Thank God for the evolution in communication, you don’t have to spend a dime, to make a call, remember the trunk calls, Std (Subscriber Trunk Dialing) it’s all seamless and free now, WhatsApp, Skype etc. etc. So what are you waiting for, just connect and communicate with your childhood friends and feel the warmth, the thrill…
When the snow falls, when the squirrels run amuck, I remember the fragrance of the Edward Roses, very unusual name for a Malayalee Rose, but truly this was a foreign Rose, and I saw them first in Anita’s house. It was an art than just a plant in a pot. Edward Roses were grown in perfect cement pots, cast in situ well cast at home, those days we never bought flower pots. We made them at home, all painted brick red, Kaavi colour, with a pale red rim and they were all kept raised on two bricks each, to allow the excess water to percolate to the ground and to see the roots in case it grows out of the pot.
The pots were kept zigzag to allow visibility of each rose plant and the roses in bloom. This arrangement gave enough room for anyone to walk around the pots, take care of the roses and water them at intervals. Achachen nurtured the roses like babies. He was a very practical and witty person, he used to tie his lunky high above his waist up above on his chest like the Mulakkacha of ancient times.
Omana Ammachy wore white Mundu and Chatta the Christian attire with a fan in the rear and a neryathu, a half saree on top of the V necked cotton blouse. This is similar to the Set Mundu, typical Kerala attire minus the fan. She was on the plumb side, her face was round and it was pink, I could just scrape her cheeks with the side of my thumb and feel the pinky pink complexion of hers. She was simply dainty and charming.
Adoor Bhasi chettan, the veteran comedian of Malayalam movies, a close family friend of theirs visited them whenever he passed by Kollam. We have seen him tie his mundu like Mulakkacha in his movies (Chottanikkara Amma etc.); 100 % hypothecated to Achachen’s Mulakkacha style.
Born actors, who are serious about their profession, observes everyone and everything around to emulate, ultimately to give us the experience of a life time, the make belief feel as best as they can. This is all about detailing.
We started our baby steps together, after the Aashan Pallikoodam where we learnt Malayalam and that too writing on sand to accommodate the 52 or more Malayalam alphabets, playing with real naughty boys whom I later met for Engineering. It was fun lots of fun.
The feel of our Kindergarten was like being admitted to Cambridge, This was run by our beloved Missy. I think we felt we were on our way to Sheema (England), the way we were dressed and packed off, tiny princess to meet the Queen of Sheema. Indeed we had a princess amidst us, Anita in her tiny frocks festooned with frills and small bows, cute black shoes with the smallest buckle, I have ever seen and white socks. A small bag with a slate and pencil and a water bottle in blue and grey hanging around the neck.
I remember on the first day, some of my little friends were sobbing, and their parents hiding outside the gate, not knowing what to do next. I was very happy to be there to run around and be around Anita, and went near my little buddies wiping their tears with my handkerchief, believe me this is one item we lost all the time and Amma pinned them on the chest of the frock with a safety pin.
I was not allowed to remove this no matter what, there was no way I could wipe tears without hugging them, and reaching their wet cheeks…. It is a great feel, being able to wipe others tears, with a touch, a hug, a prayer and to reach out…..
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