Early days in Thrissur

I am still wondering if it’s a bit too early to start writing on Thrissur, having moved here only about a year and a few days ago. A visit to a small restaurant at west fort today evening for a cup of tea brought back in my mind the 30 odd days I spent at a bachelor accommodation near west fort and the small restaurants, I used to frequent for my breakfast and dinner. It was summer, just like it is now, extremely hot, and the room i got was at the top floor.

I was engaged to be married in one months time, a new job and a new location. Almost immediately comparison set in and which I cant help but still continue to compare Thrissur with Kochi, where I had spent almost 7 years and feel disappointed by the lack of vibrancy here.

But a few good things have happened in my life once moving to Thrissur. It may be again too early to attribute it to Thrissur, most likely, it is due to the steadily weaning influence of the Rahu Dasa !!

The Mirage

The mesmerizing, glittering surface
The debris, the rotten reality underneath

And what are we, but

The floating miracle on the surface………

Customer Care – The Tata Indicomm Experience!

A mail I sent to the Tata Indicomm Broadband authorities is reproduced here. Goes to show how much concern they have towards ” customer complaints” let alone customer care.

Happy Reading!

From: Mahesh T Nair
Date: Tue, Jan 5, 2010 at 11:16 AM
Subject: Re: FW: Service Confirmation………escaalation2
To: customerservice , Escalationdesksouth4 Kerala , nodalofficer.south4@tatacommunications.com, pk_sujith@yahoo.com, anoop.r@tatacommunications.com

TO WHOMSOEVER IT MAY CONCERN

This is the third mail I am sending and so far I have not received any response from your end.

I logged into my account today morning and was horrified to see that the account details have been modified to reflect my new home address WITHOUT ACTUALLY ADDRESSING THE ISSUE.

The shift of location request I had given online previously used to display the request no. IT IS NO LONGER DISPLAYING THAT TRACKING NUMBER.

Previously my account showed a surplus of about 970 Rs. Now it shows Rs.353/- Looks like the fee for shifting has also been deducted without actually shifting it!

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE REQUEST FOR TRANSFER WAS GIVEN ON 14TH DECEMBER. ON DECEMBER 21ST, I WAS ASKED TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION FORM ALONGWITH ADDRESS PROOF. I SUBMITTED THEM ONLINE ON DECEMBER 22ND.

On December 24th, the cable guys came and laid the cable. They informed me that the service engineer would soon come to install the modem. TILL TODAY MORNING NOBODY HAS COME

ON TOP OF THIS, NOW I SEE THAT SOMEBODY HAS CLEVERLY CLOSED THE REQUEST AND UPDATED THE ADDRESS DETAILS TO REFLECT MY NEW ADDRESS

THIS IS A CLEAR CASE OF CHEATING!!!!!!!!!

Regards

Mahesh

In rebellion with God – II

Topics on philosophy are never very popular, but a few of my friends did speak about my post, “In rebellion with God”. Some of them shied away from putting what they thought about it on the comment column.

I thought it was time to think aloud a little more on this topic, hence this effort.

Those who spoke about ” resigning from life” directed my attention towards the subject of Samadhi and suggested that a honourable exit was definitely possible.

Possible, yes. But not something that is quite normal. If it was meant to be a normal accessory to the vehicle called “Body” (sic!) it would have been available for all and not the select elite, like Sannyasins and Avadhuthas.

Ultimately, I have to rest content with the thought that it is best if we left GOD out of all this mess we call as the universe and the circumstances that we live in. Maybe HE/SHE has better things to do than listen to the woes and submissions of earthlings! Acting on one request may very well end up denying another earthlings’ right or wish! The eternal Democrat that He/She is, GOD must be keeping quiet and not doing anything to upset the usual course of events.

In rebellion with God!

A recent conversation or a tete-a-tete with a colleague prompted me to revisit my priorities on the question of belief in God and the philosophical stand that I conceived from my past experiences.

It all started with the question of “Swachanda Mrityu”. I was joking that since we do not have any say over our birth, we should at least be given the freedom to decide when to die. I am not referring to suicide in the conventional sense here, but an ability for living things when to call it a day by the most natural means! I am aware that this is by no means any new topic. Rather, it is an age-old tradition for Hindoos to debate the question of death, starting with Nachiketa!

Though, in my pristine youth, I did not realize the beauty of the concept of “Swachanda Mrityu” (remember Bhishma?), I am now intellectually interested in that concept. Perhaps, even in those days people must have been wondering if ever there was a normal way to sign off from the burden of living a full life leading to the concept of “Swachanda Mrityu” ! After all can we blame a person if he wants to resign early or apply for a VRS from life!

This is my first contention with GOD! How dare he not provide us with this choice to exit honorably? I know that many of us have heard stories about how some of our great great grandfathers / great great uncles predicted the exact date/time of their exit. But, not many stories are heard about deciding for themselves the right time for the exit.

This infatuation with Swachanda Mrityu need not be arising out of despair but could be out of a feeling of contentment, the feeling that what needs to be achieved in life has been achieved. Or even out of a feeling that nothing more needs to be experienced in life…

To be continued….