It's a quiet day.

The train was on time and it fetched up at Guruvayur at a half past 2. The comely lady, on the bunk opposite mine, gave me a winning smile as I made a quick exit on reaching our destination! I still don't understand women!!  The auto rickshaw was easy to get, unlike last time, and I was at home before 3. A quick wash and change and I'd hit the sack, but got up on the dot at 6. There were important things to do and the first was to carry mom's urine sample to the lab to rule out urinary tract infection because she'd some difficulty last evening.

The deed was done and the results were passed over the telephone to her doctor for advice. He's asked me to have a few more tests done and pass on the results so that the antidote could be prescribed. Lekha's quarterly review by her doctor was also due on 07 Jun and her tests were also due. The lab team has been told to reach our house by 7 AM tomorrow to collect the samples when I'd gone to the hospital for handing over the sample.

Similarly, the Pest Control of India was asked to send its service guys to do the quarterly sanitising of 'The Quarterdeck' as per the annual contract that I've signed with it. I'd like it to take place before the monsoons set in! Pushpaakaran, the farmhand, has been told of the work that awaits him in the form of dusting/cleaning of the doors, windows, the mosquito proofing, fans, trimming of the trees and plants of the kitchen garden. Incidentally, Ramesh, the gardener, had trimmed down the lawn, the trees and the potted plants just yesterday during my absence. He's not offered the kitchen garden because he'd made a mess of it at an earlier time. Period!

The story about Ramesh's adventure(Or should I call it misadventure?) into our kitchen garden was one of absolute catastrophe. He'd trimmed a Yam tree to its eventual destruction - when I'd asked him as to whether anyone trimmed Yam trees, he gave me a sheepish smile and that was the time I realised that the youngster had no clue about such finer aspects! Since I wanted his continued services for the lawn and the potted plants I've restricted his activities to the courtyard and the balcony, under close supervision!! That's that!!!


Tailpiece.

Another wet day. It looks as if the monsoons have already set in here though the meteorological department insists that it will fetch up only by next week.



  

Farmer yet again, for a day.

I was up with the lark, quite excited with today's plan of action as the phase II of the farming activity rolled out. It actually consisted of four activities which were, collecting the requisite saplings, acquiring the right amount of the 'start up' fertiliser, the planting of the saplings and the administration of the fertiliser, thereafter. The caretaker had told me to be ready by a half past 7, but in the excitement, I was ready much before.

           *                                   *                                   *

It was heartening to note that not much of grass had grown on the JCB prepared land, even though it has been raining almost continuously over the last fortnight Today, there was bright sunshine though rains later on in the day was a possibility! The clouds said it, you see and you must understand that I'm a former-naval-officer turned farmer!

           *                                   *                                    *

Three workers had been spoken to but they fetched up late and I was getting impatient because I wanted to see the completion of work before I left by the evening train, back to Guruvayur. We, finally, set off for the nursery, about 5 kms away, a few minutes past 8. Two of the labourers, Podiyan and Unni, were taken along while the third, Pillai - he happens to be a distant relative, being the uncle of a cousin's wife, addicted to the bottle and does farm jobs. I was meeting him for the first time and felt bad, but!...... - was deployed on the plot for measuring and marking the spots where trenches had to be dug for planting the saplings on the raised embankments/platforms(That lay on an east west axis), prepared earlier. We went in the caretaker's pick up truck, who used to get visibly embarrassed whenever the driver addressed him as 'Muthalali' - the Malayalam equivalent of 'Sethji', in Hindi.

           *                                    *                                     *

'Tropical Buds', as the nursery is christened has a wide repertoire of plants, herbs and fruit bearing plants. I made a mental note of visiting this place more often so that I could present some of my close friends and relatives - who're genuinely interested in gardening - with the plants on offer. We, finally, took 140 rubber, 20 teak and 11 coconut saplings - the initial estimate of 110 rubber plants was found to be inadequate as the trenches were being dug, after measurement and Pillai had given me the report! One and three quarter bags of bone meal were also brought in immediately after and the work had started in right earnest.

I must give you the sequence of work in some detail because it impressed me and I'm sure you'd too!

      * Pillai makes measurememts, puts a flag on the raised embankments/platforms, where trenches
         were to be dug. He, then, places each sapling near the designated spots.
      * Podiyan and Unni, make the trenches to the requisite dimensions.
      * They, then, plant each sapling the manner in which it was done went something like this:-
          - the polythene wrapper around each sapling was neatly cut and removed with safety blades
            (Specifically, bought for the purpose!) before being seated in the dug trenches, with room left
            for the bone meal to be put in, subsequently.
      * The three of them apply the manure before sealing each of the trenches that have the saplings in
          them.

            *                                    *                                      *

Well co-ordinated and systematic! Standing out in the alternating sun and rain with the boys, with an umbrella atop, worked wonders as they shared their interests, doubts and apprehensions!!

            *                                    *                                      *

The three of them worked till about 1830h - much beyond their closing time of 1700h - because of the covenant that we'd established among ourselves that I could board my train, back to Guruvayur, satisfied that the phase II activities were completely over!


Tailpiece.

(a) There's an increasing tendency among the workers to demand from their employers a drink in the afternoon, to 'stimulate' them at work which is often hard and difficult, taking in the brunt of the weather! I made it clear in the beginning itself that I didn't subscribe to this idea!! And I hate people who resort to this sort of pampering!!!

(b) I'd gotten into the cheapest form of transport from Kuri halt to Guruvayur in the Punalur-Guruvayur Fast Passenger with the fare @ Rs.55/- This train came into being, courtesy the local MP of the previous Lok Sabha, to facilitate people who wanted to have a 'darshan' of the Guruvayurappan. It reaches its destination at 3 AM and returns at 6 AM and no reservations were required - a poor man's transport indeed, for his communion with god!

At Kayankulam, a family consisting of an elderly couple, their daughter and daughter-in-law with the latter's son - the relationships get clear through the thread of conversation that one's privy to, however much one likes to dissociate with it - had got into the enclosure where I sat. The daughter-in-law's initial inquiry was about my destination and after hearing my answer seemed to be a twad disappointed because the next 'typical mallu' requirement would have been to shift you wherever you can find a place, so that they can be together(?)! And I made my intentions very clear that I wasn't going to budge. Later, I realised that the lady was very, very conscious as she lay with her son on the bunk opposite mine with her mother-in-law stretching out next to me. Why I say this is that she kept glancing quite frequently at me while I kept myself busy with my laptop and the What'sApp on the cellphone......... Did I look like a potential molester or what, I wonder?    

To Raj Nivas for Farming - phase II.

For me the day began at 4 and I went about my chores without disturbing mom and Lekha. Half an hour later Lekha was up and about to give me my morning cuppa tea and packed breakfast. I wished her many happy returns for it happens to be her birthday. The Malayalam calendar shows her big day as 11 Jun which will be celebrated.

Ashraf was bang on time when he honked outside our gate at 0520h. At the railway station the queue for tickets was short but the newspaper kiosk had not opened. The train was on time for a change and I could get hold of the day's Malayala Manorama that was gifted to me by a gracious passenger before he disembarked. I tucked into my breakfast at Ernakulam, around 20 minutes past 8.

The heavy rush of passengers dwindled after Ernakulam and there were four ladies who were on a non stop chatter about all that's happening in their family. Couldn't help but overhear about a youngster battling it out for his life and they're headed to the hospital to see him.

The train reached Kollam at 1230h and I'd bought myself a vegetarian meal which was quickly devoured. The train resumed its journey though now on a westward course. My copassenger was a young lady who seemed to be regretting the decision to have chosen the train journey to reach her school at Anchal, which could have been undertaken by a bus journey of a much shorter duration both by virtue of time and distance, which I explained. She teaches English and has taken up the job just a year back. She hails from my grandmother's place in Kuttanad and was thrilled to hear that I was the grandson of PN Panicker. She did tell me that come next week, her school would be bracing up for the 'Vaayana dinam' on 19 Jun. I've added one more follower for myself.

Raj Nivas looked nice with the grass clipped short but the ongoing rains is gonna change all that. We couldn't go for collection of the saplings, this evening, because the pick up truck wasn't free.


Tailpiece.

The do at Sasi's place was nice. Today was his last day in office. Met most of the local crowd. I made it a point to meet Kamalamma chechi, his mother.

Some quaint feedback.

Lekha and her assistant had gone to the priest nearby to trace the missing valuables. Yes, earlier this month such an incident had occurred much to our consternation and the culprit can't be pinpointed!

It was Lekha's assistant who'd mooted the idea of going to the priest whose services had been employed by her mom during a difficult situation, earlier. The gentleman seems to have a large clientele. These were what he'd to say:-

      (a) The valuables have been swiped by someone known.
      (b) It will be retrieved shortly.
      (c) Some corrective offerings to certain deities were mandatory.

Lekha had returned to seek my endorsement and I've decided to go by her suggestions. Let time prove the efficacy because there's nothing else that we can do at this juncture.

As a part of my evening walk, I'd gone to the town to pick up small things that needed augmentation, during my absence for the next couple of days as I'm off early morning tomorrow to complete the second phase of farming. The requisite saplings and workers are ready.

I got a taste of the boorishness of two men who refused to ferry me through the rains to a waiting autorickshaw, wonder why? But soon after, it was another autorickshaw driver and his family who'd arranged a vehicle for me to be dropped at the railway station, early morning tomorrow.


Tailpiece.

(a) Had mom's tablet broken into three quarters - something neither she nor Lekha can do - for the period of my absence.
(b) The packing was done, had a final word with the caretaker to confirm that everything was taped up and in place for execution.
(c) Had got an invite for a gentleman's retirement do. He's, incidentally, Kamalamma chechi's third son.

Two years of Modi rule.

The Modi government celebrated its two years in power on a specially erected stage at the India Gate in New Delhi. Perhaps, as a government, it needs such jamborees to highlight what it's done; otherwise the noteworthy happenings get stifled by the opposition's onslaught on its inaction - wrong perceptions can stick and prove to be damaging at the time of the reckoning, during elections!

As a common man, I'd like to do an assessment on the subject. How has it affected me? What has changed from the state of affairs during the times of the Manmohan Singh government? 

    * There's a general feeling that we, now, have a Prime Minister who's strong and means business.

    * Though the drive for cleanliness has taken off in a big way, the actual levels achieved in many 

       places is abysmally poor. The drive has been effective only in certain big cities!

    * The myth that the minorities were unsafe during the reign of this government has been proved

        incorrect.

    * The fear of the Hindu fringe groups having an upper hand has also been found to be false,

       occasional utterances from a few of these, notwithstanding.

    * In foreign affairs, there has been an all round success. Judjing from the feedback received from

       friends, relatives and news from abroad, the pro active diplomacy of the government has 

       provided a tremendous boost to the confidence of the Indian diaspora living all over the world.

       We've a peaceful coexistence with our immediate neighbours but Pakistan continues to be a

       thorn in the flesh and China continues to put impediments to our interests despite positive

       overtures from our side. 

    * Probably because the political dispensation that runs Kerala is different, the tautness of the 

       government services at work have their own characteristics. However, since cases of corruption  

       are immediately reported upon and action taken, as also given wide publicity by an active media

       the government servants are more approachable and helpful.

    * Beef has, suddenly, become a bad word. There are people who've stopped having it for fear of

       reprisals from fringe groups. 

    * Jobs are available but our attitude remains obnoxious - like for eg:- a Malayalee always prefers a 

       white collar job and shuns menial jobs - the consequent flow of workforce from the north east is 

       what we see these days in Kerala.

    * Technology is slowly inching towards the poor.......the boom of wi fi in removing the problems

       of bad connectivity is one such example.

    

Tailpiece.

Progress is being made but the caution should be that our values cannot be wished away in the process of inducting technology and making great strides towards overall prosperity!

       

    

    

Reminiscences.

It's a leisurely day to begin with. Lekha'd to pick up grocery for the month. Usually, she prefers going with her assistant and catches an auto rickshaw, clubbing a host of jobs together. Last time I'd seen her coming back with a whole lot of things and I'd made a mental note, then, that I'd drive her around for the job from then on.

And so, we set off by about a half past 10 and our first point of call was the dry cleaners. I seriously doubt as to whether these people carry out 'real' dry wash with petrol et all, but being left with no other option, they were the best bet! Lekha put across to them rather nicely that two pieces of ours viz. a dhothi and a kameez had been misplaced and demanded an early solution; the proprietor who happened to be there has assured her that he'd right the wrong at the earliest.

Our next stop was at the department store where I decided stay in the car itself while Lekha picked up the items. I'd seen her preparing the long, comprehensive list over the past couple of days to ensure that she didn't miss out on anything. I was reminded of similar lists, compiled by my grandmother, when we used to stay in a joint family at Thiruvananthapuram, years back. I was studying in class IV and it was mine and and my younger uncle's duty to collect the monthly grocery requirements from the provision store nearby - this job went away from me when I'd become a boarded in the Sainik School in class VII!

My sister from Palakkad walked in as I parked the Chevy at our porch. My youngest aunt fetched up from Thiruvananthapuram an hour after teatime and after a quick wash and change, had gone along with my sister to the temple. They did have a tough time in getting a peek at the good Lord as the temple was packed with a huge influx of pilgrims!

And then, it was reminiscing time and we caught up from where we'd left last. Mom was an active participant as she chipped in whenever the conversation was of interest to her.


Tailpiece.

Mom's cryptic comment at the end of it all, "My kid sister talks a hell of a lot, so much so that she doesn't have the patience to listen to the others." I couldn't agree with her more!
  

A trend that I don't understand!

President Barrack Obama's recent visit to Japan was interesting in that, he became the first US President to visit the atomic bomb ravaged town of Hiroshima in the course of his visit. Also, came the local  lament that he did not visit Nagasaki - were the votaries of this statement wanting a President to visit each of the places ravaged by his forces in the past, I wonder? Understand his discomfort, too, as he must have gone through the protocol!

It's my opinion that he did right by not apologising for the dropping of the bomb and the consequent devastation caused by the US forces during the World War II. His statement that leaders take critical decisions during wartime depending upon the circumstances and the requirement of the hour was apt. By doing so, he had endorsed President Truman's hardest decision during those tumultuous years!

In recent years, it has become a fashion or should I say, a trend for leaders to apologise for actions of their predecessors'! To me it appears comical and more importantly, unnecessary due to the following reasons:-

    (a) You're apologising to the generations who do not really understand/are trying to put the blot
          or the mind numbing event behind them.
    (b) A belated apology, in time and space, doesn't bring solace or the intended effect to the actual
          sufferers.
    (c)  Then, why is it done? Perhaps, to free oneself off the guilt of having wronged? But does it have
          any bearing on the people who had suffered the ignominy and pain associated with the
          incident?

To cite an example, no one from the Jewish community can ever forget Auschwitz or those dreaded gas chambers where millions of Jews were exterminated during Hitler's rule of Nazi Germany. But that also doesn't mean that they find the subsequent generations of Germans guilty or responsible for that horrible past!

Therefore, my advice is 'stop apologising for the past' but make sure that such mistakes are never, ever repeated!


Tailpiece.

(a) Be good in thoughts and actions but is it really possible to follow during the conduct of statecraft?
(b) Today happens to be the 52nd remembrance day of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal
      Nehru. My prayers.