Baba Is No More

In the chronology of events ,this post should have been on the 1st of May . This is regarding the passing away of my father-in-law , Shami's father , whom we affectionately called 'Baba', at his age of 90 after a brief illness.

Baba had a very healthy life throughout . He never had any major illnesses except for colds . I remember his attacks of cold because of his very loud sneezes. At this age he was regular in his walks and had a very disciplined life. Being an aeronautical engineer it was always a pleasure to talk about his work and his comments on the launch of the giant Airbus 380 . He was a voracious reader and would interact on any topic from astronomy, history to sports . The great moments were when watching News on TV with him , especially his use of choicest words to criticize politicians. After retiring from Indian Airlines , he was working for Air Works for quite a long time and even after retiring from there he used to be consulted on an aircraft's final fitness.

Till last year he has accompanied us on a few trips and last May he surprised us by climbing the steep stairs of the sajja kothi at Panhala with the enthusiasm of a child . I remember him many years back, I think it was 1992 , on our trip to Alibag and Kihim ,he had enthusiastically ventured out for a swim in the sea with Rahul. It is really rare and fortunate for those who have had the company of both grand parents till the age of almost 25 . Rahul and Supriya lost one grandmother in November 2007 and now a grandfather .

We do miss him a lot .

Shami's first post on the blog

Hotels are often advertised as luxurious, grand, good service and comfortable and their most common description is a “Home away from home”.
However, I beg to differ. No doubt, home is the place where one is most comfortable. But at some point in one’s life, one requires a place that is different from home. Most people opt to go to some place else when they take leave. They would not like to spend time home. Of course, the reason people go on tours, trips, vacations is to see the various exciting places, have a change of climate, spend time away from the same humdrum life. But mostly it is to escape the routine of everyday home life, no matter how comfortable and beautiful the home may be. You are always on call when you are at home, even if you are not a doctor! You are expected to answer the doorbell, the phone bell, deal with neighbours, bills, courier service people, postmen, the maid, and so many other intrusions. At some point you want out. You want some thing other than home.

This summer, we decided to go on a short vacation to Panhala from 15 to 18^th May. However, we could get the booking of the MTDC resort only from 16^th. So we decided to spend the 15^th at Kolhapur. We reached there around noon and checked into the Opal Hotel. This is our usual hotel whenever we come to Kolhapur. We have been coming to this hotel since 1984 since Rahul was only 2 months away from his 2^nd birthday.

As we had an advance booking, we were ushered to our room without much delay. We realised that this was a brand new double room in a newly constructed wing of the hotel. Later we came to know that it had been inaugurated only 2 weeks ago. After lunch in the hotel dining room, we rested and then went to Temlai which is nearby and is one of our favourite spots in Kolhapur. We retired to our room at night after the delicious ice cream at Solanki’s. The next morning, we had our breakfast and checked out. Before that we made a trip to the first floor of the hotel, which we had missed during our visit last year with Ayi and Baba. The familiar layout altered, new rooms had been constructed, a hall which could be used for a small function had been fashioned out of the enormous hall or sitting room which had been there earlier between the two rooms facing the driveway, on the first floor. However, the two rooms which we used to occupy earlier had been kept with their beautiful balconies in tact. We roamed around with a feeling of nostalgia, trying to figure out which was the corridor in which Rahul, Suppi and Ajit played cricket, the beautiful amazing bathroom at the far end of the corridor which was almost as big as half our house! The window of the corridor which looked on to the terrace adjoining the balcony of the room from where we had seen the colorful sari floating away in the pre monsoon whirlwind at the fag end of May. We had awoken Rahul from his afternoon siesta to show him the magic carpet!

We trooped down to the lobby to collect our luggage. Then we all sat in the car and as we drove away, I was filled with a sense of comfort, as if a soothing balm had been applied to my raw feelings. I don’t know why, a stay in a hotel should bring about this feeling in me. I decided then that I will put into words what this hotel has meant to me and my family all these years.

Our first association with Hotel Opal was in September 1984. We were on our way to Goa for Navratri festival. My parents –in-law and my brother in law and Rahul , Ajit and I along with our driver Pandey took the halt at Kolhapur. We intended to stay overnight and then resume our journey to Goa. The partners of this hotel are our family friends and know my father in law personally . All from our family stay here when on holiday or work. From the minute we stepped into the hotel, it felt very warm and comfortable. The driveway from the gate to the welcoming lobby , and the colonial bungalow look that the hotel has was very charming. In fact it was a old bungalow set in well kept lawns converted into a hotel. We were allotted two rooms on the first floor, facing each other across the huge sitting room. Each room had an individual balcony and a terrace leading from it to the side of the bungalow. The rooms being on the front side of the hotel gave a lovely view of the lawns, driveway and the road beyond. We spent many a happy hour on the balcony, chatting, playing, snacking and singing too! Rahul loved being in both the rooms. He would bound across the sitting room with its bamboo and cane furniture from our room to his grandparents room. Most of our time was spent together in one balcony. The room service person, one Mr Shivaji was really very nice and helpful. He would cook Rahul’s “maam maam” on the gas under the great wooden staircase, in an area which serves as a pantry for impromptu breakfast, tea, coffee, milk, etc. This is a system which continues to this day, even though the hotel boasts of a first class restaurant, which people come especially to dine and lunch. The pandhara Rassa , mutton and bhakri served here is to die for!

After our first visit, we came here very often. Each time, our heart would take memories more pleasant than the earlier. We would plan a vacation to Kolhapur , just because we would look forward to staying at The Hotel Opal,soak in the relaxing atmosphere, the unobtrusive warmth and friendliness. Sometime in the early nineties, we came here with Ayi and Baba,. This time little Suppie was with us too! This time we missed Shivaji. The boy, who had brought up our bags, said that Shivaji had gone back to his village. When we asked him his name, the boy promptly replied, Sambhaji! Suppi, Rahul as well as Ayi and Baba loved the hotel and Temlai as well, not to mention the premonsoon weather which presents itself with gusty winds, sudden showers and a drop in the temperature, A very bracing climate indeed!

In the following years, the hotel must have undergone many changes. We could not come as often as before owing to the children’s school and college exams, classes etc. But we used to here from Ajit’s cousin Ajay about the changes made to the hotel. We used to hope that the hotel would not lose its charm and grace and service. Rooms had been added, some Air conditioned, the dining hall had been extended, the first floor arrangement had been changed to accommodate more rooms. Change is an essential part of progress. If the hotel had to survive and meet the needs of growing clientèle's, it had to take the necessary steps.

We visited the hotel after many years last year with Ayi and Baba. WE were allotted AC two rooms on the ground floor at the back. They did not boast of any view. However, except the fact that one of the rooms was a bit musty smelling, the service, the comfort, and the cleanliness was faultless. The waiters, room service, etc was good. During that visit, we did not venture upstairs to explore the changes. Changes are necessary with time but the management has kept the soul intact.

Life on the Campus

This is the second in the backlog of posts to keep up the chronology of events .

After visiting Rahul's campus , I went back to my days in the hostel in our campus .When I was a student at the Grant Medical college , I stayed in the hostel in the final 2 semesters . I realized that as it was very tiring to return home late at night after extra lectures and go back to ward duty early in the morning , I decided to stay in the hostel. Till then I was commuting daily . We were very lucky that semester as a brand new hostel was inaugurated and we being seniors were given the first choice of the rooms . My group had done very well in the class and so being among the top we were given priority to choose the rooms . We were lucky to get rooms next to each other in the same wing and on the 5th floor , also each one had a separate room

It is good to have a good group when studying especially if one is staying in a hostel . One can interact on subject matters and also on family and social topics .

It is always good when there is someone in whom one can confide and share the pleasures and sorrows of life. It is human to have lows sometime , especially when one is away from the family , and it is at this time that very close friends come in the picture.

Many of my colleagues had an occasion to pair off and have become successful in their lives career wise and family wise till this date . I personally feel that this should be the way and very few are fortunate to find their soul mates on campus .
A decision taken at this level of education and at this mature age should always be appreciated. In this modern era parents do get surprised if their sons and daughters don't get a partner while studying . Parents should have confidence and faith in their children's decisions and help them settle in life. They should also pray for their long and successful life together , as there is a vast difference as students on campus and later on when responsibilities increase and tussles of life begin . That is the testing time to hold on !!!

I am back

Suddenly got inspired to blog today.First I thought of uploading photos and then leisurely add the text to the posts whenever I get time . So many events have taken place since the last blog in February , that before I lose track let me try to piece them chronologically .
The first of the series to cover the backlog will be Rahul's convocation at IIM Kozhikode on 22nd March 2008

We reached Kozhikode by Jet air flight leaving Mumbai at 11.40 am. As Rahul was busy with the convocation rehearsals and as I was familiar with the area from our earlier visit ,we found our way to the hotel. Next day in the morning as we had nothing much to do we went to town to the Focus Mall , a departmental store, to get the famous Kerala spices. In the early evening we went to the campus . How I wish I had such a campus in my student days . I am sure the students must have been reluctant to go away from here. The sky was overcast ,there were showers the previous couple of days and though the arrangements were done for the outdoor function , we were told that alternate indoor facilities were on standby. We went to Rahul's room to help him get for the ceremony. That's him giving final touches in front of a mirror. All the students were instructed to collect their robes from the classrooms. We all parents were eagerly waiting , cameras ready to see them in their proud moments . A lot of running about was going on . We were told to occupy seats in the classrooms to see the live telecast of the ceremony which was to be held in the Auditorium due to rains . The students were asked to assemble at the main entrance for a group photo .Many parents followed them but I thought of getting good seats in the classrooms to click photos off the screen . The function was clearly seen on the screen and a special thanks to the staff ,students and others to have organized this live telecast so well. We never felt we missed out anything , though an outdoor function would have been grand . After the faculty and guests departed from the auditorium the students must have rushed out to the outdoor stage to have a satisfaction of being felicitated there. As we went out of the classrooms we could hear the screams and jumping and hugging and calling out to their friends and parents. We then had a buffet , went back to the rooms and did the final packing . Rahul and Jean Marsh had booked a car for both families to go back to the Hotel Sana . We had an early morning flight back to Mumbai , hopefully it was on time and it was a great victorious journey back . Grrrrrrrr !!! Never realized that an IIM K MBA greets everyone that way .

Congrats Sunny !! and on to a great career ahead !!!! All the best from us !!!!!!

Yes Indeed I was ' There '

This is about a long overdue visit to Rahul's campus at IIM Kozhikode .

After attending a ' puja ' at Goa in the Shantadurga Temple , I had planned to extend the journey to Calicut [ Kozhikode ] and visit the campus .We reached there at 10 in the morning by Netravati Express which leaves Madgaon at 11.30 pm . In the afternoon Rahul took us to his campus and I just could not believe myself that I was indeed standing on the very grounds that I had seen in photos sent by Rahul or as seen on the IIM K website .

In 2006 , the year Rahul was admitted to IIM K , I had made a model of the classrooms for my annual 'Ganapati ' decoration . It was done painstakingly taking measurements from photos on the computer screen and converting it to a scale . I had not seen the buildings or the layout . It had turned out so good that Rahul had posted it on his blog
{ http://www.rahulgaitonde.org/2006/08/ } and made me a campus hero .

We went around the campus saw the huge and well stocked Library . the Computer room , the ' Thinking center ' , classrooms , canteen and hostels . We went to his room and had a good snooze there .

Well that was indeed a satisfying and refreshing trip to the great IIM K campus

Shatabdi Hazards

This was on a visit to Goa recently by the morning Shatabdi Express . On entering the bogey there is a doorway leading to the sitting chair car . To the left are the toilets and the connecting passage to the next bogey . From my seat , I noticed that a door was constantly opening and banging . The waiters and passengers found it difficult to push the door in a moving train . I decided to go and see what that door was meant for . To my horror it turned out to be the door of the main electrical switch board . The latch was broken and so with the train's movement it was opening and shutting with force . I thought of clicking from my mobile for a post on this blog. Though the journey was uneventful , I was thinking of the dangers and the callousness of the railway staff especially the waiters who frequently travel and have a better access to the concerned authorities .

' Paperless Office !!! '

This is regarding what looks like an attempt by a Government office to give a look like a multinational corporate office .

I had an occasion to visit the Insurance office to renew my car insurance . As it has happened many a times , my agent just ' forgets ' to collect the premium from me and then I have to dash on the last due date to keep up the ' appointment ' with this office . I remember going here a couple of years ago and seeing the mess around . The staff has always been very cheerful , smiling and joking and willing to help and cooperate but the office used to be in a mess -- organized disorganization .

This year there were noticeable changes . I reached the office at 1.15 after my clinic work. I went in the office with the last years premium in hand and inquired at the first table as to who was dealing with this work . The clerk pointed to a well fed , well dressed lady sitting and staring at a computer in front of her and referring to some papers . She looked up with a smile and directed me to a person on the other side of the dividing compartment . I went up to him , a pleasant looking person with ' a peon promoted to a clerk ' look on the face. He stared at the papers and started hammering at the key board in front of him . It was 1.20 pm and the cashiers notice showed lunch time from 1.30 to 2.00 . I was praying that the clerk would give me the papers in time . Till then I had a look around as I had nothing else to do .To my left and back was the new layout of the " corporate office ". I had not noticed it when I went first to that lady . It looked quite impressive with bright light and fewer piles of papers and files , chairs and tables neatly arranged --an open office . I was wondering where have all the files and papers of yesteryears gone . I looked to my right and with a shock noticed the stacked up gunny bags of papers , broken chairs , tables and discarded furniture. I thought of writing formy blog and hurriedly clicked photos on my mobile phone for this post . I was scared of being noticed of carrying out this ' sting operation ' .

Till my ' operation ' I had forgotten about my clerk who was cursing and banging on the CPU as it was running slow and he wanted printouts of my policy .He was also concerned about the time and called out to the cashier to not to close the window till he accepted my cheque. At last he succeeded at about 1.40 and I could manage to pay , get that same dolled up lady's sign , and came back . Well thanks to a very cooperative staff not found in many Govt establishments . Also I look forward to visiting this place next year just to find where the sacks and furniture would be .