Becoming Seventy!

What do you do as you turn seventy?

"Seventy is getting old, yet not old enough." Do you agree?

What did Ghumakkad do as he turned 70? More so during the Covid/ Omicron pandemic?

Well here is a flashback of what all I did as I entered the week of my 70th birthday.

Firstly I learnt how to crush sugar cane with manual labour! Yes, it was fascinating to take out fresh sugar cane juice at a road side kiosk. Manned by a lone middle aged lady from nearby village, the kiosk is 100% eco-friendly. No electric motor or petrol pump. Just two wooden rollers operated by hand! See the picture below.

There was not one but many such manual crushers on the stretch of the Karimnagar highway between Hakimpet and Thumukunta. See the 20-second video clip below to feel the energy required to take out just two glasses of sugar cane juice. Hat tip to the lady for all the manual labour everyday!

Talking of technology, look at the bevel gears made of solid wood. Am sure the village carpenters must have created it generation after generation! The geared rollers are eco friendly as well as hygienic. See the pictures below.

Secondly, I continued my manual labour by peeling 10 kgs of sweet peas! But don't ask me what happened to the most tender peas while peeling?

As you can see in the picture, the peas were being peeled in our garden. This 70-year-old loves shooting the flowers specially with the morning glow!

Thirdly, I explored the country side near our area. Whether a papaya plantation, Cheeku orchard, a village lake or a road blocked by a herd of goats, Ghumakkad's lens kept clicking.

The road goes past the College where Ghumakkad presently teaches. That's what keeps me going- to learn together with the students!

Fourthly, being an eternal nature lover, I spotted a snake skin of a longish rat snake. It was shining in the noon sun in a plotted layout not frequented by the owners. The snakes are known to shed their skin every 3 months or so. Since we had a snake skin at home, I did not disturb it and left it there. Pictures below.

Fifthly, I continued to enjoy morning golf. Whether on a foggy morning or a clear day, being on a golf course is always a bliss.

Readers may browse our earlier stories on golf listed below:

Is golf like yoga?

Why I love golfing?

Sixthly, 70-year-olds love sweets- even during the breakfast. See the picture of Gajar Halwa (Carrot pudding) on crisp toast with butter!

Lastly, I celebrated the birthday with friends and family both online and offline. Sharing two pictures of the face-to-face celebration first.

Being the 70th birthday, our children put in lot of effort to organise not one but four different online calls. Each of these online celebrations brought lot of nostalgia and warmth. It also put the birthday boy on the mat by asking him live questions! What fun it was! The messages sent by family and friends can be seen in the video links given below. The background score in all the videos is by our grandson Ansh in Chennai. Ansh has his YouTube channel, do subscribe to it.

The first video contains messages from the family.

The second video contains messages from near and dear ones including two of my former students.

The third video has Ghumakkad's Naval family. It includes two specially composed pieces one each in Hindi and English. Do browse.

And the last video contains messages from some of the BITS buddies and pieces of my heart.

We thank each and every member of our family and friends for their warm messages. It was simply overwhelming. Your love and blessings keep us going!

In addition, Nikhil our grandson in California played Rasputin by Boney M on his drums specially for me. See the YouTube clip here.

Not to be left behind, Anuva our 9-year-old grand daughter in Chennai who is learning piano, played the Happy Birthday tune for her Dadu. 

May God give such loving and caring family and friends to everybody.

There was only one regret- the pandemic prevented people from travelling. God willing we hope to have your blessings again on the 75th birthday in 2027!

Thanks again for your presence, calls, messages, posts, pictures and those who forgot- thanks for having me in your thoughts. We close with the motto of an Infantry Division in India which says 'Bash on Regardless'.

Here is some cake for you!

God bless and lots of love

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/9th Jan 2022

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