Maldoli - A Nostalgia

Yesterday, I stepped out of the house in the morning for office. It was bright and sunny, but not warm. Sun was there, but his presence was not very strong. As soon as I got on the road, I could smell the cow dung from somewhere. It felt as if there were a few cows grazing around in a cowshed and the air was filled with the smell of their dung. If you are wondering, what I am talking about and how can I like the smell of cow dung, let me tell you, it is one of the most common thing used to plaster the courtyard and the earthen kitchen floors in villages. It is a coolant too and it keeps away flies and insects. People who have been to their grandparents in the Konkan region of Maharashtra will immediately identify with what I am saying.

The smell took me to my great-grandmother’s village, called Maldoli, near Chiplun, Ratnagiri. My mother and her cousin sister grew up in this village for a few years after their birth. Both these sisters have a special bond with the village, the house and their grandmother, so much that my aunt named her daughter Rama, derived from the name of her grandmother, Ms. Ramabai. I visited Maldoli in my school days and could very well understand why these ladies were mad for this place. Upon entry the house had a big courtyard and a big cowshed on the left, where cows, buffaloes were reared. Upon entry in the house, there was a place called ‘padvi’, where one kept the shoes and a big swing was there for the kids and adults to sit. Then inside room was called ‘maajghar’ (hall), where there was a cupboard and mirror and had lot of place for the guests to sit and talk and also sleep at night. On one side of maajghar was another room, where the ladies of the house gave birth to kids and were kept in that room for 3 months with their babies. It was very cozy, dark and small room. 

To the left of the maajghar was the devghar (god’s own room). There were many gods in there and my panji (great grandmother) did pooja every single day with lot of home grown flowers and we got goodies everyday in form of Prasad. That room appeared so pious and sparkling to me that I often spent time sitting there looking at the gods. Swaipakghar (Kitchen) was to the right of the maajghar and it had the earthen chimney and not the modern ones like today. My great-grandmother cooked delicious food all the time of the day and mostly there were rice varieties. My favorite was metkut bhaat (rice and a powder made of different dals and a few spices). And yes, how can I forget the big cauldron in which the butter was churned manually with a help of a big rod and tasty buttermilk was prepared? After having meals, either panji or the maid cleaned the surface of the kitchen with cow dung within no time. It brought a cooling effect and a nice sweet smell with it!

To the left of the kitchen was a small bathroom and it had one huge black rock on which we sat and took baths. There were no taps or geysers. Water was heated in huge vessels, using wood and then it was given further for bath. There was a constant supply of cold water from a nearby stream and I haven’t tasted any other water as sweet as it till now. I never fell ill by drinking that non-boiled water, which is a rarity in cities now. There were no fans or television till the late 80’s, but it never seemed to heat up in peak summer also. The house had earthen tiles as roof and in summer the area between the house and cow-shed was covered with thatched roof so that more people could be accommodated and festivals could be celebrated.  And there was a huge mangrove, away from the house. The trees were laden with Alphonso mangoes and there was never ever a dearth of mangoes when we went there in summer. We ate mangoes all the time and for all meals. There was a place called ‘maadi’ (upper terrace), where the mangoes that were plucked from the tree were kept and we could go there and just pick up any mango in any quantity of our choice. There was a extra room in the house too which was usually given to the teachers who came to teach in the school there. They came for a year or two and every two years, there were new tenants.

I remember the cows and buffaloes, the dogs and the cats that were like family members. Every morning, the home servant called Pandya, milked the cows and buffaloes and got fresh milk to panji. She then made the most delicious tea ever with jaggery and tea leaves and milk. Sugar also came much later in the village. And I do not remember having seen a television set in the village that time. Hardly one house somewhere had it! I also remember my mom telling me a story about how a tiger once came from the jungle nearby and sat opposite to my great-grandfather looking in his eyes. He had come to eat the cows and buffaloes, but thankfully, he didn’t harm anyone and left in some time after sitting along for a while. Oh, I have goose bumps, even now, when I think of it!

Further down to the house, there was a small piece of land, where there were jackfruit trees and further more the toilet, which was built very late. When we stood in the courtyard of the house, on the other side, we could see the industry lights of an area called Lote Parshuram. There was only one condiments shop which was down the village. Biscuits, chocolates, Pepsi colas, ice-creams were a rarity there and all these things were a huge hit in the village. There came only one red bus per day to Maldoli from Chiplun and the roads were of mud, orange and no tar roads. There was a water body, where we could go sailing and we also went up the mountains to see the waters. It was very peaceful and serene up the mountain there from where the whole village and the nearby areas could also be seen. I also remember catching the kaajva (glowworms) in my own hands at night. There was an eerie silence at night, with no road lights too. There was no electricity needed that time. All the chores were completed in the day time and later with the help of oil lamps or kandil (lanterns). I have also slept in the big courtyard looking at the stars and the wide open sky. Have never really watched the sky like that later in life…

Now, the house is no more there. It collapsed one fine day and the big pink and grey stones, which were used for its construction and which made the house cool even during summer, were stolen. Other things also were taken away as the house was locked for many years. Thankfully, my panji was not staying there since the early nineties and the gods were duly taken home to Chiplun by my mother’s cousin much before. He now looks after the mangroves in Maldoli and manages it. My panji passed away too in late nineties. She was the most tolerant and loving person, I have ever come across. She never got angry on anyone; she always welcomed the strangers and the relatives with equal gusto and a smile. She never got tired in her good health. Later as the age advanced, she grew pale and become bed-ridden. May God rest her soul in peace.

I miss that place even more after writing this. I want to visit it once and see for myself what has remained of the house where we all gathered, enjoyed, played, laughed and ate together once upon a time.

My mom's cousin, Ms. Anjali Karandikar, who has also been with mom in this beautiful Maldoli adds a few points about her grandparents here which were not known to me. Thanks mavshi!

- ओटी was part of the house between Padvi and Majghar.  There was a cot (baaj) where Ajoba used to sleep and used to hang his coat on khunti. There was a small desk and a small cupboard. Ajoba used to smoke and used to put विडी bundles in the cupboard.

- Ajoba passed away on 10th May 1982.  He was 75 yrs. old.

- Aji passed away in Feb 2004. She was 94 yrs old.

- I don't remember Aji stepping out of the house. She used to sit on stairs near entrance of the house or occasionally in the back yard. I don't remember her going to temple in village or visiting someone. Every evening we all (exceot Aji, Ajoba)  used to go for walk upto "moda". She used to stay home and keep dinner ready.  Even without stepping out of the house, she used to exactly know the trees on which mangoes are ready to be picked up and how many are there and used to instruct Pandya and others about it.

- Aji got married when she was 12 and Ajoba was 16. They used to play together after they got married.

- Many women in village used to come and ask Aji about home remedies on fever and other common diseases. They also used to come and ask for dahi, tak, mangoes etc. She has never said No to anyone.