AS OUR VEHICLE CAME to a halt, I noticed an ancient Hindu temple under a huge banyan tree canopy. The air felt warm, yet pleasing as sun rays scantily pierced through the trees. I was in Konkan, the coastal plains of Maharashtra, lying between the Arabian Sea and Western Ghats. The region is famous for its Alphonso mangoes, beaches, and history. Despite all the attractive characteristics of the region, the simple setting of a temple under a huge tree instantly transported me to my grandmother’s quaint, ancestral home with similar features. I spent most of my childhood summer holidays in the very backdrop.
A snug, two-storeyed bungalow covered by thick foliage and a small marble Datta Mandir (a temple of Lord Datta) overlooking the home was a sight to (grandmother). I eagerly looked forward to the evenings as my cousins and I would spend the time outdoors, mostly around the temple, playing and chit chatting before the calmness of the night fell upon us.
