Thodupuzha had always been a dream place in our memory
from childhood. It has been the most talked about place in our childhood where
our grandparents lived and brought up their children five daughters and a son.
Krishnan kovil and Thodupuzha
We often heard about its ceaseless expanse, a spacious
house with 25 rooms surrounded by acres of greenery, it was basically a `otra madam’ single house surrounded by
lush greenery with trees laden with jack fruits, mangoes and ripe bananas. Our
grandfather Shri. Shivarama Krishnan , a successful lawyer surveyed all that
around their and brought up his children with gentle survivelance. For us, the
next generation who were brought up in the small cubicles of Bombay houses, hung
midway in the air in raised apartments, all that sounded tale made in fairy
tales. Wide eyed we used to hear the tales and gorge every story told about
Thodupuza.
The mystery revealed. Though the place visited more than
half a century after hearing the stories, still retains many of its charms.
Myself and Venkat went to Mercy’s residence as part of
our Kerala visits.
Venkat ,self,Mercy
Mercy Tharrian , their neighbor of the yester years still
remains their around the same premises but on a much different terms.
Her story of life took strange turns. She was the
daughter of `Kaappan family. She married a handsome Doctor Jose and went to
stay in Italy. They got a cute daughter Geetha who was brought up at Italy.
However unfortunately Geetha succumbed to a disease in Italy and passed away at
the age of nine. The parents were sieged by grief. To keep her name evergreen
they started an orphanage buying more than 10 acres of land in the thickly
wooded area called Mula muttam
About 10 yrs after Geetha passed away her father
Jose also passed away in Italy. Mercy stood all the trials bravely and
continued to run the orphanage getting solace in bringing up well these orphan
children.
Mercy's residence
Here I am sharing with you all some scenes of Thodupuza
which is one of the strong root of our family lineage.
The old Thodupuzha of 1940’s and 1950’s has changed
beyond any recognition. It is now one of the fastest growing towns of Kerala
and one the biggest in Idukki district. The nearest train route to this place
is Eranakulam. From there it is about 75 kms along Muvarupuza along the east
and interior, situated along the rolling hills of western ghats. As the name
suggests the river thodupuzha runs through the town. Across the bridge we can
see the famous Krishnan kovil mostly frequented by our family during more than two
and half decades of their stay at Thodupuza.
Mercy family now consists of Mercy, her elder sister
Lessie and brother Babu remembers all the family very well. ` They remember our
mothers as ammals, Thangammal, Lakshmi kutty ammal. Sharadha ammal ,Chellammal
, Konthi and Narayani – the last one who lived till her prime and succumbed to
Typhoid. Its at the same time Lessie also got Typhoid but she lived to tell her
tale.
She studied at Harvard and was teaching their itself for
40 yrs before she returned recently after retirement and is well settled in a
Old age home at Eranakulam. Mercy’s only brother alive Babu is staying close by
in their `tharavatu house.
Mercy’s house is sprawling old Italian style house having
multi rooms in two levels. It almost is like a resort. The hospitality she
offers is also very warm. The two days we spent their was almost like living
down the memory lane recalling the childhood of our mothers and youth of our
grand parents.
I would like to share with you all some of these so that
you get the flavor of those days.
