Getting back to our usual work!

Got up at 6, switched on the hymns, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house. Lekha had an early bath to settle down for reciting the Ramayanam.

Sajish came at his usual time to give me a haircut and a massage.

Recited my prayers. Was ready by a half past 9 and tucked in steaming idlis and sambar!

Washing machinex of my clothes that had piled up over the last week. Worked on my laptop and spoke to Prathapan, Mohan of Boss workshop  and Vijayan, the caretaker.

Indira kunjamma and Aniyan had also called up.

Lunch at a half past 1. Watched television for a while.

Siesta.

The evening chores. A quiet evening at that.

Lekha had continued with her Ramayanam recital!

Tailpiece.

Former chief minister VS Achuthanandan, all of 102 yrs, passed into the mist of time this afternoo. His cremation will take place at Mararikulam, the day after tomorrow. 

Back at The Quarterdeck!

Got up at a half past 3, went round the corner, sleep wasn't forthcoming and therefore had washed up, recited my prayers, turned off to sleep yet again and got up at a 20' past 5 thanks to the alarm. The chores and was ready by much before 8.

Monish came well past 9, helped in loading the luggage and because of Lekha's pressure, took in Govind's luggage though I wanted him to come and collect it from Raj Nivas, simply because he was audacious to want it at Anandan chittappan's house!

The caretaker was there, spoke to my parents and cast of around a half past 9, through slight rain. 'Matha thekoed' at the Nagarajaavu temple at Randaalummoodu as is my wont. Topped up the Chevy with fuel and checked tyre pressure. We were finally on our way to Guruvayur much after 10; encountered rain in the initial stages. 

Lunch was at Kaladi but Monish didn't have it and just had tea and snack both in the morning and in the evening. Reached Guruvayur by 4; Lekha had bought grocery, fruits and we reached The Quarterdeck after 33 days!

Opened up the house, keyed up the grandfather clock, got the puja room ready. We lit the lamp at sunset and Lekha recited the Ramayanam.

A quiet evening thereafter!

Nice to be back home!!

At Raj Nivas!

Got up at a half past 2, washed up, recited my prayers, turned back to sleep yet again to get up at a 20' past 5. Sent all my morning messages. Got up around a half past 6, carried out the packing and was ready by a quarter past 9. Off to the Foundation soon after.

Dropped Maman and set off for Kottarakkara. Encountered rain along a great stretch, earlier had topped up the car at the Bakery Junction petrol pump. Bought chocolates from a bakery at Valakom for the three kids! Reached Archa's house around 1, had lunch and buzzed off to Raj Nivas soon after. Devootty has become very friendly with me.

Reached there, Anish and the caretaker emptied the car of all luggage. Sent Anish back.

Settled down at home, tried to catch up on siesta when Padmakumar and Rema fetched up. Had tea and the three of them went to the Thrikkonnamarkodu Devi kshetram for the darshan of the goddess. They'd returned after about half an hour.

Massive rain, causing frequent power interruptions was the order of the day.

A quiet evening thereafter.

Closing ceremony of the Vaayana Maasam 2025!

Got up around a half past 2, washed up, recited my prayers, turned off to sleep yet again to get up at a 20' past 5. Sent all the morning messages. Got up at a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 8. A "vedi vazhipaadu" at the devi temple close to the Mangattukadavu bridge. We, then, went to the Hanuman temple and had a nice darshan of the good Lord.

Off to Minister GR Anil's house and we met him first. Maman could get his work done in that the minister would be participating in the ''Vaayana sadassu'' with the 'thozhil sthreekal' of his constituency. We'd actually spoken to the MLA of his neighbouring constituency, who was very enthusiastic in the beginning and then, he refused to return our calls. So, this morning's session has checkmated the idiot! Probably, he was being fed wrong inputs by someone inimical toward the Foundation! 

But if he's a progressive and a positive MLA, he should have risen above pettiness!!

We'd breakfast from the Padma Cafe and then picked up Vijayakumar sir, the quiz master to head straight back to the Foundation. Ironed out certain things and helped the quiz to get going. And it went off beautifully, without any hiccups, any controversy. 

Lunch was from outside which was nice!

Siesta.

Off to the Bharat Bhavan by a half past 3, set the stage for the Closing Ceremony of the 25th Vaayana Maasam. Minister Dr R Bindu was the chief guest, with Pannian Ravindran, Murukan Kattakkada, Pramod Payyannur. Maman gave the Opening Address and I, the Vote of Thanks.

A quiet evening thereafter!

Vaayana Dinam (29).

Today is the 1st of the Malayalam month of Karkkidakom - the Ramayana maasam! 

Got up at a quarter past 1, washed up, recited my prayers, turned off to sleep yet again to get up at a quarter past 5. Sent all my morning messages, slept again and got up at a half past 6. The chores.

We were off to the Foundation @ a half past 9, enroute we 'mathaa thekoed" at the Hanuman Mandir at the Pangode Army base. What a traffic snarl it was?!

We set off for Paravoor @ 12 for paying homage to one of the Foundation's founding fathers, Congressman CV Padmarajan sir. On reaching there, we came to know that his body was still lying in state at the DCC Office, Kollam. Anish took us there.

So, we made a dash of the remaining 12 km, offered our condolences and returned. Since we were trying to make it back to Poojappura for the last event of the Sargasaayaahnam viz. "Ramayana : its relevance to the present day life" by our Chairman, Sri Pannian Ravindran - we skipped lunch and reached by 5 PM before the chief guest had arrived.

He'd articulated his thoughts well. There were plenty of questions, his reply was great with Usha Rani teacher giving the vote of thanks. We wound up by a 10' past 7. The eats were served but not the tea because Rajannan had to run another errand!

A quiet evening thereafter!

Arranged the tables and chairs in the auditorium on the first floor of the Foundation, along with Bijumon sir and Anish.

Vaayana Dinam (28).

Got up at a quarter past 1, washed up, recited my prayers, turned off to sleep yet again to get up at a 20' past 5. Sent all the morning messages, went off to sleep again and got up at a half past 6. The chores and was ready by a 20' past 9. Off to the Foundation.

Earlier, Anish cleared the wash basin which was showing a tendency to block up.

A quiet forenoon with me working on the laptop.

Lunch at 2. Girija served the food.

A bit of rest.

Off to Poojappura by a quarter past 4 for Advocate S Udayakumar's lecture on "Gandhimargam". It was a nice lecture, with lot of participation from the crowd. We secured finally at 10' past 7. Poor Rajannan went late!

Earlier, it was autorickshaw driver Sukesan who made the first call of the day saying that he was well and back in action! Great to hear him after his three months' layoff for being treated for alcoholism at the hospital at Perumpilavu.

A comparatively early evening.  

Vaayana Dinam (27).

Got up at a quarter to 1, washed up, recited my prayers, turned off to sleep yet again to get up at around a 10' past 5. Sent off all the morning messages. Slept again and got up at a half past 6. The chores and was ready by a half past 8.

Off to the Foundation and on the arrival of Sukumaran sir, the joint secretary of the Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi, the three of us went to St Agustine Higher Secondary School at Murukkumpuzha, which was tied up by Rajendran.

The school has a strength of 152, has a good set of teachers children from a very poor section of society. They were glad to see the son and grandson of PN Panicker to spend the forenoon with them!

Maman gave a speech and exhorted them to start a vegetable garden at the earliest and they have decided to have a go at the idea before the 29th when the education minister is slated to visit the school. Later, we went across to the library begun by Murukkumpuzha Rajendran, a close worker with Muthachchan during the literacy movement!

We gifted Muthachchan's framed photograph to the library. They gave us a glass of lemon juice!

Had lunch at 3! No chance of a siesta.

Went across to Poojappura for the 27th day of Sargasaayaahnam 2025 which saw Thirumala Sivankutty who spoke on "Reading : in the modern context". It was a nice interaction. Also met Achuthan Nair from Palakkad, who had worked with Muthachchan.

Dropped the guest speaker at the Krishna Pillai Foundation, Palayam, pulled out money from the atm enroute, dropped Gracias, Sudha ma'am.

A quiet evening at home thereafter.