My First Tea Estate

It was during my medical college days i went to a Manathavady tea estate .

I loved the hills even then though I had gone to many those days .

So when an uncle I met in a family friends house invited me over to come to his estate once i just took it up .

Uncle was a manager in a tea estate in Mananthavady in Wyanad in Kerala and i was in Madras .

But i had gone to my native village for holidays and i decided i will take up uncles invitation.

Those days no mobiles and i didnt warn uncle that iam taking up his invit !

So i took a train to calicut and later a KSRTC bus to Manathawady which takes 4 to 5 hours of winding strenous roads .

I reached the place by around 3 pm .

It was cold when i got down from the bus and the place looked beautiful and foggy a bit drizzly .

I asked in a shop on uncles tea estate

I was told it wasnt very far off i just had to walk for 5 minutes .

It was a pleasant walk

I walked into the tea estate factory an uphill walk to reach it .

Straight away i saw uncle dressed like a British plantation manager in shorts giving his piece of mind to an arrogant worker the kind you see only in Kerala tea estates unlike in other states .

Uncle was glad to see me asked me to wait for some time in the office .

He came shortly and took me in his Bullet along tiny paths in midst of tea plantations to reach his bungalow quite a huge one very British .

The door was opened by his man friday Lonappan .

Uncle told me to freshen myself .

In hill stations it gets dark quite early and we met again for dinner in a cavernous dining room where Lonappan served us hot pooris with fresh potatoe curry and hot tea .

Uncle a man of few words told me to go to bed as it was around 8.30 pm and people went to bed early .

I retired to a palatial bed room and laid down in a fourstead ,it was bit scary in beggining as it was pitch dark and every sound made me startle but somehow the warm blankets my travrl fatigue and Lonappans hot food made me sleep off .

In the morning i saw uncle for a glimpse he said Hari i need to go around estate please have your breakfast before you leave as i had told him i would return by morning bus

I thanked uncle as he sped in his Bullet .

Lonappan was more human in the daytime as he chatted with me gave me some hot dosas and tea which i had standing in the lawn bracing a chilly wind looking down at the lovely tea estate lying below me .

I still cant forget my first trip to a tea estate .

10

Bala