Teacher's Journey Blogpost

“Amma.. I am back”, Raghavan’s voice echoed from the Varendah. Mother looked at the direction and again continued her prayers, this time  ringing a little bell across the image of Lord Krishna. 

Raghavan removed his shoes and came inside. Iyengar told him about the envelop. His heart missed a beat. “Where is it?” he asked anxiously. “As usual, your mother has kept it at the Lord’s feet. He said. “Oh then I cant see it untill the pooja is over?” he sighed. 

He tried to enter the Pooja mandir. 

Mother looked at him seriously and made a sign of  pouring water on his head. “Oh, have to bath and fresh up..” He thought. ‘Anyways her Pooja will be over by the time I have my bath.”

After 10 minutes, he arrived at the Pooja mandir, looking fresh. Mother applied a little holy ash on his forehead and a pinch of turmeric on his ‘Adam’s apple’. Then she made him chant Krishna’s names 10 times, gave him prasad and holy water to sip.

Iyengar came as well. ‘Perumal, hope everything is good this time..’ he said. She slowly opened the cover, as Raghavan’s anxiety levels increased. His father’s BP increased as well, he pulled out the tablet strip and swallowed a pill with a gulp of holy water.

“Congrats..!! Thank you Perumal!!”  Their voices made resounding effect in the entire mansion. 

‘Dear RaghavanJi

Namasakar and Greetings from Vivekananda trust

Based on your effort in the interview,  you have been selected for our mission. The details will be provided in person. Please meet us at 10:00 AM on 25th April 1987 at the below address:

2-4-26

Natesan Street

Looking forward for a wonderful career ahead.

With warm regards,
Vivekananda Trust

Teacher's Journey-A week later

A week later:

“Post, post “ The postman’s voice echoes across the Varendah.  Raghavan’s father, Ramanuja Iyengar was sitting in his folding chair, sipping morning coffee, and reading newspaper at the same time. The radio was playing Vividabharati in the background.

“ Ennanga.. Postman vantuviṭṭatu.. Parkka” He heard his wife from inside.

“Yeah I heard.. “ He said getting up from his chair. He placed his near empty cup on the desk and put the newspaper on the wooden rack above the desk, folding it carefully. He opened the door. There was the postman Ramanappa (reminding him of Thanappa, the classic from RK Narayan’s Malgudi days). 

“Vanakkam sir, looks to be some good news. Its addressed to your son” said Ramanappa, handing him over an envelope. 

“Oh.. I hope so this time.. Its the 10th time that he has received a letter. He has gone for morning walk now.” said Iyengar. 

“ No problem sir you can sign on his behalf.” said  Ramanappa handing him over a sheet. 

Iyengar signed against his son’s name and handed the sheet back.

“All the best sir” said Ramanappa and got back on his TVS moped to deliver rest of the posts. 

Iyengar went inside anxiously. He wife was at the Pooja, offering morning prayers. He waved the letter at her, while she was chanting the mantras. She nodded and signed him to keep the letter near the table. He put it on the table. She took the envelop and put a little turmeric and placed it at Lord Krishna’s feet, still chanting the mantras. 

Reprising my "A teacher's Journey"

Pre Interview

He was walking alone on a muddy road, with thick forest on both sides, and surrounded by mountains. He could hear water gurgling at a distance. There was a river somewhere near.

He kept walking towards the sound, as he knew he was lost and could find a way out if he followed a stream. Soon he could see a stream, no it was indeed a river, flowing across the forest, with a steady current.

He waded through the shallow waters and crossed the river and kept walking. Stop not till the goal is reached, a phrase began repeating in his mind. After a while he saw a blurry image of a fence and a building, made of bamboos. He could hear a few whispers.

He woke up with a jolt. He could hear the horns and traffic. He looked at his timepiece, it was 8:00 AM already and the interview was scheduled at 9:00. He got ready fast, and Mother had already prepared breakfast (idly and chutney). He prayed for a minute and munched both the idlies at once mixing them with chutney. “Enna da, have some more..” Mother said, “No, its fine, I have to reach in time for the interview”.

Father was at his desk reading newspaper paying little attention to all this.

“All the best” he said, as Raghavan went past him.

Interview:

He got down from the Rickshaw after looking at the address- Natesan Street. There was an old building with a staircase leading up towards to entrance. He went inside. There was a huge hall with a carpet laid on the floor and a mandir with Vivekananda’s portrait. The room was filled with fresh aroma of the incense sticks lit inside the mandir. There were few people sitting down infront of the mandir meditating.

“I am Girish” said a man. He had an outgrown beard and was dressed in Saffron.”Namasthe, You came for the interview?”

“Yes Sir I am Raghavan” He said

“Please sit down and attend the prayer. We will call you in some time” He said.

“Ok sir”.

“Also please address the Saffron clad people here as Swamiji” He exclaimed as he proceeded towards the Mandir. Soon a resounding "OM" mantra started- reminding Raghavan of the Doppler’s effect.

After an hour, a small boy came into the scene. “RaghavanJi, Please come for the interview” He said looking in all the directions.

Raghavan got up and felt as if he had no legs-they went numb after sitting for an hour. Then he felt the ant crawling sensation (as it generally does) which subsided after he stretched his legs.

He proceeded towards the direction the boy led. The boy led him to another staircase, which was a few feet beside the Mandir. Finally there was near a small door. The boy opened the door.

He entered, feeling a little nervous.

There were three people seated opposite to him in the interview panel. The person sitting in the middle was looking old, probably in his 60s.

Raghavan extended his hand for a shake hand as he did for every interview he attended. But the gentleman did not, and folded his hands instead.

Namaskar, He said, “please be seated”

Namasthe sir, Said Raghavan.

“I am CaptainJi” He said, “You may address me the same. I can see that you are very well qualified professionally. But I would like see if you are qualified for our mission”

“Sure sir.. CaptainJi” said Raghavan.

“Our mission is to spread the message of  Swami Vivekananda” he said, “To the far fetched regions of India. Can you tell me a few words about Vivekananda”

Raghavan was taken by surprise. He expected some interview on CV Raman effect, or Faraday’s Laws.

“He was a great saint” He said mustering everything he had in his mind. “Er he had given lecture in Chicago”

“Ok. What else”

He thought for a while. “ He taught the world that India is not a land of snake charmers and farmers, But culturally India is the most sophisticated nation in the entire world”

He said just for the sake of saying J

CaptainJi gave a superior smile “Yes, You are right” Then he gave a brief account of Swamiji.

“So Are you ready to serve the nation”

“Yes Captainji” Said he confidently.

“Are you ready to take up challenges on the way?”

“YES!!”

“Good then” He said handing over the documents back to Raghavan “You will hear from us soon. Just don’t miss any letters from Vivekananda trust “

“Sure Captainji”

He left the room wondering why the other two persons were seated though he observed them writing some notes.

That Night-part 2

He could see the sodium street light flickering near the street bend,bathing the sorroundings into golden yellow intermittently. There was series of houses and an alley towards the left that led to his house. The Arugus (kind of pavement infront of village homes) were usually filled with elderly people chitchatting during the evenings, but at this late hour they were erriely empty. As he approached the street end, suddenly his eyes fell on the Arugu. In the flickering golden light of the Sodium bulb, he could see her. Yetulamma. She was lying on the Arugu, with her head turned towards the road, resting on her elbow. What was she doing here in this dead of the night? He wondered. Clad a white saree, and overflown matted hair, she looked at him, sadness in her wrinkled face, a face that seemed to be longing for someone. Her eyes were charcoal red. 'Anyways she is mentally retarted' he thought and walked ahead still observing her. He followed him as well, with her eyes. He reached the alley and walked in as she disappeared out of the view. He tried opening the gate first. But it was locked. He knocked at the gate and shouted.. "This is me.. open the door!" He again knocked. After a few minutes, he could head the locked being turned.. "Push it open" His elderly fathers voice. He pushed the gate and went in. He could see his wife, Geeta at the inside doorway. "The train was late" He said to her. "Fine, dinner is ready, wash your feet and come" she said taking the bag from him. Meanwhile his father had closed the gate and came near the doorway. "How was the journey" He asked yawning. "Yeah it was OK" he said making for the Goluva (a traditional water storage made of stone). He pulled out water using the pitcher and washed his feet and face. Geeta brought a towel. He dried himself and handed it to his wife and went inside the house. Both his kids were fast asleep and he didnt want to disturb them. I will give them the presents tomorrow! he thought. He went inside the dining room. The room was at the backend of the house. His father's room was adjacent to it. His father and Geeta was both at the table. "You people didnt have your dinner?" He said. "No we had, just Mamagaru wants to give you company" She said, putting plate infront of him. She put in potato curry and rice mixed with dal. As he tasted, he understood it was reheated. "I want a little Gongura" He said. She put a spoonful of it in his plate. 'Hmm ...' he said tasting it 'No one can prepare it better than you!' She blushed.
Soon he started taking about various musing in bheemavaram between mouthfuls, and his father also followed suit talking his younger days at that town. Just before washing his hands in the plate he asked Geeta, "Hey, while coming I just saw Yetulamma lying on her Arugu. Seems she has completely lost her mind". why she sits there so late in dead night..!!!? His father suddenly got up from the chair. "What?!" he exclaimed. "Are you sure?" Geeta looked bewildered. "Yes. What is the matter?" Said Srini "She.. she....she ....died this morning due to Tuberculosis!" Blurted out Geeta. Srini was stunned. He looked instinctively at the doorway.. There.. he could see Yetullamma, clinged on the wall.. with blood shot eyes.. waving here palms at him.. He tried cleaning his down pouring sweat with his hands ... his hands were blood stained.. He tried seeing his father n wife who were with him till now.. He could see two figures.. ushhhhh.....!!!! they were not his father and wife.. A blurred image of a uniformed Cabin master and a middle aged lady clad in white saree were standing beside the table.. looking at him intently.. he could hardly swallow the mouth filled saliva in fear .. Beads of sweat started dripping from his forehead.
He looked at the table, and found flesh and bones scattered all over... He slowly looked at the sitting room, shivering, and could see his father sound asleep... what is all this.. His heart started beating faster.

He could hear Geeta's voice in the other room. He tried to scream but voice box was not cooperating. He wanted to run as fast as he could..  but his numb legs could hardly move..  and his ears were getting filled with barkings of dogs.. 
And...
THE LIGHTS WENT OUT...

One of my favourite songs from Deadpool!

That Night :1

The Puri express came to a screeching halt at Thaparam Station. The halt had been sanctioned recently by the Indian Railways, or else Uncle Srini
would have come by bus from Bheemavaram as usual. He got down at the station and looked at his watch. It was 11:45 pm. Soon the train left the station leaving him alone. The station was near empty except for a stray dog and a drunkard lying beside him, mumbling something in his sleep.

Srini pulled out the bottle of water from his bag and drank the left over. He then threw it on to the tracks. He had to walk at least 4 Kms to reach home.
Everyone would be asleep by the time he reached.  He hadn't had dinner and was feeling hungry now. He thought he would reach home by 10:00 PM,but due to a rail cross over, the train had stopped at Yekkarolu station was almost an hour.
Anyways the week's gruelling job of Salesman under the sun at Bheemavaram would be eased now.
'I will take my wife and kids to Anaparthy tomorrow, for a movie' he thought. 'Then we will go to Babai hotel and have dinner'.

He slowly started walking off the platform towards the railway gates following the railway tracks. The gates were closed, implying another train, probably goods on its way.He bent below the closed gate and went ahead.
He remembered his wife insisting him to chant Hanuman Chalisa, as there were an age old tale of the Railway Cabin Ghost, which he trashed away as some urban legend. He was anyways an athiest and never believed in all this.
As he approached the gate, he could see the Cabin labelled abandoned. He knew it was due to some technical fault, that they had to abandoned to Thaparam East Cabin and only the West was functional now, though the villagers assumed something else.
He took left , bending his back below the gate and made for the village road. He couldn't wait for the train the pass over.

He crossed the village lake which lay towards the right of the road. When would they make this mud road tarmac he thought. He could hear dogs barking distantly. God, these stray dogs, the only way to avoid them was to ignore them. He slowly tip toed his way , lest he disturb these creatures,till
the Seetharamaraju center which forked the road into two.The right leading to Post office "Sandu" and left towards to newly established Cloth Market Center.
The Seetharamaraju center was famous for its Panchayat TV in the 80s, villagers used to flock every night to watch Doordarshan programmes- he recalled. Now it was just a sign board.
Srini preffered to take the Cloth Market route as it was easier to get to the Tanker street where his family lived. He looked straight as he could feel a group
of dogs walking behind him. He kept walking till he reached the Cloth Center.  He took a right and kept walking closing his eyes partially, he felt he could kill
time by not looking at anything. He opened his eyes and could see the Water Tank. The barkings ceased as well. Thank god! He thought, though he was an athiest, finally escaped from Dogs.

He could see the Sodium street light flickering near the street bend, from where he could take a left and go to his house. There were series of houses adjacent to the street end.
The Arugus (kind of pavement in front of village homes) were usually filled with elderly people chitchatting during the evenings, but at this late hour they were eerily empty. As he approached the street end, suddenly his eyes fell on the Arugu. In the flickering golden light of the Sodium bulb, he could see here clearly. Yetulamma. She was lying on the Aurgu, with her head turned towards the road. What was she doing here in this dead of the night? He wondered.
Clad in a white saree, and overflown matted hair, she looked at him, sadness in her face, a face that seemed to be longing for someone. Her eyes were charcoal red.
'Anyways she is mentally retarded' he thought and walked ahead, still focussing on her. She followed him with her eyes, as he turned left following the path that left to his house.

He tried opening the gates but they were locked,

He knocked at the gate and shouted.. "This is me.. open the door!"

Slowly his elderly father came in a while, with keys in his hands. He opened the lock, 'Come' he said feebly, as Srini pushed the gates open. He could see his wife at the grill door way inside.

'How was the journey' his father asked him yawning. 'Yeah it was ok, but train was late by an hour..' he said, 'Will wash my feet and come'. He went near the Goluva (a traditional water storage, made of stone), and filled the floating pitcher with water and washed his face and legs.
***********

How to check if Ubuntu is 64 bit or 32 bit

The below command can be used.

hadoop@ubuntu:~$ file /sbin/init
/sbin/init: ELF 32-bit LSB shared object, Intel 80386, version 1 (SYSV), dynamically linked (uses shared libs), for GNU/Linux 2.6.24, BuildID[sha1]=0x96b0ea3f2c8a1377a872c6cdd2a0d56070b9387b, stripped
hadoop@ubuntu:~$

Creating nested directories in UNIX

hadoop@ubuntu:~$ mkdir dir1/dir2
mkdir: cannot create directory `dir1/dir2': No such file or directory

Oops. To achieve this, we need to user mkdir with the 'p' switch.

hadoop@ubuntu:~$ mkdir -p dir1/dir2
drwxrwxr-x  3 hadoop hadoop  4096 Jul 13 15:57 dir1
hadoop@ubuntu:~$ cd dir1
hadoop@ubuntu:~/dir1$ ls
dir2

How to find version of Ubuntu

We can find the version of Ubuntu only from the terminal unlike Windows where we can find from Control panel.

The below command is helpful

hadoop@ubuntu:~$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID:    Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
Release:    12.04
Codename:    precise
hadoop@ubuntu:~$

Visit to Parvati Hill, Pune

Yesterday I visited Parvati hills, the second highest point in Pune. The hill raises about 640 meters (80 meters from base) from Sea level, and the whole of  Pune can be seen from top of it.

Getting there

The easiest way to get there is to catch a bus to Pune station. From there take bus to SwarGate. Keep walking straight till you reach the next junction and take left and keep walking. The hill would be visible to the right. Take right and keep walking and towards the left there would be a staircase that will take you up to a little bridge. Cross the bridge towards left and keep walking and you would reach the entrance of Parvati hill and steps leading the the top of the hill (there are 103 steps),

Attractions:

This is indeed a break from the traffic and rush from this bustling city. Its ambience is quite and green and above all very clean. 

Apart from the temples, there is a museum as well, with ticket costing Rs 10.

Gallery: