It all started with Hand Sanitizers !!

Preeti mentioned that I had missed a few milestones while tracing my path through the many long and winding What’s App conversations.

And so, I write this short sequel to my earlier Blogpost.

Thanks Preeti!.

Once upon a time,

When the Yemlur Road in front of Sobha Palladian was jam packed with traffic all mornings and evenings,

When it took more than 10 minutes to make an ‘U’ turn in front of our exit gate,

When shopping malls were packed and PVR & INOX ran house-full on weekends,

When people chatted in groups / when ladies gossiped in tight circles and kids tumbled upon each other while playing,

When you could not find an empty table at Café Coffee Day,

When Covid19 was not yet a global life threatening Chinese bug,

And long before we joked that the Wuhan Virus won’t last long because it is ‘Made in China!!’    

And when people were debating whether to wear a mask or not,

Those good old days,

When you could go out freely and unhindered by a suffocating mask,

Those times when you could freely walk on the pavements and happily inhale lung-full of rich smoke and exhaust fumes and the heavily polluted air. (Incidentally, last evening I over-heard one bird twitter to another, “these humans are so crazy. Now when the air is so clean and pollution free, they go about wearing masks”!

 

And when the HAL helicopters chopped the air & rattled overhead throughout the day,

And screaming jets pierced your ear drums every now and then,

And the mighty Gajendra screamed while it inched up slowly over our block every weekend

And when the Indigo departure area was packed with tired, apprehensive and extremely impatient folks who rushed and tried to squeeze thru the narrow boarding gate four-at-a-time.

In that time,

One Officer and a Gentleman from SP had the wonderful intuition and foresight to predict difficult times.

And he immediately acted by consolidating the need for hand sanitizers and negotiated a great price for a bulk order.

   

And his initiative started what went on to become a steady barrage of long message chains of the future.

The hand sanitizer conversation chain was impressive.

It went on for 2 weeks and more.

Each enthusiastic resident announced his demand for the various size of bottles and quantities for each.

More than 60 such messages populated the SP What’s App group within a few minutes.

And unable to keep a tally the gentleman created a chain order sheet where people appended their names & requirement to the sheet.

And very soon we were flooded with dozens of sheets and conversations around them.

And some names got mysteriously drooped off causing more follow-ups and explanations and confirmations.

And a few folks wished to modify their order and so on.

And it went on and on until a series of final deadlines ended at last.

And when things appeared to have settled down, the bottle volume specs from the vendor changed and the barrage of messages restarted with renewed enthusiasm & vigor again.

And then the delivery got delayed – so we had daily updates on shipment tracking & when it would arrive.

And the suspense continued each day until the consignment finally arrived!

And that led to another barrage of messages for collection and payment.

I am sure we must have set a record for WhatsApp chain messages.

And once the SP residents got a hang of how to do ‘sourcing for crowd’ (reverse of crowd sourcing)

And they experienced the excitement and the adrenaline rush that such chain message provided,

They got addicted!!

And they took up  this ‘sourcing for crowd’ initiative with passion.

Frost came the Mango group and messages stared flowing here.

And then they added watermelons, musk melons and avocados and Jackfruit!!

Then Thai guavas and Alfonzo mangoes.

Then pastrys and sourdough bread and cheese

And organic fruits and vegetables chugged on simultaneously.

Then fresh farm grapes in 2 Kg and 3 Kg packs

And Daily Fresh and Big Basket followed.

And All this while long chains of complaints of missed delivery and wrong deliveries of milk and essentials  maintained its momentum each morning.

And one good Samaritan started Palladian Medicine DLRY group and that built up another lengthy chain with people updating their orders on Survey Monkey and then announcing their successful google pay transactions as well.

And to provide some great background music to these exciting events, our   Palladian Music Club group went on air with some brilliant on-line performances. 

And more entertainment followed with well edited dance performances and people brewing awesome drinks!

So these are exciting times in Covid times!

And just now (11.25 AM) I got a msg announcing that mangoes and guava vehicle has come!

Need I say more??

And I have switched off my WhatsApp notification.

So no more ‘tings’

And now the messages flood in quietly!!

  

Krish..

Hard Times! Covid Times!!

I decided not to write and publish my blog for a few weeks.

I completely understand and appreciate the information overload all of us are going thru, in these tough times.

Covid and related subjects have monopolized conversation and we have tons of mails & messages filling our Phones & In-Box.

There is so much content that is hitting us each minute that by the time you go thru them , the day is over and you are left exhausted.

Covid has locked us all down. And chained us to Whats App !!

For me personally, it is not a big deal.

I have been retired and grounded for 5 years now.      

And the routine has remained the same for me.

The usual morning chores that includes washing clothes and hanging them out to dry in our balcony, 

Helping my dad with his morning routine,

And a quick aarati to the lord and the many God idols and pictures that adorn our puja room and the main hall.

Potting around in my small garden space and my evening walks also remains unchanged.

And the usual early dinner

And the news @ 9 

And watching one or two episodes of Amazon Prime serials also are unhindered.

But something did change!

And it is  upsetting me in a big way.

And it continues to irritate and bug me since India discovered Covid sometime in end Feb this year.

It initially started as a slow steam and rapidly evolved into a massive deluge .

And every time I manage to survive one onslaught and come up for air, I quickly get sucked up & drowned by another huge ‘tornado’ that pulls me down into its vortex.

And I am losing my patience and not sure how many more days can I survive before I do something very drastic ….

Like smashing my phone or drowning it in the water fountain in front of my balcony. 

Maybe you have guessed what is trying to smother me .

It’s the What’s App messages!!!

Everyday morning when I switch on my phone I get greeted by a series of ‘tings’ that can last many seconds.

And I get 100 plus What’s App messages within the first few minutes.

And I am sure you are not surprised by it. Some of you may be getting more too.

We have all got 100 ++ msgs in the past – be it for birthday wishes / Diwali, Christmas & New Year greetings

And when a bright kid  in our  colony tops an exam

And when one of the residents wins a prestigious award.

And when someone gets his PHd.

And when someone does a wonderful service to our community Eg. On one GAIL initiative I counted 67 ‘thank you’ messages before I gave up updating my tally!

And of course the numerous moticons – happy faces, clapping hands, flowers & bouquets, Namastes, Smileys in dark shades and so on.

And I am OK with a single birthday wish triggering a long train of 50+ wishes in various formats.

These are easy to read and quick to delete rapidly.

But when you get 100+ messages each day continuously for 75 days and you have nothing else to do @ home but to read them, then you can lose your mental balance or trip a mental fuse.

Plus each message looks so  important – with captions like ‘Must Read’ & Important & Did you Know  & ‘this will change your life’ & Covid 19 and so on.

And at these times of suspense and crisis, you do not want to miss an important news or advice or a warning .

And you end up opening each and every attachment, every video, listen to every audio  and go thru those long messages and thesis written by Doctors, spiritual leaders and home grown Covid specialists!!

And a small sample of what I get each day is …

15 video forwards. One or two fresh ones. Rest of them - old and repeats. forwarded in duplicates/ triplicates and more.

10 odd jokes. 6 puzzles.

7 songs from vintage / nostalgic Era

6 cartoons

5 news clips on Covid (WION’s Gravitas is a high scorer)

2 msgs from MC with attachments from MHA & BBMP

3 expert comments from Covid specialists’ doctors.

4 great ways to cure Covid thru aurvedic / home made concoctions.

2 videos on fitness @ home. 3 more home videos on what all crazy things one can do at home.

10 repeat videos on how to wear your mask properly.

7 Bollywood stars telling you to be safe and stay at home.

25 great places that you have not heard before

4 updates on Kim Jong Un’s whereabouts

3 vidoes on missing Wuhan doctors

2 Old Ted Talks

A few digital tours of old temples

A dozen jokes and wise cracks on Wife and Husbands and good old whiskey.

4 repeats on 4 groups – the complete collection of TinTin comics.

2 Sadguru lectures, 3 Sri Sri talk and 3 Gopal Das Gaur Gyan on happiness.  

And to top it all, an English quiz by Shashi Tharoor !!

11 good morning messages with butterflies, white swans, blue skies and some GIFs with profound messages like ‘Be happy that you are alive’ and so on.

An odd tutorial on basics of COvID vs SARS.

And topping  all this are a constant stream of  some great original content churned out throughout the day by the considerate folks of Sobha Palladian.

Here is one very small & unemotional example..

It starts with a simple announcement.

‘the fruit vendor will come between 4 and 6 PM today’

And that triggers an avalanche of messages..

Is it safe for him to come inside?

Yes, have instructed him to wear a mask.

How do we pay?

Google pay / PayTM

Can I pay cash?

No.

I am not sure.

I do not have Google Pay

Then use PayTM

Way can’t he take cash???

No reply

He is wearing a mask.

He should take cash if you have the exact amount.

I have bought the fruits – very good quality.

Are they organic?

Where is the fruit vendor? exit gate ??

Between Blocks 2 and 3.

Thanks  + namaste and a few emoticons.

  

And while such conversation continues endlessly, I suddenly see an odd one

Is ACT down?

Yes.

Do you have Airtel BB number?

And

There is a continuous rumbling in Block 2 terrace. Is the pump defective?

Same noise in Block 1 as well.

3^rd  Block lift 2 not working!

Inform security

Call Satish

A picture of poop on green grass

Not done!

Responsible pet parent, pl pickup this dog poop.

Not dog poop. It is cat poop

How can you distinguish?

Followed by war of words on why folks should sign the indemnity clause for allowing maids & drivers.

And followed by 3 sample declarations from other societies

And a trail of discussions on which we must adopt.

And the MC keeps its silence through out this conversation.

And on and on.

And I read a few, skip a few, watch a few videos half way.

Then I lose my patience and go about on a merciless mission and   clear chat on all my 12 odd groups.

And I sit back happy after having accomplished something substantial & wonderful.

But happiness is short lived, folks.

“Its Transient’ said a wise one.

A few more tings and I am back to square one !

Krish..

Lets Go Gardening – Season 1

10 days back, when all schools announced closure for an extended summer vacation, Minu and I  thought of a starting a children engagement initiative.

But with the COVID-19 getting severe and social distancing norms, we had to quickly abandon this idea.

So I thought of initiating the children into the wonderful world of gardening.

And there are a lot of garden enthusiast here in SP, including Minu who has a wonderful variety of plants and an awesome collection of Terrariums. 

Here is a day by day account of Season-1 of Lets Go Gardening .

And as we go along I look forward to getting advice and support from all our garden enthusiasts. I am sure there is a lot we can teach these children !

Day 2

I have planted a few seeds and put them up in the Lobby of Block 2. Pix above.

Pl encourage yr children to chk them out and monitor their growth. Some will sprout in 3 day’s time and some might take more than 3 weeks.

Ask yr child to keep a log and document the progress of each seed set.

Days for the roots to grow/ days for the first green shoot / days for the plant to get 1 inch / 2 inch & 3 inches.

Today is Day 2.  And Gyan for the day : Show yr kid all the seeds I have planted . Let them feel and smell. Then take a pinch of Methi or black eyed beans (lobia) seeds and put them in an glass of water. The seeds that sink to the bottom are the good ones and they will germinate!!

Day 3

Dear Children,

Its Day 3 and the Methi ,Til ( Sesame) and Green Moong have woken up !!

CHk out the tiny roots poking out of the soil !!

Others are still asleep.

And do you like hot delicious Methi Paratha??

Then you can make them yourself too.

But first you must grow your own Methi!

And that is very very simple and easy!! Follow this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtvh3tiOWg0

Do not worry too much about the potting mix.  Any combination of Soil, Coco Peat and organic compost should be OK.

And once your harvest your methi, your mon/ dad can help you with the rest.

And would you share a small piece of your Methi Paratha with me too ??

DAY 4

Dear Children,

Check out the action happening in this small corner of Palladian!!

And hope you are keeping a log on the progress of these ??

Let’s try out sprouts!

Sprouts contain a significant number of vitamins and nutrients not present in the un-sprouted form. Typically, a week after germination, the sprouts will have the highest concentration and bio availability of nutrients. Seeds contain a packed storehouse of all the important nutrients that a plant will need to grow in its initial days, so those tiny caps are filled with important organic compounds, vitamins, and minerals that our body can also utilize.

Take half cup each  of Green Moong & Horse Gram – Pix 1 (below)

Mix well/put in water and clean them and remove the floating seeds.

Put in a clean container and add 3 cup-full of water. Pix 3

Seal the top with a thin wrap. Pix 4

Perforate the top for good  ventilation.

Store the container in one corner of your kitchen/or on top of your fridge.

And let’s note its daily progress??

Day 5

Dear Children,

Chk out the action !  Lobia (Black eyed beans) has sprinted ahead closely followed by Methi.

One peanut seed is also waking up slowly.

And have you seen marigold seeds ??

Pick a few dried marigold flowers. Split the side and shell out the thin black & white seeds !!

See Below.

Day 6

Chk it out !!

The seedlings are ready for repotting.

Pl go ahead and pick up a few small plants and repot them.

A word about the potting medium…

Cocopeat : available in dry brick form in all nursery/Amazon. You need to soak a small piece  in water and watch it break down into fibrous fluffy powder.

Soil : Just dig up the soil from  outside. Or you can buy red soil from Lal Bagh/any nursery.

Compost : buy organic vermi-compost from Lalbagh / Amazon / any nursery.

Perlite : Not mandatory but good to add. Perlite is an amorphous volcanic glass that has a relatively high water content. It keeps the soil moist. Available in Amazon.

Potting soil = 1 part cocopeat + 1 part soil + 1 part vermicompost + half part perlte (optional)

Use a 6 in or 8 inch pot and repot these small seedlings!

Happy Gardening!!

Day 7

Dear Children,

Lets take a break in Gardening today.

Lets learn Japanese !!!

Here is how each English Alphabet reads in Japanese.

A= ka,  B= tu,  C= mi,   D= te,    E= ku,    F= lu,    G= ji,  H= ri,  I= ki,  J= zu,  K= me,   L= ta,  M= rin,   N= to,   O= mo,   P= no,   Q= ke,   R= shi,   S= ari,  T= chi,  U= do,   V= ru,   W= mei,   X= na   Y= fu,   Z= zi.

Write your name in Japanese!!!

So, my name in Japanese sounds like …

Krishnan = Meshiki Ariri Tokato !!

Day 8

Dear Children,

The seedlings have grown real big.

Even the peanuts have poked their heads out of the soil !

Except Ajwain & Jeera. They take a long time .

You can take these plants home and repot them in bigger pots now.

I have harvested  200 grams of Lobia in my home earlier.

And peanuts can also be harvested if you plant them in a large pot.

And now we come to the end of Season 1 of  ‘Lets Go Gardening !!’

So we have learnt the foll…..

How to grow seedlings

How to grow Methi

How to make sprouts

And how to mix potting soil.

And a bonus.

How to pronounce our names in Japanese !!!

And before we start Season 2 of Lets Go Gardening, can all of you try out all that we learnt so far  in your homes ?? and publish the progress as we go along ??

And once again, pl take these plants.

End of Season 1, Lets Go Gardening !!

And stay tuned for Season 2 !!

Krish..

Weekends – Now & Then

A nostalgic time travel into my past days..

When I casually ask some folks in Sobha Palladian – 'what is the plan for the week end?', most times I get an indifferent shrug: ‘nothing planned’  and/or a variation of ‘visiting my parents/ in-laws place, School PTA meeting, a variety of classes for the kids, 'catching up on mails and work’ or just plain laze. Sadly we do not have any more 5-day test matches spilling over the weekends.

And I know that a few folks  from the august college of wise men and women would be would be busy discussing Palladian MC affairs seriously.

A four-day weekend would be received with a lot more enthusiasm & excitement. It meant a long drive and a short 2-night 3-day vacation!  And unless your child was appearing for the boards and they were few months away, every holiday on a Tuesday or Thursday meant  a long enjoyable 4 day weekend.

In my times, in1980s, I never had that luxury.

For 2 reasons.  My grandparents lived with us and we took care of them.
And for my second hand car, a long drive meant 4 hrs, 40 kms max!

I had bought a 1956 model second hand Fiat 1100. A pale blue colored beauty with a petite bumsy.  The dicky (boot) was small with well rounded edges somewhat like VW Beetle. The front doors opened from dashboard side and it housed a powerful 1100cc engine. If a driver heard her approach from behind he would often mistake her for a large vehicle or a truck, and give  a huge clearance and I would happily zip past. 
And that was the only good part about her.

Edging 30 yrs, the old lady was a challenge to drive. Many times, she would give up right in front of a traffic light crossing.  Orey Shandi pannum (obstinate Donkey).  
Jayanthi can recall the number of painful times she and the helpful traffic signal cops had to push her to the road side. I have had her side gear handle dislocate and come out in my left hand. (Older cars had gear shift handles attached under the steering wheel unlike the present-day floor shift gears). And once the front wheel just rolled off while turning into a Greater Kailash (New Delhi) lane (no kidding).

Weekend meant fixing my car – cleaning upholstery, cleaning the oil-based air filters, cleaning petrol and air jet nozzles, sandpaper spark plugs, fill radiator water, measure oil level with a dipstick and top up engine oil, grease the hinges, door locks and all creaking components. And patiently tune the petrol nozzle and   the air jet alternatively to get that perfect 'purring' sound!!  And if i were to open the bonnet of my car today, i will mot even know where is the carburetor

Coming to think of it, after I got my first Maruti 800 in 1989, I have never done any of the above!! 
And after employing  a driver , its been ages since i have opened the bonnet of my car and peered inside!!

Weekends in Delhi winter meant India Gate/ Appu Ghar and Pragati Maidaan. Play frisbee and eat gaajar, mooli and moogfali, revdi & gazak on the India Gate lawns, ride Columbus & Cindrella at Appughar and browse thru hundreds of Russian and Chinese books at the Pragati Maidan halls during book exhibitions.

Weekends in Bangalore also meant browsing books at the frequently held book fairs at Airlines hotel, & Institution of Engineers hall.

Feeding the young fawns in Lalbagh with cucumber and carrots, a movie at Galaxy or Rex, drive by Kids Kemp at the corner of MG Road near Trinity Circle, for a mandatory handshake with Mickey & Goofy!!

Also a visit to  the VIdhana Soudha lawns, eat Bhutta & Chaat sitting on the steps of the great building and on the way back, a stop at Kanti Sweets on the Brigade road (ext.) for a rasmalai!!

Weekend also meant the idiot box.

TV viewing was the 'in' thing and a fashion statement.  And our TV occupied the prime spot in our living room. A huge box draped with a fancy/embroidered cloth and a flower vase on top.

Doordarshan monopolized the Indian small screen. 
Chitrahaar (Friday evenings prime time) &  Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan literally trapped 100s of millions of eyeballs.

Ramayana & Mahabharat brought the entire country to a grinding halt every Sunday morning and ran a massive 180 episodes combined – that is three years+++!

Weekends in Vellore (during our summer vacation) was another story. You need to sit in a time machine and rewind back 53 years!

A non-negotiable oil bath (enna thadavi kullipattal) early morning left you sticky and irritable throughout the day. And with our strict Thatha (granddad) at home & terrorizing us, Sundays were dull and uneventful.  Only consolation was Patti making payasam and something special for thatha which was generously doled out to us as well. 

Compare my Thaha with today’s benign ever indulging grand dads who endure each & every paduthal (trouble/mischief) with a loving smile, I must admit that  today’s kids are thrice blessed!!

Weekends also meant mandatory temple (kovil) visit and special pooja/archanai (a desperate attempt to beat in some goodness & brains into our heads) .

Sometimes mom would decide to go shopping.

It was a big affair and meant a full day expedition.

Marimuthu’s maatu vandi (bullock cart) would come early morning. The floor of the Koondu Vandi (closed tnatched roof cart) would be set with a thick bed of yellow straw covered with a koni (gunny bag). All of us had to squat on it, sweat away as the slow ambling Bhima, the sad and mal-nourished bull took ages to reach Ramanathan Iyer street – the ‘gold souk’ in Vellore. 

While mom shopped, we got treated to Paal-katti ice (a frozen bar of sweetened milk) and Kannan’s orange goli soda, a unique soda bottle that was sealed by a black glass marble at the top. The latter was submerged in  water held in wide wooden vats to keep it cool.

On the way back, a routine stop at Indra café (the swankiest restaurant then) for  plate of hot badam halva and a glass of rose milk.

A wonderful week end all in all – and so much different for today’s mall hopping  and screaming games parlor !!

Krish..

Sundappalayam !!

Sundappalayam.. That is my native village, where my forefathers lived for many generations.

If my great grandfather, Varadarajan  Krishnan (I inherited his name and nothing else) had not squandered all his wealth and family fortunes,

and if my grandfather had not migrated to 'Patnam' (Madras / Chennai) to make a new beginning,

and if they had continued to live & prosper in Sundapalayam,

Then I would  not be wearing these Nikes, the Levis and the Polo sweat shirt.

Instead, I would be wearing a spotless white veshti (dhoti) and a  dazzling white half-shirt (tailored out of  'MLA - White' Coimbatore cotton cloth)  and a white towel neatly folded and draped on my left  shoulder!
And I would be proudly surveying my acres of lush green paddy fields , my large banana plantation, my summer flowering mango grove and the vast stretches of coconut trees !!

And I might also be wearing a thick gold chain with a tiger claw pendant and a wide military green money belt with pouches to hold my thick wad of currency notes and of course, my cellphone.!

Now can you picture me in Sundappalayam?  – a medium sized south Indian village (now graduated to a small town) , with fertile land , thick flowing stream and good underground water, and a small  hill to give it a scenic beauty . 

Sundappalayam falls on the highway road connecting Coimbatore and Palakkad ! And that is why our home cooking style is so very different from the normal Madras and Tanjavur cusine !!

And if you drive down from Coimbatore to Isha Yoga Center situated at the foothills of Vellangiri, you will pass by my little town,

Ten years back we drove down to Sundappalayam after locating the place on the Google map , and inquiring the general directions from one of my channel business partners .
A 45 minute ride ; on a good well tarred road ; on a bright sunny morning ; passing by long tracts of well irrigated paddy fields; lined with coconut trees ; and the steady hum of water pump sets .

And then we pass by a bright yellow signage declaring the arrival of Sundapalayam !!

Slowing down we arrive under the generous shade of a huge banyan tree - a row of tempo trucks , a few farmers negotiating fares, some daily wage laborers loitering lazily, and some idle folks flocking near the two small shops selling Chai, Bananas, Cigarettes and vadas & chips.

We hear the boom of the  temple bell and we quickly rush to  our family temple of Sri Varadaraja Perumal (my dad is named after this deity) and attend the morning sevai (aarti), before the temple closes for the Lord’s afternoon nap ! 

A huge imposing 200 year old temple majestically  and bravely trying to retain its long lost spender , resolutely fighting the erosion and wear & tear due to neglect &  lack of proper maintenance. 

None the less, the Lord’s shrine is beautiful ! So calm , so peaceful, a well decorated Idol and a wonderful & serene atmosphere inside the hugeopen hall.

The priest ( Vaadiyaar ) is middle aged , well built wearing a traditional veshti and the trademark Iyengar naamam on his forehead , a pair of glittering diamond ear studs , a thick gold chain , and a strong resonating voice. 

He conducts aarti in a very pious and professional manner chanting mantras in a clear effortless and unhurried manner. His right hand holds the brass plate with bring camphor with  which he he first points out the various features of the idol and then circles the lords idol four times. And all this while his left hand is ringing the big bronze temple bell with a big handle.

And  then he offers us the traditional camphor & tulsi scented  water , shadari ( blessings ) and flowers .
For some reason I am compelled to make a handsome donation to this temple and pocket the receipt . 

Then we go around inspecting all the smaller shrines all around the temple complex identifying the various deities and taking pictures of everything that I can focus my lens on . 

For another half hour we soak in the temple atmosphere and reluctantly leave the temple

 
And then we make a couple of half-hearted attempts  to trace our roots , some family link ? – but of course , we have not done our homework seriously and very soon we draw a blank .

And we return back to our hotel rooms – somewhat satisfied and somewhat confused about what we really achieved ?

We had started off on a full load of enthusiasm & excitement and adrenaline .
And we had returned back with a sense of déjà vu !!

And now we regularly visit this temple every once in a few years.

And the feeling remains exactly the same!!

Krish..