Bribery in My Name

A True Story

Quite a few of us might hsve faced similar situations during their active service. I thought I could share this incident with others.

I was working as Production Engineer in the Signal & Telecommunication Workshop, Southern Railway, Podanur, a suburb of Coimbatore. I was in charge of developmental work, adding new products to the production plans, procuring machinerying recruiting skilled staff, etc. and achieving the required level of production

One evening I received a call from my boss at Madras that a proposal had to be made to take up an expansion project and I was given twelve hours to get the proposal ready. I sat that night with a supervisor and made a proposal costing Rs.75 lakhs.

The proposal was taken by me to the Head Office next day and was promptly approved. We made a detailed estimate along with proposals for additional staff and reorganization. Approval was obtained with some minor changes and I was put in charge of implementing it. The workshop, which mainly served the southern zone was evolving into an all India establishment.

The workshop needed additional skilled manpower and a decision was made to recruit personnel at the skilled level. Some of the workers were against the decision and wanted to scuttle the recruitment. I had arranged for practical tests to be conducted on a Sunday. Some of the workers had locked a few machines in such a way that an effort to operate them would result in breakage. This was anticipated and I conducted a systematic survey to check each machine before it was assigned to a candidate. The process of testing then went on smoothly.

However, one incident which came to light a few days later put me in a tight spot. A friend who was working in Coimbatore, brought in a news that some workers trained by PSG Industrial Institute at Coimbatore alleged that the recruitment was influenced by money and that I had been bribed by at least one candidate. I was shocked. I was keen on finding the true story behind the allegation and went to PSG Industrial Institute, posing as one who wanted his protégé to get a job in Podanur. I was told that there was one Kanakasabapathi who was corrupt and could be approached.

I wanted to find out who could have paid money to whom. I scanned the list of selected candidates and located just one person who was trained in PSG Industrial Institute. I decided to confront him. On direct questioning, the candidate gave in and came out with the truth. After he passed through the practical tests, he had been sent to the Railway Hospital for fitness test. The doctor in charge had demanded money stating that he was the middleman collecting money on my behalf. The boy had paid.

I was at a loss. There was no way I could prove that my hands were clean without affecting the candidate. Finally after consulting a friend who knew the Chief Medical Officer of Southern Railway I decided to meet him and pour out my predicament. I had known the CMO though not intimately and he could only sympathize with me as there was no way we could prove the allegation. However, he did the best he could. The doctor in charge was transferred out to a station in Kerala.

Later I met the people in PSG Industrial Institute, revealed my identity to them and explained the whole sequence of incidents, requesting them not to pass allegations without verifying.

Two Lesser Known Temples of Lord Murugan

My daughter in law Vidya Subramanian had been invited to give carnatic music concerts at Srirangam and Viralimalai. I asked her to accept the invitations as I had heard of Viralimalai and was keen to visit the place.

We decided to drive to Srirangam and started on a Saturday morning. I had known of another temple which was almost on the way between Tindivanam and Villupuram. It is about 25 kilometres fro Tindivanam. One has to take a detour of about 5 kilometres from the highway to reach the Murugan Temple at a place called Mayilam. There is a small hill and one can drive to the top of the hill to climb a few steps to the temple.

This temple was built in the 18^th century but the sanctum sanctorum seems to have existed for five centuries according the temple staff. The temple looks beautiful and attempts are being made to keep it clean.

The deity sits on a peacock. It was stated that the place had many peacocks but we were unable to see any. They were all huddled up near a Vinaka temple and we could not go there.

According to the Sthala Purana, Soorapadma took the form of a peacock in Mailam and begged Murugan to take him as his vehicle (Vahana). There is a swmiji who lives in the temple premises but we were unable to see him as he was engaged in pooja. The temple is visited more by the poorer sections of the society. Here are two pictures of the temple.

He second temple we visited was at Viralimalai which is about 30 km from Trichy on the Madurai Highway. A little detour of about 3 km will lead one to the temple. This temple has a number of peacocks roaming around freely. The legend says that the Lord gave darshan to Arunagirinathar here. The main deity is six faced (Arumugam) with twelve hands sitting on a peacock.

A number of saints are supposed to have worshipped the lord here. Saint Arunagirinathar has coined some verses in praise of the lord here.

A peculiar thing about the offering here: Daily after the pooja, as neivedhyam, cigar is offered.

The temple is managed by a group of trustees who are doing good work. Here are some pictures:



For Harmonious Life with Grown Up Children

In my personal life, I have found certain guiding principles useful:

1. Never give unsolicited advice. The children are grown up and are capable of taking decisions in most cases. They will ask the parents if they feel the need.

2. Have trust in the children. After all, they have been brought up by us and we would have inculcated certain principles in them by setting examples and by value education.

3. Never thrust your ideas on them.

4. Never take sides in any argument between the children and their spouses.

5. When living with children, take up the daily chores which they find difficult to manage due to their official pressures. There are many ways in which we can be helpful to them.

6. Love and affection do not necessarily grow by being near to each other. Even from a distance these will grow.