KERALAM

BROTHER

He began working as a poojari, from the age of about sixteen. First it was in the old ancestral Namoodiri home of Melpazhur Mana, now Chinmaya Mission School.

 He used to joke about their way of life. No one gets up, before nine in the morning. Eleven is the break fast time; lunch at three and supper at ten. They all enjoy doing nothing. All are misers. Once I went there with my friend VBS. I remember to have played chess (the old ‘chathurangam’, in which, the queen moved only one square in all directions. In those days it was my craze.

After a number of years, brother got the same job, this time at Mappattu Mana,  who were patrons of ‘kathakali’. That house happens to be our ‘anchantammath’(father’s mother’s ammath.). The family pond there, is famous. It is very big, square shaped and full of water. It is said that there was shortage of water once. The wife house of an ancestor was Karinjampilly. When they learned about the difficulty experienced by their daughter, they sent workmen, all the way to Mappat Mana, near Ottappalam, to dig this pond !

I once went there and my brother said:”See I am getting bald; when shall I marry and settle in my life?” I was studying in College, what reply can I say?

A golden opportunity came. One Namboodiri family was ready TO GIVE THEIR ONLY DAUGHTER TO MY BROTHER. THEY WERE RICH AND BROTHER COULD HAVE SETTLED THERE, near Thrikkur temple.

It was my aunty who brought the proposal. Brother commented:”I have played with the girl’s mother.”

Ultimately, he married from Pazhedath Mana and the marriage was not very happy. After the break up of Mappattu tharavad, he came and joined the Vishnu temple at Madavakara, till he became too old to  walk, all the way to Madavakara. He was nearing eighty.

I liked to honour him, by celebrating his birth day at our ancestral home at Kadalassery and began planning it, combining the event with a summer camp there. With facilities to be provided for boating, it would have been a great event. But fate intervened….

RAJASHEKHARAN

It was about seven in the evening, when I returned to Manavazhy from Pazhai, where I had gone to meet friends. Wife told me that there was a phone message that my elder brother Rajasekharan has been admitted to Elite Hospital, following an accident.

I told Damu, who expressed his readiness to take us to the Hospital in his car. We took supper hurriedly and reached the hospital in about an hour. Instinctively, I took my ATM card drew ten thousand,  as soon as reached the bus stop.

My brother was in the ICU in  casualty section in a critical condition, but I was allowed to see him. I do not make out whether he was alive. His mouth was open, and looked haggard, as all teeth had been knocked out in the accident. I soon came out. Hari Warriar was standing there. I gave him the money. He went on buying medicines, as demanded by the nurse and we did not know what was happening. Brother’s wife was standing near the door. His son refused to come, I was told. After some three hours, they declared that he is dead.

Another complication arose; as it is an accident case, post mortem was necessary, according to the Doctor. I wanted to avoid it. After much persuasion, he gave in, after obtaing  a signed request from the widow and we took the body in the ambulance, to his home at Chathakudam. Damu also came with us.

Hari told what had happened: my brother was returning from the Vallachira  Bhadrakali temple, after prayers. He used to go there. An auto carrying building material, hit him from the back and he fell down. The owner of the vehicle was following and it was he who took brother in his car to the hospital. As he was still conscious, they could identify him. Hari took my son in his scooter and followed .

Cremation got delayed, as brother’s son wanted his wife, to come from Kasargod, where she is working as veterinary nurse.

All our relatives came and camped in our house at Manavazhy