Nurungukal….

      Even before hundred and odd years  many of our elders had gone to distant countries in search of livelihood and some to acquire more wealth. Mlayasia, Singapore etc were those much sought after pastures. There was a pair in Ponani, popularly known as African brothers. Later they both returned and settled down comfortably.  My father was also such an NRI of those days. He was in Burma now Mianmar, working as a stenographer to a colonial boss.  Much later in my life only I came to know that our mother was his second alliance as the first one had to be terminated soon, since she refused to accompany him to such a far off place. But our mother enjoyed every moment of her life in Burma with hi. It was evident from her narration about many of the events she was involved there. Her days  in Rangoon  was a land mark in her life because it is there she was exposed to many niceties in life such as social contacts with the elites, a club activity, modern practices of health care, platform for articulating her in-born qualities etc. Above all, may be that it provided  her an opportunity to derive a freedom and  to escape from the short comings of a joint family life back home. All my elder brothers and sister were born and brought up there. Unfortunately when my turn came, mother had to leave Rangoon at the advent of the second world war. As destiny would have it I was born under native facilities unlike my brothers and sister who enjoyed modern health care of that time in their infancy. When Japan started bombarding Rangoon my father had to leave his job and flee to India in the last ship, disguising as an employee of an oil company. In shambles he reached home leaving every bit of his earnings, to mould another life which he accomplished steadily and in style by consolidating his and mother’s share in their ancestral properties.

           Like the saying “time and tide wait for none”, my growth was also just an evolutionary process. There was nothing special in it. No achievements worth mentioning to my credit. I was Just another human being on this earth. Even my degree which I managed to earn after several attempts did not help to claim a status. In the arena of job hunting I was just one among thousands. It was at this point of time in my life, I felt despair and failure. I was confused and unprepared to face the reality. Left with a conviction that at any cost I will emulate my parents. Compassion, ethics, co-existence, friendship, nature friendliness etc were my guiding factors. Even now I feel these values remain deep in me.

         My younger brother overtook me in grabbing a job. I was still hunting! Time was running out . I was virtually in a state of hibernation. It was during this period, my father started using my potential in assisting  him in farm management. Day by day my responsibilities were multiplying. Gradually I was getting equipped to address intricate problems of maintaining a farm. A basic knowledge of science helped me to seek solutions rationally in managements of cultivation practices, pre and post harvest operations, processing, marketing, in and out flow of finance, inputs, labour etc. I was virtually metamorphosing into a full fledged farmer.

      When the daily assignments were over, I took pleasure in going to a local library which had started functioning under the initiative of some of my close relatives and other public. Apart from my father’s favourite The Hindu daily news paper, I started devouring popular weekly journals, and magazines. Many of such publications have disappeared viz; Sports and Pastime, Illustrated weekly, Blitz etc;. Also we had access to the literary works of many famous authors both in Malayalam and English.

        During my college days I was a regular visitor to the public library in Kozhikode, near Mananchira square. It’s here I had seen a standing desk for reading news papers.  I was happy to see some such desks in the Local library in Ponani also. Mr. Malayatur  Ramakrishnan had described  in one of his stories, which I read recently during the Corona lock down the advantage of using such desks. One of the  British District Magistrate and Collector of erstwhile Malabar was fond of hearing, scrutinising and studying all papers and pronouncing  important judgements  leaning on such a desk as it reduced fatigue, prevented anal problems due to long hours of sitting. One of his juniors when he became Malabar collector, long time afterwards also used the same desk to study and pass the verdict in a very controversial case.

        One or two advocates from the local bar and a few others were regular visitors of this library. Gradually it became a regular meeting place of us to dwell on all and sundry matters. And frequently some of us in close circles found pleasure in taking long walks through nearby vast stretches of paddy fields, sandy  beds of Bharatha Puzha, and deserted mud roads. Those walks accompanied with meaningful discussions, debates  arguments etc; provided a ground to keep in abreast with the latest developments around the globe. To me it was a dress rehearsal to equip with adequate tools to meet future challenges. Like the saying by a British premier “Briton won the world war in the play grounds of Etton “, I broke the dead lock by striding in a village in the company of unequal personalities…..!!

         When I left my native place the perspective of future was clear in me. The basics of what I am today was etched in me during that one and years of hibernation…….. !!