Srikakulam — A Descent Into Wonder
A description of life in my hometown.
Since childhood, the city of Chennai has shaped me up to be who I am today. The city bestowed upon me a busy and enthralling lifestyle consisting of school, college, friends, outings, family gatherings, etc. However, just because one loves doing something or being somewhere doesn’t mean he/she seldom requires a change of pace. My change of pace is running off to Andhra Pradesh’s north-eastern town of Srikakulam, to be with my grandparents.
Every aspect of my visit to Srikakulam, starting from the train journey to witnessing the town’s life, has always been my escape from reality. We usually take the Howrah Mail that leaves Chennai Central late at night, travels north along Andhra’s East Coast, passing by rivers, meadows, farms and mountains, and arrives the next day in the afternoon.
At home, my grandmother would ensure that I had a healthy appetite rife with herbs, pickles and vegetables gathered straight from our backyard. My grandfather on the other hand would talk about philosophy, the books he had read, the life of his forefathers during the British era, and the small part of his life during the second world war. Conversations with both of them would be akin to talking with little children — honest thoughts, straightforward feelings, loads of humor, and endless love and positivity.
My grandparents have lived for a very long time in a house that’s over eighty-five years old now. It’s got many rooms, a balcony, a religious room and an office where my grandfather reads. The backyard houses a variety of plants and herbs, and in front of the house are a couple of mango trees, which during the summer blesses us with raw mangoes that are stored in hay until they’re ripe, ready to satisfy the summer hunger. “Natural and simple”, my grandparents often say when describing their lifestyle.
Like Timon from The Lion King often says, life in the town of Srikakulam is simple yet satisfying. It’s a relatively small town, but houses shopping malls, loads of movie theaters, restaurants, religious places and more. It’s always alive, rife with active routines during the day and well spent leisure time in the evening.
Every place I’d like to visit is within walking distance from our house — the Nagavali River and the park right next to it, the seven-road junction (literally an intersection of seven roads), the famous Arasavalli Temple (Sun God temple), etc.
A walk to any of said places is itself an experience. One would pass by little villages occupied by busy locals and the cacophony of their children goofing around, get to listen to chirps of birds as they shuttle between trees, hear the siren-like honks of buses, share-autos playing hit songs of big Telugu stars, watch small families travel on bullock carts, feel the breeze of fresh countryside air, and witness many other little things in life that we may not find in a fast-paced city. This ensures a natural and healthy lifestyle for anyone who’s been in the town for a while.
Due to the town’s compactness, one would happen to visit a place multiple times that he/she would end up befriending shopkeepers, theater owners, bank employees, priests, etc. Basically, a few weeks of living here and you would get acquainted with a lot of people in the town. My grandfather who was born and raised here, is pretty popular in the town, a result of his frequent visits to many places and also his kind and compassionate nature.
Although I usually spend about a week in this beautiful town, it’s enough to make me feel more alive, optimistic and motivated. In tough times, visiting a town like this gives me the opportunity to connect with my soul, appreciate its wonders and get recharged. Srikakulam truly is my descent into wonder.
