The mantra for success...

The mantra for success..
Seems to have taken a paradigm shift in recent years...

To succeed...
If you are a woman...
Especially in Sweatshop-like places..
Is simple...

You have to be...
Between the ages of 30 and 42-45...
Fair-skinned....since Indians are really the most racist people in the world....
Dress in FabIndia clothes.....
You could also be color coordinated...but that is an option!!!

Is this the new Indian Corporate mantra/reality??
Or am I getting wise to it only now??
Not to mention cynical and distinctly bereft of humor....

Well!! Well!! Well!!!

The Internet helps relive a memory...

A few weeks ago...
Father got into a chatty mood....
We talked about the past...

He recalled a journey he had made from Madras to Rangoon by ship....
In 1935..
As a young schoolboy..
In the S.S. Rajula...

Grandfather had just taken charge as Chief Inspecting Officer for The Reserve Bank of India...
And was posted to Rangoon...

Father recalled traveling by first class with his younger sister...
On a three month break...

No..
It wasn't the summer vacation...
Just French leave....as he put it!!!
Or just chumma leave...

They were accompanied by their maternal grandparents....
Who traveled on the deck!
He still wonders why Grandfather did not cough up the first class fare for them...
He could well have afforded to...

Father still recalls the visits of his maternal grandfather to their stately, spacious well turned out cabin...every morning...

I used to feel so bad that I was traveling in such comfort...
And Grandfather was not!..he said...
And this was his favorite grandfather too...

Soon they reached the Burmese shores...
The ship chugged up to the mouth of the Irrawaddy...
And cast anchor there...

Grandfather came to pick them up...
Standing at the head of a sampan...
As ships could not make it up to the docks...
I can imagine Grandfather standing tall...in the sampan...
His head wrapped in his trademark turban!!!

The little boy and his sister had to be lifted down into the Burmese long boats...
And taken to shore...to their home in Rangoon...



The next day...
Madrasgirl did a net search and found images...
Of the SS Rajula...
And also..
The SS State of Madras in which they made the return journey!!!

Father was pleased to see the pictures of those old ships!!!

I have the image of the SS Rajula here for you to see...
Happy Memories!!