12k walk about the churches of the cantonment

 

We all assembled and started from Garuda mall. Sunil Pichamuthu who had been our son Davids classmate and who lives off Hayes rd was the curator of the walk. "We will walk around the cantonment area and I will share whatever history I have of the churches."Said Sunil. Around 12 years ago when I was with the Deccan Herald, I ran a column called “Back & Forth” in which I wrote covering most the heritage buildings in the Central Business District (CBD) of Bangalore, which dated to the colonial era

The first heritage church we walked down to was the Tamil Wesley Church in Ashok Nagar. When I wrote about it it was still the old heritage structure, but now the old church has been replaced with a swanky new building, reflecting the new status of its congregation. In the old days according to history, it was a poorer church, where the drivers and servants of the British sahibs who attended an Anglican service in St Mark's Cathedral, were sent to.

The second church was the Mar Thoma Syrian Church on Primrose road. In AD52, It is traditionally believed that St. Thomas, the disciple of Jesus Christ visited India and established seven churches on the Malabar Coast.

The third church was the ​Holy Trinity Church which is a Protestant church, located at Trinity circle. This is at the east end of the MG Road and was once visited by distinguished personalities like Lord Cornwallis and Winston Churchill. It was established in 1852 and has a great military history attached to it.

Walking down to Ulsoor we reached the fourth church– The Wesleyan Centenary Kannada Devalaya built in 1913 on Bazaar street, Ulsoor. The stone building was painted a beautiful blue grey with white and brick red embellishments and seemed to be newly renovated.

  We walked down to our fifth church which was the beautiful Saint Andrews Church built in the famed Gothic architectural style. According to the church website, it was completed and opened for service on 18 November 1866. The cost of construction (including the land) was Sterling Pounds 4,500 (INR 45,000), the cost covered by private subscriptions and government grant.

St Paul's Church was the sixth church we visited and is located in Shivaji Nagar. It is located in the corner of Old Poor House Road, and Bowring Hospital Road, next to the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital, Bangalore Cantonment. St. Paul's has the distinction of being the very first Tamil Anglican Church in the erstwhile Mysore State.

St. Mary's Basilica, a Roman Catholic church, was the seventh and last church that we visited on  M F Noronha Road, Shivaji Nagar It is among the oldest churches at Bangalore and the first church in the state that has been elevated to the status of a minor basilica.The design of the majestic Gothic-style church is credited to Rev L E Kleiner. It was consecrated on 8 September 1882.

I remember my Dad calling it the 1 anna church built during the terrible plague in Bangalore, where thousands died. The church was built with 1 annas collected he said. The total amount spent on the construction of the new church. including the pulpit and the statues, was Rs. 29,659, a laughable amount in today's expensive world.

At the end of the walk which really was 12k we decided to take an auto home as trudging home from Shivajinagar was not an option!

Its a labour of love

 

Our beauty --Freshly painted for Christmas

Every other month we drive down to Goa to look after Dads beloved house in Pilerne. He gave me the HUGE door key just before he died and made me promise to look after it. As a child I held his hand walking to the springs to get drinking water in his big plastic containers and my fingers encountered the huge front door key that he carried. Then the key worked in the quaint lock, but over the years he fitted a latch and lock to make the house more secure. I always wanted that key and Dad said you cannot get it unless you look after the house. I was around 12 and since then his words ring in my ears, as I now hold that prized key and its my job to do what he did for the house.

Carpenters fixing the huge doors 

Every time we go we tackle another issue. This time we brought in carpenters to loosen and straighten the big inner doors which secure every window in the house. Luckily after sending on pest control some years ago our job of replacement is whatever was chewed before the pest control kicked in.  Now its less stressful with termites chewing through all in their path.

Painting is needed every two years

The inner rooms and the exterior get done every two years. Using chunna I find keeps the insects at a minimum  and is affordable for such a big place. Anyway Goa's monsoons are very destructive and the house needs scraping off the moss and fungus before repainting. I am avoiding fixing modern windows in the dining room as these swinging in the hole, hingeless ones are very effective.

Thats all thats left of the toilet roof. by the damn termites

Tiles and rafters had to be ordered to repair both toilet roofs and the kitchen. Wood is expensive but then wed have no roof if it was not done now in the dry season. Tiles are not cheap and forget about the rafters. The bill rockets but we grit our teeth and do it. Best part -- the house pays for its upkeep thankfully avoiding my having to beg my siblings. Wise decisions by parents have helped me and my husband work on the house unfettered.

Painting the dining room

Its a nice fresh smell that assails our nostrils as we watch the men assiduously paint. Not living in the house as they paint is a great advantage as before we were breathing in all the scraping and paint smells besides the termite guard ofcourse.

 Piles of tiles to replace the broken ones

We also chopped off branches which hung over the house and smashed the roof every time the mangoes appeared in the neighbour's tree. Two years ago we had chopped them and they seem to grow back faster than ever. This time mangoes smashed 105 tiles and don't ask what it did to the roof. Asking the cousin is a waste of time, so we pay a slim man who shins up the tree with a really sharp machete and chops off the branches. All before the cousin whose tree it is gets wind of it from his servants. Then I get a stern phone call which I don't care about as the branches are already in a heap on the ground. How that tree harassed my poor father. No harrasment for me, just spend and get the job done. The caretaker is pleased -- less work for him!

We walk away with paint smells following us to the car. While the golden black capped Oriole calls from the teak trees and I'm sure Dad  & Grandpa are happy

A date with Fr Rob Galea

 The stage in the Good Shepherd Convent auditorium

A request from Francis Colaco's daughter -- former IGP police and my parents good friend had me quickly thinking on my journalistic feet.  The young priest had to be feted in Bangalore and not in the regular press but in the two catholic magazines I write for regularly. Tabor where Fr Adrian Mascarenhas our boys contemporary is the Editor and Together the Franciscan magazine we grew up with. There Fr Saji, the HOD I worked with in JNC is the editor and a great friend.

"Yes! please work the interviews," they both said with great excitement. Now how to do it I wondered and got to work planning the questions. Once both sets were worked Nisha sent them off to Fr Rob and by the next day, right in my mailbox were MP3 recordings of his answers! The wonder of today's technology!

"Steve what can I do?I cannot hand write his answers,"I wailed. In minutes my son who has a Masters in Media Studies, used an app and downloaded the text off the MP3 for me to work with! It took me all of a few hours after that to weave my interview stories and off they went to both editors!

Of course we went for the actual show and enjoyed every minute of it!

Tabor Kirana for Fr Adrian

Pg 2 and the Archbishop loved it!

In the Together which has a really large readership.

Jungle Hut after 35 years

 

                           The quaint entrance gate to Jungle Hut

My life is like this -- full of lovely surprises! Nothing planned! And our visit to Jungle Hut was exactly like that. An invite by whatssap and in minutes we packed our bags for one night and were off. For the first time we were driving on the Mysore, Bangalore Expressway. Ofcourse one has to be very careful of speeds as there are speed signs which one has to adhere to. 100 is exactly 100 km per hour and not more.

The quaint huts which dot the 20 acre property

35 years ago we had visited when it had first started, as we are friends of the owners. They had just TWO huts and we ate our meals with them in their dining room. Today the property is run by their eldest son Vikram who's wife was our son Davids classmate in college!

The pristinely clean swimming pool

Since we all love water, and the boys swam for Karnataka, we always spend time in the pool. Not very deep or big the pool was filled with absolutely sparkling water and we had a fun time for a couple of hours in a perfectly empty pool, against the back drop of the Nilgiris hills!

Yes! Its a clothes rack!

The cute little touches all across the room really caught my eye. Clothes racks, stands for towels, -- so many little touches which showed they cared that they were on the fringes of the jungle and need to be careful. No feeding of wild life which was clearly stated especially since herds of deer always seemed to be in the property, mowing the grass!

Solar panels to heat water

It was after years that we all had solar heated baths. In our home in Castle Street, our Anu Solar worked marvelously for all the boys growing years and kept our electric bills to the minimum. Solar water also came into the kitchen and so our kitchen drain was never blocked with any waste. The hot water moved the grease and with it the waste and flushed it out.

Notice on the shower cubicle

The notice on the shower cubicle was for those used to instant geysers! Here after a small wait we got piping hot water and could enjoy a nice long bath knowing full well that all three of us could have, nice hot baths. Its such a pity that it takes so much education for a human to understand the positives of solar lights and solar heaters.

 

The Nilgiris mountains encircle Jungle Hut making it a wonderful sight to wake up to in the morning or even just sitting down eating a meal in the open dining hall. Apparently there are 40 people employed by the resort to keep it running and keep it a genuine hideaway for city slickers like us. 

Now I have to sit down and write the long form story for the magazine that sent me on the trip. Thats fine! Imagine going on a holiday for free and writing all about it and getting paid for the story once its published!

 

A visit to Goa with the South Carolinas

 

A visit to Goa with the South Carolinas

Outside Bom Jesu cathedral in Old Goa -- pic taken by Aiden

Three years since the South Carolinas visited and I was worried my Andrew would get his allergies flaring up again with the air pollution in Bangalore which he suffers from. Lucky with the rains the pollution seemed to have settled and he had a wonderful trip, minus any medication which he normally has to resort to.

Lets go to Goa he said, I want to show the kids Goa. Normally we are stuck in Bangalore doing jobs. Instead lets get out and have fun in Goa he insisted and you have to come. I wondered if it was possible with the monsoon in full fury in Goa, but luckily the kids dont have any airs and graces and everyone had a good time despite the deluge.

 Ofcourse there was no proper beach visit which Annika and the kids love, but they have Destin in Florida, which is just as nice, though I could never compare the two! Goa wins hands down!

The kids are older and so much fun now!

Thankfully they are like us -- no fancy restaurants, just the little Darshini which we frequent while in Goa called the Sawant Cafe. Had all Aidens poories and Faloodas and Alainas butter chicken and naans. Annika is a true blue foodie so asking my friend Chef Jason he told us to avoid O Coqueiro and Souza Lobo that they grew up with but named Xavier Cafe in Mapusa and Sai Krupa in Porvorim.

Aiden loves Falooda and swears his Dads is the best. Andy wanted both kids to enjoy a falooda where his beloved Grandpa Tony took him and David, in Mapusa, during their numerous holidays in Goa with him, but I was unsure of the little hole in the wall place with our American brats.

Alaina could drink endless tender coconuts like me so we kept one another company and I swam off the effects on diabetic me.

All three -- Annika, Andy and Bonny dived into thalis wherever we went but me and careful portions I stuck with just picking from their plates. The kids managed with Yogurt and rice.

Beach bums Annika and the kids had to make a stop on Candolim beach which scared them with its turbulence and rough waves.

It was our lovely Alaina girls 11th Birthday while on the trip so she chose her fav icecream sundae and ofcourse we all sang lustily for her.

Annika bought half the shop of masalas as Andy wanted Rechard and Cafreal and all the goan masalas for his Shrimp and fish frys back home.

We were lucky to get delicious Mussel fry in Sai Krupa which more than made up for me having to pick at most restaurants.

And best of all the kids loved the little kaka shops where they could find everything they ever wanted and even buy it with their Indian money.

I was so glad they were able to see all sides of Indian life, not just Hayes Road which they used to as babies. Its fun to loaf around with them now as they are older and not whiney as they used to be about the noise and crowds in India. Ofcourse a visit to Marios shop had a couple of his paintings in their bag which we had framed in Bangalore before they left. 

Two weeks sped by in a flash but it was such a good two weeks where we made a ton of memories.

The Goa house in Pilerne

 

We originated from here -- The Furtado family

A long time ago when we were young Dad instilled in us the need to look after our ancestry. He said we must never forget our roots and where we originated from. Dad had 5 of us and a serving officers pension which was minimal in those days from the Air Force as a Wing Commander. But he always managed to look after the old house and never let any part of it crumble , even though he went there probably 4 times in a year. It was very hard for him but he still managed to do it. Going by bus, coming by bus and bussing it in Goa as well.

The Furtado chapel built by Grandpa to match the house

 So once Dad died there was no one else to look after the property as my brother John had relinquished his share by buying my Mums palatial house in Tivim. It hurt Dad that his son wanted another property and a signed deed was made at the lawyers which I registered in the Mapusa  court. When I went to study in Europe in 2006 to 2008 my youngest sister was entrusted to look after the property. Doubt she did as I had continuous calls from neighbours and cousins and that the verandah had fallen in and the garden was hugely over grown.

The old Altar which I try to keep going inspite of the termites

Once I returned to India I retook over the house but then she refused to help with looking after it. I had to manage with three siblings helping and that was hard as a caretaker had to be paid on a monthly basis as well. It was like getting blood out of a stone to get their funds so I decided that we need to sell a plot to be able to fund the houses upkeep and our travel expenses. Everyone had a "share " but no one was willing to share for the maintenance. That was when it was Mums smart idea to sell one plot and invest it so we regularly had money to pump into the old homestead.

The boys give gifts for the house where they went with Grandpa.

It took 4 years to be able to identify a plot and identify the buyers. Every time we went down we searched and no one was interested but I never gave up. Finally a lawyer gave me a tip and I contacted the buyers keeping my sister Christine, brother Mark and Mum in the loop. Mum was excited as she could see me struggle. "If its done you wont have to beg every year,"she said as she saw me flagging in wanting to handle the house. Finally after four long years of haggling and negotiating I got a sale and invested the funds into a bank. Mum was gone by then but luckily had signed everything to clear the way. The plan was very simple -- Goa property -- sell to support the maintenance of the family home, nothing else.  All agreed and all signed and it was a huge relief when it finally was closed.

Banging the mud collected in over head beams by termites. 

We dont have holidays, we spend the week cleaning and seeing to various issues in the house which make the boys really angry. " You never have a holiday when you go there,"they rant and rave, but I promised Dad and my ancestors who's grand pics hang in the hall. We are comfortable in Hayes Road because of them. I struggled for 30 years with a greedy family that starved us, at last I have money to live thanks to my ancestors. Every morning the first thing I do as I pull on my trainers is be thankful to them.

Replacing broken tiles

Madam fire ho gayaa meter me! says the caretaker worriedly. Lucky I was there and put it out he says. Get into the car and lets go I say, worried that the whole house could be reduced to cinders. It was a really old meter anyway and needed changing. The cost was large but I did not have to beg anyone for funds, as Mum prophetically said -- I had the large sum to just replace with a brand new meter and wiring. 

Another time we were going down to pay the taxes and the caretaker called saying there was a huge storm and a big tree had fallen across the road and onto our electric wires leading to the house. I have to call the electrician to replace the whole wire from the pole or you wont have electricity. Another large sum that I had and could send immediately to get the job done before we landed. Pradeep the young electrician from the village was good and I was glad we had him to handle our jobs.

Cleaning white pomfret -- thanks to Mammas lessons!

The cousin in the big house has broken dozens of tiles in the dining room says the caretaker -- taking out his mangoes. The rains have begun and the house will get damaged. Lucky we had bought about 50 tiles and kept in the store which was a godsend at short notice. There were always fights when we were young as it was difficult for Dad to replace. Now I just bought the tiles and that was that. 

The tank in the house is over flowing and the beams under it are rotting. We are present when Gopal the senior plumber arrives with his toothless grin. Hes in his 70s but climbs the ladder like a 20 year old. I need a ball valve and stop cock he says. Bonny who is always ready to help like he did in Dads time takes Gopal to the Verem shops and  buys the needed stuff. Thankfully its fixed and since he is around all the flush tanks are also checked.

 

Ofcourse I lathered them with Rechardo masala before frying

The whole of the front and back is over grown with weeds. I need to scythe them before you land. Get it done I say and its a relief watching the man with the scythe clean out the back especially from where snakes enter the house. The well needs to be done as the stupid neighbour has fixed a pump ot it. Three of the four walls have collapsed into the water. It will cost at least 50 k says the caretaker plus the cost of the stones. I baulk not cause I did not have the funds --as it would mean my having to spend 2 weeks getting it done. The woman would not take out her pump so leave it. Best to let sleeping dogs lie.

The Pilerne fields with the cross.

The woman has decided to take over our property on the other side of her house. They were servants in the house a couple of generations ago and were given the hut to help the old family. Now they are a thorn in our sides. I have to get poles and demarcate our property and fix a gate. Costs  money and I am again thankful I do not need to beg anyone. I get the local welder Ranbir to weld and fix a small gate which opens into our property and the poles demarcate our land going to the back. My brother in his great wisdom broke down the outside toilet and used the stones, so now she was trying to claim that whole area including the wells. Again running to the survey office and getting the forms we proved it was ours and put up the poles.

 Weeds grow tall with the monsoon- a constant  battle.

We pest controlled the whole house which has been a massive relief for us all. I will never stop that even though its expensive as pest control is the only way to keep our beauty standing. The man and his team arrived from Mapuca and pest controlled the whole house, especially the roof and its surroundings for two whole days. God knows how much dirt and dust we inhaled. By the end of it we were exhausted but happy as we had a 5 year guarantee. I dont wait for five years -- sorry. Each time we go down I call Anand and say there's a spot which maybe imaginary to come and sort and he sends his team. We dont live there so its needed.

Making tea on the single burner stove

Its time again to go down to Pilerne-- I thank Mum everyday for having such a smart plan in place. Ofcourse the greedy sisters want everything on a platter -- just transfer 10 lakhs each says the one in Australia just cause I stopped looking after her apartments. Before that she signed and was very much part of the discussion with Mum. The sister in Bangalore is one better demanding shares and doing no work her duffer husband calling me a thief! ( Sticks and stones fella!) Oh just transfer they say-- really??

The beautiful San Jaon the Baptist Church

I love the house and I love Pilerne like Dad did. Go and scout -- find property and sell and give me my share madams -- I tell them both, like I did.Sit in survey offices get the surveyor, break a leg -- pay for it all.  I did not work to fatten your purses. I worked hard for the house and to keep my promise to Dad. Its really a shame when the sister who knew what we were doing and why, stirs up a hornets nest with the dumb younger sister. But then she has always behaved like that which is no different from the rest. Greed fuels them all, I'm done and dusted with platters. 

Go forth and speak to the muncards for our property, maybe they might give you one coconut for free.