Autobiographical musings

Now a few incidents from my professional life. My profession was, as you know, Surgery. Surgery is a field where lots of DAIVAADHEENAM - God's blessings - is required - no, is a must. I always pray and surrender for the successful completion of the work I am going to undertake to God - my Swami - imagining my Swami's figure in my mind - and all things clean up and complete smoothly. Once I was doing a Thyroidectomy - quite a large one. I prayed and started. On mobilising the right lobe, I found it was very adherent to the Carotid sheath. I chanted, "Sairam, Sairam" in my mind, seeing HIM in my mind, mobilised it as usual and it just popped into my hands. A little bleeding was there but controllable. Oh! What a relief! Our Swami is like that - Aapathbandhavan (Protector from danger). Another one: A patient had surgery for perforated duodenal ulcer. The next day, he was ok, but from the third day onwards, he was looking a bit sad and anxious and his abdomen was distende...

From Calicut, we have gone to Ooty when Swami was there. Darsan was in the Bhajan hall. He would make us wait outside in the open air, and the crowd was not much. Then all would be admitted into the bhajan hall for bhajans. We had the good fortune to go inside when Bhagawan was there. Similarly, we have gone to Kodai also. Hari got this lovely chance to be with His group of students, specially selected by Him (in 2006). They then went by plane to Madurai and from there by bus. Swami really pampers his boys with superlative tasty food and cosy sleeping arrangements. But His strict regulations have to be seriously followed by all. Once He showed Seethamatha's wedding ring - was as big as a bangle it seems.  We had a Maruti Omni when we went to Kodai once, and were making a slow detour around the lake, when Swami's car was coming up behind us. I slowed down for His car to overtake us. Some devotee kept a ripe mango on top of His car, which moved and fell off on the road in front o...

While writing PSN - Prasanthi Nilayam , certain things were forgotten. XMas celebration is one. On XMas day, Nagarasangeerthanam would be done by foreigners. When they collect in front of the Mandir, Swami would appear on the balcony above -  that is an indescribable Darshan for all of us. He blesses all from there and the devotees do the Aarathi, with all holding lighted candles. It is a sight for all Ganas, Devas and angels from heaven. Xmas special programs would be presented in front of Swami - morning and evening - and special food in Foreigners' canteen. Many foreigners would stay put there, wishing and praying for interviews at some time, and some lucky ones get them too.

Swami called this place Prasanthi Nilayam - perhaps because Swami wanted all who come here to have Peace and Santhi - that will promote Bhakthi which in turn gives Salvation or MUKTHI. So this is the trick that attracts people all over the world to PSN. There are lots of regulations if you want to be in PSN. Ladies and gents are segregated here. Ladies and gents have to cover their whole body, and no exhibitionism of any sort is allowed. Discipline and strict queuing everywhere. When Swami was there, sitting for Darsan had a fool-proof queuing system. They will make you sit in lines, which will be many in number. The controller will bring a bagful of lots from which the first person will take a lot, and like that all the first people in each line will take lots. When all are ready, number 1 will be called and that line can go in - and like that all lines. When people sit inside also, volunteers will direct you where to sit - you have to obey them, or you will be forcibly remov...

Though I was my mother's 14th child she always had a special consideration for me. I was her pet child even though Kamakshi chechi (my youngest elder sister) was her favourite. I was an idle fellow and didn't like to go to school. So I joined school only in the 3rd standard. When it was time to go to school, I used to hide behind my father's sofa and Father would say let him be here and play and I would be happy. Playing was always with Chechi but often alone going around the house MITTAM (courtyard). No specific game plan. Venu from the house opposite, or Kuttappan or Balan or Aanaathe Gopi played with me. Often GOLI kali (marbles) or PAMPARAM chutti kali (spinning tops). No money for buying an expensive football or anything like that. I used to go to Kattoorsharam to play there or Pallithamam with Balan and Kuttappan and occasionally Aanathe Gopi. Once in the Pallithamam we saw a few baby snakes (vipers actually) and we touched them. Fortunately the mother snake was not n...

I want to put in words what comes to my mind. I love my children as my life and used to be proud of their achievements, their lovable nature and would speak to Rema telling her how fortunate we are to have such BANGARUS (Swarnakkattakal - nuggets of gold - in Swami's words). Both are brilliant in their fields. Anju is a consultant in Radiology and an examiner for Royal College of Radiologists in the UK, the highest she can climb till now. Hari is a PhD in physics from the prestigious world famous Sathya Sai Deemed University. Swami Himself selected him for working in the Sathya Sai Space Theatre. He went step by step from plus2, BSc, MSc to PhD and was a topper always. What else one can aspire to. He is honest, straightforward and perfect in every way. So we are on the top of the world and cannot pray for more. I admire Hari and tell my friends that I consider him as my Guru. Many staff and some teachers often consult him for help and he is wanted very often. Hari gets irritated at...

We got married in 1965 and didn't have children till 1972 when Anjali was born. And we left her with her grandparents to go to the UK. Hari was born in Maidstone, Kent on 8/8/1974. Anju is Poorooruttathi and Hari is Revathi. Anju entered the Medical field and selected Radiology. She is now a consultant in Aberdeen Royal infirmary and an examiner in Royal College of Radiologists, UK. Hari studied in Swami's institutions from plus 2, BSc, MSc, and PhD - in physics - specially selected by Swamy for His Space Theatre as manager. So both have reached a position anyone can be proud of. Now I am with Hari in PSN ( Prasanthi Nilayam ) since last Dec 2nd. I didn't have to worry about anything. He has completely taken over all my tasks and I just obey him - all Bank dealings, tax returns, medicine buying etc. I have accounts mainly in Canara bank, HDFC, and Calicut City Service coop bank. Hari had 2 room-mates - Nagaraju and Srinivasan. The latter has chronic renal failure and is get...

My routine for long, even before reaching PSN (Prasanthi Nilayam), had been to get up at 4.30 AM, bathe, shave, etc and then light a lamp, chant Omkaram 21 times aloud, Ganesha namaskaram, original Soorya Gayathri followed by Sai Gayathri 21 times, Sathya Sai Astotharam, Praanaayaamam, Two Devi Manthras (Amma's advice), walk a little, then finally Aadithya Hrudayam facing Sun, wherever I am. I submit every prayer to Sathya Sai. Whenever I visit a temple and pray, I try to see Swami there - whether it is Guruvayur or Vadakkunnathan or any other place. For us, Swami is Sarvadeva because He is truly Parabrahmam. I do evening sandhyaavandanam too on a smaller scale. Lunch usually around 12.30 pm, have a short nap and then some time on the laptop writing something like this - this writing process started only a few wks back - see something on Youtube, mostly comedies, online news and channels - there are plenty now. Astrology - mainly making charts while I was using Windows, now no mo...

Apart from Linux, my main passion was Surgery from 1965 to 2015, when I retired. I used to enjoy doing surgery even without timely food. After I became an experienced surgeon, my popularity increased. When we would return after a trip, as we approached the Hospital where I worked for nearly 40 years, there used to be a big crowd waiting at the gate for me. The local people and the hospital staff loved me. From the beginning, my principle was never to go after money. If you are good, money will automatically come to you. We used to have frequent transfers in government service. So, it was difficult to settle down in one place or house. At last I resigned, and did a lot of freelance surgery in many places: Quilandy, Balusseri, Vadakara, Perambra. I used to take an anaesthetist also along (Dr Krishnadas, Dr Alfred - both no more now) and we had lots of adventures on the way, like heavy rain, no petrol in tank etc. The driver of the taxi himself had to go, bring petrol in a can, and procee...

Thinking about a topic to write about - the first one that comes to mind is 'blanking my mind'. I used to try to blank my mind occasionally, especially at night when I spend sleepless hours. This gives some calmness and helps sleep. Along with that, I try PRANAYAMA too for a few times - deep long inspiration followed by slow deep total expiration. Both combined can be beneficial. I also go to bed at night with a light stomach. Now - talking about food - we are all family vegetarians for generations. We are AMBLAVAASIS (temple helpers like garland makers, drummers etc) and vegetarianism is in the blood. And generally most of our elders lived up to 80, 90 or even 100+. My mother up to 92, another uncle of mine up to 105. Our caste people were generally loving and peaceful (SANTHAR). in short SATHWA GUNAM predominates. Now about eating non-veg, Swami Chinmayananda used to say, that was like eating A DEAD BODY - not only cruel, but barbaric too.

Father There was a request from a friend to write more about my father"s association with the Cochin royal family. My father was a munsiff and the king ( Madiraasiyil theeppetta thampuran ) Rama Varma selected my father, noting his honesty, straight-forwardness, integrity and other good qualities. The King wanted him for all purposes and made him Sarvaadhi kaari. He held that post for 14 long years. Mother used to tell the stories of life inside the Kottaram (palace) to us later. Our whole family had a cushy life then. Food and accommodation were free and whatever food was made for the King had to be tasted by Sarvaadhi. Father could have saved a lot, but he felt he had to repay all the loans his uncle had brought upon himself for looking after them in childhood. Even the Pisharoty Munsiff's house had to be pawned for repaying the loans. So finally my father didn't have much savings, which caused him to have depressive illness.  I remember him feeling sorry for that state...

I must write something about my favourite driver-cum-mechanic, Mohan. When I first met him he was in Naveen motors workshop. On our first meeting itself, I could understand that he was a good mechanic. From then on, I used to call only him for my car driving, repair etc. He was well built and could do any heavy work. I gradually started to call him for all my household works and other errands. He would happily and successfully complete any work at any time. We got his help for shifting house from Chakkorathukulam Sairam to Arcade 4th floor at Edakkad. It was difficult to carry our large heavy Godrej almirah upstairs. So I gave it to him. We managed to take the small almirah upstairs. Not one item got damaged in the shifting. Mohan was familiar to all at Arcade and was useful for all. Unfotunately, Mohan developed a malignant tumour in one kidney which was removed successfully. For a few years he was symptom free. Then he developed lung secondaries. Before the renal catastrophe, he dev...

Our family house in Thrissur was called Pisharoty Munsiff's madhom , named after my grandfather who was a munsiff in those days. His wife died young when my father was a boy, when his elder brother was only 12 years old. They had 3 younger sisters too - Amminichechi, Kunhikavvchi and Thathyamma. Amminichechi had one son Kannarettan and daughter Amminichechi. Amminichechi was Mrs late Dr KN Pisharoty, retired medical college principal. Kannarettan was a retired Tehsildar who loved all of us brothers very much, and he too was loved by all. He was treating Thathyamma as his mother and the two of them were staying in our old Pooja room. As you know, my father died in 1950. We children had been performing his SRAADDHAM at Thrissur every year until my mother's death in 1985. She was very particular that she should come with all of us for the function. In the beginning, Kannarettan and Ramachettan used to join all of us brothers for the sraaddham. Mother was particular to give the u...

Bangalore has many of our friends and relatives. My cousin brother Baleshettan and family were there from the time we knew about Bangalore. They have one daughter and three sons. Eldest Krishnadas is in US with Ambika and they have two sons. Mohan is second - a real estate man - has a daughter, who is a dentist, recently got engaged. Bharathan got married late in Yelahanka. Wife is an English lecturer there. A very decent family. Mohan is staying in their original place, Banaswadi. We used to visit that place frequently. Their house is adjacent to the Bus station. Whenever we went to PSN (Prasanthi Nilayam) we always stayed here for the night.  Later, we shifted this stop-over to Jaya's place in Indiranagar. Jaya has now shifted to Richmond area - more posh and busy area. For a long time we haven't been to B'lore . Both Jaya and Thammu have retired from active practice now. Recently, they came to see Rema in Nirmala hospital, recovering from Quadriplegia due to spinal defor...

I am my mother's 14th child. She lost 5 daughters in her prime age and wanted girls. Her prayers yielded Kamakshi chechi. Going to Rameswaram, they again prayed for another girl. God made me and gave them and the priest blessed them to have a SALputhran (good son), it seems. True to their word, I could look after my mother till she left at 92. I felt a big void after she left, in spite having been with her for long .Everyone feels the same when they lose their mother. I lost my father in 1950 when I was in the seventh standard. The headmaster gave me permission to write one exam on the pindam day (12th day ceremony) in his office. Father had some depression due to money loss and was feeling guilty for not saving much for the children, especially the last two, Chechi and me. Father was a mild Diabetic too (no proper tests then - they used Fehling's solution to test sugar??). Treatment was based on clinical signs and doctors' guesses. Achan was under Dr Vaidyanatha Iyer, one ...

Kannur I have lots to write about my wife and children. After our marriage, we had no children for seven years; partly our fault, because Rema wanted to go for PG (D.O) and so went to Madurai for the course and then after that, hunting for a job in various Government hospitals. Just to get postings together we had to go and see the minister, and that too in the unearthly hours - 1-2 AM. That minister was decent enough to keep up his word and we got posting together. That Minister was Wellington. Later on, we came to know that he was a Sai devotee and he was with us when the Kerala Trust members went for darsan and interview ( in the 1990s ). And then suddenly, Rema was with child. We were doubtful and visited 2-3 doctors to confirm. So, we were happy. Rema took leave for maternity care and never joined back. We were in Kannur then and staying in a rented house called Happynook near the Army Cantonment area. I was the third surgical unit chief then. Oh My God! The amount of surgery I h...