Living in KODAMBAKKAM, Madras with an infant; an experience

In 1966-67, I was posted in Eletrical Party to work for oil and gas explration in Cauvery basin, I was sent in advance party to Madras with the main task to receive the camping equipment sent from DehraDun and to be dispatched to Karaikal ( Pndicherry) . Mr Gujral, one of the party member already in Madras made an arrangement ( on my request) for a temporay one room residence in Kodambakkam - a locality where most of the low class cinema industry workers lived.
I reached there with my wife and a three months old son -MALANKI ( name given by my my Russian colleagues working in the party- meaning CHHOTU) in the afternoon, tired from a long journey by GT express from Delhi to Madras ( fastest train for Madras  in those days); I had just bare minimum things as we take to field camps. By any standard , the room was very shabby , dark with no ventilation except a small window. Any way, it was night, made arrangement to sleep on the floor. Next morning, we found a large number of bed bugs, I wonder as from where they came and slowly disappeared. Neighbourhood was all with low class people including the landlord who was also living in the same premises. To our surprise, in the morning, we found no toilet , when asked about it, the landlady told that we all go to the nearby fields to easdown, and hence we may also go; terrible , we were not prepared for that , then she shold told that we can use the bathing place ( not a proper bathroom ) and wash it with the water. There was no water , or water tap over there. However, she gave us a bucket for the water , and water is to be fetched from the well inside the premises. We used the bathing place as toilet and bath room and slowly slowly arragement was made for lady helper to get us water from the well and drinking water from somewhere from the tap. We learnt as how to live in that small place with no or bare minimum facilities among the low class people. It was very weired kind of experience. Fortunately , railway station for local trains was very near- just at walkable distance; other facilities getting some vegetables, milk etc. were also near by; a good restaurant with a good and inexpensive food was very near to this plave; we never coocked the meals at home, only outside. People over there were very cooperative and supportive, even without knowing the local language- Tamil, we manged our affairs. We lived there for about four weeks but a kind of different and weired kind of experience living with the family and a child of few months old. When I think about it, I just wonder as Mr. Gujral thought of this place for us, how he found it for us and how we could live in that place. No regrets, we got very strange kind of experience and enjoyed our living there as every evening used to be wonderful for us at Marina or Saffire ... etc. We used to walk a lot as others in Madras used to do so; Kodambakkam was a small township within a big metropliton city of Madras- as simple as Madras (now Chennai) itself.

Read more:   https://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Kodambakkam_overbridge.JPG/250px-Kodambakkam_overbridge.JPG&imgrefurl=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodambakkam&h=188&w=250&tbnid=3OSKpJJ5Ex7WJM:&q=kodambakkam+chennai&tbnh=160&tbnw=212&usg=AFrqEzf0NsKH4RWS1jRi0Kxt_QZYVKZPyQ&vet=12ahUKEwjknc6ljpDdAhWD8oMKHUwrDJwQ_B0wCnoECAoQCQ..i&docid=oNGu03a8Td80YM&itg=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjknc6ljpDdAhWD8oMKHUwrDJwQ_B0wCnoECAoQCQ

Emotional moments of my parents

It was December, 1966 that I was leaving for Madras/Karaikal to work with electrical prospecting party of ONGC. My parents came to visit us in DehraDun.  During those days, there used to be a very few buses for Delhi from DehraDun; Bus stand was also almost on the roadside near Lakshmi talkies.Malanki was only a few months old- a loving child. My parents were very emotional on our departure to Madras, they did not like that we should go that far with our so little child; standing by the side of the bus both were crying and my father was even more emotional with his tears in his eys and crying; they were very sad as the bus left. They were supposed to catch their own train after some time from the Railway station which was near to Bus stand.
It was really a very touchy moment for me. How much love, they had for their grandson. Ofcourse, he was the first grandchild in the family . I never saw my parents so emotional before. We left for Delhi/Madras with very heavy heart.

MY Father; last moments with him

July, 1973,; My father was very sick with broken hip bone at home , I received a telegram from home that I must immediately reach home. I did reached home immediately by first available train. As I reached home, my father was very emotional and started crying .... repeatedly mentioning that these are his last days, he is going to die soon. It was very emotional moment for me too. We took him to Bijnor District Hospital. ( How I managed to take him to Bijnor with his back broken bone ???; Also that why my younger brother left him in that condition?? of course , others were in their place of working away from the town ). He was admitted and taken good care immediately, given a place in semi-private ward for recovery.Myself and my mother were taking care of him. Through out , he was on Glucose drip , his condition never improved, worsening day by day. I have been planning to shift him to Dehra Dun.It was 25th July 1973, in the night that his condition got worst. To my ignorance, I could not notice that he was under heart attack. Doctor on duty was so careless, sleeping all the time. Even on my repeated requests and approach, he never attended him , just gave him Bromide mixture to calm down/ relax the system. In the early morning ( 26th July, 1973) , I have to call the Civil Surgeon, so nice of him, he immediately attended him and arranged the Oxygen cylinder. He came to visit him several times, told me that he was under severe heart attack and looking at his health condition, it would not be possible for him to survive, rather, it is matter of a few minutes and advised me to take out the Oxygen and let him breath naturally during his last moments. He did ordered to remove the cylinder and he died just after a few moments.It was Lala Gyan Prakash ji, Mahesh's father who was on his bed side, closed his eyes and covered his face.Terrible moment for me. He was staring at me as perhaps, he wanted to say some thing but unable to say as his tongue was speechless. He looked helpless to express himself but folded his hands for greetings. I wonder that he had the sense of Greetings..He died in peace; I did not notice any fear, pain or regret during his last moments.
Perhaps, he could have been saved if timely help would have given to him? Any way, he lived a meaningful and purposeful life by serving the people and the community from the core of his heart.
My mother left on previous evening for Ekadshi fast and prayers at home hence, she was unfortunate to bid farewell to her husband;
No body else , my brothers or sisters was present at this time. I was all alone.
I could not cry, though broken completely and thoroughly accused myself not to take care of his ill health during his living time;Regretted but for what use now?
It was my well wisher and friend, Mahesh who arranged every thing for his funeral, taking his body to my home town, JHALU in a truck and then to Ganj near the bank of Ganga for final funeral etc.
It was about 10 AM when I reached home , my mother was still worshipping at home.
My brothers came later , never bothered to ask rest of the things as how we managed to look after him in the hospital or should they share the cost / expenses of funeral etc.. As unconcerned as they were and they are even to day.
My father wanted to see his grandson, so I have to call Virendra who brought Malanki to Bijnor. My father looked very happy and satisfied after meeting my son.
This was the second death I witnessed in my life after the death of my grandfather on July 1, 1953 ( also by severe heart attack).