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SRAADDHAM RITUAL OF THE OLDEN DAYS

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SRAADDHAM RITUAL  OF THE OLDEN DAYS Today, the 8 th  June, 2025, is my dear father’s 67 th  death anniversary. He passed away in 1958 when I was 21 years old. From then on, I was taking leave every year and travelled from Bombay (present Mumbai) to my home in Palghat, present Palakkad, so that I could perform the sraadham in the presence of my mother and siblings. This went on for about ten years and then we shifted to Bombay. Even here, I was performing this ritual in my quarters, till my mother’s demise. But Time waits for no man and my small flat did not allow me to conduct this function as elaborately as I had done years back in Palakkad. So, as per the suggestion from my family vadhyar, I began performing it as Hiranya-sraadham, which meant that I donate some rice, raw plantain, betel leaves and ‘supari’, along with good ‘dakshina’. He would instruct me some manthras asking pardon from the ancestors and do aseervadam in the end. The whole process took about 30 minute...
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A DREAM TRAVEL BY DURONTO EXPRESS

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 Duronto 6th May 2025 A DREAM TRAVEL BY DURONTO EXPRESS On May 6, 2025, I packed my luggage consisting of a small trolley and a back-pack, to begin my journey from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus , Mumbai  to Ernakulam Junction, to participate in the marriage function of Aiswarya and Vishal. There were many hurdles for venturing this trip, but all those were handled very well thank fully   by  my sons, Anand and Kumaresh. Reminding me that in a week, I will be 88 years old, which meant that I can no longer travel alone, Kumaresh flew all the way to Mumbai to escort me by train to Keralam. Anand promised to take care of hi s  mother with the help of the nurses, Reena (night) and Renu (day) each of whom I was pa ying  at the rate of Rs. 550/- and Rs. 500/- per day . (I remembered that my salary when I joined BARC was just Rs. 260/- per month ). At about 8 pm, Kumaresh booked an Uber taxi to LTT. He had a large trolley suit case as luggage, while I took a small trolle...
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DUBAI MUSINGS -- JAN-FEB 2024

  MUSINGS FROM DUBAI Saturday, JANUARY 20, 2024 Anand left me at the airport terminal 2, as early as 1 p.m. for my flight scheduled at 4 p.m. I faced no problems till I completed the “Security” formality. I had checked in my two small trolley suit-cases and carried my back-pack and a sling bag containing my passport and visa, as cabin- baggage. There was some confusion at the security point, while depositing my back-pack, sling bag, wrist watch and belt in the tray as it moved in the conveyor towards the x-ray machine. When I came out of my security check, my tray was waiting. Collecting all that and putting them back on my body, my boarding pass got crumbled. Somehow, I reported at the immigration point only to find that the stub of my boarding pass was missing.  I stood in line for my turn at the immigration counter, praying that he should not mind the absence of the stub in my boarding pass. But, the officer at the counter wanted me to look for the stub at the security area...
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Dubai

 Musings on Dubai trip - Jan-Feb 2024
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 CHAPTER 1 - TO TAKE OR NOT TO TAKE? It was in December 2022 that Anand came to me with a proposal.  "Dad, Do you want to visit Japan? Or, Europe?"  "Anand, Now I am already 86 and I have visited US, Canada, China and Hong Kong. Now, I have no desire to see more places. Leave the idea. I am happy where I am." "But, Dad, you like travelling and you enjoy writing about your experiences with apt photographs. Thank God, your health is not bad. Think seriously about it and let me know. I can arrange everything for your comfortable travel in the company of tourists of your age. Tell me which place you like, Japan or Europe." He saw my hesitation. He continued: "Dad, Don't think about the expenditure. It will cost you about Rupees two lakhs. But, again, thank God, your kids do not need your hard earned savings. It is your money and you should make use of it to the best. Your earthly needs are over. Any income that comes as your pension is for you to spen...
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