The right to have Everything Clean !!!

                                       I born to this planet as equal to others;
                                       Yet, I showered with 'less pure' always.
                                       My forefathers had everything clean; be it air or water;
                                       As they were the first dwellers on the orb.
                                       As the time passed, aeons gone by;
                                       Nobody cared about the novelty long gone.
                                       They competed to exploit the asset of mother earth;
                                       Less cared about saving for future.
                                       Then when I came, I have nothing natural;
                                       I'm forced to live with inferior and polluted.
                                       Don't I deserve to have everything clean?
                                       Don't I worthy of my planet afresh?
                                       Don't I liable for the future to come?
                                       Do I have a clean legacy to pass on?
                                       Here I proclaim my vow to restore Gaia;
                                       As it was in the time of its prime.
                                       To reinstate the full glory of her;
                                       As in the time when she was unaltered.
                                       As I deserve to have everything clean;
                                       My followers deserve the best of this globe.

NB: This poem I wrote as a part of Swachhta hi sewa campaign in my office which won me no prize.

Happy to get rid off you, September!!

        My life was always a roller coaster ride, so I blamed nothing ; particularly time for the bad things happened to me. I knew nothing is permanent, if one day I laugh, the next day I may cry. If one day I'm happy the next day I may be sad. But, on the last day of last month, I was expecting a beautiful month of September ahead. I had many reasons for that. We were having Onam on first week, had a colleague's wedding for a get together, had plan to celebrate Onam in the office for the first time and there were planning for Hindi day celebrations at the office which was happened to be a happy occasion last time and the month ends with 5 days holidays. So, logically I expected an auspicious month in September, but yes, as you expect now it turned out to be one of the chaotic months in my life. It was a real test.

My colleague's wedding day and first day of Onam interspersed. I was expecting a good start for Onam by celebrating it with my colleague's at the wedding, but somehow the mood was dampened by the distance I had to cover to reach the destination by bus. And again the feed back I got was not at all positive, even in my 2500 Rs new glittering chudidar every body felt me tired and a bit ordinary. Yup, I know, what's so to worry in this. But, I think it was a blunt start,just pointed to what comes next.

My Onam celebration with my family was also not went well due the talk related to my marriage. If you have relatives who doesn't know what to speak when and how to treat others,  this was about to happen.

Most unexpected developments was waiting to happen for me. On 6th of September, I went back to my workplace with the knowledge that there would be an inspection by General Manager. My whole family struggled and somehow made arrangements for my early departure from my home that too at 3.30 in the morning so that I might reach the office early which was a 7 hours 30 minutes journey usually. My mother had advised me to take leave,but I didn't heed her words as I was blindly obeying my manager's instruction to  come before 11 somehow. But I could reach the office only at 10.35 and was able to give the bio-metric attendance only 10 minutes after due to some technical glitches. But in the evening,i was blaming myself for not paying attention to my mother's words. General Manager called me in the cabin and after giving enough advice regarding the office timings, instructed me to  mend my ways. I know I had to hear from my superior because I was late, but that was easily avoidable if I took leave. When me and my family tried our maximum in the torrential rain to make me present at the office on time and still I got my first official warning,my other colleagues who did nothing and took leave had to bear nothing.

Then followed the most harrowing experience of my short spanned professional life. Deviating from the expected orders, new office orders regarding some supplementary storage payment reached the my office on the first week itself. The GM visit and office Onam celebrations passed through this. I spend each minutes of my life checking some bills for weeks now. And it's still not completed. It's not good when your office come to your dining table and bed room. I was handling more than I could and was sleeping with storage bills all the time. It was distressing and still haunts me,and it will until I finishes it.

Finally the weekend has come, by taking one leave I could be enjoying 5 days at home. And on the day of planned departure to my home, the most surprising 'surprise visit' of Executive Director was announced. And Ta Da, I was asked to stay back there till evening. So, I had to take one of my holidays for travelling to home in the next day of ED visit. Apparently I'm relieved that even if I couldn't come home that day, I put my bio-metric well before 10 on at least in the ED inspection. From the first inspection in the month, it was clear for me that even if you come at or before 10 am on 364 days doesn't count if you come half an hour late on the 365th inspection day. Considering this, the last inspection didn't cost me much.

Yup, I'm very glad to get rid off September. And when I think more, all of the issues I faced this month stressed me out not because they were very serious. Actually, I was not expecting all this, all of a sudden. Especially I was over confident that I was doing my work properly and perfectly. That was true, that is true. But perfect professionalism doesn't mean you do perfectly what you do always, it is managing things perfectly when unexpected things happens especially all of a sudden. One lesson I got from this September is that I need to be more matured to handle my personal as well as professional life. But, I'm still happy to get rid off you September. 

Thus, I landed in Tuticorin

               As I said earlier, I was an unemployed youth (even though I was wishing for the opposite for a long time) until last June. After the waiting of almost 5 years, I grabbed my first job some how. I can't explain how much I was relieved to see my name in that rank list which main listed me for an assistant job in Food Corporation of India and even if I explain no body will understand. (not because nobody has gone through such a difficult phase of long unemployment, but different people goes through different dilemmas and the hell I had gone through was unbearably difficult for me).

So, at the end of December 2015 I was sure to get this job in FCI but had to wait another 6 months to join. Again, I faced some more problems as there was no vacancy in Kerala for the post I was selected for. Well, I should admit this, I was not at all sad about going out of my state. I really wanted to get out of that place, I wanted some fresh air (Yup, I get a lot of air where I'm now, will explain that below) and I wanted to meet new people since I was in fact living in a self made cocoon for some years then. I was selected for the south region; so leaving Kerala, there were Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andra and Telagana to be posted in. Somehow, I was so sure that I would be posted in Karnataka and so the Tamilnadu new recruitement list showed my name crushed my brain (yeah, I'm mostly a brained person, Not hearted). I was devastated for no reason, actually I should be happy like my family who thought at least I would be in Tamilnadu which they found better for me than to be in Karnataka. So, the next question was where in Tamilnadu. Unfortunately, the absence of the General Manager of FCI,Tamilnadu in Chennai office on my joining day kept my place of posting in suspense for three days. Then I got the order and ta da..I was posted in Tuticorin. I was without any emotion, was like 'where ever'. When I called my parents I had to repeat the name for three times each to them, then I resorted to the name "Thoothukudi". My brother who was with me that time and who actually had been stayed in Chennai for 4 years asked me whether that place really was in Tamilnadu. So, in my family I was the only one who was familiar with at least that place name 'Tuticorin', but again with no clue of the geographical positioning. I searched the map and found it. I couldn't blame my brother, he in Chennai was farther to Tuticorin than me in Kollam to Tuticorin. So, We caught the next train from Chennai to Tuticorin; the one and only pearly city express and I landed next day on the soil of Tuticorin. As I said earlier, I was without any emotion and the view of the place ensured that I would be feeling less for my time being there/ here (which is proven wrong now).

I wish to explain the place, but I have no information either regarding the past or present. When I landed here; hot, sandy wind welcomed me. I just felt I was landed in Sahara. Wind was blowing like it intended to take whatever came its way and the sun started to fire up. The word came from my mouth was 'Damn'. My First month there was a lesson for me and it also showed me a part of mine which I have never seen before. I who never compromised to a bit temperature rise until that time was tolerating killing heat at night in sweat. That was only part one, the city was/is the center of pollution. It got a number of industries of different kinds from thermal power plants to sterlite copper which of course helping the climate to always be heated up. The ruthless wind which always carriers sand just make you wonder why you had just washed up with hard fought earned water. Yeah, the place was/ is facing acute water shortage. As a normal malayali who take their leg out of the state, I also faced the problem of not getting the food of my choice. Thus I was sure that I would not be happy in this place, I might adjust but I wouldn't be happy. (I had to adjust, no option left for a person wasted almost 5 years of life). But I was wrong, and I'm happy that I was wrong because I'm happily working now at a place where temperature is always higher and where 99% of an year is without rain. How's that possible, living in an arid place without getting the food you like.

So what has changed? If I say the truth nothing has changed. Neither me nor the place. But I'm posted in the best FCI office of this country and possibly with the best FCI people. Yes, I think FCI district Office, Tuticorin is the best place to work for any person and probably because the office is not a mere construction for daily working, it actually care for the people work there. That is people care for each other. I should confess this,before came to the District Office here, I have only seen the yellow painted FCI depots in Kerala. So, the office here was a different experience. Every thing in the office arranged in such a way that it automatically help for the working environment and better being of employees. I intend to say that my district office can compete even with major IT offices of the country. (it is important since FCI is government institution).

Obviously, infrastructure is one factor. The institution you work provides you the best working environment is a positive factor for any employees, for office life and out side life. Also, I'm working under the best Area Manager who just wish to do everything possible to make the best for the Corporation. It is actually a blessing to work under such a dedicated person who inspires each second to spend for something positive. So, I have seen people here who proved to me that whatever position they hold, they work and they actually are not only doing their official duty but they are creating an atmosphere where newbies like me feel free to join the pack and do our parts. So, all the people in my office hold a special place for the happy life of mine. They actually contribute to happiness by being there for me. I should mention my manager specifically since she has been taking care of me from the starting and always allowed me to learn in my own way.

So, I get to forget where I'm now. Actually, Tuticorin and its people are no strangers to me now and I don't feel much difference at the same time when I feel completely different from the place I was raised. The sandy winds still blows with might, the sun still burns, and food really kills me and I yearn to see rain but I don't think I'm surviving here now, I'm really enjoying. For that, I should thank each and every person that I met here. They all made me feel I got everything positive when there was actually nothing to happy about. May be, wherever posted in India I may met people like this, I wish so. But I don't know whether I may find the best office, best area manager,best managers and best colleagues combo some where else.

This all matters when considering that even though finally I get a job and that too in government,it is an assistant job only (with meager salary) and FCI is not considered by many as a very prestigious PSU comparing others (this is after all FCI is actually giving food security to our nation). So, I myself was disappointed first about my job, then about the state and place of posting. But after working at FCI district office, Tuticorin for 1 year, I have been feeling more confident and satisfied. Even after facing adverse situations/ challenges on a day today basis in the out side world (horrific climate with water and power shortages), the working conditions provided by FCI at Tuticorin along with the very cooperative people made me strong to tackle every obstacle in front of me whether in job or in personal life. So, my first job satisfies me pretty much (still wish for a better salary package in the coming revision) to 100% and I wish to give 100% back to the job and the Corporation. I'm happy and contend that I'm posted in an office where I got every opportunity to grow.

So,I entered the second year of my professional life this June and I hope to serve the nation through FCI and thus serve the people. Also wish to conquer the Tuticorin climate before I go back to the my home turf. Now,I know my posting in Tuticorin is the first and best lesson I can have in my professional life. I'm assured that the starting of my career is happened at the best place possible.

Back to my second home.....

                 I was always happy to post my views here and I missed that for last one year. What should I say, I was busy or I was turned very lazy lately. It was actually a mix of both. A lot of things around me changed, I myself changed a bit (but not much). I will tell all about that later (but soon). One thing I should confess here; even though I have no clue how many people actually missed my writing here (hope there is at least one), I missed this space very much. This is like my second home and my private public space. I don't want to miss it more, so hopefully I will be back here soon with my pranks and philosophy. I still can't believe it will be one year tomorrow since my last post. So, for whoever ever visited my blog, I'm here now, and I'm intend to continue. Hope to add more intellectual (in my level) and intriguing posts real soon, signs off for now.