murari

My son Raghu "enjoying" paandi melam

2009-05-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

My relative Udayan chettan came to me a couple of days after the utsavam 2009 of Sreedharamangalam Sreekrishna kshethram, Chalakudy with his camera. He had taken some pictures and videos and wanted to download them to be burnt into a cd. When I was viewing the videos, I found Raghu, my son "enjoying" the melam which I would like to share with you. He had landed there directly from his classes and was in his uniform.....

You can view a more larger screenview of the above in the YouTube link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBcXYukGrv4&feature=channel_page

Amma of Rajavihar

2009-01-23T20:14:00.001-08:00

Dear all,

Amma left us all on the early morning of 18th day of this month. Though was hospitalized twice a couple of months back, she was leading her life, although with debilities of one sort or other. She felt dizziness in the mornings and became generally weak. A few days ago, her BP level showed a lower level. When taken to the doctor, he changed the dose of the BP tablet she was taking.

On 17th night, amma was not getting sleep. We sat near her bed while she said she was not well. She was restless, praying aloud calling the Gods. Hours passed by and at about 1 AM, she wanted to eat something and we gave her a biscuit and a glass of water. At that time, we did not know that the moment of truth had arrived before the doorstep. We thought she was about to lie down. She suddenly developed some breathing problems. She took three or four deep breaths. Her body shivered slightly and then lay down there without a movement, her head near my lap, my brother massaging her feet, my sister and my wife holding her body. We stayed there motionless in the dimness and stillness of the room, without able to utter a word, father sitting on a chair placed some distance away in the same room. We did not know what to do for a few minutes. While a cold wind swept over Rajavihar, we all stood there without even looking at one another. We, the children of Rajavihar stayed there looking at Amma, the source of our well-being. Murali chettan mustered the courage and went near Achan, who seemed in some other world and told that she had left us. Achan loudly said “Vishalam maricho..?” He was crying... but we did not even have the courage to cry. When we opened the door the cold wind was still sweeping over Rajavihar.... a cold wind indeed...

murari

Ayyappan the milkman did not come yesterday

2008-03-05T09:32:00.000-08:00

Ayyappan the milkman did not come to Rajavihar and Laxmeenarayana yesterday.

One of our first duties of everyday for the last seven or eight years is placing the milk pot with a filter on the 'thinna' of the porch. If we get up late for some reason or other, we hurry doing that duty since Ayyappan usually comes at about 6 am. We also let the gate open for the first visitor of the day. Ayyappan 'was' never a talkative person. As I check my e-mails at Punarvasu during the wee hours of the morning, I hear the sound of his M80 braking. He poures the milk into the pot with just a smile on his face and moves to Laxmeenarayana for his distribution of milk for Kochettan and Girija chitta. I take in the milk to the kitchen for that first cup of strong coffee, without which any day cannot called by that name.

After that as I go out of the house for my jogging I meet him near Paaliyam or Kottaram in his M80 giving milk to the homes of Palace Road for their morning coffee or tea.

Usually I have not seen him during any other times of the day except sometimes near the portico near the Thekkans hotel near the Highway. I do not know where he lived or anything about his children though he 'was' a silent part of our homes for so many years.

Till yesterday

Day before yesterday was the last time we saw him in the morning. Little did we know that we would not see him again. On that day after his duties he was riding his vehicle. Suddenly, a maruti car hit on his vehicle. The accident was fatal. He died due to the hit.

As one more person associated withRajavihar leaves us, never to be returned or seen again, I wonder about the fate of his family whom I never knew about. He just went away from our lives like the way he went out of Rajavihar everyday as silently as the morning breeze that flew over Rajavihar.

We owe him three days' price of the milk but we are indebted to him for the good milk he supplied to us giving meaning to my mornings.........

murari

what is special about cars and cycles ?

2007-03-31T18:52:00.000-07:00

what is special about cars and cycles ?
can anybody tell me

Why did you leave us so early..........

2007-03-15T17:35:00.000-07:00

I was in my office when I heard that Raghu the mahout of Ayyappankutty is dead in road accident..

Ayyappankutty is the dearest elephant and Raghu is the dearest mahout to all of us ........
Why did you go so early.....

When did I see you last ? It was the night of the festival, The percussionists had gone.. so had others who were enjoying the 'thimila pattu' . except a few of us finalising the accounts..

Those were the last shots of the episode every year... we would go back home with 'unfinished accounts' ... the usual deficits...

I was starting my bike and I saw you sitting calmly on the stage, and you were the calmest mahout we have ever met.. you stood out from the rest of the mahouts....

And when asked, you said you would leave very early... and when I invited you for the morning coffee, you said no, because already the night was over and it would be inconvenient to the ladies of the house.

In the morning, we were in the kitchen enjoying the morning coffee and we heard the sound of chains of Ayyappankutty. I went to the road and saw you walking past our house...

I did not call you then... just stood there watching you walking by the side of Ayyappankutty through the stillness and darkness of the early morning....

We always thought that Ayyappankutty was the luckiest elephant around to get a person like you to be in charge. How many times have you brought Ayyappankutty to our Rajavihar and Vishala. You would stand there with a graceful smile with Ayyappankutty before us.. We would give cocunut to Ayyappankutty.

This year also you came... we talked about your family.. I told you something like you looked too young to be a grandfather... You talked to Vellyettan also over phone when he called me at that time.

You had no ambitions and did not take life too seriously... but took things as and when you faced them..

And you left us in the early morning after the festival... and I did not call you.. but stood still watching you with coffee in my hand...

Now I wonder why I did not call you then..... or reached you and talked to you.... and shook your hand...

Why did you leave us so early, Raghu, You could have waited for some more time and had breakfast with us before leaving...

Why did you leave us so early ?

friendship

2007-01-05T16:00:00.000-08:00

the image

2007-01-04T09:10:00.000-08:00

the image

on the back of this wind,
an image must be carved -
all else is preparation for it,
this flesh, this learning,
birth, death and suffering,

this is no soft wax,
and the chisel may blunt -
it must be whetted often
against water and dust

time slips through -
the chisel splits
and must be cast away -

another birth may have to be taken,
since the image must be carved,

for whom ? why ? exactly what image ?
ask not

on the back of this wind ------

vg bhat