Let's flash back for a moment and test your good old memories about our Sreenivas, Thiruvangad days. Who can forget Madhuarthy, Yasodaarthy, Madhemma, kaluamma and Rohini arthy. Madhuarthy was a little doll, always neat and clean and wanted to be kitchen commanding. She used to get the food from the adkela to the dining room, which was quite a distance and after all the kitchen work used to get over come and assemble in the middle room, where there was a get together before going to sleep. Yasodaarthy was reputed for her Tenga chamandi and brilliant mango quoted mean curries. Yes, Yasodaarthy used to really prepare the kalamakai fried with excellence. Madhemma I remember used to do all those manual grinding work, washing clothes and if needed some cooking job too. She was the chief organiser on the eve of all wedding days as regards preparing chor or unnu for all members as well as guests. Kaluamma was literally the animal keeper playing pied piper with the cats in the verandas. Who can forget the pious lady, Rohini Arthy. So loving, affectionate, well behaved and always smiling. I think when Ammamma breathed her last, she was our chief cook in Thiruvangad. After these great ladies there was no real person who could run the kitchen in Thiruvangad smoothly though I would leniently credit Remaniachi and the current lady, whose name I can't remember. Well all credit to Ammamma and Mummy achan who had this gusto and ease to look after these people's welfare.

Among the males, I can remember Kannatan, kumarattan, Govindattan and Rajattan. Kannatan and Kumarattan use to look after the packaging of tea and tobacco in Mummyachans business shop in pilakool, the responsibility which was later taken over by Sreejayamaman. Kannatan, I remember used to cycle down from shop to Sreenivas and carry lunch for Mummy achan, Sreejayamaman and the pilakool staff as well as for Vijayamaman and Cheriababuman and by 4 pm get those vessels back to Sreenivas. Kannatan was the mainstay, very laborious and also used to be the chief male organiser during wedding ceremonies in our Thiruvangad house. Kumarattan was the iron man in the sense staying in Thiruvangad used to iron most of the members dress in Thiruvangad. He then used to sit in the connai, verandah and read the Malayam daily. In short I would say he was Mummy achan s body guard and run errands to for all in Sreenivas. Today I believe kumarattan is running his own business in his home town somewhere beyond Chokli. Govindattan used to be the account keeper in Sreejayamaman s shop and during marriage ceremonies used to coordinate activities in Sreenivas house. Short in height but an ardent believer in God used to visit Thiruvangad temple daily in the evening and then proceed to his house catching bus from Manjodi. Rajattan used to be a helping hand in packaging in the shop and is related to us. He is Gopala maman,s eldest son. Nanumaman, Ammamma s younger brother also used to help all his nephew's as a stand by ie in their absence. Gopala maman was granny's eldest brother and used to visit daily in our ancestral home. They say he had timber business which eventually did not flourish. I have never seen a time keeper such as Gopala maman because he used to maintain the railway time table with accurate precision. You name the train and in split seconds you have the timing delivered by Gopala maman. Great man and I still remember he used to come to the station to see us off during late night hours. Our train West coast express used to leave Tellicherry station at sharp twelve midnight and that day Gopala maman is to stay over in Thiruvangad. princess wedding gowns

Very few above mentioned names are alive and I pray for their long survival who assisted our grand parents in Tellicherry. Hope you guys liked this short nostalgic past.