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Returning to our roots

Last Updated 29 March 2020, 20:24 IST

Name one of the few bright spots most elderly enjoy that very few youngsters do? It is not a riddle or an option to a poser, but the answer to a contemporary social fact--the way the older generation preserves and cherishes its roots! One's native place is always remembered fondly notwithstanding power cuts, mosquitoes and meagre facilities.

I never miss an opportunity to land in my native place, an extended-family wedding a local temple festival, or an alumni meet become excuses to retreat to my past. Recently, college reunion to welcome a U.S-settled friend saw me packing my bags for Kochi, my native place. I booked a return ticket for the next day but got stuck there for many days because of the local temple festival.

Local celebrations and temple festivals were always times for children settled outside to revisit home-towns. Decorated pachyderms paraded during festivals, a part of Kerala temple culture, were characters in stories that grand-children of families carried back to their paternal homes. Despite being a believer in animal rights, this time, I immersed myself in the grandeur with the comforting thought that animal laws take care of these gentle giants.

Stepping into the shoes of Rip-Wan-Winkle as you wander around your place, wondering, "was my tuition teacher's house behind the new hotel that has come up or has disappeared to make room for the eatery!" is common even as faceless names and nameless faces encounter you on the way. Yet, friendly souls come to your aid to dig into the roots identifying those faces and names as so-and-so's nephew or granddaughter.

This bond is a legacy we acquired along with the trails of family ties, customs, local rituals, cuisine and language--in short a tiny culture in itself-- that could hardly be passed on to the globe-trotting youngsters of today who are in search of careers and degrees.

Not having to jab cab apps, negotiate traffic snarls or use masks are bonuses because you could cover the place on foot. And, what about the specialities each place boasts of and yours is not an exception? Packets of papad-vadas (dried papads dipped in spicy rice paste and fried), banana and tapioca fritters, and spices from the queen of the Arabian Sea, are not just memories for me to cherish but take-aways to be gifted proudly back home.

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(Published 29 March 2020, 20:24 IST)

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