The night at the BSF lodge was a continuous yet losing battle with the mosquitoes. The entire team was housed in the single floor building, by the highway. The man-for-all-seasons, Mohammed Haq, made three visits to our room to fix the television. Maman was in bad shape. I remember having drifted off to deep slumber immediately on 'touching' the bed!
Had got up at a quarter past 6, gone through my chores and walked about 400' to have the morning cuppa and bring tea for maman and Chambu. By a half past 8, we're ready to move towards our first point of reception in Kottayam district with Pattanakkad Prathapan in the lead. The road aligned with the Thanneermukkam bund was in the process of resurfacing and the drive of almost 8 kms was a nightmare.
On reaching Vechoor, our first halt, Rajendran of the Honey Buggy was insistent that his vehicle was topped up with fuel and his pillion was full of honey, stacked up haphazardly. I'd to walk a distance of almost two kilometers, up and down, in the bargain but it had to be done as all such transactions by the credit card were my responsibility. The breakfast of idli-chutney-sambar, provided by the panchayat, was yummy. Their reception was also on a grand scale with the MLA, Asha, in the forefront.
The panchayats that were part of our itinerary today were:-
(a) Vechoor.
(b) Thalayolaparambu.
(c) Kaduthuruthi.
(d) Kuravilangadu and
(e) Bharananganam.
Despite being a Sunday, the receptions organised by each of the panchayats were enthusiastic with a great deal of participation by the members - a welcome change from what I'd seen last Sunday in Kollam district. Our co-ordinator for Kottayam district, PGM Nair deserves the credit for the show!
After putting up the team in the rectory of the Bharanaganam church, we'd set off for Aniyan's house at Kidangoor for spending the night. The turn to his house, from the highway, eluded us and we had to make three attempts to get it right.
I'd made a quick dash to the hair cutting saloon to have a haircut, buy a medicine and the blade cartridge which I'd wanted to buy all these days.
Tailpiece.
Aniyan and Usha ammayi played the perfect hosts and for us, it was a welcome change after the last nine days of rough and tumble. Our soiled clothes were put through the laundromat by ammayi and it was a nice dinner with family. Her health needs recouping.
Lekha is at Trichy, attending her sister's nephew's wedding.
Had got up at a quarter past 6, gone through my chores and walked about 400' to have the morning cuppa and bring tea for maman and Chambu. By a half past 8, we're ready to move towards our first point of reception in Kottayam district with Pattanakkad Prathapan in the lead. The road aligned with the Thanneermukkam bund was in the process of resurfacing and the drive of almost 8 kms was a nightmare.
On reaching Vechoor, our first halt, Rajendran of the Honey Buggy was insistent that his vehicle was topped up with fuel and his pillion was full of honey, stacked up haphazardly. I'd to walk a distance of almost two kilometers, up and down, in the bargain but it had to be done as all such transactions by the credit card were my responsibility. The breakfast of idli-chutney-sambar, provided by the panchayat, was yummy. Their reception was also on a grand scale with the MLA, Asha, in the forefront.
The panchayats that were part of our itinerary today were:-
(a) Vechoor.
(b) Thalayolaparambu.
(c) Kaduthuruthi.
(d) Kuravilangadu and
(e) Bharananganam.
Despite being a Sunday, the receptions organised by each of the panchayats were enthusiastic with a great deal of participation by the members - a welcome change from what I'd seen last Sunday in Kollam district. Our co-ordinator for Kottayam district, PGM Nair deserves the credit for the show!
After putting up the team in the rectory of the Bharanaganam church, we'd set off for Aniyan's house at Kidangoor for spending the night. The turn to his house, from the highway, eluded us and we had to make three attempts to get it right.
I'd made a quick dash to the hair cutting saloon to have a haircut, buy a medicine and the blade cartridge which I'd wanted to buy all these days.
Tailpiece.
Aniyan and Usha ammayi played the perfect hosts and for us, it was a welcome change after the last nine days of rough and tumble. Our soiled clothes were put through the laundromat by ammayi and it was a nice dinner with family. Her health needs recouping.
Lekha is at Trichy, attending her sister's nephew's wedding.
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