Cheers to Obama

Hurray! It's now been more than a week since Barack Obama was elected next President of the United States. What an achievement, both for him as well as his country! Who would have thought that a black man would ever become the chief of the most powerful country in the world?
I am supremely happy, but also a little afraid for him. I am sure there are many ultra-radical whites out there, gunning for him. And does the Ku Klux Klan still exist? Obama should be very very careful.
Anyway, it's a great feeling, to know that a breath of fresh air is blowing through America. God bless America, and God bless India. And of course, Obama too. All my good wishes and prayers are for him.

The end of the road for the monarchy in Nepal

I am not ashamed to confess that I am an unabashed monarchist at heart. Kings, queens, titles, palaces, genealogies, and spectacular royal events fascinate me. Having said this however, I wonder if I would be really happy to be ruled over by a king or queen in this modern, 21st century.
Recent events in Nepal have saddened me. It’s not as if I have much sympathy for King Gyanendra. He behaved very foolishly, asking for trouble. And he got it. “Like the chewed end of a fag we spat that dynasty out,” said a revolutionary during the tumultuous days of the Russian Revolution. This is precisely what has happened in Nepal too. If only the King was more circumspect! He could have easily kept his throne and continued at least as a constitutional ruler. But that was not to be, and he has paid a heavy price, bringing his 240-year dynasty to an ignominious end.

My own experiences with royalty, though limited, have been very pleasant. I had a particularly emotional attachment to the last Maharaja of Travancore, His Highness Sri Chithira Thirunal Bala Rama Varma.

                                    

Two photographs of :
Major-General His Highness, Sri Padmanabha Dasa, Vanchi Pala,  Sir Bala Rama Varma, Kulasekhara Kiritapathi, Manney Sultan, Maharajaraja Rama Raja Bahadur, Shamsher Jung, GCSI, GCIE, Maharaja of Travancore

                                 

I can never forget this simple, humble man who was exceedingly kind to me, and often called me to Kaudiar Palace. In fact I once even wrote a small article about him in the Indian Express. If you are interested in reading it, please go to: http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19980507/12750444.html
There have been other interesting brushes with royalty too. But of that, perhaps I will write another day…

Adios to Charlton Heston

Adios to my hero Charlton Heston, the star of unforgettable films such as The Ten Commandments, Ben Hur, and El Cid. Apart from being a great actor, he was also a great and decent human being, morally upright in every way. He was my childhood hero and I will surely miss him. Goodbye, my hero. May your soul rest in peace.

Hooray!!

Hooray!! I have won a minor battle with builders who were constructing 120 apartments near my house. I told them that I was worried about their bore-wells depleting all the water in the area and drying up our wells. I also brought together a lot of neighbours and requested them to join me in my fight. They did. And the result? The builders have agreed to cap the borewell as soon as they receive KWA (Kerala Water Authority) supply. Now, that's what I call a good beginning!

Frenetic building activities

The whole of Kerala seems to be in construction mode. There are buildings and buildings coming up all over, especially in towns and cities. Many of them are totally out of sync with the topography, climate and social life of the state. Of these, I think the worst are the so-called apartments which are mushrooming all over. Many of them are multi-storeyed monstrosities, with little or no thought spent on sewage, sanitation, water supply or parking space. Where three or four individual houses were built in the old days, now hundreds of such flats are coming up, putting great pressure on water, drainage and sewage.
A huge apartment is now coming up just next to my house. I think there are about 120 houses. I have already contacted their Commercial Manager and asked him how he plans to provide water. It seems they are going to sink bore wells. If bore wells are dug, it's a certainty that the water level in all our ordinary wells in the neighbourhood will go down, and one fine day there will be no water left. He has no answers to this.
What are we to do ? If things go on like this, God's Own country will soon be the Devil's Own country, with no water for anyone. Something has to be done fast!

It's just not cricket

News from the world of cricket in India is pretty dismal. Here's what I wrote to the Editor of The Hindu a few days back. Unfortunately, they have not cared to publish it. So I thought to myself that at least I should publish it on my own blog! I am sure there are many like-minded people who have similar feelings about the auctioning of cricketers.
Date: 21st February 2008
Dear Sir,
Your headlines today made depressing reading, with top cricketers being ‘auctioned off’, ‘bought’, and ‘purchased’for astronomical sums. Are they animals that they can be bought and sold like this? Have they lost all sense of self-respect? How can they degenerate into mere goods and chattels of the rich and mighty? It’s just not cricket.
One has heard that in ancient Rome, patricians owned slaves, eunuchs, and gladiators. The Mallyas, Khans, Zintas and the Wadias of today seem to be doing pretty much the same thing. If this is not crass commercialisation of sport, what is?
Never again will I watch a cricket match. Nor see Khan/Zinta movies, drink Mallya booze or buy Wadia clothes! God help sports and God help our country from such hypocrites. What will they sell or buy next?
Yours faithfully,
T.M.Vallikappen

It's Ok

It's Ok. I think I'm getting the hang of blogging. Will write soon

I need help

Help! I created a blog yesterday the 15th January 2008. But the matter is just not traceable on this blog. Where could it have disappeared? What could have happened to it? Can anybody help me? I did go to the HELP section, but it didn't really help

Spirit of Meenachil

Hi. I'm Thomas M.Vallikappen, writing from the town of Kottayam in Kerala, India. This is the first time I am blogging. So, understandably, I'm quite unsure of what exactly to write...



I'll start with myself. I am almost 60 years old, married and with two children, both grown up and working. My wife's name is Simmy and now the two of us are alone, living in a small house we built in Kottayam town.



I am originally from a small village called Teekoy high up in the hills of the Western Ghats. Our family hails from the area and we were basically farmers and planters, mostly growing products like tea, coffee, pepper, coconuts etc. I went to school and college outside the state and also worked in a Bank for a long time. thereafter, I also took up varied assignments in business, publishing, editing, and even the visual media. Now I am semi-retired.



I think that's all for today. Perhaps I will continue later...