31st Oct

Krishnanand, 80, came. We had coffee together. He recited a couple his poems, well written, inspiring. He also recited a poem written by his elder brother Jagdish, titled, 'Lota', humorous  and satirical too with the then neighbour, since deceased years back, at the centre of it. We spent well about two hours together.
Advocates Digvijay, Shivaji, Ajay, Dr. Ved and Satyam came. Some families also visited
Quotable Quotes :"In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can." Nikos Kazantzakis

30th Oct

Diwali is celebrated today. The entire locality is decorated with lights. It is believed that Diwali was first celebrated in Ayodhya on return of Lord Ram with Sita and Lakshman after victory over Ravana. It signifies victory of good over evil too.
                           Ancestral house on Diwali day at Fatehpur

                       Alpana by Neha at her Gurugram house

Quotable Quotes :"With gleam of diyas and the echo of the chants, may happiness and contentment fill your life. Wishing You & Your Family very Happy and Prosperous Diwali"

29th Oct

Advocates Digvijay Singh, Ajay, Shivaji and Dr. Chetan came. Chhoti Diwali is celebrated today.
Shiva Mohan's children with Venita's active financial support have decorated the ancestral house with twinkling tiny Chinese lights around and inside it. Despite people's aversion to Chinese goods at the moment, tiny lights are bought because no matching alternatives are available. But buying is much restricted. It is said that next year these could be totally wiped off a large number of markets in India.
Quotable Quotes :"Another year will be over, another year will come. I hope and pray that the lights of Diwali illuminate the new chapter of your life. Happy Diwali!"

26, 27 and 28thOct

26 and 27th
We left for Fatehpur 9.30 pm  by Prayagraj express. Arrived on 27th at  about 5.30 am. Advocates Digvijay Singh, Shivji and Ajay called on. Met Dr. Chetan.
Quotable  Quotes  :"What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump
28th
Visited Danteras market. People were jostling for space on the road/shops.
Dr.Ved and Satyam came.
Quotable Quotes :"Let this Diwali burn all your bad times and enter you in good times."Anonymous

25th Oct

In the Supreme court from about 2.30 to 4.30 pm.
Quotable Quotes :"Owning a great golf course gives you great power." Donald Trump

24th Oct

Discussed linking of our accounts to Adhar cards  as advised by a message of the PNB at its F block  Vikaspuri branch. In the Supreme court from about 2.30 to 4.30 pm.
Quotable Quotes :"Inspiration is hard to come by. You have to take it where you find it." Bob Dylan

23rd Oct

A religious congregation of Sikhs is organized in the plot of land adjacent to the Society at Vikaspuri. Guru Granth Sahib is being recited, interspersed with devotional songs of Kabir, Raidas and other saints. More or less a 24 hour 'langar' is arranged. On the insistence of Venita, visited the pavilion. It is impressive. 'Dodge' station wagon costing about four crores along with Honda city Campri and Maruti's new vehicle, Ertega are exhibited for advertisement. Hundreds of people are visiting the place.
Quotable Quotes :"Leave your ego at the door every morning, and just do some truly grat work. Few things will make you feel better than a job brilliantly done." Robin S. Sharma

22nd Oct

Viky Behal came. Discussed  billing for consumption of electricity as recorded in a common metre for certain services. Informed him that ground-floor owner has also to pay a part of the bill as per Shri Arvind, Manager Admn of the builders Uppals. Bills for water are not yet received. Requested Viky to take it up with the builders/MCD from his end too and let me know.
While builders were getting electricity bills of the common meter and forwarded to us for payment (which we shared and paid ), they did not, however, send any water bills. I have brought it to the notice Shri Arvind. He supervises maintenance of  buildings constructed by Uppals. He said that he would also check and let me know. Perhaps a huge water bill is expected.
Quotable Quotes:"I get so many big ideas while I'm running and such clarity while I'm lifting weights. And staying fit keeps me happy and positive." Robin S. Sharma

21st Oct

Attended Police Commemoration  day ceremonies at Commemoration ground, Chanakyapuri. Union Home minister was the chief guest.
Venita came along for misc. work. In the Supreme court from about 2 to 4 pm.
Quotable Quotes : "Unsuccessful people are the ones who are impressed by celebrity, by people's names and titles." Robin S. Sharma

20th Oct

Various ways are resorted to in life to keep going. It is said of Bill Gates that he 'drove fast to clear his head.'
In the Supreme court from about 3 to 4.30 pm.
Quotable Quotes :"I was a litigation lawyer, working in downtown Toronto. I was successful, yet I was very unfulfilled. I had the sense that I really wasn't living according to my values, and I didn't have the passion or sense of mission I was looking for." Robin S. Sharma

19th Oct

Met Barun in CSOI. He is organizing a family get together to jointly celebrate his marriage anniversary, as also those of Anita and Arun falling on 11th, 12th and 13th Dec. I booked the venue at CSOI for the same. They will be my guests. We will share the bill.
Venita observed fast on the occasion of 'Karva chauth'. In the Supreme court from about 2.30 to 3.45 pm.
Quotable Quotes :"Cynicism stems from disappointment. Cynical and faithless people were not always like that. They were filled with possibilities and hope as kids. But they tried and perhaps failed." Robin S. Sharma

18th Oct

Visited VV welfare centre.  We have become members of VV welfare association (a private body). We cannot become members of VV welfare Centre (official body) as we are not the owners of the flat. We can also not become members of VV club. Only owners can. We can, however, avail of the services of plumber, carpenter , electrician, cleaner and others on payment of monthly charges which are nominal. Although rates are nominal but we will  be charged at double the rates as we are  not members. Even double rates are not quite high and reasonable. We will opt for their services from 1st December as free services from the builder will end on 26th November, date of purchase of the flat. There is bar to foreigners. They can become members of the VV welfare centre after necessary amendments are made in the statuary rules. The AGM of the VV welfare centre has recommended to allow foreigners/NRIs who have their houses in Vasant Vihar to become members. The matter is pending with Delhi govt.
Met the manager of VV welfare centre and requested him to give the reference of the matter so that I could take it up with Chief Secretary and expedite. He said that he would give after clearance from the Secretary VV Service centre.
In the Supreme court from about 2 to 3.30 pm
Quotable Quotes :"Exercising will make you look better, feel stronger, and fill you with boundless energy. Staying fit will even make you happier." Robin S. Sharma

17th Oct

Visited CGHS. Met Pravesh. Found him worried about settlement and occurrence of his niece's marriage. His son's marriage is to take place in Jan next year. The niece is elder to his son. In the Supreme court from 2.30 to 3.45 pm.
Quotable Quotes :"I'm a simple man. Grew up in a small town. Came from humble beginnings. No silver spoon." Robin S. Sharma

8h to 16th Oct

16th Oct
Completed morning program
Drove to VV after completion of all Pujas by Venita. Court Dashehra holidays end today. Attended Kavi Sanmelan and Mushaira in CSOI in the evening.
Quotable Quotes :"As you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once the unknown and frightening becomes your new normal." Robin S. Sharma
15th
Completed morning program.
Attended a family get-together at Pramod's house. It was organized on the eve of Anita's birthday.
Quotable Quotes :"Cell phones, mobile e-mail, and all the other cool and slick gadgets can cause massive losses in our creative output and overall productivity." Robin S. Sharma
14th
Visited CGHS. Joined batch second friday lunch at CSOI Kasturba Gandhi Marg. Pakistan was the main subject of discussion. 13 of us from IAS, IFS,IPS and Central services were present. Spent time together for over 2 hours.There was a couple from a Central service too. Quite a few of us have so much changed that it is difficult to corelate us to what we were 52 years back when we first met at Mussoorie. But quite a few of us  still keep our basic features.
13th
Spent the day reading newspapers, magazines and books.
12th
Dadwals live in the ground floor of our block. On their invitation and insistence, we attended the first birthday celebration of their grandson in a nearby hotel. I could not take food as I was on ekadasi fast. Venita took. Had to rush back as the driver had to reach his newly rented room before 10 pm. His landlady has asked him to return by 10 pm. The room is in first floor and landlady lives in 2nd floor . The entire house is locked from inside. Shivamohan is also staying in the same room these days. He had come on 16th Sept. He is to go back to Fatehpur on 17th Oct.
11th
Today is Venita's 68th birthday.She was born on Navmi of Aswin, Suklapaksha , Samvat 2005 , at about 2.30 to 3 am according to Hindi Panchang on Monday corresponding to 11th October, 1948 at Allahabad, UP,India.. A number of family members and friends wished her happy birthday. Along with Babloo/Neha/Akshat, we had lunch at a nearby hotel where she cut the cake to singing of Happy birthday by us.

10th
Khyati, our eldest granddaughter, was born and is 15 today. She was born on Ashtami of Aswin's Adhik Mas (Dwatiya), Krishnapaksh, Wednesday, Vikram Samvat 2058/Shak Samvat 1923 of the Hindi Panchang corresponding to 10th October, 2001 of Gregorian calender at 12.10 pm in a Vasant Vihar hospital, New Delhi.. We blessed her for happy and bright life.
Venita did Puja early morning and distributed sweets to all.
Attended her birthday celebration at Gurgaon followed by high tea. Over 10 girls, all her classmates, joined in singing happy birthday as she cut  the cake and extinguished colourful tiny lights, brought by her mother from USA. Unique thing about the lights was that these did not melt. They evaporated.

9th
We wished Munna happy birthday. Maha Ashtami is celebrated today.
Venita did havan, pathh and other rituals on all ten Puja days.

8th
Completed morning program.
Saptmi is celebrated today.
Quotable Quotes :"Neurosis is the inability to tolerate ambiguity." Sigmund Freud

7th Oct

Completed morning program.
In the Supreme court from about 2 to 3 pm. Drove down from VV to Vikaspuri in the evening to join Venita in Puja rituals and celebrations. The Bengalis of the area as also those from the Society have set up a big Pandal, idol of Goddess Durga in an adjacent maidan. Venita is specially invited to join them in the Puja and feast on all the days. At the end of the Puja,the Dassehra falls on 11th; Venita's birthday also falls on the day. When she was born on 11th Oct 1948, it too was a Dassehra day. Her brothers and sisters used to tease her that she was Ravan reborn in the family.
Quotable Quotes :"Once made equal to men, woman becomes his superior." Socrates

6th Oct.

Completed morning program. Today I inadvertently left keys inside the flat when i came out to go to court. Had to call a technician to open the door lock and cough out Rs 700/- for his expertise. He took few minutes to open it. Luckily i had not double locked it from inside. In that case,the lock would have had to be broken, according to the technician. We have two keys : one is kept by me and another by Venita. Venita's key had been brought by Shiv Mohan when he came to VV along with me on Monday last. Venita thought his presence was necessary at VV to take care of me,. I had told her it was not necessary . His services could better be utilized at Vikaspuri. As desired by her,he went back today to Vikaspuri, leaving behind Venita's key in the flat. Hence the mix-up.
In the Supreme court from about 2.30 tp 3.30 pm.
Visited Nehru museum  to check the status of my autobiographical sketch, prepared by a reseacher sometime back. Met its new Directer, Shri Sinha, a retired IAS officer, who had worked with former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Quotable Quotes :"You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Donald Trump

5th Oct

Completed morning program.
Visited Resident Commissioner, Meghalaya office. In the Supreme court from about 2.15 to 3.30 pm.
Quotable Quotes :""Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend." 

— Albert Camus

4th Oct

Completed morning program.
Visited Ss.B.I.,Parliament Street, Basantlok and IIPA. In the Supreme court from about 2.15 to 3.45 pm.
Quotable Quotes : ‘I DID NOT GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIE FOR THE COUNTRY, BUT I HAVE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE FOR THE COUNTRY.’ Modi

3rd Oct

Completed morning program.
Drove down to VV. Venita stayed back at Vikaspuri for Durga Puja. Visited CGHS, SBI Basantlok. In the Supreme court from 2.30 to 4.15 pm.
Quotable Quotes :"In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." Abraham Lincoln

1st and and 2nd Oct

1st Oct
Completed morning program.
Spent the day reading magazine and newspapers. Venita was preoccupied whole day with reading prayers from Durga Puja books, visit to the Society temple for havan early morning, kirtan in the evening etc.
Quotable Quotes :"Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it." Michelangelo
2nd Oct
Completed morning program.
Spent the day reading magazine and newspapers. Venita was preoccupied whole day as stated in the blog of 1st Oct.
Quotable Quotes :" A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out." Walter Winchell