Kristina Roxanne D’Costa: Born on 23rd Sept 1991 and Died on 13th July 2011.
The above information is definitely hard to believe for anyone who has had an opportunity to meet Roxanne in the 19 plus years that she had inhabited planet Earth. Tall and lissome with no handicap of any sort, who would think that death would steal this wonderful creation so early.
I have known Roxanne from the time of her birth. For that matter I have known the family including her parents, grandparents and great grandparents for a very long time. As far as the D’Costas go, longevity is something they possess. I have seen Roxanne take her first steps and I have seen Roxanne go to school. I have seen her graduate from her nursery school uniform to her elementary and middle school uniform and finally to her high school uniform. I have seen her grow up to be a fine girl, well mannered, respectful and possessing all those bygone qualities which the youth of today seem to have otherwise forgotten. Roxanne’s long hair was the envy of all and as for her height; it was something most girls would crave for her. I remember having mentioned to her grand dad as to what a fine model she would make.
Although Roxanne did not live nearby, by virtue of her grandparents being my neighbours, it was but inevitable that I would see her off and on. There were periods of her life when she stayed with her grandparents as going to school was much easier from here. Being the eldest grandchild, she was the apple of their eye and they doted on her more than what any grandparent would do. Her grand dad being a regular visitor to my house, I was always in the knowhow of all the major events in her life. When we heard that she had graduated from school and had joined Stella Maris College for her under graduation, we were elated. Here was a girl who had overcome her Dyslexia and had found her moorings and was getting ready to enter the real world. By virtue of being involved with an institute that promotes aviation related non technical courses, I visit colleges to promote the institute. Thus I have had the opportunity to go to Roxanne’s college and department on more than one occasion and was indeed happy to note that the shy girl had blossomed into a fine young lady. The warmth with which she greeted me on those occasions is ever so vivid in my mind and the hospitality that she extended was unforgettable. To her it seemed as if I was a guest to her college and that I should be looked after well. I was happy to note that she had evolved to become a leader among her friends and she seemed to be in control of things. I remember mentioning these anecdotes to her grand dad, who I am sure, must have been extremely happy to hear the same.
Thus on the 12th of July 2011, when Uncle Bobby (Roxanne’s Granddad) came home almost a lost man, the last thing that crossed our mind was Roxanne. Being a very emotional person, we thought that something minor was bothering him and that he had come over for some encouraging words from my Dad who is a GURU to him. When he mentioned the graveness of the situation, we found it so hard to believe. How can Roxanne be so ill? I had seen her just the previous Friday when she was visiting her grandparents. She looked fine to me although she had lost some weight due to the jaundice that she had contracted in May. Uncle Bobby mentioned that she was in the ICU and that the doctors had pronounced her condition to be extremely serious. We kept tab of the situation and heard at different intervals that her condition was caused by different illnesses. What started off as meningitis-the dreaded brain fever, soon became leptospirosis an equally if not more lethal condition. Thus we prayed for her well being and hoped that a miracle would occur. By Wednesday morning, the doctors at the hospital had washed their hands off. The parents were told that Roxanne could be taken home as there was only so much that can be done. Anyway, when the doors were shut at one of the hospitals, Roxanne was rushed to another for further treatment. Anyway to cut a long story short, Roxanne had a massive cardiac arrest and was declared dead around 7.30pm on Wednesday.
We rushed across to console the grandparents, who were shattered. Young Peter her only sibling had not got the impact of the situation. The next day when I went to meet her Mom, she was speechless but at the same time I felt that the truth had not sunk in. This morning was the funeral and the body was brought to the grandparents place. All efforts were made by the family to give her a grand funeral. But the atmosphere was so very sombre. There was not a single soul with dry eyes. How can anyone reconcile to this untimely death? My heart bled for the family and for her friends some of whom were so uncontrollable in their sorrow. Although the religious service served as a balm to the congregation, the reality was something totally different. I stood by and watched with sadness the whole scene. When the casket was lowered and nailed a chapter had ended. It was not easy for me to sprinkle dust on the casket, but I did so like those around me.
On my drive back home and ever since I returned, I had a hundred questions for which I fervently needed an answer. I grew up imbibing the fact that everything in life has a purpose. If that be the case what was the purpose of Roxanne’s life. Nineteen is an age when you get to know your responsibilities and when you start planning for the future. To take away a life at that age is definitely so unthinkable. The instant reply to this question would be that God takes away those whom he loves the most. I guess, I am not so practical in my thinking and hence to accept this as an answer would be far too difficult for me. Being devout Christians, Roxanne’s family may on the face of it accept this situation. However how can a mother or father forget their teenage daughter who just disappeared from their midst without any rhyme or reason. I would also like to pose the question to the medical fraternity that treated her. Do they have an answer for her demise? I am sure they are as much in the dark as the rest of us. Of one thing I am sure and that is that my mind will continue to search for a convincing answer.
In the meantime I pray to the Almighty to give the D’Costas all the strength to cope with this bereavement. In a family where every death in the past has been a celebration of a life well lived, this may indeed be hard. I would like to believe that Roxanne would always be their Guardian Angel.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Sunday, November 28, 2010
The Season
The only sad note I have while talking about my city is its weather. With a round the year minimum of 20 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 45 degrees Celsius the only seasons that we experience are hot, hotter and hottest. But then I am not an Englishman and hence the topic of the weather is not the uppermost in my mind. Invariably the Chennai weather and its lack of Geographical seasons (read winter) is what holds many outsiders including multi nationals from making Chennai their home. There has been a change to this in the last couple of decades as Chennai has begun experiencing a wonderful Season even without bringing about any change in its weather. This is a Season so unique to Chennai and of which no other city or country in the world can ever boast off. A Season which came into being as a result of the ingenuity of the Chennaiite, a Season so totally man made. Yes it is the Music and Dance Season that I am talking about. Being just around the corner, I thought it only right to pay my obsequious to this grand celebration.
This Music Season which was restricted to the month of Margazhi in the Tamil Almanac (December 15th to January 14th) has slowly but surely spread and now includes Karthikai (November 15th to December 14th) and Thai (January 15th to February 14th). As one is well aware, Chennai/Tamilnadu is the home to the much acclaimed Carnatic music which has its origin during the Vedic period and has evolved ever since and of the much acclaimed and revered and the oldest of Indian traditional dance forms namely the Bharatanatyam. With this high intensity of performing arts prevalent in one place and all of which proclaim obeisance to the Almighty, it was inevitable that it became an establishment or to put it otherwise Chennai had to become the Mecca for these two outstanding art forms and the pilgrimage by the followers was bound to happen. The time chosen for this pilgrimage is again perfect for it coincides with that period when the weather is pleasant and experiences some coolness in the air. The time is also perfect for the ladies to display their gorgeous Kanchivarams and showcase their finest Jewellery. It is indeed a joy to be at any of the kutcheries (musical recitals) for apart from enjoying the performance, the well turned out ladies are indeed a wonderful treat to the eyes.
I was trying to recollect the Margazhi of my childhood/youth and this is what I could remember. Having lived in a Brahmin neighbourhood, the arrival of Margazhi never went unnoticed. The kollams (rice flour designs) that decorated the threshold of homes were wonderfully elaborate and there would always be music in the air. The Thiruppavai (hymns written by Alwar (saint) Andal in praise of Lord Krishna) was rendered by groups of ladies/girls as was done during Andal’s time. The local Vaishnavite temples would be buzzing with activity all revolved around Andal. If there was no deity Andal, then a photo would take its place and this would be adorned with garlands and jewellery. It was even customary for young girls to have the Andal hairstyle and to dress in their Sunday’s best. There was festivity in the air; however the visibility was very low. Andal, Thiruppavai and the elaborate kollams did not make its mark on the masses as the awareness of marketing was virtually absent. The Sabhas were only a handful and during Margazhi held kutcheries where in all the stalwarts and the other upcoming artists participated.
That the festival has taken a humungous form is indeed a fact. Not able to contain it within the 30 days of Margazhi, it has spread in both directions. Every body who has it in them to host a festival, conducts one and the artists who take part come from all corners of the country and the world. The pre and post Margazhi festivals are not just restricted to Carnatic Music and Bharatanatyam for they include other forms belonging to these two genres. Thus the highly informed enthusiasts of Chennai are exposed to all of the best in music and dance that the world can offer. The performers consider it a privilege to be part of The Season and hence never miss an opportunity. Only a wizard/genius can make it to the top slot in the first season itself. The slot system thus becomes an unofficial marker as far as the popularity/recognition of an artist is concerned. It goes without saying that the top artists are in great demand and during a Season most of them perform every other day. It is also a God sent opportunity for the female artistes to showcase their saris and jewellery and indirectly or is it directly become the brand ambassadors for the leading retail sari showrooms.
The Season has also become a platform for corporates to proclaim their cultural awareness for attached to each of the Sabhas is a host of wealthy sponsors. With the visibility increasing, The Season has burgeoned and with it, its economics too. The Season has become the focal point for those in the Indian Diaspora with an interest in Carnatic Music and Bharatanatyam to plan their trip to Chennai. With most of the artists having performed abroad, they have among their followers loads of foreigners too. I was surprised when I heard a foreigner say that she was in India to trail artist “X” through her various performances during The Season. This heavy influx is an excellent source of income to the hospitality industry and to all the varied retail businesses in the city. Another business that runs well in the Sabhas is the canteen. It is considered a fashion to eat the mouth drooling snacks and Tiffin offered in the canteens and to top the fares with the much acclaimed filter coffee.
Here is a Novel Season of which we can truly be proud off. The Season is a perfect example of how the blend of private enterprise (The Sabhas) and the Government can bring about a success story. The Government conducts the Dance Festival at Mahabalipuram a venue so revered. The open air concerts with the 11th century rock carvings of “Arjuna’s Penance” as a backdrop is indeed very popular. In the last two years the city has been witness to yet another initiative of the Government and this is the Chennai Sangamam where the various folk dances and music are performed on the streets. This truly gives the feel of a mela, a mela (fair) in which the whole city is involved. An added incentive to the Sangamam is the availability of traditional Tamizh food prepared by Five Star Chefs and served at various localities. The Season is on its way and in the next three months one would be enveloped by Music and Dance. The goodness about The Season is that Chennaiites have the prerogative of ending the current year on a high note only to welcome the New Year on a higher one.
P.S. The Temple Tower on the Tamil Nadu Government Emblem is of the temple in Srivilliputtur, a temple devoted to Alwar Andal. Thus it was only a matter of time before The Season was established.
This Music Season which was restricted to the month of Margazhi in the Tamil Almanac (December 15th to January 14th) has slowly but surely spread and now includes Karthikai (November 15th to December 14th) and Thai (January 15th to February 14th). As one is well aware, Chennai/Tamilnadu is the home to the much acclaimed Carnatic music which has its origin during the Vedic period and has evolved ever since and of the much acclaimed and revered and the oldest of Indian traditional dance forms namely the Bharatanatyam. With this high intensity of performing arts prevalent in one place and all of which proclaim obeisance to the Almighty, it was inevitable that it became an establishment or to put it otherwise Chennai had to become the Mecca for these two outstanding art forms and the pilgrimage by the followers was bound to happen. The time chosen for this pilgrimage is again perfect for it coincides with that period when the weather is pleasant and experiences some coolness in the air. The time is also perfect for the ladies to display their gorgeous Kanchivarams and showcase their finest Jewellery. It is indeed a joy to be at any of the kutcheries (musical recitals) for apart from enjoying the performance, the well turned out ladies are indeed a wonderful treat to the eyes.
I was trying to recollect the Margazhi of my childhood/youth and this is what I could remember. Having lived in a Brahmin neighbourhood, the arrival of Margazhi never went unnoticed. The kollams (rice flour designs) that decorated the threshold of homes were wonderfully elaborate and there would always be music in the air. The Thiruppavai (hymns written by Alwar (saint) Andal in praise of Lord Krishna) was rendered by groups of ladies/girls as was done during Andal’s time. The local Vaishnavite temples would be buzzing with activity all revolved around Andal. If there was no deity Andal, then a photo would take its place and this would be adorned with garlands and jewellery. It was even customary for young girls to have the Andal hairstyle and to dress in their Sunday’s best. There was festivity in the air; however the visibility was very low. Andal, Thiruppavai and the elaborate kollams did not make its mark on the masses as the awareness of marketing was virtually absent. The Sabhas were only a handful and during Margazhi held kutcheries where in all the stalwarts and the other upcoming artists participated.
That the festival has taken a humungous form is indeed a fact. Not able to contain it within the 30 days of Margazhi, it has spread in both directions. Every body who has it in them to host a festival, conducts one and the artists who take part come from all corners of the country and the world. The pre and post Margazhi festivals are not just restricted to Carnatic Music and Bharatanatyam for they include other forms belonging to these two genres. Thus the highly informed enthusiasts of Chennai are exposed to all of the best in music and dance that the world can offer. The performers consider it a privilege to be part of The Season and hence never miss an opportunity. Only a wizard/genius can make it to the top slot in the first season itself. The slot system thus becomes an unofficial marker as far as the popularity/recognition of an artist is concerned. It goes without saying that the top artists are in great demand and during a Season most of them perform every other day. It is also a God sent opportunity for the female artistes to showcase their saris and jewellery and indirectly or is it directly become the brand ambassadors for the leading retail sari showrooms.
The Season has also become a platform for corporates to proclaim their cultural awareness for attached to each of the Sabhas is a host of wealthy sponsors. With the visibility increasing, The Season has burgeoned and with it, its economics too. The Season has become the focal point for those in the Indian Diaspora with an interest in Carnatic Music and Bharatanatyam to plan their trip to Chennai. With most of the artists having performed abroad, they have among their followers loads of foreigners too. I was surprised when I heard a foreigner say that she was in India to trail artist “X” through her various performances during The Season. This heavy influx is an excellent source of income to the hospitality industry and to all the varied retail businesses in the city. Another business that runs well in the Sabhas is the canteen. It is considered a fashion to eat the mouth drooling snacks and Tiffin offered in the canteens and to top the fares with the much acclaimed filter coffee.
Here is a Novel Season of which we can truly be proud off. The Season is a perfect example of how the blend of private enterprise (The Sabhas) and the Government can bring about a success story. The Government conducts the Dance Festival at Mahabalipuram a venue so revered. The open air concerts with the 11th century rock carvings of “Arjuna’s Penance” as a backdrop is indeed very popular. In the last two years the city has been witness to yet another initiative of the Government and this is the Chennai Sangamam where the various folk dances and music are performed on the streets. This truly gives the feel of a mela, a mela (fair) in which the whole city is involved. An added incentive to the Sangamam is the availability of traditional Tamizh food prepared by Five Star Chefs and served at various localities. The Season is on its way and in the next three months one would be enveloped by Music and Dance. The goodness about The Season is that Chennaiites have the prerogative of ending the current year on a high note only to welcome the New Year on a higher one.
P.S. The Temple Tower on the Tamil Nadu Government Emblem is of the temple in Srivilliputtur, a temple devoted to Alwar Andal. Thus it was only a matter of time before The Season was established.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
A Dream
I dreamt of “The Beast” parked in front of my house on Sivaganga Road. I guess that it is a far fetched dream but then dreams are just meant to be far fetched and with the current happenings, it is something that can definitely turn into reality. What prompted this dream could well be the just concluded trip of the Obamas to India and all the hype and fervor that went with it. Ever since the highest office in the world was open to an African American, I have been day dreaming of situations when the above could happen.
I have, by virtue of the curriculum in my school, been fed with American History from the young age of 13 and hence can proudly say that I know pretty well of the early happenings in that country. Right from the Pilgrim Fathers to the Thirteen Colonies to the War of Independence including the Boston Tea Party, to the Three Westward Expansions including the California Gold Rush to the Louisiana Purchase to the Civil War to the abolition of slavery to the modern day America, every wee bit is imprinted in my mind. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln and much later Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt and of course John Fitzgerald Kennedy were the towering personalities of that history and their achievements were studied and recorded in my memory. The names of the latter year Presidents too have been etched in my mind, for how can any citizen of the world not know the name of the President of the USA? Whether these said humans had a direct impact on one’s life or not, they had to be known, for to put it simply, their position made them the most powerful human being in the world.
It goes without saying that the Presidency of the United States of America is the most coveted post and it really did not matter if the incumbent belonged either to the Republican or Democratic Party. Thus this is a position that any American with good leadership quality would like to hold and can aspire for. The official written eligibility to become the President of the United States is just three and these are: 1. Be a natural born citizen of the United States, 2. Be at least thirty five years old and 3. Should have been a permanent resident of the United States for at least fourteen years. As can be seen the clauses are simple and one by which any citizen can aspire for the post, provided he or she gets elected to the same. However the unwritten rules are far too many for in the 233 years that the USA has been an independent country, 43 of the 44 Presidents have all belonged to one particular race. The first and only exception is the present incumbent. With the US being called the land of the immigrants, what is it that makes the race of the 43 Presidents superior to the scores of other races which too have a significant presence in the country? It is said that there are more Jews in New York than the whole of the State of Israel and the same holds true for many other sects of the world. However none of the people from these innumerable races or religious groups have been able to break the barrier until the 4th of November 2008 when Barack Obama with his grit and determination and plenty of charisma and oratorical skills broke the shackles and moved ahead.
Does this mean that the era of the WASPS has ended? I am not sure as to how many of you know what the acronym WASP stands for. WASP means WHITE ANGLO SAXON PROTESTANT. In the history of the USA, 43 Presidents have ruled the country for 231 years and all of them were WASPS with the exception of Kennedy who was a White Anglo Saxon but instead of being a Protestant was a Catholic. So powerful has been the domination of WASPS that breaking their impregnable barrier was nothing less than a miracle. It is a fact that the WASPS were the first settlers in the New Land and that it was them who gave the Thirteen Colonies its due importance. This to an extent made them the natural rulers in the early days. The WASPS brought with them their knowledge and know how and thus gained supremacy over the Native Americans who were the original inhabitants. It was this supremacy that they held on to very tightly and never wanted to relinquish. It seemed as if there was an unwritten pact among them that whichever party they belonged, they will keep the power to themselves. What boggles me is the fact that the other races who are present in very large numbers and who could have tilted the electoral balance, just did not even consider putting up a fight. President Barack Obama by his winning has definitely opened new vistas to the multitudes of youngsters from the other races, who can now dream of becoming the most powerful man in the world provided they meet up with the three written criteria.
Here is where my personal interests come to the fore. I have two nieces and one nephew living in the US. Two of them are teenagers and the third is just nine years of age. The two teenagers are showing wonderful leadership qualities and it seems as if nothing can stop them from achieving their goals. The oldest is my niece Preetha and she has done us proud by gaining admission to Harvard where she will be taking up her under graduation in Anthropology. Although she is planning to become a doctor like her parents, I have told her that having got into the Hallowed Institution that is Harvard, she has to think beyond medicine and look at all the doors that would open for her in the corridors of power. The Oval Office will be beyond her reach for among the three clauses, she does not fulfill the first one for she was born in Manchester, United Kingdom. The next in line is my nephew Krishnan; he is extremely intelligent with the best academic records. His interests and involvement in all extra curricular activities is immense and his leanings to philanthropy are way beyond his age. Being his aunt, I may sound biased but believe me when I say that he has all the qualities of an intelligent and capable leader. By virtue of being born in the USA he would qualify in the next 20 years when he will turn 35, the prerequisite age to stand for the office of the President.
I see nothing wrong in dreaming of my Krishnan in the Oval Office. The next time when I meet him, I will have to find out if he too is dreaming the same dream. And if he is, translating the same to reality would definitely be a Herculean task, but knowing Krishnan, I am sure with his meticulous planning and execution, he can achieve the same. By becoming the President of USA, what President Barack Obama has done apart from laying bare the three clauses was to open the flood gates for the thousands of aspirants who are not WASPS.
Will November 4th 2032 turn out to be the GOLDEN LETTERED DAY for the family!!
I have, by virtue of the curriculum in my school, been fed with American History from the young age of 13 and hence can proudly say that I know pretty well of the early happenings in that country. Right from the Pilgrim Fathers to the Thirteen Colonies to the War of Independence including the Boston Tea Party, to the Three Westward Expansions including the California Gold Rush to the Louisiana Purchase to the Civil War to the abolition of slavery to the modern day America, every wee bit is imprinted in my mind. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln and much later Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt and of course John Fitzgerald Kennedy were the towering personalities of that history and their achievements were studied and recorded in my memory. The names of the latter year Presidents too have been etched in my mind, for how can any citizen of the world not know the name of the President of the USA? Whether these said humans had a direct impact on one’s life or not, they had to be known, for to put it simply, their position made them the most powerful human being in the world.
It goes without saying that the Presidency of the United States of America is the most coveted post and it really did not matter if the incumbent belonged either to the Republican or Democratic Party. Thus this is a position that any American with good leadership quality would like to hold and can aspire for. The official written eligibility to become the President of the United States is just three and these are: 1. Be a natural born citizen of the United States, 2. Be at least thirty five years old and 3. Should have been a permanent resident of the United States for at least fourteen years. As can be seen the clauses are simple and one by which any citizen can aspire for the post, provided he or she gets elected to the same. However the unwritten rules are far too many for in the 233 years that the USA has been an independent country, 43 of the 44 Presidents have all belonged to one particular race. The first and only exception is the present incumbent. With the US being called the land of the immigrants, what is it that makes the race of the 43 Presidents superior to the scores of other races which too have a significant presence in the country? It is said that there are more Jews in New York than the whole of the State of Israel and the same holds true for many other sects of the world. However none of the people from these innumerable races or religious groups have been able to break the barrier until the 4th of November 2008 when Barack Obama with his grit and determination and plenty of charisma and oratorical skills broke the shackles and moved ahead.
Does this mean that the era of the WASPS has ended? I am not sure as to how many of you know what the acronym WASP stands for. WASP means WHITE ANGLO SAXON PROTESTANT. In the history of the USA, 43 Presidents have ruled the country for 231 years and all of them were WASPS with the exception of Kennedy who was a White Anglo Saxon but instead of being a Protestant was a Catholic. So powerful has been the domination of WASPS that breaking their impregnable barrier was nothing less than a miracle. It is a fact that the WASPS were the first settlers in the New Land and that it was them who gave the Thirteen Colonies its due importance. This to an extent made them the natural rulers in the early days. The WASPS brought with them their knowledge and know how and thus gained supremacy over the Native Americans who were the original inhabitants. It was this supremacy that they held on to very tightly and never wanted to relinquish. It seemed as if there was an unwritten pact among them that whichever party they belonged, they will keep the power to themselves. What boggles me is the fact that the other races who are present in very large numbers and who could have tilted the electoral balance, just did not even consider putting up a fight. President Barack Obama by his winning has definitely opened new vistas to the multitudes of youngsters from the other races, who can now dream of becoming the most powerful man in the world provided they meet up with the three written criteria.
Here is where my personal interests come to the fore. I have two nieces and one nephew living in the US. Two of them are teenagers and the third is just nine years of age. The two teenagers are showing wonderful leadership qualities and it seems as if nothing can stop them from achieving their goals. The oldest is my niece Preetha and she has done us proud by gaining admission to Harvard where she will be taking up her under graduation in Anthropology. Although she is planning to become a doctor like her parents, I have told her that having got into the Hallowed Institution that is Harvard, she has to think beyond medicine and look at all the doors that would open for her in the corridors of power. The Oval Office will be beyond her reach for among the three clauses, she does not fulfill the first one for she was born in Manchester, United Kingdom. The next in line is my nephew Krishnan; he is extremely intelligent with the best academic records. His interests and involvement in all extra curricular activities is immense and his leanings to philanthropy are way beyond his age. Being his aunt, I may sound biased but believe me when I say that he has all the qualities of an intelligent and capable leader. By virtue of being born in the USA he would qualify in the next 20 years when he will turn 35, the prerequisite age to stand for the office of the President.
I see nothing wrong in dreaming of my Krishnan in the Oval Office. The next time when I meet him, I will have to find out if he too is dreaming the same dream. And if he is, translating the same to reality would definitely be a Herculean task, but knowing Krishnan, I am sure with his meticulous planning and execution, he can achieve the same. By becoming the President of USA, what President Barack Obama has done apart from laying bare the three clauses was to open the flood gates for the thousands of aspirants who are not WASPS.
Will November 4th 2032 turn out to be the GOLDEN LETTERED DAY for the family!!
Monday, November 1, 2010
The Nail
Yesterday there was a murder in my immediate neighbourhood. It was a daylight murder at its gruesome best and well witnessed by few hundreds. I don’t even want to mention that I could sense glee in some of those faces. Then there were others who either turned their heads away or tried to circumnavigate the concerned area. The victim must have been around 35 years age and well in her prime. The cruelty shown by the murderer was heart breaking, but then I guess the murderers were only doing their job. They were paid to do it and the term used for the same in the Mumbai underworld would be “a supari”. Sitting in the comfort of my car, I did give the victim’s life more than a thought. I visualized her standing tall and stoic and remembered the comfort people took under her out stretched arms. She will truly be missed for ever since I moved into the locality she has been there to greet me on my various trips to and fro. In fact every time I saw her it gave me a sense of relief (especially when I am behind the wheel) for it meant that I have reached my “pettai” and thus nothing could go wrong.
The lady in question was a wonderful Butea Monosperma also known as the Flame of the Forest. The reason for her murder was yet another conversion of an independent house into an apartment block. The glee on the face of the onlookers (builders) could well have been the few extra square feet available to make their concrete jungles. Every square feet of land in this area is worth its weight in gold for coming up just across this plot is Chennai’s most expensive apartment building priced at Rs. 8 crore per apartment which when roughly calculated works out to Rs. 30,000/- per square foot.
Being a witness to this murder was not easy; I knew there was hardly anything I could do as the concerned person would surely have got permission from the authorities before going ahead with the hacking. My knowledge is that permission is definitely needed before doing away with the flora of the city. With the green cover being so poor, every sapling deserves to be looked after like an offspring and here was this beauty well in her prime and towering so tall and having years of service left in her being just done with as if what mattered was the couple of lakhs she would bring from the real estate that her base provides. The thought of the green cover over my city and my country was a matter which cannot be contained in the few hundreds of words that constitute my article; however I was reminded of the nursery rhyme which went thus, “Little drops of water make the mighty ocean, Little grains of sand and the pleasant land.” Thus doesn’t my Flame of the Forest have a role in the mighty green cover that we so dearly need?
They say that the next war that would be fought among nations or in the case of our country among states would be for that precious commodity which covers 70% of the Earth’s surface and constitutes more than 50% of the human body and is also known as the “universal solvent” thanks to its properties. Well you guessed it right; the war would be over that never much given thought and as of now freely available substance WATER. We have already reached that phase as our state is at dogger heads with its neighbours be it on the Cauvery issue or the Mullaiperiyar Dam. Why are we fighting over water that is so freely available? The reason is simple; most water found in nature is not suitable for human consumption thanks to its solvent properties. The water required by mankind is the rainwater or that water which is formed when our glaciers (again formed when rain water condenses in the colder regions and at high altitudes) melts and comes down the rivers. When there is a lack of green cover, the carbon dioxide emitted by cars and factories reach the upper atmosphere and helps trap heat around the Earth’s surface. This in turn brings about global warming as well as a change in the weather resulting in the lack of rain. Trees are thus considered nature’s most efficient “carbon sinks.”
The greed and the crass attitude of man are the only reason for this beautiful green cover to be depleting. Little are we realizing as to what would be the result of this action on our planet in the years to come. Much is being spoken about global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer and the green house effect. It is as informed citizens of this world our duty to protect our environment and leave behind something to cherish and hold for the generations that follow. In India we have started experiencing the fall out of our callous attitude with people in cities have to pay a ransom for water that until thirty years ago was so freely available. When bottled water was first introduced in India, I thought it a joke. It amused me that people would pay whatever they did for a one litre bottle when the same money would fetch something more precious. Living in a coastal city, it seemed ridiculous in having to pay for water. Well that was almost 25 years ago and from then to now, I have come a long way. From the water tankers, to the bubble top to the packaged bottle water it seems that we spend a fortune on water alone. (During my recent travel I had to spend almost Rs. 200/- for a normal 500ml of water, and then I thought to myself what the cost of Perrier or any other branded fancy water would be. I have kept the empty bottle as a souvenir.) In Chennai, the water tanker is the king on the road, thanks to commodity that they carry. The other motorists and pedestrians dread the blue vehicles for apart from the license to drive; they also seem to be in league with the fictional James Bond for they carry with them the License to Kill.
I mourn the death of my Butea Monosperma for apart from her beauty and the shade that she provided, her red carpet was truly welcoming. Somehow when I think of her decimation, I am only able to equate her with the quintessential Nail, for the want of which the battle was lost.
I am aware that there are other Nails that are dearly required if this Battle is to be truly won and may be as a start, I would decide to walk more and use the car less. This would definitely result in a 0.0000000000001% better environment and a 100% healthier me.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The Crab
It was a restless night and the reason for it being so was more than one. The day was hectic and in the normal sense I should have just dozed off, but well that did not happen. I was at my cousin Veena’s place in Bangalore and being the first night there, the bed was new and hence it took me a while to adjust. The second reason could be that my left shoulder was giving me pain thanks to my spondylosis and thus I was tossing and turning in bed unable to catch a wink and it was precisely then that my phone rang. The time was only 1.30a.m., however the call did not surprise me. It seemed as if I was expecting the same and hence my restlessness. The name that flashed on the screen was the name I had expected. Thus even before attending the call, I knew what the news would be. For one thing no one wakes you up that early in the morning/night to have a chat with you or to convey news regarding sweet nothings unless you are in that stage of your life when “ROMANCE” is in full bloom. The news had to be serious and well it could not have got more serious. Unnikrishnan a long time associate/help/almost a peripheral family member had called it a day. It was his brother in law giving me the news. He had succumbed to the crab that was otherwise known as Cancer.
He was 51years old and until a year ago had lead a hectic life. A life which saw a meteoric rise in his social standing and also the urge to achieve and acquire all that was considered the norm in today’s world. He seemed to be in a hurry and we always wondered why he was rushing. Little did we realize that he had to finish his responsibilities within a specific period? Death is definitely the only certainty in all our lives, however being human we plan and execute as if our lives are everlasting. May be Unnikrishnan was more aware that he would have an early call and thus his hurry. Anyway he had touched our family’s life like he had so many lives in Chennai. We were totally in the know of his illness and had in our own way contributed to ease his difficulties. Unnikrishnan was the latest in the long list of so many friends and acquaintances who had been the victim of the crab. It has been bothering me for a long time the rise in the number of people who have been afflicted by this condition which not only eats your body but also without doubt eats at everything else you have. This disease and its treatment make one’s life so traumatic and unbearable that I have so often wondered as to which was worse, the condition or its treatment.
Being the month of September, a month related to Cancer, I had attended a meeting where a leading Oncologist gave a lecture. His opening remark was that Cancer was the only condition where the blame for acquiring can only be put on one’s own self. No outside element was involved and thus he said that it was within a person to lead the right kind of life and by doing so stay away from the radar of the Cancer. I like all the attendees at the meeting realized that it this was easier said than done. The awareness of the don’ts regarding this condition with the exception of using tobacco and alcohol is so poor that you wonder as to how a layman will ever get to know how he should lead his life. AIDS which came into existence only in the last three decades has surpassed Cancer when it comes to awareness. The reason could well be the “colourful” manner in which it is transmitted.
Frankly no person would do anything stupid to become a victim of Cancer. Having said that, I realize that you do not have to knowingly do anything stupid, because there are a hundred things around you including the air you breathe that could well be the cause for the condition. Doctors advocate you to refrain from alcohol and tobacco. I agree that these two are the major wreckers but at the same time I feel that they alone cannot cause all the trouble. May be they could if you drown yourself in any one of them. Lung cancer is attributed to smoking and liver cirrhosis to alcohol. However I can in my own sphere mention names of people who have succumbed to both these conditions without being a smoker and or an alcoholic. How do you explain these deaths?? So what precautions are the doctors talking about? They could as well say that passive smoking could be the cause of lung cancer; however can passive drinking be the cause of liver cancer?? The more one delves into the conditions that cause cancer, the more one is dumbfounded and totally at a loss for words. Doctors recommend inclusion of five servings of vegetables and fruits in one’s diet, but on the other hand they say that the pesticide and preservatives used to grow and store them could well bring about cancer. With this being the case how does a layman go about leading his life? Can each of us afford to have a vegetable garden and a farm where in we grow all our dietary requirements? Is it possible in this 21st Century to lead the lives our forefathers lived a Millennium ago? (It could be possible if we all turned Amish, I guess.)
In the last few months ever since I became an owner of an iphone with an internet connection, I have been appalled by the awareness of the WIFI waves in the surrounding air. If the WIFI in my phone is left on, every few feet that I travel, I am invited to join the various connections in the passing neighbourhoods. This made me realize that we are living in a world encompassed by magnetic waves which in no measure is good for our well being. Having said that one really does not have to go outside the house to be victimized by these waves, the electronic gadgets present in the modern homes including the microwave oven, the cell phone and computer can in their own ways cause enough damage to one’s health. I wish the doctor had advised me as to how I could do away with these necessities in my daily life.
What really took the cake was the shocking news I came across just recently. It was mentioned that in future 2% of Cancer could well be due to the CT and MRI scans taken routinely as diagnostic measure for various ailments including Cancer. I am sure that this percentage is only going to increase with the years. Thus we have reached a situation where from breathing to eating to even undergoing a treatment can in itself be the cause of Cancer. I wonder as to who coined the word Cancer for this condition. For this condition, like the crab burrowed deep in the wet sands, is able to cause enough damage in our bodies for a long period before it manifests in various forms.
As a lay person, my assessment is that there is no fool proof cure for this condition and the so called ‘remission” that the doctors proudly claim is only a waiting period before the next harsher blow comes by.
Unnikrishnan died of liver cirrhosis and he was a person who never ever had an alcoholic drink.
He was 51years old and until a year ago had lead a hectic life. A life which saw a meteoric rise in his social standing and also the urge to achieve and acquire all that was considered the norm in today’s world. He seemed to be in a hurry and we always wondered why he was rushing. Little did we realize that he had to finish his responsibilities within a specific period? Death is definitely the only certainty in all our lives, however being human we plan and execute as if our lives are everlasting. May be Unnikrishnan was more aware that he would have an early call and thus his hurry. Anyway he had touched our family’s life like he had so many lives in Chennai. We were totally in the know of his illness and had in our own way contributed to ease his difficulties. Unnikrishnan was the latest in the long list of so many friends and acquaintances who had been the victim of the crab. It has been bothering me for a long time the rise in the number of people who have been afflicted by this condition which not only eats your body but also without doubt eats at everything else you have. This disease and its treatment make one’s life so traumatic and unbearable that I have so often wondered as to which was worse, the condition or its treatment.
Being the month of September, a month related to Cancer, I had attended a meeting where a leading Oncologist gave a lecture. His opening remark was that Cancer was the only condition where the blame for acquiring can only be put on one’s own self. No outside element was involved and thus he said that it was within a person to lead the right kind of life and by doing so stay away from the radar of the Cancer. I like all the attendees at the meeting realized that it this was easier said than done. The awareness of the don’ts regarding this condition with the exception of using tobacco and alcohol is so poor that you wonder as to how a layman will ever get to know how he should lead his life. AIDS which came into existence only in the last three decades has surpassed Cancer when it comes to awareness. The reason could well be the “colourful” manner in which it is transmitted.
Frankly no person would do anything stupid to become a victim of Cancer. Having said that, I realize that you do not have to knowingly do anything stupid, because there are a hundred things around you including the air you breathe that could well be the cause for the condition. Doctors advocate you to refrain from alcohol and tobacco. I agree that these two are the major wreckers but at the same time I feel that they alone cannot cause all the trouble. May be they could if you drown yourself in any one of them. Lung cancer is attributed to smoking and liver cirrhosis to alcohol. However I can in my own sphere mention names of people who have succumbed to both these conditions without being a smoker and or an alcoholic. How do you explain these deaths?? So what precautions are the doctors talking about? They could as well say that passive smoking could be the cause of lung cancer; however can passive drinking be the cause of liver cancer?? The more one delves into the conditions that cause cancer, the more one is dumbfounded and totally at a loss for words. Doctors recommend inclusion of five servings of vegetables and fruits in one’s diet, but on the other hand they say that the pesticide and preservatives used to grow and store them could well bring about cancer. With this being the case how does a layman go about leading his life? Can each of us afford to have a vegetable garden and a farm where in we grow all our dietary requirements? Is it possible in this 21st Century to lead the lives our forefathers lived a Millennium ago? (It could be possible if we all turned Amish, I guess.)
In the last few months ever since I became an owner of an iphone with an internet connection, I have been appalled by the awareness of the WIFI waves in the surrounding air. If the WIFI in my phone is left on, every few feet that I travel, I am invited to join the various connections in the passing neighbourhoods. This made me realize that we are living in a world encompassed by magnetic waves which in no measure is good for our well being. Having said that one really does not have to go outside the house to be victimized by these waves, the electronic gadgets present in the modern homes including the microwave oven, the cell phone and computer can in their own ways cause enough damage to one’s health. I wish the doctor had advised me as to how I could do away with these necessities in my daily life.
What really took the cake was the shocking news I came across just recently. It was mentioned that in future 2% of Cancer could well be due to the CT and MRI scans taken routinely as diagnostic measure for various ailments including Cancer. I am sure that this percentage is only going to increase with the years. Thus we have reached a situation where from breathing to eating to even undergoing a treatment can in itself be the cause of Cancer. I wonder as to who coined the word Cancer for this condition. For this condition, like the crab burrowed deep in the wet sands, is able to cause enough damage in our bodies for a long period before it manifests in various forms.
As a lay person, my assessment is that there is no fool proof cure for this condition and the so called ‘remission” that the doctors proudly claim is only a waiting period before the next harsher blow comes by.
Unnikrishnan died of liver cirrhosis and he was a person who never ever had an alcoholic drink.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Be Prepared
At 102, blind UK woman is the oldest Girl Guide. A 102 year old visually impaired British woman is now the country’s oldest Girl Guide, a media report said. Betty Lowe joined Girl Guides volunteers aged 11 in 1919. And, in the finest Guides tradition she does a regular good turn by spending a few hours washing up at Salford Royal Hospital canteen and chatting to patients. – Times of India – 14th September 2010.
When I read the above report in the said paper, it got me thinking of this wonderful movement called Girl Guides and my participation in the same. Later when I Googled to refurbish my memory about the salient features of the movement, I realized that the movement began in 1910, thus making this the Centenary year. I consider this a humble tribute to this great movement which has taught me so many things and has also given me some great times in my youth.
At 102 if Betty Lowe who is visually impaired can continue to be a true Girl Guide, it just speaks volumes of the impact the Guiding movement must have had in her life. I cannot talk or write of myself in the same league as her or of other great leaders of the movement who devoted their time and energies doing the things the movement taught them and imparting the same to the younger generations. However in some way, I think I am still a Girl Guide as in every action I do I make sure that I never go against the Guide Promise which is – 1. To do one’s duty to God and to one’s country,
2. To help other people at all times, and
3. To obey the Guide Laws.
Over the years the Laws have rusted from my memory however the gist is well ingrained in me and even if I were to deviate, I think I end up having a restless feeling for days to come.
Girl Guides was part of my school life. I joined the movement in the year 1967 when I was in the sixth standard. I wouldn’t say that our school could boast of a big unit; however we did have enough students and Mrs. Chandran was our Guides Teacher. My patrol was named Aster and the other patrols had similar names of flowers rarely seen in India. I think this is something to do with our school in that era when everything was Anglicised. I guess that was fine for after all the Movement had its origin in the UK. On joining I became a Tenderfoot Guide and was in that category for almost year. This was a time when we learnt all the wonderful Guiding songs and on the whole had some fun time after school on all Wednesdays. Slowly skills were taught to us and in a prescribed time frame, I became a Second Class guide. Thus apart from my Guide Emblem and my Patrol Emblem, I had the Second Class Guide Emblem sewn on my sleeve. By now I knew all the knots like the reef knot, the sheep shank, the sheet bend, the bowline, clove hitch so on and so forth. The rope which was part of our gear became a play thing and we competed among ourselves in becoming a pro. The Morse code was taught and with the help of flags we could communicate. We also learnt to get a fire going and had some wonderful time learning cooking. Collecting twigs and making the fire was a group activity and so too was the cooking that ensued. There was no competition involved and this made the whole activity pure and simple fun.
I became serious about my Guiding and never missed a class or a camp. Camps were fun with so many meaningful day time activities and always ended on a high note with the campfire around which we showed cased all our music and dance talents. Any knowledge gained was tested and on completion ended in a badge. Thus the zest began to collect badges. In the meantime classes were also conducted in First Aid and Home Nursing by the St. John’s Ambulance and on qualifying we were presented with a certificate and the relevant badges. Slowly or was it in quick succession, I got qualified to be a First Class Guide. The next aim was to become a President’s Guide, the highest honour for any Guide and I worked for it. Thus at the age of 14 years, I achieved this feat and on the 11th of November 1971, received the certificate from Shri V. V. Giri the then President of India. I would definitely call this one of the highlights of my life. Being in the Mughal Gardens of the Rashtrapati Bhavan was a dream come true. The build up to the trip was in itself exhilarating. We had a pre camp at the Wesley High School, Royapettah, were the freshers in the movement came to us and asked for advice. We were treated and looked upon as high end achievers. Looking back I think the experience was scintillating.
It is indeed sad to note that the Movement is in wane in India. There are hardly any schools in Chennai which promote Guiding and Scouting. I wonder why the people in authority have shunned this wonderful activity from their curriculum. The focus just seems to be on individual activities and the sense of competition has become all pervasive. It is truly disheartening because the child of today is not really prepared to face the reality that the world has to offer. A small discomfort and they are ready to jump out of the system. I have seen this happen among young kids as well as graduates and post graduates. I wonder how the kids of today would react if they were to go to a Jamboree where thousands of children live in next to a primitive condition. Then I wonder if such Jamborees still exist. I consider myself lucky to have gone to Mumbai in 1970 to attend a Jamboree. At 13, it seemed then that we were out in the big world all on our own. We managed extremely well on the basic meals offered and on the most basic of accommodations that was available. No kid from our background would even want to venture into such a scenario now. How will they survive without their fancy gadgets and even fancier attitudes? I wonder as to who is to be blamed - Is it the school system for not instilling in them the values that really matter or the parents for over protecting the child and dancing to all their whims and fancies?
I wish some responsible authorities would get to read this blog, for apart from being a Tribute, it is also a request to schools to revive this Movement. The results would be wonderful for I can be sure that they will have as students not only geniuses (as is the trend these days) but also good children who have in them the urge to do good and to be worthy citizens in their later life. The end result would be generations of children and adults who would always follow the Motto – Be Prepared.
When I read the above report in the said paper, it got me thinking of this wonderful movement called Girl Guides and my participation in the same. Later when I Googled to refurbish my memory about the salient features of the movement, I realized that the movement began in 1910, thus making this the Centenary year. I consider this a humble tribute to this great movement which has taught me so many things and has also given me some great times in my youth.
At 102 if Betty Lowe who is visually impaired can continue to be a true Girl Guide, it just speaks volumes of the impact the Guiding movement must have had in her life. I cannot talk or write of myself in the same league as her or of other great leaders of the movement who devoted their time and energies doing the things the movement taught them and imparting the same to the younger generations. However in some way, I think I am still a Girl Guide as in every action I do I make sure that I never go against the Guide Promise which is – 1. To do one’s duty to God and to one’s country,
2. To help other people at all times, and
3. To obey the Guide Laws.
Over the years the Laws have rusted from my memory however the gist is well ingrained in me and even if I were to deviate, I think I end up having a restless feeling for days to come.
Girl Guides was part of my school life. I joined the movement in the year 1967 when I was in the sixth standard. I wouldn’t say that our school could boast of a big unit; however we did have enough students and Mrs. Chandran was our Guides Teacher. My patrol was named Aster and the other patrols had similar names of flowers rarely seen in India. I think this is something to do with our school in that era when everything was Anglicised. I guess that was fine for after all the Movement had its origin in the UK. On joining I became a Tenderfoot Guide and was in that category for almost year. This was a time when we learnt all the wonderful Guiding songs and on the whole had some fun time after school on all Wednesdays. Slowly skills were taught to us and in a prescribed time frame, I became a Second Class guide. Thus apart from my Guide Emblem and my Patrol Emblem, I had the Second Class Guide Emblem sewn on my sleeve. By now I knew all the knots like the reef knot, the sheep shank, the sheet bend, the bowline, clove hitch so on and so forth. The rope which was part of our gear became a play thing and we competed among ourselves in becoming a pro. The Morse code was taught and with the help of flags we could communicate. We also learnt to get a fire going and had some wonderful time learning cooking. Collecting twigs and making the fire was a group activity and so too was the cooking that ensued. There was no competition involved and this made the whole activity pure and simple fun.
I became serious about my Guiding and never missed a class or a camp. Camps were fun with so many meaningful day time activities and always ended on a high note with the campfire around which we showed cased all our music and dance talents. Any knowledge gained was tested and on completion ended in a badge. Thus the zest began to collect badges. In the meantime classes were also conducted in First Aid and Home Nursing by the St. John’s Ambulance and on qualifying we were presented with a certificate and the relevant badges. Slowly or was it in quick succession, I got qualified to be a First Class Guide. The next aim was to become a President’s Guide, the highest honour for any Guide and I worked for it. Thus at the age of 14 years, I achieved this feat and on the 11th of November 1971, received the certificate from Shri V. V. Giri the then President of India. I would definitely call this one of the highlights of my life. Being in the Mughal Gardens of the Rashtrapati Bhavan was a dream come true. The build up to the trip was in itself exhilarating. We had a pre camp at the Wesley High School, Royapettah, were the freshers in the movement came to us and asked for advice. We were treated and looked upon as high end achievers. Looking back I think the experience was scintillating.
It is indeed sad to note that the Movement is in wane in India. There are hardly any schools in Chennai which promote Guiding and Scouting. I wonder why the people in authority have shunned this wonderful activity from their curriculum. The focus just seems to be on individual activities and the sense of competition has become all pervasive. It is truly disheartening because the child of today is not really prepared to face the reality that the world has to offer. A small discomfort and they are ready to jump out of the system. I have seen this happen among young kids as well as graduates and post graduates. I wonder how the kids of today would react if they were to go to a Jamboree where thousands of children live in next to a primitive condition. Then I wonder if such Jamborees still exist. I consider myself lucky to have gone to Mumbai in 1970 to attend a Jamboree. At 13, it seemed then that we were out in the big world all on our own. We managed extremely well on the basic meals offered and on the most basic of accommodations that was available. No kid from our background would even want to venture into such a scenario now. How will they survive without their fancy gadgets and even fancier attitudes? I wonder as to who is to be blamed - Is it the school system for not instilling in them the values that really matter or the parents for over protecting the child and dancing to all their whims and fancies?
I wish some responsible authorities would get to read this blog, for apart from being a Tribute, it is also a request to schools to revive this Movement. The results would be wonderful for I can be sure that they will have as students not only geniuses (as is the trend these days) but also good children who have in them the urge to do good and to be worthy citizens in their later life. The end result would be generations of children and adults who would always follow the Motto – Be Prepared.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Septuplets
Mine is the last name in a list that contains only seven names. However this in no way makes me sad, for on the other hand I am extremely happy that I am one among the septuplets. To me it is a very privileged list; a list for which I am willing to jump the toughest of hurdles. The truth is that, the privilege came to me with ease and this I consider GOD sent. But then how can it be otherwise? Definitely God has everything to do with this list for after all if not for Him the list would not exist. I have become one among the seven trustees of a temple in my home town of Mankave, Calicut. The temple has been with the Variyath family for a very long time. Much as I tried to trace its beginning, I was left clueless and totally in the dark. Tracing the history of the temple would have in a way enabled me to trace the history of our Tharavad, (my maternal family) as this temple has been on our property for as long as anyone can remember.
The earliest memories I have in relation with this temple is from my early childhood. The memories are not of having seen the temple or worshipping there. It had to do with having the “theertham” from the temple and of applying the sandalwood paste that was brought daily by my Great Uncle. As a child the image I had formed of my Great Uncle was that of an ascetic. He would come to his sister’s (my maternal grandmother) house in the early hours of the morning his whole body smeared with the holy ash, and have in his hand a container with the theertham and a plantain leaf with the sandalwood paste and flowers. This would be a daily routine. He had his own Puja under the staircase and to us kids, he lived on another plane. It was after some years that I got to know the source of that theertham and his affinity to the said temple.
During my just concluded trip to Calicut, I got an opportunity to speak to my aunt and uncle and it was from them that I learnt that until about 60 years ago, the property on which the temple stands was out of reach for most people. It was densely wooded and an ideal place for miscreants and vagabonds to inhabit. The temple was there but no one dared to go and pray. It was at that juncture that my Grand Uncle decided that he had to do something about the temple and thus began his daily worship. Being a man of very limited means, there was only this much he could do. He made sure that the minimum routines of a temple were performed. This routine continued till his demise in the mid seventies. I could almost say that it was my Grand Uncle who single handedly made the temple a place of worship again. His relationship with the temple was a symbiotic one. Other than giving him mental peace, his routine served as the best antidote for his high blood sugar. The climb to the top of the hill for worship twice a day was definitely the best exercise any doctor could prescribe. He had, prior to his involvement with the temple been admitted with severe diabetes and had even gone into a state of coma. The reason he survived this coma, could well have been to give a rebirth to the Thennamkunnu Shiva Kshetram.
The Eighties saw the temple fall into the hands of an outside Trust for want of family members to take care of the same. Thus for almost two decades the temple was in the control of outsiders. Little was done and the only celebration was the annual Shiva Rathri. Much as we all made sure that we made offerings there, it was just a very paltry sum with regards to maintaining a temple. After some time, the managing Trust lost interest in the temple. The chief reason I guess could be the almost nil income from the premises and the lack of participation from the people of the area. Sometime in the late nineties, members of the family began to renew their interest in getting the temple back from the Trust. I think the interest peaked in keeping with the times, for that was the period when people of all faiths began going back to the CREATOR. Thus it became a matter of great importance to the members of the Variyath clan to have the temple back in their custody. Even at this point my role in the whole affair was absolutely zero. I was however aware of all the happenings, for how could it be otherwise!! During the annual school/college vacation, (which was only to Mankave) a day would not pass without a mention being made of the temple. Added to that, my mother had so much of faith in the presiding Deity and thus every event at home saw an offering being made to the Thennamkunnu Shivan.
In the meantime, the temple which stood on 70cents of land had been encroached by settlers on all sides and in the bargain had lost about 20 precious cents of land. Seeing the pathetic state of affairs, a few of the family members, garnered all the courage and strength and by the beginning of the new century began to correspond with The Trust and finally after five years of running up and down the length of God’s Own Country, got the temple back in the custody of the family.
The temple is once again ours and the onus is on us to see that things move well. Most members of the family have contributed in earnest and work on resurrecting the temple has begun. The sanctum sanctorum is nearing completion. Like other temples in Kerala, wood is extensively being used and this in turn definitely gives it a majestic look. The two disadvantages of using wood are that the work is slow and the cost is prohibitive. However the family has decided to go the full length and thus there will be no cutting corners. The people in the vicinity seeing the earnest work and the progress being made, have started showing interest in the happenings of the temple. The footfalls have increased, which in itself is a very good sign. Some of them have also made contributions in cash and kind. I was indeed lucky to witness the installation of the “Thaligakudam”/”Kumbam” atop the Sanctum Sanctorum during my recent visit.
All the progress mentioned above happened before the Trust was officially formed. With the “Valiaveettil Variyath Thennamkunnu Kshethram Trust” becoming a registered body, the septuplets have a lot of work to do. With only me living outside of Kerala, I will have to work that extra bit to show that I am worthy of my place. Since Mankave is just eleven hours away from Chennai, I have offered to be there whenever needed. My contention is that, if my Grand Uncle with nothing but sheer will power could give the family a place of worship, then why can’t we, as his descendants, with definitely more at our disposal, finish in a fitting manner what he humbly started. So it is definitely wake up time for the Septuplets - Krishnakumar, Susheela, Gangadharan, Lakshmi, Vasantha, Mohan and Usha for they have miles to go before they sleep and miles to go before they sleep!!!
The earliest memories I have in relation with this temple is from my early childhood. The memories are not of having seen the temple or worshipping there. It had to do with having the “theertham” from the temple and of applying the sandalwood paste that was brought daily by my Great Uncle. As a child the image I had formed of my Great Uncle was that of an ascetic. He would come to his sister’s (my maternal grandmother) house in the early hours of the morning his whole body smeared with the holy ash, and have in his hand a container with the theertham and a plantain leaf with the sandalwood paste and flowers. This would be a daily routine. He had his own Puja under the staircase and to us kids, he lived on another plane. It was after some years that I got to know the source of that theertham and his affinity to the said temple.
During my just concluded trip to Calicut, I got an opportunity to speak to my aunt and uncle and it was from them that I learnt that until about 60 years ago, the property on which the temple stands was out of reach for most people. It was densely wooded and an ideal place for miscreants and vagabonds to inhabit. The temple was there but no one dared to go and pray. It was at that juncture that my Grand Uncle decided that he had to do something about the temple and thus began his daily worship. Being a man of very limited means, there was only this much he could do. He made sure that the minimum routines of a temple were performed. This routine continued till his demise in the mid seventies. I could almost say that it was my Grand Uncle who single handedly made the temple a place of worship again. His relationship with the temple was a symbiotic one. Other than giving him mental peace, his routine served as the best antidote for his high blood sugar. The climb to the top of the hill for worship twice a day was definitely the best exercise any doctor could prescribe. He had, prior to his involvement with the temple been admitted with severe diabetes and had even gone into a state of coma. The reason he survived this coma, could well have been to give a rebirth to the Thennamkunnu Shiva Kshetram.
The Eighties saw the temple fall into the hands of an outside Trust for want of family members to take care of the same. Thus for almost two decades the temple was in the control of outsiders. Little was done and the only celebration was the annual Shiva Rathri. Much as we all made sure that we made offerings there, it was just a very paltry sum with regards to maintaining a temple. After some time, the managing Trust lost interest in the temple. The chief reason I guess could be the almost nil income from the premises and the lack of participation from the people of the area. Sometime in the late nineties, members of the family began to renew their interest in getting the temple back from the Trust. I think the interest peaked in keeping with the times, for that was the period when people of all faiths began going back to the CREATOR. Thus it became a matter of great importance to the members of the Variyath clan to have the temple back in their custody. Even at this point my role in the whole affair was absolutely zero. I was however aware of all the happenings, for how could it be otherwise!! During the annual school/college vacation, (which was only to Mankave) a day would not pass without a mention being made of the temple. Added to that, my mother had so much of faith in the presiding Deity and thus every event at home saw an offering being made to the Thennamkunnu Shivan.
In the meantime, the temple which stood on 70cents of land had been encroached by settlers on all sides and in the bargain had lost about 20 precious cents of land. Seeing the pathetic state of affairs, a few of the family members, garnered all the courage and strength and by the beginning of the new century began to correspond with The Trust and finally after five years of running up and down the length of God’s Own Country, got the temple back in the custody of the family.
The temple is once again ours and the onus is on us to see that things move well. Most members of the family have contributed in earnest and work on resurrecting the temple has begun. The sanctum sanctorum is nearing completion. Like other temples in Kerala, wood is extensively being used and this in turn definitely gives it a majestic look. The two disadvantages of using wood are that the work is slow and the cost is prohibitive. However the family has decided to go the full length and thus there will be no cutting corners. The people in the vicinity seeing the earnest work and the progress being made, have started showing interest in the happenings of the temple. The footfalls have increased, which in itself is a very good sign. Some of them have also made contributions in cash and kind. I was indeed lucky to witness the installation of the “Thaligakudam”/”Kumbam” atop the Sanctum Sanctorum during my recent visit.
All the progress mentioned above happened before the Trust was officially formed. With the “Valiaveettil Variyath Thennamkunnu Kshethram Trust” becoming a registered body, the septuplets have a lot of work to do. With only me living outside of Kerala, I will have to work that extra bit to show that I am worthy of my place. Since Mankave is just eleven hours away from Chennai, I have offered to be there whenever needed. My contention is that, if my Grand Uncle with nothing but sheer will power could give the family a place of worship, then why can’t we, as his descendants, with definitely more at our disposal, finish in a fitting manner what he humbly started. So it is definitely wake up time for the Septuplets - Krishnakumar, Susheela, Gangadharan, Lakshmi, Vasantha, Mohan and Usha for they have miles to go before they sleep and miles to go before they sleep!!!
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