Vadakkumnathan Temple - Thrissur

Vadakkumnathan temple is one of the most ancient, and largest of Shiva temples in the country.

Once in Thrissur, knowing it's an old and traditional town of Kerala, in the less than 24 hours we were there, between functions, I was hoping to fit in a temple visit. Optimizing see...and this temple was recommended by Beena. The opportunity showed itself as an early morning window, so off we were at 6 am, and Diksha joining me was a lovely last minute surprise.

Firstly, it was impossible to remember the name ....I'd ask and within minutes I'd forget....it's such a mouthful. As is most of malayalam...in fact like Diksha said "I don't know when they take a breath between words, they just seem to roll into each other". So true :)

As we enter the temple grounds, what strikes is how spread out and green it is. And how beautiful, and serene, and old, and clean, and pious, and peaceful, and sanctified. Please read all those as feeling words :)

The temple is spread over 9 acres, with many many really gigantic old trees, banyans and peepals and others, interspersed with old and statuesque looking gopurams. No detailed sculptures, no imposing architecture....just these clean straight lines.....somehow felt like a no frills, more direct connect to god (or maybe nature...or maybe self....same thing I guess)

It is said to have been built by Parusurama, the sixth incarnation of lord vishnu, the legend creator of Kerala. You start to understand 'God's own country' from a whole new angle.

Thrissur gets it's name after this temple , with Thrissur meaning 'town with the name of lord Shiva'.

This is entrance to temple.

The main dome..the one that houses the sanctum sanctorium

Full of these nice long walkways everywhere

One of the side gopurams

Another view of the main dome

Banyan tree.....interesting how it's outgrown it's platform

Another angle to the side gopuram

A kutti temple to ganesha, which had several oil lamps lit, that I was trying to capture, but from too far

This tree had some exotic looking flowers hanging all over it's trunk....and the fragrance was heady...like literally intoxicating heady

We somehow did no pictures of ourselves, guess the temple just took over...here I happened to catch diksha's back...by chance with the graceful twirl of her lehenga :)

Loved the serenity and connect that this temple offered.....what we, in essence, look for in temples.

A Lovely Mallu Wedding

A wedding in Thrissur…..a quintessential Malayali Wedding

Also, a milestone in time. Beena and I went to school together, that many many years back, and now it was time for her son’s wedding. A first. First friend whose child was getting married, that’s why a milestone, and there was no way I would miss it.

I mention that, more because there were enough and more obstacles coming up to our trip. Was on uncertain ground right till the evening before we left, and today, I’m just so glad each of them was overcome one at a time. Some, god helped...and some I’m happy to say was ‘taking a decision’. Lesson there….all about keeping the focus on goal, and goal was to be with Beena on this occasion that meant so much.

That got captured for me in two very differently intense moments. One, in Thrissur, when Beena and I found ourselves alone in the hotel corridor for two minutes…. she gives me a hug and says “I’m just feeling sooooo happy”. I could feel her joy through the hug. A wonderful moment.

And second; at the reception, at the Bolgatty Palace ground…...everything’s beautifully set, almost fairytale like beautiful. It’s in the lawns, set against the spectacular backdrop of the ocean. 

We’re there early, and enjoying the beauty of the venue….almost time for the event….….. and suddenly the sky darkened...and in minutes it was like the clouds burst. 

Huge bolts of lightening and thunder... and sheets of rain.....a massive thunderstorm. Beena sitting there looking out into the pouring rain, watching her weeks of painstaking effort ...every chair and every bouquet, every curtain, every flower impeccably matched ….helpless...her eyes going red, holding back the threatening tears. While there was nothing I could say that would change things, just to be sitting with her and saying it’s okay to cry….and know the reception will yet happen.

We were watching Narayanan, walking around everywhere, umbrella in hand, yet fully drenched, likely as much from sweat as rain, such a worried look in his eyes...one that we could all feel for, but none of us could talk to.

Half hour later, yet pouring and drenched...everything was magically reorganized.....turned out an as grand reception, with so much participation from all invited, and more.....a lovely reception, one that even the rain gods couldn't stop. Beena, that says a lot for you and Narayanan. Wonderful wonderful stuff.

I now understand that what I said as 'magically reorganized' had behind it the hands of one special individual. A Dr. Gangadharan, a close friend of Narayanan's, someone I've been hearing off through the years. I understand that when he saw what the storm was doing, not just to the venue setting, but to Narayanan, he pretty much took over. Actually gave Narayanan lime and salt, reframed the situation for him, and then he and his team (Gangadharan is a world reknown oncologist) set about reorganizing the venue to alternate arrangements. Some great work there, by him and his team.  Wow stuff.....makes for some great memories.....and lessons too.

Onto the event itself.

We landed at Cochin on 24th afternoon, plumb in the middle of a pooja ceremony at home….. women in traditional white silk kasavus and men in mundu with colourful silk shirts ......was a lovely sight. 

Ceremony done, nice lunch done...couple hours later we were on the road to Thrissur, for the wedding. 

Rest in pictures:

24th evening was a hybrid of a traditional ceremony and a sangeet. The women in the family all sitting to make vathulu (cotton wicks), for the very many oil lamps that are lit for the wedding. Such a pretty sight.

And the now newer mix of the sangeet that has seeped its way into south indian weddings as well. Who doesn’t like music and dance, so, fun it was...even in the watching.

The wedding itself, at Kaustubham in Thrissur. The actual ceremony a quiet and pious affair, with the stage being prominently occupied by the nilavilakku (traditional brass lamp) and a para (brass vessel) filled with nellu (rice husk) and coconut flowers.

A lovely family picture. Beena, Narayanan, Pranav, Vaishakhi and the cute kid brother Monu (ok ok...Saurav :)

Sadya, the traditional and well known kerala spread. So Yummm. The payasam was to die for.

A lovely moment captured there. More importantly, I wanted Shobha, Beena's sister and mom (sitting behind) here, and sadly had no other pictures with them. I've after all known them since I was 12.

Shaking a leg...friends of the bride and groom, and the bride and groom, Vaishakhi and Pranav themselves, both in pink...so cute :)

From the previous day, when we just reached, but had to put a picture of Beena in a kasavu :)

Diksha and me....Beens, thanks for sending me this picture :)

Reception next evening....at the Bolgatty palace. The mandapam against the waters, so very elegant and beautiful.

The palace itself. A 1744 building, apparently the oldest existing Dutch palace outside Holland

Beena, me and Diksha enjoying the venue before start of reception

And then the clouds appeared, with a speed and ferocity that was spellbinding

And then it poured

Venue shifted to alternate hall....and here's the flag off, so rightfully done by Dr.Gangadharan, (extreme right, with the mike in hand) who pretty much saved the day

A pretty picture..the couple with the bridesmaids

An interesting episode during the reception was when well known actor Mammootty (he's a friend of Narayanan's) walked in, and we could feel the energy in the room so palpably shift. You can see Mammootty in white to the right. Even the photographers turned the other way and took selfies :)

A picture of their house, all decked up for the wedding, so pretty

End of day, almost midnight, and when the rain finally went into a drizzle we went back to the original mandapam for some final pictures.

There was one super cute moment here. Pranav and Vaisakhi were getting some pics on the mandapam, you know the 'candid' ones. You could tell that the photographer had asked Pranav to kiss the bride, and we see this quick and furtive glance behind...at his parents... wondering if it was okay with them around. Such a cute look that was.

Beena and Narayanan, many many many congratulations to you both !!

And thanks much for hosting us for the wedding, and more for making us feel so much a part of family...can’t tell you how touching and wonderful it was.

A Week That Seemed Way Longer

A week away from home is by itself just that..a week. Then you add in experiences as varied as what we had, and the week seems to go into a time distortion. One that feels way longer.... in essence from the intensity and spectrum of new and varied experiences. 

Varied was at multiple levels. The pictures speak of landscape...and our experience encompassed, in addition to the sea and the mountains:

The hulabulu of a wedding in the city, and the quiet of just the two of us in Munnar.

The extreme heat and humidity of Cochin, and the chilly and windy monsoons in Chinnakanal. 

A well known temple in Thrissur, and the hip cafes of Fort Kochi. 

A ferry drive in the car at Ernakulam, and driving through clouds in the western ghats.

Wine through the evenings and ayurveda during the day.

You get the drift....

It's a trip that Diksha and I did to Kerala last week.....visiting Cochin, Thrissur and Munnar.

This morning a friend asked "just the two of you, didn't you get bored?". The thought hadn't even occurred to me. We had such a marvelous time ....even cooped up in the room during the rains that seem to never stop.......doing things together, syncing when needed, doing our own thing at times....in fact we didn't even think of turning the TV on, not even once. It was a simply beautiful week.

Back home and wanting to write, was when I realized just how wide and deep an experience spectrum it was....so much so, that in itself seemed a thought worth capturing,  and a good enough place to start :)

My Present

What my days..... and so my life, is about today:

• People.....my inner circle...people beyond.....and me
• Keep smiling...even while accepting and handling the curved balls life throws at you
• Listen to your heart
• Chewing the cud time, while still being curious and open to wonder and mystery and learning
• Giving into moments of joy, and fun, and even silliness
• Feel gratitude
• Give attention and energy to everything I do, and if possible, every conversation I have
• Ask Why
• Take those difficult decisions
• Find good things around you, and say it, be generous with those compliments
• Stay aware... mindful, even through the difficult spaces, your growth is somewhere in there
• Keep the bookshelf growing
• Travel...let those horizons expand, be it through books, people, travel...
• Add value wher'ever you can
• Keep your surroundings not just clean, but pretty
• Keep the energy and enthusiasm going
• Feel the love in your heart and let it spread

Hoping to keep adding to the list :)

Two days of nostalgia

A two days that took us all the way back 25 years.

And full kudos to Ashutosh who came down to Hyderabad with that as exclusive purpose. He said the years in hyderabad were the best time of his life, and he wanted to revisit......he wanted two days from me and Lan. 

Initially we weren't sure it would fall in place.....but his excitement was so palpable, his feelings so from the heart that it totally wrapped us in as well.

While we've each been at IDBI for long years, the overlap was 1993 to 1996, just three years when we were part of a gang (Amrutha missing)

Day 1, straight from airport at 7 in the morning we went to Abids Taj.....Pesarettu, Alam pachadi and Coffee he said.

A drive around the city......old haunts, tank bund and the like.

And then to our old office, IDBI.

While we didn't expect to meet any of our colleagues from back then, (we did though) it was a wonderful surprise to meet Srinivas. He was a young lad back then, working as a tea boy, an integral part of day....the cups of chai and coffee....the bonding times. It was so wonderful to see him as Canteen head, a long chat...and the warm feeling when he said "stay and have lunch with me".

Imagining the layout as it was, who sat where, quirky stuff that happened, people who brought out our best, work challenges, bosses who drove us nuts, closing days with irani samosa and chai at 2 in the night, scrabble during breaks, papa toads for egg puffs, mohini for biryani....and that list goes on.

Two incidents that Ashutosh recalled with so much feeling, that they deserve special mention:

When Ashutosh was transferred into Hyd, and was given the most sticky portfolio of PFD Accounts,  I apparently ( I don't recall this) spoke to our GM and said "it's not fair, I'll do half day accounts until he gets the hang of it". And today when he said he just couldn't have done without that......well.... Ashutosh, so touched for making me feel good about it even today :)

Second was his saying how when he heard that Lan was transferred to Indore, and orders were to move within a day, he actually broke down in Lan's cabin.... and how Lan just quietly got up, closed the door to give him that space. Was so touching to hear, also because it reminded me of the quiet tear I shed when I walked him out the doors the next day.

Lunch was beer and biryani. 

Evening started with us visiting his old house on Rd No 12. I sat in the car and watched ....it was his journey, his experience......to see him stand and gaze, zoned out and lost to the world. 

And he had so many stories to recall about his life there.

Next on list was a temple inside the Apollo hospital campus,  apparently a sunday ritual for him and his daughter, who was back then all of 3.

A beautiful temple, quiet, serene......the sanctity and depth becoming a metaphor for the bonding experienced through the two days.  

Dinner was again farmaish....chicken 65 and biryani...and beer ofcourse.

Day 2 started with a walk in KBR, and rest of day was literally spent in Lan's red scorpio. We must have done a 100 kms I think........just driving around.....osmania biscuit at Nimraah in Nampally, irani chai at Charminar, lunch at Ulavacharu, pan at dimmy's, tea at lamakaan.........and lots and lots of catching up of times bygone.....aspirations and attitudes......life in general, right until we dropped him off at the airport late evening.

Ashutosh saying "It's been twenty five years, and I haven't met more interesting or fascinating people than the two of you (how much ever exaggerated, who can resist hearing such stuff huh), and Lan saying "I'm not a talker, I'm known to be quiet......but today......I'm going to need gargling with iodex for the throat". 

When twenty five years drops off like that....guess that's how it can get. Strangely, none of us took even a single picture. So strange, and so sorely missed.

Well, well, Ashutosh very quickly and creatively filled that gap (just from our whats app dps') , plus office and his house ...lovely

Ashutosh, for having created and enabled this experience.......tough to find the right words...so, like Lan said 'let silence speak the rest'.

An Early Morning Drive

One of those spontaneous and lovely things that just happen.

I was all set to go off on my morning walk, when Diksha says "I'm in a mood for a drive, want to come?".  And we went, directionless at first, with maybe unsaid objective of getting out of city.

That in itself took us close to an hour....something that used to take me twenty minutes....ten, no... more like fifteen years ago. Was nice though. On way we hit gandipet, where we took a little break.

While the regular access to Gandipet was cordoned off, this was a chance discovery

Other side of the lake

We decided to walk down to the lake

A nesting crane. It was amazing how many birds there were....warblers, egrets, kingfishers, ducks, cormorants.....so many

Another view of the lake

With me

That's Bruce up there (diksha's car), looking so cute..so like a hotwheels

Drive back

It was beautiful...some good music, some shared moments... a little break by Gandipet. Very nice.

28 Days

I picked the movie because it was a Sandra Bullock, pretty much expecting her usual high energy rom coms. Was I surprised. 

It's a movie in a rehab, overcoming alcoholism and addiction. No easy space.

She's a columnist for a New York magazine, drunk and wild at any time of day. There's some major drama and an accident, and she has to chose jail or rehab. She's a reluctant admit.... there to complete the 28 day term, and get back to her life and boyfriend.

Through the rehab she dumps both....and a lot more.

Comes through in a complex relationship she has with her sister, where it starts with her sister saying "you make it so difficult for me to love you"....change happens, and it changes to "it's impossible not to love you".

Watchable. And for Sandra Bullock, definitely watchable.