Nurungukal

   He comes often in the evening almost once in six months, carrying on his back a mobile machine for sharpening knives. He hesitates for a while to enter our compound, after a call. On seeing him my wife would rush to the kitchen and would be back soon with a bunch of rusted knives and scissors. He would carefully examine each and with a characteristic smile tell her that there is much work to be done, indicating that the charges would be more. Without waiting for her reply he would slowly set the machine and start peddling. In the meanwhile they would enter into a formal negotiation and settle the charge. Now it is time for me to enter into a conversation and brush up my Tamil, because he had told me about his native place on the previous occasion.

    He hails from Thiruthani in Tamil Nadu, where the renowned temple of Lord Muruga exists. His wife and three children live there. He finds his living by the income he gets from sharpening iron implements. Leaving his family consisting of his wife and three daughters in his native place he  wanders from place to place, in Tamil Nadu and Kerala visiting each place in regular intervals. Over the years he has managed to develop a vast clientele.

     The machine,  is one of the the most eco friendly one as it works only on human effort. There is no use of fossil fuel or even electrical energy and hence devoid of carbon emission. It provides a living, using a simple principle of physics. I used to watch in wonder the rhythm of his body movements and the bunch of the sparks like the horrifying tongue of a Chinese dragon. As the work proceeds he would narrate  the recent political scenario in Tamil Nadu, his concern about his daughters or even on the problems of climate changes, in chaste Tamil and occasionally  with an admixture of Malayalam. I used to enjoy these moments to cherish my nostalgic memories of my service days in Tamil Nadu, many years ago. As my son captured his image in the mobile camera, a strange request came from him. He asked me whether I can spare an old mobile phone. Just to get in touch with his family as he is concerned now a days about the security of his teen age daughters. I replied that I would try. After finishing the job and collecting the cash with a sigh and praise to ALLAH he lifted the machine and moved out in search of his next customer. At the same time a spark burned in me when a faded character emerged from my mind’s gallery….none other than the legendary KABOOLIWALLAH.. As I looked back I saw my wife standing at the door to receive her next visitor, probably a sales girl alias marketing trainee……[revised version of my earlier FB poat ]