Week 16 of 2025, Sunday to Saturday, April 13th to April 19th.
Samartha had bought a new ‘gear cycle’; Stryder, from the Tatas. Asked me if I want to try riding. Flashback! Cycles are associated with our family from a long time. My ajja when first came to Sirsi had a cycle repair shop for livelihood. He is 87 now, keeps on saying how cycles shaped his life. Cycles made him travel across Karnataka and Maharashtra – buying accessories and hardware parts. Cycles earned him friends- in the people who came to shop. Cycles made him earn money - through which he bought land and settled down. Even I had bicycles. First was a Hercules, with side wheels. Second was a pink ladybird with a basket in the front. Third was given by Karnataka government when I was studying in 8th . All in bad condition now. I couldn’t ride Samartha’s bicycle, It is 29T, too tall for me.
My primary schooling was from
Banavasi, the land of Kadambas. ‘Kadambotsava’ (Kadamba Utsava – The festival
of Kadambas) is held here every year; ‘Pampa Prashasti’ in the name of the greatest
poet ‘Pampa’ is awarded to contemporary poets who are contributing to the field
of Kannada literature. Last time I went there was in my high school. Appa asked
me if I want to go this time. We went together. I went down the memory lane while
walking through the streets of Banavasi, where I had spent 7 years of my
childhood. It was disappointing to see that the celebration is no more cultural,
slowly losing its value. It is now more commercial, and fun oriented.
This week was full of hospital
duty. Dhruva was sneezing continuously, caught cold. We visited doctor to check
with cough. Nothing was to worry, he recovered. Then my ajji (paternal) got
admitted. She is 84, has issues with electrolyte imbalance. Her body lacks Sodium,
leading to low blood pressure. She can not drink more than half a liter of
water in 24 hours. If she drinks more water, ions in her bloods get diluted, more
the urine output, more the loss of sodium. This leads to vertigo, rejection of
food, dizziness, weakness. This is summer. she must have drunk more water. This
time her liver must be weakening slowly, there was a fluid build-up in her body.
She started blabbering also. After 48 hours of treatment, she is home, I am
amazed at the advancements in the medical field. But she is less likely to
survive this time, she has lost her confidence.
My amma was doing hospital duty.
Appa and I were at home. I had to manage Dhruva with household chores. It was difficult.
The only thing I haaaaaaaaaate in this whole universe is cooking. I know basic cooking
– survival types. I don’t make good delicious food. Nobody can eat the food I
cook except me. I never was exposed to a situation where it was necessary to
cook. I had amma, ajji, chikkamma at home. Now have atte and akka at in-laws. I
am just a helper then and now. Only reason Sujay dislikes me is - ‘me not
cooking’ (But I don’t dislike him for he doesn’t cook). This time I cooked only
rice, appa bought sambar from hotel. We somehow managed two days.
My cousins are still at Ajji mane,
spending summer holidays. They came over to play with Dhurva. They were ‘feasting’
on him, taking turns to carry him, watching his roll overs. He was enjoying
their company. My ajji(maternal) has four children, all daughters, my amma is
the eldest. Surprisingly all these ladies have all daughters, including me the
eldest. Girl Power! I anticipated Dhruva to be a girl. But that’s ok, we had
fun dressing him as girl and took photos. Ah! That urge of a mother to dress
her baby boy as girl.
With the work. I completed
writing column for Shramajeevi magazine. There is an NGO called ‘Access
Agriculture’ for promoting rural livelihoods, working majorly in India and
Africa. They are collaborating with German government (GIZ) to implement SuATI
(Support to Agroecological Transformation Processes in India) scheme. Me and
Sujay are among the four ‘Entrepreneurs for Rural Access’ in Karnataka as
appointed under this. The higher officers from the scheme are visiting us, to
check the work progress. We need to conduct a program on 24th next
week. I was planning the program whole week.
I am a magazine lover. I have subscribed
for The Week, Reader’s Digest, Nat Geo, Sanctuary Asia, Science Reporter,
Indian Horticulture, many Kannada ones. All the March and April issues are
piled up. Need to read them all by the end of next week. Also, the 24th
program is on the way. See you next week!
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