Nurungukal………contd…

     A function to celeberate the marriage of  a close relative is always an oppurtunity we enjoy to meet our childhood partners. Invarriably most of them flock enblock. A few months back we had such an occasion. In my case  no doubt a bunch of flash backs emerged crystal clear.

        Like ducklings we used to traverse many a mile in search of fun and adventure. Our village was a model to provide a set of creativity. Each day was special. There was no prompting and we made use of any thing that came handy, either to make a foot ball out of hay, or a  hocky ball with a hard nut of pine tree, Even a hut with all the traditional rooms, with left over coconut leaves and to cook a meal using what ever we could manage to squeeze from mother’s kitchen.

     In those days a wedding ceremony had some unique events which ensured the participation of even tiny tots. For e.g: A set of beautifully dressed girls would be arrayed at the entrance of the venue which always was a panthal in the court yard and not any hired auditorium ,to sprinkle rose water when the groom’s party enters.  They used to mischiviously take liberty to make the spray lavish on their favourites. The groom had to pass through a gang of naughty tots who used to peep through the gaps in the crowd, and ocassionaly making funny comments. Teenagers who would move about in flocks never missed an opportunity to have a glimps or pass comments on their opposites. I still remember how we used to rush, pulling and pushing each other to grab a lemon and a tiny bocquet from the silver plate which one of the elder boys would be struggling to keep away from our onslaught, immediately after the  ceremony. Next is an attempt to be a member in the team of food servers and invrriably one of us would  be lucky to be assigned to serve a minor item like salt. Because those days one should know where each item has to be served on the plantain leaf.  The whole premise become a hub, like a bee hive, so energized and vociferous. Each participant had a pre determined roll to play irrespective of age and everyone was conscious  about it.

      But lo, nowadays I used to feel like a stranger when a set of uniformly attired girls ushered in by an event manager, welcomed you with a forced smile and folded hands at the gate and guided you to your seat. Even the close relatives appear to be insignificant before the event manager. Not to mention the interference of the vedio and photographers.

      

    Today I just avoided the smile of the strange girls and also the welcome drink served in a paper cup and entered the auditorium. It was cool inside and the hall was packed yet silent. We managed to find seats in the middle of a row avoiding to stumble upon any body. I looked around to locate any familiar faces. The couple near to me was not comfortable with my restlesness. After a frantic search I managed to identify one with a grey hair waving at me from the other end of the row. When I focused on him I could, to my joy identify a full row of familiar faces, waving their frail hands in union. Then every thing happened in quick succession and we managed to gather around the eldest of the lot to exchange pleasantries.

               After a patient waiting, the door of the dining hall was opened like that of a sanctum sanctorium of a temple. After a struggle we could manage to find seats although in defferent tables. Once again I tried to sharpen my ears to the shouts of Appu Menon who used to, in our old days control the meals distribution. But unfortunately I could hear only the cracking sound of a trolly carrying a big rice bowl. But I refused to snatch away from the past and visualized the towering Appu Menon standing before me and jerking dexterously from it just the adequate quantity of fine traditional cooked rice into my leaf. Before I could come to myself I found my leaf full of rice and sambar scattered all over. I finished eating in haste , fefusing to taste the payasams served in paper cups, as an attempt to keep fresh my memories of the golden days. There was a serpentine que waiting to wish the newly married. As we moved towards it the strange girl appeared once again to stop us for a while which I accepted with reluctance, but giving me an opportunity to slumber into my sweet past………