Vagabond

That was another tough day for all of us in the hostel; the examinations would start the next day. Unusually, all the hostelers were in their room, glued to their text books and notes at 6:30 pm in the evening.

Myself and Chandru braved out of the hostel as if there was nothing unusual to happen the next day, unmindful of the exams, to the nearby Lioness Club that was in a lane just behind our hostel in Eranakulam.

At the Lioness club, there was a presentation by those team members who had returned from their Expedition to Antarctica recently. The delegates included Scientists from National Institute of Oceanography, two Naval Officers and one Geophysicist from Geophysical Institute.

The lights were off and the documentary film show started. It showed the Ice filled terrains of Antarctica. The team which camped in Antarctica gave a name to their camp site as 'Dakshin Gangotri'.

Whilst the show was on, a member of the delegation was narrating their experience of Antarctica as to how difficult it was to manage the cold climate during their stay and what was their routine and the diet they had, etc,. Also they showed their only neighbors with whom they could be friendly with, showing those Penguins on the screen, which merrily flapped their wings and jumped about here and there.

I learnt, for the first time, that the penguins cannot fly and they had enjoyed our southern delicacy, "upma", the method of preparation was researched and prepared by The Food Research Institute, Mysore, specially for this Antarctic Expedition!

As we were engrossed in the meeting, somebody from behind vigorously patted my shoulder saying, 'hey subu... onga appa vandhirukaardaa' meaning, my father has arrived at the hostel... Which I couldn't just believe and so I ‘phooed’ him away by saying, "kathai vidathe da"... meaning 'don't lie'!

"Promise! Your father is sitting in my room and swore that he will declare you as a vagabond, if you don’t turn up within 15 minutes!"

This response from him made me immediately realize that my father was indeed around there, as he is the only person in this world that I know who would use the word ‘vagabond’!

Excusing with Chandru, I left the venue immediately and reached the hostel to see my father sitting in my study chair, giving a suspicious look as to why I went to Ladies Club and that too at night!

I have just returned after my emergency trip to Chennai and during my stay, my friend called me up after seeing ‘The Hindu’, “Hey Vagabond, sorry to hear about your Dad!”

Yes, the inevitable had happened; my father peacefully passed away on 3rd November, 2011.

An elegy to departed brother

People used to think I am your elder brother
Whenever we’re seen moving together!
Those were the days spent in childhood
I recall what we did in our neighborhood!



In the school, I used to pick up quarrels every day
you will be there to resolve the issue in a safe way
You took pride in my every success
And felt more pain in my failures

You made a dish using a vessel made of lead
Kept in oven without water and it melt
Scared of consequences and filled with guilt
Locked in a room, all day you slept!



People used to think I am your elder brother
Whenever we’re seen moving together!
Those were the days spent in childhood
I recall what we did in our neighborhood!



On your way from your college so late
You bolted the guard in railway toilet
When your friend was caught and held hostage
You had to surrender and seek his safe passage!

When you have to attend NCC parade
You would turn to me for haircut made
The fee in kind promptly you’ll give back
Bringing me those free refreshment pack!



People used to think I am your elder brother
Whenever we’re seen moving together!
Those were the days spent in childhood
I recall what we did in our neighborhood!



Selected for Education Corps in your teen
Counting years, since you left, it's eighteen
Taught the soldiers simple science in Hindi
When yourself struggled to talk Hindi!

Spent your youthful years serving the nation
Contributing to family even from your ration
To sum up your life with passion:-
‘Full many a gem of purest ray serene the dark unfathom'd caves of ocean’



People used to think I am your elder brother
Whenever we’re seen moving together!
Those were the days spent in childhood
Only memories to stay in this livelihood

Down the memory lane

When you are bored or have nothing to do you dream about future or think about the past.


Dreaming about future requires some effort where as recollecting the past is easy!


For dreaming one needs a theme whereas thinking about the past is something like accessing a storage device..


If you visit the place you have lived, the college or institution you have studied, or carry out task or activity you have earlier done yourself, you begin to dwell in the past.


In this series, I would like to recollect some interesting or memorable events that had happened in my life.


As it is close on the Teachers' day, I would recollect an event involving my college teacher.


About 3 years ago, I had gone to see my old "Alma matter" the "National College" Trichy. Visiting the college after 25 years of passing out in itself would be a rare event in one's life.



It is needless to mention that the college campus had undergone lot of change. It used to be boys only campus whereas I could see some girls moving about in the campus !


I had gone to the college with my friend and, incidently same batch-mate, Mahadevan, who had majored in Physics whereas my major subject was Geology.


I went to the department and met the department head and Professor, who was of my age or may be 1 or 2 year my senior. After a brief introduction, he became friendly and started giving lot of information about the teachers and students of our time.


I got the information that the ace lecturer of those days, Mr.SS had already retired about a few years back, but decided to live near the campus, having constructed his own small and independent house.


I visited his house with my friend when he could not recollect us by our faces but when we started to relate with other students, he could understand us.


I narrated this event during our stay in the college hostel on the other side of the road, which looked like the wrecked ship,'the Titanic':-


That was one afternoon in 1980 when myself, my friend Mahadevan, Rajan and another guy were gupshupping in the hostel room no 48 when some body from the courtyard of the hostel was calling our names aloud. One of us went to see from the balcany, there stood Mr.SS behind the hostel boy. He simply addressed every one by name and called us to attend the class. Bewildered, we all rushed to the class immediately. To my surprise did not reprimand me in the class but from that day on wards, we never missed any class!


Mr.SS taught Minerolgy, petrology, sedimentology and stratigraphy and almost all the aspects of Geology. It was the way in which he used to teach made all the difference. At that time, I had learnt the hardness of the minerals and their color and other physical properties which came in handy in a surprising way one day!


For our own house use we had to buy a "wet grinder" which is a motor driven machine which is used to make batter for 'Iddli' and 'Dosa'. A stone made vessel would rotate arround a "kozhavi"(a stagnant stone) using an electric motor which makes flour out of washed rice and white gram. The stone used is of various minerals commonly called "granite" although, I came to understand and differentiate between a granite from others such as diorite and a basalt.


We examined the different wet grinders on display. Some are made of white stone and some are black in color. I told the sales person that the white stone wet grinder is harder and 'stronger' therefore, we wanted one with white stone only. He was surprised but argued that the black stone was stronger. I told him to interchange the centre stone and start both the machines together and run them for one minute. After one minute, I challenged, that only black powder will be found inside the cavity of wet grinder.


He did the same and to every one's surprise we found in both the wet grinders black powder was collected. This although I had theoretically studied that the white granite comprising more hard minerals of silica would be stronger as compared to black colored stones which contain other minerals of lower hardness, I did not know earlier that a validation test can be done by this manner!


I recollected to Mr. SS about the hostel event and he in turn showed to us his special work and theses he wrote and after having a cup of coffee served by his wife, we left his place but carried along all old memories!



Needless to say that the pleasant experience had a lingering effect, even whilst I write this and sharing to you all.


I will visit the memory lane again but before that I would like to know how many would visit 'Down the memory lane'