Kitchen closed, adventure on; elderly housewives take the road less travelled

Elderly women take a break from daily routines, step away from their kitchens, and embark on budget-friendly, women-only trips, creating lasting memories and celebrating camaraderie

When a bunch of women packed into a few off-roaders during their trip to Aanakkulam near Munnar last month, it was a first for many.

They were as excited as they were nervous, anticipating what they had been told would be a bumpy ride. Alongside came an advisory to grip firmly onto the handlebars of the vehicles. By the end of it, the ride—often punctuated by their excited shrieks every time the vehicles swayed wildly—lived up to expectations, leaving them ecstatic.

The one-day trip to Mankulam and Aanakkulam was the third successive women-only trip in as many years organised for the members of a WhatsApp group ‘Chankaanu Changathikal’ (Friends mean life), comprising mostly elderly housewives from West Kochi. For the past three years, they have been taking a day off from their domestic chores, which effectively meant closing down the kitchen, pooling resources and food cooked at home, hiring a vehicle and just taking off on a trip.

The banner on the vehicle announcing ‘Kitchen closed, this is our day’ has been attracting curious queries wherever they visit. A low budget remains a key highlight of the trips, with the most recent one costing each participant just around ₹600.

“The initiative was launched targeting mostly elderly housewives who hardly get opportunities to go on such trips. Whenever a trip is planned, we form a separate WhatsApp group named ‘Happy Journey’, where interested members add their names as well as those of their friends and even grandchildren,” said Sheeja Padippurakkal, a social worker and political activist who started the initiative.

Though predominantly intended for the elderly, the tour is open to women of all age groups. Treesa Shelfi, a 35-year-old private company employee, along with her friend Jincy M.Z. joined the trip out of curiosity this year.

“Initially, we were sceptical about taking selfies and videos, wondering whether it would go down well with the others, who were mostly in their 50s and 60s. But as it turned out, they were even more enthusiastic than us and were having a blast. For the next trip, I plan to take my eleven-year-old daughter, who got very excited after seeing the pictures and videos,” she said.

The number of participants for the trips has been increasing over the years. The first trip to Munnar in 2022 had only 19 participants, while last year’s trip to Athirappilly and Vazhachal saw 32. So far, the trips have been one-day affairs. Now, they are planning to undertake a two-day trip next February.

Jasmine Rafeek, who has been part of all three trips, said the experience rejuvenated the women, who otherwise remain closeted in their homes tending to domestic chores. “They dance, sing, and generally have a very good time on every trip. And then they wait eagerly for the next one,” she said.

Published - November 29, 2024 08:05 pm IST