A Peep into the Past

by Valsala Achuthan

Description There are umpteen autobiographies by various celebrities and successful people, but an ordinary person writing something about her past may be unheard of. When I wrote my first book, "Assorted Musings" my small granddaughter, Anushree, asked me why I hadn't chosen to write about my childhood experiences. From our discussions, she came to a conclusion that her life and experiences now are entirely different from the experiences of her granny. That was food for thought for me. Now-a-days children don't know how life was in yesteryears. This book is the result of that thought.Probably, after my generation, no one will even know that the matriarchal system existed and also they won't know certain terms like 'Nalukettu', ' Ettukettu' and all that. Those who watch Malayalam movies will, of course, get an idea, but in the present generation, they prefer to watch cinemas of other languages, especially, foreign languages.I have tried to express the various ways we used to enjoy, sans the sophisticated gadgets to which the present generation is addicted. My attempt is just to show the differences between our old generation and the new generation and make a record of a few events that had an impact on me.About the Author: The author, Mrs. Valsala Achuthan was an English teacher at Bhavan's Rajaji Vidyashram, Chennai. She worked there for 29 long years. Now, after retirement, Valsala is continuing teaching online. She has written poems, short stories and articles in Malayalam and English and got them published in various dailies and magazines. She has contributed her works to many Anthologies too. Valsala was born and brought up at Palghat, Kerala. She loves Kerala and also the customs there. She is very keen on making people all around the world know about the customs and cultures of her native place, so that is reflected in her writings. She writes in a very simple language that can be understood by common people.