My father in Munnar

Found this in one of my various old notebooks, decided to upload & keep record so I can use the notebook for other more practical purposes such as making grocery lists.....so here it goes

My roots in Munnar dont run very deep, speaking in conventional terms.My grand father lived there for more than a decade, running the tea estates for the British.Then in 19-- he retired & came to Kottayam with his wife & six children, two girls & four boys. My father was the fifth child.

He spent about 10 years of his life in Munnar.The first 10 years of his life.The lucky boy that he was he did not go to school for these ten odd years.His brothers, older than him, went to boarding schools.Munnar back then was quite a jungle with no schools or hospitals, People had to keep their own cows for milk.Big cats from the forest occassionally visited cow sheds for a more domesticated meal.

It was after those 10 free years in Munnar that he directly joined 6th standard in CMS boy's school in kottayam.Those early years with lots of time on his hands left a great impact on him.His love for cold hilly places stem from them.His interest in all things British probably stem from there too.

Munnar showcases samples of British engineering marvel typical of the era.They build roads & put up ropeways & bridges in Munnar Of these the Thookkupalam or the hanging bridge still stands or rather hangs till today fully operational.It is said that the bridge was made in England, as they did not find the right infrastructure to build it in India and got it all the way to Munnar to put it up there.

Visiting parents & related travels

Had parents visiting from almost 4 air hours away.it was cold (for them).Travelled a bit, saw the famous Taj Mahal at last, truly an architectural feat considering the times.Though the state the town of Agra is in right now more than balances out the glorious past.Questionably the filthiest railway station I have ever seen.Every inch littered, foot paths wet with pee, pushy harassing touts at the station offering various services.It is a wonder people make a second trip.
More interesting is the tactless signages put up accross the Tajmahal to guide the highvalue/foriegn ticket holders Vs Indian tourists.Indian tourists are allowed to see the Taj at a 30 rs ticket, whereas the foriegn nationals have to shell out close to 700 rs.It is not an unusual practise accross countries to have a fare difference for foreign nationals visiting monuments of cultural or historical value.What is unusual is the treatment meted out to these visitors.Right from where do you enter (at various entrances) to you where you walk to weather you take off your shoes or not is decided by the ticket price.More tactful signage could have helped for sure

The second trip was to the the hill station Manali & the neighbouring Naggar.Was pleasant enough, melting snow & lovely, friendly dogs.Stayed at The Castle, the heritage hotel at Naggar.The Castle was built by Raja Sidh Singh of Kullu around 1460 A.D.Lovely place built in stone & wood in the local Himanchali tradition.Am curious to find how much of it is renovated though, most of it I assume, except for the foundation may be.Renovated well though, true to local materials & techniques & most likely based on the original plan. Rooms are nice too, ceilings & floors paneled in soft wood & surprisingly modern considering the exteriors.

The page of wands

Its almost as if the perm is an opportunity generator.The minute I got it & thought 'Thats it.....cannot go near a corporate job interview for some time now!' stuff has started figuring out.From job offers that are way too far away to be taken up (married women cannot travel too far for work) to other opportunities that are almost too good to believe(I am saying touch wood & feeling up my desk as I write this).

So, superstitiously I try my online tarot deck & come up with 'The page of wands'. Dont remember getting the guy before & he is pretty cool! He supposedly is like the fool, new beginnings & creativity but coupled with opportunities.Now that's just what I need at present.....

A new hairstyle

I got a perm yesterday.I hate the fumes & the torturous wooden pins that set your hair, but i admit am too vain to stop those from getting it done.Also I find it a bit unfair that my mother has beautiful curly hair & did not care to pass it on to me.I consider curly hair a mallu birth right that unjustly did not come my way.I definitely look much better with it as i discovered early on.

The last I had a perm was when I was in school, a post graduate design programme. I walked in as a newbee with all this lovely curly hair.The campus was, large full of old trees & pea cocks, the cobbled walkways treelined & covered in pigeon shit.In the evening as the sun went down the sparkling river, the lanes to the hostel smelled earthily of bird droppings & the roosting conversations of assorted bird species filled the air.I met my husband there.The perm must have had something to do with it, big hair inevitably increases visibility.we were seeing each other almost at once & was married in 4 years.

The perm wore away & jobs ate into our lives.denims gave way to trousers & sneakers to formal pumps.Life moved in predictable ways till a few months back.

Now am kind of at the beginning again. The perm helps I hope, to see life as if it were full of possibilities yet again

'not to do' lists

Have a huge list of to do things today, almost seven in the night & I have not successfully accomplished even one of them except for may be sending in a cheque book request.There is somethng about being at home that wants you to just loll around on sofas specially if there is a strategically placed television at hand.