The trip home - II

The next day morning it began raining, an offshoot of the heavy rains in Chennai. So we abandoned plans to go for a walk in the morning. But in the evening, we took Ash along as we went to the church kurisumoodu (each church has a cross junction on the wayside where devotees and passerby can pray and make offerings) to light candles. I love this idea of lighting candles in twilight - it makes the whole place so beautiful. Unfortunately fixing the candles - not to mention keeping it ligted - on the wet cross base was a feat in the drizzle.
Braving the rain and the darkness, we decided to trek to our old and ailing manservant's house nearby (incidentally, he passed away today morning). The Pulaya dada had served our family for some 35-40 years I guess though towards his later years boozing got the better of him and he would come only to collect his quota of tip from us non-resident Keralites in the family. He saw to it that the fields and premises remained quite spick and span - and the present, poor state of the fields and other property made me realise his worth.
We couldnt walk the next morning either but by evening, the skies had cleared and we visited my elder aunt in Adoor. V came home that night. When dad and Karthikeyan went tapioca digging in the Eastern Fields near the church, we (me, V and aunt) went along hoping to do our morning jog on the way back - I mean we drove up and walked back. Kizhakevayal would make an ideal tourism spot for those looking for some peace and quiet.

We passed a stream - and a man performing his ablutions - and a small coffee shop on the way back.

We were not in our best attire, so we desisted from visiting our numerous kith and kin on the route, stopping only at the government primary school where my aunt studied nearly 50 years ago.

Moreover we were short of time since we had to leave for Changanachery, V's place, and drop aunt at her husband's place in Pallom, Kottayam.
To be continued...