British council library

 

To me an user of BCL since my teens ie last 50 years or more this news of winding up of the British council library in Chennai is like a part of my memory being erased .

BCL to me like all the other libraries I had been obsessed about has been a mother to my creativity and passion of written prose .

As words jumble into my finger tips in a fine flow of crystal clear water tumbling from a mountain stream with reason and imagination hidden in its ledges and recesses and as I rejoice in the pleasure of painting with words what I have in my mind like  no AI can ever deliver it or will I even attempt with or need it as a poor sad cousin to my own writing  

My memories are sharp on my days of cycling or going by bus carrying my tome of books borrowed from the library ,

My hours of browsing the books or reading  inhaling the aroma of the word paradise I have been lucky to get into .

I remember the slim tall librarians silently acknowledging or replying to my request of books quietly efficient helpful knowledgable intelligent but firm in thier officialece but to me they were beacons of lights focussed to clear darkness of ignorance by the world of books which I loved more than anything the universe could ever give me .

BCL was not only a library it gave me people to nod and smile as I met them amongst the shelves or in the tiny theater where films were screened or lectures intoned in quiet efficiency or english dramas played .

During my medical college days BCLs Medical sections gave me books I couldnt buy on Anatomy or Biochemistry or marvels of surgery or obfustactions of obstructive  obstetrics .

I had carried  heavy pack of books in crowded buses or pinned to my bicycle carrier or later in my yezdi bike .

My greatest joy in a weekend would be to relax in the AC ambience of an expansive BCL .

Later during my RCC observer days in Trivandrum I was a neighbour to BCL there in YMCA where I stayed and it was my refuge every evening .

BCL to me is nostalgia rolled into gratitude 

BCL gave me  the gift of verbiose an unstoppable and most pleasurable passion in my life .

I would miss you my beloved sweet heart BCL forever and I would preserve your memories for infinity .

Pazhoor mahadeva shetram

 

Pazhoor perumthrikovil ..Siva temple in Piravom Ernakulam district .

in line with my forays into ancient temples museums etc in nearby places trying to go by local transport and reach back in hours I went to this temple 

I read on this temple and found it was ancient more than 1000 years old and had some intresting anecdotes behind .

Pazoor is equally famous for Pazhoor padipura  a well known family of astrologers and people from all walks of life throng here to get their future told by the expert family .

The doyen of the family recently passed away and his daughter does the foretelling now .

Years back Govinda bhattathiri from north kerala visited this place ,as it was dusk he rested in an abandoned house close to this temple .

later at night a lady came in search of her husband ,mistaking Bhatathiri for her husband she laid down next to him as she too was tired 

later the inevitable happened and they had physical intimacy

morning the lady was aghast 

Bhatathiri told her it was destiny and  usually there is a reason for every happening .

He told her he would come after an year ,and by then a son would be born to her .

exactly after an year Govind bhatathiri returned and for some years he taught him  all that he knew in astrology .

Thus the house became popular .

The temple is on side of Muvattupuzha river .

The river does something strange here it reverses direction avoiding temple if not it could wash it away .

How temple was formed ?

An young nampoothiri comes to pazhoor to see his horoscope at Padipura 

The astrologer by looking at him realises his time is very bad 

He guessed he may die on that day 

so he told the man to come back next day knowing well he can never be back 

In the  night namboothiri sees an abandoned shiva linga on river bank 

he pledges to build a temple 

He returns to astrologer who is surprised that he is still alive ,when namboothiri recoun happening at night astrologer guesses why .

He tells him no reading of his horoscope is needed as Lord Siva would keep him alive till temple was built .

namboothiri started his job 

he even gets Perunťhachan for building temple  

He is so skilled 

The temple on side of river needs no pond ,as river curves around it looks temple has water all around .

Though temple is not very huge it is built to look like a smaller version of Vaikom temple .

The main sanctum is circular .

the stone floors are truly ancient 

lord Vishnu,Ganapathy ,Durga,Sastha are others consecrated idols .

I went in removing my shirt 

did a simple pusphanjali and not spending on poojas as this temple run by Dewasom will get all money instead I prefer giving a good dakshina to priest which goes to him only .

The place is idyllic ,many film shoots happen here like Mohanlal film Pavithram .

pre wedding shoots are frequent these days said a local .

Munnar trip GPA

 Most of us are above 50 many above 60 expect for two young one son and one daughter who added the Z feel .

Many are Doctors from different specialities many were from other professions too

One thing common was we all knew how to njoy life .

Premila recovering from a knee surgery did not join us 

From start to return we had nothing but fun .

We are a fine example of how people should lead lives

Work hard 

rest well 

have fun on off specially as one gets older

your children will know to take care of themselves so blow some of your money

dont put it off 

Tommorow is unknown today now is known