Pappachachen, Amma’s older brother 2nd in the family is a good Samaritan, a great son for my grandparents, he took care of everything in the house, without a frown, he is synonym to the expression “ആത്മാർത്ഥമായി, അറിഞ്ഞു ചെയ്യുക”, every chore, be it taking the pickaxe and digging a hole to plant the banana plant, or the teak sapling, tying the pepper vine to the adakka maram (betel nut tree), climbing up the haystack to lower the hay down a bit to help Valiammachy pull the hay easily from ground, bathe the cows and clean the eruthil, help Ammachy cook the most succulent lime pickle, repair the loose arm of the easy chair, tie the fence with sheemakonna pathal, stack the rice and coconut,
OR march courageously to the home of the most famous gynecologist in Kerala Dr. Santha Madhavan and her husband the free mason, A. Madhavan, who started stock exchange in Kerala, to tell them to warn their nephew to stay off his niece. (This niece is none other than ME and it’s an OLD ME TOOOOOOO, it’s a ballad that can be a Broadway show ultimately when my MAKU, daughter of my loving Suchiiiii and a dear bro the Complete Actor, masters theatre in NYC)
He is the best brother, the best uncle, the best brother in law, the best father in law, you can have in a family, the best leader, be at the work place, Church or Kunnumpurathu family and the best neighbor you can ever have to stand up for you and also take the shopping bag and rush to the market, when there is a request for provisions, fish or meat!!
This is no joke when Pappachachen and Ponnammamma moved to Kalamassery, the homes were so close if the neighbor aunty or uncle!! (typical Kerala salutations) was asking for fish, it would sound as if someone is asking at our home and Pappachachen would be getting ready to go to market, everyone around the colony, was like family hence sounded the same, and everyone volunteered to help each other, again those days caste, creed, gender, politics and bank balance did not affect relationships. .
He used to be on a ‘HOP ON HOP OFF” bus throughout his younger days, just 2 destinations mainly, his parents and my Amma. Even today nothing has changed much, as for the diehard habits; he still uses public transport to ride to source produce for the family, to Church and for visits around. I have to admit, my acquaintance with my maternal aunts and uncles and so many of the relatives who were around my parents, when I was born and when I was growing up has made me what I am today.
If someone can die cut a jigsaw puzzle, it will not be difficult to assemble my outline, as I can see so many of my inherent characteristics hypothecated to each one of them.
I could relate Pappachachen to the Amazon of current times, supply of the best TEA, the best and the purest tea ever; only difference was we didn’t have to order, he just brought it on his own. Valiammachy called tea her fuel for survival. Her ottamooli for headache and energy!! And it came from the finest tea leaves plucked by the most vibrant, lively ladies clad in the most colorful chela (6 yards of cotton) in Chengara, the H& C plantations of yesteryears. They came in sustainable brown paper bags, packed and sealed to stay fresh forever. I have never been a tea nor coffee drinker, but everyone at home were. I was mainly fascinated by the aroma of the dark dust and dried leaves which turned golden at the touch of clear boiling water. Always wondered the magic behind this transformation, however couldn’t get anyone red-handed for this ever!!!
like the all-time favourite Thenmaavin Kombathu, “കേൾക്കതു ന്യായം താനേ, നീയും കറുപ്പ്, അവനും കറുപ്പ് , കൊഴന്ത എപ്പടി ചൊവപ്പായി പിറന്തത്”
Amma stored them with extreme care, inside Paris tins, in the darkest corner of the meat safe; she used to diligently funnel the tea to smaller sealed bottle for daily use without spilling, with a lot of reverence. Every speck was priceless, even today I go after a speck of tea if it jumps out of the spoon, there’s not a single tea I make for anyone, without a silent prayer to Valiammachy, Amma and Pappachachen.
The other supply was pure honey, which was pricelessly medicinal, used under strict supervision for extreme conditions of stomach pain, upset etc. and for mixing the severely bitter medicines for the young and old, in a small silver spoon to be swallowed and licked until the silver fades. Later on Aniyachayan my yet another all-time favorite Ammachen gave me a million dollar tip to gently apply honey anywhere in the body that has swelling and is hurting and use a muslin cloth and tie the area to prevent sticking around, It works like magic, remember do not let the ants reach out to you!!
Every time Pappachachen came down from the hill station he had an airbag full of supplies for his parents and sister, along with the well starched and ironed pair of dress and a white lunky with thin lines forming squares and folded handkerchiefs.
Those days my grandparents were at Pathanamthitta, and I must have been 3 or 4, Valiammachy would have taken me to Pathanamthitta along with her from Kollam, Valiammachy used to tell me the story of the flying bird with a huge fan attached to the top, hovering on top of the estate and hills, showering medicine (thurissu) on the tea plantation, I was always fascinated by this and yet another story of live bees, like a dynasty, with the leader queen and so many followers, forever, producing honey all over the place and in manmade trays.
As soon as Pappachachen comes I would pack my bag, with my favorite and easy to pack white petticoats in cotton and be ready to go with him, to climb the mountain.
We took the transport bus those days and it was a picturesque journey through the hills and winding roads with amazingly green mushroom like tea plants on all sides, there were tall trees which lined the tea plantation which stood like wind shields guarding the valley. Simply beautiful, like the Thamarassery Churam with hairpin bends all through.
Most of the time we could reach out to the clouds which were so full of moisture, it was greyish blue ready to burst any moment. Thunder and lightning was the order of the day and most of the nights.
As soon as I reach their home in the Chengara estate, which is a proper English bungalow, Ponnammamma would be waiting to greet us. She was the most lovable aunt of mine, Amma’s sister in law by LAW, but Amma’s sister and very lovable in all terms. She was so gentle and sober, very composed and matured for her age all the time. She spoke with the pace of a push pull train, slow with a musical note.
My eating habits were very simple all through, all she had to do was get as many BUNS and BANANA, and MILK. I would wake up very early in the morning, complete all the chores, change to my petticoat and start nonstop musical,
പാലും പഴമും കൈകളിൽ ഏന്തി
പവള വായിൽ പുന്നഗൈ സിന്ധി …..
biting the bun and the banana and sipping the milk… waiting for Pappachachen to be ready to take me along to the estate. I still do this, wake up early and wait for everyone to be up.
Ironically this movie was released in 1961 and the director was A. Bhimsingh, a veteran of Indian Cinema and father of my dear friend and sister Santhi Ullas Bhimsingh in Sydney.
To be continued…..
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