Our globe..!

At the edge of destruction we have our globe
Tired and maligned with the dirt produced by all
Never to complain, never to say why!
Always speaking to its children to do the
needful without delay..!

The Steel Food Vessel (The Steel Chottupathram)

The Steel Rice Vessel (The Steel Chottupathram)!

The food vessel I carried to College was a steel vessel with a holding handle fitted on either side of the vessel. In the morning I carried the food only if it was ready by the time the bus was leaving. And that day it was ready. The little steel vessel with an outer lid on the top.  I moved to the bus stop with the vessel.

The Madras Eentha stood at the tripple road joint and people waiting for the line bus assembled in the shadow of that tree .  The tree brought forth sweet long  fruits which fell down from time to time. 

Two buses passed under it.  One is the red 'Sreeramachandra' coming from Thrikkur and the other one is the EBT (Buses in Kerala were named with letters denoting some names or family names and ending with the world T-denoting Transport). Nobodsy knew what EBT stood for but the it was a long bus with a lot of seats.

EBT came from a place called Puthur and the Sreeramachandra came from Thrikkur.  That day, EBT came first and I got in with my books and the chottupathram.  A seat was available as soon as I entered and I sank into it without a second thought.  It is a beautiful journey on a side seat when the people are less in the bus.  Just sit along and watch the houses, shops and temples and churches on the way.  At times the road is wet due to rain, the flowers on the hedges are beautiful and the huge embossing houses or little palaces of the rich are good to see!


The EBT is green in colour compared to the total red of the Sreeramachandra.  But inside colour is always light green with green seats which are very comfortable on a wooden floor.  This day, I got the EBT and that too with an empty seat which really was a great thing to expect on a normal college day.  Once I settled in the seat, I kept the book bundle on my lap and put the chottupathram under the seat so that my hands are free!

Enjoying the sights on the way, saeeing the passing cars, buses and trucks I got down at the Thrissur Municipal Bus Stand near the King's statue.  The Municipal office in those days was a huge building with a tower with a clock and this clock sent out a siren at 8 o' clock, 1 o' clock, 6 o' clock etc.  We did not know why this siren was being sent out !  Once I got down the bus moved off for its next trip.  I walked with my bundle of books to the college towards the East Fort.  In my mind was the periods and the subject which are to be covered in the morning session.  Once in college, time passes quickly and it becomes lunch time.  That is when I had the surprise..!  My lunch vessel (chottupathram) is not to be seen.  I wanted to search the vessel and thought back.  I could reach back to my vessel being put at the bottom of my seat in the bus..! This meant, if my memory is correct I have forgotten to take the chottupathram while getting down from the bus at the city centre municipal bus stand. Oh...that is bad. 

I had two options. To lose the vessel altogether and simply to go and visit the library which used to be my abode during lunch recess when I had not food carried to college.  The old Malayala Manorama Weeklies carefully made into bunches and bound was good to go through for light reading.  The 'Bobanum Moliyum” cartoon was always special and the jokes pages were a treat.  The smell of the old books carried one to many many years in the past all the while improving and increasing once general knowledge about the state and the world!

The second option is to take the chance and revisit the bus when it comes to the municipal stand again.  I took the second chance.  The bus usually took a trip to a place called Thiroor on the north and then reached back and went to Thrikkoor on the south east and repeated the process.  I calculated that after the second trip it should be around time that the bus came back to the municiapal bus stand.  I walked fast crossing the Civil Hospital and the 'Poorapparambu' (The ceremonial pooram festival ground)!  As I was walking into the municipal bus stand I could see the green EBT coming from near the 'Jos Theatre', one of the oldest theatres of the place.  The bus slowly took a left turn to the bus stand and was going to stop near the King's statue.  I walked fast and reached the bus!

I was anxious if I can get the vessel back at all.  I had forgotten the vessel in the running bus and so many people get in and get out.  It is not for the conductor to see all of them but still if no one has touched the vessel from where I have put it, then there is a chance..!   The bus was empty when I reached it and the conductor was looking at me from his seat.  I went in and looked at the place under the seat where I was sitting in the moring and found the place clean.  The lunch vessel was not there.  I turned towards the conductor: “Have you seen a lunch vessel in the moring?”  His smile reassured me that all was not lost.  He pointed to the driver and said “Look under the Driver's seat”.  As I looked on I could find the vessel still standing up straight and shivering under the deep beat of the bus engine! 

I thanked the Conductor and Driver and collected the vessel happily.  The Conducter said: “We found the vessel after you left in our routine check after each trip. But by the time we got it you had left.  Don't worry.  No body loses anything in this bus. Once you come on our bus, you and your properties are always safe..!”  I rturned to college and had a great lunch that day, the home made food with fried fish for side dish.

Those were the times, friends, most of it are gone now.  The nostalgia is still there!

Getting down at New Delhi Station forty years ago!

     It was evening! The train was to reach around 4 pm which was getting late in a February and ultimately it crawled into the station by 7 pm.  It had become dark and cold has set in along with the darkness.  Lights were on and a lot of people coming and going and those helping them were on the platforms. The speciality of any platform is that no body cares any body else other than oneself as all are in a hurry to reach their destinations. 

My co-travellers had been patient till the train reached New Delhi station but once it stoppled all of them quickly vanished into thin air or that fast they were all gone. Some had people waiting for them, some knew the place and others were the train operators.  I did not know the place, did not know any one and was not used to the cold of February evening.  That day it was more.!  I felt like vomiting.  My little thin sweater was no match for the evening as I was coming from a warmer climate in the south!

I waited for a while near a tube light pole to regain my composure and once felt better ..! Then I walked on with my brown leather suit case with the folded umbrella squeezed into the belt of the box which instantly gave me away as an outsider. The autorikshaw fellow spotted me as I came out to the front side of the station and simply came up and took my suitcase and walked up saying "Mere sath aao!" (Come with me).

Once he fixed me in his old and dilapidated autorikshaw he asked: "Kaham jana hai?" (Where do you want to go?).  I replied "Karolbagh".  I had learned that Karol bagh is a place four kilometres away from the station and one could get a day's stay there in any  small guest house! The auto-rikshaw who looked deceptive and in shabby clothes said:  "Oh.....this journey has to be completed in two auto-rikshaws,  I will take you half the way and the rest another auto-rikshaw will take you ..!  I became uneasy at these words  as I was surprised at the words of this sleaky guy and told him: "Can you take me to the "Madras Hotel" across the road?"  He agreed and took to the hotel across the road opposite the Station! As soon as it reached the hotel, I jumped out with me suit case and went in.

I simply settled at a desk and ordered for a cup of warm tea .  They youngster who came to take order seemed to be a guy from the south of India and I enquired of him if he can handle Hindi well.  He said: What do you want in Hindi?"  I told him "Just go to the front side and there is an autorikshaw fellow waiting.  Tell him I do not need his auto! "  He said, that is simple and went out and disposed off the guy in a few seconds!

Once he was gone I took a deep sigh of relief.  I felt better with the warmth insiide the hotel and wiith the help of the youngster took a room on rent just next door where there were plenty of guest houses with rooms at reasonable rates in Pahar ganj as it was called in those days!

The Thrissur Town & Public Library..

The  Thrissur Town:


Starting to the Temple of Learning in Thrissur, the Thrissur Public Library, I took the line bus and got down at the 'Binny' bus stop.  There is no reason why it is called Binny but a shop or so in that name selling clothes.  The bus stop was earlier at the Cinema  called 'Ramavarma' which has later on changed to 'Sapna'.  Walking on towards the next cut road  reached the King's Park where the bronze statue of the King stood!

The king stood facing south. Now there is no doubt about it.  He is declared to be the King of Cochin! An empossing figure in dark bronze!  He stood in a free space on the northern part of the great maidan.  He is still there on the same pedestal, but now he has been squeezed with a few walls behind and a lot of unnecessary constructions which many people thought necessary to beautify the whole place.  One side is a bus stop where many buses stop.  The place always buzzled with people getting down from buses or climbing into buses.  Some people kept waiting for the buses which made the place a busy one.  The increase in the number of automobiles also added to the huzzle and buzzle of the place.  Vewry few people went into the little park surrounding the King's statue.  Or none went in, perhaps.  The place had a lot of muddy water and wet ground due to the intermittant rains.  A man near by guffawed and thoughtlessly spat into the park.  Many of the people around never gave a thought  of the reverence of the place.    Many people in the town generally spat from time to time! The King was calm and serene!

He looked as if he is a live King.  He stood without looking left or to the right.  He continuously looked to the south where Cochin is. And he is the King of Cochin, nay, He was the King of Cochin.  Only those on the west can spit to the park.  I never liked people spitting! It should be lack of awareness all along! For any healthy man or woman there is no need of spitting.  Unless they are eating or chewing paan or the calcium and beatel leaf combination,  which is eaten in may places.

The park has more names now under and about the Kings Statue.  Thwy proclaimed the names of the people representatives and those dignitaries who had been there when the beautification was inaugurated. 

The Library is close by a furlong.  Library is having election!  Library is run by an elected body!   It carries a lot of books all very useful books!  But the day to day running money for the Library from the Government has to be released by another set of people in some apex organization. Which came  out rarely making the readers pay for the services they obtain at the Library.  This is surprising in a State with hundred percent literacy.  But every thing works here! The Staff and officials work in meagre payments but  take a lot of interest in the day to day running of the Library making it feasible with the limited resources ..! 

The multitude of Thrissur never thought of reading, as much of a thing.  Those who visited the town centre  are all busy either getting their thing done, or working for a daily living.  The permanent are mostly traders and shop keepers who have a hundred and one thing up their heads keeping the reigns of their businesses..!
Starting to the Temple of Learning in Thrissur, the Thrissur Public Library, I took the line bus and got down at the 'Binny' bus stop.  There is no reason why it is called Binny but a shop or so in that name selling clothes.  The bus stop was earlier at the Cinema  called 'Ramavarma' which has later on changed to 'Sapna'.  Walking on towards the next cut road  reached the King's Park where the bronze statue of the King stood!

The king stood facing south. Now there is no doubt about it.  He is declared to be the King of Cochin! An embossing figure in dark bronze!  He stood in a free space on the northern part of the great maidan.  He is still there on the same pedestal, but now he has been squeezed with a few walls behind and a lot of unnecessary constructions which many people thought necessary to beautify the whole place.  One side is a bus stop where many buses stop.  The place always buzzled with people getting down from buses or climbing into buses.  Some people kept waiting for the buses which made the place a busy one.  The increase in the number of automobiles also added to the huzzle and buzzle of the place.  Vewry few people went into the little park surrounding the King's statue.  Or none went in, perhaps.  The place had a lot of muddy water and wet ground due to the intermittant rains.  A man near by guffawed and thoughtlessly spat into the park.  Many of the people around never gave a thought  of the reverence of the place.    Many people in the town generally spat from time to time! The King was calm and serene!

He looked as if he is a live King.  He stood without looking left or to the right.  He continuously looked to the south where Cochin is. And he is the King of Cochin, nay, He was the King of Cochin.  Only those on the west can spit to the park.  I never liked people spitting! It should be lack of awareness all along! For any healthy man or woman there is no need of spitting.  Unless they are eating or chewing paan or the calcium and betel leaf combination,  which is eaten in may places.

The park has more names now under and about the Kings Statue.  They proclaimed the names of the people representatives and those dignitaries who had been there when the beautification was inaugurated. 

The Library is close by a furlong.  Library is having election!  Library is run by an elected body!   It carries a lot of books, all very useful ones!  But the day to day running money for the Library from the Government has to be released by another set of people in some apex organization. Which came  out rarely making the readers pay for the services they obtain at the Library.  This is surprising in a State with hundred percent literacy.  But every thing works here! The Staff and officials work in meagre payments but  take a lot of interest in the day to day running of the Library making it feasible with the limited resources ..! 

The multitude of Thrissur rarely thought of reading, as much of a thing.  Most of the people were keen on newspapers only.    Those who visited the town centre  are all busy either getting their thing done, or working for a daily living.  The permanent are mostly traders and shop keepers who have a hundred and one thing up their heads keeping the reigns of their businesses..!

Old Thrissur had more reading public. The new Thrissur has taken on the developments in automobiles and constructions coupled with the media explosions delivering all gadgets including smart phones and HD Televisions making reading time rare.  The great library stood as a mute spectator to the whole drama enacted around it every day.  The King was a companion to the Library...!

A Mother's Hope!

Father was convalescing! He was enterprising! Had gone to the forests to survey and bid for trees and also look for land near there..!  But alas, at the first instance itself he was taken by the allergy caused by a tree called "Cheru".  The allergy of 'cheru' starts with severe attack on the skins and connected fever and body pain etc.  He was down and was getting back after ayurvedic treatment for a month by the family Ayurvedic physician, who brought him back in a month.
The household silver were all out by this time!

We seven children and the convalescing father and the strong mother, like all mothers of old Kerala, got together one evening to see if we can survive.  It was holiday time from school.  The meeting brought up the great idea making use of the 'venneer' (ashes from buring dry leaves) which can be sold for money (very little money, indeed)!

Father was weak, but he won't sit idle.  Straight away he started sweeping under the abundant and thick bamboo clusters with a broom he made himself!  We were over joyed to collect the dry leaves in huge baskets and bring to one spot to make a huge maund! In between there was a huge snake which father said would go away by itself! We believed him.  The cobra looked at all of us for a while, put its head down and slowly went into the bamboo cluster.  Father turned to us all and said:  "You all saw where the large snake has gone to take rest.  So, don't go near there and disturb it!"

By the evening, we all stood around the huge maund of dry bamboo leaves which made a sort of camp fire.  Once the fire was over father disbursed the crack team to rest for the day informing us that the ash can be collected next day morning only, after it cools, for which we have to give the night.

Mother called us in with the command to bring ripe jack-fruit tree leaves, only ripe ones for having our kanji (rice porridge)which was ready by then.  We were told not to pluck green leaves (and make a short cut, instead of collecting the ripe leaves) as this would bring great poverty and we will not get to anything to eat, suggesting famine in the land..!  (Even though this would have been a great "Green Peace" advice of that times sixty years ago, we as children laughed a lot of that suggestion saying "Who can be poorer than us.....?!!")

Once we took it to Mother.  She said, "We are not poor, we lack riches, but we are Rich in our homely love and we stay together! How so ever money you earn, that does not make you rich, unless you stay together in love"!

The next day we took small bagfuls of the ash to a house half kilometre away where a grand old lady supervised the measurement of the same in a tin and counted out the money.  She was a very kind women and very rich owning a lot of cultivable land and paddy fields. We as small children never thought that people can have that much of land and richess. She was always very well dressed and came out at the first door bell.  She had a benign look all the time as if we are doing her a favour.  Every tin was around fifty naya paise or so.  If a tin was slightly incomplete she considered that too a full tin and paid us.  We sometimes mentioned it to her that the last tin was not full.  She dismissed it with a wave of her hand and a smile saying : "That doesn't matter.  It was almost a tin and that is good enough".  I thought she was an angel.

We walked back with whatever little money we got for this trade and it was Little fish and little water animal which we called 'njounikka' was plenty in the water and we caught the njounikkas to be boiled and their flesh taken out when we reach home.  There were plenty of frogs and froglings too which we despised.  Every once in a while there will be a 'neerkoli' a kind of water snake swishing past ..!  Most of them are lost now.  The paddy fields became housing plots!  The water animals and fish lost their lives too, some due to loss of paddy fields and some due to excessive use of detergents and pesticides!

We brought the money home and were given the 'thotti' (kind of wicker basket, made out of bambu lines which were used widely to carry household items from shops) to go and buy the everyday things needed and which would come under the money for the day!  We happily went and got them and if there is any little loose change we purchased sweets (small orange sweets, which we called orange mittaayi).  At home the seven children and the parents sat down for a hearty meal at lunch and dinner as if it was a feast and savored a great meal every time!  We knew the value of money and labour!

Slowly, father regained his health and was becoming the 'he man' that he once was!  One day he told mom: "Get me my dress well ironed, I want to go to the market"  Mom objected: "Not yet, you still have to recover"! Father replied: "I know it is time that I moved! I have to find something for these little birds and make them able to fly.  I really feel better now!"

Next day he went to the market.  He never said he is going to work.  He always said 'going to the market'  In the evening he came back with a bundle made out of his second cloth, which is a kerala towel in which he had rice and groceries and held a beautiful fish in one hand which was pretty large to make the neighbours jealous!

At the night meal he spoke to us and pondered and deliberated about a future course of action!  He said the first easy, but he could make it as he was resolved to find some thing.  He said he had to do odd jobs to earn as much for what ever he brought and said until he found something better, he would have to continue with it and the firm resolve that he will not rest until something better is found and will support us.   His only request was that we concentrate on our studies and not worry of household things which he said he would provide by all means and that he did!

One day father came home early with groceries and rice and declared "Tomorrow onwards I am going to take up a new job!   A friend of mine is brokering the sale of wood and he has offered to help me out to do the same business"!  That was a new beginning for father and a new beginning for all of us too, who started to school in strict earnest! Life was once again back to normal..!

After the great meal of the evening, we all relaxed and mother told stories at bed time. Of course, first thing in the evening is always our prayer, the family prayer which lasted forty five minutes or more which if left to us children, we drove at a hectic speed!  But mother never allowed us to over-speed and made us go at a slow pace!

Then was the great meal which kept us going those days!  Since it was the only meal of the day, it always tasted great and we all thought it to be a feast!  Then we all spoke on different subjects, sometimes read stories from books bought or brought from the nearby libraries etc. Then was bed time, when mother told us stories from her repository!  The story always had the ending that "my son, like the hero of the story, you will bring us the best times when you cross the seven seas and bring riches where after we will have no dearth of anything and there shall no more be any scarcity!

Her great hope and expectation prodded me in my pursuits and ambitions in life! That is a great expectation which prods me on even now..!

Our journey to Andaman Nicobar by Merchant Vessel MV Nancowry

This is an old story coming to mind about our travel to see the Andaman Nicobar Islands.  We travelled out to Madras from Delhi and on arrival there took our tickets for the ship travelling to Andaman Nicobar in the Merchand Vessel Nancowry (so it was called).

The Madras Harbour where we went to board the ship was busy as is usual there and our ship was in the dock filling up wherewithal for the travel anc huge loads of goods which were to be transported to the far off land.

For us, it was a great sight to see so many ships docked and being loaded.  Our ship was only one among the many ship, many of them much bigger and fully loaded.  Some ships were off loading goods.  We were instructed to carefully climb a gangway (a long stair way hooked to the ship) with our luggage.  My wife and with our two little children laboriously but with excitement climbed the stairs and reached the ship's upper deck  and walked into red carpeted hall like area where various directions were being given.  As per direction we walked down into a hall down below where our tickets were checked again and were guided to a deluxe suite in the upper columns of the ship.

The suite is actually a room with two air tight windows on the front side through which we can see the extreme front end of the ship with a long mast or pole.  The sea water  kept on coming as a spray from the front side from time to time but never reached our room windows as our windows were very much up.

The opposite side of the windowswas a door through which we entered the room.  On the one side was an almirah cum wardrobe and on the other a neat rest room, clean and tidy.  The beds were neat and clean too with smell of an inviting perfume hanging over them from the room freshner.  We settled down and before long tea was brought in pots with cups and saucers!  Once we settled down we had a good cup of tea wof the we came out as directed by our guides, the executives of the 'Nancowry" to see around the ship and acclimatise ourselves of our new home for the next three days on our outward journey to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands through the Bay of Bengal cum Indian Ocean!

The ship had as much as I remember, four decks, a First Class below our suites, a second class below that and a third class still below with cots and chairs for each traveller along with a bucket for those who have asked for them.  We were curious about the buckets as food was to be served in the canteen and wash was with a shower, then why a bucket?  My guide friend who was the Manager cum Finance Man of the ship cleared my doubt "They are for those who want to vomit!"  "Vomit?" I blurted out. "Yes, vomit,  Many people vomit once the ship start out."

The red carpeted floors were beautiful and there were people walking all over, clearing doubts, going to their respective beds to keep their things etc.  There was a small library which was a thrill to the children.  It held a lot of good books and children's books and was operated by one of the Ship's executives from time to time.  A nice cafeteria was there with television giving out movies from time to time while the travellers chose to visit the cafeteria.  Once food time was over the place functioned asa lounge with the movies on.  But sitting there for long was not found very conducive for elderly as the deep beat of the engine below nauseated those being there for long.

We walked around and climbed to the uppermost deck to see the place around!  It had a small swimming pool and sitting areas and those who wanted to go to the front-most area could see the extreme front of the ship with a flag pole!   Ships crew were very friendly and we enjoyed being there.

Now the final announcement were being played informing us that the ship is about to move out and the gang way was being taken off.   A small boat came behind the ship and started pulling the huge ship from the dock which is like a vehicle being pulled out of a small road into a large road.   That exdrcise took an hours time and the ship was now in the open sea with water only all around!  It made a couple of whistles and now the deep beats started.  That was moving out into the large open sea of Indian Ocean.

We started off with a slow speed which slowly increased and the ship started to sway back and forth with a great spray of sea water coming over to those standing outside near the front side!It is surprising to any one travelling for the first time, that such a huge ship with more than Thousand Two hundred people and a huge load of cargo being tossed by the great sea!  The water around was greenish dark and many of us told among ourselves that the place where we are going to visit is called 'Kala Paani' meaning 'black water'.  This proved true when we reached there as the water from a distance there, always looked black.

The Canteen Manager was a friendly face and good food especially mutton biriyani, a speciality, was always available apart from tea, coffee etc,  One enjoyable aspect was all the officials of the ship were very friendly and cordial.

From time to time, I left the cosy environs of our room to walk around the ship and to see the sea and the way it behaved generally.  The sea was calm always, the water dark green, and to long, long distances one only saw the sea only!  Very rarely we came across any other ship or boat and whenever they appeared they hooted from afar!  Time and again one could see the small flying fish just flipping across by coming out of the water and making a little flight of a few centimetres to disappear into the water again!  Apart from that there was the sea spray coming from the front side while the ship pushed through the waters.  The spray at times came to my face too and on just licking your lips you can taste the salt which I enjoyed!  The wind or breeze around the ship was always cool and salty.

One of the reasons I came out from time to time was my interest in catching an occasional smoke from the cigarettes I carried.  But the sea spray took away the taste of the smoke and I slowly lost interest in that injurious game. We visited the library from time to time, as my both children were very much enthused at the cartoon books and other story material it carried. Next stop was the carpeted canteen of the ship with its TV always giving one of the best movies in Hindi which children enjoyed.  Some how the beat of the engine below gave me early warnings of a vomiting sensation and on such occasions, I left the children to watch the movies and moved quickly to our wonderful deluxe room in the upper deck!At times, I went to the outer part of the ship to lick and enjoy the sea spray in the cool breeze!

Slowly it became dark and there was nothing further to see at night but to withdraw to one's room and spend time together praying, eating, drinking and doing small games with family which was a nice way to spending part of the time before sleeping!  We all got very good sleep through and the mornings were always refreshing!

We got to see the ship and the travelling public from time to time.  The middle deck, the deck below that and the lower deck all we could go  and see for fun sake. But the initial enthusiasm of going from deck to deck was short lived as people started vomiting into the buckets kept for the purpose. The putrid vomit made a smell, which if one is near it, made him vomit!  The lower most deck where we could go was below the water level and we could see the sea water splashing half way on its circular glass windows.  Since the glass fittings were air and water tight and of the required thickness, there was nothing to be worried about.

On the third day we reached an island called Nicobar or near it.  Here the ship anchored in the sea for a while !  A large boat came below and a gang way was put to the boat to which passengers slowly climbed down with their meager luggage precariously. That was a really frightening sight to city dwellers.  As if ever they missed their balance the sea below was the logical end of their fall.  Somehow, all the travellers seemed to know their way and climbed down in a matter of three hours and the gang way was lifted.  The boat travelled away towards the wooded island with its cargo of people and the ship hooting its siren a couple of times slowly started moving eastward towards the Andaman Island port called Port Blair!

Journey from Nicobar Islands

The ship hooted and moved away after the boat had move a long distance.  Again it was the black waters and little flying fish during the day. In the night, a look up will give a beautiful picture of the sky littered with innumerable stars  which delighted the hearts.  What a wonderful universe we live in. Endless number of  stars hanging in the sky shining all through!  The ancient mariners would have had a great time looking at them and making their charts. 

Next morning we were approaching dry land which could be seen as green patches from afar.  It came closer as the ship went in that direction.  Inside the ship all the travellers were tired out of three days and three nights continuous journey inside the ship, most of them worn out of vomiting and being in the smelly conditions in the middle and lower decks! Many could not eat due to the putrid smell and some were still vomiting even when the ship was slowing down!  But all were happy now that the journey was ending!   The last times small boat operation was going to take place. The ship cut down her engine and stood still, the small tug boat came and a rope from the ship was passed on to her and the little boat pulled the huge white ship into the dock where announcement started to tell every body that we have successful completed our journey and now to carefully get down through the gangway with red  carpet being lowered to the land.

The ship’s Captain and a few of the officials, all in impeccable white dress and cap were there!  The travelers thanked them for their wonderful work for bringing us ashore without harm and treating us with great food and conveniences, and occasional medicines when needed etc. The harbour was full of other ships, mostly cargo ships being filled with wood and wood articles which we were told were plenty in the Andamans.  When these cargo ships going out to other places came back, they brought  articles of daily use and groceries which filled the shops and merchant areas of Andamans.

Our arrival had been informed to the Guest House we had booked and they had sent a One Tonner to bring us from the harbour.  We got in with our luggage in the back.  Children were enthused to be out on land as they were really tired out of frequent vomiting and not being able to eat well.  I was the only one in the group who could narrowly escape the vomiting and this was attributed to my going outside on the deck and taking the spray on my face.  It is said the salty spray when one licked it subsided the feeling of vomiting.  I was surprised, but this was true as I did not have to vomit even once all through the trip.

The drive to the guest house was through hilarious and panoramic greeneries of the Island through beautiful roads slowly climbing up and climbing down from hill to hill and in a matter of one hour we reached a beautiful  guest house which was well furnished and kept very clean. While we were just reaching the portico there was a huge centipede in front of the vehicle which was much bigger than the one we see here in Madras (which they always called Mainland).  Since we were a bit panicked at the being, the driver, a youth consoled us saying that    “I shall get rid of it, don’ worry!”  He drove the one tonner ahead and a twist of the steering wheel and the centipede with its  horns and all went under the tyre and that was it.  He said such beings are common there and they are lethal if they pierced their horns on your legs or hands!  We all occupied our rooms and took bath and all lay exhausted on the beds for a while to rest!

A rain started before long. The driver had left saying that he will come back in the evening to take us to one of the officer’s houses who had invited us for dinner.  The greens have become wet by now in the rain, and a foggy hue covered the hills in a bluish white blanket  and the street lights seems to give less light in the rains and were far flung.  The driver came at dark and took us to the friend officers house through the winding roads again! At one place, he lost the road, he turned around from a joint as he understood the mistake and took us to the right place!  Had it not been for his skill to drive there, we would have been lost.!

The next day we started out to see the place around! We drove through the beautiful land scapes of Port Blair.  Went and say the Rose Island, Chhatham Saw Mill and on the way came in front of the Lt. Governor's office which we were enthused to go and see in a spur.  We met the Private Secretary to the Governor who informed us that the Governor is away on tour.  In one of the boat landing areas we went to touch the sea and were into the water searching for cowries, shunk and other oysters usually found there.  I had my nice cigarette lighter which suddenly slipped from my shirt pocket into the shallow water which was below my knee, but slightly muddy white in colour. How so ever, I fished for it, it could never be found again!  That ended my smoking pursuit in that tour.

The next day too, we started out in a rental van (Maruti Omni Vans were plenty there) which we had taken from a Tamilian entrepreneur.  The little van went smoothly on the winding road of the hills and valleys and reached us to the historic Cellular Jail which touched any body's heart who visited that place.  A three winged double  (or was it treble storeyed) storeyed yellow building which said the story of the cruel and pathetic punishments of the British times and the bravado and patriotism of the sufferers who were calm and pious even in front of the most pathetic sufferings inflicted upon them
including flogging and death...! We stood there in silence for a while as a mark of respect to the departed souls who made our day livable and honourable..!  On the way back to the guest house, the sky started to darken and it was late afternoon.

It started raining around five o' clock and it was a heavy down pour which we have not seen here in the Main Land.  It had a severity which surpassed the normal rain on the Main land.  As the down pour intensified, the water started flowing through the road side canals and rivulets and at places it crossed the road also.  We were nearing the air port to circle it around to go to a hill nearby on which our guest house was situated to wind up our days journey!  But one of the lowest part of the road became a little water cross through which a foot of water was crossing towards the low lying airportside!  Our driver a cautious Brother asked me : "Sir, would you like me to cross?" Since I have seen such water crossings before, and knew that no time is to be lost in such situations (other wise the intensity of water flow will increase) I said "Yes, let us cross!"  and he moved the van to the water to cross it.  Half way through the water, the engine went off!  This is dangerous! We can't affort to be there! I jumped out of the car and took my two little children back to the dry place from where we entered the water.

My little son started crying incessantly for no reason.  The over cast sky had stopped the heavy down pour now but the whole area was wet and the water crossings have already developed in low lying areas of the roads in several places. The driver said it would be best if we pushed the car back and in
no time my wife and I started pushing the car! The driver a great guy himself also came out and said
that he would also join the push as it would not be easy for only two of us, in experienced as we were.  The water has now swollen and the omni van started to slowly sway!  We said our prayers and pushed with all our might and the car was out of the water.   On the direction of the driver, we pushed it still further and brought it to upper ground where the water may not affect us.

Now how so ever the driver tried the car may not start!  He told us after opening whatever cables he knew of and said "Sir, the junction box has got wet. The only way is to call my Manager"  What he meant is that I call his manager.  Cell phones were unheard of in those days! I looked around and said,"Ya..I shall do so!"  There was no doing any thing at that time but to thank God for good life and pray to Him to send his angels or show us the next move.  I said in the affirmative only to show to my son that he may not restart his crying, which he stopped when we brought out the car to dry land! Since I was very hopeful they all became enthused!  My wife encouraged me to go to the next street corner which is visible from where we were standing and ask the little way side kiosk owner for help advising me that he may know some one.

It had become dark now and we five were the only human beings around and some one in the far seen kiosk shop.  I walked to the shop, my mind heavy as to what to do now, and clutching the visiting card of the Manager which he had given me when we started out in the morning!  At the shop, the elderly gentleman was closing it and despised me for coming to him at such time.  He slightly showed his displeasure by not attending to me for awhile and kept on packing his things for the day back to their places and crevices inside the shop.

Once he turned around I was telling him in English, Tamil and Malayalam and at times in Hindi that we are stranded and if he could give us some advice! He chided me saying "This is Andamans, one should wind up early:!" I said he is absolutely right but that I am stranded with my wife and two kids which, it seemed made an impression on him.  He asked: "What can I do?"  I said "Just advise me where can I find the nearest phone?"  It seemed my language with all kinds of broken stuff caught his attention on some part and he asked again "Sir, Malayaalee aano?" to which I answered in the affirmative.  Then he said "OK., you wait, let me see!"  He stooped down and went under a rack and pulled out a telephone..!!    That was held indeed!  My heart was filled with gratitude to that brother, when I found the phone had dial tone in it and in no time I was through to the Manager asking him to send another vehicle (as if I am in Delhi of those days).  The Manager pacified me "Don't worry and panic!  Be at ease!  A car is not that easy to come by here. But I shall send a mechanic, who will activate your car and your own driver is good to take you to the guest house"!

I thanked that Malayaalee brother profusely for which he said "If we could not do that much what are we for?"  I thanked him, paid him for the phone call and walked to the car to join my family and the driver.  We started talking to each other about the climate change, water transit on the roads and the
low lying areas confronted by the drivers everyday!  Before long a young guy appeared on a motoercycle and in fifteen minutes he got our car started.

Our driver said, "Sir now we cannot take the same route as that water crossing is very unsafe for the night! Water will be off only by morning.  So, if you agree I shall take a detour through two other hills and reach the guest house from the other side!" I readily agreed to his suggestion! He is the only one hope for the evening for us..!  He was truthful! after three hours of hard driving he reached us to the guest house, crossing or circling two other hills, just before mid night..!!
































(to continue..)

Rains in Delhi..!

The times were the seventies when the rains poured out incessantly but the aftermath was not nothing problematic.  The great Yamuna in a matter of few hours carried the water which freely flowed through various fords and rivulets into major canals and finally to the Yamuna


Not any more that easily now. For the last two days the great rains in the morning hours had places in various localities water logged.  The unbriddled construction and hand in hand segregating of pieces of land with walls and bounds has obstructed the free flow of water.

When it comes to Noida, situation is better but still there could be places where new markets are built from old tenements, more and more divisions and bifurcations are made with brick and mortar which allows water to lie in the roads.  This then turn muddy with the filth and mud all churned into reddish black milk by the passing vehicles whose numbers have increased manifold. People walking or on small vehicles will have a hard time to cross such areas.

Luckily the rains do not linger for long which is a grace.  In a matter of three hours most of the waters will be gone and the roads will bear a new look, which is really a relief!

WE MADE A TRIP AGAIN IN THAT WATERY ROAD!

Today morning, we started again in our little Maruti car to go to Sector 33 Hospiatl to collect our medical test results. It was about ten in the morning and a hugee rain had just stopped leaving the roads clean but with water logging at places.  In the Bhangel to which we always rode in, it was only muddy but not water logged on the left side of the road where we drove.  Here we have right hand driving and hence we always drove on the left of the road.

We went as far as the Sector 33 itself without much problem but evading oncoming traffic at traffic signals and at times 'ulta drivers', which means even in the divided road where one should be driving only on the left, some guys will come against you on your side, which is naturally wrong, but people generally bore with them as there was wrong road planning at times and at times, the villagers found it too far to drive on one side to take a U-turn to come back on the right lane as cost of petrol is too high.  This was generally accommodated as a fact and no body complained as at one time or the other we also found it convenient.

Once we were near the Hospital sector thirty three, we had a U-turn to enter into a  bye-lane to the Hospital with a furlong water logging!  The dark brown water reminded me of childhood times but I was apprehensive of the depth!  But having waded through that stretch the day before behind a huge vehicle which left a canal for me to drive, today I independently drove into the little sea!  We churned through slowly in second gear with water parting at a height on both sides of the car.It was deeper than I expected in the middle and there was no heavy vehicle or SUVs to dig a driving canal for me.  So we started saying our prayers so that our engine may not fail in the middle of the water.

Definitely, the prayers helped and soon we were in shallow waters with the engine still running!  We came out of the watery stretch and the dry stretch which was the Hospital parking..!