Nurungukal..contd.....

                                The narration of the script of this episode was heard many a time from one of the performers , none other than my mother. Each scene would appear before you  from start to end , in the same sequence and clarity every time you heard it. And I am sure that any one who had met her in her life time might have heard this at least once. Shri Manmadan ,Kerala’s famous orator had in his book on Kelappan wrote a paragraph on this event , highlighting the part played by an  eighteen year old girl who was none other than my mother. The incident took place in the year 1921 when Malabar was in the grip of a revolt, which was later related to our freedom struggle. Let me try to reconstruct the narration.

                                “ Me {mother } and Meenakshi Etuthy were cutting cow pea , sitting on the back side veranda of our ancient house Karamkunnath, when we saw a column of army marching on the nearby road. We were so curios and headed to the fence to have a better look. As we were enjoying the march suddenly the column headed towards  our house. They came in quick strides and took positions in front of every exit door, ready to enter the house. It was the days of Malabar revolt and we had heard that on such occasions many unpleasant incidents had taken place. Paddy, vegetables, fruits etc were in heaps inside the house. There were only laddies and children in the house at that time.All of us came to the front door leaving other doors open. There were two British army officers and the local sub inspector of police, who was very well known to our family. In fact he was saved yesterday from the clutches of the revolting mass by my brother K.V.Balakrishna Menon , who had discontinued his medical studies from Stanley Medical College in Madras, in response to Ghandiji’s call to the youth to take part in the freedom struggle. The army had positioned two Luise Guns on the Thulasii Thara”.

                                “The sub inspector asked my mother where are my brother Balettan and cuisin, Ettan {K.V.Raman Menon }. My mother replied that they are not here ,might have gone to Congress House for party work. He murmured some thing in the ears of the British officers and told mother that they are not satisfied with the answer and will search the house. At that moment mother told the officers that if necessary  the boys can be informed and they will without fail report before them.The sub inspector told that the officers do not know Malayalam and they are insisting for the search". ......contd