Finally, it's just the two of us!

Since there was nothing much planned for the earlier part of the day, I'd decided to take it easy and sleep till 6 AM. But it was not to be. In fact, I'd got up by 5 and gone through the chores before Mini and Lekha had woken up. In the meanwhile, Rema and gang had reached Palakkad, and their home, by a half past 3! I marvel at their stamina to cover their journeys by night so that the entire daytime is available for doing productive work. For me, sleep while traveling by bus doesn't work especially so when one has to break journey sometime during the night! And with Lekha in tow, I avoid all such combinations!!

We left for Ayoor - around 25 kms away, amid mad traffic and narrow roads - by a 10' to 10. I took the Veliyam-Odanavattom route and reached Sanil's house by a half past 10. Sanil's mom was taking a stroll in the courtyard and she kept telling us to have lunch and return. We'd to refuse her politely but what was important was that she looked healthier and cheerful - a pleasant change from what we'd seen of her, last time. Mini will go off to Kollam tomorrow, meet up with more of Sanil's relations and will return to Bangalore, the day after tomorrow. Of late, she has been having medical problems and is having medicines but I feel that she's not taking adequate care of herself which worries me.

After days of boisterous company, it was a quiet lunch with just the two of us!

My director was down with medical problems and hence, the day's programmes stood cancelled. It was a serious blow and I considered the remainder of my stay out here, wasteful and unproductive. Vishnu and Jayakrishnan - from my office - had dropped by to give me a resume of the training being carried out, the highlights and the lowdown, at every stage, which was a great education. I'd followed it up with discussions - one to one - over the telephone with the concerned trainers to collect more information that would help me suggest course corrections, if required. This was a poor substitute for my actual presence at each of those venues, I concede, but I couldn't waste time and had to make good with the best available back up to tide over the hopeless situation that had emerged.

After the duo had left, Soman, the supervisor of our telephone exchange and his son had dropped by. It was basically, a counseling session since the boy is 24 years of age and has still not found a suitable job for himself. He refuses to apply for jobs because he feels that he doesn't stand a chance while competing with the 'more competent' ones. I talked to the youngster and took on the role of a counselor and by the end of it, he's agreed to follow a few points that I've suggested. Yes and he's the boy whose professional career has been 'assured' by my mom to his father! She thought that her son could sort out everyone's problems in the neighbourhood.

Later, our caretaker was briefed about the jobs to be done over the next few weeks.


Tailpiece.

Mohanachandran's medical bulletin.

"Today in the morning Mohan was seated on a chair, in the presence of his sons. He was trying to hold the head in position. The doctors say that it is a good sign. When called, he was trying to respond and also trying to speak, but the tongue and lips were moving in a distorted manner. Pray for his speedy recovery". From Vipinachandran.    

The third wedding of the series.

Was up at 5 AM along with the ladies of the house. The usual morning chores were gone through and we're ready in our Sunday bests to attend my nephew's wedding at Thiruvananthapuram. Padmakumar had come by about a half past 7 from his home, had a quick breakfast and we'd set off from here at 8 AM. As we shaped our course southward from Kottarakkara, it was a quarter past 8 which meant that we're 15' earlier than the departure time of the day before yesterday!

The traffic was sparse being a Sunday and by a few minutes before 10, we'd reached the venue of the wedding - Alagapuri, at Edappazhanji. As is our usual style, we met each of our relatives and a few of their friends, whom we knew. It was a well conducted wedding with the Governor and Mrs. Sathasivam and Mr. VS Achuthanandan headed the plethora of guests. There were a host of people from the media as Akhil's dad is a part of it.

Akhil and Ritu make a handsome couple. Ritu hails from Alappuzha, has finished her course in banking and is awaiting her appointment, which she hopes to get at Thiruvananthapuram. So, now there are two young couples from the banking profession in our family viz. Midhun-Ammu and Akhil-Ritu. There seems to be an affinity for the profession, huh! Here's us wishing Akhil-Ritu a very happy and long married life yet again.

The 'muhurtham' was between 1215 and 1230 hrs. This time with an array of VVIPs spread among the audience, the photographers/the video guys behaved well and we didn't have the ignominy of watching their backs at the time of the wedding! Just goes to show that they can cover the proceedings without blocking our view! And if so, why don't they follow it as a sacrosanct rule in every marriage? I must hasten to add that here it was dictated by the Governor's security entourage!

At lunch, Mini - Padmakumar's niece - her two gorgeous daughters, Shreya(Class VI) and Shraddha(Class II) sat near us and it was nice to hear her chirpily updating about herself and the family. Sreedharetta, from Palakkad and Omana chechi - Santhan kochachhan's brother-in-law and sister - along with their folks addressed me as chechi's doctor just because I'd been with her at the Rajah Hospital, Guruvayur when she'd suddenly fallen ill while on pilgrimage, a few months ago! Damn sweet of them. We'd shaped our return course, soon after and had reached Raj Nivas by about a half past 3.

Lekha and I had dropped Rema and Padmakumar at the latter's house so that they could board their long distance deluxe bus by 8, this evening. Achu, who'd arrived directly at Thiruvananthapuram this morning, after work last night, will also be accompanying them as they've to attend office tomorrow morning. Soon after, the three of us had got down to setting up the small earthenware pots(Diyas) to light them as darkness set in as today happens to be the 'Karthik Purnima'. Seeing them lit, many of the passersby dropped by to tell us that it reminded them about the good old days when mom used to have them arranged in many tiers!

For the three of us - Lekha, Mini and me - it was the thrill that we felt in doing up the arrangements. In fact, the 'diyas' were picked and chosen by Lekha from Guruvayur. Can't really explain the wonderful feeling that I'd experienced all through the evening! With the full moon behind the house, Raj Nivas looked splendid!!


Tailpiece.

Mohanachandran's medical bulletin.

"Mohan has opened both eyes but due to the swelling on the left side, the left eye cannot be fully opened. Antibiotics have been stopped. Vinu, his elder son, says that when called, Mohan tries to turn his head towards the left side and not to the right side. Prayers must continue!" From Vipinachandran.
       

A reasonably quiet day.

The ladies of the house were up by 5 AM and had gone around, doing their chores. They were ready well in time to be picked up by Lekha's sister, Letha, to go to Mannarasala and Oachira temples. Maari, a professional driver and Letha's husband's relative was behind the wheel and they're off by a half past 7.

The programme that was charted for the day, by my director, had to be postponed due to unforeseen circumstances and therefore, there was adequate time in hand to pursue other things that were pending. Since I keep the main entrance open whenever I'm indoors, there would be a stream of guests to inquire about our activities, a few who just want to be with us and some others who seek assistance/help. It has been my endeavour to provide satisfactory solutions to the problems put across.

I did catch up on my reading and was also able to speak to quite a few with whom I hadn't been in touch of late. Meanwhile, updates of the activities of post yesterday's wedding and the run up to the one tomorrow kept coming in regularly. Though the news bytes kept screaming about devastation courtesy the Okchi cyclone, there wasn't any rain here and the sun was out but the heat was too feeble to dry the wet clothes!

The coconut mill next door was silent perhaps, because of the spillage of the Id celebrations that were celebrated yesterday. The caretaker had spent some time with me, discussing the impending work of making platforms for the rubber saplings which would entail the deployment of 55 men @ Rs.700/-, once the rains get over. The growth of the weeds will also be taken care of. Mind you, the removal of the weeds was undertaken just about three months back! This is what farming is all about, I suppose!!

The ladies were back by a quarter to two and we'd a delayed lunch together. By about a half past 3, they're off again, this time to visit Letha's would-be-second-daughter-in-law and her folks and the return was at a quarter to 8. The quiet house till then, had suddenly become noisy and it was followed by a boisterous dinner!


Tailpiece.

Mohanachandran's medical bulletin.

"No change since last sitrep". From Vipinachandran.






    

Meeting up with the family.

The day had begun at 5 AM and we went went about our chores with gusto. Dad's walking stick fell down with a loud clank even today! By a half past 7, we'd set off for Thiruvananthapuram through a slight drizzle. I'd fuel filled up in the Chevy and the tyre pressure checked at the petrol bunk at Kottarakkara, that I visit usually. We'd to wait for about half an hour for Padmakumar to fetch up from Pidavoor and were on our way by a half past 8.

As we entered the city, it had begun to pour and I hate such situations when you're scheduled to get down from the vehicle. Our first stop was at Lekha's uncle's place. All of 89 years, he was at his office adjacent to the house at PTP Nagar and wasn't he thrilled to see us? He looked weak but his sense of humour has not lost its sparkle. About 250 mts down the road was my aunt Vichani kunjamma's place and that was our next stop. My cousin and her family had already left for the wedding, that we're also going to attend.

Vichani kunjamma's memory has taken a toss. My shouting out 'Ninthiruvadi', on seeing her, did elicit only a smile and nothing else. During her heydays she used to, in the course of her morning prayers, utter "Ninthiruvadi, Karunanidhe, Bhaktavalsala" and it used to amuse me no end that the names were that of the chief ministers of Tamilnadu! From then on it used to be a covenant between the two of us that whenever we came in sight of each other, I used to shout Ninthiruvadi and she used to complete it by saying Karunanidhe, Bhaktavalsala! It was that retort of hers that I sorely missed this morning. She was lying on her back on the bed and was fully alert, so I thought. Her nurse told us that she had become very quiet these days.

I thought that the drastic change had come about when she was admitted into a geriatric home for a few days, a few months back! To my mind, she's registering each and everything but has taken a solemn resolve not to exhibit her emotions and she seemed to be thoroughly bored with the things going on around her. Her right knee has a bulge and the rest of the leg has begun to atrophy. The nurse said that her appetite was intact! The sight of a reaction-less Vichani kunjamma, which is a far cry from her actual ebullient and outgoing self, has begun to and will haunt me forever!

The wedding of Manu and Aparna went off like clockwork. His parents, Mohanachandran chittappan and Pappi kunjamma, looked very relieved at the end of it all because, at one time, they seemed to be quite sure that Manu would bring an American bride as he worked there! I met all our relations from my mom's side except for Sindhu, my cousin. Though I participated in the activities connected to the wedding, my mind was cluttered up with the sight of Vichani kujamma's helpless state.

A word about the dining hall of the Sumangali Auditorium which was the venue of the wedding. I believe its rental is comparatively cheap because it's the Devaswom Board's facility. Its defect is that the entry/exit of the dining hall is one, resulting in undue crowding and jostling. The authorities have made so much of profit over the years but haven't done anything to solve this dilemma!

Our next stop was at Indira kunjamma's house to look up Resmi, who has vowed not to attend any function during the year that follows her husband, Suresh's passing away. After having a cup of tea, we're off to Sree kochachhan's house. He's bereaved, in that, he had lost his younger brother recently and we'd dropped by to offer our condolences. Suma kunjamma's tales about her recent air travel from Madras to Thiruvananthapuram elicited a lot of laughter among us but it was also a grim reminder of the things that many of us overlook as passengers!

Our return trip to Raj Nivas was through darkness, after sunset. Padmakumar had got off at Kottarakkara as he was going back to his house to spend the night. We ended up yakkitiyakking but had a comparatively early evening at a half past 10! The good thing was that Lekha's dangling right toenail had fallen off sometime during the course of the day, without giving her any pain. Phew!!


Tailpiece.

1. Manu and Aparna, have a long and happy married life. You make a great couple! Take care!!
2. Mohanachandran's medical bulletin reiterated that he continues to be in the same state as what was mentioned in the last sitrep.    

One of those wet days.

Mini had got up at 5 AM and was going about her chores when she heard a loud noise in the center hall. Startled momentarily, when she went across to identify the source of the noise, she found that it was caused by dad's quadruple-footed walking stick that had fallen down! She narrated this story to Lekha and me, saying that she was sure about dad and mom being present in the house! Well!!

I'd decided to go to KIMS, at Thiruvananthapuram, to look up Mohanachandran this morning. I'd got ready and had asked my sister to escort me to the bus stand with her umbrella because I'd no intention to carry an appendage despite the fact that it was very evident that it was gonna be a very wet day. Before I could saunter out, I'd rung up my friend, Suresh Laxman, about helping me find my way to the ICU in which Mohanachandran was and he had this to say:-

    (a) Only the family members - Manju, the sons, their wives and the grand daughter - were allowed
          into the ICU.
    (b) It was pouring in Thiruvananthapuram and moving around in the city could end up being
          tricky.
    (c) Advised me against making a trip today.

Meanwhile, cyclone 'Ockhi' was wreaking havoc on the east coast especially, in Madras, Tuticorin, Kanyakumari and southern Kerala, upto Kochi! Wonder how the cyclone got its name, by jumbling 'Kochi', I wonder? Therefore, I quickly changed plans and decided to stay indoors.

Rema, had fetched up from Pidavoor soon after Mini had returned after making a quick trip to Kottarakkara for sundry purchases. There were quite a few people who'd, in the meanwhile, dropped by to call on. It gave us a nice feeling and the moist poignant remark was, "I was passing by when I saw the house agog with activity and the front door open. Couldn't resist my temptation to come in like the good old times".

Our caretaker had come by and spent about an hour talking about many things. He looked embarrassed about the noise pollution caused by the coconut processing machines of his son's factory, nearby. My advice to him was to 'sound proof' the factory with the initial profits that were accruing. But I suppose that's a tall order because of the usual human tendency of putting it in into the personal bank account!

But whatever one might say, I've realised what 'noise pollution' is all about! There are many of my friends and relatives who'd offered to get the unit shut down for having falsified information that we had no objection because we weren't living here! I've told them to be patient because, honestly, I didn't want to snuff a budding entrepreneur from a low income family and he happens to be my caretaker's younger son!!


Tailpiece.

Mohanachandran's medical bulletin.

Mohan continues to be in 'dangerously ill list'. No change since last sitrep. 

Action packed.

The day had begun at 4 AM for me. Without disturbing Lekha and Rema, I'd gone about my chores and recited my prayers. We were all ready within reasonable time to cast off around 0640 hrs. At Kottarakkara, Lekha's blood and urine samples were taken at the lab and we're, soon, off for the Kollam Railway station to pick up my sister, Mini, who'd disembarked from the morning train from Bangalore - she hardly, had a wait out there.

We'd breakfast of dosas and tomato chutney from a wayside stall. It was yummy to say the least.

And then we headed straight for Paravoor to look up Kurup kochachhan, who was hospitalised last week and discharged on the third day. He was responding to our conversation and gave us quite a few great quips. If he has a memory problem, at least, there wasn't even a hint of it today. Vijayan kurup, the male nurse, is doing a wonderful job insofar as the cleanliness and hygiene of the patient and the surroundings. Mind you, we'd arrived there, unannounced! After spending over an hour, we'd taken leave of him and the return drive to Kottarakkara was smooth with comparatively less traffic. Lekha's results were ready and we could collect its hard copy. Her ESR continues to be high at 60 but the other parameters seem to be under control!

This time we're headed for Pidavoor to look up Padmakumar's mom and drop Rema out there. It was nice talking to the old lady who'd complained about the recurring pain on her left elbow. It's obvious that she has met a lot of doctors.  By the time we're back at 'Raj Nivas' it was a quarter past 1. After a quick lunch, I was off with Sasi for a short programme - the distribution of the course certificates on completion of the 'dress making course' that was of a duration of three months. The venue was Aanayada of the Sooranadu panchayat. Had exhorted them to use the mastery acquired during the course to become a quality entrepreneur.

I was back at home by a quarter to 6. Suresh, my old Man Friday had dropped by to meet us. He has become a mature person.


Tailpiece.

Mohanachandran's medical bulletin.

"Our prayers have done wonders I guess.......the fever has vanished......his right eye opened many times today and his left eye, too, opened partially and he even shed a tear from his left eye.....there is still some swelling around his left eye. The fluid culture has been temporarily postponed". From Suresh Laxman.

"Mohan continues as in the morning sitrep. The medical parameters are showing improvement to the positive side. Our prayers and support to the family are a must and unavoidable". From Vipinachandran.   

A memorable afternoon.

The day had begun on a quiet note because the Airtel dish services had gone for a toss since last evening during the heavy rains. The morning was dull and gray which made things look gloomy. Lekha and I went through our chores and I was ready by a half past 10. Sasi had got caught in a traffic snarl but he'd brought Jayachandran, the Vice President of the JSS along with him and had the timing delayed by an hour.

The Gandhi Bhavan is a geriatric shelter for the many elders who've been dumped by their children for a variety of reasons. Its inmates provide numbing stories about the total break up of the family ever since the gradual disappearance of the joint family system, during the late '70s and the early '80s, in Kerala. One wonders as to how people can forget their parents' contribution towards their progression in life! The shelter has about 1,200 inmates.

Somaraj sir, his wife and son have taken pains to bring up the organisation to the present standards. He remembered his association with my grandfather during the Library Movement as well as in the activities of the KANFED very fondly. He held my hand as he saw us off. TP Madhavan, the film personality and the son of the late Dr. NP Pillai sir - who was another fellow traveler along with PN Panicker - was very thrilled and he recounted the numerous times my grandfather had visited their house. I felt very honoured when he draped a ceremonial shawl around my shoulders. I must confess that I wasn't very happy with the speech that I'd delivered - it was passable - but I thoroughly enjoyed the distribution of the course certificates thereafter.

We'd the ceremonial lunch soon after and I felt nice that I could finally visit the institution which is doing a great service to the society. Here's wishing that it grows from strength to strength!

            *                                   *                                  *
On our return, I found that action was on to get our landline operational. The overhead line had snapped which was replaced. Soman, the supervisor, has said that he would send his son to me for advice. Mom had given him an assurance that his son's job attainment would be looked after by me!

            *                                    *                                  *
Soon after Pramod from the Star Dish TV, had set right the problem - the signal received from the dish antenna was weak. Initially, as he switched on our television set, the reception seemed to be okay which made me look silly. But as we explained the problem, he'd looked up the antenna, spotted the error and corrected it. It was then that he opened up about his elder brother, Pradeep who wanted to rejoin the Army that he'd left on his own volition and was dismissed from service for being AWOL(Absent Without Leave) for over three years.

I'd spoken to him upon Pramod's insistence and was curious to know as to why he'd committed such a blunder. He'd fallen in love with a girl, married her and when he had come on emergency leave to see their first child, he didn't feel like returning - just like that! A costly mistake and he's now repenting about it. He does odd jobs but I could understand that he, having had a ten year stint in the Army, considered himself a failure in life! I've asked him to send me his particulars to see as to what I can do for him.

I'm impressed by the love between the siblings!


Tailpiece.

Mohanachandran's medical bulletin.

"He continues to be in the 'dangerously list......a term used in defence hospitals. Fever persists....opened his right eye just once. Spinal fluid culture not yet done. We continue with prayers".
From Suresh Laxman.