There are some people you meet in the course of your life, that leave an indelible impression. They become a part of your memory. They bring a smile to your face when sometimes the memory flits across your head, unbidden but most welcome.
Pasupathy amma is one such lady.
And what a lady she is too. Bustling with energy, she runs a small tea / snacks shop in a small village*. It has one main road and her main customers are travellers who pass by that way and want some refreshment.
We met her on the first day of our stay and we had to keep going back to her tiny shack to eat whatever she would cook up for us.
She was so cheerful that it was difficult not to smile when you saw her. And all this despite the fact that she knew only Tamil, and I couldn’t understand a word of anything she was saying.
And yet, she was thrilled with her four city visitors, all women, might I add. She proudly showed off to anyone listening as to how she was communicating with us without any problems. She would let us talk to her competition — shop owners nearby — for 15 minutes, not more!
She fed us, chatted with us like old friends and when we left, she had tears in her eyes.
She introduced us to her husband (whose name she wouldn’t take) and gamely posed beside him for a picture. They looked so happy and made for each other — I don’t think any amount of riches can buy that. I had to mail them the pictures and I can almost see the delight in her face when she sees them.
What a woman! In the world of her making, she seems so happy with just what she has.
And what a place. We hope to go back. For the fresh air. For the lovely lake in the middle of the hills. The flocks of cute sheep that would stop in their tracks to look at us curiously. For the mist covered rolling hills and of course, for Pasupathy amma.
(* A small village that will go unnamed. Near Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu.)
One of the prettiest couples…great capture!
Posted by Layon | August 1, 2007, 2:33 pmVery rich people. Kallam Kapadamilladha manidhargal*. (*sorry u can’t understand this — translation charges = village name)
Posted by kannan raman | August 2, 2007, 8:49 amHmm… good one rey! Hopped in thru Purple Heart… a neat story.…
Posted by Honey Bee | August 2, 2007, 10:54 am@ Layon: they were very cute!
@ kannan: thanks for the translation!
@ Honey Bee: thanks!
Posted by Anita | August 2, 2007, 11:08 amThe first image is wonderful! Excellent capture of light. The second one is endearing too.
Two thumbs up :-)
Posted by Kartik | August 2, 2007, 2:29 pmPerfect shots, the second pic is the apt one for ‘Made for Each Other’ tag, raw simplicity..Vividly written and great clicks as usual :)
Posted by Tanay | August 2, 2007, 2:47 pmThere’s one sentence which i liked in ur blog…“They looked so happy and made for each other — I don’t think any amount of riches can buy that.”
Its very apparent from the photo that they dont need anything else in the world to make them happy!!! Only if the rest of the world could understand this concept especially our parents and society!!!
Posted by Tony | August 3, 2007, 12:30 pm@ Kartik: thanks!
@ Tanay: thanks a lot!
@ Tony: yes, i wish they would…
Posted by Anita | August 3, 2007, 3:52 pmNow you know why we are doing a village tour with a challenge!! And in less expense to be a part of them… :-) :-)
Posted by Sathish | August 3, 2007, 6:06 pmHi Anita!!!
First time here and truly enjoyed your posts..
Posted by Rajee | August 4, 2007, 12:04 pmsathish: absolutely :)
rajee: thanks! glad you liked them..
Posted by Anita | August 6, 2007, 1:13 pmI love being with such people.. They are not only happy and full of energy, they also liven up the space all around them..
Posted by Arun | August 6, 2007, 9:10 pmWow! Beautiful. You are one sensitive and expressive woman I hv met on Blogs. I love the way you put your perception of things. I hope the couple remains happy forever. I think in scarcity there’s different kind of contentment and joy. Joy of having small dreams. And joy of giggling and wiggling…
Posted by Zeya | August 7, 2007, 12:35 amHi Anita,
First of all..splendid job with the blog!
I have a question for you. Since you are a live journal user, could you tell me how you enlarge your pics so this pixel size and still retain clarity?
Posted by Poorva | August 7, 2007, 1:54 amarun: yes, their energy and enthusiasm is infectious!
@ Zeya: thank you for the nice words! i do hope so too!
@ Poorva: thanks. i take pictures in a large size with a high resolution (300 dpi) so the pics don’t get affected when i resize them!
Posted by Anita | August 9, 2007, 12:03 pmWonderful portrait! Nice writeup too..
Posted by simba | August 14, 2007, 9:48 amTouching Post.
Posted by Rajesh Naik | October 29, 2007, 5:12 pm