CONCERN FOR THE POOR

I have heard people say that the aftermath of the Second World War (1939-45); the most devastating food shortage in India, the Bengal Famine (1943), which killed 30 lakh people in the province of Bengal and the invasion of Burma by the Japanese army created despair amongst the people here. Rice that came from Bengal and Burma stopped; leading to acute starvation. Financial troubles offered incalculable difficulties. Shortage of income and mounting debts became a constant nightmare. A lot of people including Thommachan Kelanthara, Ayyappan Manathara, Pappu Arackal and Kumaran Thandasseril-nikarthil and a lot of others went to Assam and later to Ceylon to eke out a living.

[ What an irony!! Now a reverse scenario is witnessed. People from Bengal, Assam and other north Indian states contribute to the majority of migrant labour in Kerala. These labourers now thrive in the prosperity of the Indian Malayalis.]

The pain and agony I experienced was intense, when I happened to watch the BBC news of emaciated people of Somalia and other African countries. The horrifying scenes of their famished children with sunken eyes haunt me even in my dreams. Their undernourished young ladies are incapable to feed their infants; and their breasts are dried out. It is inhumane to ignore them. The unfortunate refugees from Syria also face a similar problem. The so called developed nations are bound to send adequate wheat, milk and other nutrients to feed these hapless people. They too need proper clothes, shelter, and health and education. Their life and honour are also important. This is more significant than sending military men, war-ships, planes, missiles and other warfare in their endeavour to police Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. The developing nations too should do their bit to wipe out their tears.

 As a child, I was aware that rice, sugar, kerosene and other essential goods were very scarce. I also knew that there was not enough work for the people. Food was neither adequate nor available. The price of food was unaffordable for ordinary people.

‘Ammachi’ made us, children, aware early in life that there was poverty lurking all around us on the Island. There were homes which could not afford a square meal a day. By God’s grace we were blessed abundantly. She showed and taught us the virtue of giving to the poor. I have witnessed her give away her own lunch when somebody in the neighbourhood came knocking for some food. I think it was her humaneness that had rubbed on to me and my compassion too went out to these people. One day I noticed Sasi sitting on the granite embankment by the side of the Vembanad ‘Kayal’. He was skimming tiny pieces of broken tiles and pots, and throwing small stones into the backwaters, and was fascinated by the ripples it created. He kept on doing this for a long time. I asked him, “Why he was so excited by this.” I was taken aback when he told me that getting engrossed in these ripples made him forget his hunger pangs. For him it was only a means of escapism from the harsh reality of hunger! This statement moved me intensely and my eyes swelled with tears. Growling of the stomach is miserable; I have experienced the same while taking a deliberate fast. His mother Kamalakshi, used to help out in our kitchen work. She had nine children of her own whom she struggled hard to feed. I knew that she used to make rice and ‘Chutta Mulaku Chammanthi’, a relish made with burnt chilli, a little fresh coconut  oil and little salt, was then mixed in for that final touch. Her children had rice with just this for their noon meal and only one meal was given as there were so many mouths to feed. I took Sasi to ‘Ammachi’ and she fed him with whatever was being cooked in our kitchen that day.

Most of the men on our Island were impoverished. They were mere bag of bones. George’s father Xavier was one among them. Most of them used to come to our house and my mother used to share what we had with them. Before closing the kitchen she would enquire if there were any more people waiting for food. As mentioned many a time she might not had enough food left in the vessel for her. But we noticed some sort of a radiant satisfaction on her face. This was a traditional practice followed by our ancestors too.

I vividly remember the faces of the orphaned children. Xavier and his mother who used to wait outside our kitchen for ‘Kanji’, rice gruel,  right from the morning to make sure they would get something to break the fast. I have observed the young Xavier’s face brighten up when Mariakutty announced that the ‘Kanji’, rice gruel, was getting ready. I too was happy to note that beaming satisfaction when they have had their meal.  Narayani, our former maid and her husband Sanku were very old and ailing used to come regularly. ‘Ammachi’ never discouraged instead she loved to give them.

I remember so many came for help to get their daughters married. Where will they go for medical help, reasonably good clothes and ‘Kavani’, a fine cloth with golden jerry to cover their head and body when they go to church or one or two areca trees or bamboo and coconut palm leaves to maintain their homestead? ‘Ammachi’ would get permission from ‘Appachan’ to help them out in cash or kind according to their requirements. ‘Ammachi’ thought and believed that as Christians, we were duty bound to give our ten percent tithes or more to the poor and the needy. She was known for her kind smile, her sympathy, and her warmth.

I used to get upset and concerned whenever I gazed at an old destitute or even orphaned children fighting with each other for food. In their desperation they never hesitated to look for food in the waste bins. I have seen ‘Ammachi’ giving them a few coins for a meal. 

Once she asked me, “Have you ever noticed where the river flows?” I had my answer correct and said, down to the valleys and planes to join the mighty ocean. ‘Ammachi’ said, “Similarly, good qualities, the gifts of God, such as compassion, sympathy, empathy, feeling, emotion, warmth, sensitivity, concern, kindness, care, indulgence, mercy, forgiveness, and leniency flow down from the wealthy to the poor and the needy. God Almighty sees your good deeds and rewards you for this in heaven.”                              

She further added, “Giving and helping someone in need is a great virtue. If you do not have money or food at home, you can point out the house or institution where he would get the required money or food, you would be rewarded in heaven.” We children nodded our head to approve that fact.

What is the reason? Who is responsible? Did the “Have Not” influence my heart and mind making me a Socialist? I humbly request the Government of India and all the Governments in this world to set-aside ten percent of their revenue or more to feed, to clothe, to shelter and to educate the poor and the needy all over the world without any discrimination whatsoever. The state is duty bound to protect the widows, the orphans the sick or the infirm, the disabled or crippled, the prisoners, the victims of natural calamities from exploitation. What is most important here is that one should not capitalize these occasions to   display charity. One should not even expect anything in return for their charitable acts. “The left hand shall not know what the right hand gave,” says the Bible.

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography

by

Joseph J. Thayamkeril

Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.

josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com