There is something magical about happy, childhood memories.
It remains etched in our hearts, and as one grows older, these memories grow
stronger, evoking a special attachment for the people and places that were an
integral part of our bygone days.
One such
place which holds a special place in my heart is my ancestral village,
Manjalur, a quaint and sleepy hamlet in Palakkad. A lot of my happy memories
are built around this place and that certainly could be the reason for the
special bond that I share with a lot of my cousins and other relatives who were
an integral part of my childhood days at Manjalur.
Although our family house no longer exists, the strong bonding
with my maternal homeland continues, and we try make a few trips in a year with
the main intention of visiting the few temples that has been an integral part
of our lives, as well stopping over to see a couple of relatives who live there.
Most of the traditional houses of the
yesteryears have now been pulled down, or have given way to modern homes with
concrete roofs. I guess we all need to keep pace with changing times.
Last week my sister and I along with our children, visited
Manjalur. The early morning drive itself was certainly worth it and we were
rewarded with the awesome sight of lush greenery and a fresh earthy fragrance
that was the result of the previous night’s rainfall. The sense of peace and
tranquility that I get over here is amazing. I guess our roots certainly matter…
Our first stop was the Cherathura Bhagavathy temple or the
Cherorakkavu as we call it. The deity of this temple, Cheroramuthi, is a powerful goddess who protects all the
inhabitants of this land. Yearly festivals are held in Her honour and we make
it a point to visit this temple whenever possible. It is not just the temple or
the deity which attracts; it is also the bountiful scenic surroundings that
contribute a lot to the remarkable peace that I find over here. The serenity that
is to be found in the vicinity of this temple is seldom experienced anywhere
else. For me, it is like a homecoming…
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| The Cherathura Bhagavathy Temple, Manjallur |
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| The lush, green, surroundings of the temple. |
This is the Mananchira… the pride of Manjalur. A lot of my
happy memories are connected with this huge pond. Our house was situated
adjacent to this pond and this was where I spent a lot of fun times with
cousins. I learnt to swim in the Mananchira under the watchful eyes of my
mother and aunts. As children, an elderly uncle of ours would entertain us with
stories of how he bravely captured a huge crocodile from the pond, which used
to terrify people. My young mind had believed every word of it… Some memories
are forever imprinted in our minds and the sight of a long water snake gliding
smoothly over its calm waters during a hot afternoon is something I still
remember.
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| The Magnificent Mananchira , Manjalur |
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This is the Ayyappankaavu… the temple dedicated to Lord
Aiyyappa. Situated on the banks of the Mananchira, this temple holds a special
place in my heart. The lamp that was lit in the temple could be seen from our
house and as children, it was mandatory that we visit the temple every single
day. During dusk, the lighted stone lamps would reflect in the waters of the Mananchira…
a sight which was very beautiful and soothing. I also used to enjoy listening to the ‘Aiyyappan
pattu’ or bhajans sung in praise of Lord
Aiyyappa, in the temple.
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| The Aiyyapa Temple, Manjalur |
This is the small Ganapathy temple that is situated under the huge Banyan tree, adjacent to the
Aiyyapankavu. The visit to the Aiyyappa temple is incomplete without praying
before Lord Ganapathy and lighting camphor and incense sticks here.
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| The Ganapathy Temple near the Aiyyappankavu, Manjalur |
Childhood memories are indeed precious. As a child, the adult world was very fascinating for me and i just couldn't wait to grow up. But how i wish i could relive those carefree days of childhood, where the biggest issue i faced would probably have been not being allowed to go out and play with friends as i hadn't finished my homework...
I guess life goes on.. we grow up...meet various people... stray off to far off lands... perhaps never to return again. But no matter what, some special childhood memories can never ever fade. They become an integral part of our lives, bringing about a refreshing sweetness now and then. I only pray that i am able to pass on this legacy to my children.
I am so grateful for the life and times that I spent in this lovely land called Manjalur.
