KASARGOD: If you ask directions to the house of Sridevi M N, residents of Pullur village might give a bemused look. But ask for the home of ‘Antharjanam’, they will guide you, with a touch of respect, to a modest house near Sri Mahavishnu temple.
Clad in the traditional attire of mundu and blouse, this 75-year-old retired headmistress is a popular figure in the neighbourhood because of the Gita class she runs for school children. “She is very private but is popular among the children,” said Vinitha Vinod, a neighbour.
However, beneath the conformist image, the petite granny is surprisingly radical. Not many know that the septuagenarian is a globetrotter. “Except Australia, I have visited all the continents and most of the countries,” said Sreedevi. “I grew up hearing only don’ts. My travelling is a moksha from this don’ts. You can call it a sweet revenge against these don’ts,” she said.
She travels alone. She does not carry a camera to frame the memories. She does not even pick up curios or memorabilia from the places she visits. “All my travel experiences are here,” she said, dabbing her temple with the index finger. Her house is Spartan, betraying no signs of a well-travelled woman.
One of her few prized possessions is a travelogue by writer and critic Asha Menon, whom she met during a trip to Sindhupalchok district, Nepal.
“While waiting at the immigration office at Tatopani, I noticed Sridevi Antharjanam standing next to me. She was past 60, but seemed very healthy. The stamps on her passports testify travels. Even the death of her husband and three of her five sons has not dwindled her passion for travel. Her desire for Kailash Yatra makes her steely motivation clear.” This passage appeared in Asha Menon’s article for a travelogue ‘Himalayam: Kazcha, Darsanam’, edited by K B Prasannakumar. Sridevi has gone to the Himalayas six times and Sabarimala 24 times - every year since she turned 50. Her next stop is Brunei, where her second son, T P Ramachandran, works for Royal Dutch Shell.
He funds her trips now. Europe has impressed her most. For her, the 53-day tour was “life changing.” Sridevi recalled her trip to Switzerland. “I stayed there for 13 days. It’s a clean place. The freedom women enjoyed there impressed me. There is no limit,” she said.
The travel bug bit her after the retirement. “I got Rs 15 lakh as retirement benefit and my sons were settled. I thought why not travel.
It was also an escape from the drudgery,” she said. What’s her notion of India? “I like the culture but not the regressive practices.”