Starting Trouble on a Humid Morning in Chennai

The starting trouble on a humid morning. 

The mornings are always a time of starting trouble, either it is for men or it is for vehicles.  The old times vehicles had that at a higher rate.  It was an effort to put into life an old car or truck in those days.  Always there were more than one person involved in starting a vehicle then.  The driver always used to have a helper who helped to turn a handle vigorously and turn the fan inside the engine from the front, while the real hero, the driver used to sit in and accelerate until the engine started to catch up and rev on its own.  As soon as the fire starts the handle turner pulled back the handle, swiped the sweat on his brows and took a deep sigh of relief.  Next he put the handle back inside the vehicle and either waited to see the driver revved up for a while to heat the engine and then sat in.  

Now that was about old vehicles.  Old people are almost the same, but generally, do not need any helper!  Getting up is generally without effort as long as one is in village areas where birds wake up almost every body in the morning.  But waking won’t do.  One has to get moving. That is the challenge.  First one says all the prayers one can remember.  Then sit up and get up.  This is to move and see if the morning news paper has arrived!  If it has not come, one an go to bed again.  But as it is the morning paper very rarely make a miss and it is there at the door.  One avidly grabs the paper and open the pages quickly flipping away the first couple of pages of mere trade in the form of full page advertisements.  These days, there are prompting words like “FREE, FREE’,  ONLY FOR TODAY, ONLY FOR THESE ..FEW…DAYS,  YOU SAVE…SO MUCH’ etc., etc.  Once the news comes the big headings with more ink is gone through quickly to see that the world is on its axis properly turning and then slowly one strains ones eyes for the smaller inked stuff !  By the time a cup of tea is made available by who so ever is in the house hold and that triggers the day!

The effect of tea is now a real winner after cigarettes and desi cigarettes called beedis are a strict ‘no, no’ due to their cancer properties well known and advertised these days.  All that is good and fine but the heat of the weather chart make one drowsy in Chennai this time of the year.  A much wanted rain does not come down and the clouds are going hay wire hither and thither to rain or flood in places where it is not expected.  What ever happened to climate, every body wonders! But one has to suffer it.  No one can do anything single handed.  As such has to suffer the vagaries of the extremes.  One hastens to take a morning walk early as before long it is going to be too hot to walk outside.  Even when there is a cloud, still the hot winds from the west make it uninteresting outside in Chennai.  So it is good to be indoors after the morning walk or reaching office if it can be so done.  At least until after some welcome rain which is expected in a week or two.

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My Mother had a Tail...!

                                                   

                                                           My Mother Had a Tail…!

             That is true.  The tail was pure cotton white.  Me and my siblings loved this tail as it was a convenient towel for us to wipe our hands whenever needed.  Most of the mothers in other houses also had tails.   Those were the times of old.  Mothers in old Kerala had different ways of dressing up.  Mothers of different religions dressed up differently.  Among these, we loved our mother’s tails the best for its convenience.     Life was simple and cool without TV, Radio, Inter net, IPod and Lap tops. Most of the transport was by bullock carts.  Faster modes of travels were rarely performed by the local folk.     Fathers were busy finding out the daily bread for their children. Mothers were busy keeping home and preparing food for the children from time to time.

           I was a little boy of six or seven at that time as I recall now.  Houses were small and in the limited number of rooms, the smell of any recipe prepared in the kitchen wafted in quickly.  The most attractive was the smell of pappads being fried in pure coconut oil.  Such a smell pulled us children to the kitchen where mother will be frying them and we conveniently appeared behind, located the vessel in which she was putting the fried pappads, took one and left.  Mother always noticed this and grimaced. At times she said “Ok, ok, you have it, but will get only less than what you take now”.  But she never considered it while serving.  She served us all equally again.  At times she smilingly said while serving: “I really need not serve you again.”  She endeared us all to her by that simple but loving statement.  Such actions repeated at times with curries or other fried items which become irresistible to us children.  At those times, we have to wash our hands and we are in a hurry to rush out to play. That is when ‘The Mom’s tail’ became a convenience.  We wiped our hands on the tail and ran out to play out side. 

             The Christian mothers only had the tails as I noticed.  Till the last ten years or so, I had seen such mothers.  But now the fashion in dressing has caught up and mostly I see mothers have lost their tails and all have shifted to sarees or other forms of dress.  Even some mothers now look like Dads in Men’s kind of ware.  Their children won’t naturally get this convenience.   And some of the mothers are not fully house bound as the mothers of old.  Many new mothers move far and wide and at times are away from their children which creates great love loss to such kids. 

              In our times the mothers were always at home and we could never think of a house without a mom waiting for us with some good food and smiling face when we returned from school, college or office.  They were a contented lot.  Movements far and wide were less.  Families were compact, earned less but lived happily.  It made us urge for more and better facilities and we as children were encouraged to learn with all our might.   The schools by the Christian sisters and monasteries all over Kerala really helped us upwards with the free education for which those Catholic Sisters, Brothers and Fathers dedicated themselves.  Then there was the dedicated teachers mostly and many of them considered any child in the class as their own children.   Such situation is fast changing and education is slowly becoming a less dedicated area and profession.

            We came running home from schools and as soon as we enter the command generally is “first go and wash your hands and feet! That included the face also.  We did it quickly and came running in to Mom for any kind of food available at home.  That is when we wiped our hands and face on her tail.  She never prohibited us from doing so which endeared us to her.  These things could happen in only lower middle or poor families.  In richer families also our friends had better looking mothers in same sort of dress very white and clean.  And generally unsoiled.  But their children (who are our friends) were not allowed to wipe on their tails, lest their cloth tails are soiled.  We had no such bar.  Mom had her own way of duping us.  She told us from time to time “Don’t do it, that is the only ‘mundu’ .  Don’t soil my cloth by all of your wiping and sweeping(the long white cloth used by Christian mothers of Kerala along with a white top called ‘kuppaayam’and another over cover cloth called ‘neriyathu’ which is a very nice light white cloth), that is my only Cloth which I have for Sunday Church.  But we always knew, that she had a fresh set of cloth in her mother’s cloth box (‘mundum petti’) a special box of the mothers which were kept in most simple Christian households).  

Those were the times in which we enjoyed life a lot and were much more happy with far less amenities.  Now, that happiness is gone along with those lovely parents. Now most of the families are trying to rediscover that happiness again through other endearing methods!

A flat tyre at Thrissur...!

       Thrissur is home place.  So no doubt about where I am going.  This yesterday I was heading to the Railway Station to put my dear ones in the train to Chennai.  So I was relaxed and at the entrance of the Station had a hunch to have a cup of tea with all.  The place and time was perfect.  It was evening before dark. Had thirty five minutes for the train.  So I took a U-turn on the road and in the turn entered a shop mall courtyard to complete the turn.   There was a shining object at the edge and that was under my front right tyre which was uneventful...!  Or was it.?  Whatever!  We brought the car to the near by way side motor cycle repair shop to park it there.  On request the shop owner kindly agreed to allow my car to be parked there! That was really kind of him.  Relieved we moved to the tea shop for a fantastic cup of tea and an urad vada., which too was delicious.

     With a relaxed gait we walked back to the car to see my front right down and the tyre was dead under the wheel. My heart sank.!  Now I cannot take it to the Railway Station parking. Instead have to change the tyre or get somebody to do it.   There was no time to go for calling somebody now.  The best option was to change it myself how so ever difficult it was.  I had practised the change a couple of times earlier in difficult conditions with the limited resources of the changing levers the company had provided while buying the car along with the little car jack.  I had also noticed the correct position for placing the jack.

    I instructed my dear ones of the option available all of them cooperated. The back dicky was opened and I took out the levers and pins to open up the flat tyre.  The motor cycle shop owner seeing the whole thing came out to help open up the nuts.  He did two and I did two. Then was lifting the tyre on the jack.  A young gentleman came out of the nearby hotel to help out on turning the lever to lift the jack.  That was angelic of him to have done that.  He took leave once the jack was up and the tyre was loosened.

    There after I took out the steppny tyre and inter-changed them.  As I loosened the jack to bring down the car on the wheel the new changed tyre was seen lacking in air as it had not been filled for quite some time as it was cumbersome to filling it in usual fillings.  Now, it was pay up.  But a quick idea flashed in my mind.  I can drop my people to the Station near by. To that extend the tyre will hold.  My motor cycle repair shop owner told me that in the opposite directions close by there is a tyre repair shop who have air too.  However, I took, the first route to put the people into the Railway Station. We had ten minutes in hand.  Straight away I drove into the station with the luggage of my family and they followed on foot, lest the changed tyre gave in!   And the station was near by.  Once they walked up I removed their luggage and left them to embark the train and left for the tyre shop.

    The shop was farther than I thought.  The guide had told me the shop was near ...by the car..standards!  Never mind!  The repair wala quickly brought out his air hose and was trying to fill.  But in the hurry, I had put the plastic plate in the wrong way covering the air valve tube.  The repair man was unfazed! He just pulled out the plastic cover at the side of the valve and I held it pulled for him, so that he could fill it.  He did a good job by filling all the four tyres!  I was humbled their quick help and understanding. The shop owner also checked my punched tyre.  It had a good punch whole to which something has gone in but no nail or anything was found.  The air was seen freely going.  The shop owner said it can't be repaired with his normal rubber pieces as that may not hold. He said it would be a good idea if the valve is pulled out and the tubeless tyre is used as a normal tyre putting a tube inside.  On considering the fact my tyre itself is near a change for new ones I declined and decided to run without it for the time being.

    Then came the call from my family saying the train is twenty four minutes late.  That was the exact time I needed for all these works.  I drove into the Station.  Went in and helped them to board the train.  The drive back was uneventful.  That was a good rejuvenating experience.  But a little tiring, indeed!

Mothers are angels on earth!

Waiting by the calendar - A mother's wait..!

Mother's are angels on the earth. I had one. She always asked "Do you want some tea water?" . Black tea was called tea water. She always brought it for me when I was young. When I was studying. When I was sick. When I was happy! When I was in a hurry! When I was at ease and relaxing. That was an all time elixir.

It actually was not the tea, it was that endearment which got me.  Now, I am grown up and up.  And she is gone. At School, at college, when I didn't have any means, that is when she got me the black tea all the time.

As a mother she would have  treasured
the experience. When I came on leave she was still having the black tea. I had stopped taking black tea except at times occasionally.  But whenever I was at home she came with her endearing cup of black tea and asked: "You used to like black tea. Do you want some now?" .I always said "Yes, yes. You are bringing black tea, please give it to me. Hadn't had it for long" I will take a sip and say "How rejuvenating!" Her face will be lit up. It was the old time memories which actually rejuvenated me. She will leave saying "I have work to do. I am making a special dish for you" She won't be long. She will return with some recipe or the other which I had a liking.
"When you are gone after your leave, I count the days on the calendar to wait for your next leave" which brought tears in my eyes.
Now, she is gone. No body remembers any special preference of any one else. That is the prerogative of mothers to their children. How they react make them happy or sad.

When mothers are gone all those experiences become memories and nostalgia. These days when ever I took a cup of black tea or lemon tea her memories and endearments came gushing in.

Mothers are really angels on earth!

Feelings of a train journey!

Feelings of a train journey!

It is a great feeling when one embarks on a long journey by train in India! The bogeys are neat and clean, the toilets are always dry and with water in the taps and flush. The smell of steel rubbing on steel coupled with the general smell of a lot of muck generated by a large number of people congregating and disbursing every day!
Those of you who have ever undertaken a train journey will remember all that.

Of course, I am talking of all those who undertake journeys by the third class in olden days and second class, these days!   These classes have a fraternity of their own and a kindness to all thith who travel by trains!  I am one of such travellers. And I still like to travel by the second class! This is the most humane class in the train.

The general compartment in this category is still better, but....but... the number of those in these classes have gone up to the extent, getting a sitting seat itself  is a great effort, these days!
Earlier, I had traveled in this class on a long journey from Kerala to the distant Gohati in Assam, which in itself, was a bravado! I did it in five days in four trains. Now, all that has changed! Gohati has changed to Gouhathi. There is a direct train involving less number of days. In those days, I changed trains in Madras of the day, then Howrah of the day, New Bongaigaon of the day and landed in the great great Gohati.

Then my journeys for a long time was between Kerala and Delhi.
Now, I travel mostly between Chennai (my olden Madras) .. and my Thrissur.

The feeling once I get in is to get diwdat Thrissur. I thought most of the travellers had similar feelings. Almost all the travellers waited for the TTE, the Travelling Ticket Examiner to come and go! Once he checked our ticket, we go to sleep. If we get a good sleep, one get up at Thrissur and that is it! I have done the journey. Not always. Even though, most of the people slept through this journey, at times one is awakened due to a long stop or the train getting unduly delayed...!

The Cutting of the Plaster!

The cutting of the plaster!
Now was much easier to walk with the plaster.  Earlier walking was with a steel walker, jumping on one leg with both hands firmly clutching on the handles of the walker!  This used to tire me out and for the first time I found out how strenuous it is to walk or move around like that! I felt a great salute coming out of my heart to all those who are forced to walk with a walker or are  side-lined to wheel chairs.  Dependent on some one else for their own movement!   My condition was much better and there was hope of a return to the normal. That is a great feeling.
We entered the Hospital premises where we were guided for the registration and advice.    We paid for registration and were guided to the sitting area to wait!  There we were advised to the cutting room.  A large man in a blue dress greeted me in that simple room with a bench and a side bench. He had a round cutting saw in his hand and he asked me if I can sit on the bench and stretch my plastered right leg out on the bench.  Once I was ready he started cutting the plaster with his round saw.  The saw started cutting with a wee sound and the man at it was careful with it holding the motor of the saw very firmly.  I could see it on his face.  Since it was cutting on my leg, I changed my gaze from the cutting area to his face so that I am not unduly anxious!  Still at times, I felt if the saw was going to touch my flesh and told the cutting official so.  He smiled back reassuringly and said that he would take good care.  I knew he would be doing it for other plastered guys day after day and looked out of the window.  In ten minutes flat he finished cutting and then there was a close layer of cloth and cotton below.  This he cut out with a small surgical scissors.   And that was it!  The plaster was it.  The plaster was gone!  “Now you can go and show to the Doctor”  On his advice we moved to the doctor.
The Doctor smiled “How do you feel now?” That was great kindness from a Doc here in Kerala. Normally they put in that question to make the patients at ease. Now that it was nearing 45 days after my plaster, I was feeling better. “I am better now” I replied.  He checked the upper side of my foot with some little swelling but much better than when I had got plastered.  The skin on the right foot in the plaster had started to peel off at places without a touch of oil or water for long.  The Doctor after viewing it carefully advised:  “Slowly apply some oil for a few days and start to walk slowly, very slowly initially.  Chances are there could be swelling. But don’t worry, it will go away. Put the foot in moderately warm salt water for a while once or twice a day so that the swelling will go away. If there is pain, here, take this pain reliever” With that he gave us the prescription for the pain killer.  Luckily, I did not have any pain.
We walked out from his room with a free free heart as it was really suffocating in the plaster for a long period.  At times the leg got itching and I used my car’s broken metallic aerial wire to scratch it. At times it was perspiration which was alleviated by the fan above.  At times I thought when it will be over.  I remembered the movie “The Great Escape”  I relived the feeling of the star who was getting stuck in the tunnel.. you recall.. when the light goes off.  But luckily it was depicted in film that the others were waiting on both ends of the tunnel.  That was the hope.  I always thought with gratitude the great Hospital which had the angelic Doctor in it!  It proved correct, when we visited him for the removal of the plaster.  I was set free! Thank God!
Drive home was in my car with the newly freed leg!

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അമ്മയുടെ ആ നിവേഴ്സറി....! Mother's Anniversary!