The Three Musketeers in Calicut Beach in 2007

Hi all,

This is one of my greatest picture collection of the three CP sisters - Gita, Jaya and Raji in that order from left to right. We had gone to Kerala to actually attend the wedding of my cousin, Narayanan, and chose to make a train trip after a long long time. We not only enjoyed the travel by train, but also the lovely hospitality by Bindu's parents and extended families all around, during our very short but memorable trip there.

This photo was taken in a Kodak Digital Camera gifted by dear brother Babloo who now lives in USA with Bindu. Photo by: Cdr. M V Paul.

Bloggers host bloggers for free in India

What a fantastic news this was to learn that a fellow bloggers can find places to stay with other bloggers in a networking site that has been put together by a keen traveller Shankar. Check out www.extrabed.in for more details, and linking up.

Grounded with worries and lots of medical check ups

The month of August has been full of worries and not a small one at that. I have suddenly developed two nodules on the left arm, and initially dismissed it as perhaps a spider poisoning, then went on to get a potential pus forming nodule treatment with antibiotics. When that also did not help, the physician asked me for a thorough check up with the cardiologist. Now he has asked me to look up the surgeon. All kinds of blood tests, x-rays and doppler test later, i am yet to see the surgeon. Though except for the high triglyceride levels (188) rest are all within limits. Must keep a watch on my health. I am not getting any younger.

But in the meantime, both Raji and Gita have been diagnosed with excess levels of TSH, and have been put on medication.

Will keep on posting more updates as and when I am ready with the reports.

Babloo suggested also a visit to an oncologist for an early assessment of potential tumor!!

Mangoes Galore in India

India began exporting mangoes to USA this year. Not just that, the trade barriers for exports of fresh mangoes will bring back wonderful memories for all those who left India several years ago.

Since the last two days (7th and 8th July), the Delhi Tourism Department and APEDA organised a two day mango festival, which brought much delight and fun to the visitors of this annual mango festival held at Talkatora Gardens.

I for one have begun enjoying the varieties of mangoes that about the market, making sure to try as many varieties as possible. Afterall, the King of Fruits is not just loved for no reason. The pleasure that it invokes is indescribable.

I also managed to make a jar (Bharani) of keeru mangai, tokku and avakkai. The recipes for these wonderful pickles are from my dearest amma, who was an angel cook. I have also spent a lot of time this weekend making lotus stem chips. WOW, when are we going to test fry the first lot!

I hope each one of you who loves mangoes, gives three cheers to Mangoes!

Great News from Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

Yesterday, on July 5, 2007, I and my colleague Bharti Malhotra went to visit senior officers at the MIB. The purpose was simple, we are preparing for a conference called eINDIA to be held from July 31 to August 3, 2007 at Taj Palace, Delhi, and wanted the representation from the Ministry to come and speak at two planned sessions.

We were informed, to my great delight, that I was being nominated to serve the Ministry's Selection Committee being constituted to approve applications from NGOs for Community Radio licences. Though I have to receive the written notification yet, this is indeed a big honour and I am now elated with this news. I hope I can serve and live up to the expectations of the community, the CR movement and Government in the most fair and upright manner.

Ravi, our director, at CSDMS, and the President, Dr. MP Narayanan both were also excited at this honour, and blessed me.

I share this very personal and professional achievement with you all. This is due to the inspiration from Lord Buddha, blessings from my late parents: Amma, Appa ( as I used to address them) and my dear brother Kitchu, who has always believed in me and my work.

Momorable revisit to Chittoor Family Home

Jaya, Geeta and Raji, the three musketeers of the Chittoor Parameswaran clan went off to see the family home on the recent home town visit.

While our main purpose was to attend the wedding of our maternal uncle's son, Narayanan Vishwanathan with Aruna nee Ganga Bhagirathi, we took this opportunity to chill out in the beautiful cities and towns of Kerala, our home state, which we had not visited all together.

It was in this very house as seen in the photo that my grandparents (and grandpa's brothers had grown up and lived in). Thekkegramam just last year celebrated 100 years of the establishment of this small village in Chittoor, close to Palghat cluster of gramams, or villages housing Tamil speaking Brahmin families, mostly Vedic pundits, ayurvedic doctors and practitioners, astrologers, and musicians.

Though the village has all the advanced technologies that we can think of, since a number of family members now work/ live outside, and bring back "development" to the village, the village has not lost its quaint and cultured features. People are still simple and welcoming.

Though the house no more belongs to our family, since the last surviving cousin recently sold the house to a nearby family, the new owners were more than happy to welcome us to their home, and we felt beautiful. Geeta was particularly linked to the roots, the house where she was born in, and the place connected us all with our father's home. This was particularly touching for all of us, as we connected emotionally with the place and the name that all the siblings still carry.

The visit was a beautiful experience.

Jaya

Eagerly Awaiting a train experience to Kerala

Having been a high flyer for the past decade or so, and not actually travelling in a regular train of the Indian Railways, there is so much of excitement among the three sisters, who have planned to go by Mangala Express from New Delhi to Calicut, and halt at Bindu's parent's place for a night. We are planning to drive over to Guruvayoor, the next stop to have a relaxed darshan of Shri Guruvayurappan, Lord Krishna in his most beautiful incarnate in a temple anywhere that I have experienced. The episode begins on June 13, 2007, and I hope to keep writing about my experience in the period.

We then plan to head towards Palakkad, where we will be visiting our ailing and ageing Chittappa and Chitti (my paternal uncle and aunt), who have been struggling in their old age. No matter what happens, they do not want to leave their rootedness. This alone makes us head to Chandrashekharipuram or CS Puram village. We need to go via Edathara for reaching the village. Thanks to modernisation, there are autorickshaws available, but the Pozhai (village river, which is virtually perennial) still has pristine beauty, with fish nibbling at dead cells in your feet when you get in there for a bath.

I look forward also the Narayanan's wedding which will take place in Govindarajapuram/ Kalpathy - now a UNESCO Heritage village.

Raji, Gita and I are surely going to chill out! I will post some photos too on my return, as I plan to carry the beautiful camera and bundle of rechargeable cells, that my loving brother Babloo has gifted me with! This time, he also taught me to frame the pictures and keep playing with the camera to get more confident.

Babs and Bin, I am sure you will enjoy my posts.