Repaired my grandmas harmonium a week back. This was given to my grandma by her dad when she was 8. Now she is almost 80. I really felt thrilled when I saw her so happy when she played it again.
Inicidentally a couple of days back, I was chatting with Mrs. Uma Devarajan, who is a founder member of Vishranthi - a home for destituted women. She was telling me the story of how this was found with just one patti who was made to stay in a rented house. Now there are 160 pattis there. when I told her my wish to visit them sometime, she was telling me about how glad the pattis are when someone come to the home to visit them and the amount of enthu they have in doing any kind of activity. Planning to visit them with Kimaya.
I always have a great respect for old people as I've lived with my grandmas and grandpa. They are really fun to live with. My grandma for example can relate more with this generation than my parents do. You learn a lot from them.

So since the harmonium is back, I have started learning carnatic music again... ( I dont know how long my interest will last this time!!).
Started understanding the funda behind raga and thala. Trying to practice atleast once a day.

Day before yesterday, our house owners younger daughter came and told us that her sister is unwell. She said that the doc has said that her sister has some kind of phobia and she may come to our place and demand that she will take the rent from now on... In five mts time, the whole family came upstairs and as the younger one had warned, her sister told my mom that she will take the cheque and demanded for one for the current month. My mom spoke to her nicely. After a while, she just roamed around the house and went of. Since I was feeding Kimaya, I could not speak to her.

Later the house owner mami came to our place to check whether we are shocked. Since we knew that her elder daughter had some kind of psychiatric issue, all in our family took it as just another incident of the day.

Gist of mami's talk was this - Her husband had been very strict and dominating in the house with his wife and kids. There had been incidents where he had beaten up his six month old child because she took one of the papers he had kept. They are all completely under his control and starting from who should they talk to, where should they go and when etc., etc., - everything is done as directed by him. Because of which the elder one is really scared about everything and anything and the younger one is slightly better because of the friends she has got.

I really cannot understand what makes such people act the way they do. Was he treated the same way in his childhood? What is it result of? Before his daughter is treated, I think he should get treated.

Kimaya's first travel by train on Aug-27. Went to my home town Mettur (Near Salem) with her. First one hour was terrifying as she did not stop crying. Once she settled down, journey was okay. Stayed there till Sep 13th. That's why no posts. Mettur is still just more than a village. When I was studying computers and email were unheard of and while the world is talking about WiFi, net cafes are still on dial up. I feel life here is healthy as you get fresh air, fresh food, do lots of physical activity, and less stressed. I realised that how much better you can be with less of TV and shopping. (Cable gets switched off every time it looks like it is going to rain and shopping here means only for necessity. ) Can u believe that a couple can live lavishly if they have 2K per month!!!!
I think Kimaya also enjoyed her stay here as she could see more open space. amount of time she spent in the cot in the verandah would have been more than the time she spent inside the house.
My brother and I feel that whenever we come to this house, our mind becomes calm.
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Kimaya has been trying to turn and lie down on her stomach. Amount of effort she puts in to acheive it is amazing... Her complete focus is only on trying that. This single mindedness and hard work seems to wane once a child grows up to become an adult!

She turned on 11th September. Felt really proud that she could turn :-)

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