October 7th was my birthday!

I came to know from my wife that, a small get-together was arranged at our Changanassery home with father's close friends and their family. It was planned on Saturday, 7th October 2012. I was at my home at Kollam that morning. I had lunch with my parents on my birthday and started for Changanassery in Chennai mail, at 3.30 pm. Reaching home, I learned that, Radhika had indeed made a superb black forest with cherry toppings and icing for me that day. 

Black Forest made by my wife!

Our friends and family joined us that night. It was indeed after a long gap, that the families were together. We could see that each and everyone enjoyed the moment. The element of surprise was that, It wasn't told to them that, it was my birthday. Together with them, a wonderful time was gifted to me this birthday. Thanks for putting up such a plan my dear :).

What makes them do this?

I was late that Friday when I started from Thiruvanmiyur home for Chennai central railway station. I was in obvious hurry and it was drizzling. The normal auto rickshaw charge from Thiruvanmiyur RTO to Tidel Park Suburban railway station is 40 rupees. As usual, these guys ask 50 rupees for this trip; quoting hike in petrol price (even if their vehicle has LPG label stamped on it). 

This driver saw me walking (literally running) towards the RTO road. Sudden thoughts of 'Ha, yet another prospective customer' sprung onto his mind. I got into the auto and told my destination. As though a thunderbolt has struck him, came the reply.. 'Sir, 60 rupees venam'. I knew it was way too much. I didn't want to argue since time was against me. I just told him that, he knows clearly my situation and that is the reason why he is demanding me. Also, I told him that, normal rate is 40 and the max is 50. He then said that, it was heavy traffic. I replied saying that, next time, when another person gets into his auto for same route, ask him only 50 and requested him to drive little fast. This guy, as if to avenge my words, started driving slowly. I didn't speak until it was 100 meters away from Tidel railway station. The red signal was on and traffic had already piled up. The guy started murmuring something that time. The inferiority complex has settled upon and played lot of damage to thoughts of these guys. That is what which makes them do all this.

I stepped out of auto and paid him 70 rupees mentioning 'you can still drive with speed'. And, I told him this:  'As I told you, do not ask 60 rupees from next person who gets into your auto in same route.' Turning back, I saw him by the corner of my eye; nodding his head as if he got what I meant. 

Well, good for him if he understood. Because, we cannot take what is not meant for us.

The way the world is...

I was travelling to home town for the weekend that Friday. I usually buy something for dinner from French Loaf counter at Chennai central railway station.

On that day too, I reached the shop by 7.20 pm. I finished my purchase when I saw a poor old lady (by looks, she was over 70), requesting to the shop attender for a burger. She was holding 10 rupees in hand. The attender was telling her it cannot be given for 10 rupees. Then, she started searching the knot in her saree patiently; counted and handled over 5 rupees in coins. The attender mocked at it and started shooing her away. I was irritated at this and asked him, how much more he need. Suddenly, laughs died down on his face and he said 50 rupees. I handed over the extra money to him and asked him to give the food to her.

This is the way the world is. We see instances like this in our daily life. We never know what circumstances make people beg. Ignore them; but never mock or make fun at them.

Journey to Guruvayoor - Happenings on a day

We had a trip to Guruvayoor temple on 5th Nov 2011. This was a trip which was arranged with both of our families. In fact, something which was planned a month back. Radhika had to leave to home wotn a week before for an appointment with her dentist. I had my ticket confirmed on Patna express from Chennai central at 3.45 am on 5th Nov. I arranged a taxi for 2.00 am to take me to Chennai central railway station. Reaching station at 2.45 am, I was taken aback by the departure board displaying 12.00 pm as departure time for Patna Express. Train was delayed by 8 hrs! Many things came to my mind together with the much renowned lack of punctuality of Indian railways. I ran to the information center confirmed the obvious! Only option left out for me was to catch the Bokaro (aka Tata Alleppey) express which is scheduled to depart in another 45 min. 

I didn't have a ticket for this train and found reasonably long queue (considering 3.30 am) for single counter opened in ticket counter of a major railway station. I managed to reach the counter at 4.03 am. When I asked for a sleeper ticket, Mr Counter Man said that sleeper tickets are sold in 1st floor. I didn't see any board in that site which conveys such an information (Put this way, for Mr Counter Man, the age old computer would be interested only in generating general class tickets Or, it might be that, he cannot guarantee a colored sleeper ticket because the color cartridge is out; what else!). Left with no option, I took the so called 'open ticket'; a word which I am hearing/experiencing for first time. Before taking the ticket, I checked with this guy, who was joking behind me until that moment, whether I could board Bokaro express with this ticket. To my surprise, he started acting very busy to get his ticket from the counter. I got the matter. He simply doesn't want to see a 'good thing' happening to a fellow human being. What else could I perceive out of this? (I recollect seeing this guy in the same train and was heading to Coimbatore. He never saw me.) People are un-predictable all the time. That was an experience indeed.

I had to get into sleeper class with open ticket. Getting into general compartment was equivalent to throwing yourself into death by suffocation due to lack of space and oxygen. I met couple of aged employees returning to Erode after work. Here I met a person who was working with Indian Railways for on contract basis for over 15 years!. He gave me good company and we inquired each other on work and life. Time passed and I had a decent nap of 3-4 hrs in train. My new friend woke me up when the train reached Shornur as he was getting down there. 

All through till now, I missed to mention that, our 'working' union of kerala has called a 'hartal' in protest of petrol price hike from central government. Even though state government had cut on its taxes by 27 paise the previous day, hartal was something which would be celebrated without any change. 

I reached Thrissur at 4.00 pm. Earlier in the noon, my wife called me and said that they were lucky to get a KSTRC transport bus heading to Guruvayoor as they managed to reach the Thissur railway station. I was in the hope of another such magic happening for myself. I stepped out of railway station's side exit and saw many auto rickshaws there. I approached one Mr.SeemToBeGoodGuy and asked whether auto would go to transport bus stand. He said that it is transport hartal and no vehicles would run on road. When I told him that KSRTC buses are plying, this person said that KSRTC buses were stopped a while ago. It was in matter of seconds that Mr.SeemToBeGoodGuy turned out to be a Mr.ReallyReallyBadGuy for me. Because, he was plainly lying and I knew that transport buses were plying with police protection. I often wondered why these gentlemen get dressed up in morning and stay put in such places to disrupt normal people's living. Why couldn't they just stay back at home and support the so called hartal; staying out of road?

The world, as it goes along, turns bad; 
and gets tougher to live with...

Epilogue: I walked to main exit of railway station with my luggage and saw an auto rickshaw guy (void the khakhi uniform) whom god has sent to help me. He asked me the destination and five minutes later, we reached Thrissur KSRTC bus stand. There were police squads deployed for safe travel of real 'working' class. After 15 hrs of ordeal, I managed a comfortable seat for my journey to Guruvayoor on a bus charted to start at 5.00 pm.

A distinguished birthday celebration

It was 7th October 2011. The day which added another 1 to my age :). I returned from office early that day. Radhika and amma prepared payasam that day. I got fresh and to my surprise Radhika and amma called me to cut the birthday cake. It was a 'White Forest' ordered from the cake outlet in 'Spencers daily', Thiruvanmiyur. Radhika had arranged for it without my knowledge.

I came to know later from amma, that my wife walked all the way in hot sun to get the cake which was ordered; since they didn't have home delivery and also kept the element of surprise. I got a nice Tee shirt from amma. As a birthday gift, my wife who is aware of my interest towards reading, bought me the book 'TATA - The evolution of a Corporate Brand' by Morgan Witzel.

This birthday was a distinguished and most memorable one for me. It was the first one after our marriage and it was full of surprise and love. Radhika, I love you my dear :)

A heart touching incident

I recollect this incident which happened in July 2011. We normally do shopping on Sunday's for the upcoming week and we go to 'Spencers daily' in thiruvanmiyur for that. It was a Sunday. We completed our shopping and got out of the store. I collected my bike from the parking lot and started it.

Suddenly, a poor kid appeared from nowhere and stood near us; crying out 'anna anna' and 'akka akka ' with extended arms. I had change with me and took out 10 rupees for her. She didn't take it to our surprise... Instead, she said 'paise venda anna... antha bun vaangi thanna pothum...' (I don't want money brother, please buy that bun alone for me'). She was pointing to the 'Burger Man' outlet in front of Spencers daily. Those words touched my heart and I took out 50 rupees from my wallet and asked Radhika to buy the kid a burger. She was all smiles and ever happy than me to do it. We waited for the store person at outlet to prepare the burger to ensure that kid gets it. When kid got the burger, we could see the happiness on her face. She told us. 'Rumba thanks akka.. rumba thanks anna' (Thanks very much brother... thanks very much sister) and started eating it wholeheartedly.

That moment, I felt this. How many could have ignored her pleadings? How much she would have wanted for the 'bun' when she had seen parents buying it for their kids? How much her parents or 'her master' would have scolded or beaten her for asking the 'bun'? We could see the answers for all these questions in her eyes.

We silently drove back to our home. 

A Burglar's attempt on our car

This incident happened in May 2011. It was a weekend and Radhika's mother was with us on a visit. We decided to spend that Sunday evening in Thiruvanmiyur beach, People who know this beach would also know, the point where the beach road starts after the turn from Thiruvanmiyur RTO. We parked the car in the pocket road which leads to the starting point of beach road. This road is badly lit and we never knew that, this was a place where anti-social elements lurked in danger during night.

I noted this person who was sitting on a bike nearby, smoking a cigarette. Somewhere in my thoughts, I had the cold feeling that this guy was staring and when I noticed, he was turning back. We normally wont give much heed to onlookers when we come with family and so, we walked our way towards the beach. We might have spent 45 minutes there and started moving to the car. The time was past 8.45 pm. I walked towards the car, unlocked and opened the door. My wife started opening the front passenger seat door when she called out my name aloud. It was then, that I noticed something sparkling besides the seat in low lit street light. I was shocked to see that left door glass was broken and entire piece has caved into the seat. Her money purse was missing from the compartment beneath the hand brake. The nasty miscreant has broken the glass to steal the purse.
He might not have had enough time to search rest of the car. What he has gained out of that action was 700 odd rupees. We were lucky that he didn't search the back seat since there was another bag with some considerable amount in it.

Set aside what he has 'earned'; he was unaware of damage he has inflicted upon the car. Change of glass cost me 1600 rupees. I didn't get the proper shade of garware classic sun film for 4 months, which matched the shade in rest of windows; because, greedy shop keepers wanted 2000 rupees, even to fill out that single glass. I finally found a lesser greedy one who finally ended up putting a junk film which had scratches (which I noticed after he fixed it since they weren't visible with the adhesive piece on) and matched 70% to original shade for 800 Rs. The loss due to thief to the car was 3000 rupees in total.

I thank god that he didn't think of looking into back seat. Something or someone might have stopped him; of which we are not aware of; till now.

Prologue: We never parked in pocket roads after this incident. We took the car to beach road and kept it in reach of our eyesight. Always.

When virus caught me!

This happened in July 2011. I don't remember reading monthly astrological publication that Librans born in first half of October would have bad time. On 5th of July morning, at around 12.15 am, I took my wife to Menangudy hospital. Adyar; owing to high fever. The doctor prescribed a medication course and assured that there is nothing to worry.

At around 11 am, I started experiencing high temperature and shivering. The health condition of both of us were going bad and we thought of travelling to hometown since tatkal tickets were available that evening.

Next day, on 6th of July, I was lying in a bed at St.Thomas hospital, Chethipuzha. I was having 104 degree fever and was advised to be hospitalized. Call it luck, my wife was recovering with the medication she was taking. I was bed ridden for 3 days with high fever.

I would say, I didn't suffer much. But, tension was high since the season was bad and scores were thronging the hospital with malaria and viral fever. Perhaps something big which was supposed to happen was averted with such an incident...

God's play.

A sanctuary for reptiles

Crocodile park (Officially Madras Crocodile Bank Trust) in chennai is famous for the wide variety of reptile species it houses. Conceived as a 'Bank' which is a home for endangered species, it holds more than 10 species of crocodiles and turtles amounting to  over 2000 animals. The park is located in Vadanemmeli, around 40 km from Chennai. 

I have been there for four to five times. The last visit which I did was the best one. It was in June 2011. It rained the previous day. Normally, it is hard to see them out of their comfort zone 'home'. Often I could see disheartened visitors with sad faces going out of the sanctuary, since they couldn't get even get a peek of the animals for which they came for. To my surprise, I saw that all the reptiles were basking on the land in broad day light; away from the water. I didn't understand the reason for this behavior. Well, leaving that to the speculation of the reader, I will take you through few photos which I took during my visit...

A trip to Mahabalipuram

I am not going to go to the history of Mahabalipuram aka Mamallapuram... Google or Wikipedia can share the same with you. So, what am I doing here instructing you? Ah, cut the crap. This trip dates back to May 2011...

I had thought about taking my wife to Mahabalipuram. I shared the same thought with Savin; who seemed to be interested in joining us with his partner. So, that was a 'family' trip. My wife volunteered to cook Idly and chutney for the breakfast. We set off at morning 5.30 in Savin's car and reached Mahabalipuram after a 50km drive. 

First place of visit was the Shore temple. Shore temple is a real sight to see. Built in granite, the temple stays alongside Bay of Bengal and enchants the visitors with its history dated back to 8th century AD. 

From there, we moved on to the site of Pancha Rathas, named after the pandavas and draupadi. 
The interesting fact is that, each of the temple dedicated to the icons is a monolith built out of granite.

On the way back we stepped out to see the 'Arjuna's Penance'. Associated with the site is the Krishna Mandapam monument. The giant rock which defies gravity; called Krishna's butter ball is also visible from there.

We started our way back from Mahabalipuram. Next destination was the Crocodile park, officially called Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology, located in Vadanemmeli near to the Muthukad lake. The CrocBank serves as home for numerous endangered species of crocodiles, snakes and turtles. It is a must visit place indeed; Of-course, for those who doesn't fear reptiles.

Very much pre-occupied to give me a shot...

Three Musketeers :)

We started our way back from the park at around 1pm. Signing off, the trip was a successful one except for the hard sun Chennai always sprays on its visitors. 

One tip I could offer for Mahabalipuram visitors is to plan Shore Temple visit after evening 5.30 PM. The monuments there will offer perfect visual treat in association with sunset, for you.