I left Kerala, my home state, way back in 1988 when I landed my first job in Bhopal. Ever since then, I have worked in many cities, wherever my work has taken me.
In January-February, thanks to work from anywhere, for the first time in the past 32 years, we (my wife and I) stayed in Kerala for close to one and a half months. That was never possible before because the duration of "long leave" from the office is usually a week or 10 days or at the most two weeks.
For as many as 43 days -- from January 9 to February 21 -- we were in Kerala. Now I can say, "Though I haven't worked in Kerala, I have worked from Kerala."
It was at times an odd feeling. Because I have always been in my hometown only on holiday. And this was the first time I was working as well. It took some time for me to adjust to this new reality.
My home is in the countryside, in the midst of trees. Every day, I used to wake up to fresh air wafting through the open windows and to the sound of birds. A walk on the undulating pathways in the neighbourhood, soaking in the early morning sunlight and the refreshing coolness of the verdant surroundings. The air is clean and the nights are pitch dark, the peace and quiet occasionally punctuated by the chirps of insects.
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteSo glad to see you back in Blogville, Padeep - but what a wonderful place to work from!!! It would surely have been a bit of a wrench to leave there? Many people here have found working from home to be better in so many ways, that a lot of companies are now looking at working more flexibly like this... one of the many changes brought about by the pandemic. Glad you have all stayed well. YAM xx
Hi Yamini - You are right. Not surprisingly, many employees are also reluctant to go through the commute blues to get to office, and prefer to work from home. The only flipside though is that the division between home and office is quite blurred.
DeleteI am glad you were able to go back to your home and live there for an extended time. I know how it feels. A few years ago I was on a temporary assignment for 6 months in Chennai. I never lived in Chennai after finishing college. Enjoyed very much. Now I know the reason for your absence from the blog world.
ReplyDeleteEven if it was a working time, and not visiting as much family as you would like to, it sounds like it was a precious time. I'm glad you had it.
ReplyDeleteAfter I read your wonderfully written article with which everyone can relate to, i was reminded of this famous line from Sri Rama जननी जन्मभूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरीयसी;“To me my mother and motherland is greater than heaven.”
ReplyDeleteHi KP - Yes the place where one has spent, especially the formative years, always feels good.
DeleteOne of my favourite places in Kerala is Thrisur, but I have never been there other than passing by the town. Fortunately, a couple of years ago, we got a chance to stay there for a couple of days. It was a memorable experience. I am sure the rural areas of Kerala are even better :)
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Hi Rajesh - Thrissur is a nice place. The cultural capital as it's often referred to. Yes it's the rural setting that makes the difference. Kerala's cities are not so different from any other city.
DeleteHi Pradeep - so pleased to see you again ...I bet it was wonderful to be home ... and hope that at some stage you can have another few weeks there in one go ... lovely photos for us to see. Enjoying being back in the area where you work ... all the best - Hilary
ReplyDeleteIsn't it nice to be able to work from anywhere? I hope once all this is over we might consider some distance work continuing. Not all the time, but sometimes it's very nice to not have to go out, or to work from one's home state.
ReplyDeleteHi Pradeep - so interesting to see a little snippet of your life (a bit like my poems but with pictures!) I always think of India as a teeming city type environment and forget that there are still quiet rural areas like this one - so glad you got to spend some lovely time there, I'm sure it was a respite from life for a while.
ReplyDeleteHi Leanne - O, there are plenty of lovely countryside locations. They may not have all conveniences and comforts but the quality of life in those areas are surely far better than in teeming cities.
DeleteOh, that looks like heaven. How did you ever manage to leave? That is a gorgeous home and lovely art. Somewhere I saw that a child drew on the wall and, instead of getting angry, the parents put a frame around it. That sort of thing warms my heart. Be well!
ReplyDeleteHi Darla - Yes the peace and quiet is heavenly. If I were retired I would have stayed on their for longer. The frame around a drawing on the wall was so heart warming.
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