Not too far away, a few decades ago, people stayed close to people more than gadgets. Veranda’s and courtyards (kettinakam) were an integral part of households all over the world, be it India, Australia, UK, Europe, USA, Middle East, Far East, Africa anywhere in the world, home designs had veranda’s as part of the floor plan.
Later when men started fearing men, we started shrinking the lengths of veranda’s to tiny areas in front of the main door and called it SIT OUT. Courtyards disappeared to a larger extend and some became foyers and atrium’s, with high ceiling in multistoried buildings, however with roof and fortified grills to keep intruders out.
At Kunnumkulam the front veranda was part of the living quarters and office area, the central dining area had two identical open courtyards on either side, the rear area had two wings, one for staff accommodation and storage and the other for cooking, washing and preparation.
There was a huge well cut from rocks giving the feel of a granite quarry, there were rickety steps leading to it and the moss and certain plants that grew within gave the feel of a deep cave, every time we looked inside and saw our reflection in between the distorted stones, it was truly scary, and when we had enough people around us, we called out our names into the depth of the well, waiting for the extraterrestrial beings to respond.
The advantages of veranda’s are multi-fold, it kept the rooms next to the veranda cool, preventing suns direct rays hitting the rooms, it gave a lot of space for family to congregate enjoy work, play and fun time together.
Great place to dry wet laundry, food grains, spices and herbs, cool place for indoor garden, great spot for barbecue, swings in various forms, if you are overseas and for hammock when there aren’t any tall strong trees around, it’s a fine morning and evening tea spot, all meals for that matter. Children can grow up in veranda’s doing all their chores, homework to messy games. Great fun area with carom board, chess, any board games and of course the best of best card games Rummy ad 28.
Foodies can have fun without worrying about dropping on the floor and kids messing up set tables.
As soon as you reach the top step and pass the veranda there was yet another step to a huge meeting place, the modern sit out, in a grandeur form, it had ornamental pillars alongside the veranda and windows in teak, with ventilators attached to the top of the windows as a single unit on either side of the main door.
The lighting was very low here.
The flooring was amazing, every single tile unit gave me a kaleidoscopic feel, it started from a center point, forms and colors just expanded out to a meter square of perhaps four smaller squares in various patterns, these were truly tapestry in ceramic woven with amazing natural colors, and baked in kilns which were centuries old, the surface was not smooth like the vitreous tiles we see now, they had three dimensional effect with tiny curves and bulges, they acted as pressure points on the feet to tickle the nerves and massage them forever. No one walked with footwear inside the house.
There was a symbolic arm chair, wooden with cane seat, so wide it could accommodate a few of us kids at the same time, but this was left in style, with all the reverence it commanded for Valiappachen to relax when the family gathered around for the usual assembly every evenings, or whenever he felt like.
The position of the arm chair was a very cheeky one, behind the pillar and there were potted plants in ornamental steel frames made in the workshop so intrigue and artistic, covering the sides, it was very difficult to see anyone sitting on the chair from outside, especially for people who came with receipt books it was impossible to catch Valiappachen if he was not willing to see them and part with the change!!!! No one dared to climb the fleet of steps anyway.
I used to see him every day first thing in the morning; this was very early in the morning with his thick framed dark spectacles reading the newspaper. I woke up very early, waiting to run around and waiting to follow both Valiappachen and Valiammachy’s heels like an inseparable puppy….around the garden and workshop in my symbolic branded attire, the white cotton petticoat.
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