Sobha Forest View Rajyotsava

If you cannot cover SFV Rajyotsava, do the next best - trace its origin. Remember Mehmood’s line in a song in an old movie: Kameez nahi to kameez ka collar chalega. (Yes, my cousin’s daughter’s wedding in Palakkad, and the mandatory temple-visits on such trips, denies us the pleasure to be part of the SFV Rajyotsava next week.)

Soon after Independence Nehru swung into action with a blueprint for the country’s overall development - Five Year Plan, industrialization, agricultural revolution, and what have you. Some of these flourished, others registered average performance, while a few bombed. Panchsheel, a formidable foreign policy elevated him to an international statesman so much so that India was invited to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council, which for reasons best known he declined.

Aside these, Nehru also envisioned re-organization of the Indian states based on language, and appointed the States Reorganization Commission. That resulted in the emergence of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the South.

Soon there were loose ends to be sorted out. I don’t know much about the other states, but Kerala was offered either Kanya Kumari or Palghat (read Palakkad) among other areas. Vehement protest march and slogan shouting all over the town erupted suddenly - some clamouring for it to be part of Tamil Nadu, others Kerala.

Our Headmaster called an emergency meeting of all students. We were overjoyed that he would announce a two-day holiday till the dust settled down. Alas, it was not to be. On the contrary, it was to issue us a stern warning not to be part of this vandalism in any way. Finally the powers that be picked Palghat for being part of Kerala. Was it because I stayed in Palghat, or in spite of that?

Back to basics, on an appraisal Karnataka has only reasons to feel proud of its achievements in many fields. Off the cuff, I can recall it has bagged the maximum number of Sahitya Kala Academy awards.  Kannada was declared a classical language. It is the IT hub for India…The list is probably endless.

Yes, we will miss being part of the celebrations. But life manages to offer compensation of a sort to look forward to. My cousin’s neighbor in the village in the days of yore has promised to attend the wedding with his daughter. Guess who is his daughter? Vidya Balan.

V V Sundaram

Maple 3195

27 Oct 2017

Farewell to Shriram Srishti, and its Residents

A time comes in everyone’s life when one bids farewell to what one holds close to one’s heart, and moves on further.  I have thus far been postponing this - unwilling to part with my Shriram Srishti apartment in Hebbal.  

But with age getting the better of me. I had to move from the conquest phase to the consolidation phase. Thus I gave myself one year to decide which way to go – whether to stick with my new Sobha Forestview apartment, or return to the Srishti-fold to be back with old friends. With a little over one year now passed, I had to address the inevitable.

In such instances one tends to compare. Comparisons are invidious, more so between an orange and apple. One is a 144-unit complex with two blocks complementing the description, Small is Beautiful; and the other, with nearly 900 units spread out in six towers of 18 to 26 floors is a vast expanse with attendant infrastructure and facilities, fitting in with More the Merrier.

Fine. Then how did you draw the line Uncle, a staunch Srishti-ite might ask, fully aware that I am all set to remove the one leg that I still have on Srishti. No special reason. Just continue where you are, rather than move back and forth in one’s twilight years; as simple as that.

And so we put up our apartment for sale in Srishti Hike.  Thanks to Shoba (Dr Sundar) who kindly referred a few buyers to us, we could finalize with one. Thanks Shoba. We owe you a treat.

We are equally grateful to Narayan and Sarasa for copying now and again a host of background documents to facilitate buyer for a bank loan. But for them we would have spent the best part of our time shuttling between Kanakapura Road and Hebbal for this.

Shri Radhakrishnan ji came to our rescue in confiding the complexities of a sale transaction with his customary knack of scaring you more than required, in the name of cautioning. Thank you all the same, sir.

Mr Beliappa, the Estate Manager, deserves the best compliments. He eminently qualifies to be a role model Manager for any apartment complex for going the extra mile to help residents, and equally the families who approach him looking for a place to live – all in a spirit of service, be clear.

We could count on Jayanthi Bhashyam to a great extent. She had at her fingertips every procedure and the whereabouts of background papers, thanks to her association with Shriram Properties. Her timely tips came in handy.

Ruchi and Ashutosh, of B-701, and Rajender Rajpal, our next door neighbor, vied with one another not to let us walk up to the nearest restaurant for tea, breakfast or lunch during our interim visits when the sale process was in progress.

Last but not least, our special gratitude to Jayanthy Rajaram, our tenant, whom we had promised not to disturb for at least three years, but had to, in less than two years because of our own changed plan.  She agreed without batting an eyelid, nor even reminding us about our promise. Grace thy name, Jayanthy. Thankfully she managed an apartment within the complex that lets her son, Vedanth’s studies continue undisturbed.

Well, we had the best of time in those ten years, what with Srishti Day, Sports Day, New Year Eve, and the  accompanying entertainment programmes. Ah, yes. Our thanks also to Sujatha for roping in Aunty and me to enact, Aye Meri Zohra-Jabeen, Tujhe Maalum Nahi, Tu Abhi Tak Hai Haseen, Aur Main Jawaan… in a skit for seniors.

Yes we enjoyed every minute of our stay, and will miss it no doubt - but not the fond memories. We wish Srishti-ites all the best - nothing but the best.

Sundaram Uncle and Lalitha Aunty

(Erstwhile B-703)

15 Oct 2017

At It Again - Onam Musings

Jillam Pada Pada, Jillam Pada Pada, is how as young lads we used to transcribe the sound of the percussion instrument, Chenda, where five or six players on each row faced the other and hammered out for supremacy. Competition is the name of the game. Outwardly it might seem healthy, but intense one-upmanship is the undercurrent. The result?  A field day to the listeners - those who can stand the decibel, that is. And when the audience feels elated, they simply raise and swing their towels, fully supportive of the beats, and asking for more.

Yes, these were the thoughts that drove me down the memory lane as I witnessed Chenda Melam at SFV premises this morning.  Initially I felt that artists roped in from various Kerala-type temples situated in Bangalore would be at work. Be that so, but the seven member team enthralled the audience for an hour.

Our friend, Mr Bhargav, of Maple, who donned Mahabali’s attire stood through with unruffled calm (like our stonewall Rahul Dravid at the crease), with all those heavy-metal ornaments hanging around his neck all the while. Thankfully the artificial clipped moustache did not tickle him to sneeze in which case God Know s if it would have fallen off – as happened to my father when he enacted a King’s role in a drama.

If Sobha Developers can convert a rocky mountain area into an enviable Sobha Forestview and entice customers pay the price they asked for, the SFV Onam Day organizers proved equal to the occasion by turning a pipe-laden Alder car parking area into a wonderland for a few hours. Kudos.

Also they deserve full compliments for presenting a short and crisp programme that included a video introduction to Kerala and its culture, a dance recital by an accomplished danseuse, a symbolic enactment of Vamana Avatara,  the Kerala fishermen dance by children under ten, a joie de vivre film dance by adolescent boys and girls in a glittering attire, the Tiruvathira dance by ladies, a dance from Malayalam movie, Amar, Akbar, Anthony, in all conceivable languages; not to speak of the free for all Jimmiki Kammal dance - the present-day craze in Kerala, and a host of other items.

The organizers did well unto themselves not to appoint judges to evaluate events to announce winners. That would have been a Herculean task.  Each item had its own stand-alone quality. The Pan India participation was however the highlight of the show – Malayalee, Kannadiga, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Marathi that I could figure out.  Once again it brings home that SFV is Little India.

Initially one would have thought that the tug of war event was misplaced. No, far from it.  It proved a star attraction. In the one for ladies, it had to be the best of three, as they won one each. We will watch their attendance at tomorrow’s morning walk to gauge the casualty.

One would guess everyone enjoyed the Onam Sadya (feast). If the coupon-sale collection is any indicator, then all the three batches must be full.

A morning well spent will aptly describe the event.  Too bad, Aunty and I will miss SFO’s Rajyotsava festivity slated for 1 November.

V V Sundaram

08 Oct 2017

SFV Onam Day - Curtain Raiser

Come Sunday next, 8 October, SFV will be agog, yet again, with a festive look for its Onam Day. Yes, so soon after Navaratri celebrations when ladies attired in their glittering best were busy visiting and inviting others for Haldi and Kumkum to wish one another many many years of togetherness with their spouse. Onam per se was celebrated on the 4 September. But SFV decided to celebrate it on 8 October to suit residents’ convenience. Fair enough.

Godavarma might steal the thunder as the sheet anchor for this, given the outflow of messages from his desk in the SFV Malayalees’ group. That of course is not to rob others of the silent but significant contribution they make to ensure it is a grand success. Suma, as I see her, has been running around day in and day - and I don’t know at what cost to her domestic chores. There must, equally, be others who are fine-tuning choreography, flower decoration, or the Onam Sadya (meals), not to speak of the Chenda Melam, a percussion instrument that doesn’t need a public address system for a radius of two kilometers, Thus with ever so many unsung heroes and heroines behind the scene, it will be more appropriate to say that, together as cogs in the wheel, they are all geared to give SFV residents an eventful day on Sunday next.

The ceremony will start with ‘king Mahabali’ taking a round of his kingdom (read SFV premises) to see how his subjects are faring in life, to the beat of Chenda Melam. Other programmes include Thalapoll, Lighting of the Lamp, Kids dance, Teenagers Dance, Skit about Mahabali, Vanchi patte, Adults Dance, Vadamvalli to culminate in Onam Sadya (feast).

To quote excerpts from Google, Onam commemorates the Vamana avatar of Vishnu, and the subsequent boon Vishnu grants to king Mahabali by which the latter could visit again, once every year, the land and people he previously ruled. This revisit marks the festival of Onam, as a reminder of the virtuous rule and his humility in keeping his promise before Vishnu. The last day of Mahabali's stay is remembered with a nine-course vegetarian Onasadya feast. Almost every Keralite attempts to either make or attend one. The Onasadya traditionally consists of nine courses. The importance of the feast to the Kerala's Onam celebration culture is captured in the famous Malayalam proverb "Kaanam Vittum Onam Unnanam" which means "One must have the Onam lunch even selling his property. 

Yes, Onam Sadya is on the cards; and it certainly doesn’t warrant one to sell or mortgage one’s property to enjoy it. Just pay Rs280/-, and select the pandi (batch) where you would like to have a go at it – the 12 noon, 1 pm, or the last 2 pm batch. If the corridor news is correct, only a few coupons remain unsold. I have ensured my berth. Have you? Better do it before it is too late.

Happy Onam Day, everybody.

V V Sundaram

Maple 3195

01 Oct 2017