Each day is more rewarding

As each day in India passes, I feel that I am being rewarded even more. The rain has been hitting Chennai and the friends are thanking Annikki and me for bringing them the relief. The dry spell of over a year has gone and the parched earth is soaking up the rain. Road traffic has been disrupted, but it still continues to flow.

In the morning I decided to visit Vishnu and Veena as I had a great desire to meet his parents before I left. It was a visit well worth making as I have great respect for Vishnu's father who was, like my other very good friend, my uncle, Kuriyan Matthan, a meticulous personality with similar traits. Vishnu's mother was still the same as when I last saw her. Vishnu's uncle, whom we refer to as "Tablet's uncle" was also there and also very much the same as when I had seen him last. Time has stood still and they have retained their youthfulness.

I was able to speak with Vishnu's brother, Gishnu, and also meet Vishnu's sister's son.

Many people do not realise that lesson's are learned from all around you. I have learned much from this family, and although they look at me with great respect, I think it is I that owe them a debt hat I can never repay.

I returned back having been fed Veena's rasam that is my ether of life.

Annikki was ready and I thought we would go to have a buffet at one of the good hotel's in Mumbai. I chose Chola, which is an ITC hotel.

The spread was stupendous and all of us did it justice, especially Mika, who ate two helpings of everything he liked and could lay his hands on. The cost was also high compared to what we have been paying, but by Finnish standards, it was still very very low for wahat we ate!

After dropping Mika back at the room, Annikki and I went to City Centre as she wanted to buy some books. Sunday afternoon, and I understood well that there is no recession in India among the middle class. The shopping mall was packed to the brim that we could not get a parking place. The mall was thronging with people of every shape and size, all dressed well and with money in their pockets. I sat near the doorway and waited till Annikki finished her shopping. She had gone to the bookstall to find a book about butterflies and found two, but one was too enormous to carry back to Finland.

A short rest and it was time to visit my dear friend Isaac Sundarajan and his wife Nalla. Nalla is doing what her heart wants her to do, rehabilitating destitute women. She has chosen a place far from the city centre and is building the infrastructure to execute her work. She is finding progress slow, but I did not see a dampening in her enthusiasm to do what is God's mission for her.

Isaac is jet-setting in his new job as Vice President of a wing of LnT. The two LnT guys in Oulu come under him as also all the guys who were my good friends in Oulu and now back in Mumbai. Isaac has promised that he would soon be back in Oulu and we certainly are looking forward to have him with us again in our midst there, even if it is only for a few days.

Nalla said a wonderful and moving prayer before we left. We could see the spirit of God in her life and I silently prayed that her mission would be successful.

It was along journey to our next port of call.

Abraham Tharakan is 9 years my senior, studied in St. Joseph's College in Bangalore in the early 1950s, stayed in the hostel across from my Lalbagh Road home , and was probably the greatest influence on my life. He told me that we had met once in 1975. I do not fully recall that meeting. In my mind I was meeting him for the first time after we parted company in 1954.

Abe is still the same as I knew him then. A character whose tenacity and will are as tough as then and who is still as gentle as a lamb. He is recovering from a heart by-pass surgery.

I felt terrible that I had kept him waiting for so long, but with the rains, all my well laid out plans were running hours behind schedule. I felt especially sorry for his wife, Annie, as our late arrival had meant she was dragged out of bed.

Many thoughts went through my mind when I met Annie and then the two daughters of Abe. I was glad that he had such a happy family around him and I hoped that our friendship which started 57 years ago would continue in the same spirit.

The daughters told me that he had been interviewed by The Hindu about his blogging. I hope he willlink to that piece when it is published.

I was surprised to learn that Abe had been one of the original promoters of Apollo Tyres before Raunaq Singh had taken over the project. When they started looking at the project, the cost had been estimated at Rs. 9 crores, but with the Oil crisis, it had shot up far beyond the financial capacity of the original promoters, leading to the entry of Raunaq.

Apollo Tyres is on the ascendancy again. The company has been buying projects in different countries. MRF, if it wants to be a leading global player, must watch out. It cannot rest on its laurels. MRF needs people with a greater vision about global strategies to survive in the next decade.

Mammikochamma had recommended a Chinese Restaurant in Adayar called Liu Waldorf, so we stopped there for a light repast as we were still full from our lunch. I remembered having been to this restaurant over 35 years ago when it was the haunt of IIT Madras students. The food was excellent and the prices very nominal. Well worth eating at if you visit Chennai.

Back home to ring Joanna and talk to her and for Annikki to spend an hour on the phone talking to grandson Daniel. Maria spoke to Annikki and to Annikki's delight and Joanna's chagrin (I know this is not the exact word I should use here), Maria decided that she should speak in Finnish to her grandma!

We had tried to ring our other granddaughter, Asha, but no one had answered the phone. Hopefully we can speak to her today!

Now another day has ended and a new one started. It is just near half past five in the morning and we leave for Mumbai in the evening. There is till much to be done as I will try to get my Executive Health Checkup completed where I had done it the last time a dozen years ago. Maybe I will learn what I should not be doing what I am, which of course I know. Indulging my food cravings. But as we are on holiday, i certainly will not change my spots till I get back to my strict routine in Oulu.

Our day in Cochin

I had missed posting my blog entru of our day in Cochin on Thursday October 29th.

We had arrived the previous evening, which we spent at the Cochin Guest House of Malayala Manorama and they had served us a great dinner.

I was up early on the 29th and found only the Malayala Manorama newspaper. I asked Dennis to get me an English newspaper. He got me some local business publication. As I thumbed through it I saw a picture. I glanced at the caption and it mentioned an International Standards Organisation Conference being held in Cochin. Stting in the middle of the photo was my very best friend from my days at the National College of Rubber Technology, London, from the mid 1960s.

I had not met Christie Robert since 1966 when we had finished our course.

I rang the hotel where the conference had been held. I was put through to Christie.

My driver arrived earlier than I had asked him.

I rushed off to the hotel and sat over breakfast with Christie. It was so wonderful to meet up with my old friend and his nephew, who incidentally lives in Lund in Sweden, where another best friend from my days at St. Stephen's, Ajay Verma and his family, live.

Rushed back to the Guest House. Mika, Annikki and I went to Thambi and Bina's (Mr. & Mrs. Philip Mathew) place for breakfast.

What a wonderful garden. Overlooking the river, the view is extraordinary, and the garden is simply marvellous. Annikki and I were in raptures over the garden.

Bina served up a wonderful breakfast of everything we just adore and miss in our lives in Finland. They are a wonderful couple. They are unique. With Thambi's two brothers and their wives who make up the great team that drives Malayala Manorama and all its associated publications.

Then it was off to the airport, but on the way we stopped at Kalamesserry, where my cousin Sarasukochmma and her husband, Annikunjuchayan (Mrs. a& Mrs. P. V. Jacob) live. I had last visited this house in 1958 (51 years ago) when it had just been built. I remember it as if it was yesterday and I was surprised to find that Sarasukochamma also recalled that visit.

The whole of that road is in chaos, so they have decided to sell the house and move to Kottayam, where two of their sons now live.

Then on to the airport. We had some time to spare so we decided to rest at the Malayala Manorama Guest House just next to the airport. What a wonderful building, designed by Nina, who is Apu's wife. Apu, is Sarasukochamma's eldest son.

Not only is the design unique and practical, and especially designed so that our uncles, Peelukuttychayan (97) and Mathukuttychayan (93) can use it when they arrive in Kerala. it is just 2 minutes from the airport.

Our flight was at 14:00 hours, so we were taken to the airport at 13:30 to be greeted by a Malayala Manorama representative who rushed us, with no hassle, through the check in formalities and sent us through the Security right into the waiting plane.

What wonderful organisation. Kudos again to my trio of cousins who run the Malayala Manorama in a manner which is exemplary! Wish India was run like this!!!

A great Saturday

Saturday is Annikki’s Sabbath and a day of rest. I located the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Vepery. We found the road filled with churches - but the Seventh Day Adventist one was the only one open on Saturday.

We arrived in the middle of the Tamil Service, so I dropped off Annikki and went to see Moore Market, one of my childhood haunts. Learnt it had burnt down in 1985 (some said it was a controlled arson) and found it filled with bookshops and pet shops.

A most depressing place except that I found an electronic's shop which put a new cover to my ancient Finnish Nokia phone, giving it a new lease of life for just Rs. 40 (€ 0.60)!

The guy was so nice that he took out the original keypad from my dilapidated old case and gave it to m. He told me that the new one would last only a short time after which I should put in the old keypad which would last me another lifetime!!

The rain was not abating and many Madras streets were flooded. The Toyota Inova with its high axle height was getting through whereas all around us auto rickshaws and cars were stalling - mainly because of the backwash into the exhaust.

When I reached the church, the English service was still on. I sat through a one hour sermon. Maybe it had meaning to the others, but to me the preacher was repeating what I have heard from different points of view sitting in the front pew in St. Thomas Cathedral, Bombay in the 50s when I was a choir boy.

I do not like sermons because of those 5 years where every Sunday evening I had sat in the front row listening the priest or the bishop rant on and on as they had to! They were expected to say something and spend 15 to 20 minutes - so they took up some topic just so as to fill that time. In my 5 years I probably heard just two sermons that held some meaning and had a message which I still remember!

Off to pick up Mika and lunch - Chinese again.

Recharged my Indian phone with another Rs. 2002 of airtime! This time they gave it as something known as "Full Talk" which meant I did not lose 10% as tax.

Then it was visit time and we went to see Ammnikochamma and Kunjuchayan (Dr. Mrs. and Mr. E. J. Lukose) as they had not been able to attend the family dinner. Finished the last two family visits of my generation, Senchayan (Sen Philip) and Kunjumonchayan and Ommenakochamma (Mr. & Mrs. Mammen Eapen). In the last we had the opportunity to meet their daughter and their two kids again. Truly wonderful family. Love them all.

Dinner was at a place recommended by our niece - Cedars, a Mediterranean restaurant. It was an unique experience of wonderful food and extraordinary service.

Service in most Indian restaurants of all types has generally been good - but this was outstanding as the waiter was able to really fulfill our needs in every way and lead us through a gastronomic delight. Not heavy but simply marvellous.

One of our top experiences in India and a change from our routine of Indian / Chinese - Indian cuisine.

Back home to hear a long philosophical chat between our 5 year old grandson in Newcastle and Annikki. Listening to his advice to his Grandma had me in splits of laughter. At one point he asked whether Annikki knew their house number in Newcastle so she would not get lost when she went there. When Annikki told him that she thought it was 36, Daniel told her that she was close - he told her it was 27!!! :-)

Dr. Subramanyam was there when we got home wanting to host us to lunch or dinner, before we left, which I sadly had to decline because of our heavy calendar booking for the next two days.

When I told him that his daughter's flute music was as good as his son's and I asked when she would perform, he confided in me that he wanted to be sure that he did not commit the same mistake twice. He had allowed his son, Sashank, to start his performance career at 12 with his first concert in Australia. He had neglected Sashank's general education and although Sashank had provided for the family for the last 21 years with his brilliance, there was always a nagging feeling that he had denied his son the chance of a general education.

He had made up his mind he would not follow the same course with his daughter. So her career as a flautist was second to her "education".

I may not agree with Dr. Subramanyam as the sounds from his daughter's flute are so unique that she is complementary to Sashank. I wish her a glorious career as a flautist. And she has a wonderful natural personality which will be a great asset in her career.

Many of you have written to me about the behaviour of my siblings and their spouses which i had mentioned in my last posting. It is their loss - not mine! Annikki and I were in no way disturbed by their absence at the family gathering - which showed that they did not belong to the family. Thank God!

We are welcomed...

The North East monsoon is here in Madras, a steady and welcome rain. Our driver, Thirumeni, who is store of history at every street corner and at every politicians house, said the Gods had welcomed our visit to Chennai with wonderful rains which had considerably cooled Chennai for our visit. He has a great sense of humour and although my Tamil is virtually non-existent, he speaks in a dialect that my Malayalam makes it easy to follow. He works for a company called Ganesh Travels and as he is not the regular driver for my other family members, does not know the addresses and locations of my numerous relatives in the city. But he is resourceful enough to find out fast!

On Friday morning I devoted myself to meet my two cousins and their husbands who were my guardians when I was studying at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi.

Mammikochamma and and husband, Kuttachayan, (Mrs. and Wing Commander (rtd.) A. G. Mathews) live in the Defence Officers Colony in Nandambakkam.

I first visited the house where Annikki and I had stayed in 1970-1971 in that colony. It was still lush and beautiful but the grass that Annikki had laid in the midday sun was no longer there.

My cousins were as sprightly as ever, even though they are late 70s and mid eighties. Mammikochamma produced her old albums of photographs, so much so that I vowed to return on my next visit with an efficient scanner and to scan her glorious collection. It is a goldmine of history and something to be treasured. Unfortunately, due to damp, many pictures have been damaged.

Their house is magnificent and designed very cleverly to accommodate children and grandchildren when they come. We laughed over many of our past memories together and they remain so dear to me.

On to my other Delhi guardians. This time I did see Chennai traffic in rush hour. With the rain having cut away almost two lanes on the major roads due to water logging, the traffic still moved, albeit slowly. There was no massive tangle we had witnessed in Bangalore.

We reached Ashwathykochamma and Thambichayan’s (Mrs. & Mr. K. M. Jacob) new house on the Thirvanmuyur outskirts of Chennai to be greeted by them and their daughter-in-law, Mich. Ranjeet and Mich are building a house nearby.

We laughed about how when Annikki had insisted on living on the city outskirts when we lived in Madras, we were scolded by everyone about living away from the city. At that time we were no more than 7 minutes from the city centre! Now the same journey takes between 15 to 30 minutes and no one complains!

We relived our wonderful times in Delhi, where my cousins Suresh and Rajen and myself would go and spend wonderful weekends in their home. It was so tiny but there was space for everyone and the food was glorious. Those were the days, but what is important none of us have forgotten the bond that was created during our childhood years.

When I reached home I got the news that Sashank’s father, Dr. Subramanyam, had invited us as his guest to a concert at the Bharat Sangeet Utsav 2009 to be given by Sashank. Could anything be more wonderful than that. Sashank has been invited many times in the last 25 years when he was a child prodigy, to this festival, the best in Carnatic music, but his international tour schedules never gave him the opportunity to take part. And we were given pride of place to be invited by him to witness his poweress.

Lunch at the Kabul where we tasted some authentic Afghani food, and while Annikki rushed to the shopping Mall City Centre to do some financial mischief, I caught up on my email. She was back in time for us to join Sashank and his father to go to the auditorium.

The performance was spell binding. Sashank and his friends were simply outstanding, and the music was electric. I have never been to a concert of Indian Classic Music, but it was worth every minute. The audience cheered as Sashank asked them what they wanted to hear and rendered each item with a gusto and precision that becomes only a maestro. His young years are not a hindrance. Later in the evening when I asked him how he managed to retain the compositions in his brain, he quickly responded that he had performed with ferocious regularity over the last 25 years, the music was imprinted in his brain.

There was no sheet music in front of any of the artists, but they blended so beautifully that I was amazed at the skill of these artists!

We rushed back home to get dressed and go off to our Kanadthil family dinner at the home of Kunjukochamma (Mrs. K. M. Mammen Mappillai) wife of the late K. M. Mappillai, the founder of MRF Ltd. over 70 years ago. He was my mother’s youngest brother and they were so close that much of his strength was derived from the brother-sister relationship. She had held the family together when it went through many of the major crisis which would have split the family.

Mika, Annikki and I were the first to arrive (Finnish style - on time) and only my aunt was there. It was good to renew our association after 10 long years which had seen the demise of my mother and her husband. She is still the wonderful personality she has been since I attended her wedding in the late 1940s when this home had been our family home. Although modernised it was still a home that generated most pleasant me mores of our past. A fitting place for a family reunion.

Almost everyone of the family of my generation and the one after and their children attended. The only major omissions were my siblings and their spouses. They did not have the courage to show their faces as the hypocrisy and their behaviour as criminals would have not have been missed by all those present. They would have to answer just one question “My father died in 1993 and my mother in 2000. Where are their wills and assets?”

The only inheritance that I received was the magnificent zebra cloth hand-stitched art piece that Annikki had made for my mother and which had hung as a centrepiece in her home for all her life in both Bangalore and Madras. It now hangs in our home.

All the assets of my parents as well as the personal possessions Annikki and myself, and my personal assets which we had had left behind in India, had been carved up between my brother, my sister and my nephew in Australia. I cared a damn as these ill-gotten gains would haunt them through eternity!

The evening, thanks to their absence, was something which I can never forget. The love and affection showed by my cousins, their children and grandchildren who attended, was a tribute to my grandfather and grandmother, whose memory lived in all of those of my generation.

From the Oommen family we had three sisters, Accakuttykochamma, Mammikochamma and Ashwathykochamma and many from the generations after. From the Eapen family we had Kunjumonchayan and also many from the generations after. From the Varghese family, no members from my generation but a grand attendance from the generations after. The Philip family was represented by Senchayan. And from the Mammen Mappillai family, besides our hostess, Vinoo and Arunm and late Ravi’s wife, Meera, and many of the subsequent generations including one who will next August become a member of the family, attended. Two Stephanians in the lot. There was no one from the Cherian, Jacob and Mathew families in Chennai to attend.

The dinner was typical Kerala and was catered by one of the leading restaurant groups in Chennai. The food was superb and the atmosphere was so beautiful. And Vinoo (K. M. Mammen who is presently the Chairman and Managing Director of MRF Ltd.), Meera (wife of Ravi, Mrs. Meera Mammen, who looks after the real Human relations of MRF Ltd. staff and workers), and Arun (Arun Mammen, who is the Joint Managing Director of MRF Ltd.), who were the organisers of this event should be proud that, if they want they can bring together the family in a spirit of their grandfather. Although Annikki and I will not be here to partake in such events, as was expressed by Vinoo’s wife, Ambika, they need such events where family can be family.

I remember my family home in Mumbai and Bangalore, and finally in Chennai, was the meeting point of many generations, spurred by my mother. I hoped that a lesson was learned and understood that without family unity, no one would have been where they are today.

Sad news follows me now

As I am blogging all my blogs here, I must share with Cathedralites the sad email I received this morning from 54er Gracie Hayeem.

Dear Jacob,

Three of our Cathedralite Family have passed away, very recently.

Ruby Hayeem in August, In Montreal Canada. Our cousin's Hayeems of fifteen children all went to Cathedral School!!

Freddy Sopher in October in London. Solomon Sopher and David Sopher's Eldest Brother,. He was a vibrant member of jewish and Indian Life.


The latest tragedy in November 3rd. Meyer Hillel, sister of June Hillel.She was a spiritual Leader in Israel.

All very sad news. Just for your Information for the Cathedral Family .

Hope all is well by you and Annikki. Soon you will be celebrating on Founders Day. I have heard Brother Ellis will be attending.

Many good wishes as always.

Gracie.

My deepest condolences go out to all the bereaved families. Our prayers are with you.

Bit rushed this moning

I came down as usual to do my blog at 5 am, but Sashank had unfortunately closed the door of the apartment, so I could not get in. He was awake and playing his flute. So I sat outside and listened to him. Glorious.

Then the rain came down and the power went off - so I went back and lay down till the power came on again -8 am!

This reminded me of some of the issues of why I had not been happy to live in India - no, not the rain, but the constant power breakdowns, was one of them.

Yesterday was a day to meet old friends - and the first is one of the most quiet yet powerful men in India. Ratnam was a trusted member of the MRF team till his retirement 3 years ago. He uses his power wisely and never to harm anyone. He keeps to himself and never interferes with anyone. We sat and chatted for two hours and he insisted that I have breakfast with him and his son. I met his 12 year old granddaughter and his daughter-in-law. Ratnam told me that unlike others, he was able to open up and share his thoughts with me - I felt so wonderful to have a friend like him, a friendship which has stood the test of time.

I picked up Annikki and Mika and we went to the beach - Anniki's greatest pleasure. We walked to the sea front where the heavy waves were pounding the seashore and a few guys were braving the onslaught.

We enjoyed the walk in the hot sun, while Mika parked himself on the beach sand till we returned.

Then it was time for a Chettinad lunch at a restaurant called Anjappar - and this was new to Annikki. Both she and Mika enjoyed the Biriyani with the Chettinad curry, while I had a great thali meal. We also enjoyed the typical Chettinad fish fry!

Annikki did some shopping and all of us were exhausted. A rest, and then I was off to see my cousins Mrs. & Mr. E. J. Lukose (Amnikochamma and Kunjuchayan) and Mrs. K. G. Kuruvilla (Accakuttykochamma. Moments shared that I cannot forget with two of my elder #sisters".

Back to pick up Annikki and Mika for another dinner - and it was just too much that Annikki and I could hardly finish what was on our plates. Mika downed his fried rice and fish curry with great relish.

I have not changed my mind about Bangalore and Chennai. But Chennai residents have warned me that the tide may turn and they too may be sucked into this global expansion which is nothing but chaos. I sincerely hope not.

As we came home we could hear the flute and we hoped that these values would remain.

Chennai a sensible city so far

Our first day in Chennai was hectic, but things can happen here.

Not only did I visit many old friends and have lunch with our son at New Woodlands, but in the evening we could with our very dear friends Vishnu and Veena and their elder son, Swaroopya, at the Madras Gymkhana.

The North East Monsoon showed a bit of its fury yesterday. still remember the school text books in Finland which called the North East Monsoon as a "dry wind".

In Chennai you are able to plan a day with plus or minus 15 minutes, keep your appointments. The roads and road traffic are organised.

Annikki was slightly unwell with the travelling, etc., and especially the air conditioning in the cars. But she was able to join us for dinner last night

Established telephonic contact with many friends and relatives and it seems that in the 5 days we have here we will meet all of them. We are not accepting any dinner and lunch engagements except group ones, as that is the only way to save time. But visits to all elders planned and they will be executed.

Mika is in his element and really enjoying his trip. He is getting to remember much of his early life in India. Loves the veg food but loves his non veg stuff to.

Heavenly flute music was floating through the house when we got in around midnight last night. Sashan was playing in the main house. We did not disturb him but went up and enjoyed the divine sound.

Apologies to many Bangaloreans

Annikki and I would like to express our very sincere apologies to the many Bangaloreans, relatives and friends that we were unable to meet. The reason is very simple. Time and Bangalore traffic.

In all sincerity we did not know the chaotic situation that exists in Bangalore, both in terms of the volume of traffic and the lack of the rule of law and road sense.

Trips that should have taken a few minutes took hours because of the volume of traffic, the total lack of planning in the way road directions are organised and the sheer stupidity of the expansion of Bangalore.

Our driver, Prem, a local person, is an excellent driver and a man with a great deal of initiative. He knew all the back streets that one needed to know. He knew all the major congestion points and the time to get through them.

But all that was not much use when a hand or bullock cart drawn vehicle appeared in a tight situation. Each driver was pushing the nose of his vehicle forward to gain an inch and a strategic position to push the next inch forward.

Before our trip to Mysore, Prem made a lost of things we would come across on the highway: - overloaded bullock carts in the fast lane of the highway, cows and sheep strolling along, all slow vehicles occupying the fast lane, vehicles travelling in the wrong direction, people stepping out suddenly from the divider from amongst bushes, and many many more. The worst incident was when a tractor with three young boys travelling on open road cut into the fast lane just in front of us as we were about to overtake. Only the skill of Prem averted a major mishap.

So saying, being a meticulous planner and a stickler for keeping time, Annikki and I landed up almost an hour late to meet the Patni boys who had called us to a wonderful hotel in Electronic City. I felt embarrassed and ashamed of my lateness.

It was just impossible to even try to meet all our friends and relatives. I set up a hierarchy system and only manged to achieve 10% of my goal. Some important things could not be put off - the visit to Maddur to meet the person who saved our son's life, Dussera lights and meeting Cathedralites 49er Naval and 54er Armaity, the Matthan lunch (where met almost 15 of our senior relatives in one go, visits to my older cousins on my mother's side, the visit to the cemetery to locate and see the graves of my parents, the visit to my alma mater (Bishop Cotton's) for the 5th General K. S. Thimayya lecture.

In all this we were only able to meet just two old friends in Bangalore, and on one occasion we were 3 hours late for a lunch appointment. In that case a Government bus took the rear end of our vehicle!

Annikki and I ask your forgiveness. The intentions were there but it was a physical impossibility. We did speak to many - but the situation lay outside of my capability.

Why chaos?

We arrived in Chennai at around half past seven last night. After Mumbai, Cochin, Kottayam and Bangalore, we expected another dose of chaos, dirty streets, unruly traffic.

What a surprise! Chennai is not in a state of chaos. There is heavy traffic, but it is orderly and moves fast. The streets are not paved with rubbish. There is no organized chaos.

More on this later.

Our last day in Bangalore was important for both Annikki and me. I left for the cemetery at 8:45 am and met Mr. James, who is in charge. I asked for details about my parents graves. He quickly found my father’s site from his date of death. He then found a grave listed for my mother at a different site.

Mr. James came with me to my father’s grave. To his surprise he found that my mother was buried alongside her husband. My brother and sister had been ostentatious, occupying three plots instead of just one or two. Why? It showed up their power and greed. My parents would never have done this. I felt sad.

I went back to the hotel and Annikki, Mika and I came back to the cemetery to pay our respects to our loved ones. Both of us were emotionally overcome.

I saw another elderly gentleman tending another grave nearby. He came to speak to us. I asked him which church he belonged to. The answer came as a surprise as it was the same one Annikki belongs to. He was tending the grave of his dear departed wife of 7 years.

We decided on an early lunch and I chose Parade Cafe. I had been at its opening in the early 50s. It had belonged to a cousin of my mother, Mr. P. O. Koshy. The opening had been historic as all the waiters had worn white gloves andthe floor had been constantly wiped clean by a team of cleaners. The food had been spectacular.

The restaurant we went into seemed dark and dingy. But that was an illusion as wed had come in from bright sunshine. It was not the spotless cleanliness personified interior of Mr. P. O. Koshy, but it was clean and neat. We chose a table near the back. When the waiter came, I asked who now owned the place. He pointed to the table just behind me and there I saw a gentleman who was a miniature replica of his father. Prem came over and was really overjoyed to hear who we were. He briefed us on his father, who had passed away, and offered us any dish as a blast from the past. We chose the mutton fry.

We ordered the rest of the food from the menu, and even before the meal was served Perm's brother, Santosh, was at our table side. He too was genuinely happy to share a few moments with us. His wife had worked with my father.

The food was excellent and the service, by a waiter called Anand, was really something to write home about. Mika downed an entire tandoori chicken and two nans. Both Annikki and I enjoyed the mutton fry, a chicken dish and the keema nan. I ordered the Koshy Special Ice-cream Nut Fudge with chocolate sauce, so much so even Mika was tempted and had one.

I went to say farewell to Santosh in his office and was surprised to learn that our waiter had worked 28 years, the same amount of time as Santosh, in this restaurant.

Thank you Prem and Santosh for keeping the food and service at the same quality as your grandfather, and then your father.

We went back and rested at the hotel and then left early for the airport. Even though it was not rush hour, driving on the streets and highways of Bangalore is nothing less than sheer bravado. Nobody follows the rules.

Prem, our driver was extraordinary to take us through the week safely. This young boy has great intelligence and will go far. He has become a good driver and whatever he does, he will do it well.

Thank you, Prem.

The Chennai flight was just 35 minutes and we passed through turbulence. We arrived and found a well organized but considerably smaller airport than Bangalore. It was a modernized old airport, but it functioned well. The roads out were a bit more complex than in the earlier days, but it was a well planned system. The traffic, heavy as it was, moved smoothly and fast. There was not the mad jostling as in Bangalore.

Annikki and I both noticed that the streets were clean, the Police were right on the spot with the right equipment to ensure that the traffic was not bottling up, and all the new road constructions made sense.

I analysed that the mad growth in Bangalore was the result of greed. That greed had spawned the chaos. The big companies were least concerned with the clvic sense of their city as they played the game only to better their own bottom line. It was obvious that in Bangalore the system was ruled by corruption, a corruption spurred on by the greed of the huge IT companies. There was absolutely no need for the chaos as it was. It suited these IT companies to generate chaos as it meant the heat would not be on them but on the Government and civic bodies. But, anyone with an iota of common sense would understand that it was the large IT companies which were behind this situation.

I have vowed never to visit Bangalore again as it is not a city worth visiting or doing business in. I value quality of life and that element is missing from Bangalore.

We arrived at our destination in Chennai and we were so pleased to meet the house owner and his family and even more surprised at the place of stay. It is a house of antiques! We met the French Consul and then met the son of the owner, who is the famous India flautist, Shashank Subramanyam. This young 31 year old is a leading classical flautist of India. Born in Rudrapatna in the Hassan district of Karnataka, India to Subramanyam, he was trained by his father and by the singers R. K. Srikantan, Palghat K. V. Narayanaswami, Sandyavandanam Srinivasa Rao and Pandit Jasraj. Shashank is married to Shirisha, a Bharatanatyam dancer, whom we also had the pleasure of meeting.

A soon as we put down our luggage we rushed off to get our essentials for our stay and we were surprised to find the nearby Spencer’s Department store open at past 9 pm.

We went to dinner at China Town, an experience not worth repeating. The food was good but the service was atrocius and imbecilic!

I set up my Mac and Shashank organized his wireless broadband connection so that I could do my blogging early morning. It is now 4:20 am and I have finished my update. Hopefully, in the next couple of days I will catch up on the missing entries.

Renewing old associations

Monday morning found me meeting an old school friend from Mumbai and his wife at the Bangalore Club followed by a trip to his factory at the Tamilnadu / Karnataka border near Hosur. He was inaugurating a new wing of his factory to undertake plating. A Rs. 12 crore outlay is a major expansion of his ÅPW President Systems Ltd which is the major supplier of the modular shells for all the major telecommunication and computer companies. Theey have a series of interesting product lines and several more in the pipeline.

The Managing Director of APW President Systems Ltd., Ooky (Elijah Elias) and I were together in Cathedral and John Connon School. His family and mine have a long and close association over the last 52 years. His guided tour of his factory premises was a treat as he runs is company as a tight ship. Rivca, his wife, is a lovely person and has stayed with my parents in Bangalore many years ago.

Everyone was expecting Rivca to cut the tape to open the new facility. But Rivca and Ooky had other ideas. In his true humble fashion, Ooky gave that right to the engineer who had been responsible to setting up the facility between January 2009 and November 2009.

Back to town and then to lunch with our dear dear friends, Gaytri and Raghu. It was a late late lunch as travelling in Bangalore is a real nightmare. It is not possible to keep an appointment on time as the traffic is totally chaotic and one sits in the traffic with one's heart in one's mouth. True to fashion, on the way a Government bus hit the back of our vehicle and damaged it. Our driver, Prem, was livid. What can one expect when in this city where no one follows the rule of law. Law is for the other person!

Since neither Annikki or I have visited the graves of my parents, we tried to see it at the cemetery. Wrong day as it was a festival and probably All Souls Day. The caretaker was nowhere to be found and the cemeteries were crowded. Annikki and I looked around but it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. We gave up after a long long hour.

Both Annikki and Mika were exhausted. I dropped them off at the hotel and paid my respects three of my dearest relatives in Bangalore - Bibikochamma (Mrs. K. C. Mammen) and Mohanchayan and Shantakochamma (Dr. K. O. Mammen and his wife).

Back to the hotel for a quiet dinner and an early night. A tiring but quite rewarding day.