Saturday, 27 December 2014

“SPEED 5 MILES”

My Island was not a remote one. It is just off the mainland Ernakulam. But electricity connection and water supply were obtained only about forty years back. Telephone connection was rendered as recent as tweny five years back. The Islander’s used to stride cross-country through coastal shores; bunds of paddy fields; neighbouring properties including courtyards and other beaten tracks. The other accessibility was by canoes or other water transport services. The only sandy road inside the Island was far from the actual road in the city. They were mainly inundated pathways. What struck me, as a very unusual sight, was an inscription on a granite stone which read “SPEED 5 MILES.” This was fixed onto a post which was erected in a property adjacent to the pathway near the Kumbalam Girl’s High School. This seemed rather odd in an area which was devoid of motor vehicles and vehicular roads. That inscription got relevance after forty years when the Island was connected by National Highway – 47 in 1987.

It is important to number the main avenues and streets in cities municipalities and Grama Panchayats. There should be signboards with directions and distances, written both in English and the local language, at all junctions on the national highways, state highways and other roads. The State PWD and National Highway departments should take necessary steps to execute this to help the travelers,  especially those who drive at night. The Motor Vehicles department should make traveler’s especially the drivers aware about the availability and use of the satellite-based navigation system namely Global Positioning System (GPS) in the inter-net. The GPS renders adequate help in navigation. It gives  the map of roads or paths available; traffic congestion and alternative routes; roads or paths that might be taken to get to the destination; if some roads are busy the best route to take; the location of food, banks, hotels, fuel, airports or other places of interests; the shortest route between the two locations and the different options to drive on highway or back roads. The GPS would also help 24x7 live location tracking of your vehicles / assets and people. 

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

CYCLE GOPALAN


“Cycle Gopalan” alias “Press Gopalan,” was the first man to use a cycle, a Rally bicycle, on our sandy roads. He used to work in the Mathrubhoomi Press, Kaloor. Narayanan Vappan was seen either ahead or just behind him as he used to take the first ferry across to report for his duty. His appearance reminded me of “Bala Gangadhar Tilak”, whose photo-frame that adorned our ‘Pumukham’. A ‘Kara Mundu’ neatly wound around his neck, the other end flying behind him because of his rapid pace. He used to wave out to us never waiting to acknowledge our response. Jacob and I therefore began to greet him as soon as we heard his bell from a distance. This way our friendship grew till we left home for our higher studies. These friendly gestures of ours rewarded us with friends of all age groups in our village.


Through our friendly gestures we had a lot of such friends in all age groups.

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

A NEW MOVIE RELEASE


Another interesting event in our village was how the new movie releases were advertised. One day when Jacob and I were standing at the gate, we were amazed to hear a music which broke the silence of our otherwise quiet village. The music which began to fill the air around us and it became louder as it came closer to us.  We were amazed to gaze at a “Cycle-rickshaw” in Kumbalam for the first time. It had side boards on which displayed cinema posters. The cyclist, I noted, was drenched in sweat and was thoroughly exhausted ploughing his rickshaw through the sandy road. Another man was sitting at the back with a microphone attached to a loudspeaker announcing the release of that film. The intervals of the announcement were filled in by the music blaring from a record player. There were a lot of boys running behind the rickshaw. They were collecting notices thrown out as part of the advertising operandi. There were pictures in black and white of the cast in the film and some information in bold letters. Sudhakaran, my neighbour, collected a few notices. He gave me one and I ran to ‘Ammachi’ with it. She skimmed through it and told us that a new film was being screened at Ayyappa talkies in the neighbouring Island, Panangad. The film was to release on the next Friday evening. The first show was at 3’O clock and the second show at 6’O clock. The name of the film was “BHARYA.”

She enlightened us that Lumiere brothers, Auguste and Louis Lumiere (October 19, 1862) are considered to be the first filmmakers in history. Dadasaheb Phalke is considered as the father of Indian cinema. “Neelakuyil’ and ‘Umminithanka” were the first video films released in Malayalam without any audio. The main attraction of this film was that it had both audio and video. A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film.

Movie shows at this particular talkie opened an avenue of entertainment for the Islanders. She promised to persuade ‘Appachan’ to take us for that film. So we got ready for the matinee. We went a little early to the talkie so that we could get comfortable seats, Damodharan, the owner of the talkies, gave us the tickets. We were led in darkness by a person, who switched on his torch guiding us to our seats. It was pitching dark in the hall. We sat on our special chairs in a room which was at a higher level than the other people; it was a balcony ticket that we bought. I noticed that a lot of people were moving towards benches beside a white screen right in the front area of the hall. I asked ‘Ammachi’, “Why we had chosen a back seat?” She told us, “Viewing the film from a distance is better unlike in a live play where the closer one is to the stage the better.” In a few moments the show was to start as it was houseful. We were all excited when the first beams of light from the projector fell on the screen. A family scene wherein Sathyan and Ragini, one of the popular stars of that time, were rowing a yacht on the Periyar River. He sang a lovable song, so beautiful, with meaningful lyrics: -

“Periyare…. Periyare….
 Parvatha Nirayude Panineere
Kulirum Konde Kuninghi Nadakkunna
Malayali Pennanu Nee
Oru Malayalee Pennanu Nee
Periyare… Periyare…”

This is a tribute to the Periyar River in Kerala. The writer admires “the clear crystalline water that originates from the springs of the mountain ranges. The lyricist likens the river to a Malayali woman who with grace revels and tinkles with coolness.”
         
The lyrics of this song were composed by Shri. Vayalar Rama Varma and the music by Shri. Devarajan. This duet was sung by Smt. P. Santha and Shri. A. M. Raja.
   

I found myself dozing off after an hour or so. It could be due to the unbearable afternoon heat, smoke and air thick with the respiration of men. The initial thrill of watching the film died down and we rested comfortably in deep slumber till the end of the show. I was awaked by the sobs and cries of both the young and old ladies in the front hall. The bickerings among the young couple and the tragic end of the film made them leave the humid and stuffy cinemas with swollen eyes.

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

A POPULAR LEADER IN AN AUTO-RICKSHAW


Auto-rickshaw was a new concept to the natives at Kumbalam. Jacob and I were going to the church to participate in the Holy Mass. Just then we saw a lot of ‘Nair’ ladies stood in a procession to receive their popular leader, Shri. Mannoth Padmanabhan from Perunna, Changanassery. All the ladies, in their festival attire, with sandal paste round their forehead, held silver or brass vessels wherein we saw half broken-open coconut in which a lamp was kindled in ghee, rice and flowers were spread around it. This was a ‘Dakhina’, an offering, to their leader. They were waiting for him who was expected to come by a service boat running from Kollam to Ernakulam with a break at Mattancherry. We didn’t see him therefore we walked from one end to the other end. There we saw ‘Nair Madambis’ with sandal pasted foreheads. Suddenly in an auto-rickshaw we spotted the popular ‘Nair’ leader, Shri. Mannom, a ‘Thejassi’, a halo around him. Seeing the autorickshaw was a great experience for us as we had never seen one before or even touched one at Kumbalam. This maiden arrival of the autoricksahaw got us really excited. Our trivial childhood joy!


We ran back home to narrate the events to ‘Ammachi’. We were curious to know why they donned sandal paste on their foreheads. She replied, “It gives coolness and peace of mind.” She further explained, “Some of the Brahmins like Ayyankars believed that the world was once destroyed by fire.  Therefore they applied vermillion vertically on their forehead to gratify the God of Fire.” “Ayyar, another group of brahmins, who believed the world was once destroyed by water apply sandal paste horizontally on their forehead, chest and upper arms.” She added, “Ladies put “Sindhoora Kuri”, vermillion, on their forehead to show that they are married.”

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

THE POSTMAN


The ‘Anchal’. (Postman) Gopalan and Post Master K. Gopala Kaimal, of the Sub Post Office at Kumbalam. were the only two Central Government employees working in Kumbalam. The post alone was the medium through which one could communicate to the outside world. Jacob and I used to meet the postman at our gate around 8-30 A.M. He wore a dhoti and a khaki shirt with brass buttons on it. Two brass buttons shone on the pockets and the other two on his shoulders. He held a seven feet tall pole with a bell on it. He used to walk with a big mail bag and an umbrella which had a long handle. The bell sounded as he walked hastily as if alerting the other pedestrians to give him way. He seemed to be the busiest man in the village. A special mail ferry boat would wait for him to take him across. The punctuality of the postman and the mail boat were commendable. He delivered the mail of the Islanders at the Thevara Sub Post office. They in turn sent it to the Main Post Office at Ernakulam and onward to their destinations. The postman would return with the mail bag to the Kumbalam Post Office where he would report to the Post Master. The postman was responsible for the delivery of post to all the four Islands of Kumbalam Village. His morning delivery process would begin by first stamping the seal on the mail he brought in from Thevara. This was followed by the sorting and finally he would go out to deliver them to the various addressees. The pole he carried helped him to pole-vault the puddles and to cross small canals. Every islander respected him since he brought letters which was the only medium of communication on these four Islands. Money orders, registered letters including appointment orders were also part of the stack he carried in his hand. People looked forward to his arrival and every day people anxiously waited for him. I have heard people ask, “Has the postman come this way?” Inlands and postcards were the major and the only means of communication here. Even my own maternal uncles used to make use of this means to communicate. X’mas Cards used to be a popular means of communicating, remembering and bonding of kinship during that festive eve. The postman played a vital role that even the boatman used to wait for him to embark before he left the ferry. I admired him for the respect he commanded from the local people.

Badran Menon Purakkat, Gopala Kaimal and then his daughter Kaumudi were the post masters and Kunjipaulo Palathingal, Varkey Anjilickal, Gopalan, Velappan were the postmen of the Kumbalam Sub Post Office. Postman Velappan, was a humble, pleasant and endearing personality. He had only a short stint in Kumbalam after which he moved to the Head Post Office at Ernakulam.  On his retirement was given an award for his good service from the Central Government. We, the Islanders, are thankful and proud of them for their yeoman services.



Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

Saturday, 20 December 2014

DRINKING WATER AND WATER SUPPLY


For drinking water the family members of the ‘Oli Mana’ depended on the nearby Vazhavelil pond. Our family used to take a special interest in the up keep and maintenance of this pond. The pond was cleaned every year and particular care was taken not to pollute the water. The pond bund was strengthened so that dirty water would not flow into that pond. Rajamma Vazhavelil was entrusted with the duty of bringing drinking water to the ‘Mana’. There was no water supply connection on our islands.

During monsoon, we used to erect four stakes in the open area of the courtyard and a washed and cleaned brand new dhoti would be tied at a certain height. A ‘Kuttalam’, a large copper vessel, its mouth covered with a cloth was kept underneath to harness the rain water. The water collected was crystal clear and most refreshing to drink. I have never had such fine natural water. We used to get plenty of water for our domestic use during the rainy season.

The salinity of water in the ponds in our compound increases during the summer. Whilst renovating our house we tried the rain water harvesting method which enables us to store the rain water. All the water was diverted to the two ponds which are close to our house. In the process the pond water is now devoid of   its entire salintity. We utilize this pond water for irrigation. All our fruit trees, lawn and garden depend on this source.  My neighbour Joseph too says that he is getting potable water from his well, which is close to our pond.

The mineral and medicinal value of the River Periyar was first discovered by the Portuguese Grande Ferrare da Alva and the place thereafter called as Alva which in English became Alwaye. The drinking water supply by the government was commissioned only after I became a graduate from Sacred Heart College at Thevara in 1973.

The drinking water ponds were neglected after the commissioning of the water supply scheme in our islands. I recall an event when the municipality commenced water supply in the suburbs of Thevara. The PWD water supply department and the municipality forcefully reclaimed all the ponds and wells in the municipal town limits. They did this on the ground that these open ponds would serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Those ponds were artificially created for harnessing rain water; but the reclamation was actually a ruse to force people to take water connections from the new water supply project. Now, the prohibitive labour charges made it unfeasible to maintain the ponds in our Islands. The construction of more and more residential houses near the ponds with bottomless sewage tanks further aggravated the situation.

At present the Islanders especially those who are residing at the northern area of Kumbalam are not getting adequate supply of potable water which the government is obliged to supply. The water supplied is contaminated with coli-form, industrial effluents, toxic wastes, pesticides, nitrates and salt to a prohibited degree. The excessive addition of chlorine makes it even worse. The sea level is rising day by day due to the high temperature and melting of ice in Polar Regions. Brine is now reaching up to Aluva where the pumping station is situated. The above facts and circumstances demand the development, erection and commissioning of a new major water supply pumping station at Edamalayar to protect the health and life of the inhabitants of Greater Cochin Area. I would also recommend a water tank and pumping station at Kumbalam to cater the needs of the railway station, big hotels and apartment complexes that are coming up in this fast developing Suburban Island.

Gone are the days when crystal clear water was available for drinking purposes.  Instead now we are supplied with mineral water manufactured by various companies. What is even more amazing is that they are dearer than cow’s milk.


Is it not the duty of the government and the local authorities to supply a reasonable quantity of potable water, electricity, cooking gas and sanitation free of cost to the common man? Are they justified in charging exorbitant land tax and property tax on buildings with less than 2000 Sq. Feet? The welfare of the poor citizens and unorganized poor agriculturists, the backbone of the society, are significant. They are at a breaking point; they could not bear the brunt of various levies imposed by the government and the local authorities. Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Division Office of the Water Authority situated at Eroor to remit my water bill. Though the water authority has made alternate arrangements to pay the bill through their local “Akshaya” agencies and through internet banking; this has not received much publicity through the media. I noted a long queue of people, mostly labourers and employed men. The monthly bills for domestic consumption comes up to just 100 to 200 rupees; but customers had to wait in the queues  for hours; some of them may have even  suffered loss of a day’s salary and / or wages amounting to 500 to 1000 rupees over and above their conveyance expenses. Another problem the consumer encounters is that the availability of water meters. They are of such poor quality and have to be changed quite often, spending not less than 2000 rupees towards cost and charges. I understood from the Executive Engineer, that there are almost   36747 domestic water connections and 945 commercial and industrial connections under their Division. Their monthly collection is almost 24 lakhs from the customers. They have about forty-five employees and they defrayed an equal amount towards salary, perquisites and other emoluments. Can’t the government avoid water charges and unnecessary harassment of common man? A few decades back, the government was facing an acute unemployment problem. This may have triggered the creation of new and additional posts and staff to fit into them. At present “the Globalization” has brought in lot of opportunities to our people. In this modern age of computers the staff strength has to be reduced to save prohibitive salary and other expenses. The vicissiitudes should reflect in thinking process as well. The service of employees in billing and collection of water charges could be utilized for other useful purposes or be transferred to other departments. The government should not expect profit from all the projects that they embark on. The government and the local authoriries should supply adequate potable water, electricity, cooking gas and sanitation free of cost to the common man and poor agriculturists. However, it is open to the government to fix higher tariffs for commercial and industrial and other big consumers.

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Marketing methods are changing rapidly with modern times. The typical markets characterized by the stench of garbage, reeking canals and dirty surroundings have given way to accommodate the more refined market spaces of the modern era, the Malls. They are manned by educated and disciplined sales personnel. A number of such malls have been sprouting here and there in the city. Quality goods that were previously available only in foreign markets are now made available in the domestic market. This has considerably reduced the craze for foreign goods. Healthy competition is good in every industry. 

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

THE PROVISION SHOP


Provision shops were scarce on our island. The few that existed were located close to the ferries or the mosque or the church and at the center of the island where people used to gather often. Jacob and I used to accompany Mariakutty whenever she went to the Mathai’s provision shop to buy betel leaves for ‘Appachan’ or little things for ‘Ammachi’. This was the one closest to our house. Although it was a provision shop he sold a few stationary items like pens, pencils, paper, note books, pins, locally made beedis and cigarettes like Passing Show, Charminar, Scissors and even the top brand Berkley packets. He also sold wooden cutlery and ladles made of coconut shell and bamboo reapers, sometimes even a few crockery items and pottery. The locals depended on him mainly for provisions. He had orange and lemon candies and white peppermint, which had a hole in the middle. We looked around and noticed that every essential items from “Uppu, (salt) to ‘Karpuram, (camphor) or Alpha to Omega was available there in small quantities. He kept small things on wooden shelves around the walls. Heavy things were kept in bags like provisions, coconut oil and cake on the floor. Some items were hanging on the attic. Some other items, like salt were kept in a shed nearby since such items would spoil the cement floor. It was interesting to watch him at his work. He sold things on a first come first serve basis and insisted on immediate payment. We noticed that to certain customers only he used to make a note of the articles bought in a notebook instead of taking cash from them.  Mariakutty told us that he used to extend credit only to those salaried people. They were the privileged few who settle accounts with him at the end of the month with few exceptions. Some of them carried a cloth bag and a note which had a list of the required items. After the goods were delivered to them he made a note of it in his notebook. Those who did not have the bags to carry their goods home, he packed it in paper and tied it with flax fiber string. He picked out little things from every nook and corner of his shop room; while doing so he never committed any mistake. He never used a pencil to calculate. His sharp memory and some tricks with his fingers helped him to arrive at the total price. He used to mutter under his breath which no one could understand. He might have been praying to God to give his debtors adequate money to pay him back. I saw barter system also. The poor people would bring eggs and would get salt and chilli in exchange. We saw another man brought a ripe bunch of plantain and got his provisions. A fisherwoman collected some provisions from him and told him that she had already delivered some ‘Kanambu’, Mullet, to his wife at home. I remember that on our maiden visit, Mathai offered a few sugar candies; since we were reluctant to accept it he wrapped some in a nice cover and gave it to Mariakutty. We appreciated his gesture and thanked him for it.

When we went back home, as usual, I narrated to ‘Ammachi’ about how I marveled at the way Mathai carried on his business. We asked her, “How he remembered where each and every article in his shop was stored.”  She told us, “He might have some order in which he had arranged them; it is a matter of familiarizing with it.” She went on to explain how we are used to and familiar with all the possessions in our idyllic ‘Mana’; for example the names of the household, the various rooms, the furniture, especially the almirrah, our major weakness where biscuits and the other snacks were stored. She went on citing examples of the kitchen where the salt, chilli, coriander and turmeric were stacked; the shed where the agricultural implements were kept. Even the vegetation in our compound where there are lots of mango trees we were able to identify them as ‘Payal’, ‘Gudad’, ‘Priyor’ or ‘Vella-Sunkiri’. There are a lot of other trees we know. In nature we are familiar with our own ponds where we swim and play every day. We know the Vembanad Kayal’ and its shore as it is our frequent haunt when we are in the fishing mood. For a person who visits us all these are new as they do not interact with them daily. Everything relates to some other thing, event, context or circumstance. The faculty by which knowledge is  acquired about an event, some people or a few things is recalled or kept in mind and when that is repeatedly recalled it  is hooked on to one's  memory. For example when a ripe ‘Payal’ mango is plucked from a particular tree and eaten. Its colour, fragrance and its delicious taste linger on in the memory and that tree is remembered for giving the satisfaction of fragrance and taste. The logical interpretation of this is very true. Wherever you see, get the fragrance and taste you could tell that it is a ‘Payal’ mango. Regarding his deftness with numbers in calculation ‘Ammachi’ promised to teach us this manner of mental arithmetic once we get a little older to comprehend it. ‘Ammachi’ warned us from accepting things from strangers. Since Mathai was close to us there was nothing wrong in accepting. When you accepted it you said, “Thanks” and if you were reluctant you would better say, “No thanks” and that would be a better way of showing your reluctance to accept it.”

There was yet another provision shop owned by Paramu. It was a thatched shed close to our house.  His brother Ramakrishnan used to cut ‘Beedi’ leaves and make beedi.  Granules of tobacco were put into the leaf and rolled before closing the top. It was then tied with a cotton thread. He was always engaged in doing this and he was fast at turning out a neat one. These were the local cigarettes called ‘Beedis’ which a lot of locals used to be addicted to.


Marketing methods are changing rapidly with modern times. The typical markets characterized by the stench of garbage, reeking canals and dirty surroundings have given way to accommodate the more refined market spaces of the modern era, the Malls. They are manned by educated and disciplined sales personnel. A number of such malls have been sprouting here and there in the city. Quality goods that were previously available only in foreign markets are now made available in the domestic market. This has considerably reduced the craze for foreign goods. Healthy competition is good in every industry. 

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

THE TEA SHOP


Paili Ameparambil’s teashop at the northern ferry end was a familiar and popular cafe mainly due to the varied and tasty food stuffs, the decent behaviour and accessibility. Paily, the owner, always sported a pleasing smile on his face. He was assisted by his son Thomas and later by his younger sons, Ousepachan, Anthony, Chacko and Xaviet. I noted the glass cupboard always had a lot of ‘Putt’, steamed rice cake, ‘Velleppam’, fried rice cake and egg curry, for breakfast, which commenced early in the morning. ‘Putt’ with ripe banana and ‘Pappadom’ or green gram curry or ‘Katala’, Bengal gram, curry was everybody’s favourite. People sat on benches near the desks on which the food was served. Thomas (employed in Navy) was the first one to arrive regularly on his bicycle. He used to have a cup of piping hot tea at the shop. Then he would take back another cup of tea for his wife, his first gesture of affection for the day! The fishermen who went out fishing also used to have their breakfast very early in the morning. The local people too contributed to the tea shop business. The Communist Party local leaders and members found the teashop an ideal place to sit comfortably and read all the newspapers of the day especially the “Desabhimani daily” which was read aloud. This is a revolutionary paper. Any particular news item in it may get the listeners all worked up. Often an argument is triggered off over a cup of tea and a sizzling ‘Parippuvada’. This is a local snack made of dal mixed with onions and chilli. It is then shaped like a small discus and thrown into hot coconut oil. This used to be a popular snack for their party meetings as well. No doubt, reading helped a lot in their academic developments. Though illiterate some of them became Communist Party members, some others were elected as members of the Panchayath Committee and a few were fortunate to become President of Panchayath. They were able to deliver speeches with a lot of valuable information in it. After the breakfast was over, by around half past ten other eatables would emerge. The ball shaped,  brownish black ‘Undampori’, the ball shaped with cream edged ‘Sukhian’, the rounded, white ‘Kozhukatta’ which has a filling, which was a mix of coconut gratings and jaggery and the  ‘Ada’, the very same item in a different shape either flat or triangular are a few snacks to mention. In the evening and during night till 10 P.M. ‘Chappathi’, Indian roti, were also available with beef curry. While Paily and his eldest son, Thomas, toiled hard to service his valuable customers, his wife, Mariam and her helpers did their bit. They prepared rice flour by pounding the rice manually which was later fried to prepare the snacks for the local people.  This yeomen service has to be appreciated. I noticed a sense of appreciation and contentment on his customer’s face. The expression on Paily’s face too reflected  satisfaction.  He may not have amassed any material wealth. His business with which he survived helped him to bring up his children who grew up to assume any sort of job.


Prabhakaran, Raghavan, Souriar, and Pappu too had tea shops in the North ferry area to cater to the different tastes. Prabhakaran used to serve delicious vegetarian dishes like ‘Dosa’, ‘Bonda’, ‘Mulakuvada’ and ‘Chattni’, a treat, those days. Pushpangadan Ikkaraveliyil’s tea shop was at the center of Kumbalam. This used to be very popular with the villagers due to its convenient meeting place. Now it is run by his daughter Latha, who manages it very efficiently.

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

OUR TAILOR


Kanki was a good tailor in our village. He was asked to come home whenever our wardrobe had to be replenished. One day ‘Appachan’ asked him to take measurements and gave him adequate cloth to make a new set of clothes for us to attend my uncle’s wedding. We loved the cream coloured silk shirts and the matching dark green trousers which he tailored for Jacob and me. Those were our first silk shirts and we were so happy to possess one of those elegant ones. In a few days he brought it home and we tried it on. ‘Ammachi’ said it was a perfect fit for both of us. We wore it for the first time for the marriage of Alex uncle, ‘Ammachi’s younger brother, who used to stay in Kumbalam while he was studying in Sacred Heart College at Thevara.

Pappu and Vasu were the other expert tailors for ladies. Much later Vakkachan Maniamkot underwent training in Jos Brothers at Ernakulam town and started a tailoring unit to cater to the later trends in the tailoring field. This gave the islanders a wonderful opportunity to stich latest model shirts and pants at affordable rates. The money spend on stitching circulated in the village itself was another attraction.


At present, Vakkachan finds it difficult to get new apprentices to do the odd jobs. Therefore, he is gradually shifting into readymade business. Why youngsters aren’t interested to join as a trainee to become a popular tailor in due course? The globalization and investments have brought in a lot of opportunity in this country. Therefore, those in the primary sector moved into the secondary and those in the secondary to the tertiary level. This has affected all the skilled jobs as well as professional jobs. Now the primary level casual or unskilled and skilled jobs in Kumbalam, to a larger extent, are carried on by Tamilians, Bengalis, Biharis and Rajasthanis. They too have also started charging prohibitive wages. This, no doubt, would badly affect the agricultural economy of the country and affect money supply in the State of Kerala.

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

THE COBBLER


There were no cobblers in this Island and people were not in the habit of wearing footwear those days. My grandfather used to wear wooden slippers, locally called ‘Methiyati,’ made of planks of Karinnotta, Samadera indica, (Karingatta) tree, with a single brass nail or needle. This provided adequate grip between the big toe and the second toe.  Since heels are a little high, adequate practice is necessary to use it.  If not used with deftness, there is every chance for the person to go for a toss and have his legs dislocated. As a young boy I used to walk majestically with his slippers and his baton, which was a cane bound  with brass ends.


 Ravunni, a cobbler, who had a mini shoe shop at Broadway, Ernakulam, adjoining to Bharath Coffee House was known to ‘Appachan’. Whenever we passed through Broadway he would try to persuade ‘Appachan’, to get us children good leather footwear. One day, when he came to Kumbalam, ‘Appachan’ asked him to take our feet measurements. After a few weeks he came home with two pairs of leather footwear. We were so happy. It was much later the rubber and plastic slippers and footwear stormed the market.

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

Friday, 12 December 2014

A NATURAL MANGO TREE



I remember the wild mango tree, Spondias pinata that stood in one corner of our St. Antony’s private chapel property. In Malayalam language it is called ‘Nattumavu’. One variety worth special mention has a very quick growth. It is enormous in size and can live for hundreds of years. It has a long trunk which branches out like a canopy and it provides ample shade for people in the locality especially during the sweltering summer. The children used to play in various local games beneath the tree and got immense pleasure from doing so. Its first flowers bloom during the months of December and January. Its dark cream flowers have a peculiar scent. ‘Naricheers’, the small bats apart from other insects like honey bee, butterflies and moths come to get the honey in it and thus the flowers get pollinated. The mangoes taste bitter and unpleasant. The cluster of mangoes is small and hangs on long stalks at the end of the branches. As the mangoes grow bigger both the children and the elderly people do not spare them. They pelt stones at them to bring them down. At times, they can even be very rough bringing down even the branch with a few bunches of mangoes. I observed the expressions on the people’s faces when they were trying to strike at the big bunch. As the mangoes fall down and go helter-skelter, there used o be a stiff competition among the children to gather the largest number to take home to their mothers. These bitter mangoes are then ground with green chilies and coconut gratings to make excellent ‘Chammanthi’, a relish, for their lunch. When ‘Appachan’ was around he would get into a real fury and chase them away. This special variety was plucked before it was fully ripe to make the popular ’Uppumangoes’. The clean and wiped mangoes were put into a big ‘Bharani’, earthenware pots, alternated with dry salt. After a few months, due to osmosis, the water in the mangoes comes out absorbing the salt into it. This is a natural way of preserving mangoes. These ‘Uppumangoes’ are a good combination with rice gruel. It is a very tasty common man’s meal. The trunk of the tree has a short life span; it lasts longer under salt water. The people in the locality still crave for that excellent ‘Uppumangoes’. We had a lot of other mango trees, Mangifera indica that produces excellent fruits like Alphonso, Neelam, Gudad and Priyor.

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

TEMPTING BELLS



The ice fruit vendor on a bicycle was another character eagerly sought after by the children. The special bells of the ice fruit vendor used to make my mouth water. Children ran about excitedly for ice fruits; it was a scarce item in the villages since there was neither water supply, electricity nor a refrigerator to preserve it. Like other children I too used to pester ‘Ammachi’ to spare three ‘Kasu’, (Six Kasu made One ‘Anna’ and Sixteen ‘Annas’ made a ‘Panam’ or later a rupee), to buy an ice-fruit. Once in a while ‘Ammachi’ used to give me two ‘Annas’ to buy a sweet ice-cake, which I ladled with renewed energy. These ice-fruits and ice-cakes were manufactured by a Tamilian settled at Kaloor in Ernakulam. 

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

CHILDHOOD JOYS



In our little village we had a great advantage over our peer group. The vast expanse of open ground, gave us ample freedom of movement. No restriction of boundaries was imposed on us within our compound. I vividly remember that ‘Ammachi’ used to take me on her back and do all sorts of tricks to amuse Jacob and me. I loved to play with my younger brothers and sisters especially the toddler, cute, little Mariamma. Most of the time, Jacob and I used to always include them, Aleyamma, Antony and Mariamma, in our games and we would try to play the games they were interested in. At other times they would sit and watch us playing when the game did not suit them. They used to love mounting on our backs when we kneel down and go on all fours pretending we were elephants; we used to fidget and try to touch them with our hands as if it was the elephant’s trunk. They really enjoyed this very childish game of ours mainly played to amuse them. Mariamma used to find it difficult to mount on my back so I had to lower one side and she used to be assisted by Jacob to climb up holding my hair for additional support. 

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

CARCASS OF A BIG RAT



 On one occasion, Jacob and I noticed the carcass of a big rat in the midst of the wildly overgrown grass in one corner of our compound. A stench lingered in that corner. I was wondered why the scavengers like the crow abandoned it. We ignored it. However, after a few days, we went in search of the carcass to investigate the stage of decay. I pitch-forked the big rat into an open space with a long bamboo reaper. As we turned over the loose body, we were surprised to see a lot of maggots and flies that came out through the mouth and the anus region. There was practically nothing left except the bag of skin. We realized that the skin, the vital fleshy sheath that holds in all the squishy organs and fluid, was not easily perishable like the flesh. It keeps the animal safe from parasites and microscopic invaders while also giving the animal a marvelous tactile sense of the world around. I understand that the elements like Sodium and Potassium, and Vitamin-C made the skin durable and protected it from heat. We were amazed at the kind of protection Mother Nature afforded by providing the skin to animals.

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

TOIL TO BRING UP THEIR YOUNG ONES


I gazed an elephant-dung slowly, steadily and strangely moving to one side of our courtyard. I leaned forward in my chair to observe what was happening, I was astounded when I spotted a tiny beetle with an armoured body pushing and rolling the dung with his four hind legs. The other two forelegs were firmly fixed to the ground. At times, another beetle came to help him out in his hard labour. I watched them pushing it about fifteen feet away beneath the shadow of a guava tree. These insects toiled to bring up their little ones. I observed that the beetle laid numerous eggs inside the elephant dung. They did it on cow dung and decayed wood particles too. When the eggs were hatched, their young ones hid inside and fed on the dung or decayed wood. Thereby it helped in recycling the dung into organic soil.

A few days later, l noticed a fowl devouring those tiny insects. I felt really sorry for the mother beetle, who was not anywhere around to counter this attack. I have also observed other insects, crustaceans, amphibians and fish that spawned numerous eggs. They do not provide proper care or attention to the progeny and therefore very few of them survived and grew. A great majority were eaten by predators or destroyed. On the other hand the birds and mammals give plenty of care and attention to bring up their offsprings.  Therefore an attachment and bonding is created amongst the advanced mammals.

I have noticed that the insects too are forced to alter their habits due to the changes in environment. With cows and cowdung becoming a rarity beetles are finding alternate sources to multiply and breed. I noticed that all our mangoes are infested with these beetles. During the flowering season, these beetles would lay their eggs in the ovary of the mango flowers and enter the seed. The little ones would eat the kernel inside mango-nut and would grow. When the mango ripens they would come out through the flesh and thus spoil the fruit. Another variety of beetles would lay their eggs on the outer skin of mangoes and when it ripens the beetles moved inside and fed on the flesh thereby spoiling the whole fruit. This was very rare phenomenon I observed during my childhood days.

The only way of salvaging the fruit from the latter type of beetles is by plucking the mangoes before it is fully ripe and giving them a hot water dip to kill the eggs on the outer skin.

I have noticed that the presence of large number of the big red ants (‘Muyiru’ or ‘Mussar’) protects the mangoes from the attack of beetles and other pests by feeding on them.


I was really interested in observing even the minute wonders of nature; the small and big red and black ants, termites, insects like the house-fly, mosquitoes, crickets, and the dragon-flies.  All these have three pairs of joined legs; the centipedes have more than twenty pairs and millipede having numerous legs; crustaceans like crabs and spiders having four pairs of legs and the amphibians like the frogs. It is interesting to watch these small animals toil so hard to convert the flora and fauna into organic soil. The female mosquitoes are harsh on animals and humans. They break the skin and suck the blood. When their abdomens are burstingly full they turn wine red; in this state they are unable to fly away to their hideouts and often fall prey to lizards, frogs, mantis and even birds. Tiny as they are, they too work laboriously to rear their young ones. 

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com