Food, Friends and Happy Biryani!

“Eid Mubarak!”, we went in chorus as Siddique got up to leave. And then a voice piped up “Happy Biryani”!!! Sid smiled quizzically at Deepak and left.  He did not seem very surprised…well, when you have a friend like Sunny, I guess there isn’t much that can surprise you!

This was the third year at the Kalari, for my annual rejuvenation therapy. In the company of an eclectic gathering this year – a globe-trotting contemporary dancer, a happy-go-lucky fashion choreographer, a camera-toting, itinerant gymnast from France, a “was a Buddhist but now working on a new identity” Vietnamese, a wanderlust couple from Pune – it was more than just  the body that was getting rejuvenated; the sheer diversity of characters around the table was enough to leave me inspired….And then there was Deepak too! :-)

Deepak can be best described as a character that probably inspired Sagar Ballary.  A good-natured kid who had come down to learn Kalaripayattu – though after listening to him for a period less than the time it takes to make Maggi you were pretty sure that there were only two things on his mind – Food and Pretty women…And Yes…it had to be in that order.

And so when I heard “Happy Biryani”, I visualized the Vahrehvah Chef biting into a succulent and tender piece of chicken, tears of happiness streaming down his cheeks…! I imagined the marinated pieces of chicken, the fragrant spices and those long grains of Basmati rice exchanging high-fives as the lid closed in on the dum biryani… Perhaps, the pleasure derived from serving people is what makes them happy – like the candle and the fragrant sandalwood incense sticks. In Deepak’s case too, he derived pleasure from being the focal point of our conversations!

Logical reasoning can also lead you to believe that if you can wish people “Happy Pongal” on makar sankranti^* it is quite appropriate to wish a person Happy Biryani for Eid! Except that his next question left me flummoxed – Oh, is Siddique a Muslim? :)

As some wise old soul said – Growing old is mandatory…growing up is not!!!

 

I self-attest and notarize...ergo sum

Ever since Mahabali allowed Vaman to measure three paces of land, Indians have had a torrid time establishing proof of their presence in this world. I discovered how difficult it was when I got my passport reissued..no touts, agents or brokers.  Twenty years ago when I still had the patience to stand in a mile-long crowd after I had taken a 9.30 appointment to present myself to the passport officer, I took for granted that this was quite normal, in a country that had close to a billion people.  Now, who would expect an organization like TCS to come along and queer the pitch even more?  Now, you need to go through a whole series of steps, which is typical of any system that has been automated by computer professionals.  And like the endless loop that I would subject my ‘Pascal’ programs to, I find myself back to square one every time the authorities determine that I have not proven beyond doubt, that I am an Indian by birth, have a valid address, have no criminal record, or any of the endless reasons they can find to deny you a passport.

While I still do not have a passport, I feel quite elated at having been able to submit my passport application and have it accepted by the people at the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK).  And well, the Police Department will, I am sure, have their own little fun at my expense, and so,  the ordeal is not over yet...or as they say, until the fat lady sings.

 So, in case you are planning to get yourself a passport, or renew it...here are some practical tips (and applies to those in Chennai mainly):

1.       Fill up the application form – by far the easiest part in this whole process.

2.       Get an appointment – If you are a regular train traveller, you are probably familiar with this part...like the Tatkal tickets your window of opportunity is roughly about 3 minutes.  I have been informed by reliable sources that it is easier to get an appointment at the PSK at Saligramam.  Get all your friends and relatives involved so at least one of you might manage to bag that elusive appointment.  Unlike IRCTC, they don’t stop you from logging on from more than one session with the same user id.

3.       Where possible, get an appointment for the early hours...it is quite likely you will be sent back and forth for various documents...so make sure you provide yourself with enough time to run around for those documents.  If you miss their 4PM deadline, chances are you will be sent back...and you have to take another appointment.

4.       Don’t go by what the Document Advisor tells you – you will need at least three documents to prove that you are a resident Indian and your address is what it states it is.  Here’s the tricky part – it needs to be exactly a year old...to old...and they suspect you might have changed residence...to recent, and they are sure you have fabricated proof of residence.

a.       If this is a renewal, then the old passport copy, of course.

b.      A driving license is also acceptable proof.

c.       A Bank statement – this needs to be signed by the bank.  Your bank statement needs to show your transactions for the last one year.  They go through it like you have gone to them with the statement to ask for a loan...not as if you are producing proof of residence.  So, make sure there are sufficient transactions (at least one every month for the preceding 12 months).  Also, make sure the statement has transactions till the day preceding your appointment.

d.      Electricity / Gas Connection – You need to submit receipts which show that you have been in the same place for the last one year.  If you are one of those people who don’t retain these documents, start collecting them right away...you should be ready in a year’s time to visit the passport office.

e.      Income Tax challans – same story – show your latest tax returns.  If you are going around April, then make sure you include an older statement too.

f.        Not to worry if you don’t have any of these – just get a letter from your local MP or MLA vouching for your proof of residence.  This overrides any other defects your other documents may have.

5.       If this is a renewal, make sure your passport is in extremely good condition.  Else go armed with Annexure L – self-acknowledged that it has been damaged.  You will find dozens of typists near the PSK ready to give you a notarized letter for a fee.  It amazes me that the PSK is willing to accept a letter from a Notary, who does not even know of my existence, but has signed a blank stamp paper, on which this typist who sits right outside the passport office is willing to put my name on...for a mere Rs. 300.  So much for authentication and verification!

6.       Again, if this is a renewal, and any detail has changed since the last time you took a passport, make sure that you are covered...this includes change of residence, marriage, you or your parents getting divorced... I’m afraid I can’t help you with the entire list here...but just be aware there is one universal remedy for all these states – a notarized letter!

7.       Record of your Criminal History (or rather the lack of it).  This is the clincher...the passport office should have had a record of that from the last time they collected your data...but sorry, we were not so computerized then...and we don’t have your data.  So, could you please get another notarized letter saying you have not committed any theft, larceny or violence since the last time you got a passport?  Annexure – I – the solution to this problem.

8.       Now, that you have all the documents in place, make sure you make copies of them. Make sure you have signed on the copies too.  Now you are ready to get into the endless loop.

9.       Get the documents verified – pray you don’t find a document checker who has woken up on the wrong side of the bed...or thinks he is more loyal than the king.

10.   Clear? Now wait to get called where you then move to Counter ‘A’.  They take your photograph, scan the documents you have produced as proof, collect the fee and assign you with a token number.  Tricky part – they just might decide that they will not scan one of the proofs you have brought.  Seemingly harmless...just wait until you get to Counter B.

11.   So, when your token number flashes on the dashboard...hurry to counter B.  Hopefully you will not meet the big bad wolf who is now dressed up as the granny.  It is near 5 PM, and she is in a hurry to leave... the flimsiest of reasons is sufficient to send you back on a document chase...

12.   If you can make it through Counter B then hopefully Counter C should not be a problem...of course, always expect that they will ask for an Annexure which you do not have...if it is not yet 4 PM nothing to worry...you just need to run down and get a notarized copy...

13.   Oh wait, did I say nothing to worry...if you fail any of the steps in the process...your endless loop begins...you will be sent back to Counter A.   That, of course means you could trip up on any of their whimsical reasons again!

Fortunately, “Went to Passport Office” is a valid excuse for missing a day’s work...even two.  So, you may not really have to be worried about missing a day’s pay. 

I dread to think of the day when I only have an Airtel Connection, Gas and Electricity privatized, and a Private Sector Bank which only offers Online Statements...or more importantly how does someone who does someone who does not have all of this, manage to submit three documents for proof of residence?!!

May be when you are born, along with the birth certificate they ought to give you three paces of land...which you can call your permanent address, which will be returned back to the government when you die.  And that should be sufficient proof that you exist, are an Indian, have a valid proof of ‘residence’....not just some useless self-attested notarized existence!

Like I said, my ordeal is still not over...wait for my update...when the policeman knocks on my door! J

Teacher's Day 2011 - A walk down memory lane

Gurur Brahma gurur Vishnu gurur devo Maheswarah |
Gurur sakshat parambrahmah tasmi sri gurave namah ||

Technology has a funny way of taking us to the past.  Connecting up with Sulochana Miss (literally my first teacher, along with Kamala Miss) on Facebook and visiting the CV Group (thanks to Shobha) presents a wonderful occasion to take that walk down memory lane every so often.  MCC School, of course, continues to be my backyard…a place with so many fond memories, one which had a large part in my childhood.  So, what better occasion than Teacher’s Day,  to think of all the teachers who have shaped and moulded my life.  Not all of them were “teachers” in the classic sense of the term, but looking back, I realize they played very effectively the role of a teacher.  So, this post is dedicated to all of them.

The fondest memories of school are of course reserved for the days at Chinmaya Vidyalaya; those were still the days when Engineering or medicine was not the raison d'être of school education.  This was primary school and we were far removed from the usual worries of jobs and careers.  I distinctly remember Sulochana Miss and Kamala miss receiving us very warmly at the school gate, and actually carrying us into class, sometimes.  (It was a pleasant surprise to discover that the same teacher, now Kamala akka, taught my son too in Class I)  These were teachers who really cared for the children, and made us feel really happy coming into school.  All through my school life, I can never remember an occasion when I thought school was drudgery.  The other teacher from school days, who remains firmly embedded in memory is Shri K N P Nair – the school principal.  School Assembly was something he lorded over…a disciplinarian who gave us some very valuable lessons today…that I still believe are the foundation stones of who I am. One story that will never go away from my mind is his description of Arjuna taking aim and seeing only the bird’s eye – a lesson in focus.  As we moved into Class V, Ms. Prema Mohanraj and Mrs. Jairaj are two teachers who remain etched in memory.  Mrs. Mohanraj, took the liberty of telling us the story of The Count of Monte Cristoe, even though she handled Science.  Laxman used to break into tears every time he got up to read about the troubles Dantes had to endure, while we went about endlessly repeating ao to get the right pronunications in Ms. Nirmala Jairaj's class! :)

Moving into MCC School in Class VI was a given – my father was a teacher in this school.  Mr. Clement J Felix with his charismatic personality was perhaps the most impressionable figure at that time.  Mr. Loganathan is another teacher who carried on where Mrs. Mohanraj left.  He used to read to us Papillon and Henri Charrière kept us company through the three years that Mr. Loganathan was class teacher (Class VI, VIII and VIII).  The best memories of school, however, were on the playfield where as an athlete and footballer, we kept winning laurels for the school.  Mr. John Mark, was the football coach and PT master who inspired and encouraged us, as we went on to win the State Level Football tournament.  The first of the informal teachers was my brother who coached us and who was an inspiration to the entire team.

Mr. P Viswanathan, my Chemistry teacher was the person who I should thank for helping me get into BITS, Pilani.  It was he who convinced me that I should go to BITS, Pilani.  Of the days in BITS, I can’t actually remember any one teacher who has been a great influence on me. Well, I probably spent more time on the play ground of BITS, Pilani… BS Shekawat the Physical Director (for make-up permission letters), Kamala – the Asst. Mess Manager of SV Mess (always making sure I ate well), are people who I can remember having helped me. As a friend and co-athlete Tanvir Ali Khan was perhaps the biggest influence on me at that time.  The football team was wonderful…and we went on to win the GD Birla Memorial football tournament.

Dr. V S Rao, is perhaps the only teacher who during our thesis semester used to spend time with us in the Chemistry lab (don’t ask me what I was doing there…it had something to do with how Insulin got absorbed in the body..) I got to meet him much later in life…and I carry very pleasant memories of my interactions with him.  He has since, gone on to become the Director of BITS, Pilani at Hyderabad.

I don’t believe education ends when you leave college.  Learning is a lifelong process, and you tend to learn from everyone.  There have been ever so many people, right from my first Boss, Venkat, to Hari (who continues to be my mentor), Paddy Iyer, my colleagues and friends who have at various times played different roles as guides, mentors and teachers – all of them ultimately influencing and helping shape who I am!

To all those teachers, by profession or by role, I thank you, for guiding me through life.

Hiding with the Pandavas!

‘Ah silence at last!  Poor things! They must be really tired after that long trek to the waterfall and back.’   Ayush walks back to join his friends at the Bey Stadium after checking that it was lights off in all the rooms.  If you thought an active day out was a good summer vacation idea to keep your kids engaged, take that risk only if you think you can outlast their energy levels! While parents nursed weary limbs and aching backs, for the little ones it was just another ‘regular day’.  So, for once the kids had a peaceful night just doing what they pleased while the parents slipped to silent and not-so-silent slumber.

When Ecologin (http://www.ecologin.org) helped organize a holiday for us, we never imagined it would be a test of endurance, but it turned out to be heaps of fun too.  For someone who has tried to steer clear of conducted tours and preferred to use my vacation more as a retreat, it was not with a little trepidation that I had agreed to go along.  However, much to my delight, it turned out to be a whole lot more fun than I could even imagine.  Having missed the earlier outings with this group (the parents and children of my daughter’s class), this was the first time that my schedule allowed me to join this group.  While the previous trips had been short ones to locations not very far from Chennai, this was the first time, the group had ventured into something a little more adventurous.  And it was also the first time that an external team had also been included for organizing this trekking holiday.

Marayoor was the destination http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marayur).  And nearly 30 of us in the group (adults and children in almost equal number).  We got down at Erode and the folks from Ecologin were there to receive us.  After a meandering drive which took us past the Tamilnadu border and into Kerala’s Idukki district, we stopped for what would be our first trekking adventure on this trip – to a waterfall, which was about 3 km, as the crow flies; however, not being crows, it seemed more like 30 as the bunch of mostly 30+ (and some 40+) trudged heavily through a narrow trail carrying backpacks that suddenly seemed to weigh a lot more than when originally packed!  Lunch on the way helped transfer the weight from the backpack a little closer to our center of gravity, but I don’t think that helped much.  By the time we saw the waterfalls, there were at least a few people who were already worrying about the trek back!  It is peak summer in Kerala with the mercury touching 40⁰C, but feeling more like 45⁰C.  And so to see a waterfall at this time of the year was indeed a welcome surprise.  Except for a minor mishap when one of the parents slipped and hurt his head, having the water beat down our backs was like a Kalari massage to loosen up the stiff muscles.

The next couple of days too were spent walking with backpacks up and down hills and through gravelly narrow trails.  Marayur is famous for its dolmens (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolmen) a portal tomb that apparently dates back to the stone age.  Marayur itself is a small hamlet, part of five tribal villages in the area (also called anju nadu).  From an educational standpoint, this was very significant from two aspects:

·         A lot of us learned the existence of muscles we didn’t know we had – and the more it hurt the more acutely aware we became of it.

·         If you want to go on a trekking holiday, head to the gym first – at least a month in advance!

While the visit to the dolmens was interesting, it was also sad to see that what can possibly be considered historical evidence that connects people across several countries has been so neglected.  It was also interesting to see mud-houses in the tribal village.  Arul also managed to teach the kids a couple of rope tricks. 

The food was light on the stomach, the living quarters Spartan but comfortable.  The folks from ecologin were friendly and quite well-informed; perhaps a little too fussy about maintaining order – you can’t expect that from 10 year-olds. Or from tired and weary 40-year olds either! Especially when you have come with the intention of enjoying a break!

Certainly a fantastic break! I do look forward to doing something like this again.   And oh yes! The kids enjoyed it too…for all the wrong reasons!  I could hear five-year old Kaveri complaining “What is this walking walking…why can’t we go in the bus (I know at least one other person who would have loved to say that) ! I don’t want to see the birds..it is so boring”.  And yet, she was perhaps the one who didn’t seem tired at the end of it all!!! J

Caught in a time-warp!

For the old-generation Banker, internet banking is still something that befuddles him each day!

“Do you know”, the Bank Manager went on, “in the 1940’s in Tuticorin, where I was born, as a student, we were witness to an extraordinary coalescing of two cultures.  In the town we lived in, a few important people used to walk around wearing a dhoti, pointed shoes, a broad black belt, a linen shirt and a black coat; some would even wear a turban. It was the most grotesque attire I have seen.  This was a period, when the more affluent people, especially those working for the British Government, attempted to imitate their British bosses.  Unfortunately, they ended up looking like buffoons to us – neither in proper British attire nor in our more traditional Dhoti and Angavastram”. 

I had visited the bank to open an internet banking facility for my fledgling business, and was wondering where this  story was headed…when he finished off with a self-deprecating remark about his current dilemma! “You know what…I must be looking like one of those people to you, na!  I am the manager of this branch, and they have given me a computer! But, there is so little I know about this thing!  Can I please check with the IT department and then call you back! We will definitely resolve this issue tomorrow.  You see, we offer this facility to all our SB Account holders, but for business, the procedures are quite different.  Since we have not handled too many of these, I am not sure how to resolve your issue!”

After such a remark, I could not even get upset at the delay! I went back thrice, and after office hours, we patiently went through the procedures manual figuring out how to get to the next step, whenever we hit a road-block.  We finally managed to get this working! An achievement of sorts! I wonder how many more years will need to pass before we will be actually able to take internet banking for granted! 

William Miller awaits a facelift!

The first time I stood there, I was a nervous wreck! Holding a piece of paper in which I had copied out the headlines of the day, I stood there nervously awaiting my turn. I had created mental images of myself, standing there and reading out the news, full of confidence, with a deep resonating voice of Kabir Bedi. However, the final product, when my turn came was something in-between a squeak and a squawk – a part-consequence of my voice choosing that most inappropriate time to graduate into adulthood! I managed to stutter out the contents of the page to a hapless audience, who by the way had little choice in the matter – when it came to listening! The ordeal finally over I dashed back into safe anonymity of another 300 pairs of legs that stood and shuffled in uncomfortable silence.

The weekly assembly in the Miller Hall was an ordeal that stays fresh in the mind, almost a quarter of a century later. But not all memories of this wonderful building are so macabre. Many were the wonderful Christmas dinners that we enjoyed in the company of several other families of school teachers. Memories of Avarachettan serving us generous dollops of freshly-made ice-cream also come to mind; as do the several memorable plays and music performances that were staged in that hall.

The Miller Hall has, for several decades been a memory-laden landmark for those students who have passed out of the portals of MCC School. A multi-purpose hall, it was a canteen by day, a dining hall for the hostel students by night, and transformed itself into several other things during the course of its fifty-plus years of existence. For those old students who visit school, a peek into the Miller Hall is a must-do activity as part of their pilgrimage to the alma mater. Talk to any old student, and they will have a story to tell about the Miller Hall.

"And so the Miller Hall Project, I thought, would be the most appropriate way to celebrate 175 years of the existence of our wonderful school. What do you guys think?" The Headmaster's question brought me back into the present. Mr. GJ Manohar, Headmaster of MCC School was presenting his vision of transforming the now crumbling edifice into a more modern 'designed for multi-purpose' building that would serve the students of the future. We hope to hear more when he announces his ambitious plans for the school as part of the 175^th year celebrations.

If you are an old student of MCC School, take that walk down memory lane. I would love to hear your stories about the school and Miller Hall in particular.

Reservation, women empowerment and Microfinance

There is a huge debate going on about the women's reservation bill. While some of them who are genuinely interested in not seeing this go through, have taken recourse to the extreme step of disrupting assembly proceedings, the vast majority still belong to those who seem to be indifferent to the whole issue. However, there are still others like my good friend Sukumar, who wonders whether this reservation can be extended to other walks of life too, including corporate life. The microfinance movement in that sense has been a great leveler. With women being the preferred clients of more than 99% of the microfinance institutions, urban and rural women among the poorer sections of society seem to be wielding greater influence in their own lives as well as that of their families, and to some extent the societies they live in.

I was privileged to be one of the guest speakers at the recent Business Line Guest Lecture series conducted at the Saveetha University's School of Management. Mr. Vasudevan of Equitas who was presented the special address spoke of the role of microfinance in empowering the women in these societies. While Microfinance may not actually alleviate poverty, what it certainly has managed to do is to make women go beyond the portals of their homes and become even more independent. It was quite a revelation to either discover that more than 60% of the women who are part of the microfinance movement are widows, or have been abandoned by their husbands; the vast majority of those who did have husbands living with them, were probably worse off than those who did not have a male member supporting the family! And in a society where the woman has predominantly been viewed as someone who cooks and cleans, microfinance has been their source of deliverance – given them new respect in their families, and in society. They are now independent, and thanks to their ability to bring home the money, have started having a say in their personal lives.

Why are women preferred over men for offering microfinance services? Well, according to most MFIs, women are more reliable and trustworthy. They are a lot more responsible than men, and have a better understanding of how to stretch the rupee to meet their monthly expenses. More importantly, women are more conscientious about returning the money they have borrowed – which perhaps accounts for the incredibly low default rates we see among MFIs.

How does this translate to reservations or women empowerment? Microfinance has allowed women to start playing a role that extends beyond the fireplace. They now are beginning to have a say in how the money is spent, and are able to influence decisions on savings, education and healthcare for their children. More importantly, some of them assume leadership roles in the SHGs, and this in turn is giving them the power to voice their opinion in community meetings. This is surely transformational in nature, and with SHGs forming clusters, these women will begin to expand their circle of influence. If the MF experience is anything to go by, then we should definitely see a positive impact of women getting into politics. And until such time that this does not happen through a process of natural selection, it may be necessary to introduce legislation to create that momentum.

Yatra Naryastu Pujyante, Ramante Tatra Devata

Where women are worshipped, there live the Gods.

I believe that we do need reservation, if nothing else to help in restoring balance…or help tilt the scale a wee bit to the feminine side.