Visit to village

The year 2014 started with Grandpa (age 82) getting hospitalized due to multiple problems. Mid-Jan, he finally left all of us forever. As usual the post death rituals had to be performed in our village. So the whole family; minus me and youngest uncle's family, left for village. Like the Chennai Express, they took the kalash to village in Ratnagiri Passenger. I and uncle's family left for village on the next evening having completed the Workdays at office. We took the Okha-Ernakulam Express; got down at Ratnagiri at 3.30 am. Taking a bus and further an auto, we reached home at 5.30am. Till afternoon all cousin families arrived. I was confused for this is condolences time or another family get-together! We all cousins met almost after seven years; it was a full house after a long time. Everyone was so busy in own studies that we could hardly make it to visit the village. Now Grandpa had to be the reason for all of us to leave everything and come together. We were there for seven days; the post death rituals were on alternate days for three days and those were in mornings. There was no point sitting at home for people used to come for condolences and those crying sessions began. My Granny should get an award to cry without tears! Cousin Granny was our dearest; she used to suggest to go out and enjoy rather than watching the mourning here. She was so open-minded, “We have aged and sooner or later we are going to heaven. Don’t understand why all the cryings are for!”

There were around nine of us. First we went uphill through the stones pathway. We saw the fresh waterfall! There is so much peace spending time in nature. Just close your eyes and listen to the streams and chirping birds. We plucked karvanda and cashew-nuts. We reached the flat surface and watched the top view of the whole village. We also went downstream in the Malaa to see our coconut trees and well and also the river. Being the elder-most; I had the responsibility to take care of these naughty cousins. Still I managed to take a few clicks! 

We did the boating from this side of river to that side and back. We have got a cowshed of our own. We saw aunt milking the cows. We did play with the calves. We visited the village school in the evening. We walked the whole way to the neighbouring village to visit another cousin. We had tea party there. The tea made on chullas tastes so different. 

Also the food seems tasty. We had bhakari breakfasts; as usual lunches and dinners with lot of rice. If it was May we would have had Alphonso mangoes! Never mind we had coconut drinks in the evening and sometimes there were Jack-fruits! At night the stars seemed to be closer to us. We all used to sit or sleep on the cots or directly on the ground. Winters were very cold here; we had to be in woollens! We used to talk about our cities and other things sitting on chairs near the Tulsi. You always have a know-it-all cousin, a comedian, a question bank, etc. Sometimes uncles used to join us. Then Cousin Granny used to call them for some work just to keep up with our privacy. 

Having done with all the rituals and when the sutak was gone; we finally decided to visit the famous Mahakali temple at Aadivare. I gave a vada pav party then to all. We bought a lot of food stuffs to take back to Mumbai. On the last day, all bags were packed and all the utensils went in cupboards because now no one would be staying in that home. Grandpa's photo frame was put on the wall. Cousin granny became too emotional. She said, "I know all of you are so busy. But try to come here for at-least two days". Such heart touching it was! We headed towards Mumbai with loads of memories of spending quality time with cousins. And actually doing what Grandpa used to say, "No cryings when I am no more". I am sure he would have been the happiest person to see all of us together under the same roof.