I remember being pointed out to the luxury villa in the above picture, when I was at school sixty five years ago. Sixty five years alter, it is like an eye sore amidst the most advanced housing complexes surrounding it. This building is not occupied. The owners are overseas. Now the property has only real estate value! The house with the old style and limited facilities would not be worth renovating- that is the usual view!
Anna and I live in an old house of about 75 years of history. We feel comfortable and feel the charm of being in a hose of such a history.
While spotting this house along the row of palatial buildings in the town close to our village, I felt nostalgic of the changes in the landscape of this area. There is no unoccupied space along the side of the road which during my childhood was a long stretch of wooded area.
Our taste for houses is largely influenced by fashion and design. The appearance of largeness consumes attention. An average house in our rural areas would be enormous in structure. An engineer told me that a good house with conveniences would be more important than such edifices that are too costly to build and maintain!
All changes are not edifying- huge houses to me is one such change that falsely rules human thinking! I am not popularising minimalist approach, but appropriate to the need and of reasonable aesthetic sense !
Live is for Living and Learning. The creature comfort is a means for us to be fully functional to pursue that calling!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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