Phailin: Hours Away

Phailin is just hours away from landfall at Gopalpur-on-sea. It will tryst with Odisha at about 6 PM today, multiplying its present intensity manifold. The sea waves will surge, sending water 10 ft up, inundating coastal areas of Odisha which lie barely above the sea level. Although Odisha authorities say 300,000 people have been evacuated and brought to safety and notwithstanding Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's assurance that there will be 'zero casualty', it is hard to believe that all the vulnerable people have gotten themselves away from harm's way. Just now I read a newspaper report that fishermen in the coastal Odisha have refused to budge from their homes and hearth, and of course the sea. There must be many more like them who would leave it to chance rather than accept the inconveniences of evacuation.

Many in Odisha have pinned their hopes on supernatural intervention. These are the times of the annual visitation of Goddess Durga, the symbol of victory over evil. Dasahara, as the week long celebrations is called, stands for truth, victory, prosperity, renewal and purification. Durga is a powerful goddess capable of crushing her opponents, however mighty they may be. She is also a loving goddess, the mother of the powerless and the virtuous.

Many believe that the simultaneous arrival of Goddess Durga and Phailin is only to accentuate what she hasdone always, slaughter the opponent and save her children. While the people are bracing themselves up for the impending calamity, the fervor for the goddess worship has not abetted a bit. The cities and villages of the state are soaking in festival cheer with colorful and brightly lit platforms dotting all over.


Come what may the worship of the Goddess will proceed with due sincerity, if not with the expected gaiety and grandeur. The idols of the Goddess, resplendent in their glory seem to infuse a kind of confidence, courage and reassurance like nothing else can, among the pious people of the state, who are a little anxious now.

Phailin in the Air

Although people of Odisha are very familiar with cyclones and storms 'Phailin' is something unknown to the people of this part. Phailin is named after all a sapphire in Thai language. The name has been given to the cyclone by Thiland, much before it even originated. Names for future storms are already given and they are released as a new storm takes shape.

This sapphire Phailin is of course fully ominous for the people living in the path of the sea monster. Precious metals and stones are always associated with good luck or bad omens. Phailin is no different. Phailin prediction is changing by the minute. But there is no uncertainty about its likely time of landfall and the places it will visit. The landfall time is predicted around 5.30 PM on 12th Oct 2013. The place is Gopalpur and its vicinity stretching upto Paradip port near Cuttack. Odisha's capital Bhubaneswar is also in the path of nature's fury.

(Empty roads of Bhubaneswar at 7.45 AM before the arrival of Phailin on 12th Oct 2013)

People of Bhubaneswar and other parts of coastal Odisha are reminded by the miseries they experienced when the 'Super Cyclone' unleashed its fury in the state in October 1999 killing more than 10000 people. So people are more careful this time and panicky to some extent. In Bhubaneswar most of the food items are cleaned off the shelves by the people two days before the arrival time of Phailin. Potato was selling at Rs30 on 10th Oct evening against the normal price of Rs10. Even then many people had to go back empty handed.

"Six O One" is just another one

I was looking for a riveting ambiance, some quiet and of course great food for my dinner with my son yesterday night. I thought The Park (Chennai)'s restaurants will provide me all these as I was guided to its 24 hr restaurant Six O One.

The initial experience was very good as the polite lady at the entrance ushered us in and we chose what we thought was a amiable seat. The spread looked good with local, Indian, Chinese and international selections, a tempting corner full of desserts and a wide selection of salads. Near the buffet counter were lit a few terracotta ovens to cater to the demands for local dishes like Pongal and others. These fire places added character to the setting.

(This photo of The Park Chennai is courtesy of TripAdvisor )

The sea food broth made a good beginning, but starters played truant as we had to wait for an age to be served our seekh kabab and veg tandoori item. The main course provided some relief with choices like Indian and Chinese chicken, aromatic and succulent fish chops, veg curries, stew, dal and made-to-order India roti, naan and kulcha. Noodles, Fried rice, Chicken dum biriyani completed the picture.

Banana Mousse and Ice Cream

The dessert corner was a feast for the eye with a choice of Indian sweetmeats, sugar free peda, gajar halwa, fruit salads, pastries, and a variety of ice creams to gorge on. Son liked Banana mousse the most.

Now the flip side. The interior of the place looked tired to me and not the kind of luxurious elegance I was looking for. Some of the food items were missing when I went for them, like starters, raita and one particular sugar-free dessert I was eyeing at the beginning. Whether they were taking their time to refill or they had simply run out of the stock I didn't have a clue, but it left me high and dry. And all this at 10.30 PM!

About the quiet I was seeking, the atmosphere was noisy with a bunch of foreigner ladies having blast party close by. Not a mistake of the hotel of course! A little further away someone was angrily demanding for the Asset Manager to come on line to explain things. Why blame it on the poor asset manager when the whole economy has derailed?

Overall I had a good evening out but Six O One just didn't stand out: it was just another restaurant in its high-end category.