Mother-in-law Vs Daughter-in-law

Now a days most of the TV channels are fond of showing “Saas-Bahu (mother-in-law – daughter-in-law)” sitcoms and I am sure the noontime and the prime time slots are exclusively reserved for them and without fail episode after episode the serial continues eternally. This relationship has got mythological roots too. The famous Telugu Vaggeyakara Tallapaka Annamcharyulu also got enticed into penning one kirtana on Lakshmi and Saraswati, the consorts of Lord Vishnu and his offspring Lord Brahma respectively!

During 1960s my father got a house constructed in Chemmumia Pet, a small hamlet about 5-6 km from Cuddapah (Kadapa) town on Cuddapah – Rayachoti route. Our house was on the roadside, away from the village, very near to the railway level crossing. It is Bombay-Madras railway at that time in the jurisdiction of Southern Railway. We moved to the new house in February 1965. There was no electricity those days and we were being ducked into bed by our parents a little after 8 pm. Ours was an isolated house as the village was a little far away. Our pastime happened to be watching the trains chugging on the rails and counting the number of railway bogies of the running train. We used to walk to Sri Ramakrishna Higher Secondary School.

My father was Inspector of Schools and the elementary school in the village also was under his jurisdiction. Over a period of time the villagers became acquaintances. And slowly the lady folk also started befriending mother. One summer evening we were about to retire, when we heard a ‘thud’ outside the house. We were scared. Father opened the front door ajar and there , sitting in the veranda, was a lady crying. Mother recognized her as one of the villagers and asked her what was the reason of her crying. Between the sobs the woman blurted out her sob story. It was the usual family skirmish. The woman more often than not used to declare that she would not take this ill-treatment meted to her either by her husband or by his ‘attamma(mother-in-law)’ any further and the only resort she had was to fall under the running train and commit suicide! Our parents used to listen patiently and offer sympathies. We, the children used to get scared and used to visulaise the husbands or the attammas as the devil incarnates out to torture the innocents! After sometime, either the husband, or the children used to come and there used to be further crying and cajoling. After much persuasion, the woman used to go back home along with the people. These instances, later on, became quite common and there used to be these ‘suicide’ attempts by many a daughter-in-law and the entire situation became notoriously familiar and repetitive. Every time the story used to end peacefully.

One evening there was again this ‘thud’ and sure there was this usual sight of a wailing woman. Mother went out and started the usual sermon and discourse offering her sympathies now and then. This time the woman was adamant and firm on committing suicide! She began recounting all the ‘inhuman and barbarous’ treatment meted to her by her in-laws and how the ‘the most useless husband that ever was born’ stood and watched! She would never go back to that hell again! “That narakam (hell) up there is heaven compared to this living narakam here!” she declared. The sobbing and harangue continued. But this time even after one hour or so nobody came in search of her!

We, the children were getting ennui and were thinking that if she were really that adamant on dying, why stop at our house instead of directly heading towards the railway crossing?

Presently there was a booming voice of a virago. It was like thunder released with full blast. There was this instant silence from the wailing woman! The old lady (apparently mother-in-law), no sooner she appeared on the scene, than began hurling choicest abuses at her daughter-in-law. “If you were so particular about dying, why did you stop here? You should have gone there! ” Indicating the railway track, she caught her by the neck and began pushing. Come on, I will help you. “You people should not entertain these cowards” she advised our mother. We were all dumbstruck. Suddenly the daughter-in-law broke free of her attamma’s clutches, bolted out and ran away, not toward the railway track but toward the village!

Culture shock over a cup of tea

Our country’s first president, Babu Rajendra Prasad, who was also an erudite scholar once observed : “kos kos mein badale pani, char kos mein badale bani” Roughly translated it means for every distance of a kos (krosh, an ancient Indian measure of distance approximately equals 2.25 miles or 3.6 km), quality of water changes and the dialect of the region changes for every four kos (10 miles or 16 km).

We can extend that logic to different cultural ethos in our country. Given the vastness of the land and the almost antique nature of myriad cultures that have been coexisting since millennium places our country in a unique position. Confluence of different cultures that occurs as a result of constant migration and assimilation and adaptation to the new environment could, at times, results in a situation that would seem incongruous with respect to well accepted societal dogmas and social ethics. Even the mundane things like social practices and behaviour which we take for granted amongst ourselves would get metamorphosed and acquire different hues. Let me narrate an experience of one of my friends who left his native state Tamilnadu and reached Bombay (now Mumbai) in search of a job and married to a second generation Tamilian girl whose grandfather migrated and settled in Mumbai during early 1930s. The girl was also employed in a Government organization.

You see, even after a couple of months into our marriage, I was still searching for accommodation. I was staying as paying guest in Anushaktinagar and my wife was still at her parents in Sion (a suburb of Mumbai). On a Friday evening after work, I went to my in-laws. Thinking that I would have evening tea and snacks and possibly dinner there I skipped afternoon tea at office and leisurely reached Sion by 5 PM. My brother-in-law opened the door and said “hi”, shook hands and received me. Both of us entered the hall and from there he called out to say that bava has come. Mother-in-law greeted me. I was told that my wife was yet to come. After some pleasantries, mother-in-law went inside and presently she called her son to inquire if I would wish to have tea or coffee. You see I was still harbouring the good old traditional practices we used to observe in our homes in Madras (Now Chennai). You know what would be our usual response! Normally we initially say no, the other party would insist that we should have and this gets repeated a few times and at the end we reluctantly agree to have either coffee or tea!

Thinking that similar behaviour would be in order, I said I don’t want anything. I was eagerly awaiting a second round of requests. But none came. My brother-in-law went inside and told his mother that bava did not want and he came out holding his cup of tea. Presently mother-in-law also came out with her cup of coffee. Sitting royally in front of me they began sipping the beverages. Imagine my situation! Here I am, thinking that I would get sumptuous treatment at Sion, skipped tea at office. Now I was left high and dry. I was getting annoyed and tried to show my displeasure on my face. But no use! They did not even notice and began chitchatting about all the sundry things trying to draw me also into their conversation. I was feeling lost but at that time my wife came from office. ‘Thank God! Now that she has come I would get the proper treatment’. I smiled inwardly.

My wife greeted me and enquired if I brought the good news of any accommodation. I smiled at her. She went inside and after changing, she came back and sat beside me. She touched my shoulder and asked no one in particular if I was served. Before I opened my mouth, my brother-in-law blurted out that they enquired and I did not want any thing. My wife simply nodded and without speaking went inside and came out holding her cup of tea! Sitting beside me, sipping slowly and contentedly and enquired how long it takes to look for accommodation. I did not gather enough courage to ask for tea.

My friend told me that after a few years he got Departmental accommodation and set up the family. He recalled this incident in front of his wife. She sympathized with him and told that he should have been more open and indicated that he would like to have tea. None of them would have objected to it and gladly obliged. It was a perfectly natural behaviour. Or she should have known my predicament and would have acted accordingly!

India’s national pledge : Height of honesty

Immediately after the war with China during 1960s, there was this patriotic fervour through out our beloved country. I distinctly remember there were many patriotic songs penned by famous poets through out the country and each one of us was so enthused with the entire environment prevalent at that time in the country. A national pledge was also introduced in schools and the schools used to start the daily work after reciting the national pledge during school assembly. I do not know the origins of the national pledge and its author. I believe it is embedded in our constitution. During 1964-68, I was studying in Sri Ramakrishna Higher Secondary School in Cuddapah (now it is Kadapa). If my memory does not fail me, it was in that school we started reciting the national pledge during school assembly.

The words of the National Pledge are:

India is my country and all Indians are my brothers and sisters.
I love my country and I am proud of its rich and varied heritage.
I shall always strive to be worthy of it.
I shall give my parents, teachers and all elders, respect, and treat everyone with courtesy.
To my country and my people, I pledge my devotion.
In their well being and prosperity alone, lies my happiness.

Jayaram was also in my class. He was a very good cricket and ball badminton (not shuttle cock) player. During evenings, it was either cricket or ball badminton. We also used to do combined studies. On alternate weekends we used to meet at his house or mine for doing Maths. He used to call his mother as “vone”. Later he told me that that word was a short form for another Telugu word “vadina” meaning sister-in-law. We were surprised hearing this. Who would call his mother as vadina? He confessed that during his childhood, Jayaram‘s uncle (younger brother of his father) used to stay with them. On hearing his uncle calling vadina, Jayaram also picked it up to call his mother! That habit was continued.

During the school assembly all the students in a class were made to stand according to their heights starting from short students in the front to the tall students in the rear. Jayaram was tall and naturally his place was in the last row and I used to stand in the front line. Our drillmaster was the coordinator during school assembly. He used to be very strict and invariably we were always on time to the school assembly. One day I was late and after due punishment (two spankings on the palm) I was made to stand in the rear line beside Jayaram. He clucked sympathetically. I was massaging my hurting palms and suddenly recitation of the pledge started. I also joined the chorus of voices. After the first line of the pledge, Jayaram mumbled something under his breath before taking up the second line of the pledge. I could not get him and I looked at him quizzically but he avoided my looks. I was curious and next two or three days I managed to be close to him during school assembly. Every time, during the recitation, after the first line of the pledge he always mumbled something.

My curiosity became unbearable and I forced Jayaram to come out clean of his mumblings. He sheepishly told that there was something wrong in the wordings of the first line of the pledge and he was trying in his own way to recite the correct version! I was astounded that none of us including the teachers were in the know of this mistake and wondered as to how Jayaram could find out the mistake and what was the mistake any way?

At first Jayaram was very reluctant to open up. On persistent nagging he coyly told this: “you see the first line of the pledge is All Indians are my brothers and sisters. Don’t you see there is something wrong there? How can that be true? All of us are going to get married in future and my future wife and her relatives will never be my brothers and sisters. So I was always mumbling ‘except a few ’ after the first line to take care of the gaffe in the phrase”

Death of a crane: Paying price for progress


Long ago when the first node of new Bombay (now called Navi Mumbai) was being developed, the authorities decided on erection of prefabricated structures for constructing the apartments. City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) of Maharashtra, a State Governments Agency had been given that responsibility. With the enthusiasm of a kid, CIDCO plunged itself to prove its credentials and had taken up the task of developing New Bombay.

According to the technology available during 1970s, in its wisdom CIDCO decided to invest substantial amount of time, money and manpower on these prefabricated structures. It was decided to construct four D type buildings using this technology. A gigantic crane was procured for this purpose. The crane was almost 4 storeys high (more than 20 meters) and one full block wide. One entire building of 15 meters height and 20 meters width and 10 meters breadth could have easily gone underneath it. It was being hauled on special rails and it was indeed a sight to see the crane being used to lift massive prefabricated structures like walls and erect them effortlessly.

At that time the entire New Bombay was a long stretch of marshy land and was almost deserted save the construction work undertaken by CIDCO. The movement of the massive crane was seen from far and It was quite novel at that time to see the crane movement from the city side of the Thane creek. Even CIDCO transport was special. The buses plied were small with a single door at front side. The driver used to double as conductor also. We used to pay 0.25 paise from Aunshaktinagar to reach Vashi. On Sundays it was a mission for us to visit the crane and marvel at it.

CIDCO constructed 4 D type buildings using the crane. For reasons best known to the corporation, it never used the crane for any type of activity. It was anchored firmly on the support along the main highway to Pune just at the entrance of Vashi Township. Subsequently all the four “legs” of the crane were cemented onto the massive logs. Personally I used to treat it as the threshold for the new Bombay standing majestically overlooking all of us.

CIDCO never used the crane for any subsequent construction activity. The Township had grown by leaps and bounds and extended beyond Vashi. We also moved out of Vashi to Konkanbhuvan, another node in the new Bombay. We used to see the crane during our daily travel to work place BARC in Bombay. Somehow I used to get the feeling that the crane was looking melancholy and dejected. If only could it speak, it surely would have taken the CIDCO to task for neglecting it. It was ever ready to be deployed and would have happily contributed in the construction of many a shelter. I never missed seeing it during my daily travels to and from office and it became a sort of obsession for me.

During the later part of 1980’s, CIDCO decided to dismantle the crane and develop a garden in the place it was standing. It was a sad day for all the old timers to see the slow death of the landmark of new Bombay. Perhaps that is the price for realizing the progress.

A letter of a teen’s mother

It was almost 20 years ago when I read this letter written by a teenage girl’s mother to editor of one of the women’s magazines. I neither remember her name nor the exact contents of the letter. But I do remember and even now am able to recollect vividly the gist of the contents. What is poignant about that letter is its contemporary valid contents. In my opinion, it should be read by each and every girl and would be mothers. I try my level best to capture the gist of the contents below and leave to the discerning readers to feel the urge of that mother who wrote the letter.

“My memory goes back almost 20 years when I was a young rebellious brat of teens. My parents gave everything for my wellbeing. Mother had been there in thick and thin and selflessly devoted her time and life to my welfare. During exams she was always available anticipating my slightest needs. She was keeping herself awake late into the night just to keep company with me. This despite the fact that she had to get up early to attend to the daily chores, where as I used to get up royally very late after 8’o clock. She was there with ever smiling face and saw that all my needs were met for going to school. I used to vile away my reading hours during evenings by watching all sitcoms on TV and take to study only beyond 9 PM. Just once and only once she observed that I could start my studies a little early so that we could go to bed early and she would also get enough sleep. But then I brushed aside her suggestion and even had temerity to declare that I never wanted to her to keep herself awake for my sake and I didn’t like such gestures. My mother smiled at me wistfully and did not utter a single word. But she was there all the time. On another occasion when I fell sick she insisted on carrying me to the doctor and I doubt very much if she had any sleep at all. The moment I was all right I just rushed out of the house to meet my friends without even bothering let her know. She mildly chided me for not taking care of myself, as I was still recouping. I looked at her disdainfully but she smiled at me silently and wistfully.

Now after these many years I am seeing the same abrasive and self–centered teenaged girl in my daughter. Minni has been alter ego of my younger avatar. The only difference is I became a mother and am in the same situation as my mother 20 years ago. I understood the wistful silent smile she used to give me. There were equivalent to myriad words of passionate reconciliation, forbearance and tolerance to the teenage brats.”

I forgot how that mother ended the letter. But I hope the text above bared the souls of a mother and a daughter. First time when I read it I felt like crying. I also recollected all those times in the past when I behaved just like that daughter. All of us deserve the same treatment we meted to our parents when we in our teens.

I do not know if at all any daughter read this letter and changed her attitude towards her dear mother!

Cat of Sabarigiri: A man in cat’s body!

Dog’s opinion about the human beings:
“These people always take care of me. They give me food and shelter and even cajole me and play with me. They take care of my health also. They must be God Almighty!”

Cat’s opinion about the human beings:
“These people always look after me. They offer me food and shelter. They cajole me and play with me. I can even take a comfortable nap on their lap. They are concerned about my health also. I must be God Almighty! ”

That in short sums up the attitudes of dogs and cats towards us human beings. One afternoon, a kitten jumped over the balcony of our apartment in Anushaktinagar. It was shivering out of fear. The fur was erect and the eyes were restless and the kitten was continuously meowing. We peered out of balcony and saw two dogs looking at our balcony. So the kitten escaped from these animals and entered into safe haven of 24-Sabarigiri building in Anushaktinagar. We shooed the dogs away and Shobha gave some milk to the kitten. We wondered as to how the kitten could climb up to the second floor while escaping from the dogs.

Sivacharan and Lakshmi also took liking towards the kitten. So the kitten became the fifth member of our family. For two days it was afraid to go out for long periods. After attending to nature calls it used to return to safety of its abode. Lakshmi and her mother began pampering the new member and it responded instantly. Slowly steadily but surely it assessed the “mahol” (situation) in the house and recognized the power centres and the persons who matter.

Sivacharan and I initially did not come to know of its behaviour towards us. As it was, the lad never had any time for the cat and I was also busy with so many other things and did not particularly pay any attention to it.

I do not know if it is same with all households. At least in our case when Shobha went to visit her parents, with in two days starting from sweeper, to milkman, garbage man and the Dhobhiwala, all of them would start asking “Auntieji gaon gayi kya?” Their attitude towards us used to change. Lakshmi also once observed “Amma gaon gayi to kya jaisa ki hum lognahi rahate!” It was as if we did not count at all if mother was not around! I suspected that the cat also belonged to their category.

The first sign that the cat was equally indifferent to us became apparent when in the evenings as soon as I returned from office, unlike previous occasions, it started pretending to make a movement without moving. The only flicker I could notice was that deliberate opening of the eyes and making a slight “purrish” sound.

It became clear when on a Sunday Lakshmi and I went out to Chembur for some purchases and returned home. As soon as we entered the house, the cat just looked at me as if I was an intruder and started circling around Lakshmi’s ankles and making an arch of its body with its tail oscillating made that satisfying purr.

That I did not count at all was confirmed when daily in the early mornings I woke up and walked all the way to the first room to work on my PC, it did not even pretend to make slightest movement and moreover, to add insult to injury started looking at me with that spiteful look of contempt as if I disturbed its tranquility. But the same ungrateful creature shots out of slumber the moment Shobha started stirring and dashes all the way to the bed room to be ready to wish good morning to the lady of the house.

That as far as it was concerned, I was nobody was established when I returned from long tour, it did not even bother to look at me. But when Shobha returned from Cuddapah after visiting her parents, you should have seen its tantrums and shenanigans. Absolutely and shamelessly hypocritical, it showered all its affection and attention on Shobha. It did not even allow her to remove her “chappals.” When I complained, Shobha declared that I was jealous and it did not befit for a human being to be envious of animals that too pets! I was certain the cat derisively laughed behind its whiskers!

I suspected that it must have been a man in its previous birth. It imbibed all the traits of human behaviour and carried them to its present incarnation. I just wondered whether because of his good deeds he was born a cat or was it the other way? I never knew.

But one day when I returned home from office, the cat was not seen and knowing the low esteem the cat had towards me, I felt it must be having a comfortable nap somewhere in the house. Shobha also was not seen. Presently she came from her friend’s place. She said that the cat had gone for good. I did not get her and looked at her quizzically. “There was another cat, which happened to come by in the morning, and our cat just walked with the other one and did not even return. Such an ungrateful creature!”

I looked at her and had a hearty laugh.

Caught red handed! The story of an unposted letter

Even during 1980s also when Internet had not yet “arrived” and telephones were still a luxury to have at home, thanks to our dear Department of Posts, Government of India, we were able to communicate with one another. Full credit is to be given to the Postman who unfailingly treks laboriously without any complaint to deliver letters even to remote corners of the country.

In those days we were staying in our own apartment in Konkanbhuvan node of New Bombay, a satellite township being established to ease the congestion in the main city Bombay (now called Mumbai). The civic amenities were being provided in stages in the township. First the streetlights came, then a bank, a postbox and then a delivery branch of post office. As the postal services were yet to be streamlined, we used to carry all our letters for posting in our BARC post office. We used to think that mail would be dispatched relatively quickly.

One morning, Shobha (whose ‘worse – half is me’) handed an inland letter to me for posting. The letter was addressed to her parents. I took it and put it in my bag for taking it to BARC for posting.

I hold a theory that any central government servant in India possesses unique characteristics or over a course of time during his service, acquires these characteristics. I am not sure whether a person has these unique characteristics before joining central government service or he acquires them during the course of time. The unique characteristics are (i) having an impassive and expressionless face, (ii) cultivating that bored and worn out look even at the start of the day, (iii) looking extremely busy and occupied when need arises, (iv) faking that concentrated look while the boss is speaking simultaneously shutting all the other sensory faculties. As long as one does not carry these features outside the office particularly at home it is safe for the individual.

The mistake I did was indeed the opposite. The net result is I forgot to post the letter given by Shobha. In the evening after I returned home she did enquire and for a change I told her the truth and promised that I would definitely post the letter next day. Next day came and gone but the letter continued to remain in the bag. I lied to the Lady of the House that I had an extremely urgent meeting, which lasted throughout the day. Luckily next day Shobha did not ask and so I was saved from lying. The day after I decided I would keep the letter in my shirt packet so I would not forget. I transferred the letter from the bag to the packet. But this time I entirely forgot about the same for two days.

On Friday, in BARC while boarding the office bus, there was checking of the valid bus pass. (All the BARC employees availing the official bus transport are given a bus pass). When I pulled the bus pass out of the packet, the letter also “popped” out.

I decided that I would hold the letter in hand and as soon as I got down at Konanbhuvan, I would drop it into the postbox there before going home. For a change I remembered my task and no sooner we got down, than I rushed towards the postbox. Just as I was about to drop the letter, there was a movement on my back and there was a query, “ What are you posting? Letter?” I turned back to see. There standing in front of me was Shobha with her friend Krishnakumari!

In a hurry I posted the letter and gave a sheepish smile and mumbled. Now you know when the letters do not reach the destination, Postal Department alone is not to be blamed. Our contribution is also not insignificant!

When Lady Luck smiled at all of us

It was almost 46 years ago (around 1961 or 1962) when this incident happened. We were residing in Sriramulu Pet in Proddatur. One evening during summer vacation, we were all playing on the road. I think it was country hockey. (Cricket was yet to catch up in the interior countryside!). The hockey sticks were made out of branches of trees and the hockey ball was a bundle of rags folded tightly around a smoothened stone piece in the form of a sphere and sewed with twine. We were about 10 and the game was being played with all the enthusiasm and earnestness. It was like playing in Olympic Games. No quarter was asked and given.

Shortly after halftime, when the game was evenly poised, the umpire (a petite lad of 10 or 12 years old) shouted “offside”. The person in question was a fatso who did not take the umpire’s command in the right spirit. You see he was about to score goal and bag the Olympic gold medal! He whirled around with the stick raised high and in a threatening pose charged towards the umpire. Next 5 minutes was sheer bedlam. The game was abandoned and the Olympic gold medal vanished into thin air. Charges were hurled at the umpire and he was labeled as ‘traitor’ who was sold out for a pittance of one ‘dammidi’! (In those days, India, a few years earlier switched over to metric system but old monetary system was still being used. Dammidi used to be the smallest monetary unit and 192 of them equaled one rupee. Obverse and reverse sides of dammidi are shown alongside). The umpire vehemently protested that he was not sold out for a dammidi! The fatso was indeed offside and a cheat! The poor lad was about to be beaten when he was dragged out of the motley crowd.

He walked past the fatso and sitting on the ground huddled between the bent knees adjacent to a heap of stones began to throw the stone pieces helter-skelter. Presently he shouted excitedly and showed two annas coin (another old monetary unit) he found in the heap of stones. The fight was forgotten; the acrimonious animosity instantly giving way to excitement. In a sudden movement all 10 of us were over the heap of stones! The ‘umpire’ was literally thrown out but he held on to his ‘treasure’ of two annas coin with a smug smile on his face.

On that day, God Almighty had been extremely generous and benevolent! Each one of the boys except me could find some ‘treasure’ or other! The ‘treasure’ ranged from kaani to rupee coin! You should have seen the radiant smiles on all the young faces! However hard I tried to find my ‘treasure’ in that heap of stones, I could not succeed. I was angry and jealous. With frustration and dejection, I broke my hockey stick into two pieces, threw the pieces and walked away. All the boys clucked sympathetically.

I walked a few steps and with pouted face began digging at random with no rhyme or reason. Suddenly the twig with which I was digging got entangled with something. With sudden hope and anxiety, I began removing the soil and pebbles with hands. Lo and behold! My fingers felt something and I slowly lifted the thing. It was a chain with an oval shaped pendant. I yelled with excitement and jumped allover. The boys who were about to go home, stopped and gathered around me. I showed them what I found! They were dumbfounded.

I walked past them with raised head to home. The chain was shown to our goldsmith neighbour who declared that it was just a brass chain but the pendant was of reasonably good quality.

Now after these many years in 2008, I don’t know what happened to that chain and the pendant. But whenever I recalled that day I become dumbstruck about all those ‘treasures’ we dug out!

Here is a list of old monetary system of India prevailing up to 1960s

Three dammidis equal one bottu
Two bottus one kaani (Ardhanna)
Four bottus (or two kaanis) equal one anna
Sixteen annas equal one rupee.

The coins available were
Dammidi, Half bottu, Bottu, Kaani, Anna, Two annas (beda), Paavala (Four annas), Half rupee, Rupee

It’s for nothing that it is called donkey

During 1980s, we shifted to our own apartment in Konkanbhuvan node of the then New Bombay, a satellite township being established to ease congestion in Bombay city. The node is on the Mumbai­-Pune highway with very busy and non­-stop traffic. Initially for a couple of years we had to depend on public transport operated by City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) of Maharashtra, the nodal Agency with the entire responsibility of bringing development in the New Bombay region. We used to travel to Vashi, the first node of new Bombay to catch our Office transport.

During those days, for any silly reason or even without one, CIDCO transport used to go on flash strike. Many a time, CIDCO buses used to get stuck simply because the driver or conductor was taking forty winks or the controller did not give timely flag out to the driver. As a result, we used to be subjected to hardship. To reach Vashi we were dependent on private vehicles.

One day, as was the usual practice, CIDCO transport went on predictable flash strike. We rushed on to the main highway and started hitchhiking any available motor vehicles. One Tempo driver gave us lift up to Turbe, a place midway between Konkanbhuvan and Vashi. We got down at Turbhe and started walking towards Vashi. There was heavy traffic and we were carefully negotiating to reach our destination safely.

In the opposite lane a car was speeding towards Pune. Suddenly to our horror, we saw a donkey sprang up and started walking leisurely to the opposite side. The car dashed headlong against the poor creature. We closed our eyes fearing the ghastly sight awaiting us. The car came to a screeching halt. We slowly opened our eyes and saw the beast was thrown away by about 10 to 15 feet and was lying completely immobile on the road. We feared worst. After a couple of minutes, the donkey stirred and with a jump, stood on its feet, brayed for sometime and coolly walked away to the other side of the road as if nothing happened.

We looked at the car, which caused the accident. To our surprise, we saw its headlights broken, radiator leaking and the front bumper twisted completely out of shape. What is more, the car could not be started. Imagine the expression on the face of the driver! From a state of shock and bewilderment, it turned into anger and frustration. He hurled the choicest abuses at the quadruped in question and started looking for help.

We walked away from the scene and understood why it’s called donkey.

And we still refer them as just innocent kids!

This happened almost 25 years ago. We were staying in Konkanbhuvan node of the then New Bombay, a satellite township being established to ease congestion in Bombay city. My friend Sadanandam´s family was our neighbours. Ramani and Raju are Sadanandam´s children. Sivacharan and Jayalakshmi are mine. Raju was just a toddler. Ramani and Sivacharan were about 5 or 6 years and Lakshmi was a year younger. The children were really brats and bundle of energy and the mothers used to have loads of exercise to control them.

Suryanarayana (Surya to us) was another young colleague of mine who married around that time and shifted to our locality. One day we invited the newly married couple for a get together and had a whale of a time. The children and the young bride established an instant rapport and got on very well. Her name was Bala Tripura Sundari. We called her Sundari. Thereafter the new "auntie" and the children used to have lots of fun time together. After sometime it was the turn of the young couple to invite us for an evening dinner at theirs.

Now you see the mothers thought they are `responsible´ mothers who brought up their children intelligently and with lot of commitment. On the day of our visit in the morning, they started `training´ the children about good manners and all the ideal behaviour attributes as to how they should conduct themselves at the new `aunties´ house. "Uncle and auntie should be pleased with your attitude, you see", they went on emphasizing. As a part of that training they also told the kids, "you see after we reach their house, you should say Namaste to uncle and auntie and sit there without becoming naughty. Don’t treat their house as yours and don’t do this and don’t do that. What will auntie think of you if you do this or that" and so on. "Anyway auntie is going to give you lots of goodies and cookies and don’t ever rush to the kitchen and demand. Behave like sweet kids". The children nodded their heads in obedience and mothers heaved a sigh of relief. They thought they had graduated in training the kids very responsibly. We fathers tried to intervene with mild protests but we were made to withdraw hastily with that stern `wifely´ look!

That evening at last we all went to Surya´s house. The couple welcomed us. The children Ramani, Sivacharan and Jayalakshmi were so well behaved, they said Namaste and sat obediently in the hall with arms folded over their chests. It was an unusual sight for all of us and the proud mothers looked at each other and smiled knowingly and cast a condescending glance at us, poor fathers! After the preliminary greetings and chat, Sundari went into the kitchen. The children looked at one another and whispered among themselves. The mothers stared at them and silence descended on them. After a while `auntie´ came from the kitchen with snack plates. She put the plates meant for us on a table, turned and just started extending the plates towards the children.

There was a sudden chorus from the children, "Mememee adugala!, mememee adugala!" ("We never asked, never asked!"). Still with arms folded they looked at their mothers with expectation that they be congratulated for their exemplary behaviour! Sundari was bewildered and confused.

Could you ever visualize different emotional expressions such as acute embarrassment, helplessness and anger being shown simultaneously on one´s face? Well, that was what exactly we could see on our wives´ visages. Imagine the plight of us, the husbands? Surely even our faces could have been a treat to look at!. The flashback of that recent rigorous `training programme´ for our kids in the morning on good manners and the sudden and extempore display of outcome of that training by the `obedient´ children and the mothers´ consternation made us mute spectators with silly smiles on our faces. At last my friend Sadanandam gestured that the children accept the goodies from auntie. There was wild clamor for the snack plates.

Surya and Sundari looked at us with puzzled faces with expectation that we explain the situation. With halting tones Sadanandam and I blurted out the whole sequence of events leading to the current scene and gave an embarrassed laugh. We were also aware of the piercing looks of the wives on our back. The children got up and asked their auntie if they had been good and if so they want more goodies. Sundari took them along with her in the kitchen.

Astrology – the most intriguing and challenging ‘science’

Astrology – the most intriguing and challenging ‘science’

There is an interesting allegory alluded to astrology, which I cannot vouch for, about Indrajit’s birth. Indrajit is one of the most valiant warrior sons of Ravana, an important character in Indian epic Ramayana. Ravana had asked all the seers for the most auspicious placement of the planets in the celestial zodiac at the time 0f birth of Indrajit. After having been told, Ravana ordered all the planets to be stationed at the exact positions in the celestial zodiac as suggested by the seers. Ravana thus wanted to play God. God Almighty destined otherwise. So at the exact moment, Sani just stretched his leg imperceptibly a wee bit and changed the planets’ configuration to that extent. Ravana with his mighty mace hit at Sani’s leg and Sani became a limping planet from that time. But the damage has been done.

There are any number of such parables in almost any culture only to re-emphasise the unalterable nature of destiny and God’s prevailing Will. What the subject of astrology does is to provide only certain direction and probability but not subscribe to any certainty in its analysis.

There is yet another ‘story’ which is often quoted to emphasise the futility of banking on astrology for fixing any auspicious moment. Let me verbatim reproduce that ‘story’, which was posted as a comment.

“I am reminded of a "story" or was it true?

The great mathematician and an astrologer, Bhaskaracharya had a daughter, Leelavathi. Once she reached the marriageable age he looked for a suitable boy and fixed the date for wedding based on the horoscopes of the boy and Leelavathi. On that day the wedding was celebrated but very soon the new bridegroom died of snakebite.

The Great Bhaskaracharya was stunned and tried to look for the DOSHA either in the horoscopes or the wedding date. He could not get any clue. He recalculated and recalculated and found that the wedding date was the most auspicious one. However he could not change the destiny of his only daughter.

One day he was observing the hourglass set up in the house for the Calculation of time. There he found the nose stud of baby Leelavathi, which she accidentally lost in her childhood while looking into the hourglass. Then he realised the DESTINY decided by HIM cannot be changed inspite of having excellent knowledge of Astrology.”

Let me recount the above ‘story’ in a slightly different fashion. Bhaskaracharya was indeed a venerable sage and great mathematician and astrologer. He surely knew what destiny was.

‘At the time of Leelavathi’s birth, the venerable sage cast her birth chart and to his utter dismay the sage could clearly presage the untimely widowhood for his daughter. Now what could the sage do but to accept the destiny? His parental instincts or urge made the sage to look for the most auspicious time for Leelavathi’s marriage so that the Acharya might have felt that the auspicious time would avert the widowhood for his lovely child. The Acharya also, for a moment was blinded by the parental love and played God.’

Now append the original ‘story’ making rounds, to the above paragraph. The continuity and the logic of the story become more meaningful. It is indeed illogical to believe that the Acharya looked only for the most auspicious time for the daughter’s marriage and might not have cast the birth chart.

The "auspicious time" identified by the Acharya also could be correct. In fact, the 'story' reiterates this apect forcefully when it cites the 'finding of young Leelavathi's nose stud in the hourglass'. Whatever time the venerable Acharya thought was correct and arrived at the auspicious time was indeed correct for that assumed time. We should clearly note here that the Acharya did not fail in his calculations based on astrology.

When we try to understand the science of astrology, I strongly feel we are all like those blind men touching the various parts of an elephant and trying to give each individual’s version of the elephant. We may come out trumps with respect to a moment or aspect of the subject. But to master the science, we have to become “MASTER”.

There are two interesting passages in the book ‘The Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho. One camel driver used to consult seers about his future. One of the seers says: “when people consult me, it’s not that I’m reading the future; I am guessing at the future. The future belongs to God, and it is only He who reveals it, under extraordinary circumstances. How do I guess at the future? Based on the omens of the present. The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better. Forget about the future, and live each day according to the teachings, confident that God loves His children. Each day, in itself, brings with it an eternity.”

The camel driver had asked what the circumstances were under which God would allow him to see the future.

“Only when He, Himself, reveals it. And God only rarely reveals the future. When He does so, it is only one reason: it’s a future that was written so as to be altered.”

And, my dear friends, that is Astrology.

Quantisation of Birth time

QUANTISATION OF BIRTH TIME
Chandra serving as the precise indicator of timing can be extended to arrive at the expected time of birth also. Let us assume that a particular birth has occurred during the transit of Chandra in Krithika Nakshatra owned by Ravi. That is to say birth has occurred during Ravi Dasha Period lasting for 6 years representing whole of 13°-20'= 800' arc in the zodiac belonging to Krithika Nakshatra. This 800' of arc is equal to 6x360=2160 Nakshatras or 2160/27 = 80 Lunar cycles. That is if all the 80 lunar cycles were to be over, then 800' of arc distance has to be covered. Thus we can visualise a clock with two needles; one long needle representing the lunar cycle (Cycle needle) and another, smaller one covering the 800' arc (arc needle) distance in the zodiac. Thus the smaller needle advances by 10' of the arc for every lunar cycle and covers 800' in 80 lunar cycles. In every lunar cycle Chandra transits through all 27 Nakshatras. During that period the arc needle would have moved by only 10'. For each Nakshatra transited, only 10' /27= 22.222” of arc is travelled by the arc needle. When both the needles are exactly at Krithika 0°, whole of Ravi Dasha Period of 6 years is accounted. Any birth in Krithika Nakshatra is therefore possible only when the arc needle is in between 0° and 22.222” and the Cycle needle would have entered into another Nakshatra’s domain. Birth in Krithika is not possible for another 27 days (or after 27 Nakshatras are travelled through) till the arc needle is in between 10’ and 10’-22.222”, during which time both the needles conjunct again in Krithika Nakshatra. It is therefore clearly seen that for the birth to occur repeatedly in Krithika Nakshatra only, there will always be an interval of 27 days. That is the period of Ravi Dasha getting consumed would be either 0 days for birth at 0° Krithika or 27 days or multiple there of. Any other number would not just fit into the scheme. Thus quantisation of birth time occurs. Whether it is the dictum of Nature or the Rishis who devised this Vimsottari Dasha Paddhati expect us to accept this mode of calculation is beyond our comprehension.
But in actual practice, a reverse calculation is carried out. That is we have the birth time, the Nakshatra of the Birthday is found out from the almanac and the longitude of Chandra at birth time is then arrived at. From this if one calculates the balance of the Dasha Period and the period elapsed before the birth, one gets any number, which may or may not follow the pattern just now suggested. There are several factors contributing to this discrepancy. One is that the almanac we are using may not give the correct longitude of Chandra. Another could be erroneous noting of the birth time. There is already enough confusion in agreeing to what decides the correct birth time. Ideal thing could be to accept the given birth time, try to arrive at the correct longitude of Chandra at birth time using well established and reliable almanacs or ephemeris, calculate the consumed birth Dasha Period and then adjust the birth time in such a way that the consumed Dasha Period in days would be exactly a multiple of 27. It is easier said than done, as the calculations, though not difficult, are tedious.
Computer programs are now available internationally, where the planetary longitudes are calculated very accurately. When we adopt these programs to the Indian Nirayana System, the concept of Ayanamsa has to be considered. Without going into the unsolved riddle of which Ayanamsa is proper, we started using the horoscopes made out of computer program written by Shri Neti Ramakrishna, which, as we found afterwards, uses an Ayanamsa value very close to that suggested by Shri K.S.Krishnamurthi of Krishnamurthi Paddhati fame. This became the baseline for our further work on analytical horoscopy. Subsequently we have been using our own computer programs, which were written keeping our specific needs. As the Ayanamsa does not remain constant through out the year, necessary correction is carried out to get the progressive Ayanamsa for each week. When the balance Dasha Period is calculated for given birth time using this program, the consumed Dasha Period in days comes close to a multiple of 27 without applying any correction. Whenever it is slightly deviating, the birth time is corrected by suitable addition or subtraction depending on which number of days is closer to the multiple of 27. The horoscope thus obtained is then subjected to critical analysis by correlating it to the events in the life of that individual. Thus any birth time given is suitably corrected so that the consumed Dasha Period in days is a multiple of 27. Subsequent Dasha and Antardasha Periods are calculated based on Nakshatras. Our computer program gives the Dasha, Antardasha, and Vidasha Periods in days based on this Nakshatra Paddhati. Even these dates so arrived at need fine-tuning after confirming the Nakshatra on that day. As has already been mentioned, for correct analysis it is advisable to go upto Prana Dasha Periods. Any event that takes place in one’s life in fact occurs during the Prana Dasha Period when other seniors approve of that event. For causing any event to occur, Prana Dasha may have supreme importance followed by Sukshma Dasha, Vidasha, Antardasha and lastly Dasha or Maha Dasha. So, for astrological comprehension, one should not ignore these all-important smaller Dashas. However, it is absolutely essential to know how to calculate these Dashas accurately before trying to use them for analytical purpose. The method of calculation based on Nakshatras as suggested by our ancient Rishis is a valuable tool in this direction. The study of astrology does not begin until one masters the role of these five types of Dashas. When one gets married, say in Gu-Rh-Ku-Ch-Ra Period, and the astrologer says Guru gave him marriage, he is only making a very general statement. As Guru Dasha Period lasts for 16 years, and the marriage occurred towards the end of his Dasha Period, a true astrologer should be able to analyse and say as to why Guru did not give him marriage until towards end of his Dasha Period!

Astrology: Dash Periods according to Vimsottari Dasha

INTRODUCTION
The term “Nakshatra” refers to a segment of the zodiac covering an arc of 13°-20'. The zodiac of 360° is thus made up of 27 Nakshatras, viz., 27x13°-20'=360°, making a full circle. Each Nakshatra is given a separate name in Indian astronomy and its Zone or place in heavens can easily be identified during nighttime by the presence of the fixed stars in its Zone. Each Nakshatra is thus made up of a certain number of fixed stars, arranged in a well definable shape and many a time the name given to a Nakshatra is derived from the nature of the shape it presents to the viewer on the earth. The presence of Chandra (the Moon), the fastest moving body of the planetary entities in each of these Nakshatras is one of the important parameters in Oriental astrology. Its entry and exit timings and the duration of the transit in each Nakshatra is calculated and listed in the almanacs published from different parts of the Oriental countries. For example, when a particular day’s Nakshatra is listed in the almanac as “Rohini”, it means that for a major part of the day or at the time of sunrise, Chandra is in the Zone in the heavens represented by “Rohini”. Chandra is thus the long needle of the zodiac clock given by Nature.

DASHA PERIODS
All these 27 Nakshatras have been assigned to the 9 planets (“Grahas”) in Hindu astrology and each planet is supposed to own three Nakshatras. The nine planets considered are (1) Ravi (Sun), (2) Chandra (Moon), (3) Kuja (Mars), (4) Budha (Mercury), (5) Guru (Jupiter), (6) Sukra (Venus), (7) Sani (Saturn), (8) Rahu (Dragon Head), and (9) Ketu (Dragon Tail). In Hindu astrology, each individual’s life span is supposed to come under the spell of these planets at different points of time in life, each spell of the planet lasting for a certain period of time known as “Dasha Period”. The position of Chandra in a Nakshatra during the birth time decides the Birth Dasha Period of the individual. Thus if Chandra is found in “Mrigasira” or “Chitta” or “Dhanista” Nakshatra owned by Kuja, then the Birth Dasha is that of Kuja. After Kuja Dasha, the Dasha Period of another planet starts and the sequence continues until all the planets are covered. The Dasha Periods of the planets are not of same duration. The sequence of Dashas and their duration is (1) Ravi: 6 years, (2) Chandra: 10 years, (3) Kuja: 7 years, (4) Rahu: 18 years, (5) Guru: 16 years, (6) Sani: 19 years, (7) Budha: 17 years, (8) Ketu: 7 years, and (9) Sukra: 20 years making the total life-span as 120 years (“Vimsottari” Dasha). Again each Dasha Period of a planet is divided into 9 “Antardasha” (Sub-Dasha) Periods which are assigned to each of the planets starting with the Dasha Period planet and following the sequence. Antardasha Period of a planet is proportional to its Dasha Period within the Dasha Period of the main planet in such a way that the total duration of the Antardasha Periods of all the planets corresponds to the Dasha Period of the main planet. This can be continued to arrive at still small periods of time intervals within Antardasha and so on. Thus we have Vidasha (Sub-Antardasha), Sukshma (Sub-Vidasha) and Prana (Sub-Sukshma) periods as enunciated by the ancient Rishi Parasara in his Hora Sastra.
In the example given above, after Kuja Dasha, the sequence of Dashas is Rahu, Guru, Sani, Budha, Ketu, Sukra, Ravi and lastly Chandra. Each Dasha Period can be divided into Antardasha Periods and so on. It should be mentioned that the duration of the Birth Dasha Period generally does not pertain to the total duration of the Dasha Period of that planet. It depends on the exact degreecal position of Chandra while transiting in the Nakshatra at the time of birth. As mentioned earlier, the span of each Nakshatra is 13°-20'¢ or 800' arc. This total of 800¢ corresponds to the total Dasha Period of the Planet owning the Nakshatra. If Chandra has already transited through a part of Nakshatra at the time of Birth, the balance Dasha Period of the planet during birth is calculated proportionally from the remaining part of the arc of 800¢. Thus the calculation of Dasha Periods requires the presence of Chandra in the zodiac at a given point of time. That is the duration of a day corresponds exactly to the time taken by Chandra to transit through a Nakshatra. This Nakshatra day defined in this fashion is different from the day that we normally use, viz., 24-hour day or sunrise to sunrise or sunset to sunset. The duration of a Nakshatra day is not constant. It is different in different Nakshatras as well as different in the same Nakshatra depending on the “Tithi” (Ravi-Chandra distance) present on that day. Chandra spends about 28 hours in a Nakshatra around full moon time and about 21 hours around new moon time.
The month of 30 days based on Nakshatra Paddhati is the duration of time Chandra takes to cover an arc in the zodiac described by 30 Nakshatras. This corresponds to 400° (360° for covering 27 Nakshatras and another 40° for the remaining 3 Nakshatras). Thus if one starts counting the beginning of the month, say at Aswini 0°, the month ends when Chandra completes one cycle of 27+3 Nakshatras, viz., the end of “Krithika”. The second month begins when Chandra enters “Rohini” 0°. Continuing this argument, a year of 360 days based on Nakshatra Paddhati corresponds to the time taken by Chandra to cover 360 Nakshatras or 13 cycles of 27 Nakshatra plus 9 more Nakshatras. That is at the beginning of the year, if it is Aswini 0°, then the year ends at Aslesha 0° and the second year begins at Makha 0°. We can extend this logic to the life span and the Dasha Periods of an individual also. If one’s birth Nakshatra is Rohini, this Nakshatra returns exactly after 3 years (or multiples of 3 years). 60 years of that person will be complete when Chandra has completed 60x360/27 = 800 cycles and enters Rohini again. One would see the 1000 full moons if one survives for 75 years (75x360/27 = 1000).
Chandra thus serves as a precise indicator for timing and when a new Dasha Period has to begin, it would not just begin on any day other than one shown by Chandra. Ravi Dasha Period for any one would begin only when the Nakshatra on that day is owned by Ravi (Krithika or Uttara or Uttarashadha). Similarly Chandra Dasha Period begins when the Nakshatra on that day is Rohini or Hasta or Sravana. Similarly even Antardasha and other sub-periods of a planet begin when Nakshatra on that day belongs to that planet.
The sequence of Dashas and Antardashas as envisaged in the Vimsottari Dasha system and the Nakshatras on the first and last day of the Antardasha period can now be calculated based on the logic given above.