During the 1950s and '60's I have seen several 'athani' s (chumaduthangi) on the roadsides in Kerala and elsewhere. This was meant as a platform or a bench for pedestrians to rest their head load and their weary bodies. During my school days we used to spend the summer holidays at my maternal grandfather's 'Kalam' at Muttikulangara near Palghat. The athani in front of the farmhouse served as a bus stop and also as a haunt for us in the evenings, to sit and watch the occasional vehicles pass by. It even had small depression which was used to crush betel nuts.
I was pleasantly surprised to see an Athani at the busy Edpazhanji junction not far from my house, in Trivandrum Many are not even aware of the existence of this legacy from the past.
3 comments:
Interesting Pages here. I remember seeing a chumaduthaangi at Kumarapuram junction on the road to Kannanmoola (Trivandrum) early in my school days ( 1980s). Assume it was all removed at some road widening session.
Interesting Pages here. I remember seeing a chumaduthaangi at Kumarapuram junction on the road to Kannanmoola (Trivandrum) early in my school days ( 1980s). Assume it was all removed at some road widening session.
Thanks.
There are some of these still around, especially in the smaller towns and villages. Look out for them and share the images with us.
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