Every family, has someone or many who does something offbeat, I want to connect to my Valiappachen’s youngest brother K. G. Kurien. (Kunnumpurathu Geevarghese Kurien), Amma’s paternal uncle, Kuttypappen.
I am recalling what Valiappachen told me. Kuttypappen went to Ranni for a convention during his SSLC holidays. He met Mahakavi K. V. Simon, who was an amazing orator and religious man, Mahakavi title was bestowed upon him by the King of Thiruvithancore, Kuttypappen got absolutely enthralled by his charisma.
When he returned home he told his father my great grandfather, his desire to leave home to follow Simon Sir, to propagate suvishesham (Bible).
My great grandfather told him “Your three brothers are all well-educated, you should take a degree and then you can follow any path of your desire.” His reply was none of Jesus Christ’s disciples were degree holders and he doesn’t believe in any university degree. His father agreed and Kuttypappen left to Edayaranmula, to Mahakavi K. V. Simon Sir, and started travelling through the length and breadth of Kerala teaching the holy script.
Kuttypappen was a self-taught man; he was proficient in both English and Malayalam. He was a great orator, he wrote and published many books on the gospel and wrote “Commentary on the Gospel of John” which was the first commentary ever written in any of the Indian languages, it was published in June 1975.
According to my Valiappachen, Kuttypappen’s marriage was more like “When Harry met Sally” it was “The Pleasure meeting the Horse Carriage”. Kuttypappen went in his Car, called Pleasure those days to ask for his life partner Achamma, from Munduchirakkal family in Illikkal, Kottayam, whom he met at one of his preaching sessions, whose family owned a Horse Carriage. It was the scoop of the time.
The romance continued, on a cruise in an unthu vallom (boat), a journey from Kottayam to Muvattupuzha where they decided to settle first. One unique thing about my ancestors is the strong sense of taste and how it lingers in their taste buds even until their last breath. I have been fortunate to have the tastiest Chammanthi, Rasam, Moru, Pazhanchoru, and Meen Vevichathu from my home and it stays so fresh all the time.
He never forgot the taste of the Vallakarude Meen Curry (fish curry in the boat) that was served during his romantic cruise with the love of his life; he used to remember that all the time, they had ten lovely children.
Sr. George (who passed away very young), Gracymamma living in Bangalore, Mercymamma and her husband Ipe with their two children, living in Canada, Jainamamma and Kunjumon Chacko living in Kottayam, their two sons; Biju, a Chaplin at Duke University Hospital in Morrisville, living in North Carolina, with his wife and 2 children, Binny his wife and 2 children living in Abu Dhabi, Abraham living in Kottayam, George is no more, John and family with 4 daughters living in Kottayam, Alexander and family with 2 children living in Dallas, Texas, Valsa and husband James living in Bangalore and Lisy is no more.
Biju, son of Jainamamma was Amma’s pet; he sang well, when he came to Kollam as a medical representative of Merck, Amma made sure he became part of her music group and the everlasting kanji and payar dinners at home. I am indebted to him forever as he volunteered to carry samples of rubber door mats which was a new product from Kerala which I wanted to market in the US as part of my means to make life successful as a trader.
Kuttypappen kept his wits; love and romance live with his amazing humor in spite of the disciplinarian he tried to be in front of others.
All through his life he continued teaching and preaching Bible in the Brethren Assemblies, he stayed all over Kerala and finally moved back to Kottayam.
Kuttypappen visited Gulf countries and the US with his wife and travelled throughout India to teach and preach Gospel, he spoke at various public meetings which were attended by all congregations, He was a great orator and he used humor and life’s realities to engrave the messages in the souls of the people.
Kuttypappen like my Valiappachen had a huge collection of books, he used to make his grandchildren sort his books during school holidays, which was marked in different colors which identified as read once, or read many times, or half read and this act made the kids feel for the books and start exploring the same.
Kuttypappen was fascinated by Astronomy and documented any information he could lay his hands on, either from newspapers or from journals. He used to take his grandchildren to watch the stars and comets in the night and explain to them the importance of the same.
Like my Valiappachen he contracted diabetes and became very disciplined with his food habits.
My Valiappachen and all his brothers were very witty even though they were great disciplinarians and strict with their children, they were absolutely soft as snow with their grandchildren and forever pulling their partners legs.
I want to quote Kuttypappens morantic romantic stories, teasing Ammachy:
Just like the veteran actor Innocents make belief stories: In their flight to US, the Pan American flight, Air Hostess came to him and asked his choice of food, she asked him Veg or Non Veg and he replied Non Veg, she asked Ammachy and she immediately said BOTH!!!
Ammachy’s official name was Achamma, pet name Kunjoonjamma.
Kuttypappen never called her by name, this was typical those days, the men called their wife’s Nge, Athe, Evide, etc. so when the grandchildren questioned him: why he doesn’t call her name he had an immediate answer:
The fishmonger lady who comes here, her name is also Kunjoonjamma, so if I call your grandmother by name, the next thing, the fishmonger lady would be near me……
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