My Musings

6 May 2008 to 23 May 2008 Prev : Part 1 Tuesday, 6 May 2008 . CHENNAI . The person from Hosur came at 6-30PM and handed us the sample, and photocopies of all Reports. Sridevi's email says that we have to meet Dr MUTHU SEKAR Wednesday, 7 May 2008 . SAVEETHA HOSPITAL . (1st visit ) Vijaya and I left house by 8-30 am in Arun's car ( we engaged a driver - 125.00 for 4 hours ) and reached Saveetha University and Hospital after an hour's drive. 23 - 24 km from our house. Saveetha is a Charitable Trust (Erode) that runs this University and Hospital. Started in 1986, this was affliated to Dr MGR University earlier; it became an autonomous University in 2005. Located at 162, Poonamalee High Road, Velappanchavadi, Chennai 77. Near the Bangalore by-pass road. We travelled via Adyar - Guindy - Kathipara jn - Porur - Kumanan Chavadi - Saveetha. At the hospital, the OP registration was just 5 rupees. Dr Muthu Sekar is a Professor in the Dept of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery; he was n...

21 April 2008 to 6 May 2008 This is the start of a three-months long hospital saga that saw many twists and sudden turns and ended on 12 July 2008. Part 1 (total five Parts) follows: Monday, 21st April 2008. CHENNAI This morning we got a call from Savithri from Hosur; she said she has a growth (white patch) inside her mouth; she had consulted local dentists at Hosur. Ganesh and Sridevi asked her to go to a Dentist at Bangalore for consultation. Sridevi's akka's husband is the Dean of a Dental College and Hospital in the USA and he has suggested the name of Dr SV Kumaraswamy at Jayanagar, Bangalore. Savithri is plainly scared. Naturally. Savithri wants someone to accompany her when she visits the doctor and she wanted to know if we have any plans of going to blr this week. We said "no plans" but Ashok and Neeraja would help her. Ashok phoned Savithri and confirmed he and Neeraja would help her. Wednesday, 23 April, 2008 . CHENNAI Savithri confirmed that the appointmen...

It's nungu . Nungu IT'S ONE of Nature's delicious ironies. Nungu, the kernel of the Palmyra tree, which cools many a parched throat on a hot summer day, tastes best when it comes from arid fields. Come summer, and roadside vendors start piling up these near-black fruits. Cut into the hard shell and out pop three heart-shaped cream-coloured nungus. Lucky ones manage to find up to four kernels in one fruit. Villagers still insist on eating the fruit whole, fibrous skin intact, but city-dwellers have found ways to embellish this tasty wonder. Peel off the skin, cut into small cubes, sprinkle some sugar and cardamom powder and chill. The eater is often in raptures before making a demand for a second helping. Else, try the nungu payasam. Boil chopped nungu, add nungu thanni (the sweet water in the heart of the kernel), milk, sugar and cardamom and slurp to your heart's content. But, nutritionists say it is preferable to consume the fruit in its natural form. I too pref...

If you had gone out of Chennai before the 1st week of April 2008 and returning now, or if you are a home-bird in Chennai not venturing out of your home since April 1st week ... beware, a cultural shock awaits you on your return to the City. Be forewarned. As you walk/ travel in a bus/ drive through the main roads of Chennai, you will be jolted suddenly with large number of trees, and pleasant greenery all around you. A truly amazing sight. Just walk/drive along towards Usman Road in Thyagaraya Nagar from Pondy Bazaar, as you approach Panagal Park - hey whats this, where have we landed, are we in Panagal park? The fresh air, the greenery, the PANAGAL PARK itself - the view is quite amazing. People who have lived in Chennai for years are wondering - where were these trees, this greenery all these years? Travel across the Adyar Bridge, near Malar, you will be speechless to view the grand scenery the river presents. Even the Mandaveli Signal is looking very different, very pleasant. This i...

Vijaya and I went to Hyderabad recently. We started on the evening of 17 Mar 2008 from Egmore, Chennai. The train went via Park, Fort, Beach, Washermenpet stations before joining the main line at Vyasarpadi. I am seeing the Fort and Beach etc stations for the first time. We reached Kacheguda the next morning by 7-30. We were told that the local train (MMTS -Multi Mode Transport System) would arrive on PF 3. So we lugged our suitcases climbing the overbridge. Later, at the last moment, the announcement said the train is coming on PF 1 !! We had to lug once again via the overbridge. In fact, we had to climb overbridges in all the stations during our visit to Hyderabad. It was the norm. The MMTS trains are clean and nice. Even allowing for the unusually long stoppages at Kacheguda and Secunderabad Stations, the travel was faster. After bath and breakfast at Rama's place in Ashoknagar, we boarded another MMTS for KCG to go to the Pension Office there. This office is located at Barkatpu...

Yesterday, Sunday, 2 March 2008, afternoon 4-15PM. Narada Gana Sabha in TTK Road, next to Arvind’s office. Vijaya and I left house at 3-15 PM and reached the place by 3-45. A Condolence Meeting had been arranged to remember Sujatha and share the feelings. Three large photos were placed in a prominent place with floral respects. A really large basket with full of flowers and a large thattu (Thambalam) with fresh roses were also kept. Taking the hint, we two paid our floral respects to the great writer. Everyone did. We entered the Hall – though we expected a decent crowd, we never imagined that the Hall would be so full half hour before the start. Shows how many people were attracted by Sujatha’s writings. When the programme started, the Hall was full. Cine actor Parthiban, Kanimozhi, ManushyaPuthran, Cine Director Vasanth, Uyirmai publishing house had arranged this meeting. Kanimozhi came, greeted everybody (VIPs) individually and left in 15 minutes. Many spoke, shared their feelings ...

SUJATHA – A Tribute Sujatha (May 5, 1935 – Feb 27, 2008) was one of my favorite writers. And I am positive that he was the favorite of many of you also. He passed away last night (27-02-2008) at Apollo, Chennai due to cerebral haemorrhage and kidney failure. He was a prolific writer in Tamil and he has written a number of novels and short stories. He was really multi-faceted. He was strong in ancient Tamil literature (Sanga Thamizh) and also in Vaishnavite literature. His forte was Science fiction and he has written many Sci-Fi novels and stories in Tamil. Having a background of Science and Technology – he had a Master’s Degree in Electronics – he wrote with authenticity. In fact he introduced many scientific ideas and thoughts to the ordinary Tamil people also. Almost all of his writings are quite famous. Like, his “Srirangathhu Devathaikal” a collection of short stories. No one can ever forget the characters Ganesh and Vasanth who appeared in many short stories. “Thoondil Kathaikal” ...