new arrangement put in place, by the end of the day. The water resistant resin coated plywood sheets should combat wetness and seepage - on account of the usage of the sink - for the years to come.

The lunch was nice but the afternoon siesta was in spurts with telephone calls and the loud clang-clanging of the carpenters' hammer and associated tools.

It was a quiet evening and there were calls from friends and relatives with goodwill messages and get well soon wishes. Saw our favourite programmes on television.


Tailpiece.

The 'vanitha mathil'(Women's wall) activity was on for half an hour and it was a show of strength of essentially, the CPI(M), though it was pronounced as government sponsored! As an independent observer, I'd the following queries and misgivings as explained below:-

    (a) The wall was necessitated - as orchestrated by its organisers viz. the Pinarayi Vijayan
          government - as its statement against the Sabarimala imbroglio. However, throughout the
          evening's programme, nothing was uttered about the Sabarimala impasse.
    (b) Is it bringing about a rift among the Hindus? A sort of divide between the upper caste and
          lower caste Hindus, because such a situation becomes advantageous for the commies. They
          do not care about the former, while projecting themselves as the champions of the latter despite
          their appeasement of the minorities, sadly, at the lower caste Hindus' expense!
    (c) What's more beguiling is that the SNDP head, Vellappilli Natesan, is hobnobbing with the
          LDF fully aware of this fact. (His wife, indeed, made a statement that it rattles people like her
          when people call them by their caste name. Some idiot had made a statement to that effect
          about the chief minister, the other day!). He is kept in check by the Damocles' sword of his
          'Micro finance corrupt activities' by Pinarayi and gang !
    (d) It's the ugly face of the vote bank politics that the Hindu vote remains divided.