18 Days to Darkness

An artist rendering of the Darkness.

For the first time in ages, I am afraid. One of my worst nightmares is coming to life. And I don’t even have time to prepare - it will hit me in 18 days. The black death. Dark ages. The darkness. These are just some of the names given to my nightmare. You might know it as load shedding.

For ages I have been waging war against the powers that be. Or, to be more specific, against the Kerala State Electricity Board. For the longest time they have been trying to keep from me the very force that’s critical to my existence - this thingy called electricity. I have even tried to reverse time itself to escape from their clutches.

The Ultimatum

This battle has been a stalemate for some time - my powerful UPS battery was more or less a match for their constant power failures. But now they have broken through my defenses - they have given me an ultimatum - 18 days. 18 dismal days. 18 dark depressing days. 18 dispiriting, discoraging days of desperation. OK, OK, I’ll stop - stop hitting the monitor.

Yesterday when I was having coffee, my brother handed me a paper with the ultimatum from KSEB. He pointed out the relevent article…

Idukki has water for just 18 days

Water level in the Idukki reservoir has fallen considerably, raising fears that the hydroelectric project which supplies nearly 50 per cent of the electricity generated in the State will have to be shut down if the situation continues for 18 days, a top official of the Dam Monitoring Cell at Cheruthoni said on Tuesday.

Dam it!
(Sorry about the pun - it just came out - couldn’t stop it in time. This is no time for joking.)

I am sure KSEB cannot achieve this alone - I am sure they have some help(or lack thereof) from the rain gods - a known enemy of a fellow blogger. We bloggers have common enemies.

My Only Hope

Currently, I am trying to hook up my cycle’s dynamo to my computer. I would have hooked up a bike - but oil price are up - because of me. So cycle and muscle power it is. Wish me luck.

If you are not seeing any update on this site after 18 days, know this. I will not give up - I will go down cycling.

Trackbacks & Pings

LHC: A Big Letdown | Binny VA on 28 Sep 2008 at 12:08 am

[...] Just for the record, I am not afraid of a black hole. We have a similar(ly named) phenomena in my home town - its called the black death. [...]

Comments

TheAnand wrote:

That means we need a sponsor for electricity for the blogcamp?

Cycling is good, but have you thought about using those manual stitching machines and generate power from it? Lemme ask mom if I can borrow hers….

Posted 11 Jul 2008 at 1:58 am ¶
Marc wrote:

I’m impressed that so much power is generated from a clean source in your state.

Posted 12 Jul 2008 at 2:16 pm ¶
hand_picked wrote:

A slightly more comfortable, scenic option would be about harnessing mechanical energy to electrical, using a paddle boat, while you get manually dextrous on your lap top.(Just pulling your leg.)
It’s only 18 days…take heart Binny…you haven’t been condemned to eternal darkness.

Posted 13 Jul 2008 at 2:46 pm ¶
Engelen wrote:

Binny VA, this blog post is lovely again - hilarious. Thanks! It would be spectacular to see you go down cycling, but I’m still hoping for rain and more blog posts.

Posted 13 Jul 2008 at 3:59 pm ¶
hand_picked wrote:

Oh! 18 days TO darkness, not 18 days OF darkness.You haven’t mentioned how long this predicament would last.But don’t you know the One who can open the floodgates of heaven for you.Need I say more?
ZEC 10:1 Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime;
it is the LORD who makes the storm clouds.
He gives showers of rain to men,
and plants of the field to everyone.

Posted 13 Jul 2008 at 4:23 pm ¶
Niyaz PK wrote:

What the hell is going on in Kerala?

Posted 14 Jul 2008 at 3:57 pm ¶
Nandu Nair wrote:

i am sorry to hear that and i hope that you do not face a blackout.

Posted 31 Jul 2008 at 10:56 am ¶
h wrote:

Being a top-notch KSEB engineer’s son; I’ve been closely following the power-issues for long… There’s nothing we can do! Perhaps, as you wrote, we could make inverters out of dynamos and start working ourselves!!

Now that the rains have restarted, I hear there’s enough water to manage for a couple of months or so…

If you aren’t an atheist, keep praying! We’re goanna need a LOT of divine intervention!!

Posted 01 Aug 2008 at 12:06 am ¶
xylene wrote:

aaarghh. Power cuts. I sure this time its not me or my ill luck.
When it rains, there will be a silly tree falling to snap the lines. If it doen’t rain, there wouldn’t be water.

Posted 01 Aug 2008 at 11:04 am ¶
Mani Karthik wrote:

Jokes apart, this is a serious issue alright. Im wondering why, Kerala being the place in south india that gets the max rainfall is still complaining about scarcity of water? TN for instance does not rely on water, yet manages without load shedding. I think this has been a mistake in foresight by the planners. Either they thought kerala would get ample water every year, which is not happening. Or, they didn’t have a clue about the future. I think we should take lessons from non-communist states who are successful in ensuring the basic eminities for the people.
Its hard time in kerala. Glad my apartment has a power backup.

Posted 04 Aug 2008 at 11:34 am ¶
Anjali wrote:

LOL!!! Been reading some of your older posts too! Enjoyed them. Very funny!

Posted 05 Nov 2008 at 9:00 pm ¶
BinnyVA wrote:

@Anjali
Thanks - but keep one thing in mind - the other posts may be funny - but not this one.

Posted 05 Nov 2008 at 11:59 pm ¶

Binny VA