There was a kulam (pond) in the back of the property at Kayamkulam. This was typical of most of the homes those days, kids learnt to swim, bathe, fish and this is one place elders congregated for the regular breaking news, discussing politics, affairs of pretty girls around, gossips about the drunkard who hits his wife, the price of potato, current affairs that mostly affects the next door family, weather, amazing outdoor rendezvous place.
I remember we had plenty of kaitha (a reed plant), leaves of which was used to make methapaa (mats) Valiammachy was an expert in processing the leaf after soaking it in water and plaiting to weave amazing mats. Similar processing was done to the coconut palm, to thatch the roof, or to cover the sides of the outdoor shower. All this is done squatting on the floor and with her magic fingers.
She was so talented; she made us balls and snakes, so many cute little toys to play using coconut palm leaves. They were simply adorable and so perfect. She created pamparam (top) with vellakka (the initial stage of the coconut) and our toys used to be nothing but sustainable.
She used to create many fascinating handicraft items which are sort of extinct these days. There wasn’t any school of art those days, it was handed over from the elderly to the younger ones and those days, we never complained nor did we protest learning from elders. We were always happy to participate and it was always a wonderful partnership, of course there were always some lazy souls who would want to escape repetitive work, it was not so easy to escape.
At home we all participated in the activities that were needed to run the household, and I am so grateful to God that I got the opportunity to participate.
I always loved to watch Valiammachy wearing her chatta and mundu, her starched cotton attire, white in color, with a fan in the back, as a young kid it amazed me when she tightened the cloth around her waist and then pleat the other end lengthwise first, like the Japanese paper fan, the pleats would stay so stiff as though it was pressed in a machine, I still remember the foreign pleated skirt I had as a kid deep red and navy blue the fabric texture felt like thick plastic, with cherry blossom prints and it was a beauty, lasted forever, there was no need to iron ever.
Valiammachy’s fan looked the same and she would take the pleats and fold again to the width of her palm and tuck it in the back first before she wraps the fabric around her and then she would hold her breath and wriggle in a way the fan goes to the back and unfolds like a tail, pleated tail like a fan, it always mesmerized me and I could stay there forever watching her dress, she would then pleat her shawl on the bed or in her hand depending on the detailing of the fabric, which is either kasavu neryathu (small half saree Kerala style with gold brocade) or a white voile one with delicate embroidery, and use a brooch to fasten the pleats.
Valiammachy was never a jewelry person, she just had a small, a tiny thin gold chain and most of the time it used to be with Amma for repair, at Swaminathan and Sons, Main Road, Kollam our close family friends, I still remember the father and the many sons, there was just one shop in the beginning, when business started flourishing and when the sons became adults, each and every son had a shop in their ownership. My first introduction to branding. Every shop had Swaminathan as a common factor.
I still remember the original Swaminathan, seeing him was seeing gold in the form of flesh and blood, he was fair, golden color, adorned in gold from head to toe. The gold rimmed spectacles reflecting the golden eyes, forehead and face had a golden complexion adorned with red kumkum and chandanam, couple of tooth filled with gold and capped with gold, glittering gold chain with Gods dangling at the end, bracelet with a huge S hook that links the ends of heavy chain links, fingers encircled with wide and rolled gold rings, with a rectangular block on top with S engraved, clear and square to identify the branding, and this one block could dent any cheek if you happen to get a punch, adorned in broad golden kasavu silk mundu and silk gold tinted cream color shirt.
Like the central kitchen concept the workers behind the scene were the same but the front end and display was different, there were an array of ornaments in the display cupboards and each one of them had their own clientele. We would say hello to all the sons and walk to the fathers shop as a matter of respect. The shops were all one after the other in the Main Road, Kollam. This was one of the identities of Kollam in the 60’s and 70’s and 80’s…
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