The CLOCK will tick again

The idea....
It was already Thursday evening and we (My Bro and I) were still trying to decide the destination. The destination we wanted to reach by next morning. My Bro had already done a little research and had a list of places to visit. We found none suitable for a two-day trip. Friday was a holiday and all the working folks of our so called Silicon city were out to either meet up with their near and dear or out to have an adventurous time during this gifted day off. Soon we struck upon the idea of re-discovering our once lively HOUSE. The HOUSE at "Athi".

The travel....
We called up the KSRTC for a couple of tickets to Kannur. Tickets were available only on the 8pm bus. It was a close to impossible to reach the bus stand by 8pm. So we tried a few other private buses. We got negative responses from most of them. Some buses had a single ticket only. Finally we managed to get seats 1 and 2 of a private Travels (Thanks to who ever cancelled their booking). The bus finally started and we were on our way. This was possibly the quickest decision for a trip. Just a little while ago we were trying to decide on the destination and now we were on the bus.

The journey....
The trip to Kannur normally takes around 7 hrs if not less. But our driver today was all set to break the record. He was set out to prove that the trip could easily last for 8 hours or even longer. We sat there watching the other buses, which sped past us. We tried to get some sleep though each time the sleep did not last for long. Meanwhile I do not know what but the person sitting behind my Bro surely did. He was awed by my bros head or hairdo. Not sure if it was the smell of the oil (or the looooook and feeeeel of the hair). He remained glued to the seat in front (occupied by my Bro) throught the journey instead of leaning back comfortably on his pushback seat. (Lucky Bro.... eh!!!! at least there is somebody who appreciates his hairdo:))

Our Arrival....
At around 5:30 am the bus dropped us at Irrity. Irrity in Kannur district comes 42kms before Kannur city. We had to take a rickshaw to "Athi" our final destination. And there before sunrise, we were at Athi. The place, which was our hide out from the city troubles, every holiday, was now very rarely visited. It was more 5 years that we had visited this place and spent quality time here (though I had visited this place once in last 1.5 yrs only to be there for a few hours). The feel of pure air was refreshing. We felt LIFE. We surprised our cousin brother who now stays close to the old HOUSE of ours after calling him up from just outside the house. Attended a few queries on our safe arrival over the phone and soon it was morning.

The day begins....
Beginning our day, in such a pure environment was something in the past. There was freshness brimming from every corner. The air, the water from the well, and greenery all around and even the smell of the mud was refreshing. We had our breakfast of Adam, Purim, and Stew, which was excellently prepared by our Aunt. All this gave us a head start for the day. It was about 10am when we returned after visiting a few of our cousins and relatives around the place. There were a lot of changes, changes to the houses, changes to the people, changes in their commutative modes, their jobs etc. The village was soon catching up with the cities.

The HOUSE....
Soon enough we wanted to visit the old HOUSE of ours, which was one of the main inspirations of this trip. The HOUSE we all lived during our holidays, the HOUSE we ate in, the HOUSE we played in, the HOUSE we spent all our time in. This HOUSE had been synonymous to the place for us, this HOUSE was our ATHI.
With time, and nobody to stay in, this huge HOUSE has been locked for years now. We wanted to open the HOUSE and take a look. A look into the past. There were weeds and other plants growing in the vicinity, and all these blocked most entrances to the HOUSE.



As guided, we got into the old HOUSE through the back door that led to our old kitchen. The very look brought back the old memories of our stay here. The kitchen was a huge rectangular one. All of us used to sit here for food, be it the morning breakfast or the afternoon lunch or the evening Tea or the dinner at night. The different and infact very unique vessels of the kitchen were another asset. My Bro who is elder to me had more vivid pictures of the good old days. We discussed all our experiences here. He told me about our grandfather and grandmother and those times and our interactions with them. I was probably too young then and hence I did not have a clear picture as my brother did. My memories were more towards much the later days. However my bros vivid descriptions did bring a lot of pictures to my mind too. This kitchen no longer looked as before. The Stands where the bottles were kept had fallen off. There were webs all over and a lot of other bugs and insects. We cleared a little way just enough to get in. The roof constructed from Mangalore tiles was broken. With no exceptions all parts of the kitchen had deteriorated.



We ventured further to open the lock of my grandmother's bedroom. It again was in ruins. There were termites all over. The room after a long time received a little light through the window we now opened.



We moved further to the other rooms. All the places were littered with dust, cobwebs,... No door could be opened without the shower of insects that fell from the doors. There still was the clock hanging on the wall. It was not running but the needles showed 1:00 'O Clock. This was gifted by my bro to our grandfather, years ago. There also were a few photographs of my uncles, aunts, brothers,....

We climbed the stairs to the first floor. This room again like others was littered with all kinds of things. There were a few bats flying around. The room also had a deer's horn, which at one time was used for hanging keys etc.

The place was loosing its lustre. The plants in the surrounding did not seem too interested. They also reflected the loneliness of the place. They seemed to have lost their liveliness just like the HOUSE. We clicked a few photographs and went around the place. Locked the HOUSE back and bid good-bye till some one of us next would come and open the place.

The day continues....
We spent the rest of the afternoon lazing around. After the sumptuous lunch we tried to grab a little sleep. I guess the lost sleep during last night's travel was telling on us. The smell of evening tea woke us. Soon after tea we left for our uncle's place. We were back by around six pm. We went around in the bushes, climbed a few hills. Soon it was dark and we settled in the verandah. My Aunt and cousin had finished with their daily chores and gave us company. We talked about a lot of things. Aunt who had traveled in and around India told us her experiences. Then the conversation moved on to our experiences in the old HOUSE. Soon came a list of a few inexplicable experiences (pretty good stuff for the X-files). Experiences of having heard of voices and footsteps that did not physically exist. Not one but many such experiences. Did sound a little scary :). It was time for dinner and soon time to sleep.

The return trip....
We started early to catch one of the first buses to Mysore. Paid a visit to our office campus at Mysore. We just managed to get the evening train to Bangalore. We were at the railway station just in time. Got our tickets and jumped into the train just as it was leaving the platform. There we were on our way back to Bangalore. It was one of the least and fast planned trip. The visit to our old HOUSE had made this trip a very memorable one.

The old house is now in rumbles. Will it ever be back to form? Back to its livliness? Back to how it was? Yes it will! It will soon..... The clock that had stopped at 1:00 'O Clock will tick again....

Enlightenment in the Laboratory...

It was the 12th Std., and we Science students, around 40 of us entered the Chemistry Laboratory. We were to start with a new set of experiments. The experiments were titled "Titrations". Indeed we were going to do great experiments with great chemicals (though the smell of some of the chemicals made us skip lunch:)). Still we took pride in holding those chemicals with no concern as though to say we were experienced and the smell no longer was a big issue. After all we were the scientists of tomorrow! (Though tomorrow never came).

The experiment: A small amount of basic liquid (non acidic as I understand) was to be added from a burette to a conical flask. The conical flask was to contain acidic liquid (+ indicator). This was to be added slowly with accurate measurements till the acidic liquid turned non-acidic. This point was indicated by the indicator which changes the color of the liquid when it becomes non acidic.

The experiment had begun. Each one of us were emptying the liquid in the burette to the conical flask with utmost care. A friend of mine and I were to do this together. We took turns in emptying the burette. Most others had already begun to get a color change in the liquid and were almost through with the experiment. Generally small amounts of the solution is taken and hence the conical flask is not even half full before we get a color change. My conical flask was already half full with the liquid. But yet there was no color change. My friend and I continued to empty the burette with utmost care. The solution in the burette trickled, drop after drop, drop after drop, into the conical flask. We were to get a color change anytime now, yes anytime now... We continued and continued and continued...

We did with so much care that even a doctor operating a patient would have felt incompetent in front of us. Yes we were going to finish the experiment with good amount of accuracy. But where was the color change! The conical flask was 3/4ths full and still we had no color change! We were still hopeful and continued to empty the burette with even lesser speed now. But soon the burette was empty and the conical flask full but no color change!!!! What happened? Had we struck upon a new theory, which our juniors would have in their textbooks? The conical flask was full. How should we now proceed? May be we should use a bigger conical flask!! This conical flask was not enough for our experiment, was our conclusion.

Soon the problem floated to our instructor who took us through the checklist again. Oops!!!!!!!! Only then did we realize that we had forgotten to add the Indicator solution. The magic liquid, which was supposed to be added to the conical flask prior to the experiment, so that a color change could be noticed. My friend and I were so abashed of the mistake we had made, but we were not to give up! We looked up as though it was a very normal mistake. Even the best minds make mistakes. To err was human. We learn only through our mistakes. Thanks to all those who have invented (scientist's word you see… :)) these dialogues about "MISTAKES". Were repeated the experiment, this time with the indicator added and finally managed to finish it just in time.