PART 1

 

Latha loved the breeze on her face,the gentle sway of the trees, and the “Oruma”* in the streets.

 

Places that reeked of beauty and plenty of stories.

 

Stories of lives lived and magic she loved.

 

*Oruma - Malayalam word for Unity and Oneness

 

 

Palayam :

 

A place where the God’s get-together for gentle banter.

A church, a mosque, and a temple coexist peacefully in close proximity to each other. Latha closed her eyes, she felt the blessings of the Gods rain down on her.

Blessings of love and kindness.

 

Napier Museum & Zoo :

 

Latha tugged at her mother’s sari, as the monkeys screeched in delight.The animal cages leaned into Latha, to speak to her.

 

  They were built in the year 1857.

 

The Maharajah of Travancore had ordered animals from the nearby jungles to be brought in, to fill up the cages. The cages remain, but the jungles do not.

 

The Bengal Tiger bared its sharp, sparkly teeth and roared at Latha.

 

She jumped, just like she did when she watched the movie, “The Life of Pi”

 

Yann Martel was the author of the Booker Prize-winning book, that also became a movie.

 

He chose to do his research at the Trivandrum Zoo, closely observing animal & human behaviorto write his book.

 

She wandered a little and squinted her eyes up a tree, a squirrel ran up in abandon, avoiding her sharp gaze.

 

The rubber tree, the squirrel scurried up hurriedly, was almost 130 years old.

 

Gifted by the British & planted by Vishakham Thirunal Ilayaraja in 1880, the then ruler of erstwhile Travancore. The saplings were gifted by the British.

 

The Rubber tree whispered in her ear, how lonely and quite rubbery he had felt at first because there wasn’t another rubber tree around!

 

Latha then headed to the Reading Room, Jawahar Nagar, where she listened to stories and snuggled in with a book.

 

One of the poshest parts of town, Jawahar Nagar was called “Marichini Vila” in the 1980s, probably because there were more Tapioca plants than big houses. (Marchini was the local term for Tapoica ) 

 

She also picked up her favorite homemade chocolate “Mathew’s” cake, before heading back home.

 

She fell asleep dreaming of adventure, Maharajas, books and rubber trees.A Day in Thiruvananthapu