Wanting to have a family outing with Sajee,
Aji and Vanaya, we leave early morning in the little Tata for the four-hour
drive into the mountains. Munnar is one of the cities in the Western Ghats
(mountains) of Kerala. Tea plantations, spice farms, coffee, chocolate and
rubber plants line the sides of the hills. We are in for an adventure! The
mountains are vast, and quiet and stretch as far as the eye can see. It is a
peaceful reprieve from the frenzied existence in Fort Cochin.
It happens to be a national holiday,
Republic Day, honouring the date when India’s constitution came to be enforced
in 1950. Who knew it would be so difficult to find a place to stay amongst the
hundreds of hotels and homestays in Munnar? We finally find a place a short
distance out of the city. Paul and I stay the night in a small room built in a
tree. We wake up in the treetops. Above us and below are trees and through
them, the rolling hills of plantation growth are visible. Tea, while growing,
forms bushes of treelike quality, developing strong branches and dense low
foliage, spreading out across the fields. They are shaped into small plants to
allow for cultivating, and to me, they make the land appear like a board game
of Chutes and Ladders.
We arrive in time for a glorious sunset. Our
dinner is in a simple Indian restaurant with the ordinary fare…vegetable curry,
dahl, chicken biryani, and chappati. A campfire blazes on a nearby hill. Western/Indian
music blares. I curiously go to the window to see what’s going on. Below me are
about 25 women, dancing together around the campfire, sharing a joyous time
with each other and with the full moon above. They beckon us to come, and Aji,
Vinaya and I leave our meal to go down to join them. We are immediately pulled
into the circle with an abundance of female energy. Mothers, Grandmothers,
Daughters, all sharing the pure simple joy of dance! It is truly an evocative
connection we have together. Without words we become instantly and profoundly connected.
Smiling, laughing, hugging, with many hands reaching out towards one another to
embrace. Women…..together. It could have been anywhere in the world, but it was
right here! Eventually, Paul and Sajee join us. They too, are completely
welcomed with sincere giggles and outstretched arms!
In the morning, music blares from the
nearby Roman Catholic Church beginning at 6:15 am. It plays continuously
through the day. As we walk through the paths of tea spread over the land, the
music becomes fainter until it is just about inaudible. The mountain hills are
quiet.
Villages, established to accommodate the
workers in the fields, offer housing for the community as well as small shops
and services. We spend a fair amount of time talking with an older woman who
invites us in to her home for tea. A mother, with no husband, she cares for her
3 teenaged daughters by working all day in the fields. Her housing is free, and
for her labour she receives 150 rupees per day (about $3.00). With not a lot
to give, she offers us tea and we have a chance spend time and learn more about
her. Through some translation, we find out that she is from Tamil Nadu and
feels lucky to have the opportunity that she has. After 13 years, however, she
must leave, and will be left with virtually nowhere to go. She is happy,
though, and loves that we are there with her!
We decide to take our time on our way home
so we can stop along the way. One such stop is a coffee break at a place on a
cliff where they grow and roast their own coffee. Another stop is in a small
cavelike hovel where the owner brews his own toddy. It’s made from the leaves of coconut plants and is fermented
to a strong and uniquely tasting alcohol. Supposedly, it can get you really
drunk, but we didn’t want that. So we packed the remaining liquid into a bottle
to take home.
As we wander back to our car, we hear
shouts from the residents in the area. Looking in the direction of the many
pointing fingers we see a wild elephant wandering on the mountain! What a
beautiful sight! Slowly and
intentionally this beautiful mass of grey animal glides in his own path on his
way to….somewhere. A Native Canadian friend of ours once told us to be very
aware of the animals that cross our paths. They are there for a good reason.
What could that elephant want to tell me, I wonder. Again, I feel blessed!
The weekend is just spectacular. Spending time
with my Indian family is a gift! We have grown to love and appreciate each
other so completely over the years. I will think about them often when I leave!
Sajee reminds us “We are all lonely
travellers in this world, and we come together for just a few minutes” Yes……
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