The house was agog with activity as Mini was up and awake by 5 AM, as is her habit. The dining hall's light, that she'd switched on, gave us the first indication of the stirrings of the day. We got up correspondingly earlier than our usual time of waking up. Frankly, it was great to be at home and as I keep saying, I feel that mom and dad are around, looking after us! Finished up the morning chores in a leisurely manner and in the process, washed down the bed clothes that were draped all this while. One doesn't have the luxury of these domestic services in a small village like ours....as yet! The house had been washed down, however, under the careful supervision of the caretaker a day before our arrival.
Meanwhile, Lekha and Mini had gone to the Thrikkonnamarkodu Devi kshetram nearby. They had gone at 7 and returned about an hour later. I, then, coaxed them to join me for the school function and after initial reluctance, they agreed to it.
John, with his car, was at our gate almost half an hour prior to the programme. He confirmed to me that he liked driving around for me - a nice man and all because I'd guided his son to an assignment in the merchant marine when he was taking his initial steps in life. The youngster is now happily married to a Malayali nurse and they reside at Sydney, Australia.
We left home at a quarter past 10 to be in time for the function and we reached the Government Welfare Lower Primary School(GWLPS), Ambalathinnirappu. The Panchayat President, Rakesh arrived soon after and the event had taken off. Received exceptional adulation from everyone who spoke and I wondered aloud as to whether I deserved all that because according to me, I've hardly done anything. The Head Mistress felicitated me by draping a shawl and I was also presented with a beautiful memento that had my photograph - Lekha had sent it yesterday from the train, when requested for - imprinted on it. Damn thoughtful of them!
During my interaction with the tiny tots, Adya of class IV was the first to give me the correct answer to a question of mine and I'd promised her a gift. As I was leaving, I draped the shawl that I'd received minutes before which took everyone by surprise. It was a spontaneous act but the Head Mistress told me later that she was sad that I'd given away my gift. It took a while to convince her that I meant no offence! It's my firm belief that I'd to go back empty handed because I'd entered the school premises so....My sister released the souvenir prepared by the students! And then we went across to visit the library as requested by its volunteers.
On return, after lunch and my 40 winks, I'd gone down to spend time with George and Sindhu, who were working on the weeds in our compound. It was an interesting interaction and as I'd said before, for me, these conversations become a learning curve....
Tailpiece.
1. It was a quiet evening subsequently when the three of us talked and we talked.
2. Today has a historic importance. 73 years back, it was on this day that Muthachhan had organised the meeting of the representatives of 47 rural libraries at Ambalappuzha with Sir CP Ramaswamy Aiyar, the then Diwan of the princely state of Travancore, gracing the occasion. The Travancore Grandhasala Sangham became the Thiru-Kochi Grandhasala Sangham in '49 when the two princely states had conjoined and ultimately, the Kerala Grandhasala Sangham in '56 when the state was formed. The government had taken over the organisation in '78 and brought the entire network of libraries under the auspices of the then constituted State Library Council.
Meanwhile, Lekha and Mini had gone to the Thrikkonnamarkodu Devi kshetram nearby. They had gone at 7 and returned about an hour later. I, then, coaxed them to join me for the school function and after initial reluctance, they agreed to it.
John, with his car, was at our gate almost half an hour prior to the programme. He confirmed to me that he liked driving around for me - a nice man and all because I'd guided his son to an assignment in the merchant marine when he was taking his initial steps in life. The youngster is now happily married to a Malayali nurse and they reside at Sydney, Australia.
We left home at a quarter past 10 to be in time for the function and we reached the Government Welfare Lower Primary School(GWLPS), Ambalathinnirappu. The Panchayat President, Rakesh arrived soon after and the event had taken off. Received exceptional adulation from everyone who spoke and I wondered aloud as to whether I deserved all that because according to me, I've hardly done anything. The Head Mistress felicitated me by draping a shawl and I was also presented with a beautiful memento that had my photograph - Lekha had sent it yesterday from the train, when requested for - imprinted on it. Damn thoughtful of them!
During my interaction with the tiny tots, Adya of class IV was the first to give me the correct answer to a question of mine and I'd promised her a gift. As I was leaving, I draped the shawl that I'd received minutes before which took everyone by surprise. It was a spontaneous act but the Head Mistress told me later that she was sad that I'd given away my gift. It took a while to convince her that I meant no offence! It's my firm belief that I'd to go back empty handed because I'd entered the school premises so....My sister released the souvenir prepared by the students! And then we went across to visit the library as requested by its volunteers.
On return, after lunch and my 40 winks, I'd gone down to spend time with George and Sindhu, who were working on the weeds in our compound. It was an interesting interaction and as I'd said before, for me, these conversations become a learning curve....
Tailpiece.
1. It was a quiet evening subsequently when the three of us talked and we talked.
2. Today has a historic importance. 73 years back, it was on this day that Muthachhan had organised the meeting of the representatives of 47 rural libraries at Ambalappuzha with Sir CP Ramaswamy Aiyar, the then Diwan of the princely state of Travancore, gracing the occasion. The Travancore Grandhasala Sangham became the Thiru-Kochi Grandhasala Sangham in '49 when the two princely states had conjoined and ultimately, the Kerala Grandhasala Sangham in '56 when the state was formed. The government had taken over the organisation in '78 and brought the entire network of libraries under the auspices of the then constituted State Library Council.
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