Nurungukal contd........

In 1945 I was admitted in Achutha Varier High school {AVHS }, which was about 2 km away from our house. .. We used to walk this distance thrice a day up and down. The campus was about 3 or 4 acres including a big foot ball ground . altogether it was a new experience. Some of the teachers were known to me as they were our family friends or distant relatives. Many of our cousins brothers and sisters were studying there. Still I was not able to compromise for a few days. There was a sort of fear lingering in me as I faced  the teachers who were very formal in their dealings with the children when compared to that of Primary level. Here it lacked a one to one relation ship. The teachers  while handling the lessons addressed the class in general which was totally impersonal. But as days rolled I reconciled with these and sailed smoothly. Gradually I was in love with the campus and enjoyed its diverse facets. It was more colourful and energetic. I was growing, taking everything positively. My friendship with other students gained meaning .There were moments of fear , apprehensions anxiety and ecstasy. Confidence to face situation was slowly emerging in me

Nurungukal contd.....

Kuttiyum Kolum:  Thi is a very popular game among the children not only in Kerala but in many parts of India.Usually played during summer vacation  when there is lot of time to spare.There will be many audience and their presence adds encouragement. The shouts and clapping and even booing can be heard in the neighbourhood. It requires an open space or ground. There will be a baton and a smaller one of the size of a cricket bale. A shallow scratch is dug at one end of the ground. 5 to 6 players can play at a time.In Malayalam the baton is called Kol and the bale Kutti.The Kutti is placed on the scratch .The player lifts the Kuti by a tip with the Kol and as it is air borne it is hit to the farthest point.. If it is caught before touching the ground by any one of the players the hitter is out and the next man takes his turn. If it falls in the ground  one player who is a sharp shooter will throw it on the KOl which is placed on the scratch. and the hitter will try to hit back and if the Kutti lands near to the hole at a distance of the length of the Kol the hitter is out. If the hitter manages to hit back thr Kutti the distance will be measured and the player who gets the maximum no. of measures is declared as the winner.

There are no umpires. In case of a dispute it will be settled by the elder boys. These games provide both physical and mental exercise It also keep away the children from bad habits. It can develop a strong social bond .Perhaps it is such exposures which helped us to get involved in social issues as we grew.

I have not recorded the finer details of the rules to avoid drabness.

Nurungukal cotd...........

Andi kali { cashew nuts game a]. This game is usually played by boys.5 or 6 will participate at a time. It is a a game with simple rules. The advantage is that in the end the winner gets lot of cashew nuts which can be sold and the amount is usually used to buy candies or roasted pea nuts very rarely books or a pencil.
We collected cashew nuts from the trees. The fruits will be eaten and  the juice if smeared on our dress will leave marks which can invite the fury of the mother . Because the mark can not be removed in those days as there was no chemical available.
This game is played at noon after lunch. A fairly big hole is dug in the ground..A line is drawn on the ground at a distance normally a hop and step. Equal no. of nuts are collected from each. There will be a fairly big nut with each one  used a striker. This nut is known "Wala" . One by one throw the wala on to the hole from the line. The priority of playing will be decided according to the distance the wala was lying from the hole. The nearest gets the first chance.A certain no. of nuts is collected from  members according to the  stock available with each.
The first player throws the nuts to the hole. Some nuts will fall in the hole others scattered out side. If the no. of nuts inside the hole is in multiples of two,  he loses the chance to proceed, other wise a particular nut lying far away will be shown and he has to hit it with the wala.If manage to hit he owns those nuts fallen inside the hole, other wise the next player in the priority will repeat the game  This will go on till all the nuts are taken.
 That requires skill and accuracy.. Here also quarrels are common,but we are friends next second and will go in search of another frolic.

Nurungukal contd......

THAYAM:  This is a game of dice Usually altogether 3 or 4 boys and girls participated. Palm nuts or sea shells were used as dice. Palm nuts were collected from the near by compounds. The flat side of them were rubbed on hard surface to make the face of the dice. The board was drawn on the floor . Each player made his coins out of different materials such as stalk of the leaves. coconut broom sticks.or small fruits etc etc .The dice were thrown into the air in different styles with different sounds . These sounds are in special tunes which can be heard in the neighborhood.And that is the main attraction of the game . There will be many by standers encouraging their friends and some betting also takes place. Very often the game ends in petty quarrels The charm is that in the end every one reconciles and become friends in search of another entertainment Enmity was not in our dictionary. Even the quarrels were moments of enjoyment . In each locality such bathes of playmates can be seen like a cluster of butter flies. Games added strength to our bonds and molded our social fabric strong and color full .

Nurungukal contd.......

Children in the neighborhood were very friendly and we used to partake in many village games .The games we played were native and special to each locality and the facilities available.The venue mostly was the temple compounds and paddy fields. It depended on the changing seasons that what game we choose. Because the availability of the kit depended on seasons.For example immediately after the harvest, football is our choice, because of the fallow fields. Similarly the availability of different nuts made us to play other games like Thayam, Gotti etc etc. During rainy days hide and Seek was our favourite. Now let me explain some of our popular games.

GOTTI KALI: This is played with pebbles. As glass pebbles were costly,we used "Punnakka" (an oil nut) or mortar balls. Any number of players can participate. But usually we restricted to 4 or 5. Three small holes are dug on the floor at a an equal distance in a line. Each player will play with his own pebble or punnakka as the case may be.First one by one the pebble will be thrown in to the first hole. The one who threw near to the hole will play first and the others according to the distance of their pebble. Players had to shoot the pebble to the holes one by one and if the pebble did not fall in the hole the others will follow.  The skill of the player is to strike away the others pebbles and to reach the first hole making the pebble to fall in each hole.Those who were not able to do so had to face a punishment from the winner. The winner will strike with his pebbles on the folded fingers of the loser. The no. of strikes will depend on the no of holes he had to cover. Only sharp shooters can win this game. Perhaps this may be the only game in which the loser is punished

Nurungukal contd......

One thing that still linger in me about the primary education is about my teacher Konthan Master.. He had an exclusive technique of  communication. It was loud and dramatic. Each alphabet that he uttered thrust into our mind.We could visualise them very clearly. His voice was so loud that it can be heard in the neighbourhood.
In mathematics I was weak, even now it is so. Those days our strength of arithmetic's was tested by doing problems mentally. The teacher gives a simple problem and we had to find the answer , write it in the slate and keep the slate as quickly we can on the floor. Each right answer will get a chalk mark on the frame of the slate. Invariably mine used to be blank and the punishment was sure.

In 1940-50 years children were served with milk and biscuits in school.  Milk powder and biscuits were received from America through a project known as Cooperative American Relief for Every where (CARE).
We used a gun metal tumbler popularly known as LOTTA. Lotta is not now in our kitchen ware. The shape of it is so cute and convenient to hold.

Nurungukal contd.....

I still remember how I was carried to the school on the first day. Achuthan Nair carried me on his shoulder. He was not only a cook but a friend to all of us . He was our play mate. Often we played pebbles which was a craze at that point of time. He got me lozenges on the way.

He came from a place called Mookuthala. This is from where lot of house maids came to Ponnani. Mookuthala is known for many things. There is a  famous Goddess Temple and Pakaravoor mana. The temple each year conducted a festival which attracted many from far and near. Caparisoned elephant, bullocks made out of hay added the atraction.  Once me and my kid brother Rajan had the luck to  witness the episode.We enjoyed it to the last -a fire work and display of colours. Even the trip was fascinating. We had to cross two rivers in boats.Pulikka kadavu and Ayila kkadavu and the rest on foot. Tea and snacks from a village tea stall was exhilarating. The way tea was made is peculiar. From one mug to another a meter long brew fall is a thing of the past. My elder brother Balettan jokingly used to say that  one such tea maker wrote his name with the falling brew.

Nurungukal Cntd............

After my return from Burma he consolidated their pieces of property which got through partition. He bought an old Nalukettu and named it AMBILIPARAMB.  Now I should describe a nalukettu.The concept of a nalukettu is I would say although denotes a symbol of aristocracy, yet utility based one. Every need of a joint family is taken care of. The main attraction is the nadumuttam. It is the place where  the nature is brought into your life style. Rain sunshine and air are abundantly supplied. I am yet to find a better system of rain water harvesting. So is the alignment of other places..The varanda poomugam. thekkini vadukkiny dining hall etc etc are places of exclusive excel lance .The architecture is according to vasthu shilpa kala. Here every thing has a place and every thin in its place.The house stood in the middle of 2 acre plot. there are big ponds and two sacred grooves. The sacred groove or inmalayalam KAVU where an eco system of bio diversity is conserved. This conservation practice, although on the basis of belief is peculiar to Nalukettu houses in Kerala.

NURUGUKAL  contd

I was born not in my parents house as  my father was in Burma at that time and Japan was bombarding Burma. He was in Rangoon. It was the target which experienced the worst damage. When the war continued and Britain was not in a stage to protect it. All the offices were closed and every one was asked to clear. Father had to forsake what ever he had earned and to find a rescuer.no train or ship was operating. Fortunately one of our cousin in law was working in Burma Shell oil company and he was able to take my father and a few others in one of their ships to India. After a horrifying journey he reached Ponnani, shattered and penny less.

"Nurungukal" means bits. I want to share bits of my life experience. Its not that my life is worth emulating . Still as far as I am concerned  there were incidences which are fascinating especially in child hood days. My language and grammar may not match  correctly but can convey ideas and  thoughts. So let me start scribbling.

I was born on 25 December 1940, in a place called Ponnani. Those days it was part of Palakkad district in Madras state. Most popularly known as Malabar region. Now it is in Malappuram district and in Kerala, after the re organisation of states. Ponnani is on the shores of Arabian sea. Where fishing is the main lively hood. But in the in lands agriculture ,mainly coconut groves and paddy fields supported the economy. Our family had some holdings of coconut and paddy . In those days such property owners were called  Land Lords or in Malayalam Jmmies.We belonged to Menon nair community the so called forward casts !!

When I was born my father was in Burma now Miamer. He was a stenographer in  Burma municipality under a British officer. He was very proud of his job and held British officers in high esteem. He was  very straight forward personality, meticulously dressed with a strict life style. He maintained a good physique. I will come back to him later .

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