HINDI SONG

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https://youtu.be/smnfT2iKwbo

DUKE OF EDINBURG

 

GANESH NAMBIAR

 

9089 and 9347

 9089  and 9347 are two telephone numbers that Iam not able to forget. These are the PAX telephone numbers of my Father's workplace within ITI (Indian Telephone Industries).PAX means  PRIVATE AUTOMATIC EXCHANGE...a modern equivalent of  Intercom with every part of the township connected very well by the PAX system.I dont remember a single day when this system did not work.

Everything was well ordained within the ITI complex with a PAX telephone avaliable for the public at the main gate. As a kid I could not reach up to the phone and had to prop myself on some slab to get access to the phone to speak to my  Father and at times some elderly person or security staff would help.

Along with the PAX system ITI also had the PABX system meaning PRIVATE AUTOMATIC BRANCH EXCHANGE with the help of which we could call BSNL telephones in the city. However this facility was only available in the hospital. Note that in the 1970''s and almost through the 1980's telephone penetration in India was very poor.There must have been one BSNL land-line for every say 10,000 (ten thousand) people and people had to look at some public outlets to make telephone calls. Sounds strange. Land line penetration improved drastically in the 1990's with Electronic Exchanges made by C-DOT(centre for the development of telematics) From the ITI hospital I used to call the cousins of my mother PRABHA SANKARANARAYANAN on 75695  and PREMA BAKTHAVATSALAM on 74453 and also the house of Dr.P C Nambiar in Cox-town on 51188.

Recently I was riding near the ITI main gate and happenned to remember those times and as I stand near the Main Gate of ITI can somewhere here the faint voice of my Father even today.

KETTANGAL AS OF NOW

KETTANGAL is simply not what it used to be.It has changed from being a hamlet or a village to a small township...some of the old structures simply dont exist. Ali.s hotel is gone ,some of those smaller restaurants around are gone..A prominent mosque exists at this junction and so do flashy and up-market restaurant.How and when such a change happenned is unknown.

There is a full fledged auto stand and the roads from various directions that meet at this place.In what aspect Kettangal will change in the future is unknown  but more far-reaching changes can be expected.

What was Kettangal during our era. It had  Ali's hotel managed by his sons ...few other hotels of this kind,few barber shops, hamzas omlette corner and juice shops that gave mango milk shake.

THE CANTEEN AT REC NIT CALICUT

The Canteen at REC NIT Calicut was in many ways a place to socialize for students during our times. At present there are many food outlets at the campus but during our era the canteen was one of the eat-outs in the vicinity of students. Recently on my visit to the institute I saw the canteen is fully refurbished with aura and murals painted on the external walls that gives a good feel and ambience. The menu has changed drastically with all north and south Indian cuisines and food..during our era it used to be Nai-roast with tea and a simple elegant afternoon lunch with boiled rice.Radha and Damu used to be the key waiters at this place and Mr.Vijayan used to be the Manager.

The Canteen building in many ways is elegant and  symmetrical.,they  have given a new name to this place which I do not re-collect.Both the wings are functional now  and gives a  relatively imposing posture.The Canteen building has stood the test of time and has existed here welcoming scores of students over the years.

It was a meeting point for we students very often settling in the corner table and sharing one nai roast.As  I sit at this place I can see scores of students of my era and also some times the rain that lashed outside.The space in front of the canteen now is more busier than what it used to be and with increase in traffic and population there is chaos.Some rumble strips could be put on the main road to regulate traffic flow.

The present canteen can be improved further. I dont know exactly how. Some architects and civil engineers must take a look at this place. The basic idea is to build a firtst floor over the above structure without disturbing the present aesthetics  and the floor could be some 4000 square feet a large expanse which could hold a large populace with some portion of it air-conditioned. If such a proposition can be executed in the ground floor with attachments even that would be welcome. Architects and civil engineers should have a look to see how such a system can be executed and incorporated.

LORD MOUNTBATTEN