The Good Samaritan

A couple of years ago, the then President of India, Abdul Kalam was visiting SHAR to witness a launch. He came to the Launch Control Centre to observe the launch preparations and recollect his old memories in ISRO. Almost everybody in SHAR had gathered there to see the most popular and respected president India has seen. There was a huge rush to catch a glimpse of him. He was moving around wearing his charismatic smile and waving hands.

In one corner of the LCC stood an elderly, frail man, carrying a tea can. He was serving tea to the people who were at work. Seeing him, APJ stopped, took a detour, approached him and enquired “Thankappayi, sukham aano? “ (Thankappayi, are you doing good?). Thankappayi is one of the most popular figures in SHAR, almost everyone who comes to SHAR knows him; but that was the day we realized that even the President of India knew him by name.

The name Thankappayi is synonymous with SOS in SHAR. Food, pass, accomodation, logistics – if you face an issue in any of these fronts, Thankaapayi is the name that you can reliably beckon. The selfless services rendered by this gentle old man during the launch campaigns over the last 4 decades are probably as significant as the hard work put in by our scientists. For our anniversary edition, Team Voyage met Thankappayi at SHAR for an interview.

Tell us something about you and your career at ISRO?

I was working as a tailor, when I got the job of a gardener in ISRO. At that time, there was a promotion option for non-technical staff to get into the technical stream by becoming a technical helper. I started my technical career as a helper; later I got certificate from soldering school (I was a topper) and became a technician. I retired as technician G. During my career, I was sent to Hyderabad for a soldering training and there too, I emerged the topper.

Even though my designation kept on changing, I continued to do all sorts of work that came my way - that of a casual labourer, loading worker, safaiwala, technician, tea supplier and what not!

I joined in 1971, from 78 onwards I am coming to SHAR. There is not a single year from 1978, in which I have not come to SHAR for one activity or the other. I retired in 2001 but still continue to work for ISRO in contract.

Who was your first boss?

I was working with Veeraraghavan sir and Madhavan Nair sir. My CR was written by Madhavan Nair sir. But unlike now, there was no single boss at that time, we used to work as a big family. I had the fortune to work with some of the big names in ISRO, people like Sreenivasan sir, John P Zachariah sir etc.. I was based at TERLS. From TERLS, if I go to Veli for some work and if I am given a job there, then I would do that as well. I was a floating resource at that time. I still remember what R.B.K Menon sir said about me after the success of SLV-3, “For the work that Thankappan has done for ISRO, his salary that we give till his death won’t be sufficient”

Can you tell us something about your experiences with Kalam sir?

Kalam sir used to spend long hours in office. He used to come as early as 6:30 am and would try to finish all paper work before other engineers came to office. I would also reach office at this time in the canteen vehicle that comes to TERLS. I would help him with the Gestetner cyclostyling machine (earlier version of Photostat). He used to be in office till 10:30 pm and I used to stay with him. I had the privilege of returning home with Kalam sir in the same vehicle.

One experience that you will never forget?

During SLV time, there was a strike by the trade unions demanding pay hike. A vibration test was planned the next day and for which lot of checkout racks had to be moved. Nobody was available to load these racks on the truck. Kalam sir was very worried. Seeing this, I voluntarily took charge of loading all the items on the truck single handedly. At those times, the components were so heavy. An aplab power supply used to weigh around 65 kg. Without any support, I loaded all these systems into the truck and the next day, the vibration happened as scheduled. Kalam sir was extremely happy.

From when did you start coming to SHAR?

I started coming to SHAR in the 70s, when the work on the block house for SLV commenced. We used to send checkout racks from VSSC. Once the items were loaded in the truck, I would board a train and reach SHAR. After all the items are unloaded, I would go back to Trivandrum. That used to be the first round of trips.

You have seen the launch campaign evolve over the years. What are the major changes that you have noticed?

Ever since my SLV3 days, I have never missed any launch campaign. SLV, ASLV, PSLV, GSLV, LVM3, RLV, ABPP, I have got the opportunity to work in all these campaigns.

From my personal point of view, in a pre-mobile era, during the last minute campaign activities, when different teams had to go to work at different times at night, they used to request me to wake them up for attending to the activity. I used to stay awake continuously for 3-4 days to ensure that all teams reached their work place on time. Nowadays, everyone manages with the alarm in their mobiles.

In the last couple of years, when ISRO’s activities were at their peak, how many days have you spent in SHAR?

I was in SHAR continuously for two years without going home even once during that period. Many people had asked me - Don't you have regrets about not being able to spend time with family?

As I mentioned earlier, I come from a very poor family. After so many years of service, I still don’t own a piece of property in my name. All my life, I have stayed in small houses with my entire family. I never had the luxury of staying in my own room. But see what ISRO has given me, I am provided an independent room with an attached bathroom, I have a table of my own, a cot to sleep. ISRO is taking good care of me and I have no regrets.

Do you know, perhaps I will be the most illiterate person in ISRO. I have studied only till eighth standard. With this qualification, I got an opportunity to work with some of the most educated people!

This is how I earn a living and I am happy doing it. Now at this age, I am trying to buy a piece of land for my granddaughter. 

You had the opportunity of working with bosses like Shri.Madhavan Nair who later became chairman of ISRO? How do you recollect those memories of working with them?

I always had a cordial relationship with my bosses. They trusted me and I tried my level best to do justice to the trust they reposed on me. In all these years, I had so many bosses from all generations to the extent that I may be the individual who has worked under the maximum number of bosses. I have never differentiated between my superiors as senior boss or junior boss. I have never gone back to any of my ex- bosses asking for favours when they were promoted to prestigious posts.

You are popular in ISRO mostly as the man who provides food for people. How did you get associated with this?

While I was in SLV project itself, I used to book a couple of extra food coupons for people who land up in SHAR. At that time, this advance booking, online booking etc were not there. As the project progressed and activities peaked, the number of coupons increased and slowly I got associated with this. I still remember what Madhavan Nair sir publicly told after SLV3 launch.."Thankappan's hard and sincere work towards this mission will always be remembered. He is an allrounder!!"

As the projects became bigger and the number of facilities involved also increased, I used to go around all facilities asking for people in need of lunch, high tea etc. And gradually, that became one of my main occupations. I decided - let people do the technical work and I will manage their logistics requirements. I always carry a list of people who are working for various projects in the different facilities.

I got a complicated nick name because of this service "Anna Dada Chutti Bhavan" (Loosely translates to: the God who roams around and gives food)

Till a few years ago, I was arranging drinking water too for all the facilities.

At this age, it would be exceedingly difficult for you to carry out these logistics activities the way you managed earlier. How do you overcome these physical constraints??

I have my share of health issues as well. Especially towards the final phase of campaigns, when I generally have sleepless nights owing to the round-the-clock schedules in which people work, I have fainted a couple of times. During one of the launches, I was hospitalized for 5 days at the SHAR hospital. But I don't bother much about my health. I consider the job to be more important than my health. I am a strong believer in God and I feel that He gives me sufficient strength to carry out my work.

In my long career spanning all these years, I have never submitted a fake bill for anything that I have purchased - food, snacks, tea or anything else..I think it's only because of my honesty that God has blessed me with the endurance to carry out my duties at this age. I am 76 now.

Were there any complaints against you? Anything that you know of?

Once P.S.Nair sir (Admin officer during SLV period) called me to enquire about a complaint that he received about me. The complaint was that I sing whenever I am at work. I told sir about my past. When I was a tailor, I used to sing continuously as I did the stitching; it was a habit that I found difficult to stop. He replied that he doesn't have any issues with my singing during work. He also said that he knew that I did the physical labour of 4-5 people, so he would let me have my little joys while at work. At that time, for SLV, I was even carrying the furniture to different rooms for setting up offices.

Do you have any regrets about your career in ISRO?

All these years, I have done whatever job my bosses has asked me to do. I have never complained that this work doesn’t come under my purview nor have I asked how you can ask a technician to do this job. I did those jobs without expecting any thing, but howsoever you deny it, when awards are distributed and you see less- deserving people receiving them, you always have a feeling of dejection. That gloom I have experienced at various moments; but it I could always overcome that with the love that you people give me.

Do you know, one of our technicians has written a poem about me, praising my good services? Now I understand that such recognitions are more valuable than the excellence awards that we get.

Another regret I had is that I couldn’t participate in the last rites of my brother and sister who expired few days before a launch.

Owing to the extended working hours of this sincere man, we could schedule the interview only after repeated attempts and that too, late at night. Many a famished stomach has been satiated by the food coupons provided by Thankappayi; numerous brains, burning the midnight oil during launch campaigns, have been rejuvenated by the timely tea supplied by him.  He continues to toil ceaselessly for ISRO and its people altruistically, without grumbling, defying age and exhaustion. The goodwill from the countless people served by him far surpasses the value of any excellence award. Team Voyage acknowledges the decades of diligence and labour put in by this gallant soul.

Weekends becoming worthwhile - At Vinoba Niketan

TGIF (Thank-God-Its-Friday) is the mantra on my lips as I go to sleep on Thursday nights. And Friday nights are devoted to balancing the equation between two days on left hand side and friends, movies, shopping, eat-out, and lots of sleep on the right hand side. So when my friend asked me to go for taking classes at Vinoba Niketan as part of ARPAN, on a Saturday, my first reaction was not very pleasant. But he was persistent and I was without genuine excuses. Thus I found myself the next Saturday morning journeying to Vinoba Niketan, with five others from VSSC and LPSC, a little disappointed at having my weekend plans being spoiled. Little did I know that eventually I would cancel my fun-plans to continue to be a part of this journey in the coming months.

About 30 km from Thiruvananthapuram city, on the way to Ponmudi hill range, in the picturesque village of Tholikkode at Aryanad is situated VinobaNiketan. Acclaimed as the spiritual successor of Gandhiji, Vinoba was committed to the upliftment of Harijans and this institute stands a testimony to the same ideals. It was founded by Parivrajika Rajamma (Amma), the spiritual daughter of Vinoba Bhave in the year 1954 and is dedicated to the cause of education for tribal girls. They also have several other programs in the areas of village literacy, khadi promotion and agriculture. The centre shelters around 150 tribal girls from various parts of Kerala and supports their education and overall development. They study in classes from 4^th to 12^th. Niketan runs an upper primary school for students from class 4^th to 6^th and the older students go to a government school nearby.

Talking about ARPAN, it is a humble philanthropic initiative of like-minded enthusiasts of IISU, VSSC, LPSC, ISAC, ISTRAC and SHAR, who consider it their obligation to reach out and serve the deprived and the less fortunate. Over the three years of our efforts, we have been able to extend support to about 300 chronically ill patients, around 400 financially needy students and have been instrumental in directing many patients to different agencies for getting further help/consultation and also creating awareness about government aids. ARPAN has been visiting and contributing in its own way to Vinoba Niketan from the beginning of 2013. The volunteers have since then interacted with the children and supplied them with logistical support. The more regular visits and educational support began in the academic year of 2014-15 with a team of volunteers visiting Niketan every week and taking classes in different subjects taught at school.

I have been a part of this team since January, 2015. You enter the gates beneath a huge yellow arch into a world of utmost serenity and calm. Rare trees and plants line the sides of pavements, pretty little flowers welcome you. The day usually starts with meeting Amma. The girls would be ready for their weekly session and welcome us with vigor. It won’t take more than five minutes for them to befriend you. You ask them to sing, and they will sing the best folk songs. You ask them to dance, and the little girls will dance in perfect rhythm. The pure positive energy they radiate, the enthusiasm and liveliness in their every single movement is bound to enrapture you. Belonging to scientific fraternity we usually take classes in Maths, Physics and Chemistry. Help is also given in improving their English and Hindi communication skills. Of late, few family members of the current volunteers have also joined the group in giving support in subjects like Biology and Humanities and thus filling the gap. The idea is not just to follow the school syllabus, but to improve the basics of the children and make them strong in concepts.

The satisfaction you feel when the little ones complete a sentence in English, or solve a problem in math is immense. When you are leaving after the classes they will definitely ask if you will back next week. The innocent smiling faces of the kids when they know there is someone out there who cares about them and will come back for them is just priceless. And while returning I realize that any other plan would have been so worthless in front of those happy faces.

Another attraction to Vinoba Niketan visits is trekking the Chittippararock quite near to it. Lush greenery, breathtaking view and sheer calm await the climber at its peak. More than once have we taken respite from the city buzz by climbing the rock and relaxing at top.

Vinoba Niketan takes care of education only till class 12^th. We came to know that many girls are forced to get married after that because of no further support. There are ARPAN volunteers who are sponsoring children going for higher studies after completing their 12^th from here and we have also been trying to get more individual sponsoring for meritorious students.

Dear reader, who had the patience to read to this line, this is for you. Man, money, and material – we graciously welcome all three for our future activities. Like I mentioned above, there is a greater need for volunteers who can take classes in non-science subjects. Most importantly we welcome ideas from those who already have experience in educational activities to implement next year. Your contributions may become the reason why a little girl's dreams became true. So if there is some way you think you can better the life of a bunch of kids, then kindly contact: Krishna G N, VSSC, email:krishna@vssc.gov.in

The serene lake and the mystic mountain

Journey of lifetime to the abode of lord Shiva

Kailash, abode of mahadev the god of gods. It felt like a dream come  true when I got the intimation from ministry of external affairs that I was selected among the luckiest few for the Kailash Manasarovar yatra.The intimation came on May 2014 and I would be one among  the 18^th batch (the last batch of the year) of the yatris for Kailash Manasarovar yatra on 15 Aug 2014. All the instructions and the requirements of the yatra were  clearly mentioned in the website of ministry of external affairs and the advices of former yatris from VSSC, Shri. Raghunatha Pillai (gsLVM3) and Shri. Vikram (SOG) helped me a lot in  prepararing  for the yatra. In addition to getting a long leave for a month sanctioned and the clearance formalities of foreign travel, I  had to carefully pick the items needed for the yatra  and  prepare  my mind and body  for the journey.

As instructed, I reported at Delhi on 15^th August 2014 at Gujarathi Samaj Sadan where accommodation and sumptuous Gujarati food  were arranged for all the yatris for 4 days. The Kailash Tirth Yatra Vikassamithi at Delhi arranges all the facilities for the yatris and the satsang organized by them helps  to create a team spirit among the members. The next day was dedicated for detailed medical tests at the Delhi Heart and Lungs Institute and I underwent a series of  medical checks. The results were reviewed by the medical team of Indo Tibetan Border Police on the following day. I was relieved when my name was announced among the 40 members declared fit for the yatra. We stayed in Delhi for one more day for a  briefing on  the yatra at Ministry of external affairs and for completing the visa formalities. The payment was made to Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam Limited (KMVN) who arranges the food and accommodation for yatris on Indian side and also acquired the necessary US dollars and Chinese Yuvan required for the journey in Tibet region. On 19^th Aug early morning, after receiving a warm sent off from the Delhi Nivasis with prayers, we set off for the Kailash Manasarovar Parikrama.

The kailash yatris are treated with reverence wherever they  go.   From the beginning of the journey itself warm receptions were given by various organisations. At Kathagodam we had our lunch and  switched our Volvo bus for a 27 seater bus to Almora where halt for the night was arranged at KMVN guest house. The bus ride continued the next day and we visited a few temples on the way through Almora. By evening we reached Dharchula, an ancient city on the banks of Kali river sharing the border with Nepal. The arrangement of the ponies and porters were made at Dharchula. Due to shortage of ponies I got only a porter to assist me, Mr. Devendra Singh Ghuniyal. Mr Devendra Singh is a first year BA student who provides his services to the Kailash yatris to earn money for his studies.

Next day we were taken to Pangla, a village 40 km from Dharchula in Jeep as the traditional route from Narayan Ashram was closed due to landslides. All the mobile communication with the outside world ends at  Dharchula as no networks are  available beyond . From Pangla our trekking commenced. The baggages were transported by ponies and I carried only an overnight bag with provisions for a night halt at the next destination. The destination for the day was  Sirkha, 7 kms from Pangla. The route is steady climb up through the mesmerizing Himalayalan Mountains filled with greenery and exotic flowers. By lunch time we reached Sirkha. After lunch the liason officer of our batch, Mr. Prem Singh a veteran in mountaineering who conquered the mount Everest 2 times and now working as DIG, ITBP, Chandigarh assessed the fitness of the yatris and was happy at everybody’s performance.

Next day, early morning at 5 O’clock, the trek commenced after consuming tea and biscuits. The destination was Gala a remote village in Indo Nepal Border 14 kms away from Sirkha. Though it was drizzling when the trek commenced, the sky became clear as we progressed the journey. By lunch time we reached Gala and rested for the day at the camp there. Destination for the following day was Budhi, 18 kms from Gala. One has to climb down 4444 steps near the banks of a roaring kali river in this route and there are many water falls that will drench you in this route. The Malpa village where a land slide took the lives of all the Kailash yatris including Protima Bedi (a famous Odissi dancer) and the porters in 1988 is in this route. I came to know from my porter that his father Devendra Singh  was also among them. Fourth day trek started from Budhi as usual at 5 O’clock. After a 3 km steep climb we reached the plains of Chilalekh a wonderful valley full of flowers. Further 7kms trek took us to the sinking village of Garbiang famous for hot samosas. From Garbiang, Border Road Organisation(BRO) has constructed a fairly motorable road for defense purposes and ITBP was kind enough to spare us their truck to cover the 7 km stretch to Gunji.

 At Gunji we reached an altitude of 12000 feet from mean sea level. The climate was very chilly and I had to wear 3 layers of warm clothes to protect myself from the chill . Medical tests are conducted to find out if any of the yatris are vulnerable to acute mountain sickness (AMS) and hence there is an extended day’s camping at Gunji. At Gunji, one gets a mesmerizing sight of the peaks of Annapoorna Mountain range in Nepal . We participated in the Bhajan at the ITBP camp temple there and also took part  in planting deodars as part of reforestation programme in the region. The Chinese border is just 22kms away and the last village Kuti on Indian side is 5 kms away from Gunji. Luckily all the members of our group were declared fit for the further yatra. On third day (From Gunji), we started in the morning to Nabhidhang which is 14 kms far from Gunji. We were dropped by the BRO trucks at Kalapani which is the source of Kali river where an ancient temple of goddess Kali is also situated. 

After breakfast at Kalapani camp the trek started towards Nabhidhang. The lush green forests and deodar trees gave way to barren terrain with a few cactus plants.. We could see the mighty Mount Sheshnag from there . By afternoon we reached Nabhidhang camp at the foot of the Nabhidhang mountain which is revered as a shakthipeet of Devi Parvathi (The mountain resembles the nabhi (naval) of goddess Parvathi).  From Nabhidhang the Om parvat is visible. Though the sky is always cloudy in these parts we were lucky to see  Om parvat and Mt. Seshnag. Nabhidhang situated at 15000 feet altitude is the last Indian army base near to Chinese border which is only 8 kms away from there . The base operates only 4 months in a year due to harsh environment. We were to reach the border next day by 05.30 hrs IST to match the Chinese timing of 08.00 hrs in the morning. The supper was served early by 6 pm itself and after a short nap we woke  up by 1’O clock to get ready for the trek. The trek started by 2 am in the morning with the help of torch lights. The night was very chilly and the cold wind penetrated even four layers of thick sweaters and jacket. Though the climb was difficult in the rarified atmosphere we reached the Lipu la (Lipulekh pass at 18000 feet altitude– Indi Chinese border) by 05.00 hrs IST.  At Nabhidhang itself we had deposited our memory cards and mobile phones containing the pictures taken at Indian side as a matter  of National security as advised the ITBP officials and loaded the cameras with fresh memory cards.                   

By 08.30 hrs Chinese time the Chinese convoy reached and the yatris from the 16^th batch of yatris were seen coming back up the path. The Chinese foreign ministry official and soldiers arrived at the spot and exchanged greetings and we started the climb down the pass. A 5 km trek through steep downhill was  required to reach the motorable road at the Chinese side where buses were  awaiting to take us to the nearest town, an old trade hub, Taklakot (12000 feet altitude) 11 kms away. Our passports were verified at Lipulekh and were briefed about the Kailash Manasarvar Parikrama programme in Chinese territory. All yatris were  told to stick to the scheduled programme and visit to any other place other than those included in the programme were  prohibited. They also informed that photography in Taklakot city and Chinese military establishments are prohibited and if someone was found violating this they will have to face the consequences.

At Taklakot we were taken to the Chinese emigration office for customs checks and passport verification. We had one more day stay at Taklakot to complete the visa formalities and for acclimatization. Taklakot is a fast growing small city. Everywhere construction  was  progressing. The roads are all well paved and all the nooks and corners are  fitted with surveillance cameras. We spent the 2 days at Talkalot  roaming around the city and doing some shopping. Most of the vendors are Chinese at Talkalot, however a lot of Nepalis are working here and a market selling Nepali goods is also there. The next day we set for the Kailash parikarman after morning prayers. Two buses were arranged by the Chinese authorities for the yatra and we were taken to another small city called Darchen at the Southern side of Kailash. The road to Darchen passes through the small stretch between RakshasTaal and Manasarovar Lakes. We stopped at the permitted view points at both the Lake sides to enjoy the view.

We checked into the hotel at Darchen and went for a stroll after lunch. Since it is year of Kumbh a lot of Budhist and Jain believers had  come for the parikrama and to avoid the crowd and due to landslide the route to Ashtapaad (Southern view point of Kailash 5 kms from Darchen) was closed.  (Mt. Kailash is holy place for Budhist and Jains and is also called as Kang Rimpoche). Next day after breakfast the buses dropped us at Yamadwar from where the Parikrama (circumbulation) of Kailash starts. At Yamadwar there is a gompa and the view of southern facet of kailash is also visible from there. The selection of the porters and ponies were at Yamadwar. Smt. Peyma and Smt. Serene (hope that’s her correct name, anyways she was answering to my calling her Serene ;)) was selected as my Porter and pony handler.

The 9 km trek from Yamadwar leads to Deraphuk camp from where the north face of Mt. Kailash is visible. The trek path is through barren plane land between many hills on left side and Kailash on the right side. Many streams originating from Kailash is flowing near to the trek path. (Mt. Kailash is the source of many holi rivers like Sindhu, Bhrahmaputra, Sutlej and Karnali a tributary to Ganga)  At Deraphuk we can go as close as 2 km to the mountain and the spot is called Charansparsh. After lunch we spent rest of the day enjoying the scenic beauty of northern facet of Kailash and though we were hit by a small hail storm we could reach the Charansparsh and perform prayers. Mt.Kailash, pleased by our prayers provided us with its shining scenic views.

             

Next day’s trek started at early morning as we had  to cover nearly 19 kms and had to cross Dolma la enroute (Dolma pass – 18000 feet altitude).  The climb was at slow pace as  breathing was difficult and as we reached the highest point snow fall started with a freezing wind. Prayers and offerings were made to  Dolma (goddess Parvathi) and without wasting time we started to climb down the steep pass. At the foot of the steep is Parvathikund, a small pond (though small in comparison to other water bodies, it is as big as a football ground) which is believed to be the bathing place of Parvathi at Kailash. The water in Parvathi kund is considered holy and many pilgrims collect a sample of the water from the pond. Due to adverse weather conditions many porters were not willing to go down and collect water, luckily my pony handler Serene went down and brought the holy water for me.

The hail storm was terrific and walking became more and more difficult. A local Tibetan’s camp shed was on the path and we rushed inside. Luckily they were serving hot tea, soup and other Chinese foods. The hot Chinese green tea proved to be a good medicine against the freezing cold and all felt better after consuming  few bowls of noodles. When the intensity of hail storm reduced we resumed walking.  As we moved along, the snow fall stopped and the sky became clear. The camp for the night halt was at Zunzhuipu.

An unfortunate incident happened at Dolma pass. One of the yatri Smt. Annapoorna Devangan was affected by AMS while crossing the Dolma-la. The porters had carried her to Zunzhuipu camp. Since there was no improvement in her health condition, it was decided to evacute her to Delhi at the earliest. She was sent to Lipu-la in a land rover, ITBP soldiers carried her in stretcher to cross the pass. Due to bad weather helicopter could not be made available at the pass. ITBP soldiers again proved their efficiency. They carried her in the stretcher up to Gunji and from there  air lifted her to Pithoragargh where she was admitted to  a hospital. Later she was taken to her home  in Bilaspur, Chatishgarh and as per the latest news her health is improving though she is still in ICU.

After the stay at Zunzhuipu, the next day early morning we started our journey back to Darchen. The sky was cloudy and it was drizzling; however we resumed our trek through the slippery track. After 7 kms we reached the motorable road and waited there for the buses to pick us. We went back to Darchen in bus (5 kms), had light breakfast in the hotel and proceeded for Manasarovar parikrama as per the programme.  After 90 kms travel in bus we reached Qugu camp in the shores of Manasarovar lake. The camp at Qugu was a wonderful place with windows opening towards the serene lake. Themonastry of Qugu was   nearby. Two nights stay was  planned at Qugu camp.  After a hearty brunch everyone was busy washing the soiled clothes and drying it. In the afternoon we went for a stroll along the stretches of the Manasarovar and also had a dip in the holy lake. The atmosphere at Manasarovar lake was quite calm and energizing and many went into deep meditation at the shores of Manasarovar where the shining south face of Mt. Kailash was  visible as clouds permitted. Group prayers and havan were conducted at the Manasarovar lake during the two days stay at Qugu camp. On third day morning at Qugu camp the buses took us to hotel in Taklakot and we visited the memorial of Zorawar singh and Karchak monastery on the way. The Chinese authorities organized a farewell party at Taklakot and the party was delightful with many members from China and our group engaged in singing and dancing. Next day early morning at 5 am Chinese time (02.30 IST) we started our journey back to Lipu pass. The Director of Chinese external affairs and the Chinese army chief of the region came to see us off and then we bid adieu to the Chinese guides and porters.

Though the 5 km climb at Lipulekh pass was difficult we were happy to be back in the home land and was delighted to see the ITBP soldiers and porters waiting at the peak to welcome us. The return trek was tiresome as the camp at Nabhidhang was omitted. We had our breakfast at Nabhidhang and reached Gunji by evening. ITBP soldiers organized a farewell dinner for us. After the Bhajan with ITBP soldiers at the camp temple, we had dinner and the dinner party turned out in to a dance party soon. Next day early morning the trek resumed to Budhi. After night halt at Budhi the trek continued and we took a diversion from the path to Gala after climbing up the 4444 steps near Bindakoti and reached Garbadhar a small village where Jeeps to Dharchula  were awaiting  us . At Dharchula we said good bye to the dear porters who were of great help throughout the journey. Next day trip was to Almora by bus and a welcome back party was organized at the ITBP head quarters at Meerthiand. We also visited the Jageswar temple complex on the way. From Almora the journey resumed next day with warm receptions at Kathagodam by Uttarkhand Govt and reached Delhi by mid night on 9 September 2014. After the night stay at Gujarat Samaj Sadan, the next day we bid adieu to each other  and I started for Trivandrum.

The KailashManasarovaryatra is organized by Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India and the yatra is conducted as 18 batched during June – September. The yatra is approved by Indian Mountaneering Foundation as a high altitude trek and Central Govt employees are eligible for 30 days of special casual leave. Any Indian citizen below 70 years old holding a valid passport can apply for the yatra and the applications are invited by April through the website. The selection is based on luck draw and the medical test results at Delhi. The details about the yatra is given in the following link.

http://www.mea.gov.in/kmy.htm

Enchanting Yercaud

The Christmas holidays had arrived, and we planned a trip to the picturesque hill station Yercaud, about 35kms from Salem. We- uncles, aunts and cousins, embarked on our sojourn from my uncle’s place in Coimbatore by car in the evening and reached Salem by nightfall, around 3 hours later. After a sumptuous supper, amidst excited chatter and GPS in smart phones switched on for ready reference, we continued the journey to our destination. Leaving behind the noisy roads of Salem, the first hairpin bend and a noticeable fall in temperature heralded the commencement of the winding road to the quaint hill town. As we continued our ascent, the hustle and bustle in the city of Salem, illuminated by lights of various hues and colours, presented a pleasing canvas for the eyes. The narrow road curved up constantly and 20 hairpin bends later, Yercaud town came into view. As it was 10pm, the roads were deserted and the shops closed; the resort where accommodation was arranged was situated 2kms away from the town.

The subsequent morning, we awoke at dawn and broke our fast at a restaurant in the town. A 2-day temple festival and an ongoing flower show saw the town bedecked with flowers, arches and statues and music of diverse genre blared from speakers. Tribal dancers in colourful attires were displaying their traditional dance forms on the street, to the accompaniment of drum beats, surrounded by a large throng of tourists and locals. We strolled leisurely around the Yercaud lake to the boat club. The boating in the pristine lake was a memorable experience. The vivid blue sky, the clear lake water and the lush greenery around the banks made a captivating scene.

Our next destination was the Killiyur waterfalls, about 3 kms from the lake. Munching fruits, we began descending the 300 steps leading to the waterfalls. The majestic hills capped with misty clouds and dense flora made it an enjoyable trek. We paused frequently, to drink in the scenery and to capture it in cameras. At the bottom, the clear water gushing down the steep rocks was a beautiful sight to behold. We clambered over the rocks carefully and ventured close to the water; the chill in the water was refreshing and pleasant. The beautiful scenery all around made the arduous ascent from the waterfalls less taxing.

After an elaborate buffet lunch, we relaxed for an hour, enjoying the view from a skywalk, watching the mists drift slowly across the hillocks. We then proceeded to visit the Shevarayon temple, situated 8kms from the town. It is a cave temple, built from the rocks and the deity is dedicated to the erstwhile ruler of the region. We had to bend almost double to reach the idol. The priest pointed out a tunnel, hewn into the rocks and extending nearly a kilometer into the darkness, behind the idol. The view from the Shevaroy hills surrounding the temple was panoramic, the cool breeze and the descending darkness signalling a long night. After gazing at the scenery from the highest point in Yercaud to our hearts’ content, we returned to the town and had a delicious dinner.

Early next morning, we began our return journey, bidding adieu to the tiny hill town. The swirling, thick fog obstructed clear vision and made driving precarious, for a while. As we left the ghat road and set out for Coimbatore, memories of the glorious trip lifted our spirits and we vowed to return to the charming town again.

FREEDOM

“Freedom is not always about breaking free from chains”

Prologue

I woke up to the persistent ringing of the telephone. Rubbing my eyes groggily, I gazed around in semi stupor, trying to get a grip over my slow senses. By the time I was fully awake, the person at the other end of the phone had given up. Something odd about this set me thinking- and then it hit me like a flash- I was alone in the apartment!  

It has been four years since I have rented this apartment. Along with the apartment, came Kamala- the maid. Over the course of these four years, every day has been the same- starting with a hot cup of masala tea brought to the bedside by Kamala. She had complete freedom over the running of my homestead- she moved around the furniture, decided when and what the meals were and even the clothes that I wear. Being a writer, and a temperamental one, it was imperative that I am not disturbed by these trifling matters- Kamala gave me the luxury of never having to attend to trivial household matters and, in return, I never pried into her domain.

My friends were jealous of my find- a jewel in the competitive world of house maids, and did their best to lure her away from me- but she stayed on. Imagine my chagrin when all of a sudden, she vanishes from my life. I felt like a toddler taking his first steps without anyone to hold on to. Thus began a new part of my life.

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I had started with an attempt to make my morning cup of tea, but I had to search for everything, from sugar to spoons. I lost the entire morning trying to make breakfast.

I realised that I was over dependent on Kamala and that my daily routine was built with her as the core. I, who boasted of being a free bird, was actually a tame pet of an inconsequential house maid! I decided that it was high time I broke free from the invisible shackles of domesticity that bound me and became a master of myself, and made up my mind to terminate the services of Kamala if she returns.

I started out with moving the furniture around. I reorganised everything in the kitchen, from the cupboards to the racks. Once I was done with cleaning the entire house, I felt I had accomplished something. Several days passed in this manner, with no sight of Kamala and I grew more and more accomplished day by day. I was enjoying my freedom to choose my life- revelling in my successes, determined in my failures and the warrior in me rose to the challenge of redesigning my life in my own terms.  After a week or so, Kamala had vanished entirely from my life and my thoughts. One day, when I went out to empty the dustbin, my neighbour- a natural in the field of gossip mongering- signalled to me indicating that she had vital information to pass on.

She knew that Kamala had been absent- in fact she knew even why! Kamala had gone insane! I gulped down the retort that it was she who had gone insane, merely nodded, and went back.

I may not be much of a conversationalist but I prided myself on being a good judge of character and in my opinion, Kamala was perfectly sane – she had absolutely no tendency of falling over to the other side. Since I was rather free that day, I decided to enquire into the matter. I got her address from my landlord and set my steps to her home.

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Kamala lived in a tumbledown shack with her husband and four children. When I reached her place, it was crowded – people usually flock to a place of tragedy like insects attracted to the light. From the bits and pieces of conversation around me, I gathered that my inquisitive neighbour was right- Kamala’s mind had indeed gone astray.

After some conversations I could gather the full story, rather the same old story. Kamala had married young and even though her husband was loving, he was a drunkard. He barely spent any time at home, spending all his income on drinks, leaving her to fend for the family. Even while she went about her duties in my house with a stolid demeanour, her mind might have been heavy with worries over her home- piling debts, increasing expenditure and growing kids- each held their share of space in her thoughts. When the weight was too much to bear, and her mind couldn’t keep pace with her thoughts, her mind had got deranged.

One fine morning, she sat on bed, intensely staring in front of her, as if concentrating on something – putting all her mind to it. Even the kids crying for food did not awaken her from her meditation. It was when her husband came home- drunk and late as usual- and found the tired and hungry kids sitting pooled around their mother, that he realised something was wrong. Several local doctors were called in, but none succeeded in waking Kamala from her meditation. It seemed like her entire world had shrunk into the tiny square of floor tile in front of her.

She was initially labelled as a patient of chronic depression, but after a week the verdict was delivered that she was officially insane – the diagnosis coinciding with the one that the localites had derived since day one. I went inside to support them in their tragedy- or rather to see the sight of the day.  She was sitting in the same pose, oblivious to the stares and chatter of the people around her. One of her kids got up and attempted to walk towards her father- but she stumbled and fell. I was still looking at Kamala, and I caught the sudden look that she darted in the direction of the kid. That look – the concerned look of a mother- belied her sanity and at that instant I knew- she was as sane as you or me. However, nobody else seemed to have noticed her momentary lapse. I walked out slowly, wondering about why she would forsake her life, earning and family and act insane.

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I spent a whole day and night thinking about Kamala, and then my thoughts were replaced by more pressing matters. I no longer required the services of a housemaid- Kamala had in fact taught me dependence and independence. My life went along the new lines for a month or so, when one of my ramblings brought me face to face with Kamala’s husband. He seemed to have undergone a transition. I enquired after Kamala’s health.

“She is much the same. Since we are not able to support her in this condition, she has been shifted to a home for the mentally challenged. A week after she was admitted, she grew rather violent and vindictive and consequently was shifted to the isolation ward. We rarely go to see her now, as we do not know when her mood might change and cannot bear to see her in one of her tempers. I have heard rumours that they use chains to keep her checked during her violent days.”

He seems to have gotten over his old ways and looks after the family now. They had got some financial help from the government and were able to live a better life. Except for the fact that Kamala is not with them, they seemed to be doing rather well. Like me, they too have grown accustomed to a life without her.

Epilogue

I thought about that one look of intelligence that came from her and wondered if she was acting insane for this very end. Call it a writer’s imagination, but I believe her to be perfectly sane. She might have forsaken her life, family and freedom so that her family can lead a better life.

People have changing views of freedom- it is the absence of responsibility to some, the choice to mould their own life for some others. For me, freedom was a life devoid of meagre tasks- a free mind, infinite time and engaging work. Kamala made me realise that freedom is also about choosing the way one lives, making small yet significant decisions every day. Freedom is not about independence- it is more about the luxury of being able to choose your dependences.

I believe, in her isolation, bound in shackles and branded insane, she had found her freedom- worlds apart from her worrisome life- with weighing thoughts of her family and the mechanical and frustrating job of a house maid. I realised that one could find freedom even in chains- Freedom is not always breaking free of chains; sometimes freedom might be better when fettered than free.

The End

Vishu, Kanikonna and some Calendar thoughts

Have you ever wondered why many festivals across India like Vishu in Kerala, Bihu in Assam, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu and Baishaaki in north India are celebrated almost on the same day (April 14th or 15th) ? What makes this date so particular that we find a unity in fixing festivals on this day? Well to understand this, one should know the calendar system that developed in ancient India, whose modified versions are being used even now in different parts of India ( eg: Saka Varsh in the North and Kolla Varsh system in Kerala). Before going into a little history and details of the above mentioned calendar, let me proudly mention here that the calendar system that our ancestors had devised was much better than any other in the world (even better than the widely accepted Gregorian Calender).
A quick peep into the history of our civilisation would bring into our attention the story of our calendar system. The necessity of a calendar, which could precisely give a foresight about the seasons to come, was felt as soon as the nomadic human beings started to settle down into tiny groups and started to cultivate food items (rather than collecting them from the woods). A good harvest depended greatly on the time of the sowing & harvesting, at the right conditions of rain or sun as predicted by a calendar. The best physical phenomena to which our ancestors could correlate the seasons were the travelling of sun and the moon with respect to the background star field. It should be noted that they possessed exceptional observation skills which enabled them to note the slightest changes in position of sun and the moon in the celestial sphere.
The collective observational wisdom of some generations was capable enough to prove to the ancient astronomers that the sun travelled eastward by some angle every day, completing one cycle in around 365 days, while the moon does the same in about 27 days. Also the path followed by the sun and the moon are fixed and does not shift. These observations formed the basis of the first calendar whose modified version is being used by us. The circle in the sky through which the sun seems to move was divided into 12 parts (namely Raashis), each identified by the name given to the imaginary animal or object formed by joining the stars in that portion of the sky. Thus we have 12 months, each named after the constellation which comes in the background of the sun in that particular month i.e during Makar month (makaram in malayalam) the sun will have Makar Raashi (or Capricorn constellation) in its background and so on. Thus your sun sign actually represents the position of the sun in the sky at the time of your birth.
The days on the other hand are named after the star or constellation that appears nearest to the moon on that particular day. Thus we have 27 star signs (from Aswathi to Revathi in malayalam). The star sign in your horoscope actually points to the position of the moon on the day of your birth. (Kindly note that the science part of your horoscope ends here and that the star sign has nothing to do with your future). The calendar system in the northern parts of India was slightly different. In north India the days where named as per the waxing and waning of the moon (Krishna paksham and sukla paksham) rather than the stars adjacent to it. The calculation of day was thus less precise in northern parts of India.
Now it was time to decide as to when to start the year. Again the astronomers came to rescue and announced that there exists two peculiar days in a year when the sun would rise perfectly from east. These days called as the vernal equinoxes (Vishuvam in malayalam) are characterised by perfect time distribution between day and night (i.e 12hours each). The tilt in the earth’s axis would, on all other days, cause the sun to rise from North-East or South-East directions. It was decided to use Poorva Vishuvam or the equinox that coincides with the entry of sun to Medam Raashi (Aries constellation) as the start of the year. Thus it is in fact the new year that is being celebrated around India as Vishu, Bihu etc.
This calendar system is very precise because it takes into account both the rotation and revolution of earth. This seldom requires corrections, unlike the Gregorian calendar which requires one day to be added every leap year as correction. However the precession of earth axis is a third motion that affects the system of calendars and hence seasons. This went unnoticed because of the large time it takes to complete one cycle (29,000 years). There are evidences to prove that even this was corrected in a periodic manner in ancient times by advancing the new year day by one day or two in a couple of decades. The now fixed date of Meda Sankranthi (i.e movement to sun to Aries constellation) was fixed at the time when the last correction was done.
The above discussion indicates that the Vishu day or the equinox day should have shifted by some days and will not be  exactly on April 14th as of now. The present Vishu day is in fact on 21st of March. Readers may please note that seasons would also shift by this amount. This in fact leads to a phenomenon which is much discussed and misinterpreted as an indication of global warming and stuff. The phenomenon I am referring to is the early blossoming of Kanikonna, the state flower of Kerala. Kanikonna is known to be a tree which flowers during Vishu, which as per the calendar followed now is on April 14th. It can be noted that in these days kanikonna would flower around the third week of March rather than in April. Isn’t it great to notice that the kanikonna knows the shift in our calendars but we are still ignorant to make relevant corrections in our calendar system and instead blame the nature for making kanikonna bloom “earlier”……….…!