SUMMER OF '69

"Summer of '69" song inspired me to write this blog. It was April 1969 almost Summer in India. I was on cloud nine. After my final Engineering exams I returned to my native place, dumped my bags, spent one night and the very next day I left to visit my fiancee in Mysore. Reached Ladies Hostel in Manasa Gangotri around 5 PM. Went inside after filling visitor form at the security gate.
There was a lady attendant sitting inside the hostel main door. I explained the purpose of my visit. She took me to the Warden. Malati Krishnappa was the name on the board attached to the door of Warden's office. Warden  was a sumptuous matron of a lady sitting behind a large desk. She asked me to be seated and wanted to know whom I wished to meet. I explained as briefly as I could and requested her permission for taking my fiancee out for about an hour. Mrs. Krishnappa asked the lady attendant to bring my fiancee.
Soon enough my would be wife entered the cabin, a bit surprised to see me. She gasped and closed her face with both the palms and turned to look at the warden. 
"You know him?" , Malati Krisnappa asked. My fiancee still covering her face nodded her head in agreement. 
"You are going to marry him?"  Malati Krishnappa asked. Again my fiancee nodded her head without removing her palms from her face.
"Alright , go and dress up and come as fast as you can." Mrs Krishnappa a sort of ordered.

Mrs. Krisnappa turned towards lady attendant to bring two coffee, simultaneously tearing a form from the pad on the desk. She asked me to fill up the permission form for taking out the hostel inmate.
While I was filling up the form she inquired about me. She sternly told me to bring back my fiancee before dinner time which would be served at 8-30 PM. I could hear some cat calls as I was escorting my fiancee out of the security gate.
We had the first evening together. Strolled on the bank of Kukkere Lake. Had Idli, Dosa in the nearby Restaurant. Deposited my fiancee promptly back in the Hostel around 8 PM. Hurried to catch my evening bus back to Hubli.
Just after our marriage my Engineering results were announced on 20th July 1969. I was sitting with some elders in the morning listening to VOA live broadcast coming on radio of the landing of Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin on the moon. 
My friend came holding the Newspaper and trying to tease me. It was out I had secured first rank with gold medal.

   These are the concluding lines of Bryan Adams' famous song.

      Oh! when I look back now,
     Summer seemed to last forever,
     and if I had the choice.
     Yeah I'd always be there,
      those were the best days of 
        my life.

     

LORD JAGANNATHA TEMPLE AT PURI

My wife and myself settled down in a company flat in Jamshedpur. It was the aftermath of dreaded smallpox outbreak in Bihar and present day Jharkhand area in the 70s. The flat was in the sprawling colony complex of TATA company. For the past 3-4 years we were on the move. First in Bangalore and then in Hyderabad. During weekends I used take my wife to Kolkata for shopping and sight seeing. Those were the memorable days. I still remember sitting with my wife and gazing at the stars in Birla Planetorium. 
One day my wife was grumbling,whether we would be settling here or again moving. I asked her,"Why?"
"I was planning to visit Udupi Krishna Temple while in Bangalore" wife replied.
"OK, we shall visit Jagannath Temple in Puri. After all Krishna is Krishna here they call him Jagannath"
We made a plan to visit Jagannath Puri in Odissa.
Just after Ganesh festival and before Durga Pooja festivities we went to Puri by overnight train. Wife and myself stayed in Puri for two days. My wife offered prayers to Lord Jagannath and other Gods in Puri. We went for sight seeing in and around Puri. My wife was very much pleased with the visit and was in a happy mood.
After several weeks, I noticed my wife was having morning sickness. I was quick to point out that she was consuming a lot of foods from street vendors without any regard for food hygiene.
She used to smile and continue with her household work. I was a bit alarmed when this morning sickness became a bit too much. I took her to Company Main Hospital. After several tests and waiting for a long time we were called inside to face Dr. Vijayalakshmi. 
"You must take care of your wife" she, a sort of demanded. I was a bit apologetic and was trying to protest.
She smiled and elaborated. My was pregnant and required special care during this formative stages. Dr. told me not to wake her up early in the morning. She had learnt that my wife would get up early in the morning and go to fetch milk from street corner. She prescribed a lot of vitamins and iron tablets and told me to bring my wife for regular check up.
That winter was heaven in Jamshedpur with picnics and parties. This in addition to weekend movies in the club. My wife was drawing all the attraction. 
My brother-in-law wanted to celebrate baby shower function in the native place. I took my wife during the early spring to our native place and left her there for delivery.
Summer was very severe in Jamshedpur. I would wait for my wife's letters regularly. On Ugadi day I received a parcel from my wife 'Bevu Bella' a sort of sweet meat consisting of jaggery and neem flowers.
One day. while I was in the club reading room, a got a message that a telegram had come. I went to the post office and received the telegram announcing the arrival of our fist child. My son was born. Message was from my brother-in-law.
There was celebrations and parties. 
During the same period there was  Jagannath Ratha Yatra in Puri.

A DECADE WITH GRANDCHILDREN

I wonder how fast this past decade has passed after retirement at sixty. Specially I remembered my late wife as to why she might have left me alone in this cruel world and gone. After retirement I was feeling empty having no work to do, future looked bleak indeed. 
First Anand, my sister's grandson was born.There was no looking back. Almost every year, one new grandchild was born in our family. There would be birthday celebrations or taking care of young ones. It was wonderful experience playing with young ones.  
There are about dozen grandchildren in all.Three of them in the U.S. and others in India.

Following pictures show me holding one year old Anand eleven years ago and one year old Aditya six months ago.