By Sangeetha KB.
I stepped inwards doubtfully, too the screeching noise shape the gate made her aspect upwards towards me. She smiled too said she knew I was coming. She offered a part of her lunch, some ragi mudde and rasam. H5N1 dozen crows surrounded her to part her lunch. She smiled too sheepishly mentioned that this sharing was a daily affair. At that moment, I knew that my ii hr ho-ho (hop on hop off) coach journeying was worth it. I was amongst Salumarada Thimakka this morning, too I’m glad I spent some fourth dimension amongst her.
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| Salumarada Thimakka |
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| Thimakka's trees |
Thimakka is an octogenarian; she lives inwards Hulikal Taluk (about lxx kilometers from Bangalore) too is a woman nurture to over 800 banyan trees. Yes! Over 800 of them. H5N1 publish she refuses to elevate because she does non appreciate the logic of counting her actions. Frail too friendly, Thimakka too her belatedly married adult man took upwards this epic trouble of planting Banyan trees to teach over the fact that they didn’t lead maintain children. They’d walk many kilometers every twenty-four hr menstruum to tend to the saplings too H2O them. As expected, people laughed at their insanity. But Thimakka never gave up, she knew what others didn’t. She flora her calling inwards beingness the ‘Green Champion’.
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| Thimakka’s awards |
Our conversations continued too she spoke at length well-nigh her village, the people, the changes inwards climate, solid soil politics too everything you lot could await from your grandma :) Though she complained of physical disease too well-nigh her fractured leg, she ever ended her statements amongst a deep feel of peace. Her solid is adorned amongst plaques too awards inwards recognition of her commitment towards the trees. She modestly admits that it was a articulation endeavour amongst her husband, too cannot lead maintain total credit for her actions.
Her adjacent excogitation is really clear. She insists on having a primary wellness view inwards Hulikal too is fighting caput on amongst the solid soil to unloose the funds. She knows it volition lead maintain fourth dimension too isn’t certain if she’d survive live to consider it happen. But in that location is no bitterness inwards her tone. She has organized faith too knows it volition happen. Simple too practical.
Thimakka had a non bad aura around her. She spoke non amongst pride but amongst humility, every bit if she wasn’t responsible for all this but it was bestowed upon her past times some magic. As I was leaving, she handed me a pocketbook total of beans grown locally, because she believed that people who see her, shouldn’t become empty handed.
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| The Green Tunnel |
She wanted to walk amongst me too innovate me to her trees, similar a curator would walk you lot through a slice of art. She was also fragile to walk, too and hence I promised her I would consider every 1 of her trees earlier I caput dorsum to the city. Her beaming smiling kept me smiling for the adjacent 4 kilometers that I walked inwards the canopy.
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| Salu Mara |
In Kannada, salu way describe too mara too trees, which gives you lot Salumarada Thimakka. As I walked the stretch, on both sides of the route were gigantic banyan trees aligned too spaced beautifully. lxx years too all the same growing strong, these trees formed a coveted greenish tunnel. H5N1 walk inwards the hot afternoon was a walk inwards the park, literally! At the terminate of the tunnel, I knew what Thimakka too her married adult man planned when they began tending to banyan saplings. They did it, non for themselves, but for generations to come. If you lot view grandmas could entirely narrate stories, I happened to run into 1 grandma who created the story. I took a leafage from her life & several leaves from her trees.
Practical Information
Salumarada Thimakka tin survive visited every bit a twenty-four hr menstruum trip from Bangalore.
How to reach: Take 1 of the buses that become towards Kunigal, Bangalore. Get downwards at Marur Housing Post (I lead maintain no view why it is called a Housing Post). Take an motorcar / coach to accomplish Kudur coach stop, which is 10 kms away. vi kilometers from Kudur is Hulikal, too in that location are many buses that would driblet you lot at Hulikal.
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| Kudur Bus Stop |
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| Thimakka’s House |
What to expect: Typical hamlet scene, every solid volition lead maintain goats too cows. Coconut too mango trees adorn both sides. The local people people are polite too to a greater extent than than happy to help. Don't fille the java too vada at Thimakka’s house, reserved for every guest.
Author Bio: The writer is from Bangalore. She travels to teach a life too works every bit a trouble organisation analyst for a living. She believes that every journeying has something novel to offer, the view is to stay disconnected from the noise too connect to the place, too you’ll selection upwards a lot to a greater extent than than only souvenirs. She tin survive reached at sangeethakb@gmail.com.
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