Fond memories of my childhood [ 9 ]

‘’ Fond memories of my child hood ‘’ [ 9 ]

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

An other day while Kesavapilla was bringing us home, carrying me on his shoulders and holding my brother’s hand,he stepped into a ditch.He felt something slippery and got a pricking.Immeadiatly he put me down …lighted a match stick and looked everywhere. Nothing could be seen.Again we started our journey.By the time we reached home he started gasping and sweatting like anything…Everybody gathered around him …examined his leg in the torch ligt,

where he felt that pricking.Then there they saw a blood stain..when it was wiped off ,there was  a wound.Pottanammachan immeadiatly brought a string

and tied tightly a little above the wound and sent word for the vaidyan.By

the time the vaidyan arrived…he was carried to the out house by our cook sreedharan and pottanammachen.We children were chased away from there

and we stood on the verandha of our drawing room and watched what was

happening there.By the next day his wife and brother were brought  there.They all stayed there for more than two weeks. Once in a while when ever got an opportunity we peeped through the window and saw Kesavapilla leaning against a pile of pillows keeping his  leg in a basin.We came to know that he had a snakebite and the snake was a very poisonous one.We were very sorry …he was like one of our friends,made us balls with palm leaves  and bullock carts

with jack tree leaves and played with us.After two three weeks one afternoon

one car came ,then Kesavapilla limping and leaning against the other constable

got into the car and went to his house.After the snake bite he was known as snakebitten Kesavapilla.

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

'' Fond memories of my child hood '' [9 ]

‘’ Fond memories of my child hood ‘’ [ 9 ]

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

An other day while Kesavapilla was bringing us home, carrying me on his shoulders and holding my brother’s hand,he stepped into a ditch.He felt something slippery and got a pricking .Immediately he put me down …lighted a match stick and looked everywhere. Nothing could be seen.Again we started our journey.By the time we reached home he started gasping and sweating like anything…Everybody gathered around him …examined his leg in the torch light,

where he felt that pricking.Then there they saw a blood stain..when it was wiped off ,there was  a wound. Pottanammachan immediately brought a string

and tied tightly a little above the wound and sent word for the vaidyan.By

the time the vaidyan arrived…he was chased to the out house by our cook sreedharan and pottanammachen.We children were chased away from there

and we stood on the verandah of our drawing room and watched what was

happening there.By the next day his wife and brother was brought  there.They all stayed there for more than two weeks. Once in a while when ever we got  opportunity we peeped through the window and saw Kesavapilla leaning against a pile of pillows keeping his  leg in a basin.We came to know that he had a snakebite and the snake was a very poisonous one.We were very sorry …he was like one of our friends,made us balls with palm leaves  and bullock carts

with jack tree leaves and played with us.After two three weeks one afternoon

one car came ,then Kesavapilla limping and leaning against the other constable

got into the car and went to his house.After the snake bite he was known as the snake bitten Kesavapilla.

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

'' Fond memories of my child hood ''[ 8 ]

‘’  Fond memories of my child hood ‘’[ 8 ]

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

Again my eldest sister started screaming during her sleep at night.My brother told me that the brahman used to come to her in dreams and frightening her.

One day pottanammachen came home with a big bundle of flowers,,camphor,agarbatti,and certain other things.The astrologer and the priest came home afterwards.They arranged the central hall for the

Puja. They made my sister sit in front of the homakunda[ fireplace]and started chanting  mantras and offering flowers ,and ghee to the fire.After the pooja she was asked to stay in the temple nearby, day and night for a few days.My mum accompanied her for the stay.Every evening one of the constables named Kesavapilla used to take me and brother to the temple to see mum,. 

after the Pooja he used to take us back.The  road was full of ditches and there were no street lights; only  kerosine lamps, here and there and in its dim light

the road was almost in darkness.So Kesava pilla used to hold my brother’s

hand and carry me on his shoulders.One day on the way back we saw a bushy

shrub full of fireflies glittering like anything. It is still live in my  memory the beauty of    

the fire flies glittering in the bushy tree in darkness.Then we wanted some of them to take home .Kesavapilla was very loving to us children and he caught three or four of them put it in a matchbox and gave us.We were anxious to reach home and to open the matchbox and to see them glittering. When we opened the box one out of the four is not glittering and moving…an other one is very slowly glittering…but not moving.Then my brother told me that one is dead and the other one is dying.Those were mine..the dead and the dying.I started crying....

 I wanted to go back and catch some more flies.Then my grandma made me sit on her lap …patted on my back lovingly and said that it’s mother in its nest

will  be crying to see its baby.When she knew that it’s baby is dead …poor thing 

she will cry …cry  and die of sorrow.They  have a small house called nest,and inside it

a mummy dad brothers and sisters as you have.If we miss one among us won’t

we feel sorry?Like that they will feel sorry.So don’t hurt the small insects, ,don’t catch them up,,….they are helpless we have to help them’’.Then I started

to cry again that I wanted to go to her nest ….see her mother and pacify her.Some how my grandma pacified me.Even now at this age of 79, whenever I see a firefly I remember my grandma’s words  ‘’Don’t hurt small insects.’’

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

Fond memories of my childhood[ 7 ]

‘’ fond memories of my childhood  ‘’ [ 7 ]

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

The house was a bit away from the main road.There was a river nearby and we could hear the gurgling sound of the water flowing down.My brother and myself were running around to see the surroundings.There was a very big mango tree spreading wide and keeping the house and the courtyard in its shade.Hence we could play throughout outside. A maid servant used to come

everyday to sweep the yard ,house ,wash clothes and all. With a big bundle of clothes She used to go to the stream  for washing.She was a very pleasant woman ,very loving to us children

And she used to take us with her to the stream when she went to wash clothes.She allowed us to play in the stream and wash us.Once  when we went

far away from her she scolded us and told a story.She said that there are  crocodiles in the depth of the river.A woman with her husband and baby used to come to the river everyday at night to take bath.One crocodile noticed it and one day it stood straight ,leaning against a tree in darkness. When she came out of the river with all wet clothes the crocodile stretched its arms for the baby and the woman thinking that it was her husband, handed over the child.As soon as it got the child it jumped into the river and vanished.We were so scared and held her hand ,and looked around to see weather there was a crocodile leaning against any of the trees.

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

ആകാശത്തിലെ പറവകള്‍ [ എട്ട്]

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

ആനയും അമ്പാരിയും ഉള്ള കുടുംബത്തിലെ സന്തതിയാണുഞാന്‍ .ഞങ്ങളുടെ കുഗ്രാമത്തില്‍ ഒരിക്കല്‍ ഒരു വൈരവ്യാപാരിവന്നു .തലപ്പാവും കസ്വുകരയുള്ള സോമനും മുട്ടിനു താഴെ വരെ ഇറക്കമുള്ള ഫുള്‍ കയ്യന്‍ ജുബ്ബായും,പാളത്താറുംകൊമ്പന്‍ മീശയും ആറടിഉയരവും ..

ആരും….ഒന്നുനോക്കിപോകും.അന്നെനിക്ക് പതിനാറു വയസ്സുതികഞ്ഞിട്ടില്ല .ഗ്രാമത്തിലെ പേരുകേട്ട തറവാടുകള്‍സന്ദര്‍ശിച്ചുഓര്‍ഡര്‍ ബുക്ക് ചെയ്തതു

കാണിച്ചുകൊടുത്ത്‌ എന്‍റെകാരണവരുടെ പക്കല്‍ നിന്നും ഒരു ഓര്‍ഡര്‍ കരസ്ഥമാക്കി പിന്നെ ഒരു കല്ല്യനാലോച്ചനയും .കൊടും തമിഴുമാത്രം സംസാരിക്കുന്ന ആ വ്യാപാരി പൂണൂലുകാണിച്ചുകൊടുത്തു ….ബ്രാഹ്മണന്‍ .കാര്‍ണോര്‍ക്കുതൃപ്തിയായി …ബ്രാഹ്മണന്‍ …..വൈരവ്യപരി ..കാണാനും സുമുഖന്‍ .ദിവസങ്ങള്‍ക്കകം എന്‍റെപുടവകൊട നടത്തി അദ്ദേഹം കൊണ്ടുപോയി .അയാള്‍ ഏതോ ഒരു വൈരവ്യപരിയുടെഏജണ്ടായിരുന്നു .അയാള്‍ എന്നെയും ഒരു വില്പന ചരക്കാക്കി ..മാറ്റ്‌ ഒരാള്‍ക്ക് … വിറ്റു..എന്തുചെയ്യണമെന്നറിയാതെ….രക്ഷപ്പെടാനൊരുമാര്‍ഗവുമറിയാതെ …ഞാനയാളുടെ കൂടെ പോയി ..അയാള്‍ പിന്നോരള്‍ക്ക് വിറ്റു.അങ്ങിനെ കൈമറിഞ്ഞ്കൈമാറിഞ്ഞവസാനംഞാന്‍ വൈരവ്യപരിയുടെ അടുത്തുതന്നെഎത്തി .അപ്പോഴേക്കും എനിക്ക് വയസ്‌പത്ത്അറുപതായി

വൈരവ്യപരിക്ക് എണ്‍പതുകഴിഞ്ഞുകാണും .ഞാന്‍ പച്ചവെള്ളംപോലെ തമിഴുപറയാനും പഠിച്ചു.അവശനായ അയാള്‍ എനിക്ക് ഒരു വൈര മൂക്കുകുത്തിയും രണ്ടു വൈരകമ്മലുകളുംഒരു വൈര മലയും തന്നു ഇനി മനീ എങ്ങും പോകണ്ടാ….നമുക്ക് ഇവിടെ സ്വസ്ഥമായി കഴിയാം എന്നും പറഞ്ഞു .എല്ലാം തലകുലുക്കി സമ്മതിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് ഞാന്‍ അയാളുടെ കൂടെപകയോടെ …രക്ഷപ്പെടാനോരവ സരംകാത്തുകാത്തുകഴിഞ്ഞു .അയാളുടെ സേവകരില്‍ പ്രധാനിയായ ഒരാള്‍ക്ക് എന്നോട് ഒരനുകമ്പ,

എന്തിന്‍റെപേരിലാണെന്നറിയില്ല ,അയാള്‍ പറഞ്ഞു ‘’നിന്നെ ഞാന്‍ ഇവിടെനിന്നും രക്ഷപ്പെടുത്താം ‘’.അയാള്‍ ഒരു കുപ്പിയില്‍ വെള്ളം പോലെയുള്ള ഒരു സാധനം കൊണ്ട് തന്നു.എന്നിട്ടുപറഞ്ഞു അത് ഒരളവു വച്ച് അത്താഴത്തില്‍ ഒഴിച്ചുകൊടുക്ക്‌ …രണ്ടുമൂന്നുദിവസംകൊണ്ട് അയാളുടെ ഓര്‍മ്മകുറയും ….ബോധം കെട്ടുറങ്ങും …അപ്പോള്‍ നീ കതകു തുറന്ന്ഇറങ്ങിവന്നോ….ഞാനവിടെയുണ്ടാകും ‘’പറഞ്ഞതുപോലെ ന

ജനഇറങ്ങി വന്നപ്പോള്‍ അയാള്‍ എന്നെ കാത്തുനിന്നിരുന്നു കൂടെ മറ്റൊരാളും .അയാളെന്നെ നാട്ടിലേക്കു വണ്ടി കയറ്റി വിടാനയാളെഏല്‍പിച്ചു വിട്ടിട്ട്ഞാന്‍ തുറന്നിറങ്ങിയ വാതിലിലൂടെ അകത്തേക്കുകയറുന്നതു കണ്ടു .

പതുമുപ്പതിയഞ്ചുവര്‍ഷങ്ങള്‍ക്കുശേഷം  നാട്ടില്‍ വന്നിറങ്ങുമ്പോള്‍

നാടാകെ മാറിയിരിക്കുന്നു .പഴയകടകളോവീടുകളോ ഒന്നുമില്ല.

പുതിയ കടകളും വീടുകളും….ട്ടാറിട്ട റോഡുകള്‍ …വീദു കണ്ടുപിടിക്കാന്‍ തന്നെ നന്നേ ബുദ്ധിമുട്ടി …പഴയ വീട്അതുപോലെ തന്നെ …കാലപ്പഴക്കം കൊണ്ടുള്ള ജീര്‍ണവസ്ഥ …മുറ്റത്തും പറമ്പിലും എല്ലാം പുതിയ വീടുകള്‍

പുതിയ താമസക്കാര്‍ …ആകെ ഒരു സ്ഥലജലഭ്രമം.ദിവസങ്ങള്‍ കഴിയവേഞാനരിഞ്ഞു ഞാനവരുടെ കൂട്ടത്തിലില്ലെന്നു…വെറും ഒരു പുറംപോക്കാണെന്ന് ,കാണിച്ച സ്നേഹമെല്ലാംഎന്‍റെകാതിലുംകഴുത്തിലും മിന്നുന്നകല്ലിനോടും ഭാരമുള്ള ട്രങ്ക്പെട്ടിയോടും ഉള്ളതാണെന്ന്,.ഒരു നിമിഷം തിരിച്ചു വരെണ്ടായിരുന്നുഎന്നുതോന്നിപ്പോയി .പിന്നെ ഒരു താവളംകണ്ടുപിടിക്കുന്നതിനെകുറിച്ചായി ചിന്ത,..അങ്ങിനെ ഇവിടെയെത്തി .എത്തിപെട്ടു.

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

'' Fond memories of my child hood ''[ 6 ]

'' Fond memories of my child hood ''[6]
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
One evening, as usual I was watching my brothers and their friends, playing in the yard.My sisters usually go to the next house to play ' five stones'[a special play with stones]hide and seek and all.Towards dusk,, my eldest sister came home running; with much horror and as soon as she reached the verandah, she fell down fainted.Within seconds everybody gathered around her and asked '' what happened....,happened?''She did 'not utter a word, or open her eyes.Then my grandma, sprinkled a little water on her face,and then she winked her eyes, and rolled her head to this side and that side.Again grandma sprinkled water on her face....mom patted on her cheeks....shoulders .... and some how  woke her up.Then she started talking Tamil.So far she never knew Tamil....everybody was shocked. After some time when she cooled down grandma took her to her room ,made her sit by her side ...patted on her back softly and asked what happened. Then in a shivering voice with much horror she said that while she was coming   back home a very tall and stout Brahman..wearing red silk shawl and the string across his chest [poonool] standing on the middle of the road, without his feet touching the ground.She got frightened ,after that she did 'not know what happened.
The next day an astrologer came home....sat in front of the lamp...put a hand full of special type  shells on a wooden board.....closed his eyes.. and started shuffling the shells and whispering.Dad and grandma listened to him with sharp ears...and much respect. we children were not allowed to go any were   near.
With in a few days we were shifted to an other house; a good distance away from there.  .
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''