TRIVANDRUM PART 3 PALAYAM
Dear friends, I was disappointed if I recollecttoday, not able to collect my degree in person and had to obtain through postwhile working in Chennai central Telegraph office for various reasons, fromKerala University, Trivandrum. Later I had been to theuniversity on different occasions, especially as coordinating project works ofpost graduate computer students of university in the Training centre where Iwas working. I never felt Palaylam and nearbyareas would get associated with me somuch. Let me write more about Palayam. Sincerely, Gopala Krishnan 1-4-2012 Reposted on 3-6-2021 after editing and updating. R. Gopala Krishnan 1. Palayam at Trivandrum The place now told as Palaylam inTrivandrum would have been military camping area earlier. The exact meaning ofPalaylam was understood by me as the military camping area very late, whenpeople from Calicut started talking of Palaylam at Calicut. As a matter of fact Palayam at Calicut isfelt much more developed than the Trivandrum Palayam when I was in Calicutduring 1996-1998. I could see the first underground pedestrianpath at Calicut Palayam in Kerala. Kerala has less undergroundpedestrian path . 2. Aruna vegetarian hotel. It was a newly started hotel whenI visited Trivandrum first time in 1962 and I was having my room there in thefirst floor. It was a glorified vegetarian hotel, even in 1966 while I washaving my junior engineering Training at Trivandrum. Even in 2000’s it was a goodhotel, though its fame got a little dim after the coming of nearby star hotels.It was one of the hotels frequented by me while at Trivandrum for its neatness. 3. Kerala University head quarters. The Kerala University Headquarters building is seen from the Main road, about 200 meters inside to West from Palayalmjunction. Earlier Kerala state road transport buses used to have their stop,just seeing the university while coming to Trivandrum, and conductors used toannounce “Kerala University stop”. Many people used to get down from the bus. Whatever has changed, one thinghas not changed. The painting colour of the university building – Yellow.Always it is repainted with yellow colour. Still the clock in the tower iscorrectly functioning. 4. Old engineering college. The old engineering collegepremises were leased by Telecommunications department for a pretty long time. WhenI was selected for Junior engineer, I never felt my training could be inTrivandrum. I was in fact selected for Madras circle and my training was inthat old engineering college during 1966-67. Palayam market was very crowdedon those days. For college mess I used to purchase vegetables and fruits fromthe market. 5. Developments in years. After spending 23 years inTamilnadu, while I opted for lecturer post I was selected to TrivandrumTraining centre. The training centre had been shifted to own premises withstaff quarters at Kaimanamnear Karamana. My daughter had her post graduatediploma with distinction from Kerala University. She was honoured and awardedby Pappanamcode branch of Kerala Brahmana sabha. At that time part of theUniversity had been shifted to Kariavattam, and she was studying at kariavattom- a pretty longdistance from Karamana. Evenings I my wife anxiously waited for daughter’scoming near the main road. She had to change three buses. Later my daughter in law too was studying at Kariavattamfor her Post graduate degree. 6. Working in Kerala Telecom Circle office Kerala Telecom Circle office isnext stop to Palayam University office better called as PMG junction. As a matter of fact, thecircle office was constructed, using the space available in the back of PMGoffice as a multistory building. For long 6 .5 years I wasassociated with the Kerala Circle office as Asst. manager in Development andPlanning. During the period I was visiting lecturer in Training centre for new technologies,as and when required. 6. Receiving medal My daughter in Law was first rank in MScStatistics and mathematics in 2000’s. After marriage she had left with my sonto Arabian country where he is employed. One day her mother called me in2002’s and said, a letter has come fromuniversity to receive the medal and cash award, in the absence ofcandidate, guardians should present in the senate hall and receive the same. I told her, it is for herdaughter and their efforts are there, she or her husband should go and collectthe same. Sambandhi mami said she is coming to our home in half anhour, came and handed over the letter to me telling, I am the proper person toreceive it. 6a. The day and function The award function was in anevening; I took one hour permission and went to university senate hall. I went15 minutes before and at that time the senate hall was almost full. There havebeen another 4 or five parents too to receive the medals for their wards. Allothers were students. Calicut universityvice chancellor gave the medals. I just took a seat in the back.One of the coordinators came to me, and asked me to come over to the front chairs,for reasons best known to them. I obeyed. One of the University approvedphotographers came to me. They are taking photographs on payment basis and Ican pay and collect photo later. I said OK. I just looked on the walls of thesenate. Previous vice chancellors names and photo graphs displayed. I just looked for 1964- MrSamuel Mathai who has signed my degree. Yes I found his name and photograph there. The function started. Afterinaugural address it was rewarding function. Now I could gather why I wascalled to front chair. After a few rewards, name of my daughter in Law wasannounced, and further announced – On her behalf her father in law MR. R.Gopala Krishnan would come to dias toreceive the medal and cash award. While I receive the medal, thephotographer clicked his camera. The function was about one hour more . Afterit came to my office. 6b. Sir, Let us see the medal. My two Asst. engineers wereanxiously waiting for me. Even before my starting they had told me- We want tosee how the medal would look like. I handed over to them the medal.(Both of them First class post graduates from Kerala University). In fact it was the first time Iam also seeing a medal. In the house her parents werewaiting for my call of receiving. Nextday I sent by courier the medal to my daughter in Law after seen by her parents. 7. Sree Kanteswaram Upa sabha honouring. Immediately on knowing first rankand getting certificate, Kerala Brahman sabha, honoured my daughter in law and the parents with cash award andcertificate by Srikanteswaram Upa sabha. This I have to specially mentionhere, since many of ouriyer group members are office bearers of the Kerala Brahmana sabha, forhonouring them. Just like Srutivani from Trichur, from Trivandrum Brahmana sabha twopublications are there- Brahmasandesam and sapthapathi. Palayam has a specialty. In the junction there is a church,mosques and temple in the three corners. The big chandrasekaran nairstadium, MLA Hostels, are at Palayalam.A little down eye and dental hospitalsare there. University college is at Palayam. I will continue in next posting -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1401842948.2600791.1622733111417%40mail.yahoo.com.
