Boot Polish

Boot Polish

Sunil reached Mumbai Kurla railway station to board the evening train back home. He was early and was waiting for the train to arrive in the platform. He looked around and saw an old cobbler sitting beside a steel pole on the platform, religiously polishing shoes for his customer, and full of smiles.

Sunil observed that the cobbler was doing his work methodically. He also keenly observed that the cobbler had a very infectious smile.

Observing people is an art.

The cobbler sat on a small cushion on the floor and in front of him was the working table which had the metal shoe stand mounted to hold the shoe while repairing and polishing. On the side of the working table was written “Rs.15 for “cream” and Rs.10 for sada” polish. Besides him, were a variety of shoe polishes, shoe soles, sandals, and other shoe accessories.

Sunil noticed that within minutes, the shoes were transformed to sparkling black and the cobbler gave back the shoes to the customer with happiness and smiles at his own good work.

Sunil’s train arrived and after getting into the compartment, his eyes turned again towards the cobbler. His keen observations led his mind to explore the distinct behaviour of the cobbler and the reasons behind the cobbler’s happiness.

Sunil’s mind got into a rational exploratory mode - to find answers to the many questions spinning in his mind about the cobbler –

“How can an individual be so happy and ever smiling when people around are clouded in their own thoughts, continuously thinking about something or the other, some with stress and most in pensive moods?”

“Here was a man, a cobbler, who was using his skills to perform his work diligently. Many would say that these skills are “low level” skills. But the cobbler was not bothered about anyone’s opinion. The cobbler was also a professional, earning a living by using his skills.”

Sunil wondered about himself, “He was an engineer and a management graduate, using his business skills to manage his business. But what is the difference between the cobbler’s and his outlook towards life?”

“The answer lies in very simple facts of life – Everyone is running after something or trying to achieve something in life, leading to stress, fear of the unknown and not realising that there is more to life. Many people have forgotten the meaning of “contentment.”

Contentment is a virtue and people who are contended with what they have, see life differently and have no regrets.

We have made life so complicated that we do not have time for experiencing happiness in small things in life and enjoy life as it comes.”

On the other hand, Sunil felt that the cobbler was also working hard for his living but at the same time, enjoyed his work and was definitely not thinking about success, creating wealth or wanting for more.

In reality, most of us have forgotten the question to ask ourselves – what are we trying to achieve in life and whom are we trying to satisfy in life? Tough questions with no answers. 

Sunil questioned himself “Should one not be ambitious?”

“Nothing wrong in being ambitious and working towards a defined goal in life. The point being missed by many is that, there is much more to life than just a materialistic outlook.”

God has destined everyone’s life. You always go on in life living fully in the present and facing challenges which life throws at you.

The cobbler’s happy smiles made Sunil recollect one of his favourite songs from an old Raj Kapoor movie and started singing in his mind -  “किसी की मुस्कुराहटों पे हो निसार…………जीना इसी का नाम है… (Offer yourself to bring a smile to someone..………….This is what life is all about…..!!!). The lyrics of the song teaches a simple life philosophy!!

In Sunil’s sub conscious mind, he felt the cobbler saying, “Contentment leads to happiness. Happiness makes one smile by seeing the positive side of life. To me, smiling is my way of life and it does not cost anything. And, it makes others feel happy!”

- Venkatesh

Click below to watch the short video -

Boot Polish Short Video

(Short Video credit - Sreenidhi H.K.)  

Holy Man and his ways....

Holy Man and his ways….

The Emirates flight landed past midnight and I was dead tired having travelled about 18 hours from USA with the stop-over in Dubai.

With sleepy eyes, I walked into the “Q” at the immigration counter.

I gave the Passport and other documents to the officer at the counter.

“Your name”, said the officer with authority.

“Sangeetha” I replied.

“Full name”

“Sangeetha Mehta”.

“Travelling to India after 5 years..”

“Yes Sir”

“How long is your stay in India?”

“4 weeks”, I replied.

Now I was getting a bit irritated on the lengthy conversation.

My brain always worked differently and always analyzed the other person’s thinking and most of my analysis was always right.

My brain said that the officer could be a Gujarati and hence these questions, after seeing my name.

I was bang on target.

“Welcome to India. Have a good stay with your parents and family” the Officer said in Gujarati.

“Thank you” I replied in Gujarati, with a smile and he handed over the passport after stamping.

Linguistic affinity is always strong and works in India.

I was returning to India after 5 years, completing my MS in a good university in USA and immediately started working in a large company in the Bay area.

An hour later, I was home and my parents and grandfather were waiting at the gate to receive me.

I was happy to see them all after so many years and my mother’s eyes turned moist with emotions. I could not control my emotions either and it ended with all having tears in the eyes.

I lived in a Gujarati colony that had individual houses of different sizes spanning over six streets. Most of the houses were built during early 1950’s and families were living for over two generations. The Colony had a small temple of Lord Hanuman surrounded by a huge playground. The temple walls were marked with three lines representing the stumps for the kids playing cricket.

People who wished to pray had very little space inside the temple to move around. During examinations, all kids had a quick darshan praying for easy question papers and success in their exams or atleast passing it! Many Gujarati festivals including Garba dances during Navratri festival were performed by the colony residents in a grand way on stages built on the playground around the temple.

When I went to meet my old friends, I saw that the small temple had become a big temple with part of the playground area converted into the temple premises. There was also a sanctum for Lord Balaji inside the temple premises.

I went into the temple and saw a small hall inside, apart from the sanctum for the deities. Inside the Hall was a Swamiji in saffron robes (let’s call him HM – Holy Man) sitting on a dais and handing over ‘prasadam’ to everyone.

I was flabbergasted to see a huge crowd waiting in a queue inside the temple, not to have ‘darshan’ of the Deities but to have ‘darshan’ of the Holy Man. When a devotee went near him, HM would say something into his ears, and a follower of HM would also listen to what HM has said to the devotee, standing close by. Then, the follower would explain the devotee what Pooja or other ‘pariharams’ (atonements or holy remedies) is needed to be done, as instructed by HM and the total cost for the same. The devotee would go to a counter and paid the amount for performing such Pooja etc without any further questions.  Such was the awe which the Holy Man had created amongst the common people.

I ran into an old colony friend and picked conversation with her about the temple and the Holy Man.

“Around 5-6 years ago, this HM appeared from nowhere and started sitting under the huge banyan tree just outside the temple premises and meditated for hours. People were told that HM had come from the Himalayas. He occasionally opened his eyes and when people interacted with him, he would start preaching and predicting future for the people.

Over time, word spread that HM was very accurate in his predictions. HM also gave directions to perform certain pooja or other ‘pariharams’ (atonements or holy remedies) by collecting amounts and was adept in saying that he will remove the evil, lessen their misery and increase the happiness of people”.

“Why do common people believe such men and why there was no questions asked to him about the amount collected by him?” I retorted.

“Sangeetha, common people are so gullible that they will believe any person talking about Gods and add to it predicting the future. Some years back, one day, he brought the idol of Lord Balaji and declared that he found it on the river banks. He declared to the local people that the Lord appeared in his dreams and wanted a sanctum built inside the temple. Then the Holy Man did a donation campaign and ensured that the temple premises were expanded by encroaching into the playground. No questions asked, as he had the knack of building relationship with local politicians and influential people in the colony. At the end of the day, as they say, MONEY is the nectar for all human beings to create influence and authority..”.

“Sangeetha, you know what? In the recent months, Holy Man has started claiming he is GOD!!!, And collected “Special Donation” to have his darshan” my friend quipped.

“Come on, are you kidding? Do people not see through this gimmick of HM?” I asked, fully confused.

“No. People really thought GOD has come to their colony. Getting his ‘darshan’, after paying his ‘special Donation’, was a big blessing to them”, pat came my friend’s reply.

“Why? What was so great about HM? He is a human being, maybe with special powers built through his meditation or other means. At best, he can be a noble soul. But definitely cannot be a GOD. Is there no end to superstitious behaviour of common people?”, I wondered.

Superstition always takes over when common man is engulfed with fear of the unknown.

“There are no definite answers to your questions, Sangeetha. No point talking about it. And many rumours are floating for some time that HM has bought two houses in our colony and also has kept girls in the house, claiming them to be his followers”.

I went home with my head spinning thinking about HM and his activities.

I was very close to my grandpa and had lots of love and respect towards him for his bold and independent lifestyle and his practical thinking. When I was a teenager, he always used to tell me “Your happiness is your choice and never let other people’s behaviour or views rule a day in your life. Independent thought process is a virtue!!” To me, these words became a gospel of truth and made my thinking independent and accept pragmatism and take life as it comes.

“Grandpa, do you know about Holy Man? What do you think about him?” I asked him.

“Yes Sangeetha. I know about HM. I don’t believe his big assertions nor do I want to comment on his activities. Simply said, it is shady and not appropriate to the holy image he has created amongst the people with his so-called godly activities.”

“Why does HM call himself to be GOD?” I asked Grandpa, expecting only a practical answer from him.

“Sangeetha, I personally don’t know how any human equates and calls himself to be GOD. If we do it, then we are only creating more confusion than answers.

What is GOD? To me, GOD manifests in the form of being omnipotent, omnipresent and eternal, either in idol form or in the form of nature. Some do Idol worship, some worship his presence and some do not worship anything, but definitely agree and feel nature. When we go against Nature, we witness natural destruction which is seen more frequently in recent times”, grandpa answered philosophically.

I vividly remembered my school days, when grandpa took me on suburban train rides, when they were introduced in the city, from the originating station to the last station and return. I would ask for ice cream during such rides and would get it without fail.

On one such ride, I had asked, “Grandpa, why do you go to that small temple, going in suburban train and so far off and not pray in the temple in our colony itself?”

“Sangeetha, I feel very peaceful in that small temple, even if I have to go that far. For me more than praying to God, a place which gives peace and tranquility to the mind is a temple. That is the reason why, I do not go to many popular temples with huge crowds and very famous in the eyes of the people. Faith in going to a particular temple is personal to that individual. To me, such famous temples do not give that peace of mind. I am not saying whether it is right or wrong. It is just my way of life. If you believe GOD is omnipresent, you will agree with my thoughts”, was the practical answer of grandpa.

These words of advice have remained with me even today.

Four weeks of my holiday went by like a breeze. The day I was leaving for the airport, my friend came home running with the hot news about HM. As heard on every news channel howling - “breaking news!!!”

“Sangeetha, there is huge commotion at the temple and also at the houses owned by Holy Man since morning. There is police force and two police vans and too many voices shouting at one another. Maybe HM is arrested !!…” my friend said.

I left home, waving to my parents and grandfather, and seeing the commotion at the far end of the road…

-        Venkatesh

 

 

Opinion always has two sides

 

Opinion always has two sides

 Uncle met Shruthi at a family function and enquired about her married life. Pradeep and Shruthi were happily married for more than two years. “Yes Uncle, we are doing well and happy”, replied Shruthi.

Shruthi vividly remembered the parting comment she made to Uncle that day, “Uncle, Every opinion has two sides. You presented only one side and do not know the other side, which is my side of the opinion. I don’t wish to tell my side of the opinion nor is it required to be told also. I thought you were wise …”!!!

Shruthi had a comfortable life with her doting parents providing her the best in life. Her younger sister and she had the best of childhood. Shruthi did her engineering from a reputed college and got campus placed in a large software company.

She met Pradeep during their training period in office and immediately became good friends with similar likes and dislikes.

Both were placed in the same project team which managed the same client and time flew with both of them interacting more frequently. Getting to know each other better over two years, their friendship blossomed and both wanted their relationship to be taken to the next level with both finding comfort and understanding between one another.

Pradeep had a life full of struggles and took help from friends and relatives and completed his engineering. When he was hired by a large software company, he found a big gateway to financial freedom. All his thoughts about expenses and sources to meet it every month had become history.

Few months later, when both had decided to get married, Pradeep had conveyed about it to his parents, who were initially sceptical about it. However, Pradeep, being a very good communicator, ensured his parents were convinced and understood their bonding and the conviction about their relationship being strong and mature.

When Shruthi’s father had declared that he was looking out to find a correct match for her, she opened up, “Dad, I need to discuss with you and Amma on my marriage”.

Mahesh, a perfect doting father was short-tempered, immediately shot back at Shruthi, “Why, have you become a big girl that you don’t trust your dad on your marriage?”

“No dad, I have listened to your every advice and followed it dutifully. But I also have a mature brain and a clear conscience and wish to inform my thoughts on it now”.

“You are not even listening to me on it before giving your inputs”.

“Why, do you think I don’t understand, Shruthi? You will now come up with a story that you are interested in someone, and that your mother and I have to accept it and move forward”, Mahesh retorted.

“Understand that as parents, we have so much interest in your life and your well-being”, Mahesh continued. Shruthi’s mother intervened and softly asked her daughter to speak about it.

“Amma, I am in a relationship with Pradeep, my colleague at office. He is also an engineer from one of the top colleges in India. We have been good friends for more than two years. Our understanding and wavelength is a perfect match and we are confident that our relationship and bonding is strong to make a good marriage and couple”, Shruthi replied to her mother.

Mahesh, seeing his daughter talk with so much clarity, immediately stopped the conversation and said that he required more time to think about it.

Shruthi was a bold and self-confident girl, having grown in an atmosphere where confidence and boldness was a virtue. Always, there is a very fine line between confidence and over-confidence. But self-confidence is a good quality which when imbibed from childhood definitely gives an edge to every individual.

She was a caring girl having utmost care for her family. As soon as she started earning, she was very keen to give gifts to her parents, sister and grandparents. She found small joys in these gifts when her parents were all in smiles. Her grandpa expressed his happiness and told her that these small gifts, irrespective of its value were priceless and gave joy to the entire family.

Mahesh called his brother-in-law and asked him to speak to Shruthi and reason out to her about her choice. He wanted him to explain about the risks involved in such choices and its long term implications in life. Mahesh reasoned out that Shruthi was getting carried away about her choice in marriage and that commercial wisdom is essential when anyone finalizes the choice of relationship.

Having the mandate, Shruthi’s uncle told her to meet him on the terrace in the evening. Shruthi guessed what was in store for her in these discussions.

Shruthi met her uncle and after all regular greetings and topics; her Uncle came to the main point of discussion and opened up, “Shruthi, your dad told about Pradeep. My suggestion is that you should be clear on what you are getting into and whether it will be a correct decision in the long run. Pradeep may be a good individual, but in today’s commercial world, financial stability and background is definitely needed for any individual’s growth. Have you thought about all these aspects?”

Shruthi immediately retorted, “Uncle, you are only talking with inputs dad has given you. I have discussed all these aspects at length with Pradeep and I am clear about it. Pradeep is educated, well-mannered and has the fire to grow in his career. I am not bothered more than this and also know about his present financial standing and family’s background”.

“More importantly, we both like each other and are confident that we will become a perfect couple. I don’t want any more inputs from anyone”, concluded Shruthi.

Later, when Shruthi mentioned about the discussion with Uncle to her sister, her outspoken sister remarked, “Just leave it Shruthi. These ‘Boomers’ will always advise us, whether you wanted it or not. Just hear it and let it go. Boomers can never understand the millennial kids. We can take care of ourselves better”. Shruthi and her sister represent kids of the millennial generation.

Today, parents cannot completely understand these kids. Even talking on the mobile phone is different. Any young girl, more so a teenager, talking on the mobile is barely audible to anybody around, but heard very well at the other end. The hissing sounds which one hears raises more questions than answers to the parents!! And a young boy talking on the mobile, will always keep moving away from you if anyone gets near to him!!!

Months later, when Mahesh had called Pradeep home for discussions, this topic on the choice of the boy was brought out again by Uncle to Shruthi.

Shruthi pulled aside her Uncle and said firmly, “Uncle, why don’t you understand. Every opinion has two sides. You presented only one side and do not know the other side, which is my side of the opinion. I don’t wish to tell my side of the opinion nor is it required to be told also. I thought you were wise …”!!!

Few months later, Mahesh and his wife, consented to Shruthi’s marriage proposal and proceeded with it.

Uncle, who had spoken a lot on behalf of Mahesh, felt he had made a mistake by trying to convince Shruthi, when parents themselves agreed to the proposal later; and he had become the odd man out and a villain in the piece.

A late realization that giving advice in family relationships when you are an outside party and not parents or connected directly to the individuals involved, has its own limitations brewed with unnecessary comments and a spoiler in relationships later.

-       Venkatesh

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

A Birthday to remember....

A Birthday to remember…

Ajay got up hurriedly from his bed, knowing he was late for work. He rushed out of the house to the nearest restaurant, grabbed some breakfast and opened his mobile with the App “DeliverFast” to start off his day.

Ajay worked as a ‘delivery partner’ as the delivery boys were called by his company, a food delivery platform and was a ‘star’ performer in his company. Only the office mobile, which had the Company App “DeliverFast”, was allowed to be used during duty hours. Personal mobiles were strictly prohibited and had to be kept at home.

The App showed the list of deliveries to be made, list of restaurants / food joints from where food had to be picked up. The first pickup was from a well-known bakery, known for its birthday cakes and unique chocolates. He picked up a mid-sized birthday cake, and got the gift wrap done with the best wishes card with name of “Ms.Swetha”. The gift wrap and the card were special instructions which popped up on his mobile. The same had also been given to the bakery from the App. After checking the instructions, Ajay checked the App for the directions and sped towards the destination.

He rang the bell and a gentleman opened the door. “Sir, there is a birthday cake for Ms.Swetha. Can I meet and hand it over to her?”

“Don’t worry. You can give it to me. Swetha is my wife and I want the cake to be a surprise to her.”

Ajay understood the context and replied to the gentleman, “Sir, good. Convey our company’s wishes on her birthday. Thank you”. Ajay smiled at the gentleman and left.

It was the company’s policy that the delivery partner behaves very courteously with the customers and also wishes them with a smile on making the delivery.

On a normal day, Ajay used to complete about 12-15 deliveries across the city travelling more than 100 km on his bike. Delivery was a tough job, with different customers behaving differently depending on their moods. Ajay’s experience has always been mixed with few taking delivery with a smile or a thank you and few others yelling on why the delivery was late, completely forgetting the traffic conditions and any other related delays.

Ajay’s mindset had become immune to both the good and the bad comments…His work completely zapped his energy and the moment he reached home, his regular practice was to hit the sack and sleep.

On reaching home that day, he saw his personal mobile and surprisingly found more than 50 WhatsApp messages and more than 10 missed calls. He was puzzled about how he had become so popular among his friends. He had three missed calls from his mother itself. His mother lived alone in their native village and was engaged in a small farm and rearing her own cattle.

Before, he could call his mother to find out why she had called earlier; there was a bell at his door. It was past 10.30 p.m and Ajay wondered who it could be at this late hour.

He opened the door and saw another delivery boy from his company with a gift wrapped parcel.

“What is in it, bro?” asked Ajay with curiosity.

“Open it yourself bro” said the boy.

Ajay took the parcel, opened it and found a large well decorated cake with the message “Happy Birthday Ajay…”

“Wow” Ajay’s eyes twinkled and thanked the delivery boy.

Then Ajay remembered that it was his birthday…. He wondered how he had started the day by delivering a birthday cake to a customer, completely forgetting that it was also his birthday.

He now co-related the many missed calls and messages on his mobile.

He wondered how his job has taken away the small pleasures of celebrating one’s birthday. The cost of today’s fast paced life is - you try and satisfy every customer’s needs in your job but do not have the privilege of enjoying the same for your own.

-       Venkatesh

(Storyline credit : Mrs.Anusuya Suresh, Professor and Blogger)  

Two Generations

Two Generations…

Year 1984:

Ravi joined engineering in a well-known engineering college in Coimbatore. His parents motivated him and pushed him to do well in his studies during his high school and as an obedient son, took his father’s words as gospel and got amazing marks in his 12^th std exams and easily got into engineering. Seeing his uncle making it a big career in a large MNC into manufacturing machines, he opted for “Mechanical Engineering”.

Chennai was slowly turning modern in the mid-80’s, where all road lighting was getting changed from tube-lights to sodium vapour lamps. The orange light from the long masts lit a vast area and was bright.

Ravi and his friends went to a Rajnikanth movie at Alankar Theatre on Anna Salai and then went to Woodlands Drive-in hotel for evening snacks. Standing in the queue with friends at Alankar theatre and getting the tickets through the pigeon hole was an experience by itself. This was Ravi’s treat to his friends from school. He had to convince his father to get the necessary money for the treat.

Coimbatore was new to Ravi and hostel life was a new experience. New friends and new surroundings made him ‘fish out of water’ but slowly adjusted to the new life. Speaking to parents was a luxury as there was only one phone in the hostel block for only receiving calls and one had to wait for receiving the calls. Making STD calls was from the STD/ISD booth, painted in yellow, outside the college and was expensive. His pocket money dwindled when he made calls to home. Writing letters was the source of communication with his parents.

Hostel life brought its own charm of care-free life and Ravi started enjoying it. Night shows, coming back by the last ‘night bus’ to the hostel, going for a walk on Cross-Cut road – just for window shopping, eating at small hotels, riding in town buses and enjoying evening tea at the tea shop opposite the college campus. All was part of college life. All the town buses and the tea shops played film songs on their stereo system, most of the songs composed by Ilayaraja. Ravi and his generation were big fans of the music of Ilayaraja.

Asking money from his dad was mostly done through his mother on a call. Ravi always justified that he is not wasting any money and is asking only what was definitely necessary. His father sent the money through a Money Order or sent Demand draft by post.

Ravi used to get back to Chennai for all study holidays as he felt he can concentrate better at home rather being in the hostel. He wrote to his father to come to Madras Central Railway station on 20^th October morning in coach ‘S-4’, so that it will help in carrying the big suitcases full of books for study. When Ravi wrote the letter he was thinking that 20^th October was a Saturday and had written the same in his letter.

His father came to the station of 20^th October early morning, but did not find Ravi in the train. He waited and checked in all the compartments, but not to be seen. Worried, his father sent a telegram to Ravi, to find out what happened to him. Ravi was in his class when the office attender, came and gave the telegram in the evening. Ravi, seeing the telegram, realised his mistake of putting the wrong date in the letter. He thought of Saturday, 21^st October, but wrote it as 20^th October. Immediately he called his father and told him about the mess up and expressed sorry to his father. He had to hear a mouthful of angry words for messing up the dates.

If the above story had happened in 2018…. (34 years later)… 

Ravi got admission into a reputed engineering college in Coimbatore. His parents advised him to do well in his 12^th std exams, but Ravi retorted that he knows better and what to do. He got good but not great grades, but insisted to his parents on joining that reputed college in Coimbatore, as many of his friends were joining it. His father, who had the capacity, paid the necessary donation and secured the seat for his son.

Ravi was motivated to join “Computer Science” branch by seeing many of his peer group joining the same. His father had different thoughts and advised his son, but to no avail.

For giving a treat to his school friends, he informed his parents that he is going out and will get back home only in the night. He travelled with his friends in their car and went past Raheja Towers on Anna Salai (where erstwhile Alankar Theatre was located) and reached PVR Cinemas multiplex.

Many ‘iconic’ theatres in Chennai have made way for huge commercial complexes or Malls. Do you call it progress or development? No answers…

On their way, the FM Radio in the car was playing old Ilayaraja songs of the 1980’s and this generation had no clue of the impact of Ilayaraja’s music on Tamils of the earlier generation. The friends were enjoying the melody in the song till they reached the Multiplex. After the movie, the friends went for food at a fancy thematic restaurant and enjoyed their meal. Payment made by Debit card ensured no requirement of cash from home.   

For most of the generation of Tamilians, who had grown along with Ilayaraja music and songs during the 1980’s, their film music ‘clock’ had stopped in the early 1990’s and even in 2018, would prefer and like to listen to the film songs of the bygone era of 1980’s…

Chennai was well lit in the night with LED lights in all the roads, and with many malls, multiplexes, big restaurants and specialty parlours – of chat, pizzas and ice creams, the main commercial areas and roads looked colourful and with a booming night life to add spice.

Ravi went to Coimbatore in his friend’s car with his entire luggage at the time of joining and had booked an air-conditioned room in the hostel. Eating outside of the mess became a norm, standard excuse being the food at the mess is not great. And movies at the multiplex, food at numerous restaurants and malls, riding in cabs only was the new norm of life for Ravi at Coimbatore.

He had his debit card which was an ‘unending bank’ to him, with no shortage of funds. Debit card or credit cards, stimulate spending as you never know the sum total of the amount spent, for a day or for a month. Children having debit card is virtually a ‘blank cheque’ to them, because replenishment is done by the parents….!!!

Mobile is the only source of communication for everyone in today’s era. Lost is the art of writing letters, waiting for phone calls, no STD/ISD booths and emotionally talking to all in the family.

Ravi had his mobile when he was in high school, thanks to peer pressure, his father had to accept his continuous pestering for it. His parents spoke to him every night to check on his well-being and video call proved to be a big boon to parents.

After planning to go to Chennai for his study holidays, Ravi told his father, “Dad, I am coming on 20^th October to Chennai for study holidays and will be coming with my friend in his car. I will stay at my friend’s place for doing joint study and will come home after probably 10 days. Will let you know.”

“Ravi, do not waste time with your friends by watching videos on YouTube or Netflix…” advised his father. “You need not tell me. I am grown up and understand things”, retorted Ravi.

 

His father has accepted that with today’s generation, you only listen and give advice only if warranted, which is anyway unlikely…!!!

-  Venkatesh

We too enjoy life….

We too enjoy life….

“Hi, will be in India next month. Holiday is for six weeks. Returning by August end”, Dolly told her childhood friend, Sudha.

It was 3.30 a,m in Bangalore, India. Dolly knew that Sudha was awake. Her WhatsApp “Last seen” time gave out the information.

“When are you reaching India? And when can we have ‘our’ holiday? We will keep it for 4 days this year, last year it was a very short holiday of 2 days”, Sudha replied with many questions.

“You can plan during the last week of July or first week of August, I’m ok. Check with our other buddies and you decide” Dolly replied.

This was her usual way. Sudha was very good in planning, setting up the logistics, co-ordination with the school buddies, finalizing the place for the holiday and the schedule during the holiday.

It brought back memories of the times of her school days in Vellore, where they studied together in school for 12 years. Sudha had contacts with Dolly, Aruna and Jyothi, the four of them had become close and been in touch with each other, even after 25 years.

Dolly, completed her masters in computers, and migrated to USA after her marriage, working for a software company, with two kids, both sons in their teens.

Sudha, had completed her masters in science, did a course in interior design and was on her own, doing interior design projects for the growing real estate market in Bangalore. She was married with one son, doing his engineering.

Next day morning, Sudha called her friend, Jyothi, “Di, where are you?”

“I’m driving to drop my daughter at school. Anything urgent”

“Call once you are done”.

Jyothi completed her household chores by afternoon. She was a very responsible and complete home maker, living in Hyderabad, very possessive of her family and her two daughters very attached to her.

“Sudha, just now remembered your call. What is it?”

“Dolly is coming to India next month and we have to plan ‘our’ holiday. Are you ok with the last week of July? Say for 4 days”.

“Let me check with my husband and confirm it tomorrow”. Jyothi was her typical self, consulting everything with her husband.

Sudha started planning for the holiday. She checked on resorts near Mysore and also near Hyderabad. The previous year, they had done their holiday in Pondicherry in a beautiful beach-front resort.

“Aruna, can we talk now?”

“So, what news Sudha?”

“We have not spoken for more than a month. That is surprising. Sudha and being silent for a month!!”

“No Di, was busy with one project completion. That owner was a pain… He changed the design after approving it. But what to do, you come across customers who are bordering madness!!”

“Hey Aruna, you are working in a Bank. Only one Boss to listen to… Look at me, being in consulting, you have to listen to many customers. Each will behave like a boss and to top it, their wives will come in the end and give suggestions as if they know everything under the sun….” Sudha concluded her work profile.

“Listen, Dolly is coming next month. We need to plan ‘our’ holiday during last week on July”.

“I am ok. Try to combine with the 4^th Saturday. It is holiday for the bank. You proceed with the plan and let me know if you need any help from me for the trip”, Aruna replied.

With the dates frozen for last week of July, Sudha jotted down the things to be done and what can be delegated to her friends.

“My husband has given his ok for the trip”, Jyothi called.

“Good, now you check on the Leonia Resort. My cousin has told me it is a very good property about 40 km from the Hyderabad airport”.

“Ok, Sudha. Will check on the resort and finalize it. Send me the dates by WhatsApp”.

The holiday of these four women were different. Their ‘own’ holiday was an exclusive holiday without their family. The four friends just unwind themselves with lots of time for their own, re-live their childhood, have fun and satisfy their individual dreams without any inhibitions. No kids, no husband around, no in-laws, they just live and enjoy for themselves.

This ‘own’ holiday started four years back, when Sudha proposed a get together for only the friends for a dinner and the rollicking time they had at the dinner, gave the necessary impetus to try out longer periods, which grew every year.

Aruna was at the shopping mall to buy sarees for the holiday. At the large saree store, she saw a delightful array of sarees displayed by the enthusiastic sales boy on the table. Her eyes did a quick scan of all the sarees and picked one which was bright blue with a sprinkling of flowers and a delightful pattern for the borders. The sales boy picked the chosen one and gave it to Aruna for her to place the saree on herself and looked at the mirror. She was comfortable with her choice.

“Take four sarees of same colour and design” Aruna said.

“Four sarees ma’am, and of the same colour” replied the sales boy, a bit puzzled. “If you want four sarees of different colours also, I can give”, said the boy, thinking high of his knowledge.

“Just do what I want. Give me four sarees of the same colour and design” replied Aruna.

After finishing the purchase, she called Sudha and said the saree purchase was over.

“Good Aruna. I will take care of all the other purchases”.

Their flights landed at Hyderabad at different times and they decided they will wait in the airport and go together to the resort.

They got into the car and were on the way to the resort. They had met each other after more than a year. Each was very happy in meeting the others and the thoughts of being together for the next four days delighted them.

“What is the schedule for the holiday, Sudha?” asked Dolly.

“The first day is just leisure. No activity, only talking, talking and more talking !!. The second day, we stay in the resort, spend time swimming together in the pool, then in the afternoon, do other activities which we would like to do. That night, we have our ‘dressing session’ and enjoy ourselves without inhibition.

The third day, we’ll go to Hyderabad after lunch, buy dresses at a designer store, identified by Jyoti, and do other shopping and get back to the resort. That night will be a candle light dinner, with cocktails and we will spend quality time together” Sudha narrated with enthusiasm.

“Jyoti, Do we have time to go to atleast three good stores and I also want to go to the market to get some daily use dresses too?, asked Aruna.

“Yes we will have sufficient time and I have told my friend in one store to keep all the best dresses and new arrivals on display for us”.

“On the fourth day, we leave the resort after late breakfast, and visit Jyothi’s home and then proceed to the airport”, Sudha concluded.

Their talking sessions, were full of banter, pulling each other’s leg, talking about their hubby, kids and in-laws. All their chitchat was laced with humour and Sudha was the king pin (or Queen pin!!), cracking one liners, and with the art of mimicry, she spoke in many voices and imitated others, and brought down the roof with their loud laughter.

Luckily, when they checked-in, they asked and got two rooms adjacent to each other, with a walk-through door between the rooms. This ensured that they do not go out to get to each other’s rooms.

During the swimming sessions, Aruna, not knowing swimming, was the caretaker of all clothes, and sitting at the edge of the swimming pool, was giving a running commentary of not their swimming, but about worldly matters in a humorous way.

The ‘dressing session’ was a special session. Sudha and Dolly had bought special dresses for this session. One room was converted into a make-up room. Sudha, got ready in bright yellow ‘bharatanatyam’ dress with red borders and wore all the jewellery as worn by actress Jyothika in the Tamil movie “Chandramukhi”. She completed make-up of her face and when she walked into the other room; she looked like a dancer ready for a performance.

Next was Dolly’s turn. She had planned and bought dress from USA, which resembled Princess Diana. She wore a rich chocolate brown skirt and a white shirt top and completed the outfit with a hat with fluffy hair band. She wore high heeled brown shoes and resembled the dress worn by the late Princess.

The other two friends were ready with their cameras and took photos in various angles and the photo shoot concluded with comments and smiles around. Photos taken on the mobile were sent on WhatsApp to their hubbies with tag lines….

After the shopping session, they got ready for the dinner. All the four friends dressed in identical sarees bought specially for the occasion. The candle light dinner was quiet with exchange of many thoughts and other plans. They ate and drank without any inhibition. Once they reached their rooms, all their calmness in the restaurant was gone. Their talking session ended at 2.00 a.m, when they were fully drained and wanted to sleep.

Next day, they were at Jyoti’s house and were normal leaving their laughter and loudness in the resort itself. Anybody, seeing them would not believe whether they were the same women at the resort a day earlier. Such was the transformation.

Their ‘own holiday’ over, each had returned to their respective homes.

Next day, Sudha had called Dolly to check whether everything was fine at her end, as she had told her in-laws before the trip that she was going to Chennai to attend a family function of her friend. Only her hubby knew about their holiday.

“All fine. They believed about my trip. Infact, my in-laws enquired about my friend’s family in Chennai” said Dolly.

“You know what, my husband was curious to know about our ‘own holiday’ and had told that it will not be entertaining, without the family and kids”.

“I told him – We too enjoy life…..”quipped Sudha.

-   Venkatesh

A visit to a Village

A visit to a Village…

Anil had a dream.

A dream to visit a village and stand near a pump set with gushing water into green fields.

His dream came true when Arun, his friend, asked him to visit his small native village to attend “Sri Rama Navami celebrations” (Lord Rama’s Birthday celebrations).

Arun was born in this non-descript small village, had education at the village Panchayat School, college at the town and then made it big professionally by becoming a successful lawyer. A typical story of village kid making it big in the city, achieved professional success, yet maintaining strong links with the native village.

Anil and Arun drove down from Hyderabad, a metro city, reached Vijayawada in the afternoon, a small but growing city and reached the village by evening. A journey which took them from a huge bustling metro to a small, congested and growing city and finally reached the small, dusty, sleepy village. Roads started off wide and ended up with muddy bumpy narrow roads. A real panoramic view of India!! Anil looked around the village and saw people, almost everyone, talking with a mobile in hand. Almost all the houses, whether a thatched roof, a tile roof or a concrete one had a TV dish protruding on each terrace..

Night dinner was a very simple and filling one at Arun’s house. All sat on the floor, with banana leaves well laid out and served with hot food. Anil was odd man out, sitting on a chair with the plate on the table, as he had forgotten the art of sitting cross-legged on the floor. Anil wondered, ‘no stale pizza or no food taken directly from the refrigerator for dinner, as it usually happens in the city, after a tiring day at office, in most homes’.

Next day morning, he saw the majesty of his friend’s ancestral house. A green front-court, appeared beautiful with jasmine, roses and other flowers grown on an arch which covered the pathway to the huge gate. The house front had a large sit out, done with red-oxide flooring with two swinging cane chairs laid out on one side. In the centre of the sit-out was the pathway going inside the house. The other side of the sit-out had a swing with a large wooden plank hanging from steel ropes on either side.

After breakfast, Arun took Anil to see the farms which grew different crops – paddy, banana, coconut, palm oil. Labourers were cleaning the farms, setting up the water pumps and the water sprinklers.

Anil’s dream was coming true. Arun knew about his friend’s dream. He took Anil to a large well, with an attached pump set.

Once it was switched on, wow and yo… – Anil saw the water gushing out of the pipe with real force and flowing into the canals to all the trees in the green fields. The water which gushed out the large pipe, was white in colour and provided an amazing contrast to the green fields in the back-drop.

Arun gave instructions to the farm workers to get them tender coconut water and bring it home.

Both got into the car and traversed the narrow roads, just enough for one car to go through. The bumpy roads had dust generated from the car wheels which created a cloud of dust. It looked as if a ‘dust bomb’ had just exploded!!

They reached home and were resting on the sit-out just gazing at the trees and the people around. Anil thought for a moment, can he have the luxury of gazing for some time in his daily city life. He felt that time moves slowly in a village. Even though, it looked to be an illusion, Anil was able to feel the slowness of life in a village.

It was evident that people did their regular activities and work without time pressure. 

Anil thought “it is we ourselves who create the pressure and get into stress for not completing it. In the first place, why do we create pressure? Maybe it is the environment or people around you”.

He continued his comparison, ‘In a village, people do their work at their pace and also do it on time. Maybe the key lies in their outlook on time – do work which is practical and possible in a certain time period, do it well and at a pace which does not create pressure.

Anil recollected the incident when his friend ordered the workers for the tender coconuts. Arun had said to them, “get four tender coconuts cut and bring them home fast” The workers listened to the command, but went about their work at their own pace, completed their work well. No words like ‘fast’ ‘immediately’ ‘to be done now’ work in a village.

Anil felt, maybe there is something to learn from villagers on their outlook on time to reduce stress in the city life.

The Lord Rama temple celebrations were done at a small road side temple, which was more than 100 years old. Arun’s family organised these celebrations and had been performing the Pooja for over three generations. The entire village had assembled on the road outside the temple to participate in the Pooja celebrations. Loud music with devotional songs blared out of the four speakers tied to the electricity poles around the temple. Anil watched this unique village celebration. He thought about the participation without any inhibition of the entire village population – elders to youth to small kids, unlike what happens in the city, where people tend to keep to themselves and try to avoid such social gathering. After the Pooja, the road side was converted into a dining area, with tables and chairs, quickly laid out and every adult turning to be a volunteer in serving the dishes.

Anil enquired, “Arun, who has prepared these dishes for the lunch?” “It is done by almost every home, who can afford it. They all bring their dishes and the organisers set up the lunch with the dishes”. Community living is best seen in villages in India and form the back-bone of strong bonding amongst people in villages even today.

They left for Hyderabad the next day and back to their daily grind. Anil experienced the bumpy roads again and wondered why nobody cared about it.

“Why these roads which lead to the village are bumpy and full of pot holes? You say that your family is respected and the Panchayat members meet and discuss various local issues with your father. Then, Why these roads are so bad and nothing is done about it?”, Anil remarked to Arun.

“The problem is within us, Anil. The Government had awarded the road contract to a very ‘clean’ contractor, who will do a very good job, but will not pay any bribe to anybody. But the local counsellor wants his ‘cut’ before even the work has commenced. Hence this stalemate”

Couple of months later Arun had gone to his village and on return, called Anil to explain how the development of the road was completed in just one month.

“My father explained the position to the MLA, who was furious about the counsellor not letting the work happen. He immediately called the district collector and directed him to speak to the counsellor to just keep away from this matter so that the road work can be completed. And then it really happened in quick time. The contractor completed his work in a month” Arun explained.

“In India, if there is political will, anything can be achieved, both the good and the bad can happen. Here the MLA had the political will to get things done and he had his way” Anil explained his theory, on present day India. So true…

-       Venkatesh