Thursday, July 31, 2008

[ 6 Dinesh Dutt ]

I was unable to go on the 11th day,it was my father in law's wish that I must be present when my son enters the house with his mother to welcome them .There are only two reasons for not being present on such a auspicious day.Not getting leave of absence from duties or not having money.May not be the money as I remember,since my friends would lend me any amount.It must be my superiors who wanted me on my duties.Any how my wife tells me that I was present on the 16th auspicious day.The day my son would be christened his name.My wife tells me it was a grand function and his name was written on a silver plate with rice spread out to form a board to write. The pundit who performed the pooja took out my gold ring from my finger and told me to hold my son's little hand and write the word on the spread out rice in the silver plate.I wrote his name," Dinesh Dutt ".The first letter of my name " G " was included later.My wife say's I spent all of my ten days playing with him and had to leave on the 11th day.
My wife and son were looked after by my parents in laws for over six moths till the baby took all immunizations for all types of infectious that baby's would get.They both returned with my parents in law accompanied and to see them safe in the journey.They returned after making sure that my wife would look after the baby alright further.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

[ 5 The inland letter]

The contents of the inland letter


It was a Express Delivery letter by my father in law [Typed and Signed].
.
Sree


My Dear Ganu,


Mrs. Sharada delivered male child at Noon today.(13. 11 . 67 )

Mother and child are quite safe,absolutely no cause for even the least anxiety. Everything needed has been done in the matter. Sent a telegram at 2 PM to day to Davangere. Rest safe
.
When can I expect you here, at least by the 10th day- (?).

Yours affectionately

Sd

( A.N. Narasimha Murthy )

13th Nov 1967

Bangalore



This inland letter preserved by my wife

[ 4 All Alone ]


I was all alone at Coimbatore for over 2 months till my dream baby boy entered this good old green earth,when there was no mention of green those days 40 years ago.
My wife spent her days enjoying the love and care of her parents.
I enjoyed dreaming about my baby boy all alone.
The appointed day arrived after Deepavali,when I went to see my wife.I had lots of cash as Deepavali Bouns was paid by the mills.[One months full pay].
No sign of my dream baby boy till I left Bangalore.
I returned to Coimbatore.
Few days after I left Bangalore !.
My wife sensed the arrival signal of the baby in god's own way.
Her parents and sister's vigil on her gave no room for panic.
She was taken to St.Theresa's [a missionary] hospital known for good doctor's who would avoid unnatural methods of delivery.Like caesarian.
She was for 3 days under 24x7 vigil.
On the 3rd day her father sees her before he goes to office.
Mother informs that it is Utwan Dwadasi a day Lord Krishna married Tulasi.[true].and that she will come after puja to Lord Krishna and Tulsi.
Mother comes with prasad and gives it to my wife.
My wife gets to hear the signal sound.
No panic?.
Yes.
Wife's mother rushes to inform doctor having Lunch.
They arrive immediately.
My wife was taken to the Labour ward.[I don't know why it is called so ].
My dream comes true at 13.30 [15 days after Deepavali] a day fixed permanently.
He was all pale blue due to care taken by doctors to fix his head position

I don't know how I spent those lonely dreaming days playing with my god's gifted baby but I remember that every day befour I went to bed I would write a letter daily to my wife with out fail after I had that inland letter.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

[ 3 Pregnant ]

Fear of all sorts and with all types of worries


What should I do?.
When my wife was pregnant with nine weeks fetus,I had sleepless nights.
My duty hours had changed as I was promoted to day duties only.

My first thought that flashed was my college Mr.George and his first new born baby.I met him and slowly told him that my wife was pregnant and wanted to know what was done when his wife was pregnant.He told me that she was taken to a Gynecologist for a check up at his place in Kerala and since we were in Coimbatore he suggested his wife's doctor who was a Gynecologist and very near to our house.I did just that and got confirmed that my wife was 100% pregnant and the news was conveyed to my parents and my wife's parents.They were thrilled by the news,I twirled my mustache left and right upwards.
The Gynecologist doctor(name forgotten)she was consulted monthly for six months.The consultation fee was Rs.20/=.( around $.0.50 ).
A senior friend of mine working as a Technical Director in a local Textile Machinery Manufacturing Company was living next to my place of residence.He had married a Swiss National and she was a nice lady.Another was a friend who was working as Sales Manager in Burma Shell Oil Co [ now it is Indian Oil Co ]and his wife was another good lady too.
It was the good advice of these lady's that kept my wife out of any fear or anxiety all the days,till her departure to her mothers place which should be on the 7th month only as per tradition to take care of her health till the baby's birth. I took her on the 7th month and left her after a grand function was performed in which all the members of our family were present.
I told my father in law to send me a inland letter if it was a baby boy or just a post card if it was a baby girl.No telegram.I don't know how I felt on the day I left Bangalore to my place Coimbatore as it is over 40 plus years.
My wife tells me now that I was paisa less as I had lost my Wallet and with it all the money and the return Bus ticket too.She borrowed money from my mother in law and with it I was able to return.
To day is the 104th Birth Anniversary of J R D Tata.

[ 2 Challenge ]

Now I had a challenge on myself.Having 5 sisters and only one younger brother in a highly orthodox bramhin family,only thouse in my group can guess the struggle parents had in thous days educating and getting all of them married.The other part being my working hours [ in a the textile mill except Sunday's all other days the plant works from 7.00 AM to 7.00 AM.,with a break for lunch after every 4 hours.Which means I had to be at my work spot at 7.00 AM,3.00 PM, & 11.00 PM.It was called First shift at 7.00 AM.Second shift at 3.00 PM and Third shift at 11.00 PM.To leave a girl of just 19 years of age all alone at 11.00 PM in a house which was isolated from other buildings was a tough problem for me but my wife was innocently blind to any thinking that I had of the kind in my mind.To my luck very soon I was promoted and was placed in charge of duties which involved maintenance of machines and this was being done only during day shift. My duty hours now was only from 7.00 AM to 3.00 PM.[ so no problem ].
So it was a challenge again for me to have only a boy first and think next.How do you do this?.
I consulted lot of my colleagues and collected tips of all sorts including a spiritual tip on how a baby boy can come first in the family.My wife did hers which will come elsewhere in this [ 1 to ? ].
I did all which are classified tips including the spiritual and practiced the spiritual till the last day.I will mention that day later.
I was working in a textile mill in Coimbatore near the hill station 'Ooty' which was a tourist paradise thouse days in 50's.There was a qualified technical assist to help me and two experienced jobbers ( Foreman's in Engineering terminology ).They were my consultants on personal matters also.I mention this,as it is relevent to my problems.There was a senior bramhin administrative staff who was incharge of the plant production accountings.He was my financial adviser in the sence whenever I was short of cash he would lend me any amount.Even the Deputy Plant Manager would but I never did approach him except for just once and once only.Why did I do it,will be said in some other context.
I went on as the days went by and was more serious in my job than anything.I never bothered to ask my wife if she was pregnant.By God!!, my heart skipped a beat when she told me she was pregnant.



All sorts of worry and fear started.

Monday, July 28, 2008

[ 1 . I Start writing ]

How do you start writing about your son from day one of his entry on this planet after he has become a father and starts a blog of his own and starts writing on his first born even befour the baby lands on his arms?.
Frankly I never would have attempted to write the way he has written.Being a tough guy I was faced with a challenge.
When I commented to my son that I have this and that blah,blah to write,he said you start let me see how you go.
I took it as a challenge and started this from day one as per my method which is 45 years old.
Thouse were the days my son,which are embedded in my mind about you and your Mom.
After my marriage which was a arranged marriage,I had no plans or any wish to have a baby but after two years my first lady was mentioning by her sweet voice mumbling something sounding like baby,baby.For nearly three years I did manage but my father would not leave me,one day he told me that my father in law had a doubt on my ability to make a baby.That was it a challenge.The rest is now 40 plus years.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Tuesday, July 08, 2008