Nurungukal...contd...

                                                Dr. Menon’s house was near to A.V.High School . We used to call on him when any body in the house fell ill. Very hesitantly we made the entry after ensuring that the dogs were strained at the leash. First his wife will appear at the front door. On seeing us she would make enquiries about our mother . They were good family friends. After a few minutes we would meet the Doctor and some times ,depending on the status of illness he would either prescribe the medicine or would visit the patient during his daily routine visits.

                                                The yearly shanty { Vakkalam or Vanibham } was organised in the paddy field in font of his house on Deepavali day i.e. Amavasy day in the month of Thulam. The field used to be muddy  because of the previous day’s rain. Usually after the Vakkalam there will not be much rain. Vakkalam is an agricultural expo where many items were sold .People purchased their requirements for the year since it was an annual fair. In the olden days barter system was in vogue. Direct marketing where producer and purchaser exchanged their produce without the help of a intermediary.

                                                Ponani was known for coir products, especially ropes of different size and sea fish . both  dried and fresh. Palghat and its adjacent areas were  famous for products of bamboo viz. Winnows, mats,baskets and tubers  { chembu,chena,kavuthu etc } and Palm tree products like THOPPI KUDA, KUNDANKUDA andULAKKA  and handles for axes etc . From some parts of Coimbatore , Jaggery, hot  capsicum sugar canes etc were brought. Many many other items were sold and none left the fair without fulfilling their need. 

                                                The fisher men exchanged their fish mainly with paddy and jaggory because their main food while in sea was roasted rice powder mixed with jaggory. This food enabled them to  survive for days in deep sea  even  in adverse whether conditions. Father used to purchase at least one big dried shark and it would be hung in our kitchen so that the smoke would preserve it . Our main interests were in sugar cane and pori , malar, avil etc.

                                                I understand that now the paddy field have become a residential colony and the vakkalam is arranged  on the nearby high way. I am sure that the event would have lost it’s soul and purpose and of course its legacy and ethos also..................contd.