My family ,my pride

Gundalapndita -- a family friend from a village Gundalupandit was a village farmer plus traditional vetenary doctor who would visit us frequently taking special yields from his place. He came from a hilly area who would digg up herbs like "mango ginger,types of herbs makalli beru and all herbs grown below rocks. He would collect them in sacks nad bring it to us. This person we could never guess his age --always so agile ,great appetite,could carry 20 kilos without fatigue from his village to Mandya and his knowledge,memory was extraodinary. He would suggest best herbal medicines fot our cows,gods,oxen,cats and it would include castor oil,bryophyllum leaf paste,asparagaus roots,aloevera paste so on --his phmaramcy was in and around our house and he would treat simple ailments and get back our life stock in minutes. If I recall castor oil,neem oil,hongae oil were his medicines for skin ailments,ginger for appetite and bryophyllum if our cows had mastitis --it was a wonder to see hi...

The lady we are proud of –my granny Music was in her blood—she played violin and was excellent in it. she would teach Karnataka music to my sister –she would play veena and ajji would accompany her on violin –a rare combination. She also knew Hindustani music and she named all of us by musical raaga. She inculcated sense of music in all so every one inherited music from her. She heard classical music from a big Murphy radio that we had since very long.and we also had a gramophone to hear musical records. She could play chess like a chess master and inspired by her all of us could play chess. Many of us enjoyed the game and many of us could become masters in our colleges, schools –it was all because we learnt chess at a very young age. Thanks to grandparents most of us developed deep interest in it. Let me tell you how she developed keen interest in music ,art, science –it was all due to her upbringing.Shall blog about her father ,who was a post master. Sri.chandrashekar was a post m...

The Magical tree in my grandparents home. If a tree does not bear fruits or flowers but is green and has children of all ages on its branches –cant it be called magical tree ? Behind this magical tree we had one big jackfruit tree, two coconut trees, one mango tree and two big rose trees –one yellow and other white rose tree—these rose trees was full of roses and we made huge garlands to decorate our deity –hanuman and Saraswathi photos. We got some 75 to 90 roses and made garlands and ajji would make beautiful garlands so heavy two or three of us had to carry them. Magical tree which was ever green tree known as ‘kondamavu,’ botanical name commiphora caudata, and in English it was known as the hill mango as it gave slight smell of mango or also called green commiphora. It was there from many years and as it had branches so well organised as if it was made to accommodate all of us of its branches. When we were not in the garden enjoying its bounty we would be found enjoying sitt...

My grandpa -a person of many talents My grandpa studied Agriculture from University of Mysore at Hebbal –he was in the first batch of students to get his Licentiate in Agriculture. And he was appointed as cane supervisor at Mysugar cane Factory established by the British. He was most qualified to inspect the quality of sugar cane grown and if it was fit for making sugar. Grandpa had a very legible handwriting and his English was fantastic and when we admired his writing Ajji told us about how his handwriting was awarded by the then Mysore Maharaja as one of the best handwritings. As grandpa was very well known for his competence local teenagers came to learn English, mannerisms, grammar and got guidance for their future career .Tatha would dress up in full suit and a hat and a jeep would come to take him for his official field visits .He must be going to many farmers and check their cane produce and certify when it could be harvested. Famers would also be growing water melons and oth...

    Presence of my grandma made my childhood so beautiful, meaningful and has been studded with sweet happy memories. Every child is not blessed to enjoy childhood with grandparents but I had the great fortune to be with grandparents for several formative years. So many unique memories which made me what I am really today is all grateful thanks to my granny but I shall start with sharing  one usual day .. Every morning we would wake up brush quickly and get ready wearing swimming suits and on top of it a warm sweater and keep swim caps in our hands and go reach the swimming pool by 5 a.m. Swimming pool was so near to my grandparents home it took us 5 mins to reach there. Grandpa took us—me and my brother who is 2 years my elder with him as I was 4 years and these memories are so etched in my memory that it makes me miss those days a lot. Grandpa had an ancient gramophone on it he would play subrabhatam sang so melodiously by M.S.Shubhalakshmi   --in it it s...