Harvard and MIT tours

After the luncheon appointment with Al and Maritza, we literally rushed to join the last, 4.30, batch of the Harvard University tour - a walking tour lasting 1-1/2 hours. Student-volunteers conduct this and throw their hat in for tips at the end. I found the Harvard ambience charged with an insatiable quest for knowledge. A few names dropped as being associated with Harvard included Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg - both did not stay to complete their courses though. The University bestowed a doctorate on Bill Gates a couple of years ago when they invited him to address students. Let's hope a similar honour awaits Zuckerberg. He too deserves. The other names included Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astro-physicist, and Matt Damon and Tommy Lee Jones from the Hollywood fraternity.

The University was founded in 1636. The buildings are an architectural marvel, and spread out. As soon as we entered the premises, the Guide asked us, “Did you notice that I didn't bring you through the front gate. Can you guess why? There is a superstition that one could enter through the main gate only once - to commence one's studies; and exit once, on completion.”

He explained the functions and importance of a host of buildings around. Then in order not to make it monotonous, he converted it into an inter-active session. He asked us to guess which amongst them would have cost Harvard the maximum per sq. ft. Before we could answer, he also pointed out at a building nearby and said that it was rebuilt thrice. “Yes, that very one, of course,” shouted everyone. That was a deliberate ploy to mislead us. Pointing at a small replica in front of the gate, similar to what we provide to watchmen at gates of residential complexes, Shankar asked, “Could that be the one?”. Yes, it was, and the it had cost Harvard $ 57 000 – a recent one, what with permit fee and what have you.

There was a special mention about Harry Elkins Widener Library. Mr Widener graduated from Harvard in 1907 and the Library was established in his memory in 1915.

“Graduated in 1907 and a library in his memory in 1915? Something anomalous,” we thought. Yes, Elkins and his parents sailed by the unfortunate Titanic ship. Father and son drowned, while the mother managed to sail ashore. So perpetuate Elkin's memory the mother donated 3.5 million (now probably 60 m), together with all the books that

Elkins collected after graduation from all over Europe, including the Gutenberg Bible printed between 1450 and 1455. Today only 22 copies are available, and each copy could fetch $100 million. The Library boasts of a collection of 3 million books.

Background info such as this was enough to arouse you to visualize our grandchildren walking around the premises with bulky books in hand, and holding intelligent conversations with fellow collegians. So I asked the Guide for the possible financial outlay and the expected calibre of students seeking admission. “GPA score of 3.9 out of 4 , and 4.7 % of the applicants got admission,” he replied as though to set at rest any further queries. The annual fee was around $65 000 per annum, but one got financial assistance upto 50% depending upon various factors such as the income of the family, etc.

As we came out to get into our mini van, we saw a sticker on front – $25 fine for parking beyond time. We wrote it off to educational pre-investment.

A similar tour of MIT awaited us the next day. There was no dearth of free flow of similar names here too, including the one who invented internet. One hung on to his lips to hear more of what he said but, alas, in the downpour I missed many names and accomplishments that make MIT head and shoulders above many. MIT was established in 1861 – 200 years later than Harvard. Here too the Guide gave the financial figure at 65 000, and said that 8.9% of the applicants ended up getting admitted.

“A tall order? Or, nothing is unachievable?” I gave a feeler to my elder grandson sitting at the back, as we headed to hotel. No response. As for the younger boy, 10 years, his questions were still confined to the sports facilities available for American football and basket ball. “Did Lebron James (basketball), or Odell Beckham Jr (American football) study here?” I heard him ask. Mindset, Dr Watson.

Meeting boss after years

It is not always that one fulfils all of one's wishes when planning a trip abroad. Probably why the nursery rhyme goes, “If wishes were horses beggars would ride.” Precisely why Aunty brands me a meticulous planner and a poor achiever. But I maintain that even if I am able to achieve 4 of 10 it isn't too bad; something is better than nothing.

So when I added to my list a possible meeting with Al, my boss, and his wife Maritza, as soon as our Boston trip got finalized, I had the least hope that it would materialise. For, you name any city in USA, and chances are they would have some relations there and are visiting someone or the other. On an earlier occasion I wrote to him of our plans to be in Arizona and California and wondered if they would be around in West Coast then. Yes, they were, and they made minor modifications to their itinerary to meet our entire family in California. So nice of them.

“Were you two working together for long to be so close?” you might ask. No. He was Geneva-based and I, Delhi-based. We met every year for 10 days at the Frankfurt Book Fair. In the evenings we would walk up to some Vietnamese, Thai or Indian restaurant for dinner, before returning to our respective hotels. After the Fair I would visit Geneva for three days to discuss matters of mutual interest. That was the routine.

I retired from WHO. Months later, as Aunty and I were visiting temples in Udupi, Horanad, Sringeri..., I received an email from Al if I could help him as a consultant for 11 months in Geneva. I agreed. When the final contract ended, it was almost five years.

Alfred Wieboldt, Al for short, is an American of German descent. His wife, Maritza, a Colombian. They are such a lovely made-for-each-other couple. I knew their son, Gilbert, as a young boy very keen to make a mark in soccer. Now 32, he is working for a Medical Hospital in Boston. Al and Maritza look forward to him get into a wedlock.

The Als are always on travel status. Thus I was delighted when I was able to touch base with them again, this time in Boston. We had earmarked 1-1/2 hours to spend with them. When we left the Legal Sea Foods restaurant, it was more than 3-1/2 hours. Initially, as vegetarians, we were skeptical when Maritza conveyed the name of the restaurant where she had made reservation. But the thoughtful Maritza had spoken to the Chef in advance to prepare a special no-fish, no-meat, no-chicken, and all-vegetables food. And he just did that, admirably. A time well-spent, we felt, including the boys. Before we parted, a brief photo-session followed, courtesy the lady attending to our table.

During the chat we made sure it was not WHO all the way. That would be taxing the rest. Nonetheless occasionally we strayed into it. He shared with me that in one of the meetings of International Publishers Conference in Frankfurt (maybe after I retired) Jeff Bezos (Amazon) too was present. He was still getting a foothold in the industry. He made the momentous announcement that very soon all this wholesale, retail, stockists networks would perish and people would be able get their books at their doorstep. Also there won't be warehouses stocking multiple copies of each title. They would be printed on demand. Al pooh-poohed his vision. “And see how much Jeff's words have become a reality now,” Al said, never unwilling to admit his miscalculations.

Before parting, I renewed my invitation to them to visit India and be our guest. To dispel fears of their getting into any medical emergency during the visit, I briefed them on how medical tourism was synonymous with India. Yet to be convinced. So, till then status quo ante.

(Next and last: Harvard and MIT tours)

Meeting oldest family member en route Boston

The stay in Philadelphia was pleasant. Every evening Shankar would join us after office hours, and we would take a short walk by the Schuylkill river that the University of Pennsylvania and Wharton have the privilege to be facing from the other side. What a prompting for the students to be studious. Shankar would then take us to select restaurants for dinner. On one evening his office staff with families hosted dinner for us.

Now it was time to pack and drive to Boston, next morning. We had already organised with my Chitti (mother's youngest sister), the oldest family member who lives with her daughter in New Jersey, that we would stop by for just an hour. We had to reach Boston airport in time to receive Sunita arriving from Phoenix.

An early kickstart makes the day easier. So we planned our breakfast at Dunkin Donuts, and coffee at Starbucks on the way. That gave us some relief from the seven-hour drive. Occasional detours marked this leg of the drive thanks either to our taking a turn a little early or late. It caused an hour delay. During the drive we had planned that each one of us would select ten songs of their choice, and these would be played. This was said easier than done. The boys had their way for most part.

The delay in reaching New Jersey however took a back seat when we saw a beaming, restless, Chitti walking to and fro at the front yard, guessing each incoming vehicle to be ours. She sprang a surprise by roping in the extended family members from New Jersey and New York, 15 in all. It was fun. We ended up staying more than double the planned time – the delayed arrival aside.

She is the senior most member of my family, on the wrong side of 80s. Once again she asserted, and rightly, that as a child she took care of me more than my mother. “Except during one Kalpathy Car festival,” I reminded her. “You lost me in the crowd when you were busy at a bangles shop.” Yes, after about fifteen minutes of anxious moments she spotted afar a policeman carrying, not pleasurably, a well-fed sobbing lad on his shoulder for the owner from the crowd to spot. Yes, it was me. She rushed and grabbed me even before the constable could verify her credentials. One the way she bought me ‘laali mittai, a white and red Signal-toothpaste-like rubbery sweetmeat which the vendor pulls from a rod. As I was enjoying it, she whispered into my ears, “If you wish, I can get you one more, but don't tell your father of the incident, okay?” A good bargain.

In Boston we were part of a well-attended engagement ceremony of my d-i-l’s cousin from Bangalore. She had just completed her higher studies in the US where she also gave consent to her senior to be his partner for life - also a Bangalorean. A made for each other couple-to-be.

If Philadelphia witnessed the declaration of Independence, the events leading to that, the independence movement, began in Boston: Boston Tea Party (no taxation without representation) where the locals dumped from the ship several hundred sacks of tea into the sea in protest against Great Britain's levy of tax on tea. Then followed the Boston Massacre, and a host of other incidents culminating into Independence.

All work and no play is no good. So we squeezed time to watch Oceans, a 3D documentary by BBC. Except for the two boys and their cousin, most of us were dozing off, some could even be heard snoring. The show at the planetarium, From a Dream to Reality, by NASA enlisted more such members to the fraternity. For the Duck Tour, an amphibian drive on road and river in the same vehicle, personally I struggled to stay awake as my Sambandhi Ganesan struggled to stay clear from my head resting on his shoulder.

(Next: Meeting boss after years)

Philadelphia calling

“I think the family deserves a vacation after the hectic preparations and successful conduct of the Upanayanam,” said Shankar as we watched the early rounds of World Cup. “More so it will be a thanksgiving to the two boys who gave a good account of themselves,” added Sunita, accustomed to their restlessness at the stroke of the sixth minute, anytime anywhere. “Also a reward for doing their Sandhya Vandanam regularly and keenness to learn by-heart the mantras before the other,” quipped Aunty, who knows a little too well about their me first syndrome.

After a few deliberations, the choice fell on Philadelphia, for two reasons. Shankar has official work there for a week. Second, an engagement ceremony in Boston thereafter. “So let's take two weeks off to cover both Philadelphia and Boston,” came a unanimous verdict. Shankar would attend office in Philadelphia, and Sunita would join us only in Boston as she has a product-launch deadline in her office. The boys thus couldn't be more joyous. A field day. It is Thatha Patty all the way, except when Dad returns to hotel from work late in the evenings. “Breakfast, lunch, evening snacks, all our choices”, they hurrahed.

Declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage City, Philadelphia is a historic city that witnessed America's Declaration of Independence, the writing of the Constitution by its founding fathers, the city where the country's national flag was designed, the Liberty bell (which of course cracked when rung and is now a museum piece), not to speak that all the three houses, viz., the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary, all located within a radius of two miles. It was in this Congress Hall that one of the founding fathers proclaimed: “Now I am neither a New Yorker, Pennsylvanian, nor a Virginian. I am an American.” That spirit still pervades, 242 years later. How about a similar feeling back home after just 71 years, one must be wondering.

Most of the sightseeings are walking tours, manned by volunteers. The Constitution tour that we picked up was for two hours. He took us around all the historical places and explained with such clarity that if only it was transcribed verbatim, it could easily become a book that needs no editing. So good choice words and expressions.

When he found the group just lending their ears, he said, at one point, “I would very much like it to be an interactive session.” That was enough for Rohan, the younger one, to go hand in hand with him for the rest of the tour and load him with questions so much that he might have wondered why he at all mooted an interactive session. At the Benjamin Franklin's cemetery, Rohan asked him, “Why are people throwing pennies where he is buried?” “Good question. I don't know if it has anything to do with what Benjamin said, “A penny earned is a penny saved.”

The World’s (or, America’s?) first bank is located in the city. The second largest bank was shut down by orders of the President since their activities were not beyond question. “Can anyone guess what architecture does this building resemble?” “Athens, Greece.” Ashwin answered promptly. “10/10”, the guide awarded him the marks.

“That, over there, is the National Treasure,” pointed the guide. Can anyone guess who acted in the movie by the same name? “Nicholas Cage and Sean Connery,” I said, but he didn't award me any marks.

Unlike many museums where “don't touch” is the hallmark, the Franklin Science Museum authorities want visitors to gain hands-on experience on how a sewing machine works, or a vacuum cleaner operates, etc. As we stepped out of the building, we felt we, the two seniors, were the best beneficiaries.

The next was to go to prison - nay, to what they call penitentiary - an old-time prison-house where some of America’s notorious criminals were ganged up. To give a feel of walking through prison cells housing hardened criminals on both sides, some audio effects are in place, we were told. Alas we had to choose instead a visit to the Revolutionary museum, with cinematic effects.

As we drew near the end of one programme at around noon, the guide asked, “Any questions?” And the first to raise hand was Ashwin, “Any good restaurants over here?” He is accustomed to long walks only under compulsion.

(Next: Meeting oldest family member en route Boston)

Upanayanam of grandsons

Unlike the lull that marks the last leg of one's visit abroad, the last three weeks have been extraordinarily busy for us. We performed the Upanayanam of both our Phoenix grandsons, took a family vacation to Philadelphia; then to Boston for an engagement ceremony, took Harvard and MIT tours, and had a chance lunch meeting with my WHO-Geneva boss. Here is the Upanayanam account, to begin with. (Yes, I plan to cover each of these, one by one. My younger son had said long back that he would compile all my articles in the form of a book at a later date – if you know what he means – and retain it for posterity, whatever that might mean.)

“Amma, I got a call from my parents in Delhi. They plan to visit US in June. Won't it be great if we perform Ashwin and Rohan's Upanayanam while both parents are here?” asked our d-i-l Sunita, rushing down the stairs. “There can't be a better opportunity than this dear,” responded Aunty.

We identified the Udupi Venkata Krishna temple in Phoenix as the venue. It is vast and spacious. It was a church earlier, and has an architectural splendour of its own. Leaving that untouched, the temple authorities made minor modifications in the hall so that one felt the ambience of a temple in full measure with separate sanctum sanctorum for Lord Venkateswara, Goddess Lakshmi, and Lord Shiva and Ganesha. The best of both the worlds.

We met Kiran ji, the Chief Priest. He had spent seven years in the Veda Pathashala (no less than for an MBBS course) in Udupi and had also obtained Masters in Sanskrit before qualifying himself to perform pujas and rituals. A few permutations and combinations vis-a-vis the stars and planetary positions of parents and sons, and he pronounced 21 June ideal for the ceremony, for both grandsons. The parents would give Brahmopadesam to the elder son, and the grandparents to the younger.Then, as though chanting mantras, he went on to list items for the function.

For the worldly items, Sunita and Aunty browsed the sites of Nalli, Kumarans, RMKV, Pothy’s, to select sarees and veshtis, and ordered them in bits and pieces from each outlet, to be delivered at Sunita’s parents' home in Delhi. They would exchange from the Delhi branch of the shop if any piece was not up to the mark.

The temple accepts orders for Murukku (read Chakli), Laddu, Mysore Pak. Also, they prepared food as per devotee's menu to the best of their ability. The flower vendor quoted an exorbitant rate for garlands for the boys. The ladies did a make-do job at home. Though Sunita's brother is a good photographer, since he has an important role as the boys' 'mama', we engaged Jacob, belonging to Eranakulam. A professional, he did his job well.

Hotel reservation, transportation, and other logistics were made strictly according to the responses received for the Evite. But as always promises and show-up were at variance in the end necessitating last minute additions and deletions.

The ceremony was divided into three parts: Guru Shanthi puja a week before, Udaga Shanti puja the night before, and Naandi and Upanayanam on 21 June. For the Udaga Shanti Kiran ji had arranged for five devotee-priests (executives and managers during the day) to chant Veda mantras. For the rest of the events, it was 1 purohit and 2 Upanayanams. But Kiran's intonation and diction, worthy of emulation, reverberated the hall, obviating the need for a second. Earlier he had asked if we needed Nadaswaram for the function. Assuming it meant summoning a team, I politely declined. But he guessed my fear and repeated, “No? You don't wish me to play the recorded YouTube nadaswaram?” “Oh yes, yes, of course,” I revised my stand. It was played with gusto, and Kiranji promptly interjected during ads. At one time the invitees heard sounds from rooftop with some small pieces falling down. They wondered if these could be heavenly blessings on way, a la Bollywood movies. Kiran ji clarified that the central airconditioning was being replaced and cranes were in operation atop from outside. These were pieces from the false ceiling.

Simple, well organized, no compromise on mantras, and good food, felt the invitees, as we bade them farewell at the gate with token return gifts. “Now I feel emboldened to perform my own son's Upanayanam,” said yet another. “All is well that ends well,” we told ourselves as we drove back home.

(Next: Philadelphia Calling)