My granny Christa Manjrekar is a fiercely independent and determined person—she developed this three-acre farm in Srirangapatna, near Mysuru, and stayed here for 25 years after my grandfather passed away.

I found this compass, and other such antique goodies, while clearing out Granny’s desk at the farm around four years ago. She said she got it in high school—in Hamlin, Germany, where she grew up—and later used it while trekking with her kids. I also remember her using the compass to align the positions of her plants when, as a young man of six, I would visit the farm with my sister for the summer holidays. I asked her if I could keep the compass and have had it ever since. I like that it has a crack in the glass and an old, used look. I still sometimes use it to determine true North while working around the farm, which I take care of for her. She is now 83 and plans to hand over the farm to me when I can demonstrate complete self-sufficiency. I have to admit, though, it’s harder than she ever made it out to be!

—Anant Singh, 27, Srirangapatna

Photo: Priyanka Rego
Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
September 2017

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• Crafted with devotion

• When time stands still

• Wrapped in love

• Threads of memory

• Silver lining

• Sharing her ‘mettle’

• Pocketful of love

• The family jewel

• Katy and me

• The whole kit