Warm weather...

What's worse- shoveling snow four times in a day, or life in sweltering 90 degrees plus weather? I remember father cycling in the latter, never had a chance to see if he would have liked the former.

zindagi ek safar hai suhana

was a Kishore song that father also liked- it is a good reflection on life.

Bhakta Tukaram

was one of father's favorite movies. It has a song by Ramakrishna. Gynana and Bhakti- the two aspects of life- were both embraced by father. Many Indians only embrace the latter, without the former.

Christmas..Hyderabadi style

We had a Christian family opposite our house in Hyderabad. We used to admire their Christmas Tree during the holidays- made it very festive. Dad would enjoy the festival too. Since all of us went to Catholic schools,we had some elements of Christian music drilled into us, including many hymns. That was a really fun time of our lives.

trip to India

I will be going to India for the third time in a year. Wish I had done that while I was studying at Northwestern...A whole host of emotions.

Punjabi music

Went to a Sikh Paath today on the invitation from a friend. Just occured to me that we did not have Punjabi music at home- either classical or pop like bhangra. Wonder how this music appealed to father...

Putting up the mosquito nets

around our bed- I always remember father coming around and making sure we were tucked in with the nets around us. Miss him so!

House of Bamboo

We are considering bamboo flooring for our house- House of Bamboo was one of father's favorite songs.

penciling it in

Today SR was throwing a tantrum because mom had misplaced a picture of our neighbor's kids. This reminded mom of the day when dad blamed her for misplacing some sharpened pencils that dad had kept in a 'secure' place for us. Mom had absolutely nothing to do with the pencil-gate, but dad blamed her for the missing pencils- which eventually showed up as they had either dropped down or rolled down.

Getting around...on a bike

I am always amazed at the number of places father could get to on his bike. Work, school, the doctor, the rice and grain market, and so many other places were always within reach of his bicycle.

Going up Tirupati

in father's Jeep- that was a hair-raising experience. Great kudos to the driver Krishna (I think). Driving up those hills is so dangerous.

Element of trust

I remembered JD Lee's Elements of Inorganic chemistry yesterday- it was an expensive book that dad let me buy. He supported my studies completely and paid for my IIT coaching at Little Flower and all the expenses associated with writing the JEE. What a trip that was.

Eating cup cakes and cream cones

these were our favorite snacks at school, and our parents always gave us some money for those!

Yummy days!

Telangana-Andhra riots

that are happening now remind me of a similar situation when I was growing up in Hyderabad. Partitioning the state has always been a hair-splitting situation.

Dad's cooking

I distinctly remember one night when our mom was away in Nellore and father made dinner. The sambar was delicious, though a little sweet. The rice was cooked flawlessly. He served us kids first. We had it on our old dining table, which father eventually replaced with a new one that he designed.

Aye Pyase Dil bezuban....

from begunaah..Remember listening to this Mukesh gem with father...

Hum Kisi Ke Kum nahin

One of the noisiest memories from the Himayat Nagar home is that of the owner's son playing the music from Hum Kisi Se Kum nahin and Pantulamma- have heard those songs enough to last many lifetimes..

Dedication

Our father was extraordinarily dedicated to his work, despite the fact that due to organizational politics he never got the recognition he richly deserved. Our mom also talks of the dedication of our grandfather. As I look at my own career and my efforts, I think my father and grandfather would not be disappointed.

Entertaining the kids

Father used to do many tricks for us, including card tricks and puppets. He taught me how to play cards, especially the simpler form of bridge.

travel travel

Listening to my brother talk about his trip to Jasper and Sawridge my mind went back to the days when our father traveled a lot, in much harsher conditions that what we do today. It is amazing what he had to put up with and the fact that he just "did it." There is a lot to be said for the unbounded spirit hidden in humans- only some succeed in manifesting it.

Bhupinder

Today I downloaded, legally, a compilation of Bhupinder songs. Father also liked his songs, especially Dil Dhoondta Hai and Beeti Na Bitai Raina. A fine singer in a classical mold, he has sung quite a few gems.

Geet Gata Chal

Was another movie whose music father really liked and bought the EPs. I am not sure if he had seen the movie. Jaspal Singh and Aarti Mukerjee both sang Ravindra Jain's compositions exceedingly well.

Venkateswara Suprabatham

When I got up today and played the MSS version of the Suprabatham my mind went back in time to the many days father would do the same thing. Along with the Suprabatham the record also had bhaja govindam.

Aradhana

Na hrudayamulo nidurinche cheli.. was one of my favorite records! A great choice by dad- it stills holds a lot of magic for me.

A sport about sports

Both my dad and I are true sports lovers- we followed all types of sports and found them enjoyable.

Snakes and ladders

I remember playing snakes and ladders and other board games with father. Those were a lot of fun!

Happy Birthday, Dad

Father would have been 80 years old if he were alive. I cannot believe that it has been 19 years since he passed away...

A beautiful memory

Still remember father drawing the design for a new sofa that he had ordered to be made. He was excellent at drawing, having helped me many times with my homework. The design for the sofa was intricate, with nice edges and a beautiful decoration at the center. The carpenter executed the design nicely, and the sofa gave us many years of pleasure. We would sit there and listen to music as father played the records.

Now Playing...

SHolay and Amitabh- father quite enjoyed this move and encouraged us to see it. He liked the storyline and Amitabh's role in it. The fact that father played the mouth organ and AMitabh did it in the movie was an interesting side note as well...

Columbo...

is a favorite of mother. I wonder if father would have enjoyed it, had he seen it...

The Joy of Flying...

Kite Flying, that is. President Barack Obama writes in his autobiography that as a kid growing up in Indonesia he used to fly kites. In that aspect his youth mirrored mine. However, in my case, my father played a great part in my early kite flying years. later on I used to fly by myself and with other kids.

Ek Raaz songs

Listening to them, I am reminded of the romantic in father...

Hamraaz

Watching the songs from the movie Hamraaz today reminded me of the times these songs used to come on the radio, and all of us enjoyed them.

Mr. Natwarlal

Not sure if father liked the songs of this movie- I enjoyed the songs. It was also played quite a bit in our common room in Narmada.

Writing thank you notes...

I don't remember writing thank you notes to anyone during my college years. Of course, the traditional Indian hospitality was always a part of my DNA. My brother, who grew up in similar surroundings and went to the same schools, said that he wrote many of these notes. He also gave father Happy Birthday cards along with wafers, a sugar-laden confectionery. These actions reveal quite a bit about the person.

Suvvi SUvvi

Yet another favorite song of father, and of us all..

Playing songs...like dad

Today my brother came down from Ottawa. In the evening he sat down in front of the TV and started playing old songs from YouTube. Our sister remarked that it reminded us of our father sitting in front of our Music cabinet and playing our choice music on the Gerard turntable. Every evening was so delightful, and full of music!

A World of Kites and Dreams...

One of the victims of Americanization of India is the art of kite-flying. Quite a few of my childhood memories involve flying kites- sometimes with father. Making the special thread for flying kites was a great pastime in December and January.

Kishore...

I remember father discussing Kishore Kumar and his songs...father perhaps perceived that Kishore could not sing songs of great depth, since he had a somwhat tinny voice.

Chikati velugulu

Am reminded of the day dad bought the record- he really enjoyed the songs from the movie.

A difficult life

Remembering how father had to live without his wife and children for months at a stretch, working in remote parts of the country and serving the country bu identifying groundwater. He did not get any medals, but he deserves the highest medal for exemplary service and dedication.

Jagmohan

After nearly twenty five years I heard the song "Meri Annken Bani Diwani" by Jagmohan, courtesy of my brother. A favorite of father, it is an amazing, magical song.

Khel Khel Mein

I remember going to see this movie with friends during one of my summers. It was a movie where the actors who traditionally played good guys played the bad guys' roles, and vice versa. The songs were quite popular. I am not sure what father thought of the movie or of the songs.

A wonderful gift...

from my brother...the english version of a rafi'an song, sung by the great man himself...

Am not sure if father had heard the English version.

We had some songs of Vasant Desai at home- another genius.

Rafi'an songs...

During my time at IIT I had bought a tape recorder that I brought home for the holidays. I had also recorded songs of Rafi and Kishore on tapes and songs from movies like Chori Chori and Madhumati. We used to play it during the holidays- I hope dad enjoyed those songs and the recorder.

Suseela

My brother informs me that Suseela turned 73 today. What a voice. If he have to pick one singer to represent "Telugudanam" it would be her.

She was greatly admired by father as well. I personally liked her chandana charchita neela kalebara song in Tenali Ramakrishna. She has brought glory to the motherland.

Binaca Geet Mala

And Amin Sayani were a mainstay for us. Now, my student in Delhi tells me that 93.7FM is mirch masala songs on radio...

Bangla songs...

Listening to Ami Chalte Chalte reminds me of the Bangla saongs father used to mention and play.

Dad on Columbo...

Father was fond of suspense and mystery. I wonder how he would have liked Columbo- a series my mom loves very much. Unlike Sherlock Holmes, Columbo is more accessible to the non-English speaking viewers.

Viswanathan Ramamurty

During the hey days of Shankar Jaikishen, Kalyanji Anandji, LP, and other duos, Viswanathan Ramamurty composed many gems in Telugu, and a few in Hindi. My father had a 78 rpm record with Laut Gaya Gham ka Jamana, a fabulous Lata Hemanta duet composed by the VR pair.

Losing a parent...

Today my good friend Glenn informed me that his mother had passed away recently. I knew her quite well, and she was a very nice and considerate lady. It is tough- I remember the time my father passed away.

Student Life...

Talking about the issues of students at the conference today took me back to my days when no one gave much thought to the research behind student development. Our parents tried to understand us, and helped us develop at our own pace- a blessing.

Father and Balamurali

Father had an interesting take on Balamuralikrishna- he respected the latter's abilities and his singing, but considered him an egotist. While nearly all Carnatic musicians start their performances with works of the great trinity of Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Annamacharya, Bala often started with his own works.

Father's pain

When father was alive, I never realized the pain and suffering he went through and fought. If my brother was not with him, I do not know what might have happened. Life is such a mystery!

Is mod se ja te hain...

The wonderful song from Aandhi- has many memories. It was one movie which we all used to discuss. The songs are also very meaningful.

Records of C. Ramachandra

My father's range of musical tastes amazes me..he had records of Pankaj Mallick, Saigal, C.Ramachanrda, as well those of Kishore and SPB.

Tossing the Newspaper...

When we lived in Himayat Nagar we were on the second floor. The newspaper man, on the occasional day when he chose to deliver the paper, would swing by and toss it from the road onto our balcony. The newspaper was one of the eagerly awaited moments of the day. We had to keep track of the days the paper was not delivered, so that we could deduct it from the bill at the end of the month. On my recent visit to India I saw the newspaper packaging operation on the streets of Gurgaon...an interesting entrepreneurial sight.

Taking a bath

As I washed my hair and head today, I was reminded of the many times father applied oil to our head and then washed it. He would also apply a drop or two of oil to our ears so that they would be clean. So much care provided by our parents, despite all the complaints and grief we gave them.

An interesting dream

A few days ago I had an interesting dream- my dad, Shyamala and I were playing frisbee in a wide open park, with some kind of a steel vessel (banali). We were tossing it around and father was running hard after it. He looked to be in fine shape.

Mom's budgeting...

Mom was recounting today how she used to manage the budget while we were growing up. Dad would give her money at the beginning of the month, and mom would first take out the money for rent, tuition and fees, and other expenses and keep them separately before spending money on groceries and other items. A tough life, but a love-filled one.

Railway Station..

reminds me of Ghaadi Bula Rahi Hai...the fine song by Kishore Kumar..

in touch by being out of touch

Today the mother of a student stopped by along with her son. She wanted to meet me and discuss her son's progress. When I was growing up, my father was away most of the year and our mom would be responsible for our school work and for maintaining the house. I cannot begin to fathom how she handled it all.

Carroms

Having played carroms the past few days with my sister, I remember fondly the many games we played with our father. Often my elder sister and I would be paired against our father. He would generally let us win, which was so important when we were kids.

Jim Reeves

I remember father liked the songs of Jim Reeves, especially the Jingle Bells number. We also used to play the Osibisa song Ojah Awake and other rousing numbers that father enjoyed too...

Railway Platform

As I listened to the song Basti Basti Parbat Parbat from the movie Railway Platform that my brother played this evening my memory went back to the times this song would come up in conversations with father. This was another Rafi song where he sings the word Ram.

The song Bequarar Dil from Door Ka Rahi is playing, and it is another song that father appreciated. It was sung by Kishore and Sulakshana Pandit.

Music- the wonder drug for the soul.

The Kishore RK period...

I was a big fan of Kishore/Rajesh Khanna songs, and remember getting the albums of Mere Jeevan Saathi and Kati Patang and playing them often. Whether he liked them or not, father never complained about my playing the songs of my choice.

world before ubiquitous communication

We still have a large collection of letters written to our parents and the letters we received from them. In an era of email/facebook/twitter, these handwritten notes are especially heart-warming- they represent a big part of the person and the past.

Rafi

Father liked Rafi's songs quite a bit. Rafi's duets are quite wonderful, irrespective of the female singer.

kids...

Today a student of mine, EC, came into my office. She will be graduating in May. She is also a remarkable turnaround story. While discussing academics and sports and other topics, I mentioned the need to balance work and family. She said that she wanted to have two boys, and no girls.. We had some interesting discussion about it, but it hit me that none of us ever had that discussion with our parents or friends when we were in school. She also talked about her parents, and how her father wants her to work and be independent. Reminded me a lot of our father.

a Director's cut...

I remember listening to music with father and all of us sitting in the family room sofas. While we discussed music, most of the arguments were about Kishore and Rafi and Hemanta and Lata and other singers. I do not remember many discussions about composers. While I did pay attention to the composers it is only much later that I could understand the importance of composers in the creation of music. Today, listening to Ilayaraja composing a Hindi tune, I realized how limited my appreciation of the genius of those composers was.

Bawarchi...

A movie that all of us like, and one with excellent music. I was reminded, yet again, of the compositions by the amazing Madanmohan.

Grape Juice

Today, I poured some grape juice for my sister and the smell reminded me of the grape juice that mom used to make in our house. It was our father's favorite drink, while I preferred the orange drink. Mom also made lemon drink and other varieties as well- all delicious.

The big Vishnu-Chakra

I remember father holding the big Vishnu Chakra fire cracker as it spun - it creates a strong centrifugal force and one needs a steady hand to hold it. It is quite an impressive sparkler and creates a nice show.

Sending me off at Secundrabad station

I remember our entire family sending me off to Madras when I joined IIT. Even father had come to the station that day. It was also the time when I used to catch a running train.

Dasara Bullodu

songs and movie were also father's favorites...

Baiju Bawra songs

The Rafi Lata songs are classic...

So are the songs from Uran Khatola.. O door ke musafir...

Lending a helping hand...

I remember father helping many people in his office. In particular, I remember him guiding a young, hardworking officer named Benhur. As I help my students and others, I always hope that He appreciates the importance of his actions- these formed the value systems for his children.

Listening to the radio

While doing the homework...with the songs at 8:00PM and the AIR news at 9:00 AM. Many pleasant memories of evenings spent in the front room listening to music.

Anticipation...

Father used to show us many tricks, including making a net with a loop of string, card tricks, making coins disappear, and so on. Those tricks always interested me, and as I grew older, mathematical tricks (that usually relied on dividing something by zero) also ticked my fancy.

The Geet of Geeta Dutt

Father had collected some wonderful songs of Geeta Dutt- compositions of SD Burman and OP Nayyar and others from movies like CID. While I was not a big Lata favorite then, I loved the singing of Geeta Dutt, and I still do today.

Eating on the floor

I just remembered sitting down with father on the wooden blocks (peetalu) and eating. I tried doing that on my recent trip to India and it was not easy...

Having the conviction

and shouldering responsibilities, but always striving to do the right thing...Another lesson from father and grandpa.

Being nice

even to the people who stab you in the back and try to ruin your advancement- that describes my father. I used to get upset that he would treat his colleagues so well when some of them were sleazy bastar*% but now I see his philosophy and his approach to life. A great big heart.

Courage of Conviction...

Thanks to my brother who introduced me to the writings of Marcus Aurelius. They are extraordinary in depth of thought. He writes about the good things he took from everyone around him.

I have seen our father struggle with so many frustrations, especially with those at work. The excruciating office politics destroy the drive of anyone desiring to do good work, but father was committed to perfection till the end. The conviction to do the "right thing" irrespective of the consequences, is something I learnt from him. Of course what seems right at one instant can, in hindsight, appear grossly wrong, but the conviction to do the right thing is near and dear to me and is a key aspect of my sense of values.

SJ and LP

In the running argument over which pair- SJ or LP- should be regarded as the greatest composers of Hindi film tunes, I rest my argument on the fact that our father's collection had more tunes of SJ than of LP. Father did have Parasmani, but his collection of SJ included Kanhaiya, Kat putli, Begunah, and Sangam..

The Magic of Talat

Father had quite a few records of Talat Mehmood. While I always enjoyed Talat's songs, I have come to greatly appreciate his amazing talent and his wonderful contribution to music. Am always awed by the extra-ordinary musical tastes of our father.

Rags to Riches

My older sister introduced me to some excellent movies including The Boy Who Could Fly, Baghdad Cafe, and Rags to Riches. I wish I could have seen these with father- he would have loved them.

Wish I had...

talked to father about his days in Calcutta..As I listen to Bengali songs, courtesy of my brother and picturize the place, I realize that father could have made the imagery come alive. Mother occasionally tells us stories of their life in Calcutta...What a life they had led then...

An oil-powered boat...

was one of the cool toys father bought for us. This was the big highlight during Dasserah - when we would get a vessel filled with water and light the boat. Great entertainment all the way around!

Sweetness...

Yesterday our mother made gulab jamun, a perennial favorite of all of us including our father. With such a sweet sweet go some fabulous songs of Jaidev- including Zindagi Mein Jab Tumhare Gham Nahi the, a wonderful Anuradha Podwal- Bhupinder duet..

anuradha:

zindagi mein jab tumhare gam nahi the

itane tanhaa the ki ham bhi ham nahi the

anuradha:

waqt par jo log kaam aaye hain aksar
ajnabi the, vo mere hamdam nahi the

bhupindar:
besabab tha tera milna rehguzar mein
haadase har mod par kuch kam nahi the

anuradha:
hamne khwaabo mein Khudaa bankar bhi dekha
aap the, baahon mein do aalam nahi the

bhupindar:
saamane deewaar thi Khuddaariyon ki
warna raste pyaar ke purakam nahi the

Lucy Show

As my brother and sister watched the Lucy Show it reminded me of my IIT days, when I used to watch it regularly every weekend. At home our dad was a regular Lucy watcher too...

A great slapstick sitcom..

Dum Dum Diga Diga

Father was a fan of Raj Kapoor movies, and had quite a few records of RK movie songs. His favorite was Dum Dum Diga Diga from Chalia, a kalyanji Anadji classic. Of Ruk Ja O Jane Wali from Kanhaiya was another classic that father enjoyed listening to.

Dasserah...

As we celebrate Dasserah I cannot help but look back at our childhood days..going around and inviting everyone to our house, wearing new dresses, and just enjoying a very festive atmosphere.

Carroms

Played carroms after a long time...something all of us used to do together...

Family get-together, almost...

A very happy time, when all of our family members get together- it is almost like our childhood but for one missing central character - our father. I remember going home from IIT in 1979 and arriving home at 4:00AM and my mom and dad were both awake, waiting for me.

Tough brothers

My brother and I are both tough nuts to crack..but today he did crack. I am always surprised and delighted at the vast difference in our approaches..

RIch SOunds of LP

Musical quiz that my brother put up for me- got a few right...

Maternal grandma

Our maternal grandmother died at a very young age. We remember her very fondly from our childhood days- they were the best days anyone could hope to have. She suffered from arthritis and other ailments, but also did not receive much support from spouse or sons. I miss her very much. On my recent trip to India,I saw the house and my mind retraced the many dosas she served me and my sisters and cousins. She was a very kind soul. The most amazing thing is that she was extraordinarily well read- she devoured all the religious books which her friend brought specially for her from Madras.

Dasserah..

This is the time of the year when all of us would get busy decorating the house and preparing the "bommala koluvu." Initially father would take a number of boxes and create a ladder like effect for us to display our collection of dolls, figurines and idols. After a few years, our landlady had a display stair case built which she lent to us for the festival. It was a great time, and we would get very busy. We had to go and invite all our neighbours and friends.

Wearing a tie for the first time...

Dad helped me put on a tie for the first time. I was interviewing at Little Flower for admission to the College. After I got through the written test, I had an interview and I had put on a really coll tie- I have the tie even now and wear it occasionally.

Kurtas...

I remember dad wearing pyjamas but I don't remember seeing him in Kurtas. He always wore a half-sleeved shirt and pants to work.

While at IIT I used to wear Kurtas with dress pants to classes. I found them to be elegant and comfortable.

Watching gymnastics

Gymnastics was another sport our father liked to watch. While India did not have a gymnastics team, we would watch foreign teams on Weekly Review of World Sports that came on DoorDarshan.

Getting a hair cut

I went for a hair cut today- reminded me of the times I went to a barber in Hyderabad. In Himayat Nagar we had a regular barber who would be instructed by our mom to overrule our preferences- no long hair!

Distinctive Bell

When we were kids we would be waiting for father to come home. He would ring his bike's bell as he arrived, and we would run to the door. He had a distinctie way of ringing the bell.

Swayze Succumbs to Pancreatic Cancer...A Tragedy.

From BBC News..."US film star Patrick Swayze dies.
Dirty Dancing film star Patrick Swayze has died aged 57, his publicist says. Annett Wolf said that the US actor, who had been battling pancreatic cancer for nearly two years, died with family at his side on Monday. Swayze was diagnosed with advanced stage four pancreatic cancer in January last year.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most virulent forms of cancer which medical experts say has a 5% five-year survival rate..."

Our father fell victim to the same deadly cancer. It is devastating. I hope Mr. Swayze's death was peaceful.

It is indeed a sad day.

Eating at Taj Mahal restaurant

I remember the day we were moving from our Himayat Nagar home to Nallakunta. It was in the summer. We took a break for lunch and ate at the Tajmahal restaurant. It must have been a very difficult day for father- memories, and also the physically difficult task of packing everything and moving. I cannot imagine how we did it.

Party Party

Dad was very fond of entertaining others and throwing parties. Often he would do this at the last minute, and our mom would gamely come through with great food. I am not that much into entertaining but today I got some of my "old" friends from grad school together. We had not met in a long time, and some of them had not seen each other in a while. This party reminded me of the ones dad used to have- usually it was his colleagues that he invited. Slowly I am getting the bug that my father had.

Father knows best...

Is seldome untrue...In our case father was almost always right...

Phillips

We had a Phillips transistor radio, and I used to hear VOA on it all the time, to improve my familiarity with American spoken English. Thanks to dad for providing us access to all these things.

Metallic voice

is how father used to describe Kishore Kumar. Even though Dad had a number of Kishore Kumar records, his preference was for more melodious voices like those of Rafi or Hemant.

Dusserah

Many pleasant memories of Dusserah...father making a staircase out of our large storage boxes, and we making a city and garden with grains we soaked for a day. Displaying our collection of art was a big part of the festivities.

In a Pickle..

As I was having lunch with mom today, I asked her about dad's favorite pickles. Apparently, ginger pickle and lentil chutney (kandipappu) were his preferred choices- both of them had generous doses of brown sugar!

Brown paper covers for textbooks

Father used to make the brown paper covers for books. There was anart and a process asswociated with making good book covers.

Mom's innovative cooking

Our mom is a great innovation and experimentation machine- she has made innumerable recipes of her own. She used to do it when our father was alive as well. Today she made a dish like Bagara baingan but with bell peppers instead of egg plant. She took classes and learnt how to make various fruit juices, and then she would experiment on her own.

Putting oil on head and ears

I remember father applying oil to our head and also putting it in our ears to clear out the junk. This really worked.

Reading the newspaper

Right now my memory goes back to our home in Nallakunta and father sitting outside and reading the Indian Express- during the summers of 1979-83. I was home then, and would also get up early. We would be reading different pages of the paper. I would get the sports pages first.

Shining Sofas

We had some elegant sofas in our living room, along with beautiful coffee tables. Father would always clean and dust them to make sure they were in great shape. We also had a number of great toys. One of our favorites was a doll that swayed from side to side, with music. It was absolutely amazing.

Lanterns

Power outages were common in New Delhi. Reminded me of Hyderabad and the various lamps that we had. Father had painted them in different colors, and they were very attractive.

Sankarabharanam

Even though this movie commercialized classical music, father liked the songs and the rendering by SPB.

Malakpet

During the latter part of his CGWB job, father had to bike all the way to Malakpet, which was very far and took him an hour and a half. Not only was it long, it was also dangerous, as every vehicle on the road was trying to run cyclists off the road.

De-cluttering

Father used to organize his things well, though he would misplace his items occasionally. Improving the organizational skills is very useful for everyone.

birthday

I hit my birthday today- and remembered the days when dad would make sure I had new clothes to wear and new toys, like a bat.

Ted Kennedy

Ted Kennedy's passing is a very painful event for many, including me. Reminds me of my father and his struggles.

PB Srinivas

He was father's good friend. apparently he would always enquire after father when he visited Nellore. PBS sang some nice songs that were father's favorites.

Turning down an opportunity

I remember that father had an opportunity to go to Africa as part of his work. He chose not to go because the children were in school and he did not want the education to be affected.

Vinayaka chavithi

Yesterday was vinayaka chavithi. Father used to read the great story with all of us sitting and listening to him intently. I miss those days..

hair cut

I remember a time when I wanted to keep long hair as that wasin fashion- and my mom would ask me to cut it short. We had our regular barber where mother would take me for a haircut.

Dad generally went alone for his cut, but I do remember a few times when I went with him.

RInging the bell

I remember father cleaning his bike every weekend and ringing the cycle bell to make sure it was in good shape..The bike used to sparkle after he was done cleaning.

AIR

One memory etched in my mind is that of father putting on AIR early in the morning when it aired a half hour of MS Rama Rao's SundaraKanda. It was worth getting up early to listen to the program, as MS Rama Rao sang a very inspired version of SundaraKanda.

The Steel Almirah

We had a beautiful Steel cabinet with a wonderful glass mirror inset- the glass and the mirror were exquisite. Father had put in great effort in identifying what worked well for us...

Wearing pancha

I am just not used to wearing the traditional pancha- most of my life I have worn pyjamas. On my recent trip to Chennai and Nellore I was given a pancha to wear many times, and after a while even the host would take mercy and let me wear pants. The funny thing is that my dad wore a pancha most of the time when he was home.

Vinayaka Chaviti

I remember the Vinayaka Chaviti celebration in our house every year- we would have a festive time during the day, capped off with father reading the story of Vinayaka. I always found the story to be fascinating, with gripping action and powerful messages. When I was returning from Tenkaya Topu to Nellore on Sunday morning, Siva took me via Eduru, and on the way I saw someone making some very large statues of Vinayaka and preparing them for sale. Reminded me of the festivities in our house for this holiday.

Remembering father

I visited my uncle on Saturday and he was remembering my father- how he used to visit us when our father was alive. It was nice to hear.

Father's sweet sambar

Dad used to cook when mom had to go away to Nellore for some purpose. He made excellent rice and veggie dishes, and his sambar was excellent and sweet.

Krishna

We had a beautiful ceramic statue of Krishna in our living room. It was a gorgeous work of art- have never seen anything quite like it.

Playing games

We used to play a number of games including cards, snakes and ladders, and a trade game. We also had a marble based game where one had to launch a number of marbles that went around various obstacles.

Mahindra and Mahindra

Jeeps were the ones that dad used on his field trips. I remember one of his drivers called Krishna, who I think took us to Chittoor.

Half sleeved versus full sleeved

Our dad mostly wore half sleeved shirts- which made eminent sense in the tropical city that is Hyderabad. How I got to wearing full sleeved shirts I do not know. Even at IIT, I used to wear full sleeved kurtas.

Brown Belt Shoes

I remember the maroon-brown belt shoes father used to wear. They were his favorite footwear. I also remember dad polishing all our shoes before we went to school, so that we all looked very tidy and perfect.

Weird world

My father had an extraordinarily physically demanding job. It says a lot about him that he took the work and the physical toll as just a part of life. Folks like me go out and run because we don't get enough physical work in our work.

Taj Mahal

Father and mom stayed just opposite the Taj Mahal and enjoyed quite a few evenings watching the Taj in the sunset. A lovely romantic setting.

Grand Canyon

I took my mom to the Grand Canyon in 1992. How I wish my father was there. He would have loved the geology and the history of the mountain ranges, and the Hoover dam.

North Indian Food...

I have been in Delhi for a few weeks and the little differences between the South and the North are beginning to hurt- so I cannot imagine how my father lived in North India for many years. Even more amazing is that he still retained his love for coffee, while the North Indians just drink all the time.

Going from records to audiotape

Was a big transformational event- I got a tape recorder when I was at IIT Madras, and recorded a lot of songs on tape- including Madhumati, hits of Rafi and Simon and Garfunkel. Father liked to listen all the music- whatever his kids played. What a big heart!

Sholay

I remember father telling us about Sholay. He had seen it in Nellore during his visit there, and he was very impressed. The whole story, and the SanjeevKumar and Jaya roles really appealed to him. It was after his description that really intrigued me and pushed me to see the movie.

Rafi...

All of us are very fond of Mohammad Rafi and his songs. Father had some wonderful Rafi songs, including the famous duets with Asha and Geeta Dutt, from movies like CID. Of course, the classic from Parasmani, Salamat Raho, was another favorite of mine, though the song on the flip side was more popular.

Keeping up with the times....

My favorite film music is from the periods 1950-1982, the music I heard while I was growing up, till my early twenties. I seem to revert back to the music of those days, and I have not kept up with the music of today. What is most amazing about our father was that though he grew up with the music of and Madahavapeti Satyam and Saigal and Pankaj Mallick in his early youth, he kept up with the trends in music, and even in his fifties he would find great joy in listening to contemporary music- like the tunes from Chit Chor or songs from Cheekati Velugulu. A very rare trait- something my brother inherited.

"Exam"ined carefully

Our parents took a lot of interest in our education, our exams and our report cards. Even after I went to IIT, dad would receive the grades in the mail and would enquire as to the reason why I appeared to be goofing off. However, when I told him I was planning to go to the U.S. he did support me fully by buying me whatever books I needed to prepare for GRE and TOEFL.

News Junkies

Our father used to read the newspaper regularly- he was a news junkie. He would also listen, without fail, to the AIR news, often at 9 PM. Perhaps because of that influence, all his children turned out to be news addicts as well, each one trying to upstage the other.

GSI Office near the Post Office in Himayat Nagar

A memory from early childhood- I was going to fourth and fifth class at Rabindra Niketan, near my home in Himayat Nagar, and my father's GSI office was in a little building which also housed the Post Office. It was across the street from the school.

Pencil and Ink

Dad used to sharpen our pencils so that we would have sharp ones to take to school. He used to do it the old-fashioned way, using a sharp blade. We did not have sharpeners initially. When we were older, dad would fill our fountain pens with ink. I remember writing my exams in Little Flower with a fountain pen. Such delightful memories....

Father on the web

I looked up Google Books and found that a number of reports that my father wrote on his field work during his GSI and CGWB years are now available for order. I am glad his work is archived and can be referenced by future generations.

My grandfather wrote many books and some of them are listed on Google Books. He was a quintessential professor- academic, extraordinarily gifted, and highly thoughtful.

Cycling in a Raincoat...

Today it rained for a few minutes and everyone ran helter-skelter. I was in a cab on my way to the guest house, and my chauffeur and I were observing the cars getting stuck in the flooded streets. I said that one benefit of the rain was that the traffic might come down because people might stay indoors, and he responded that it was actually the other way around- that many of the people who would use two-wheelers normally would take out their cars because of the rain, increasing congestion. He was right, of course. The rainy evening commute reminded me of the many times our father would have to go or come in the rain, and he would use a grey raincoat and bicycle. A tough life, and a tough and kind man - someone with an extraordinary sense of ethics and purpose.

Reaching 48...

As I approach my 48th birthday I recall my father at that age...It was 1977 and we were still in the Himayat Nagar building. I was entering my second year at Little Flower. Father was having his difficult time at the office- the political shenanigans there prevented his extra-ordinary hard work from being recognized and rewarded. I remember father paying for my IIT coaching, and letting me buy any book I needed. I distinctly remember the Physical Chemistry book by Lewis- a rather expensive one that I bought to help me prepare. At my current age he had to support a wife and four school children going to expensive schools and colleges. His children have had a much easier life than him.

A Circus Story

Dad used to tell us a great circus story. I am not sure if he witnessed the incident or read about it. One of the acts in this circus involved a man sticking his head inside the open mouth of a tiger. The request was that everyone keep very quiet. This one time, something happened and the tiger was rattled and bit the person's neck, fatally.

Mo(o)re about Father

Thanks to my brother I have been listening to the audio rendering by Roger Moore of his autobiography. As I listened to him describe his parents, I noted many similarities between his memories of his father and my memories of mine. My father was also an "amateur magician" and would do many tricks to amuse us. He would take a loop of thread and make a net sing his fingers, he would do puppet shows with his hands, and he would show us a number of card tricks. Further he was a good musician himself and I enjoyed listening to him when he played the harmonica or the mouth organ. We had a small and a large one in the house- the big one was father's and we used the small one.

It's the sweet thought...

I remember father getting the Pulla reddy Sweets many times---those were delicious.

Making pyjamas

I have vivid memories of father buying white cotton cloth and making loose-fitting pyjamas- very comfortable for the local weather. He also stitched shirts for us, with wide pockets. Handkerchiefs were another of his artistic works.

Swinging Father

Dad installed a swing in our home so that we could have a lively motion and relax. It was great of him to think of it, and actually make it work. It is not trivial to install a swing inside a room.

Carroms

Father was a good carroms player and we used to have fun playing together. He would always talk about how to break so that at least three coins would fall into the pockets. He was good at several tricky shots.

The greatest of them all

Dad had the record of "Jaya krishna mukunda murari" by Ghantasala, from Panduranga Mahatyam. A masterful creation by TV Raju, it is perhaps the finest piece of film music, combining brilliant lyrics with highly devotional singing. My favorite of all time. Father also had two other songs that I used to hum all the time- "Ninna Kanipinchidi" and "Na hrudayamulo nidurinche cheli" from Aradhana- both superb songs sung by Ghantasala.

SOngs of Hemant Kumar

One of the amazing things in the world is the wide range of my father's musical interests...I am forever grateful that he had bought records of Hemanta / Lata Duets...They are simply wonderful...the best dosas and laddus for the soul. Songs like Halke Halke chala savare, or laut gaya gham ka zamana, or tumhe yaad hoga or any of the other duets- they are so romantic and soulful.

Delhi

Father had spent time in Delhi and Huryana and so could relate to the places and activities there.

What's fascinating..

is how our father got interested in western music. His collection included works of Andy Williams, Billy Vaughn, Jim Reeves, and a large number of albums of military marching music. How a man who grew up in a relatively small town in the interior of India developed such a varied taste buds for music is a mystery...I wish he was alive so I could ask him.

Chocolates

Our mom learnt to make chocolates in Hyderabad, and they are the best chocolates I have ever had. Father used to like them a lot too, though other native sweets were his preferred ones.

Chit Chor

Was another of father's favorite movies with songs. Yesudas / Hemlata / Ravinder Jain made some lovely songs, which our entire family enjoyed. While I do remember seeing Rajni Gandha when it came out I did miss seeing Choti Si Baat then. Never realized how good a movie it was, until recently. Yesudas , a Christian, also sang many South Indian Carnatic classical songs- something that appealed to my father.

Truly entertaining

Father loved to entertain. I remember the time when we had some Americans at our house- they were visiting GSI and father had invited them for dinner. Mother made idlis and many other dishes- they were a big hit. Father used to give big parties and invite many of his colleagues, even those who really hurt his career. He had a big heart and a kind soul.

A Big Heart for New Math

I remember father going on his bicycle to get us our books and patiently put brown paper covers on them. While in school I did not ride a bike as much, but would walk long distances. We would come home and tell dad about what we learnt. He used to get a lot of kicks out of the New Math I was learning- set theory. I would learn these really cool concepts and then come home and tell my father and he would have a good laugh.

Geet Gata Chal

Father really enjoyed the songs from Geet Gata chal and bought the EPs. I loved the music, and this was my introduction to Aarti Mukherjee and Jaspal Singh.

Sweet Mangoes

I have been eating mangoes for breakfast a few days- the favorite fruit of my father. Sweet mangoes are absolutely delightful!

Delhi Ka Thug

Father was a fan of Madhubala and Kishore movies, including Chalti ka naam ghaadi and Delhi Ka thug. Both are very entertaining and have good music.

Trains

I remember going on trains with father, especially during holidays. He would make sure we were all very comfortable. He would get out and bring back fresh cold water, and something hot for us to eat. He himself would never get any sleep.

A reflection

As I taught my first class here today, my mind went back to a day when a young gentleman named Benhur came to our house. He was a junior employee in my father's office and my dad had encouraged him to go for higher studies, which he did. He came to thank my father and show his appreciation for my father's encouragement and support, and for being a mentor and guide. I did not realize it then, but I see the enormous value in those moments, as I get my fair share of them from students and their parents.

Netting the Mosquitoes away

Being in India reminded of our youthful days in Hyderabad. We had a lot of mosquitoes, some of them quite fierce. My father would tie a mosquito net all the way around our beds, and made sure we got in and were protected. Often he himself did not have a net. The wet side of getting rain is that we also get mosquitoes. Unfortunately, rain with the bites is better than no rain with thirst.
Delhi right now is suffering from high heat and dry days..just got a drizzle yesterday and today.

Express...Indian Express

Indian Express was the newspaper we subscribed to at home. My father was a loyal Express reader. It was a serious newspaper, and did expose quite a few scandals. There were other papers like the Hindu and the Deccan Chronicle, but we all liked the Express. We would also do the crossword puzzle at times...

Sweet..

I was talking to a friend here - she recommended that I take some Agarwal sweets back home. Reminded me of my father- who always bought the expensive but fine Pulla Reddy Sweets. He always went for quality, even at high prices- put us in the best convent schools and sent us to the best institutions. Always indebted to him.

Water Problems

One striking memory of my youth- my father pulling up buckets of water from the ground level. Our owners did not install a storage tank and a pump. Given the water shortages, the city would release water for a short while and there would be no pressure, and the water would not come through our taps. So our dad had to lower the buckets and we would go down and let it fill, and then he would pull it up. Apart from all his other stressful, physically demanding work, he had to do this most mornings. What a tough life!

Delhi

I remember my father getting excited when my elder sister went to Delhi representing her school in the Model UN Assembly. She had a wonderful time too. Later my younger sister went to Delhi for her Master's degree. Today these memories came to when I landed in Delhi.

Mango kulfi

I went to an Indian restaurant with a colleague and for dessert we had Mango kulfi. My father loved mangoes. He preferred eating the fruit itself or drinking the mango juice. I don't remember having mango kulfi in India. Mango picke, the avakaya, is an extra-ordinary creation from southern India.

Roses

I remember our rental apartment in Hyderabad- on the first floor. In our balcony we had a beautiful rose plant in a pot, along with other plants. Once in a while father would sit in the balcony for a few minutes and watch the kids play on the street.

Siri Siri Muvva

One of my father's favorite movies was Siri Siri Muvva, a beautiful movie about a speech-impaired girl played by Jayaprada. It had spectacular songs, and my father bought the record so we could listen to the songs at home. The movie was later remade in Hindi as Sargam, and Jayaprada reprised her role. It also had good songs, some classic tunes of LP.

A special father's day- thanks to my brother

My father passed away in 1990 - more than eighteen years ago. We never celebrated father's day while he was alive. Today, my brother sent us some songs that we all listened to and enjoyed with our father back in the seventies-
Catch me if you can
Awaaz de kahan hai
La Bionda
Bread
and a few others.
I also listened to Aye pyaase deil bezubaan by Mukesh, another favorite of our father.

Light Years Ahead of the Times

My dad had an eye for beautiful pieces- these decorated our house and made it really lavish though we were too young at the time to truly enjoy them. One of them was a large framed picture of Lord Venkateswara and Alivelu Mangamma- it must have been 3 1/2 by 5 ft or so. My father had arranged lights all around it it so that when it was lit, it truly sparkled. Lord Venkateswara being our family deity, this was quite inspiring.

Flooding of Tank bund

When I was very young there was a rumour one evening that the banks of Tank Bund, a big lake in Hyderabad, were giving way and that the water was going to flood the city. People were panicking somewhat. I remember activity late night where neighbors were discussing what to do. By the next day everything had dried up and things were back to normal.

Half sleeves versus Full sleeves

For as long as I can remember, father used to wear half-sleeved shirts. This made eminent sense because of the warm weather in Hyderabad throughout the year. It is therefore surprising that while I used to wear half sleeved shirts in school, I began to wear full sleeved shirts and pants in college. I used to wear Kurtas and pants, and would have my sleeves rolled up. Kurtas are extremely comfortable and fun to wear. I don't remember my father wearing kurtas, even at home- he was a traditional South Indian, wearing pancha and either a banian or a towel on the shoulder.

Radio Days

A musical memory of our childhood- we used to listen to the radio while doing our homework. I used to play outside until my mom called me in for studying- usually around 7:00PM. I would come in, wash up and then get down to doing homework. My sisters and brother would all do the same. We had a couple of radios we would play music on- whatever came on the radio is what we would listen to. Eventually we would have dinner around 9:00PM, and my father would eat after we were done- a really late dinner for him, every day.

Adding sugar to sambar

My dad had a sweet tooth, and one manifestation of it was that he liked his sambar to be a little sweet. Today my sister added some sugar to her sambar too....Some things just get passed along...

Sportsman to the Core

My dad was a sportsman at heart. He enjoyed playing and watching sports. I remember watching cricket and Wimbledon tennis with him. He taught me how to spin the tops, and how to get them on to the palm so the top spins in the palm.

Keeping the Light on - with Beautiful Lamps

One of the problems in Hyderabad, while I was growing up, was the very frequent but unpredictable power cuts. We would be studying for an exam and the power would go out. For these reasons we had a few Kerosene lamps in our house. My father would take great care of them, keeping the glass dome very clean, and the lamps well painted. I remember red, green and blue colored lamps. They would be in fine working condition, and while other houses would be dark, our house would have the lights on even during a power cut. Those lamps enabled us to study for exams, on many occasions. Thanks for showing us the light, father.

Same story, across generations

My father was very close to one of his childhood friend and classmate, who later became his brother-in-law. The latter, CM would visit our house often. A true gentleman, he would always bring flowers for the ladies in the house. He and my father would discuss their childhood days and the fun they used to have, and then look at us and say that we kids did not have any fun. Nowadays, I find myself telling my students about the fun I had in my College days and how they are missing out on a whole lot of fun.

A marblellous memory

Another dear childhood memory is that of playing marbles. We had created quite interesting games with marbles, and I happened to be quite good at it. We used to buy and sell marbles too, and I made a few rupees in the game. Our creativity in inventing new games was amazing.

Dad's biggest Fan

Dad used to keep all the equipment in the house extremely clean and well-oiled. He would clean and remove all the dust and oil the ceiling fans in every room during the weekend. It was a matter of pride to him- that these devices worked properly and smoothly with little noise.

Going to Exhibition grounds

Fond memories from childhood- going to the Exhibition with father. We used to have fun with the trap shooting, we get our lailappas, and the tik-tikis. I also remember going on an elephant ride, doing the Ferris wheel, and playing other games. Those were nights to remember.

A milestone

Today was a big milestone for our family...all of us became permanent residents of the U.S. My father, who was instrumental in sending me to the U.S. would have been thrilled to see this day. He would have enjoyed visiting the U.S. and looking at the systems in this country- unfortunately he was taken away from us before he could come here. Thanks, Dad, for making me what I am today.

VIsiting father in Madras

Our father was posted to Madras for a couple of years while I was in school. One summer we went to Madras to stay with him for a few days. It was an interesting time. We visited our aunt's house fairly often. One sad memory of father's stay there was that his apartment was burglarised when he was at work. In addition to shouldering enormous responsibilities, he suffered so much through these criminal acts. The people who stole his belongings hurt a kind human being, for no reason. I hope these criminals have their just reward.

Donga Ramudu and Jikki

My father had the Donga Ramudu album at home, and it had the lovely song "Chigurakulalo Chilakamma" by Ghantasala and Jikki. It is a marvelous rendition by these two great singers, and a favorite of all of us.

Carrying the cycle

One of the tough memories of my childhood- we used to live on the 2nd floor (1st floor in India) and my father had to take his bicycle down the steps every morning. The worst part was having to bring the cycle up the more than twenty steep steps every evening, after having biked for more than an hour. It must have been so painful and difficult.

Joining IIT

My dad came with me to the interview at IIT Madras. After my admission, he took me to the bank and opened a checking account for me. My dad loved coffee, just like I do.

Bhakta Tukaram

Another movie that my father liked a lot was Bhakta Tukaram. He bought the record and always enjoyed listening to the songs. Two songs in particular that were his favorites- Ghana Gana Sundara by Ghantasala, and Shyama Sundara by Ramakrishna. I also enjoy those songs.

My father always used to talk about how Mukesh would songs with the word Allah. I am currently playing a song from Hariyali aur Raasta, where Mukesh sings "Allah jane khya hoga aage." The song is a sheer masterpiece by SJ.

dance

Mom was telling us about the dance program my sister and katyayini did at Ravindra Bharathi- one item was the Tillana. I also remember the dance program and the preparation. My sister had a beautiful dance dress made in Madras.

Keen Interest, in all languages

My father had an album collection that spanned many languages. He grew up in Nellore and spoke Telugu, but developed a great appreciation for Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Bengali, Marathi and other languages.
My brother has inherited the same interests, and he has an amazing repertoire of langauge skills and appreciation. Today he sent me some Bengali songs, including some private compositions of Salil Choudary, and a song sung by Raj Kapoor. I had not even know that he had sung a song.

I am simply awe-struck by the talent of my brother. It is the world's loss that he has not yet realized his full potential.

Coffee--tastes much better when shared

One of my great memories of father is seeing him share coffee with his colleagues. My dad would take a flask filled with coffee to work, and would pour out a cup for his colleagues and visitors. He would also give me a cup when I went to visit him in his office. My father had a big, kind, and generous heart- the driving force behind his life of giving.

Making father proud

Today, I met the proud parents of a number of my students who graduated today. The happiness was simply infectious- the parents and the graduates were so happy and joyous. My father never got to see me graduate, but I am sure he is watching me from up above and guiding me. I hope he is pleased to see that his son has given his all for the benefit of students- the future of society. My father was extra-ordinarily honest and ethical, and he set a high bar for me. I hope you are proud of me, father.

Swarag Narak

Today I played the song Leena O Leena from the movie Swarag Narak. My father really liked the song, and had bought the EP record. It was a surprise buy. We all enjoyed the song and listened to it often.

Public gardens

Another wonderful memory- dad taking my sister and myself to Public Gardens and buying us salted/peppered peanuts. I was very young then and he would carry me for a while. I also remember going to the Parade grounds with father to watch the beautiful parades and the tanks and other equipment.

Making pyjamas

Today, I remembered my father making pyjamas. A man of diverse interests and excellent skills, he would take our measurements, get cotton cloth, cut it and stitch it using our Singer sewing machine. He would intentionally make the pyjamas loose-fitting so that they would be very comfortable. He also made handkerchiefs and shirts for us. His unconditional love, not just for his children but for all people, moves me and amazes me.

Summer of 1976

In 1976 I finished 10th class. Brother Stanislaus had passed away, and Brother Emmanuel had taught us. I became good friends with him. A couple of years earlier, Little Flower high School, one of our arch competitors had started a Junior College called Little Flower Junior College. In the two years it had built quite a reputation. Our goal was to go there for our 10+2 college. rumour had it that Brother Emmanuel would become the Principal of LFJC. I had to write an entrance exam for LFJC. I remember my father dropping me off for the entrance exam, and I wore a tie for the first time for the interview. My dad helped me put it on. After the interview I was admitted. My father gave ma fabulous HMT watch as a gift for getting in. It is a rock-solid beautiful stainless steel watch. My 10+2 years were the best years of my life in many ways- I made great friendships, I learnt a lot, and had genuine fun. I also gained a tremendous amount of confidence, and came into my own.

Spinning

One of my pleasant memories is that of dad showing me how to spin a lattu- he would wind the thread and launch it so that it would spin beautifully. Eventually I became good it at it and could actually launch it so that it would spin in my hand. Those were the days!

Parasmani and Vinta Kapuram

There are two records that my father had in his collection that always hold a special attraction for me. The Parasmani LP had Lata and Kamal Barot singing"Hasta Hua Noorani Chehra"on one side- a beautiful rhythmic composition of LP- their first gig as composers. My father liked this song a great deal, and would often play it towards the end of our musical evenings. The other side of the LP had a fabulous Rafi number- "Salamat Raho," a favorite of mine, with the LP beat that became their bread and butter.
Another fabulous record was Vinta Kapuram. Master Venu composed the brilliant tune 'Atu Panupu Etu Nuvvu" for Krishna in this movie. Only much later did I come to realize the greatness of Master Venu- He also composed the songs in Baatasari.

Carrom Board

This week we bought a carrom board. My father was an excellent carroms player. I used to play with him and he would often let the kids win. His specialty was the opening break when he would try to get one carrom in each of the four pockets. He was also very good at making sharp cuts.

Warm thoughts on a warm day

Today the temperature rose to the 80s and even the short run I undertook made me tired. Which made me wonder how my dad biked for more than an hour each way in 100+ degree weather, day after day in the summer. The roads in Hyderabad were and are bad, and getting a flat tire was par for the road. What was the source of energy and drive that made my father keep at it? It did take a toll on him later on.
One of my favorite records from my father's collection is CID. This movie had wonderful songs by Rafi and Asha. My father and I both enjoyed the music.

Geology and Star Trek

Today I saw the new Star Trek movie with my brother, mom and my elder sister. It was an entertaining movie. I remembered my father describing the formation of the earth and explaining how the Himalayan mountain ranges were formed from the ocean. It was so beautiful a concept, and he would show how these can be deduced from the type of rock formations.

Value of a paisa

I remember my dad telling us that we did not know the value of money. He used to say that if we earned a paisa (penny) we would know how much effort it takes or how hard it is.
At the time I used to get upset, but now I realize how hard it is to earn a decent living, and how difficult it was for him, to put in gruelling work hours and raise four young children. I miss him so much.

Sholay and Anta mana manchike

My dad once came back from our hometown of Nellore. He then told us about the movie Sholay that he had seen there- it was a big blockbuster. He really liked the movie, and could relate to many parts since he was there in Chambal valley for quite a while. I saw it much later. He also saw the movie Anta Mana Manchike with Bhanumati. We went along with him and saw it. It was a very entertaining movie as well.

A Happy Birthday

Tomorrow is our mother's 74th birthday. All of us are with her together- something that has not happened for many years. Of course, the main person is missing- my father.
I don't remember my mom celebrating her birthday- she would always make something special, usually a great dessert, on my father's birthday and on our birthdays.
I remember a trip to Tirupati with my dad- going with him in his Jeep. It was a heck of a drive. Afterwards, we got the laddus and enjoyed ourselves.

Designing the Sofa

My earliest memory of our Himayat Nagar home includes a beautiful sofa my father had bought. Later, I remember my father drawing a beautiful design for a new sofa, with very artistic touches and beautiful curves. He then had it made by the Carpenter Mestri. It really was a beautiful sofa, with nice depth and comfortable back. The top had a beautiful curve.

Kanhaiya

One of my favorite songs while growing up was "yaad ayi adhi raat ko" by Mukesh, a record my father had in his collection. For many years I thought that Kalyanji Anandji composed the tune, but I realize now that it is SJ. Of course, the song on the flip side, Ruk Ja O Jane Wali Ruk ja, should tip anyone off that is a SJ tune.
By dad was also very fond of songs from Challia- Dum Dum Diga Dig, a beautiful rhythmic number from Kalyani Anandji, was his favorite.
We also had songs from Choti Bahen- Mukesh gems composed by SJ. One of the finest songs by SJ was in Katputli- "Manzil wahi hai pyar ki" by Subir Sen. His voice is very similar to Hemant Kumar- it would be interesting to find out why SJ used him.

Being curious and well-read

This evening our family was assembled in the living room and we discussed a number of topics- one of them being our father and his wide interests. Even though he grew up in a small town, his interests and tastes were very varied and cosmopolitan. It is unfathomable to me as to how he gained interest in western music- he had a huge collection of army marching band music, in addition to songs like Come September. He was exceptionally well read and knew in depth about many topics. An amazing intellect, blessed with the desire to know.

Honors

As I was recognized for some work today, I wished my father was there to see it. It would have meant a great deal to him. His world revolved around us. The amount of effort and interest he put into our upbringing is simply unfathomable. Unfortunately we did not have many awards or ceremonies for him to enjoy. Hopefully he is around us and watching all the activities.

Gleaming, Ringing Raleigh

My dad had a black Raleigh bicycle. Every weekend he would clean and oil it and keep it in top condition. Even after many years of use on the rough Indian roads, it was in great shape and looked new. Father would always test the bell..I remember the sound to this day.

When I went to IIT my dad bought me a used Raleigh bike as well- this was a green one. I used it for five years and then brought it back home.

Spending time with Lucy

Everyone in our family is fond of the Lucy Show. My dad was also hooked and he would watch it anytime it was on. We did not have many sitcoms at the time, but this was very good. When I was at IIT it used to air on Sunday mornings.

Going to our grandparents' village

When I was in school, the best part of summer was going to our native village. We would first go to Nellore, where our father grew up. The we would go to our village, home of our mother and her parents. The village was only a couple of miles from the Ocean. It was a truly amazing setting, with coconut and palm trees everywhere. Some years, my father would be on a tour and he would come to the village in his Jeep. This was always a big deal, and all the local children would come to see it. My father was greatly loved in the village, and he was a favorite of his mother-in-law. It was a great experience- the joy of childhood.

Rolling up Half sleeves

I always remember father wearing half sleeved shirts. Of course, being in Hyderabad, it made perfect sense. The funny thing is that I am always wearing full-sleeved shirts. When I was at IIT, I used to wear Kurtas which were also full-sleeved. Perhaps I felt that my arms were rather thin, or I wanted to look formal, or both- I have always dressed fully. Of course when I run I am often wearing T-shirts and tank tops and shorts. Father used to wear shorts when playing table tennis with me or when cleaning around the house.

Da(r)d

As the song "Na Jane Kya Hua" from Dard is playing in the background, I am winding down my day and thinking about the music I enjoyed with my father. I re-discovered an old song by Mukesh and Lata - "Ibddaye Ishq Mein Hum" (I had thought it was Suman Kalyanpur, but my brother set me right). My father had songs from Aradhana- Na Hrudayamulo nidurinche cheli- was a favorite of mine. I had memozied its lyrics. Another favorite of mine from my father's collections was 'Atu panupu itu nuvvu."This was a wonderful composition by Master Venu. My dad had a great fondness for rhythm, something I also inherited.

Dad'd Favorite Foods

My dad had a sweet tooth, and he loved sweet stuff. Mangoes,especially the kind called Banginapalli, were his favorites. He also liked a type of bananas that were very sweet. His favorite prepared desserts were laddu and mysore paku. One of my favorite memories of desserts is having Tutti Frutti or Vanilla Ice Cream at Hav-Mor in Hyderabad after we got our report cards at the end of the school year, in April.

North Indian Food

My dad and mom spent many years in Northern India. My mom was telling me today that my father would eat chapatis a lot in Northern India. As my parents lived in tents, they had a cook who would make the meals. My dad would always invite his friends to eat at our place.

Hemant Lata Duets

Father loved Hemant-Lata Duets. There is no duet more beautiful or romantic than the incredible number by Hemant Lata in Patita - "Yaad Kiya Dil Ne Kahan Ho Tum." Shankar Jaikishen were brilliant in this movie, composing the other gem, "Andhe Jahan Ke, Andhe Raaste" sung by Talat.

Father also loved songs by Yesudas, especially the Chit Chor songs. He also bought the songs from Toote Khilone, especially the Yesudas number "mana ho tum."

Antha mana manchike

I remember spending a few days in Nellore and my father and our relatives went to see the move Antha Mana Manchike. It had Bhanumati in it.

Just stories

My mom was describing a dream she had last night, where she was at a train station and a young man took her into a room full of statues of Shirdi Sai Baba and explained to her the life story of the Sai Baba. It shows the depth of my mom's devotion to God.

My mom also told me about her father's mother's mother, Lakshmamma, and her mother in law, Rangamma. The latter single handedly worked hard and over time acquired 60 acres of farm land. That is simply spectacular. However she also made her daughter-in-law also work very hard, grinding rice kernels. Laxmammma apparently would tell stories to my mom when my mom was 10 or 12 years old, Laxmamma being in her seventies then. After her mother-in-law died, Laxmamma managed the fields and the farming, as my father's mom died at a very young age.

Flying...kites

One of my fond memories of childhood is that of flying kites. When I was very young my father would take my sister and me to the open space near our house and he would fly the kite. He would let the kite go very far- it would take a long time to bring it back and wind all the string. The specialty was that father would make a long tail for the kite, so that when the kite is flying, the tail would be blowing in the wind, creating a beautiful moving imagery. It was a sight to behold. There is hardly any kite flying now!

Playing table tennis with father

One of my most enjoyable childhood memories is playing table tennis with my father. He had designed a beautiful dining table and had it made by our carpenter. It had a decolum top. After lunch or dinner, I would take some notebooks and arrange them across the table - these would serve as the net. We would then play the best of three sets. This was a lot of fun as my dad was in good shape then, and with all his biking he would move very well. I have a feeling that he intentionally made me win many times, so that I would feel good. The immense love of a father.

AN Amazing Focus

Today my mom and I were discussing my younger sister and how she would forget to eat when she was into something. She inherited that quality from my father. He would not get up until he had finished what he had started. On a weekend, he would start cleaning the bulbs, lamps, his bicycle, and other things and he would eat lunch after completing all the cleaning- this often meant eating lunch at 3:00PM. He would drink coffee, a habit I inherited in good measure. I don't have his power of concentration, and his interest in mechanical things.

Camping

Today our mom was telling about the times when my dad was on his geological survey field work and my parents would live in a tent for weeks or months at a stretch. My dad would come back to the tent around 5:30 PM after completing field work. He would then take my sister and I in his Jeep and we would go to the nearby town and spend some time in the lights before returning to the tent. At the time, there were only lanterns in the tent, and the dinner was in the lantern light. A very very tough life, but a de-lightful one! The love of my parents for me and my siblings knows no boundaries- it truly symbolizes the essence of Atman, or the supreme one-ness of being.

Hemant Kumar .....

My father had a wonderful collection of music- one of the greatest gifts my father gave me was an introduction to singers like Hemant Kumar. We had songs like "Halke Halke Chala savre" and "laut Gaya Gham ka jamana" and 'yaad kiya dil ne kahan ho tum.' This particular song is simply remarkable for its extraordinary melody, composition and lyrics, and is sung superbly. My love for Hemant-Lata duets developed from my father and his Hemant selections. My dad also had a wonderful song titled "manzil wohi hai pyar ki" by Subir Sen, whose voice bears quite a resemblance to that of Hemant. I always wonder how that song would have been rendered by Hemant- it is a Shankar Jaikishen tune.

Come September

Father had a great love for rhythm- he loved the song Come September by Billy Vaughn and his orchestra, as well as Berlin Melody. Both songs are simply superb instrumentals. Dad also liked House of Bamboo a lot. Along the same lines he also favored Dum Dum Diga Diga and Ruk Ja o Ja-ne Wali, both fast lively songs by Mukesh.

My favorite story

I remember sitting down with father every Vinayaka Chaturthi evening as he read the story of Lord Vinayaka. According to the mythology, one is not supposed to see the moon until after reading the story. Dad would make the story fascinating for me. Nowadays, whenever I read the current versions of the story, I feel rather depressed- the story is changed, shortened, and has almost no relationship to the original.
This was one of the very happy moments of our childhood.

Firecrackers, Dad's way

Deepavali was always a great festival for us when we were kids. Lots of excitement, but the special attraction was the opportunity to explode firecrackers. Our dad used to buy us the crackers- sparklers, rockets, explosive crackers, and other variants. While I could manage many of the crackers, the Vishnu Chakra was big and generated tremendous force when it started spinning fast. Father would hold our hand while we held on to this fabulous display of light. These were more colorful and attractive than the ones that just created a loud bang and exploded.

Listening to cricket commentary- father and son

I remember the night- I was in tenth class. April 1976. India was touring West Indies. The third test was in Port of Spain. I was in my bedroom in the back of the house, listening to the commentary at two in the morning. India was winning, and my father joined me in listening to the radio as India went on to win. Viswanath hit a brilliant century in the match. Some of my fondest memories are of listening to cricket commentary with my father. He encouraged me to go and see many of the cricketers play.

Picture Perfect Human

When I was in the sixth grade I had to draw the anatomy of the human body. I was struggling with it and my father helped me draw (he actually did the work) the perfect picture of the human anatomy.

When I was in Little Flower, I had an extra-ordinary teacher, Mr. M.N. Reddy. Every math topic was just beautiful to me, but I was especially enchanted by set theory and set operations- what was referred to then as Modern Mathematics. One day we learnt in class about operations, and that we could define a new operation or a function and called it addition. I remember going to my dad that evening and telling him that I could make 2 and 3 add up to 6, with my new function. He had a lot of fun teasing us about the fancy "Modern Mathematics."

Chemistry buff...never rebuffed

I was a big Chemistry buff when I was in Little Flower Junior College. Having Usha Iyer as the Chemistry teacher was a big motivator- she really made the subject fascinating and interesting. I bought many chemistry books including Physical Chemistry by Lewis, and quite a few books on inorganic and organic chemistry. My father never questioned me and always encouraged me to buy the books I needed and gave me all the money I needed. I never wasted the money on frivolous things, but did spend a lot of books. Thanks for the education, father.
I remember one afternoon- we had just finished our experiments and were leaving the lab. One of the students asked our teacher a question regarding a specific reaction and what ions would be released. The teacher said that she was not sure, but told the student "Ask Gopal- he will know." It is one of the highest compliments I have received.

Covering the book but uncovering the inside

One of my most vivid memories of my father involve the beginning of the school year. We would all get our new textbooks and notebooks, and rolls of brown paper. Our father would painstakingly cut the brown paper and create neat, beautiful covers for all our books. This was a humongous job, because we often had three notebooks for each subject. Education, diligence, cleanliness and dedication were a hallmark of my father. He wanted us to have all the books we needed, and he wanted to make sure that the books were packaged so that they could survive the handling.
What a childhood!

Traveling with father in a Mahindra and Mahindra Jeep

I remember going with dad on one of his work trips. We went to Chittoor and Nellore and Kalahasti. Father always made sure that the driver had a good meal before he came in to eat. I remember going to the house of one of our fathers' colleagues in Chittoor and the host's wife served me a huge quantity of food. I was obligated to eat it all.