28th Feb.

28th
Pilku has sent a  photo of Amolikaa's school, downloaded below. It shows few flora in the the School's premises. These are much more grandiose,vast and incomprehensible from a photograph. unless one sees them physically in the school. Silku and Babloo may visit it.
                             Amolikaa's school

 

          A blooming plant in ancestral house at Fatehpur

Venita visited local Disability Institute to join the handicapped in Holi Milan on invitation.
Advocates Ajay,Digvijay,and Shivji came.

Quotable Quotes :" Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter." John Keats

25,26 and 27th Feb.

25th
Packed for journey to Fatehpur. We could get reservation in Rewa express only, reportedly not so good a train.
26th
Left Delhi at scheduled time, 9.15 pm. The train was reasonably good from almost all parametres except that it was old rolling stock. But linen was good. Toilets were well maintained. Quite comfortable journey. It was about 3 hour drive from VV to Anand Vihar terminal, heavy traffic. Anand Vhar terminal is made like an airport terminal. Very clean and  spacious.
27th
Arrived Fatehpur Rail station almost at scheduled time of arrival, only about 15 minutes late. Advocate Shivji called on. Satyam and his father Vinay Prakash came.
Quotable Quotes :" That man is a success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much." Robert Louis Stevenson

21,22 23,and 24th Feb.

21st
Venita's dental procedure continued today also. She has now less pain and can safely go to Fatehpur on 26th for week long stay.
22nd
After Havan and lunch at late Lalit's house, some came to our house to wait for Shanti Sabha in the afternoon at Sai international hall on Lodhi road . There was time gap of nearly two and half hours between the two functions.
Subhash'and his friend's family at our VV house on 17th Feb

23rd
A view of park in front of our flat at VV where we go for walks in the morning and evening. It is blooming in full glory.

24th
Rajiv Srivastava came with his family. Apprised of his plan to bring in his Good festival entrepreneurship in India.
Quotable Quotes :"All human beings are commingled out of good and evil." Robert Louis 

18, 19 and 20th Feb.

18th(Sunday)
Good weather and long walks keep you free of tension.
19th
Attended Havan and Shanti Sabha arranged by Lalit's family at their house in VV and in Sai international centre  on Lodhi/Bhishma Piamah road. While havan, followed  by lunch was attended by the  close family members and friends. about 30 people, in Shanti Sabha over 500 attended. Late Lalit was quite popular in Railways, his work place.
20th
Took Venita to a VV dental clinic  for major care. It is to follow next day also.
Along with Deva Prakash IPS(Rtd), PK Mehrotra (IAS Rtd), Ramesh Tiwari ex-Professor of IIPA and Sudhir Verma. ex-DJ hostel inmate. members of now defunct Dons'club, DJ hostel, Allhabad University attended a get-together in the IIC. Deopraksh recited some of his poems and gave copy his recently published book,'History,again and again' and latest issue of tri-monthly children magazine in Hindi. Our association with each other is now over 65 years old.

Quotable Quotes :"Old and young, we are all on our last cruise." Robert Louis Stevenson

16 and 17th Feb

16th
Late Lalit's deadbody reached Delhi in the morning by Rajdhani express . Subhash,Sunita and Jaya Verma received it at the railway station along with others of the family. We visited his house, paid floral tribute to departed soul and met the family. He looked as if sleeping with  his genial ,familiar smile. It was pensive,though. It appeared to me as if he was appologing, 'Sorry Dinanath ,I left without informing.'
17th(Saturday)
Attended Lalit's cremation. A good number of people offered flowers to him including Chairman Railway Board before the body was reduced to ashes by the high power-voltage-furnace of the crematorium. Late Lalit'son will collect the ashes, take to Garhmukteshwar and immerse in the Ganges on Sunday.
Quotable Quotes :"To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the  the only end of life."Robert Louis Stevenson

13,14 and 15th Feb.

13th and 14th
"While Shivratri comes once every month, Maha Shivratri or the "great night of Shiva" comes once in a year, just before the arrival of Spring season in the month of February or March. Its date keeps changing every year as it is related to the lunar calendar. This year, Maha Shivratri will be celebrated on February 13, Tuesday, and will be extended till February 14.
There are several legends around Maha Shivratri. According to a legend, Maha Shivaratri was the day when Shiva drank poisonous negativity to protect the world. Another legend says that it is the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance of creation, preservation and destruction, while some believe that this is the night when Shiva and Parvati got married." NDTV
We too celebrated Mahashivrati on 13/14th Feb. Venita did Mahabhishek at midnight in the society temple.
Called on widow of late KN Gupta at her flat in Arunodaya society and condoled the death of her husband a week back. He was ex- SP CBI.
Drove to VV in the evening. 
15th
Lalit , first cousin of Venita died due to massive heart attack today early morning at Jamalpur.
His dead body will reach Delhi early morning next day. The cremation is to take place thereafter  same day. Lalit was an amiable person and helpful to all. He had retired as Member Railway Board in 1997.
In the Supreme court in the ,afternoon.
Shiv Mohan went back to Fatehpur.
Quotable Quotes :"The biggest guru-mantra is: never share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you." Chanakya

10,11and 12th Feb

10th(Saturday)
Venita went to her aunt's place for dinner on the occasion of her 90th birthday. She is wife of her late uncle, JS Verma, younger brother of her late father. She met her after long time. Due to some constraints, I could not join . I had visited her after the death of uncle-in-law few years back at Varanasi. She is perhaps the only remnant of older generation in the family. Many have already left us  in the past. Khyati, our eldest grandchild, used to tell me, when she was just few years old  that all elders who left us had become stars and now lived in the galaxy. One day I told this to Amolikaa (our 3rd grandchild) at our Vikaspuri home about my father who became star long time back and later about me. She became quite sad. Then I told her that I won't become star till she got married. She was visibly happy. But she said that she won't get married before 25. When I had this conversation she was just 5/6 years old.
11th(Sunday)
Attended informal lunch get-together of 6 Delhi based IPS officers of 1964 batch at CSOI. One of them had joined IFS a year later. But he continues to join all get-to-gethers of 1964 batch IPS officers because of old connection.
 Drove to Vikaspuri to participate in Shivratri puja on 14th Feb along with Venita. It is cool now ,not cold. Felt quite comfortable during evening walk.
12th
Quite pleasant weather today. Planned to have a couple of air purifiers in VV house soon. Checked on the availability of different brands in the market as also their effectiveness in purifying polluted air.
Quotable Quotes ;"Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.”
― Robert Louis Stevenson

7,8 and 9th Feb

7th
In the Supreme court in the afternoon.
8th
Venita organized a get together of ladies of the neighbourhood. They recited devotional songs for over 1 hour. Tea and snacks followed. Neha and Akshat joined in. Akshat was preoccupied with preparing for his class exam on Hindi next day. All the time he had shut himself in my Office room for the purpose. Later back from office, Babloo picked them up to Gurgaon. Babloo/Neha/Akshat  left VV at about 8 pm after dinner. Their visit freshens us up each time they come.
9th
Attended batch lunch at CSOI. Spouses also joined in. Besides 2 IPS officers, a number of IAS,IFS and Central service officers came. In all about 25 including spouses were  present. We hold one lunch each year with spouses. In this lunch we don't have to pay for spouses. Second Friday lunches of each month are attended by the retired officers of the  batch. Spouses can also come to these lunches but we have to pay for them as we pay for ourselves at the rate Rs 500 for each. It was lively meet. We shared our experiences of retired life.
Quotable Quotes : “The cruelest lies are often told in silence.”
― Robert Louis Stevenson

4, 5 and 6th Feb

4th(Sunday)
5th
Started allopathic treatment. Took anti-biotic drug for early relief.
6th
In the Supreme court in the afternoon. Attended to  court and other work today.
Quotable Quotes :"Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace, like a clock during a thunderstorm." Robert Louis Stevenson

2nd and 3rd Feb

2nd Feb
Met Shri Jitender Singh, Minister of State personnel, pensions and public grievances along with President and Vice President of All India S30 Pensioners' Association to discuss some issues relating to pension.
Down with flue and resting. Am taking homeopathic medicines. Earlier took allopathic. They had some side effect.
3rd Feb (Saturday)
Still not fully recovered
Quotable  Quotes :

To be truly happy is a question of how we begin, and not how we end, of what we want and not what we have."Robert Louis Stevenson

30, 31rst Jan and 1st Feb

30th
In the Supreme court in the afternoon. Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated today  The day is observed as Martyrs day.
31st
Venita returned VV from Vikaspuri.
1 Feb.
After departure of our regular driver Thapa on leave, we have been hiring driver on daily basis from LMV drivers association at the rate of Rs 300 for 4 hours plus Rs 50 for each extra hour to drive our vehicle. The drivers are good and courteous. For point to point movement we hire Uber or OLA. As the LMV drivers come from Dwarka to VV, we have to pay conveyance allowance of Rs 200 for  both ways or Rs 150 for one way when we hire them for Vikaspuri from VV or vice-versa and leave them there. Thus driver costs Rs300 plus Rs 200 for 4 hours. Generally we keep him for a couple of hours and have to pay Rs 100 more. Total expenditure in hiring them is between Rs 500 or Rs 600 per day. When we don't need we do not call them. Drivers come to VV in their Scotties. Fairly good arrangement.
Quotable Quotes :" Compromise is the best and cheapest lawyer." Robert Louis Stevenson