Biju Manzil

Dear Gita chechi,

These pictures that you sent reminded me of what we once were and what we left behind!

Look at this picture - the one where I am in a petticoat and ruffled hair, helping Gou with the pookalam. I must have been ten years old. You took this picture, I recall that moment. You smelled of America - I used to sneak into the room Amma had ready for you, just to breathe in the smell that was so American!!! You had a camera hanging from your neck and wore unstriking cotton trousers. Shot at Biju Manzil, our very first home that we rented in Aluva, overlooking the river Periyar. The home with the most beautiful garden ever, and remember the mango trees! Gochi and I used to climb and jump from the braches. And how the mangoes fell during the monsoon winds!!! The oonjal where Gochi and I took turns to push and swing many summer afternoons...

 

The home with the most spacious verandah, creaky wooden stairs and a kinnar/well with crystal clear water that imbibed a life long love of oil baths for me...

 

The home with a huge kitchen and attached patio, where I fought the most with Ammuma...that green wall next to the ammikallu (stone ginder) where Gou drew her "lady". It stayed on that wall all those years we lived there...

The home where we could hear the clang of the elephant chains from the kitchen long before the elephants passed our home. We ran from wherever we were to catch a glimpse of the gajaveeran. I think we even knew their names at one point! I  remember asking for the tail hair once but the mahout rudely refused...

 

The home where Dinu rang the padipura bell every day on his way to school and when Udayan Mammen came to open the door, he hid himself behind the sugar cane branches. We never found out who rang the bell and it remained a mystery until on my 12th grade autograph he came out clean...

The home where bats visited regularly at 7:45 every night...

The home where Ammuma fell on the bathroom and fractured her leg...

The home that I spent many afternoons and evenings in Appupans chaaru-kasera reading Amar chitra katha. I can close my eyes and still feel the breeze from the river..

 

The last home of ours where Appupan stayed with us...

I could go on and on...this home holds so much of our childhood, Gichi!

I heard that the house is long gone and a huge apartment stays there but who can erase the footprints we left on the sands of time?!

Feeling very nostalgic,

Love

Upsi