Post-rain

On April 16, we residents looked forward to another rain despite the note of caution from authorities. Seeing the rainy weather, V decided bunk office which was a good thing because most people who ventured out that day were stuck on the road for 3-8 hours at least. Our cousin was one such victim on Sheikh Zayed Rd.

The cloudy skies soon took the shape of a nasty thunderstorm that had winds howling against our window by noon and water seeping in through the window crevices. By night, the country had received a year's rain for the desert in a day.

The nightmare was only coming - roads became rivers and cars stranded or drowning in them. Villas in posh localities had waist deep water on the ground floors sinking fancy appliances while cars in the basement of apartment complexes were equally affected. Power and water supply was disrupted in many places, and V's boss had to climb 14 floors to his posh flat fetching water.

In times of calamity, the rich and the poor become equal in the matter of basic needs. Of course, the rich can afford to shift to hotels. The middle class in Sharjah's India-centric areas were the worst affected crying for food and water. Luckily for them, many courageous and charitable souls braved the sewage-contaminated water in their SUVs and pick-ups, many of which broke down, bringing them food and other essentials. Trust Kerala Muslims to be at the forefront of this mission for nearly a week, unmindful of the threat of water-borne diseases and the stench. 

The municipality worked hard to pump out the water but rising seawaters made the task arduous. V couldnt take out his car for a few days as the road in front of his parking lot was waterlogged. Two days he had someone from his office picking him up. On Sunday we ventured out for a blood test in Dubai only to get stuck on our return journey to Sharjah.

Now things are back to normal - at least for us, while many are counting their losses at home or workfront - but we have a weather alert for May 2 and 3. Rain is not welcome anymore.

Eid break

 This year for Eid, I booked a trip (hotel) to Abu Dhabi to explore the capital city. AD is like Trivandrum, quiet and unassuming for a capital. 

We toured the Abrahamic Family House (my second trip) with the church, mosque and synagogue in one compound on Saadiyat Island; then spent half a day in Louvre Abu Dhabi.

We left after 2 days, visiting V's friend in the Zayed cricket stadium on our way back.

ps. when i have time, i will expand this post.

Of goats and scapegoats

 If I thought I wouldnt be able to withstand the trauma of watching #Aadujeevitham / #Goat Life, a real-life survival drama starring Prithviraj, I was mistaken.

As we watched it in Novo Cinemas Sharjah - just the three of us in that entire hall which is not unusual in this predominantly Arab residential locality - I sat there dry-eyed and stone-hearted. Rather with the same sense of stoicism that kept Najeeb going for 3 years in that desert in inhuman conditions.

The cinematography is amazing, and I hope there is an Oscar either for the director, actor, music composer  or film. The beauty of the desert dunes despite its treacherous nature cant be ignored. 

And that musical score Periyone _ I can't stop humming it in my heart (since I can't get the tune right to sing it aloud).

To me, the most emotional moments were in the beginning - as the newly arrived expats marvel at the tunnel in Riyadh and feeling excited about more such sights - and in the end when a deported Najeeb boards his flight - he doesnt have scent/perfumes to gift his family but only his life ahead. 

To get back one's life and to go home to tell that tale - and how! a novel and now a movie - seems like a miracle when one knows that his predecessor died of old age - and how many years he must have suffered before the next victim arrived. And we feel for the successor waiting to be trapped into slavery.

My take away from this: I wish in place of the malicious propaganda film called Kerala Story (made by a non-Malayali director with non-malayali actors who behave or talk least like Malloos do and is more a North Indian's perception of what malloos are like), the central apparatus airs this everywhere so that gullible Indians don't head for the Arabian desert and end up herding camels and goats. I came across many such news reports - recent ones involving a chap from TN and another from UP - and I hope gov can prevent it or help trapped ones escape their ordeal. The jail parade where sponsors ensnare them back into their dens makes you wonder why our embassy is so toothless.

There is a curiosity to see that desert and goatland that Najeeb suffered. The real Najeeb (Shukoor from Alleppey district) doesnt ever want to go there again, so we are unlikely to discover it.

More power to Malayalam cinema which has come up with 2 other roaring hits early this year - Premalu and Manjummel Boys.

Writing pro

On the penultimate day of reporting duty at the photography festival, the boss of the English writing dept, came and told me: When we both are free, you should give me a master class on how you write your features. 

She praised the one I did that day on a dinosaur excavation photos, and said the wealth of information in it will make her save it for her toddler daughter. 

I told her many of the terms in it were new to me and I had to research them in the 2 hours allotted for writing an article. PR industry deadlines are tight at 90 minutes for each report, during which time I often try to understand the speaker's profile and their works (like the Nayla one below where I didn't have enough time to understand the movies she had made). Often, I don't feel satisfied with what I churn out.

Anyway, this was the best compliment I had received recently and I was almost teary-eyed as I told her that I have no strategy, and I just say a silent prayer each time - though I am not much of a believer - that I get it right. 

To tell the truth, sometimes I feel at sea after attending a session, either because of the accent or the poor translation (Arabic to Eng) or the lack of interest in the topic discussed. 

But here I am like the girl in the Rumpelstilskin storypresenting a satisfactory product :)

https://www.sharjah24.ae/en/Articles/2024/03/04/Excavations-of-dinosaur-fossils-in-Morocco-at-Xposure-2024

https://wam.ae/en/article/b1zoy0z-xposure-2024-celebrated-emirati-filmmaker-nayla

Twinning

Two little girls in identical printed abayas, probably going to their Sunday morning Quran class, walked in front me of me as I made my way to the photography festival. A traffic police car was parked in front near the entrance, and the policeman lightly waved at them. They waved and walked on.

You just need little things to bring a smile and make your day.

End of the teen years

Enter the 20s phase. Drink to the dregs, young man.

Birthday (old) girl

Another year, another birthday. It went well _ the celebrations began with a dinner treat by a BA classmate visiting from Doha (meeting her after 25 years), the customary greeting over the phone by our vicar in the morning, calls from an old Assumption roommate, mother, brother, daughter and a sis in law from Madras. An hour each and my day was half done.

Topped it with dinner at Paul. Ditched plans to buy a cake and used their free cake instead since we are off too much sweet stuff.