Thoughts And Trivia

One post from this blog was quoted in BBC correspondent Sam Miller's book on walking tours of Delhi named above. I was under an assumption that quoting from a blog would need prior permission or intimation at least from/to the blog-owner. I not only don't mind that but rather feel elated. Thank you Sam! One of my class-mate from school (out of touch since 43 years) noticed it first and followed the footnote mentioning my blog and contacted me. It was a pleasant surprise?
The post quoted is a passing reference to history of my school's building "Ludlow Castle".

The author makes well-planned walking trips in Delhi, covering all the hidden nooks, corners and oddities. He has a questioning and overly inquisitive mind, which remains unfazed by bizarre situations. During his perambulations, many circumstances tested his mental poise, but that was equally matched by his recessionary physical equilibrium. He had propensity to suddenly become horizontal during his vertical ambulations. He measured the floor length of a Metro coach by sprawling over it, he paralleled the act of a "Sashtang Pranam" devotee; he also measured the depth of a manhole by falling into it(Vertically). He was also floored by assorted pigs and pie-dogs. No wonder he discovers Delhi, like nobody has done it before, with this down to earth, ear to the ground approach.
He has a knack of turning the turd over to look at the hot and steaming universe underneath, peopled by voice-less power-less strata. As a child, I enjoyed doing that to real cow-dung with a twig. What disturbs you more is his post-mortem doctor's non-judgemental factual observations. Really pithy are his social comments on the abject poverty and shadowy world of people left behind by India Shining. Delhi is like a shiny over-polished apple which has worms inside. Cut it open at your own peril!! But Sam has gone ahead and done it, and has left it for all to see.
No, No, It's not a dark look at Delhi only a 'Gestalt' view.

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Retirement age in my organisation is 60 years, and I would have retired in March next year. But for over an year, since Jan'2008, I have been looking at opting out of my Job. I had then terminated the tenancy in my flat - where I am to finally settle down. I have now put in papers seeking voluntry Retirement.  This gives me time till June end to pack-up. Having spent 36+ years in an organisation, getting up and going away is like detaching a velcro strap - there is ear jarring sound. Its like a necessary but painful surgery. Its more like dying in one universe and getting rebirth in another.

Working for the same organisation for all your working life, means that your personality and your job get so hopelessly entwined, that its not possible to untangle them.  But the charm of retirement is to get the excitement and thrill of a totally new life. Society has laid down elaborate rituals for similar situations like marriage and death.  That eases the emotional switch involved in such changes.  There is none for retirement. Turning one's back determinedly and pulling back the emotional attachments is the only way, how so ever painful. Perhaps focussing on selfish future than on the future of the organisation is the key. This however makes the three month period as too long to bear.
So, help me GOD!!

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