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At Home Thani iIlam

Yes, it is a heritage building and the ancestral home of the late Malayattoor Ramakrishnan, novelist-bureaucrat-film director. The couple bought it in 1994 and renovated it without losing its character, later. In a room, cool with the old cement floor, the wooden ceiling and a huge bed, there is a round pillar in the middle. “This is the room where Malayattoor used to entertain his friends like lyricist Vayalar.” The other rooms have old terracotta tiles as flooring and beautiful high wooden ceilings. Modernity screams out only from the bathrooms which ‘have been built to satisfy tourism norms’.

Their son Santhosh and his family stay with them. There are only two rooms which have been kept apart for tourists. It was here that Malayattoor wrote his famous book, “Verukal”, says Saradammal pointing to the yard. There, as if to drive home that point, is a huge uprooted root-base of an old tree displayed in the front yard. “We just thought it would be a poetic gesture and kept it there,” she adds. One of the rooms is atop the garage in a separate block. This was actually transplanted from Kottayam. “We got a portion of our grandparents’ house at Kottayam, which is more than 500 years old. And we made a separate room with it, fully wooden. This room is called the Kulappura,” says Parameswaram.

It is tea time and hot boiled bananas are served to an English guest, along with diamond cuts. There are fresh organic plantains from the garden too. Only vegetarian fare, what the family eats, is given to guests. “No alcohol here,” stresses Parameswaran. Smoking is also a strict no-no. The guests wear Keralite or Indian clothes which are given to them by the hosts, as “it is a village and they don’t want to hurt sensibilities of the locals.” Saris, blouses and skirts hang in the wardrobe which is actually made out of an old ‘pathayam’. The tourists can learn cooking also from the host, should they fancy it. “What Western folks want is some peace and a family atmosphere and that is what we give them,” says Santhosh, whose brainchild this homestay is. The lush greenery in the village and the quiet are added attractions. Children below 12 who come with the guests are given free board and meals. And all Sundays are free if the guest stays for more than a week!

“We are happy to get guests who respect our rules and no rooms are air-conditioned. Even the fans were put up recently. There is fresh air all the time and the wooden ceiling ensures that there is natural cooling,” explains Parameswaran. Saradammal familiarises the guest with Indian culture and, on request, they get a taste of classical dance, Ayurveda treatment or yoga sessions from local folks. “We don’t want the Goa kind of holiday. We can get that back home. This is something that we want for a few days, to recoup,” says a tourist who was at the homestay.

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