Jacob
and I used to sit on the shore to enjoy the awesome view across the Vembanad Kayal‘. The backwater was shimmering in bright sunlight. Before
the commencement of the ebb, the movement or flow of water to the sea suddenly
stopped; a cool breeze started coming from the West slightly swaying the
coconut palm leaves; gentle waves commenced
coming with a low gurgling and touched our feet one after another; sometimes rough
waves came and wet our bottoms. We used to enjoy the gentle waves and darted
back and forth as the waves came up and receded. I felt a great bond with the
tides on this vast stretch of water before me. On one such occasion when we
were playing on the shore to the rhythm of the tides, my attention was diverted
to an Aree, a big predator fish,
attacking a shoal of small fish. I thought for a moment, if Appachan had been here he would have
caught it; I looked back to see if he was around. In that split second I could
feel the soil under my feet being washed away and I was being carried away with
the high tide. As I knew to swim I did not panic but I was taken unawares. A
fisherman sitting mute enjoying the afternoon breeze on the shore nearby jumped
into the ‘Kayal’ and pulled me out. He
had an eye on us as if an angel sent from heaven! Thereafter, I was very
careful and alert when playing with the tides. I saw ‘Ammachi’ running to the shore towards us with raised eye brows. I
could feel the motherly instinct of care and affection in her. She must have
been casting her glances around in search of us. She cautioned me, “Be Careful”
and then thanked the fisherman sitting nearby. She was careful about her
children! Several times we watched helplessly the rough waves shattering our
castles and fortresses built on our shore. Before we could shield them, they
vanished. Were the rough waves cleaning and tidying the shores for children to
start a game afresh! We have always enjoyed the serenity and the turbulence of
the Vembanad ‘Kayal’. In the
evenings, we used to enjoy the cool breeze from the ‘Kayal’ accompanied with
the varied sunsets which brightened
the horizon. If I am given a chance to
be born again, I wish it would be once again on these very same shores of the Vembanad
‘Kayal’ where I had experienced such
joy and serenity.
-----
MEMOIRS
An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com
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