40 years & 04 stations - (Madras/Chennai)
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S Balakrishnan
Madras (later renamed as Chennai) was the fourth and final station of my posting (after Port Blair, Cuttack & Gangtok in that order) during 40 years of my service in a Central Government office. More than the family reasons, the earthquake of 1988 sent me packing from Gangtok to the safety of my home State of Tamil Nadu. The rest of my 30 years of service was spent in the Madras office of PIB (Press Information Bureau), which was the Southern Regional Office (R.O.).The role of the RO was what I had never seen in the earlier three branch offices; it was so varied and interesting; it also brought out my full potential. During those 30 years, I came across many colleagues and bosses, each a character of their own. Wow!
As a family man with two kids I was initially stuck in the office and home routines, though there was much to explore within the city itself and within the State of Tamil Nadu. As they grew up we started spreading our wings, thanks to the LTC (Leave Travel Concession) facility. If sighting of the Blue Kurinji flowers that bloom once in 12 years was a unique experience, stay at Thar Desert of Rajasthan was the other extreme experience. I made it a point to visit all my three earlier stations of Port Blair, Cuttack & Gangtok, though the changes (‘developments’) were both a shock and surprise after 20-25 years. Stay in Manipur during ‘Yaoshang’ (Holi) festival was a memorable one; from there we had a peek into Myanmar’s border town Tamu. Will Manipur ever return to those peaceful days? We made a trip to our National Capital and saw the world's wonder, the Taj Mahal. We covered the Western metropolitan city of Bombay (as it was called then) and the Eastern metro city of Calcutta (before it was renamed Kolkata). So I can proudly say that I have covered all the corners of our country!Side by side, travel photography and writing picked up momentum.
The Madras Day/Week Celebrations gave us the chance to explore the city’s history as the first settlement of the British East India Company in India, its traditional art forms, temple festivals, etc. I also became a film addict by attending the annual Chennai International Film Festival. Other hobbies like numismatic, philatelic, antique collection, etc., kept me engaged.
The official tours undertaken to organise publicity campaigns were both challenging and rewarding. I could visit new places with a free board & lodge provided by the office. The very first trip to Gudalur in The Nilgiri hills was so special. I gate crashed at my friends’ houses in Thiruvananthapuram to enjoy Onam celebrations and in Salem to see nearby places.
With many ups & downs in both official and personal lives, 30 years rolled by in the same office and in the same station (which Gen Z would never dream of), though its name changed from Madras to Chennai, leaving me a wise (my wife would definitely challenge this) old man with too much cud to chew like a cattle.
The writer can be [email protected]
Madras (later renamed as Chennai) was the fourth and final station of my posting (after Port Blair, Cuttack & Gangtok in that order) during 40 years of my service in a Central Government office. More than the family reasons, the earthquake of 1988 sent me packing from Gangtok to the safety of my home State of Tamil Nadu. The rest of my 30 years of service was spent in the Madras office of PIB (Press Information Bureau), which was the Southern Regional Office (R.O.).The role of the RO was what I had never seen in the earlier three branch offices; it was so varied and interesting; it also brought out my full potential. During those 30 years, I came across many colleagues and bosses, each a character of their own. Wow!
As a family man with two kids I was initially stuck in the office and home routines, though there was much to explore within the city itself and within the State of Tamil Nadu. As they grew up we started spreading our wings, thanks to the LTC (Leave Travel Concession) facility. If sighting of the Blue Kurinji flowers that bloom once in 12 years was a unique experience, stay at Thar Desert of Rajasthan was the other extreme experience. I made it a point to visit all my three earlier stations of Port Blair, Cuttack & Gangtok, though the changes (‘developments’) were both a shock and surprise after 20-25 years. Stay in Manipur during ‘Yaoshang’ (Holi) festival was a memorable one; from there we had a peek into Myanmar’s border town Tamu. Will Manipur ever return to those peaceful days? We made a trip to our National Capital and saw the world's wonder, the Taj Mahal. We covered the Western metropolitan city of Bombay (as it was called then) and the Eastern metro city of Calcutta (before it was renamed Kolkata). So I can proudly say that I have covered all the corners of our country!Side by side, travel photography and writing picked up momentum.
The Madras Day/Week Celebrations gave us the chance to explore the city’s history as the first settlement of the British East India Company in India, its traditional art forms, temple festivals, etc. I also became a film addict by attending the annual Chennai International Film Festival. Other hobbies like numismatic, philatelic, antique collection, etc., kept me engaged.
The official tours undertaken to organise publicity campaigns were both challenging and rewarding. I could visit new places with a free board & lodge provided by the office. The very first trip to Gudalur in The Nilgiri hills was so special. I gate crashed at my friends’ houses in Thiruvananthapuram to enjoy Onam celebrations and in Salem to see nearby places.
With many ups & downs in both official and personal lives, 30 years rolled by in the same office and in the same station (which Gen Z would never dream of), though its name changed from Madras to Chennai, leaving me a wise (my wife would definitely challenge this) old man with too much cud to chew like a cattle.
The writer can be [email protected]