Ode to Subbiah ji, my colleague

In the august gathering that had assembled early this week to pay homage to Subbiah ji on his first anniversary, friends, admirers and relatives eloquently recalled their association with Subbiah ji and shared interesting anecdotes.

As a colleague for long years, I too treasure memories of my association with Subbiah ji. He was one of the firsts to welcome me into the Department when I joined the organization. He made me feel at home. For some inexplicable reason we became good friends as well. He would call me, not Sundaram, but ‘Beautifullam”. In return I couldn’t coin anything matching. So I would call him, not M R V Subbiah, but M R R S Subbiah – Maha Raja di Raja Shri.

Subbiah was a happy go lucky man bestowed with tremendous sense of humour. He was entertainer par excellence inter-woven with the qualities of a good conversationalist. He moved with ease with anyone. 

He was concise in office correspondence. And, on the Organization’s new  health-related publications he wrote  such synopsis for the in-house journal as also for wider dissemination that never failed to hit the nail. 

In Office, for some time he was the Sports Convenor. On one occasion when I won the carrom championship, he indicated a figure and asked me what prize would I choose for that amount. I said, “Oxford English Dictionary”. “He laughed. That is far from a prize to be given for a sports event man,’ he quipped. “Any way, I will see what I can do.” And he bought that for me, though totally unconnected to the event I won.

Once or twice a month,  Subbiah would bring delicious Masala Dosa prepared by Madam Lakshmi and share it with us. In turn he relished the roasted aalo curry that my mother prepared for me for lunch. I was a bachelor then.  

Subbiah was very popular among the Delhi Kannadigas for his active roles in dramas. In Sobha Forestview when I met another ex-Delhi resident and introduced myself, he was very prompt; “Oh you worked in the same office where Subbiah was; I know him from the Kannada drama circle.”

Subbiah invested his money wisely. In our circle of friends within the Organizaiton, he was the first to buy an apartment in Safdarjung Enclave – a locality that is owner’s pride, others’ envy (modified from the old Onida ad). Later, when there was another announcement by Delhi Development Authority for sale of apartments by lot, it was Subbiah who persuaded me to apply for it. “I am still a bachelor, Subbiah ji. I will plan after I get married.” “No way Sundaram, you should apply now,” he insisted, and I did. Thank you, Subbiah ji. Also, if my memory serves me right, he was the trend setter to own a car – Standard Herald. Many followed him soon.   

As I share these with you these few, I know Subbiah ji you will be entertaining, in your inimitable style, your new friends and admirers over there. Om Shanti.

Onam Celebrations Galore, Yet Again

Saturday, 7 October, 7 in the evening. The gentle breeze wafts around to make it pleasanter for the evening strollers. Like they say All Roads Lead to Rome, this day it was All Roads Lead to Club House lounge.  Everyone made a mandatory stop to peep into what was going on there. Yes, Nalini Padmanabhan, Nalini Chechi to most, was overseeing the preparatory work for Pookalam. Dr Anjusha took time off from her busy schedule in the hospital to ably assisted her. A host of young girls and boys were busy separating the petals from the stem to render them acquire a divine status in the form Pookalam when done.

We were on our usual stroll. On seeing it, Aunty couldn’t wait any longer. She signalled me to go ahead my usual rounds as she gave a helping hand to Nalini who was overjoyed. She got a companion to talk to as they simultaneously worked on the job in hand. It made the work less laborious.

The flower-decoration is such that you cannot start it too early lest the flowers fade and lose their glory on the day of the celebration. So, the job had to be started and completed within a limited time-frame. And so did the volunteers who joined them later to make the end momentous, as usual.

On Sunday, 8 October, the sound of Chenda melam - Jillam Pada Pada as we interpreted the sound as children – alerted the residents many of whom rushed to the spot causing a stampede in the lifts. 

With ladies attired in white sarees with golden zari, and menfolk in white mundu (read: dhoti) with zari or assorted borders and sporting kurtas, it was a pleasant feeling to see the procession move in snail’s pace to the accompaniment of foot-tapping chenda melam. Normally with each year one expects Mahabali grow in age. But this year we were delighted to see a younger Mahabali in action fully filling the role. Sivaprasad and his companions clicked their cameras with incredible frequency to let posterity re-live the past.   

The chenda melam troupe made sure to play at each tower for a minimum period to permit those residents unable to take part in person, to watch it from the comforts of their balconies before the procession headed to the amphitheatre for a fitting finale. A young and enthusiastic group. Well done. 

It was time for a photograph session. Hardly anyone missed being snapped with Mahabali. The crowd got divided thereafter – some went to see if the stalls were operational, others went to see the Pookalam, while yet others loitered around for the ten or fifteen minutes that were left for the first batch of Onam Sadya.

The Sadya fare was very good, followed by liberal servings. Except for once or twice when we were out of station, we had been enjoying Onam Sadya. This would seem one of the best. My friend had asked me to list the items that were served. I am sorry I lost count. 

The cultural programme in the evening deserves special mention. Considering the fact that only a couple of days ago it was decided to celebrate Onam on a full scale, providing little time for practice, the performance of the girls, boys, men and women left very little to be desired in terms of excellence. Items included dance and songs in Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Hindi...Personally it helped me to recall some of the old numbers in Malayalam when they recapitulated the golden era of Mayalalam cinema. And, those who were not lucky to perform it in the stage, did a make-do by re-enacting it from their seats. 

The stalls were lined up along the road leading to Gate 1. Trampolin, circular children’s train were extra. With many food stalls it looked a miniature of Food Street in V V Puram. Almost all of them seemed to do brisk business. The stallholders would have gone back home feeling happy at having pitched in their tents for the occasion.

To sum up, well done the organizing team. No amount of praise will be too much for you guys -  Adi Poli, Kalakki.

Moral: Where there is a will, there is a way.