Nurungukal..2.

    

      As usual I was slow to respond the early morning call. It was an unsaved number and the voice I could not recognise. On the other side it was a woman. She said pardon for disturbing me in the morning and introduced herself as one of my staff who was working in my office many years ago. I tried to figure out the caller in her present state.  She is retiring from the job with in a few days and wanted me to be present in the farewell party. She was trying to pay respect as I was responsible for selection and persuading her to accept the job. In the official language she was I remember a dedicated  worker with a clean service record.

      Many of my colleagues used to be in touch with me even now although I left the service in 1990.  It may be due to the work culture and harmony we could maintain through out our service.

     As I sat on the dais of the farewell party I saw many of the retired hands  vociferously exchanging pleasantries so cheerful and healthy. Many have become grand fathers and mothers, grey and bald. I was particularly happy to meet with some of the friends who are at an advanced age, still working as assistants in goods handling, contend with their daily earnings and without any retirement benefits. We are yet to recognise their contribution in the nation building process. I bid good bye with an excitement of a few moments of nostalgic memories although  with a heavy heart.

Nurungikal…2…

      It was not a usual gathering. I sat amidst a group of differently abled girls and boys. Some were a little older than the others. Still they mingled and behaved same. Some kept aloof from the proceedings. It was a function to inaugurate a new building of an institution dedicated to take care of such children. The funds for which was donated by a benevolent couple who hailed from a far off place.

     I used to visit this school on and off to share a few moments with the children. Each time I was moved by their loving gestures. While I held them close to me  rays of love imparted , electrifying my senses, clearly communicating their feelings. They held refusing to part, and trying to retain an invisible bond. Among them a small girl used to come to me gleaming with a broad smile as if we knew each other since long. Without any hesitation she would stretch out her little hand for a hand shake. As I lifted her she would clap ending in a loud laughter. There is another who is always ready to oblige you with a popular movie song which she would render like a professional singer. Yet another would come running to you to show her painting. A few sat here and there pondering or engaged in some activity.

      Only a few members of the local community turned up for the function. I feel more than any financial assistance this special school aspire for a moral support from the immediate neighbours. There is no words to appreciate the dedicated functioning of the staff of the institution, who unlike many others are embodiments of love and patience. I can understand how much the parents of those children and the community at large are indebted to them in accepting a responsibility which others would shudder to take up. I would appeal to the local government bodies to take a leading roll in providing proper infrastructural facilities to such institutions, While let the public offer unreserved  support in the form of love and care to those who are God’s own children.

Nurungukal…3..

Ichirivettam..7….As we returned home after a social visit, I was surprised to see two constables and and a few of our neighbours waiting for us in front of the house. There were  four bunches of banana and a young man standing half naked between the police men. The sight of the police made my heart to skip one or two beats. I manged to be composed and enquired about the purpose of their presence. In their typical tone the senior one asked me whether  the banana bunches were from my field. I replied I am not sure. They confirmed that it was so, as the culprit who was standing with them had already admitted it. They examined the field which was nearby and confirmed the submission. As usual they asked for my statement, which I gave reluctantly. Because I pretty well knew the way it will be dealt in a court of law.

     I knew from them how the young thief was caught red handed. After cutting the bunches from our field he took another four from a heap collected by a trader in Kalpetta and ventured to sell them to the same trader. The trader had marked his bunches which the thief failed to notice. On seeing his marked bunches the trader cunningly informed the police and the thief  became a sitting duck. It made easy for the police to take an admission about my property. I was told that the bunches will be produced before the court and the value will be paid immediately, after the initial proceeding are over.

       As I knew the futility of pursuing such cases, deleted the whole episode from memory. After a lapse of three or four years I was summoned to appear before the magistrate  to record my submission. I was trying to visualise the events  with some nervousness which is usual  with any one, while waiting for the call. But just before entering the witness box, to my relief the constable on duty refreshed my memory about the sequence of events. I was satisfied with my performance in the box, as I saw the smile on the face of the constable. When I was about to  leave the box the magistrate asked me whether I have collected the cost of the banana bunches from the police. With all my innocence I blurted “no”, which invited a furious reprimand from the magistrate to the police. I once again looked at the constable who had suddenly lost his smile, became tense and was wiping the sweat. I just walked out without turning back and till date did not bother about the cost money …dum dum dum…..pi pi pi..

Nurungukal..3..

Ichirivettam..6..She lay completely wrapped from head to foot with plaster. motionless, on the foot path of Indiranagar in Bangalore. Passersby through notes and coins into the cloth spread in the front. A man and a girl in rags sat begging with folded arms, occasionally wiping their tears. On enquiry I was told that the lady met with an accident and is immovable. I felt pity and gave fifty rupees, which the man, with shivering hands accepted and touched my foot. While returning from my evening walk I saw him carrying her on his shoulder and hurrying away. It made me shudder and with a throbbing heart I contained my feelings. Days passed. While shopping in Majestic my attention was once again drawn by the trio . The scene was similar to the one in Indranagar. Once again my sentiments rose and offered another fifty rupees.

        The trio encountered me once again. This time it was on the foot path adjacent to the Mysore bus stand. There was a heap of notes and coins in the cloth and the man and the girl sat enacting the usual scene. I just looked at them with a smile and once again through a fifty rupee note. But this time for their ingenuity of their profession. Never again I have met them. Probably they are in pursuit of other tricks…..dum dum dum ..pi pi pi… 

Nurungukal..3..

Ichirivettam..6..She lay completely wrapped from head to foot with plaster. motionless, on the foot path of Indiranagar in Bangalore. Passersby through notes and coins into the cloth spread in the front. A man and a girl in rags sat begging with folded arms, occasionally wiping their tears. On enquiry I was told that the lady met with an accident and is immovable. I felt pity and gave fifty rupees, which the man, with shivering hands accepted and touched my foot. While returning from my evening walk I saw him carrying her on his shoulder and hurrying away. It made me shudder and with a throbbing heart I contained my feelings. Days passed. While shopping in Majestic my attention was once again drawn by the trio . The scene was similar to the one in Indranagar. Once again my sentiments rose and offered another fifty rupees.

        The trio encountered me once again. This time it was on the foot path adjacent to the Mysore bus stand. There was a heap of notes and coins in the cloth and the man and the girl sat enacting the usual scene. I just looked at them with a smile and once again through a fifty rupee note. But this time for their ingenuity of their profession. Never again I have met them. Probably they are in pursuit of other tricks…..dum dum dum ..pi pi pi… 

Nurungukal..3

Ichirivettam..5….Two weeks ago we spent two days with our daughter-in-law in Mahe. Her brother invited us for a dinner. On our way to his house we stopped to check the air in the tyres of the car. The air filling shop was opposite to a bar and it was very crowded as usual in a Sunday evening especially after the closure of bars in Kerala. We noticed a young man sitting on a stack of old tyres, with a tense face. His eyes were red hot and was he was sweating. He got up with much effort and staggered to the man who was unfolding the long pipe to fill air. It was sure that the young man was under the influence of a heavy booze. Next thing we saw was the young man being pushed to the floor. He slowly returned to the original position virtually crying and pleading. Then slowly curled up like a tired dog.

          My son who listened to their conversation said that the young man under the influence of alcohol had given the key of his bike to a stranger in the bar and now the vehicle is missing. He was persistently pleading to the other for help to retrieve the vehicle which irritated him ending in the tussle. 

          We left the spot leaving him in slumber….dum dum dum pi pi pi….

Nurungukal...3..

Ichirivettam..4..This incident happened many years ago,  at Nagpur railway station. The bright Nagpur oranges tempted me to purchase a few from a hawker. It was very cheap when compared with the price in Kozhikode. I gave him a fifty rupees note . He had no change to return the balance. Requesting  me to wait he disappeared into the busy crowd in the station. The time ticked past and there was no sign of him. The final whistle was blown and the train with a hoot started moving. I jumped into the compartment at the last moment and, standing at he door scanned the entire stretch of the platform. There was no trace of him. As the train was passing the name board I caught a glimpse of him happily enjoying a joke with his friends, confirming my apprehension..dum dum dum pi pi pi….