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JACOBKUTTY & FAMILY
her friends decided to go back
home to Mallappally. They had to
trudge 20 kms or so back home.
There weren’t any proper roads,
and they just figured their way
out through footpaths, weaving
their way by entering people’s
properties. As expected, they lost
their way and found themselves
in Changanassery as dusk started
settling in. Anyway, she managed
to reach home after asking people
for directions. This seemed like
great adventure for me, but her
matter-of-fact way of speaking
and nonchalance was an endear-
ing quality in all her stories. She
never made a hullabaloo about

were there cars around in Mallap- anything. She simply accepted
pally, the town nearby? Was her life as it presented itself to her.
life affected by the presence of For her, persistence and consis-
the British, then ruling in India? tency were the key.
Did she have electricity at home? I also noticed how adaptable
She would patiently listen to my she was. She would quietly rise
questions, chuckle, reminiscence to the occasion. When Appachen
and joggle her memory to start was alive, he was a commanding
her story. figure, and she would be in the
Her tales were down to earth backseat, quietly working for the
and colourful and I could easily family. But when he passed away
visualise that she had lived life at the ripe age of 92, Ammaachy
to the fullest. One was about an didn’t skip a beat; she immediate-
adventure she had while in board- ly stepped into his “over-sized”
ing school in Nicholson school in shoes and became the family’s
Thiruvalla. One morning, she and anchor. Her vision for her family
was touching -- “I want all of you

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