I was in Hyderabad the last couple of days after a gap of 30 years. However my memories of that trip way back in 1979 are so vivid and it surprised me to think that it happened 30 years ago. The reason why I remember that trip so well is because I along with my sister Latha were visiting my best friend Sarah who had just set up home and the 3 of us had a wonderful time doing all that the youth of the 70’s did. Rickety rickshaw rides, just walking in the sun and soaking the atmosphere and patronizing the way side eateries and going for an Amitabh movie (Manzil) which was shot in 2 sessions with a gap of almost a decade between them. I wonder whether the youth of today would even consider any of these as having a good time. My visit now was to attend the marriage of Sarah’s brother Roy’s daughter. Now Sarah is of the Avial fame and Roy of the Boost in my article Involuntary Inheritance. We were a family and we had to be there for each other.
The wedding was very grand as was expected. There was no surprise in that because it was held at the Taj Krishna a Premier Taj Hotel. I write this article not to highlight the wedding or the hosts or the guests but to highlight an experience I had while I was there. It does not pertain to Hyderabad alone and could have happened anywhere else in India. In the interim 30 year period both our lives have changed and we have both become older and have become victims of some medical conditions. I for one am a diabetic and have been so for the last 19 years. Sarah has had a severe back problem and she has had to undergo a surgery to her spine. With this surgery her movements are totally restricted. By the grace of God she leads a life doing only the things her physical condition permits her. Not for her the cycle rickshaw ride or anything crazy in that genre. Her life is strictured and any change spells doom for her. A walk and a swim is an integral part of her daily routine and come rain or shine she adheres to both of them Thus on the second day of my trip when we had to go from point A to B which was about 3 kms apart, Sarah suggested that she would walk, firstly as an exercise and secondly because there were no cars available and a trip by an auto rickshaw was unthinkable. As for me I quickly agreed as I felt guilty about all the desserts I had consumed at the previous night’s feast. It was a good hour to walk and thus the two friends set about on the walk. Those who know us well will vouch as to how many walks we must have taken covering longer distances and during the most blistering summers.
The moment we set out from Point A and on to the road, there was the morning hour traffic. We waited and with some negotiation crossed the road and then the nightmare began. To think that we were in the heart of Secunderabad and that the main thoroughfares did not have any side walks. We walked facing the traffic and could see the buses and other vehicles coming towards us. It was scary but had to be endured. The white line which marks the traffic zone was less than a foot away from the compound wall and that left absolutely no place for a normal person to walk. We had thought that we could have a long chat and catch up on the happenings, but this situation only made a silent single file movement possible. This too turned risky at points were there where vehicles parked. We had to look out to see what was coming and at times were almost sandwiched between a parked van and a moving bus. During this 3 kilometre stretch for a short distance there were side walks, but then we could not use it as it would hurt Sarah’s back. The side walks were over a foot high and her condition did not allow her to raise her leg that high. If it were a continuous walk she may have given it a try, but then at every twenty to thirty feet, the pavement was cut for the entrance to a compound. This meant that in a stretch of about half a kilometer, one had to go up and down atleast 40 times. This I must say is a strain for not only someone with a bad back but also for people without any back problem or arthritis.
Why are such side walks made? Does it serve its purpose in any way? It is in no way user friendly. I really wish the authorities who planned and executed these side walks would take a walk on them or for that matter take a walk on the road and see the dangerous and near fatal situation a pedestrian has to endure in his or her normal daily activity. I happened to be a witness to my friend’s difficulties considering that in no way can one say that she has a grave impediment. Hers is only a condition were she has to be careful. I shudder to think of the fate of others who face various forms of disabilities. It is said that there are over 70 million Indians who are disabled in some form or the other. To think that even a walk on an asphalted road could turn out to be a life or death situation is unthinkable. I dread to think of all the other hurdles they have to face. From time to time we hear of ramps being built to help the people in wheel chairs. Although that is important, I think what is more important is to make the roads safe for the pedestrian. I know it is difficult to control jay walkers, but make it safe for the rest of the pedestrians by providing decent navigable side walks in cities with heavy traffic on the road. Millions of our people are on the road at any given point of time and they include the young and the old and the fit and the sick and people with hearing and vision impairment and so many others belonging to different categories. The rate at which we are “developing”, it will not be long before our roads become the black ribbons of death.
The two friends endured an hour of the most vigilante walk and reached Point B with our vocal chords well rested.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Change
One of the things that man is most afraid of is the idea of change. Once he is in a comfort zone, he finds it very difficult to apprehend change and the thought of a new surrounding or environment surely causes unknown fear. This fear of change becomes more pronounced as one advances in age. The human psyche is so set that it becomes difficult for a person to apprehend change and to appreciate the fact that change does have a positive angle. This resistance to change makes our behaviour on par with that of our four legged friends. Like them our minds become conditioned and we too become victims of the Pavlovian Theory.
When on a fine morning, two individuals who were at the threshold of their middle age took a decision to bring about a total change to their lives, it goes without saying that a lot of apprehension and fear accompanied this decision. It was thus that in November 1994 that my husband and I decided to call it quits in Saudi Arabia and decided to get back to Chennai, India. Having completed his tenure with a leading airline, it did not seem the right thing to do to take up a new assignment in one of the far too many travel agencies that were present in the Kingdom. With absolutely no clue as to what lay ahead we decided to pack our bags and to bid adieu to our lifestyle of 23 and 18 years respectively. When both of us first landed in the gulf we were young and ready to take on the world as it came. We were like putty that could be moulded in whichever style. During our tenure in the Gulf States we had evolved and become a couple with a good set of friends and all the other things that went along with it.
Having built a dwelling in Chennai and since Chennai was the only city I knew in India, it was decided that we would come back to Chennai. It worried me a lot that Kumar may feel totally out of place as he did not have any friends in Chennai. Yes he had worked there for a couple of years prior to our marriage, but then that was more than two decades ago and in his field of work, two decades meant a lot of change. I felt that I could reconnect with my school, college and family friends and start life afresh.
Thus we landed in India on the 15th of March 1995 wondering as to what turns life would take. Many nights prior to our arrival were spent in pondering as to what our future would hold. One thing was sure and that was the fact that Kumar would not stay idle as he was too young for that. He was sure that he would have to work, but the question remained as to how to find a job when youngsters with much more dynamism were around. I don’t know how to term the interview call he received within a week of our arrival, may be the ideal word would be destiny. That was the time when a couple of private airlines had started to operate and one of them offered him a job as a station manager. The job was fulfilling and challenging although the remuneration was low when compared to the income in Saudi Arabia. The silver lining was that there was something to occupy his time and the income was welcome to the kitty. However this opening was very short lived as the airline went through a deep financial crisis and had to close operations.
With the downslide of the airline, Kumar started looking out for other openings. A few acquaintances came forward with business proposals. The prospect of business scared me as we have never had a business man in our family and it was a well known fact that a Nair male, rarely excelled in business. Also Kumar was a shy person who found it difficult to reply in the negative to anyone. I did not think this was the mindset needed from a business man and hence tried to dissuade him. After a lot of pondering and may be closed doors, he decided to give business a go and thus with our lives savings, decided to open a travel agency. Since he has been an airline professional for many years, I was confident that he knew what he was getting into (in terms of the job involved). And thus Magellan Travel Services (P) Ltd was born in September of 1997.
Now when I look back at the 12 years since it birth, I can proudly say that Magellan has been a grand success. I take no role in its success except the fact that I christened it. Kumar evolved into a fine business man and his hard work and perseverance has really paid off. What started with 4 employees has blossomed into an establishment with 40 employees. The office is run in the most professional manner and he knows every single thing that is happening there. He seems to be enjoying whatever he is doing and is in his elements. I never knew of this side of his personality. He always feels that his cabin is his temple and that he gets extra strength when he goes there. He has proved himself beyond doubt and has made all those near and dear proud of his achievements. He talks, walks, sleeps and even dreams Magellan because many a night I have seen him get up and have heard him speak into his Dictaphone which is with him 24x7. He is always on the look out as to how he can improve on the profile of Magellan and has already made it an ISO 2000:9001 and has also got the Magellan logo patented.
Kumar is a fine example of how to cope with change and make a success of it. I think the best attitude towards change is to welcome it and to look for hidden opportunities. Change is surely a part of growth and now I endorse this stand vehemently. The only trouble with change is that it takes for many doors to close before a new one opens. My closing advice to youngsters who read this blog would be, keep hard work and optimism as your leading motto and no change will be hard to overcome.
PS. My life remained more or less the same as what I had predicted; with good friends, some social service and family commitments. However like all tales there was a twist in mine too and that was ofcourse the unexpected bonanza in the form of my daughter Sridevi. Now I wonder as to whose life changed more his or mine??
When on a fine morning, two individuals who were at the threshold of their middle age took a decision to bring about a total change to their lives, it goes without saying that a lot of apprehension and fear accompanied this decision. It was thus that in November 1994 that my husband and I decided to call it quits in Saudi Arabia and decided to get back to Chennai, India. Having completed his tenure with a leading airline, it did not seem the right thing to do to take up a new assignment in one of the far too many travel agencies that were present in the Kingdom. With absolutely no clue as to what lay ahead we decided to pack our bags and to bid adieu to our lifestyle of 23 and 18 years respectively. When both of us first landed in the gulf we were young and ready to take on the world as it came. We were like putty that could be moulded in whichever style. During our tenure in the Gulf States we had evolved and become a couple with a good set of friends and all the other things that went along with it.
Having built a dwelling in Chennai and since Chennai was the only city I knew in India, it was decided that we would come back to Chennai. It worried me a lot that Kumar may feel totally out of place as he did not have any friends in Chennai. Yes he had worked there for a couple of years prior to our marriage, but then that was more than two decades ago and in his field of work, two decades meant a lot of change. I felt that I could reconnect with my school, college and family friends and start life afresh.
Thus we landed in India on the 15th of March 1995 wondering as to what turns life would take. Many nights prior to our arrival were spent in pondering as to what our future would hold. One thing was sure and that was the fact that Kumar would not stay idle as he was too young for that. He was sure that he would have to work, but the question remained as to how to find a job when youngsters with much more dynamism were around. I don’t know how to term the interview call he received within a week of our arrival, may be the ideal word would be destiny. That was the time when a couple of private airlines had started to operate and one of them offered him a job as a station manager. The job was fulfilling and challenging although the remuneration was low when compared to the income in Saudi Arabia. The silver lining was that there was something to occupy his time and the income was welcome to the kitty. However this opening was very short lived as the airline went through a deep financial crisis and had to close operations.
With the downslide of the airline, Kumar started looking out for other openings. A few acquaintances came forward with business proposals. The prospect of business scared me as we have never had a business man in our family and it was a well known fact that a Nair male, rarely excelled in business. Also Kumar was a shy person who found it difficult to reply in the negative to anyone. I did not think this was the mindset needed from a business man and hence tried to dissuade him. After a lot of pondering and may be closed doors, he decided to give business a go and thus with our lives savings, decided to open a travel agency. Since he has been an airline professional for many years, I was confident that he knew what he was getting into (in terms of the job involved). And thus Magellan Travel Services (P) Ltd was born in September of 1997.
Now when I look back at the 12 years since it birth, I can proudly say that Magellan has been a grand success. I take no role in its success except the fact that I christened it. Kumar evolved into a fine business man and his hard work and perseverance has really paid off. What started with 4 employees has blossomed into an establishment with 40 employees. The office is run in the most professional manner and he knows every single thing that is happening there. He seems to be enjoying whatever he is doing and is in his elements. I never knew of this side of his personality. He always feels that his cabin is his temple and that he gets extra strength when he goes there. He has proved himself beyond doubt and has made all those near and dear proud of his achievements. He talks, walks, sleeps and even dreams Magellan because many a night I have seen him get up and have heard him speak into his Dictaphone which is with him 24x7. He is always on the look out as to how he can improve on the profile of Magellan and has already made it an ISO 2000:9001 and has also got the Magellan logo patented.
Kumar is a fine example of how to cope with change and make a success of it. I think the best attitude towards change is to welcome it and to look for hidden opportunities. Change is surely a part of growth and now I endorse this stand vehemently. The only trouble with change is that it takes for many doors to close before a new one opens. My closing advice to youngsters who read this blog would be, keep hard work and optimism as your leading motto and no change will be hard to overcome.
PS. My life remained more or less the same as what I had predicted; with good friends, some social service and family commitments. However like all tales there was a twist in mine too and that was ofcourse the unexpected bonanza in the form of my daughter Sridevi. Now I wonder as to whose life changed more his or mine??
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Foxed
Like all users with email accounts, I too receive innumerable forwards from my good friends. These forwards belong to many genres, some being naughty, others witty, some informative, a few philosophical, very many picturesque and others just enjoyable. Last week my friend Nalini who is one of my main sources with regard to these forwards, sent me an interesting one. She said that a new word of Indian origin had been included in the English dictionary. What roused my interest was the word and the meaning attributed to it. The word was bangalored and the meaning given was “laid off due to outsourcing, esp. outsourcing to India or other parts of Asia”. This was not the first time that the name of an Indian city has found its way into the English Dictionary, we have Jodhpurs and then there is Madras. Jodhpurs are riding habits and Madras is a cotton checkered cloth and that makes both of them nouns. Bangalored on the other hand is an adjective. I must say that the word did have a good feel when pronounced. The word also made me see Bangalore in a different light.
Since I am in no way connected to the Information Technology world of India, Bangalore was never a Mecca to me. I know that all the top guns of the IT industry have their base in Bangalore and as a result Bangalore is the most sought after destination for young boys and girls who possess an engineering degree. To me Bangalore is the city with a lovely climate, a place to be in summer when Chennai weather is so harsh. I also enjoy walking down Commercial Street and Brigade Road as there is nothing resembling that in Chennai. The other main reason for a trip to Bangalore is the presence of some good friends. I can say that once a year a trip to Bangalore is the norm and this happens not in the summer months but during the month of December. Over the years I have seen the city grow and burst at its seams and have heard people attributing this sudden spurt to the IT companies. The growth was so rapid that the infrastructure could not keep pace and this inadequacy is seen all over Bangalore. Yes, there is no doubt that all the major IT companies have huge campuses and that the steel and glass structures in them look like their counterparts anywhere else in the world, but the moment one steps outside the campus, the fairy tale is lost.
The IT and the ITES (Information Technology Enabled Services) were at its peak till the middle of last year. A career in the latter did not even require an engineering degree. A good speaking knowledge of English was the only requisite. With so many English Medium schools and “soft skill developers”; acquiring a neutral English accent was never an issue. I have heard as to how all the major corporates the world over had outsourced their different departments to India and as to how a girl or boy in India would be answering a query for British Rail and giving the schedule for the next train from London to Manchester. It was indeed amazing as to how technology had developed and how our country happened to be in the fore front. It was indeed a hunky dory situation as far as India went. The repercussions were slowly being felt in the western world. But then everybody wanted their profits to go up and was happy with the said arrangements. It was only during the run up to the Presidential Elections in the US that this issue was taken seriously. Somehow the timings were so bad that the elections and the global melt down went hand in glove.
The situation being what it is in the Western world, it is indeed a source of great worry when one has to be benched. But to think that a small sleepy city in India could be a reason for this situation is indeed worthy of more than a thought. Did this situation arise because our IT czars remained awake when the rest of the western world was sleeping? Or could the reason be the greed to make more money by outsourcing to a country where the labour was cheaper? Whatever the reason it does make me happy that like Ahimsa and Satyagraha which brought the might of the British Empire to its knees, the IT revolution in India has managed to bring the Western world may not be to its knees but atleast to stoop low. I know I should not feel this way but as an Indian, I am only taking pride in the achievements of my brothers and sisters.
Here is a novice’s piece of advice to the automobile czars of the world. Chennai is already the biggest car manufacturing centre in South East Asia. It won’t be long before she attains a world status. So don’t get caught sleeping for then the next word to enter the English dictionary would be Chennaied or will it be Madrassed? The latter will make my city a noun and an adjective - a double treat indeed!!!!
Since I am in no way connected to the Information Technology world of India, Bangalore was never a Mecca to me. I know that all the top guns of the IT industry have their base in Bangalore and as a result Bangalore is the most sought after destination for young boys and girls who possess an engineering degree. To me Bangalore is the city with a lovely climate, a place to be in summer when Chennai weather is so harsh. I also enjoy walking down Commercial Street and Brigade Road as there is nothing resembling that in Chennai. The other main reason for a trip to Bangalore is the presence of some good friends. I can say that once a year a trip to Bangalore is the norm and this happens not in the summer months but during the month of December. Over the years I have seen the city grow and burst at its seams and have heard people attributing this sudden spurt to the IT companies. The growth was so rapid that the infrastructure could not keep pace and this inadequacy is seen all over Bangalore. Yes, there is no doubt that all the major IT companies have huge campuses and that the steel and glass structures in them look like their counterparts anywhere else in the world, but the moment one steps outside the campus, the fairy tale is lost.
The IT and the ITES (Information Technology Enabled Services) were at its peak till the middle of last year. A career in the latter did not even require an engineering degree. A good speaking knowledge of English was the only requisite. With so many English Medium schools and “soft skill developers”; acquiring a neutral English accent was never an issue. I have heard as to how all the major corporates the world over had outsourced their different departments to India and as to how a girl or boy in India would be answering a query for British Rail and giving the schedule for the next train from London to Manchester. It was indeed amazing as to how technology had developed and how our country happened to be in the fore front. It was indeed a hunky dory situation as far as India went. The repercussions were slowly being felt in the western world. But then everybody wanted their profits to go up and was happy with the said arrangements. It was only during the run up to the Presidential Elections in the US that this issue was taken seriously. Somehow the timings were so bad that the elections and the global melt down went hand in glove.
The situation being what it is in the Western world, it is indeed a source of great worry when one has to be benched. But to think that a small sleepy city in India could be a reason for this situation is indeed worthy of more than a thought. Did this situation arise because our IT czars remained awake when the rest of the western world was sleeping? Or could the reason be the greed to make more money by outsourcing to a country where the labour was cheaper? Whatever the reason it does make me happy that like Ahimsa and Satyagraha which brought the might of the British Empire to its knees, the IT revolution in India has managed to bring the Western world may not be to its knees but atleast to stoop low. I know I should not feel this way but as an Indian, I am only taking pride in the achievements of my brothers and sisters.
Here is a novice’s piece of advice to the automobile czars of the world. Chennai is already the biggest car manufacturing centre in South East Asia. It won’t be long before she attains a world status. So don’t get caught sleeping for then the next word to enter the English dictionary would be Chennaied or will it be Madrassed? The latter will make my city a noun and an adjective - a double treat indeed!!!!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Pulse
She is not a virgin nor is she a beauty, however she is the heartthrob of millions of people and has an iconic status never enjoyed by any of her namesakes the world over. She is to Chennai much more than what the Hyde Park is to London or the Central Park is to New York. She has in her the power to soothe and to heal and everyone who visits her comes back a more cheerful and rejuvenated person. She is a gift from the Gods to the city of Chennai and a perfect remedy to offset the otherwise harsh summer sun. Yes she is our very own Marina our Marina Beach.
During my childhood the Marina figured as the leading tourist attraction in Chennai. I am sure it must have had the same status earlier too and I believe it remains the same at present and I won’t be wrong if I say that it will continue to be the same in the future. Thus has been the power of this stretch of sun, sand and surf. It is a 12.5 kilometers stretch and this makes it the second longest beach in a city. There is no way that this record can be jeopardized. The beach begins from the Fort St. George and goes south up to Besant Nagar. It prides itself as a 24x7 zone with something or the other happening at all times. In the early hours of the morning or may be late night the fishermen venture out into the seas in their catamarans to get their catch. By the time the catch is brought to the shore, the beach welcomes with open arms the early morning walkers, joggers and runners. To complement the health freaks are a group of vendors who sell health food which includes Chlorophyll juice, fruits, fresh salads and tender coconut. This hour also sees the members of the Laughing Club, laughing their guts out. Once the walkers bid adieu, the beach is filled with little boys and young men with their cricket kits. On a Sunday one can see at least 100 groups of people playing cricket. Around mid morning is the time when visitors start trooping in. It is the most preferred meeting venue for young boys and girls and the sands have stood witness to innumerable Romeos and Juliets. Evening is the time for the mass exodus to arrive. With the increase in the temperature, the crowd at the Marina also increases. The Marina serves as a true respite for the stifling and harsh summer days. This is also the time for the vendors to exhibit their wares and they surely offer something to please everyone’s palate and purse. The evening also sees the Marina becoming a sporting arena what with a couple of horses offering rides, kite runners, balloon shooters and sometimes a carousel and merry go round. With darkness most activities come to an end and the beach again gets ready for the fishermen folk. It is amazing as to how the Marina accommodates the crowds and their innumerable activities.
The Marina plays host to all the major happenings in the city, be it a political meeting or an evangelist trying out his miracles or the annual marathon or a leader on his so called hunger strike or any mega event that the other venues in the city cannot contain. She is also home to a host of personalities who have left their imprints in the sands of time. As should be the norm, the statue of the Father of the Nation has the pride of place. Then there are the statues of Kannagi, Thiruvalluvar and Avvayyar to name a few. Recently added to this prestigious list is the statue of Nadigar Thilakam Shivaji Ganesan, an actor who held the audiences in his sway. Two Chief Ministers are laid to rest in a prominent place on the Marina and their memorials are a must visit. The buildings that adorn the road opposite the marina are all masterpieces dating back to over a hundred years. Most of them are built in the Indo Saracenic style of architecture. I would term the University of Madras to be the most imposing. The Senate Hall which was brought back to its old glory is truly an architectural wonder. As for the Presidency and Queen Mary’s college both are prestigious institutions and have produced some of the best brains of the country. The Ice House (named after the Tudor Ice Company) also called the Vivekananda House is attractive by its unique style and the Police Head Quarters stands out as one of the most elegant buildings in the city. The Fort Saint George is history by itself as it was the first British settlement in India. Walking down the beach is surely a treat to the eyes, what with the wonderful sea on one side and these spectacular facades on the other.
The Marina pulsates with energy and this energy is passed on to all who visit her. Her position as the most visited attraction is unrivalled and this makes her truly unique. Where else in the world would so much be offered for absolutely nothing. She is not only the pride of our city but is also its pulse. This pulse makes our hearts throb and she is turn becomes our Heartthrob.
I would like to end this article with a couplet by the famous Tamil Poet Kannadasan. It would convey to the reader the power of the Marina Beach.
“Kaatru Vaanga Ponein,
Oru kavithai Vaangi Vandhein”
Translated it would loosely mean: “I went to get some breeze but instead returned a poet”.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Armour
For the last couple of weeks ever since I read about people spending a fortune on personal security, I have been eager to write about the greatest reality show on planet earth which to me is definitely death. If there is one truth in this world, then that is the fact that once we are born we will die. The reason why I expedited this article is because this morning I got to hear that my close friend’s brother passed away. He was only 52 years of age and was leading a normal life. He just collapsed on the road and with it came his end. Earlier in the day he had gone to pick up his sister from the railway station which is a good hour’s drive from where he lived and had gone about doing everything that he normally did. There was absolutely no clue as to his impending demise. When death can take us by surprise and not even give us the time to organize anything, then why do we try to keep it away with the longest barge pole? Well that is human nature and it goes without saying that the majority of us plan for things far into the future.
Although most of us are not prepared for death, we also don’t go out of the way trying to escape from it. The spate of bomb blasts and terrorist attacks has instilled in the psyche of the common man that he cannot take anything for granted. He is not even sure of what is in store for him during the day. He has resigned to the fact that his life would remain thus. He cannot and does not expect any kind of protection from the authorities as he is sure that they spend their time and money only on themselves.
The rich and the Netas (again rich) on the other hand cannot just imagine that they will die. They think that with their money and power they can shoo death away. They equip their lives with the so called “ARMOUR” against death. To start with they engage the best of body guards, then they get themselves safety wear for all parts of their body and finally they see to it that their vehicles are made bullet proof. All this does not come cheap and costs crores of rupees. I recently read that to have a bullet proof car would cost from Rs. 15 lakhs to Rs. 45 lakhs. As long as the money is their own, there is no question of anyone raising a hue and cry. These days the papers are flooded with reports of requests or shall we say demands from the so called Netas clamouring for Z and Z+ security. Yes, as a nation it is our duty to take care of the people who hold the highest offices in the land and others who have genuine threats against their lives, but spending the tax payers’ money for all and sundry is just unpardonable. There have been instances when these armoured beasts have whizzed past pedestrians causing injury and death. Does a Z+ category entitle the driver of the vehicle to take the life of the common man?
My friend’s brother was a good man, a good husband, good father, good brother and a good friend. His wife and children and his only other blood relative his sister are devastated. Their sorrow is not any less than that of the family of a man with a Z+ category who holds on to his dear life. The Z+ category man may be able to save himself from the assassin’s bullet and bombs but how will he tackle the other ingenuous routes that death takes. Does he have an answer to it, if so I request him to share it with the world. Since no one has yet found an escape from death, what is the point of spending a fortune on all these James Bond like accessories? My request to our pompous Neta’s would be to channel the money that they spend protecting themselves and to spend that money on protecting the man on the street. If it were not for the man on the street, they would not exist. I also wish they would go through the poem DEATH THE LEVELLER by James Shirley which I learnt when I was in the seventh or eighth standard. Here is the opening stanza:
The glories of our blood and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
There is no armour against Fate;
Death lays his icy hand on kings:
Sceptre and Crown
Must tumble down,
And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crookèd scythe and spade.
Although most of us are not prepared for death, we also don’t go out of the way trying to escape from it. The spate of bomb blasts and terrorist attacks has instilled in the psyche of the common man that he cannot take anything for granted. He is not even sure of what is in store for him during the day. He has resigned to the fact that his life would remain thus. He cannot and does not expect any kind of protection from the authorities as he is sure that they spend their time and money only on themselves.
The rich and the Netas (again rich) on the other hand cannot just imagine that they will die. They think that with their money and power they can shoo death away. They equip their lives with the so called “ARMOUR” against death. To start with they engage the best of body guards, then they get themselves safety wear for all parts of their body and finally they see to it that their vehicles are made bullet proof. All this does not come cheap and costs crores of rupees. I recently read that to have a bullet proof car would cost from Rs. 15 lakhs to Rs. 45 lakhs. As long as the money is their own, there is no question of anyone raising a hue and cry. These days the papers are flooded with reports of requests or shall we say demands from the so called Netas clamouring for Z and Z+ security. Yes, as a nation it is our duty to take care of the people who hold the highest offices in the land and others who have genuine threats against their lives, but spending the tax payers’ money for all and sundry is just unpardonable. There have been instances when these armoured beasts have whizzed past pedestrians causing injury and death. Does a Z+ category entitle the driver of the vehicle to take the life of the common man?
My friend’s brother was a good man, a good husband, good father, good brother and a good friend. His wife and children and his only other blood relative his sister are devastated. Their sorrow is not any less than that of the family of a man with a Z+ category who holds on to his dear life. The Z+ category man may be able to save himself from the assassin’s bullet and bombs but how will he tackle the other ingenuous routes that death takes. Does he have an answer to it, if so I request him to share it with the world. Since no one has yet found an escape from death, what is the point of spending a fortune on all these James Bond like accessories? My request to our pompous Neta’s would be to channel the money that they spend protecting themselves and to spend that money on protecting the man on the street. If it were not for the man on the street, they would not exist. I also wish they would go through the poem DEATH THE LEVELLER by James Shirley which I learnt when I was in the seventh or eighth standard. Here is the opening stanza:
The glories of our blood and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
There is no armour against Fate;
Death lays his icy hand on kings:
Sceptre and Crown
Must tumble down,
And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crookèd scythe and spade.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
The Axis
She made her entry unobtrusively without causing any ripple. This was way back in 1983 when my mother had had a hysterectomy and a help was badly needed at home. I was away and Latha was in the medical school and Geetha was just young. She was sent by my aunt who lived in Kerala. By virtue of being a doctor, my aunt had access to a whole lot of people and she was the one we turned to whenever we needed any live in help. (The sad thing now is that my aunt has difficulty finding a help for herself.) Narayani was the latest entrant after a couple of failed attempts. She had had a brief stint in my aunt’s house and Geetha had met her then. When she joined us she was a 25/26 year old girl who except for a year spent in Vijayawada babysitting a little girl, had no other experience to her credit. It goes without saying that she had to fend for herself right from a young age; and this she had done by engaging in odd jobs in and around her village.
Since I had no role to play in her initial years with my family, I cannot write about that. My interaction with her until 1995 was only when I came down on vacation which at the most would be for about a month or two in a year. With regard to those twelve years, I can only say that it was great having her in the house and she looked after all of us like we were princesses. This feeling was more pronounced since we three girls lived in places devoid of any domestic help. My mother being who she is had seen to it that Narayani had learnt the ways of the house and had taught her all the cooking she knew. The good thing about this is the fact that we get to eat food with the very same taste as what we had in our childhood.
Within a couple of years of my return to India, my mother’s health condition deteriorated and thus Narayani became my responsibility. By this I meant that the interaction on all matters concerning the household was between the two of us. It goes without saying that she looked after my mother more than all the three daughters together have. The fact that she was totally illiterate did not deter her from coping with my mothers complicated medication schedule. She saw to it that my mother was never in want of any comfort and she wholly dedicated herself in my mother’s service. She became the fourth daughter to my mother. This period also coincided with the arrival of my daughter. Frankly speaking I am not very good when it came to children. One reason for this could be the fact that motherhood came to me late in life. Now when I think back, I wonder how I would have coped with Sridevi if Narayani was not around. I had written earlier in one of the articles that I owe a part of my motherhood to my friend Latha Mohan, and now I say that I share this same motherhood with Narayani.
My nieces and nephew love Narayani and they keep talking about eating her delicious meals. She in turn dotes on them and sees to it that each one of them gets what he or she likes. I think they are jealous of the fact that Sridevi gets to have her the most. To the four of them Nanimaa is their very own. She has been the point of envy not only among the kids but also among all the adults who visit us or stay with us. Their parting remark invariably would be to know if it was possible to get someone like her. Well I proudly tell them that she is one of a kind and that HE doesn’t make them anymore!!! Narayani has her own following and like a troop leader she controls all of them. That makes the job easy on me because only if things go beyond her control, do I have to get involved. I have given her full freedom in the house as she has earned every bit of it and she on her part has never ever crossed the limits. She has never ever asked for a pay rise, but then when you come to think of it, she does not know what her salary is and has the confidence that we will give her what is due.
The relationship I share with her is one of mutual love and respect. She is a sister and friend to me and shares with me my joys and my sorrows. It is to her I go to in a tricky situation and she somehow has the right solution to my issue. Her biological family beckons her from Kerala (she remains single and has her sister, nieces and nephews) and the two/ three trips she makes a year, is the time for me buckle up and get the establishment going. I would love to call her an asset, but that would be a wrong thing to do as I do not own her and she is not an inanimate object. How I wish she could read and write, because I so badly want her to read this. (That is one area where my mother failed. All her attempts to make Narayani literate were futile.)
To me she can only be a gift from the Gods and with this gift I consider my family and myself to be truly blessed.
Friday, April 3, 2009
The Embrace
One of the most natural ways of greeting a beloved person is with an embrace or a hug. This form of greeting is very prevalent among the Arabs were even strangers greet each other with not one but three embraces. It could well be that the more the number of embraces the greater the warmth exuded. It is very normal for members of a family or close friends to embrace and when it comes to greeting a parent or grand parent nothing else would do. The first time I heard of an embrace causing a flutter and being the feed story for the grape vine was last evening. The embrace was between two very high profile individuals, one being the wife of the most powerful man in the world and the other a reigning monarch for the past 57 years. Well you have guessed it right Michelle Obama and Queen Elizabeth II were the participants of this embrace.
Queen Elizabeth II is the third longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. It has been repeated many times by the press as to how seriously the Queen takes her role as the representative of the Church of England and how she considers it her most sacred duty to remain the monarch. To her it is as if she has been ordained by the Almighty to perform and any misgiving on her part she would consider as a sin. The question of abdicating the throne so that her son the Prince of Wales who is well into his 60’s takes over just does not enter her mind. She would consider such a thought as being sacrilegious. With this being her mindset, it is but natural that she is revered and treated as being in a plane far higher than the rest of mankind. All this gives the queen a surreal personality.
The British Royal Family never fails to hold the average Indian with awe and respect. This is thanks to the almost 300 years of British rule in India. I am one such person who gawks on seeing anything connected with the British Royal Family. I remember the first time I went to see the Buckingham Palace and stood at the gates mesmerized watching the Changing of the Guards. I have visited more than once The Tower of London where the crown jewels are displayed. According to family history I have seen Queen Elizabeth when she came on her first official visit to India in the year1961. I was a four year old and have a very hazy memory of standing on the side walk in Santhome/Foreshore Estate. What made this happen was the fact that my father was on security duty with the Queen. We have a prized photo of my father and the Queen in the same frame. My father has a soft corner for the Queen as both of them share their year of birth.
The queen being held in such a high pedestal, the embrace in a way shattered the myth. It made the queen seem like any other person in the room. To Michelle Obama it may have been the right thing to do. With Equality being the key word, she just went ahead and did what one would do on seeing an elderly person. To her the Queen was just another eighty three year old Head of State. (It would definitely be wrong to attribute this gesture to one of arrogance.) It is a well known fact that the Americans are no fans of Royalty (Princess Diana being an exception). They still hold it against the crown little realizing that if it were not for the English speaking immigrants from the other side of the Atlantic America would not be what it is today.
The President and the First Lady are two individuals who have earned the respect of the whole world. They believe in themselves and they have the ability to make others see things from their perspective. I would even go to the extent of saying that they are two selfless individuals who have worked their way up so that they are endowed with the power to make the world a better place. In that manner I hold them in high esteem but then I can’t have it any other way what with one of them being six feet two inches tall and the other a good five feet eleven inches!!!
The Queen it is said enjoyed the company and seems to have been happy about being embraced. May be the Queen too was in awe of the Obamas and this was her way of appreciating their principles. In this respect the embrace takes a deeper meaning than that of a greeting. It becomes an endorsement of everything the Obamas believe in. Without uttering a word, so much was conveyed. This I would say is the result of fifty seven years of diplomacy and innumerable Prime Ministers. A great gesture from Her Majesty!!
The next time when an embrace would cause more than a flutter would be the one between two men who share the same name albeit with a single letter change!!!
Queen Elizabeth II is the third longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. It has been repeated many times by the press as to how seriously the Queen takes her role as the representative of the Church of England and how she considers it her most sacred duty to remain the monarch. To her it is as if she has been ordained by the Almighty to perform and any misgiving on her part she would consider as a sin. The question of abdicating the throne so that her son the Prince of Wales who is well into his 60’s takes over just does not enter her mind. She would consider such a thought as being sacrilegious. With this being her mindset, it is but natural that she is revered and treated as being in a plane far higher than the rest of mankind. All this gives the queen a surreal personality.
The British Royal Family never fails to hold the average Indian with awe and respect. This is thanks to the almost 300 years of British rule in India. I am one such person who gawks on seeing anything connected with the British Royal Family. I remember the first time I went to see the Buckingham Palace and stood at the gates mesmerized watching the Changing of the Guards. I have visited more than once The Tower of London where the crown jewels are displayed. According to family history I have seen Queen Elizabeth when she came on her first official visit to India in the year1961. I was a four year old and have a very hazy memory of standing on the side walk in Santhome/Foreshore Estate. What made this happen was the fact that my father was on security duty with the Queen. We have a prized photo of my father and the Queen in the same frame. My father has a soft corner for the Queen as both of them share their year of birth.
The queen being held in such a high pedestal, the embrace in a way shattered the myth. It made the queen seem like any other person in the room. To Michelle Obama it may have been the right thing to do. With Equality being the key word, she just went ahead and did what one would do on seeing an elderly person. To her the Queen was just another eighty three year old Head of State. (It would definitely be wrong to attribute this gesture to one of arrogance.) It is a well known fact that the Americans are no fans of Royalty (Princess Diana being an exception). They still hold it against the crown little realizing that if it were not for the English speaking immigrants from the other side of the Atlantic America would not be what it is today.
The President and the First Lady are two individuals who have earned the respect of the whole world. They believe in themselves and they have the ability to make others see things from their perspective. I would even go to the extent of saying that they are two selfless individuals who have worked their way up so that they are endowed with the power to make the world a better place. In that manner I hold them in high esteem but then I can’t have it any other way what with one of them being six feet two inches tall and the other a good five feet eleven inches!!!
The Queen it is said enjoyed the company and seems to have been happy about being embraced. May be the Queen too was in awe of the Obamas and this was her way of appreciating their principles. In this respect the embrace takes a deeper meaning than that of a greeting. It becomes an endorsement of everything the Obamas believe in. Without uttering a word, so much was conveyed. This I would say is the result of fifty seven years of diplomacy and innumerable Prime Ministers. A great gesture from Her Majesty!!
The next time when an embrace would cause more than a flutter would be the one between two men who share the same name albeit with a single letter change!!!
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