A senior octogenarian leader is yet again on his death bed. A sparkle, he rode the waves of Kerala politics for many decades. His ills and wills notwithstanding, the likes of him can only be equated with the veteran communist leader the late and great EMS Nampoothiripad himself.
But all for what…..?. Kids and teachers pray for his end on working days. The employer places his bet on Sundays and holidays.
But in all it is the prayer of death. Signs of any recovery are met with nervous sighs. One hopes that he has had the opportunity of reading the “Bardo Thodyal”, the Tibetan book of the dead. Here they teach you to prepare yourself for the seven weeks after death. But since in space there is no time, one can only safely presume that this is the preparation for the final journey…the ultimate ecstasy.
But all is not lost. There does exist a few who pray for his ‘prolonged’ health, so that it is extended beyond the ‘function’ date, as the leader’s death could result in sudden holidays.
Adios…
M Kalipurayath, Dec 2010 -
Saturday 18 December 2010
Saturday 20 November 2010
Of Ghee cakes and Diwali…
The festival of lights today has taken on the colors of the ‘festival of thighs’. 8 Kgs in two weeks is what I gained this festive season, and there are a few cans of rassagolas still to be opened in the fridge.
The Age of Gluttony is back!!!
The Age of Gluttony is back!!!
Monday 1 November 2010
A beautiful song...translated
Mother, I bow to thee!
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
bright with orchard gleams,
Cool with thy winds of delight,
Dark fields waving Mother of might,
Mother free.
Glory of moonlight dreams,
Over thy branches and lordly streams,
Clad in thy blossoming trees,
Mother, giver of ease
Laughing low and sweet!
Mother I kiss thy feet,
Speaker sweet and low!
Mother, to thee I bow.
Who hath said thou art weak in thy lands
when the sword flesh out in the seventy million hands
And seventy million voices roar
Thy dreadful name from shore to shore?
With many strengths who art mighty and stored,
To thee I call Mother and Lord!
Though who savest, arise and save!
To her I cry who ever her foeman drove
back from plain and Sea
And shook herself free.
Thou art wisdom, thou art law,
Thou art heart, our soul, our breath
Though art love divine, the awe
In our hearts that conquers death.
Thine the strength that nerves the arm,
Thine the beauty, thine the charm.
Every image made divine
In our temples is but thine.
Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen,
With her hands that strike and her
swords of sheen,
Thou art Laxmi lotus-throned,
And the Muse a hundred-toned,
Pure and perfect without peer,
Mother lend thine ear,
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
Bright with thy orchard gleams,
Dark of hue O candid-fair
In thy soul, with jeweled hair
And thy glorious smile divine,
Loveliest of all earthly lands,
Showering wealth from well-stored hands!
Mother, mother mine!
Mother sweet, I bow to thee,
Mother great and free!
Any guess on the name of the original???
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
bright with orchard gleams,
Cool with thy winds of delight,
Dark fields waving Mother of might,
Mother free.
Glory of moonlight dreams,
Over thy branches and lordly streams,
Clad in thy blossoming trees,
Mother, giver of ease
Laughing low and sweet!
Mother I kiss thy feet,
Speaker sweet and low!
Mother, to thee I bow.
Who hath said thou art weak in thy lands
when the sword flesh out in the seventy million hands
And seventy million voices roar
Thy dreadful name from shore to shore?
With many strengths who art mighty and stored,
To thee I call Mother and Lord!
Though who savest, arise and save!
To her I cry who ever her foeman drove
back from plain and Sea
And shook herself free.
Thou art wisdom, thou art law,
Thou art heart, our soul, our breath
Though art love divine, the awe
In our hearts that conquers death.
Thine the strength that nerves the arm,
Thine the beauty, thine the charm.
Every image made divine
In our temples is but thine.
Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen,
With her hands that strike and her
swords of sheen,
Thou art Laxmi lotus-throned,
And the Muse a hundred-toned,
Pure and perfect without peer,
Mother lend thine ear,
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
Bright with thy orchard gleams,
Dark of hue O candid-fair
In thy soul, with jeweled hair
And thy glorious smile divine,
Loveliest of all earthly lands,
Showering wealth from well-stored hands!
Mother, mother mine!
Mother sweet, I bow to thee,
Mother great and free!
Any guess on the name of the original???
Tuesday 26 October 2010
Saturday 16 October 2010
Another fond memory of my Father’s advice
The emblematic representation of values in the Indian Pantheon of Gods and Goddesses show Goddess Laxmi as one presiding over material wealth and Goddess Saraswathi over Knowledge.
He once said “In the journey called life, when one attempts to follow only Laxmi, she runs faster and avoids you. But if you run behind Saraswathi, Laxmi will turn and follow you”.
Pursue knowledge, and wealth (in many forms – not necessarily material) follows.
Greetings on the occasion of Vijayadashami, where one rededicates themselves to the quest for knowledge, for awareness
He once said “In the journey called life, when one attempts to follow only Laxmi, she runs faster and avoids you. But if you run behind Saraswathi, Laxmi will turn and follow you”.
Pursue knowledge, and wealth (in many forms – not necessarily material) follows.
Greetings on the occasion of Vijayadashami, where one rededicates themselves to the quest for knowledge, for awareness
Thursday 30 September 2010
Europe 2010
It was an early arrival in Paris on 15th Sep thro Delhi. Had talked to a few of the fellow delegates over phone…knew none of them. But by the time we arrived in our hotel at Verona, Italy before noon that day, the coagulation had taken place. Four of us, Prasanth from Kolkota, Nikhil from Delhi. Deepak, a budding Architect from Pune (nicknamed ‘Italliano Penisotto’ during the tour – in jest!!!) and I formed our team. We all felt that we had known each other for years.
My dreams of sleeping off the Jet Lag were turned down and off the four of us set off to Simione, a dream island near Verona. It was worth it, and the Italian lunch at the local restaurant was fast/big and great. The chef – a Punjabi youth settled and well integrated there.
Prasanth’s knowledge of Italy was commendable – but then he is a frequent visitor there-and some command over the language came in very handy. (he sells, apart from other stuff, bowling alleys made in Italy). This combined with in depth knowledge of the hospitality industry, wine and food which came bundled with Nikhil (he has been on wine tours in Italy before) made us Italians overnight. Deepak provided the variety entertainments, all youth fun and BINDAAS…he was the fun guy around…except his constant departures whereby we had to literally take turns ensuring that he was around (wouldn’t be far, clicking off with a camera almost as big as he was, though much more complicated-the camera). Even the ever pleasant faces of Prasanth and Nikhil showed cracks once in a while…but nobody wanted to lose Deepak to the Italians.
I pause here, to thank Vandana and Rahul Mehrotra, the organizers of the tour (LEMS VeronaFIERE-India) who ensured our comfort and safety, though they were quite strict on our attendance at the venues…as they ought to be…thanks again, I suppose, from the whole group.
Furniture/furnishings/lighting the whole day, the evenings at peace in the lanes and squares of Verona, Visit to Juliet’s home and a photograph of the famous balcony, not to mention the photo op of caressing Juliet’s bronze B – a ritual there, for both the male and female visitor. The naked right breast polished from the caressing…the other veiled and aging. Of course, a visit to the night clubs and the amateur drama and music shows going on in various public venues, seated on card board stools. Some drinking GAPPA, the others on beer/ wine and colas.
Topped off by a visit to Venice (only Nikhil and I). He showed me the famous bar where the ‘Belloni’??? was invented – a wine based cocktail – Harry’s bar, was it??? or was that Paris?
Leaving the group behind was saddening, but off went Nikhil and I to Paris, he onwards to London. Paris, in solitaire, for two days…walking tour of the Right Bank, ably escorted by Alex, a Parisian. A bar near the stock exchange where the beer prices soared up and down depending on all sorts of international economic indexes. The Harry’s bar there – where the Bloody Mary was invented for Earnest Hemmingway. Seems his wife Mary did not take to his drinking. Told the bar man he wanted a drink which his wife would not take for alcohol – the resultant mix fooled the wife. Hemmingway came in the next day and told the bar man “Fooled her – the Bloody Mary” and a legend of a cocktail was born. The Ritz, the first classified hotel in the world- albeit with attached toilets and a family restaurant (previously, the women ate in private). The bar – called “The Hemmingway”- though he never stayed there, too expensive. Diane did, just before her untimely death.
Once more a glance of I M Pei’s glass pyramid at the Louvre. Walk down the Champs de Elysee, on to the Arch D’Troimphe”. Avoided Gustav Eiffel’s tower, spent two days there last time, attempting to sketch thro the haze of unlimited alcohol. A dry run of sorts this time.
22nd September 2010-breakfast in Paris and lunch in Amsterdam. I Amsterdam, too private to blog. But did go to IHS in Rotterdam and to the Dutch countryside, fishing villages and cheese farms. And being more advanced and liberal than most other nations---life was a breeze there; constant travels to the far skies and beyond…
Back to Delhi via Paris, almost missed my flight out of Europe, and in Delhi, a lost luggage. But there was an army of Air France officials there handling lost baggage – it seemed that this was an everyday affair. Purchase at the duty free, credit card wouldn’t work because lines were faulty…but then we are a big country…Power cuts ET All – welcome back to India!!!
Back home on terra firma…….
Mox-Sep 2010
My dreams of sleeping off the Jet Lag were turned down and off the four of us set off to Simione, a dream island near Verona. It was worth it, and the Italian lunch at the local restaurant was fast/big and great. The chef – a Punjabi youth settled and well integrated there.
Prasanth’s knowledge of Italy was commendable – but then he is a frequent visitor there-and some command over the language came in very handy. (he sells, apart from other stuff, bowling alleys made in Italy). This combined with in depth knowledge of the hospitality industry, wine and food which came bundled with Nikhil (he has been on wine tours in Italy before) made us Italians overnight. Deepak provided the variety entertainments, all youth fun and BINDAAS…he was the fun guy around…except his constant departures whereby we had to literally take turns ensuring that he was around (wouldn’t be far, clicking off with a camera almost as big as he was, though much more complicated-the camera). Even the ever pleasant faces of Prasanth and Nikhil showed cracks once in a while…but nobody wanted to lose Deepak to the Italians.
I pause here, to thank Vandana and Rahul Mehrotra, the organizers of the tour (LEMS VeronaFIERE-India) who ensured our comfort and safety, though they were quite strict on our attendance at the venues…as they ought to be…thanks again, I suppose, from the whole group.
Furniture/furnishings/lighting the whole day, the evenings at peace in the lanes and squares of Verona, Visit to Juliet’s home and a photograph of the famous balcony, not to mention the photo op of caressing Juliet’s bronze B – a ritual there, for both the male and female visitor. The naked right breast polished from the caressing…the other veiled and aging. Of course, a visit to the night clubs and the amateur drama and music shows going on in various public venues, seated on card board stools. Some drinking GAPPA, the others on beer/ wine and colas.
Topped off by a visit to Venice (only Nikhil and I). He showed me the famous bar where the ‘Belloni’??? was invented – a wine based cocktail – Harry’s bar, was it??? or was that Paris?
Leaving the group behind was saddening, but off went Nikhil and I to Paris, he onwards to London. Paris, in solitaire, for two days…walking tour of the Right Bank, ably escorted by Alex, a Parisian. A bar near the stock exchange where the beer prices soared up and down depending on all sorts of international economic indexes. The Harry’s bar there – where the Bloody Mary was invented for Earnest Hemmingway. Seems his wife Mary did not take to his drinking. Told the bar man he wanted a drink which his wife would not take for alcohol – the resultant mix fooled the wife. Hemmingway came in the next day and told the bar man “Fooled her – the Bloody Mary” and a legend of a cocktail was born. The Ritz, the first classified hotel in the world- albeit with attached toilets and a family restaurant (previously, the women ate in private). The bar – called “The Hemmingway”- though he never stayed there, too expensive. Diane did, just before her untimely death.
Once more a glance of I M Pei’s glass pyramid at the Louvre. Walk down the Champs de Elysee, on to the Arch D’Troimphe”. Avoided Gustav Eiffel’s tower, spent two days there last time, attempting to sketch thro the haze of unlimited alcohol. A dry run of sorts this time.
22nd September 2010-breakfast in Paris and lunch in Amsterdam. I Amsterdam, too private to blog. But did go to IHS in Rotterdam and to the Dutch countryside, fishing villages and cheese farms. And being more advanced and liberal than most other nations---life was a breeze there; constant travels to the far skies and beyond…
Back to Delhi via Paris, almost missed my flight out of Europe, and in Delhi, a lost luggage. But there was an army of Air France officials there handling lost baggage – it seemed that this was an everyday affair. Purchase at the duty free, credit card wouldn’t work because lines were faulty…but then we are a big country…Power cuts ET All – welcome back to India!!!
Back home on terra firma…….
Mox-Sep 2010
I AMsterdam
A couple of days in Northern Italy – Verona to be precise – Venice, an hour away…to attend the Abitare IL Tempo fair there – great show of interior products – 3 crores for a kitchen, 20 lakhs for a cot (cheaper options available). But what the heck? If one can afford a 200 lakh house, might as well sleep on a twenty lakh cot!!!
On, alone to Paris, and then on to Amsterdam. It was fantastic…the only one to look after being myself…a problematic proposition…but then I can’t possibly leave me alone there.
And now back to India…lost luggage and power cuts…but has the liberty to address our politicians in any which way one wants, and which they normally deserve
On, alone to Paris, and then on to Amsterdam. It was fantastic…the only one to look after being myself…a problematic proposition…but then I can’t possibly leave me alone there.
And now back to India…lost luggage and power cuts…but has the liberty to address our politicians in any which way one wants, and which they normally deserve
Thursday 2 September 2010
Happy Onam
Mahabali – the erstwhile ruler of Kerala was considered the most just and noble among leaders. His goodness was so great that even the Devas up above started getting restless. Acute jealousy and fear must have set in for them to approach Lord Vishnu for help and assistance, who in turn donned the costume of Vamana and commenced his descent to our world at sharp noon IST. After the successful defeat of Mahabali by sheer cunning (Mahabali saw it coming, but rather preferred to stick to his words), Vamana (Vishnu) banished him to a further descent into the netherworld, limiting his freedom of surfacing to once a year – during Onam – a festival celebrated by many a Malayali to celebrate the victory of Cunning over that of Valor and Truth.
Long live – us, the Malayali’s!!!
Long live – us, the Malayali’s!!!
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