Mani Chettan ! ( & his pazham bolis )

The pic that you see is that of a small tea shop at Chekuthanmukku,near Chitirapuram in Munnar.This place is on the way from Cochin to Munnar.You'll have to take a small deviation from the usual route and go through the 'Anachal Route' though.

This non-descript tea shop wouldn't have found a mention here on this blog if not for its very much 'describable' owner....Mani Chettan. Mani is his name and 'Chettan' is malayalam for brother. If there was something I was looking forward to everyday during my engineering days ,then it would be the half an hour stop that we used to have at Mani Chettan's shop.We used to have our evening tea and snacks over there.The kerala snack of roasted bananas (Pazham boli) used to be my personal favorite although some idiot with a bad eye for details spread the rumour around that 'Bondas' were more dear to me which ultimately earned me a nickname of 'Bonda Bhai' at our room.'Bhai' being my orginal nickname.

Mani Chettan is a really simple guy although not very much decent when it comes to 'cultured' use of mallu language.But then he was one of our all time favorites when it came to the evening tea.Evening Tea is a much needed thing in Munnar cos of its unpredicatable and funtoosh climate.His wife used to make delicious pazham bolis to top up with the tea.And 3 of that thing down your stomach,be assured that no calls will come from your belly till the dinner that was to be served around 8.30 at 'Thangus'. What and where 'Thangus' is ,will be a future post.relax.

One incident that I would always remember at 'Mani Chettans' goes like this.Once I really came in a awry mood from college after some disastrous lab exam and settled down with my bag and stuff at the shop with the evening tea.Drank about half a cup then saw the roasts in the small glass almirah that were used to store them.As I went to pick some ,Mani Chettan almost rushed from behind and pushed my hand away 'Addu venda monne,addu naalu manikku ittatha'. Translation: Don't take that son,that was made at 4 'o clock.I didnt remember the time then,but then it shouldn't have been more than 5.30 .

In todays world when people all over are out and out competing with each other to make money and sell their goods/services to us by hook and crook,Mani Chettan would be a welcome change.I do agree that many of my roomies would vehemently disagree with me on this,but still.

He wanted us to always have them hot and fresh,if I can put it that way. May be it was due to the unique bond that we had built with him over the years or may be his own way to earn customer loyalty.Whichever way it is,that one incident did go a long away in exponentially increasing my respect for Mani chettan and his wife.2 years after munnar,I am still to find a similiar tea shop or for that matter similiar pazham bolis served with the same topping of love and affection.

Thanks Mani Chetta,your pazham bolis did make my evenings in Munnar a lot more pleasurable.