Fatehpur Visit (1st to 7th October)

On 1st :
Arrived Fatehpur at about 6am. The train was late by over one hour. Ajju came and we discussed repairs to the ancestral house along with the chief mason Baijnath. Called on Naresh Bhaisaheb. The age is telling on his mental and physical capability. Retired to sleep at 10.15pm.

On 2nd :
Had a walk for over 40 mins. Could not do the exercises/pranayam/asans. Met Dr. Chetan on way back from Kalkan temple. Incourse of discussion with Baijnath, Ajju suggested to check on (1) Whether the existing wall of the house can take the load of slabs and (2) whether other load bearing walls would require support of pillars. He also suggested preparation of estimates of expenditure for the repairs to the house. Retired to sleep at 10.50 pm.

On 3rd :
Went for a walk for over an hour to Tameshwar temple. Work started with 2 laborers. Spent over an hour in the cyber cafe attending to emails. Retired to sleep at 10pm.

On 4th :
Went for a walk for over an hour. Got lost in the lanes and by-lanes of my own town in search of an old temple. So much of construction has taken place. Visited Durga Pujas of the town. The celebration of Durga Puja is new phenomenon in the town. Earlier Ram lilas were performed in different places. Now we do not hear of them. Caves have been made for people to get in to see the goddess, copying the Vaishnav Devi gufa. Big rows of people are seen at these improvised gufas. A class fellow whose shop I used to visit whenever I came to Fatehpur, expired in August last year. I met his wife and son in the shop and conveyed my condolences. Retired to sleep at 11pm.

On 5th :
Went for a long walk. Visited the old Shiva temple near our ancestral house. A number of people visited. The co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, died today. I have saved one speech of his which I found quite inspiring, made in 2006. I have also circulated it to the children. Retired to sleep at 10.30pm.

On 6th :
Had a long walk. A number of persons visited. Went to Jwalaganj to have a view of Savaris which come out on the Dashera day. Could not see them. They made a round of the town and crossed the main market at about 2am on 7th. Received a number of messages for Dashera and replied them back. Retired to sleep at 11pm.

On 7th :
Went for a long walk. Advoctes Digvijay and Agnihotri came beside others. Visited Naresh Bhaisaheb and spent over an hour with him. Decided to have beams over the walls before slabs are fabricated over them. No SBI ATMs had money for about 3 days. Took out money from IDBI and HDFC ATMs instead. Ruchi told to bring the aluminium box of Pilku. Pilku had taken it to St. Edmunds school, Shillong, when he went there to study at the age of 8 years. Silku also joined him next year. His box is perhaps lying in Delhi. Left Delhi by Prayagraj Express at 10.50pm.