Golden Birthday Celebrations of Vinod Agrawal - 20/21 Nov 15

Usually, birthday wishes on WhattsApp  are terse, uninspiring  and perfunctory; somebody starts it off (usually, one of the early birds), and the rest of the pack just punch in their statements (or worse, cut from an earlier message, and paste). The emojis, smileys and the inanimate bouquets and cakes only add to the dreariness and misery of the whole exercise. I guess it is part of the collateral damage caused by not being there physically to soak in the ambiance of the function, and in general, participate in the bonhomie that prevails when old chums meet over such events

This birthday wish is very different for two reasons: (a) It was one of the few occasions where we met face-to-face on a birthday, held and pumped hands, and gave (and in the bargain got), a jadoo ki jhappi from the prima donna. It was a hark back to the days of yore at college; and (b) The group Admin was present himself, in all his glory, to bless and cheer the b'day boy.

Vinod, you lucky rascal, am sure you had the time of your life yesterday evening.  Am still reeling from the grand event conjured up by your kids - Shaivika and Raghav (with no doubt, more than a modicum of effort by Shalini, your better half) - to celebrate your golden birthday. Hats off to your talented progeny - Shaivika, a budding civil engineer and Raghav, who also wants to slip into his dad's shoes - carried it off with aplomb. My best wishes to both of them.

We had a gala and your wide beaming smile, stretching from one ear to the other, throughout the evening, said it all. The surprise presence of unanticipated friends, so thoughtfully coordinated by your children, would have been the icing in your b'day cake.

Wishing you all the very best buddy; may your journey to the diamond, platinum and indeed to the century, and thereafter, be as interesting, rollicking, successful, enjoyable and eventful as the last 50. God speed and fair winds.

PS. One of the points of discussion at yesterday's event was the omnipresent smile of Vinod's, that brings out the famed dimple. The dimple came in for much ragging and I strongly suspect it was possibly one of the most extenuating reasons that Shalini lost her heart to Vinod long years back.

The Wisdom of Dr Karan Singh

Had the good fortune of listening to Dr Karan Singh on 15 Nov 15, at Neemrana NIIT University (NU for short; they fashion themselves on the lines of NYU!). The occasion was the Seventh Annual Lecture, and the topic "Interfaith Movement: The Confluence of Civilisations".

To say that it was an experience in oratorical excellence would perhaps be an understatement. Dr. Karan Singh held forth with his vast and versatile erudition, for about an-hour-and-a-half. He expounded on theology and spirituality, tore apart dogmas and beliefs of all religions, and best of all, showcased a pragmatic way ahead for the next generation (students of NU formed a major section of the audience).

Talking extempore, but referring once in a while to what seemed like hand-written notes, he stuck largely to English, but slipped into Hindi, now and then, with the practised ease of the veteran speaker that he is. He peppered his speech with Sanskrit shlokas, Urdu couplets and quotes from Koran, for maximum effect; all of it, off the cuff. But the beauty of his talk was that, at no time did it feel contrived or disconnected. In fact, he broke down arcane concepts into down-to-earth, easily understandable nuggets, thus establishing his profound wisdom.

Being a politician, 'am sure he has his detractors, but one thing is for sure - even his most hostile antagonists would doff their hats, at the scholar in Dr Karan Singh.

For me personally, it was a forenoon well spent.

Ashish Purandare – An Epitaph

 

Ashsish Purandare, a friend over the last 32 years, left for his heavenly abode yesterday (02 May 15) after being diagnosed of Multiple Organ Failure. The passing away of a dear friend raises several emotions. The good times, the great times, the rash times, and the differences of opinions that one had with the departed soul, all of it comes rolling on to you like an avalanche. There is no stopping those floodgates.
 

It is also a time for reflection. Every human being lives her/his life in accordance with some norms that she/he sets for herself/himself. With Ashish, the dictum was loud and clear – LIVE LIFE KINGSIZE! Not for him the underplayed, nuanced approach to life practiced by the cautious and the insecure. Right from the first time I had known him, he was strength and intensity personified. Our whattsapp group had a post of how Ashish managed to clobber a senior trying to rag him (when he was in the first year), thereby earning the sobriquet of ‘Dada’. That singular, authority-resisting act was indicative of his USP.

Rakish and devilishily handsome, Ashish had a charm that could disarm the most ardent of his detractors. As Saket pointed out in his whattsapp post, agar woh goggle laga le, to quayamat aaa jaye!

Ashish believed in defying, daring and challenging the status quo. He tried that devil-may-care attitude with his life as well. Impulsive to the core, he spiced up his life at every juncture. It is not for us to judge whether what he did was right or wrong. As he meets his maker at Vaikunth, I am sure, if the good lord asks him what he expects there, Ashish would respond, “good life, good times, on my own terms”

It was great knowing and growing up with you, Ashish. I sure am gonna miss your effervescence, your satire, your unending stock of non-veg jokes, the baithaks, and most importantly that benevolent, helpful attitude of yours towards all and sundry who would have known (or not known) you. I pray to God, to give your family the courage and strength to tide over this most untimely loss.

Golden Anniversary - Dad-Mom

My parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on 05 Sep 2013. This piece was penned then, as a tribute.

On the wonderful occasion to mark the golden anniversary of my dear Achan (Dad) and Amma (Mom), as they celebrate 50 years of marital relation, I raise a toast of congratulations on this milestone event, and wish them all the very best for their diamond, platinum and other anniversaries to follow. Cheers!

I don't intend to hold forth and pontificate on this grand occasion, but I guess, I would be pardoned if I take the liberty of a few words, on my personal experience of the wonderful bond that the two persons who brought me into this world, share.

'Ideal couple' is a phrase that is often used to depict a husband-wife pair if you have to extol them. In my very humble opinion, that phrase (ideal couple), is a myth, an oxymoron. Having been married for close to two decades, I would know, and I have Manju's (my wife’s) permission to say so! In the case of my parents, I guess they are more of a complement of each other. What one misses out or lacks, is more than made up for, by the other. Thus, while Achan is solid on the outside, and can be grimness personified, inside, he's the proverbial putty. And I, Aju (my brother) and Mol (my sister) had long unravelled that, well before the man in question himself realised that we had. Amma, on the other hand, hides a gutsy interior inside that compassionate and delicate exterior. In matters of temperament too, they are poles apart. Amma could run up a fiery temper, at the drop of a hat, while Achan's outbursts, during my lifetime, can be counted on my fingers.

They have this uncanny ability to perceive each other rather well. Guess it comes with staying with each other for so long. For instance, when Amma is cross, Achan is sensitive enough to understand the gravity, and let matters cool, before attempting to normalise the situation. In the reverse case, Amma would keep up her relentless pressure, and it won't be long, before her hubby acquiesces. Long story short, not for them the cloying idea of a Ram-Sita existence; rather I would put it closer to the more mercurial Shiva-Parvati kind of a relationship.

Despite all that, what strikes you in the relation, is the constant endeavour to chase happiness for each other. It's almost as if, the happiness of the other, is the sole reason of ones existence. Blessed indeed is their association.

Before I end, I once again propose a toast of good health and happiness to two souls who live by the dictum, "Ek duje ke liye". May your beautiful association be divinely blessed.

What Ho! Aniyanman

[Tribute to my uncle (KV Ramachandran aka Aniyanman) on his shashtipurti (60th birthday)]

Reminiscing about ones association with an uncle is a tough task at the best of times. And when the protagonist happens to be a dear ol’ bloke (pardon my French!) like Aniyanman, it’s rendered doubly so. You wouldn’t want to miss out gloating over the positive encounters, while treading the fine line, and overlooking his failings (I can hear the whispers questioning “does he really have any?”; hold on folks! More on that later!) But the shashtipurti of the gentleman in question, a milestone in any man’s life, is reason enough to warrant putting ones pen to paper (or the finger to the keyboard, in this instance) and letting loose that volley of remembrances that are stored in quaint niches of ones memory.

My earliest recollection of Aniyanman is actually not really early enough. Rather, it’s rather recent! I don’t seem to have encountered this epitome of self-assurance during my annual pilgrimage to Kerala as a kid. The fact that we used to be in perpetual motion (defying all laws of Physics!) between Trissur and Velur, transgressing infrequently to Painkulam, meant that Tripunithura (where Aniyanman presumably spent the better part of his vacation) was never on the itinerary. I recall only one occasion of visiting Tripunithura, and I have no qualms in stating with a reasonable amount of certainty that the gent in question wouldn’t have been infesting those precincts, since it’s downright unlikely that one would have missed his booming, good-natured presence.

Be that as it may, I first ran into Aniyanman in Pune at the wedding reception of Ajithettan and Indu (Jan 1993?). He accosted a clueless me and demanded to know whether I knew who he was. Completely at a loss, I sheepishly grinned and acknowledged self-defeat. At that, in his inimitable (and overwhelmingly informal) style, he introduced himself as (one of) my (myriad) karnawars. If I recall correctly, his words were “Nan thande oru karnawar aannu edo”. “Umm…” I murmured, at once apologetic and illuminated. From then on, our encounters were far more frequent, no doubt, assisted by my movement to Lonavla, a place in close proximity to Bombay, the residence of Aniyanman.

Marriage, they say, is a turning point in ones life. It definitely was in my case (but that’s another story!), and by a strange quirk of fate, Aniyanman had a finger in that pie (and a big one at that!). My prospective father-in-law, accompanied by his brother (another Aniyanman aka Belapur Valyachen) and the Late Rudranman had visited me at Lonavla to “check me out” as it were, to assess the potential for a possible matrimonial alignment. Having satisfied themselves, in the next stage of an elaborate ritual, achan and amma were invited to Bombay to check Manju (my eventual good lady!) out. After all that brouhaha, finally it was our turn (yours truly’s and Manju’s) to meet up and check each other out. On the appointed day, I landed up from Lonavla at Kamalavalyyama’s place at Govandi. We were contemplating our next move (Govandi to Goregaon (where Manju stayed) can be a long haul at the best of times), when Aniyanman offered to “do the dirty” and drive me and Rudranman to Goregaon. I had Gitammayi too, in tow. She insisted it was for company, but I have this strong suspicion that she was there to chaperone me, lest I try some old sailor’s stunt during my tête-à-tête with the prospective bride! The rest, as they say, is history! I was betrothed to (and besotted with) Manju, and used every excuse in the rule book (and out of it!) to travel to Bombay from Lonavla over weekends, weekdays and the days in between. During these jaunts, the BPCL Colony in Chembur would often be home to me, drawing me deeply into an association with Aniyanman that has bonded well over the years.

Shortly thereafter, I went through a great personal misfortune. On my way to Bhilai (to convalesce from that traumatic event), Aniyanman again played host to achan, amma and I. During that stay, there was a cultural event where Kavita and Kiran were participating, and all of us were planning to attend that. Since Manju had come over to Chembur, we (I and Manju) decided to give it a miss and catch up(!). We hadn’t walked around the sacred fire as yet (read, were as yet, unmarried), and sensing that leaving us all alone in the house would be a trifle awkward (lest we should get into a “situation”), Aniyanman, selflessly, volunteered to stay back (and, in the event, miss his kids’ performances) so that the rest of the gang could go out, attend the performance, and have a jolly good time, while we (Manju and I) had a jolly good time under the vigilant eye of the redoubtable karnawar.

On my return from Bhilai, post recuperation, there he was at it again, at the Dadar Railway Station to receive me and take me home. I don’t know what prompted me to request him to be there, despite so many others being there, but then, there are inexplicables, and then there are inexplicables! So let’s leave it at that.

Our association continued on the ascendant, as I moved into Ghatkopar from Lonavla later. That was the phase when Aniyanman, not quite sure of where his professional life was headed, decided to take the plunge, and move into entrepreneurial ventures. I remember having visited his office setup in Andheri and later in Chembur, where he used to describe to me in great detail, the vision he had, of the work that he was up to. He stayed bitten by that bug for quite some time to come.

Soon after that, I moved into Delhi, and our interaction reduced to that over telephone and the occasional meeting in Kerala/ Bombay. But I dare say that he is one of our kin who has always remained in touch. In fact, that is one quality that I have always admired about Aniyanman; his innate urge to communicate and share the news about the loved ones. Seldom does a month pass before you hear his reassuring voice, booming over the phone. Hats off to you Aniyanman, for being so persistent during these times, when it’s so easy to lose touch, despite so many avenues to be in touch! And I must say that Kavita and Kiran have imbibed that habit rather well.

Aniyanman, as you celebrate this landmark event in your life, I am sure there’s not a soul around who would dispute the fact that you have lived life on your own terms! You are blessed with a heart of gold, and the good Thirivanjikuzhi Lord, I am sure, will keep it ticking for years to come, so that several generations after ours, are able to partake of that suffusing love. All I can wish for is that you continue to do what you are great at – spreading your charm, love and grace.

Meantime, have a blast on your special day. Here’s looking forward to toast you on your shatabhishekam, centennial celebrations and well beyond!

PS. Recall that I alluded to certain failings of the B’day boy earlier on. Recall also, that I promised you more on that later. Ladies and gentlemen, please relax, let go of your (collective) bated breaths and hardened jaws, for without permission, I accord myself poetic license, and save that juicy bit for my account during the shatabhishekam of the man in question. Rest assured, my kith and kin, I shall expound on them in graphic details. That, is a soldier’s promise!