Events from IIIrd Std

     ( 7 )
     One day when I was listening to the Teacher, my notebook was left opened on the desk.  Then, Chithra, who was sitting nearby, put something in my notebook.  I anxiously glanced to see what it was - a peacock feather.  I secretly enjoyed this because every child in Kerala in those times expected peacock feather from the day they joined school.  'A peacock feather is supposed to multiply on its own, by giving birth to little ones', was the belief from olden times.  But we all knew that it was a superstition.  From that day onwards, it rested in my notebook, for months, I remember.
     In the intervals, the students involved in innumerous games.  One of the main game of the girls was kallukali ( game with stones ).  There were broken stones to repair the roads heaped in horizontal shapes, spreading on the sides of the roads.  We, children would pick out the rounded ones from there and used them in this game.  Five stones were necessary for that game.  There were perfectionists in this game and as you can imagine I was the least performer.
     Our classroom was separated from the other with a screen.  Oneday, someone started throwing papers to the other class.  Then, somebody threw it back from that class.  Then a series of throws occured.  When a paper came to me, I took it and gave it to another student.  Pick and throw continued for a long time.  The end of this activity made most of us cry endlessly - that was a scene worth to be recorded - I doubted whether they were pretending or not.  I also cried but I could cry only upto a certain limit.  Some girls tumbled down on the floor while crying.  Hearing the news, students from the IVth Std came to our classroom.  They were the Seniors in the school.  They had some liberties and opinions over us.  They picked out the most disabled students from our class and went to the Staffroom.  I wondered - I wouldn't become part of it. I didn't know how to cry !  After the interval, the Teacher came to the class.  He called the names of some of the pupils.  Unfortunately, I also was included in it.  He took the cane and gave three beatings to each of us !  I tried to speak to him but he didn't want to hear me.  This incident aroused anger in my mind towards that Teacher.  Everyone says that they have lots of love towards their Teachers.  But at that particular situation, I felt full of hatred towards him.
     One day, the Teacher spoke about a new topic - the government.  It is very powerful, it does everything in our society and it can do anything to us , if possible.  I heard all this but didn't understand.  After reaching home, I asked my father, 'What is government ?'  My father repeated the same thing.  But I was not satisfied.  'Then show me the government', I became obstinate.  I realised that my parents were in utter confusion.  At last, my father said that almost every building I see in the Kadayiruppu junction are occupied by the government.  "For eg., have you seen the Village Office ?",  he asked.  "Yes ", I answered.  "That Office is government, you understand only upto this for the time being ", he said.

     Next Sunday, I was returning after the Sunday School class at noontime.  By that time, I had studied many routes to school without touching grandma's house.  I would turn near the bridge over the canal and walking over the canal bund, reach the Kadayiruppu junction.  Was it a city ?  No.  Some shops were there, the Village Office, the Post Office,two stationary shops,two tea shops and one stitching centre - almost everything was there.  The Government Upper Primary School,Kadayiruppu,was situated there.  After the IVth Std, I would come there to study and then it would be very easier for me to reach the school.  When I reached near the Village Office, I looked at it, the doors were closed,the trees looked like very old and the walls reminded me the world of the dead. " Is it government ?"  I was walking very fast through the road.  I wouldn't run lest the others would realise that I was very afraid.  Today, the people say that even small children know everything.  But, for me, it is very difficult to understand that.  It took much time for me to realise the idea of government.  Perhaps,my intellectual level might have been that much low !

     In the School Assembly, I listened to the girls who sang the prayer and the National Anthem, with curiosity.  "How courageous they are", I thought.  My father used to sing when he was sitting alone.  Then I would come  near him and ask him to repeat it and he would do so.  He used to sing the hit Malayalam film songs and lullabies.  Therefore, I knew many of the film songs and lullabies, by that time.  But to sing them on the stage was impossible for me.  My cousin Maji was not like me.  She would sing everywhere,in School and also in Sunday School.  Her sound resembled that of a cuckoo bird.  She became part of the church choir also.

     I have already mentioned that there was no electricity in my house.  But in front of my house, when the steps ended, in the main road, there was a streetlight.  In the evening, when the streetlight was lit up, I would become filled with happiness.  Standing in front verandha, looking at the streetlight, I would sing, imitating a Malayalam film song :-

                           "The flower has been bloomed in my courtyard
                             The light has been lit in my life.........................."

     Innumerable jasmine flowers would be there blossoming,  spreading fragrance everywhere.  

A new route to school

     ( 6 )

     My father and me went to the grandfather's house, next day morning.  My father explained the whole incidents that took place the day before and asserted that my route to the school was to be changed from that day onwards.  It was a shock to everyone to hear the news about me.  My paternal aunt's eldest son, Simon,who was present there, looked at me quite surprisingly.  The new route was decided.  I woulď climb down the steps from my house, enter the main road.  Turn to the left side, I would walk through the road where there was an upward slope to the road , then there was a declination , at the end of which there appeared a mudroad to the left side, through which one or two persons might come and go occasionally.Then there is a turning on the road to the right side, where you could see two houses - one on the right side, Kalapparambil House, the other on the left side, Kunjiparambath House, both of them the branches of Chittuparambil House.  The presence of people was a little in this route.  But there were buses, cars and scooters everytime. It was very hard for everyone to think about a little girl walking alone through that road !  

            Walking a little forward, at the right side a pump - house could be seen and there was a pump operator.  There I would turn to the right side reaching near an embankment, walking  through the bank of which I would reach the paddyfield....yes, the same paddyfield but it was the left end of it.  I would cross it, entered the left side of Mr Johnson's land,through a narrow path reach the grandfather's and grandmother's house.  Sometimes, my father's youngest brother Mr Yohannan might be present there.  I would enter the house sometimes and at other times wouldn't, but call loudly "Amma"( I called my grandmother like that ), and continue the journey.  Then, walking  through a rubber plantation, I would reach a mudroad and turn to the right.  A few steps and I would reach the narrow pathway through which I used to go to school from the 1st Std, in the middle of which lived Mr  Jose and his wife Ms Eelikkutty.  It was decided that my grandmother could see me going to the school and returning to my house everyday.  

     I have already stated that when I started my journey to the school, I turned to the left side of the road.  Don't you remember that the land on the left side of our boundary was uncultivated, full of shrubs and bushes and three Cashew trees ?  When I walked through the upward slope on the road, I would see the uncultivated land of Mr Johnson's and on the right side also there was  Mr Johnson's land where some crops were growing.  When I reached the declination point, on the left side, there was the property of Thoppil House, which was a branch of Chittuparambil House.  Then there appeared the mudroad to the leftside.  There is a speciality to the place from our house to the place where the mudroad existed.  I have already mentioned that it was a desolate place.  The last bus in the evening through that road was at 10.30 p.m.,which was running from Kolenchery to Perumbavoor.  The 1st bus in the morning was at 05.30 a.m., which also was running at the same route.  The time in between this - there was total silence - sometimes a car, a scooter or a lorry might go through that street.  At other times, there was complete silence - silence in its depth.  The sound of the crickets rose everywhere, to split the silence.  There was no electricity in my house and as a result no fan to make sound.  The jackals howled from the South Hill, sometimes.  At the rainy season, there was the sound of the frogs from the paddyfields.  

     Some of the persons, even then, walked through that road either on some urgency or to return to their houses after IInd show in theatre in the nearest town, Kolenchery.   Some of them reported that when reaching the upward slope they had seen a ghost or a fairy, standing there !  The place was ideal for ghosts and fairies - there was not even a human being, utter silence prevailed there !  They would appear only at nights.  At the earlier times, when the Landlord - tenant System was there, many people were oppressed by the landlords.  Their souls roamed in this place, I heard once my mother saying.   It was through that road that I should walk alone to the school !  All of them  gave me many advices - not to accept anything from strangers, don't speak to them unnecessarily, run away from them if the situation demands,  be cautious always etc.  

A turning point

     ( 5 )

     We had enough space for playing in front of the school and also at the backyard.  The school had a U shape and at the end of U, there was a cookroom, where the uppumavu ( a typical Kerala food ) was prepared from the wheat, which was donated by the United States of America and distributed by UNICEF.  During the 1st interval, we would sit in two rows in the verandah of the school in two lines and the uppumavu was served.  To be frank, I liked the taste of it very much.  

     On the other side of the courtyard of the school, there was a place ( about 50 cents of land ) where differerent types of shrubs and bushes were grown and in which we played freely.  It is indescribable, in the variety of fauna and of flora.  I think it was a private property which was left uncultivated.  Different kinds of fruits like poochappazham ( Syzygium Zeylanicum ), a bright red fruit ( Bryonia Grandis ) were grown there.  The Syzygium Zeylanicum deserves a special mention because almost everyone of us went to school with at least one bunch of that fruit.  Not even a single day passed without taking it.  The fruit was very small, pure white in colour, a little sour and sweet in taste.  Even the sight of the fruit attracted us, giving great pleasure.     At this juncture, I want to mention about the toilet facilities in the school.  There was, indeed, a toilet, I could suffer it, that much I can say.  I want to mention another thing also.  The place which I have mentioned in the previous paragraph was not fully explored by us because if we went a farther distance, we would sometimes see the purge of the neighbours and we would have to cover our nose and return to the courtyard of the school. 

     One day, when I was in the IIIrd Std, after the class, we were returning to our houses.  When we entered Mr Johnson's land, all the others parted with me, except Peter.  I and Peter walked through the narrow passage, talking about something.  Sadly to say, we had different opinion about the subject we were talking about.  Suddenly, I snatched his umbrella and threw it to the land where the crops were growing.  I was very angry at that time.  I thought that Peter would take his umbrella from there.  But contrary to my expectations, he walked forward.  He told me that he would tell it to everybody in his house.  For a moment I thought - whether I should take the umbrella from there or not ?  No, I wouldn't.  It was Peter who made me angry.  Slowly, I followed him, knowing that it would become a serious issue.  At last, I reached home.

     Seated in a korandi, I was taking food.  My mother was looking at me blinkingly, in the kitchen.  My father was already been called to Mr Johnson's house.  The news had spread all over there.  I heard the footsteps of my father returning from the Puthiyaveettil house.  His eyes were burning like fire.  He took a stick, caught me and began to beat me.  What had I done ?  Insulting a rich man's son !  How did I get the courage to do that ?  He continued the beating so that blood came out from the wounds of my legs.  

     Should I cry when these things happen ?  No.  But tears came rolling down my cheeks.  My mother started crying while uttering these words, "What has this girl done ?  What will happen to us in future ?  Everyone will become enemies to us.  How shall we live in this village ?  Bring dishonour to the child of Chittuparambil House !  Noone has heard about such a thing earlier.  It has happened because you are a cruel man.  How many times you have beaten me ?  This girl has been born to you as a punishment to your cruelty".  My father had already stopped his beating.  

     When I look back at that incident, I feel that I shouldnot have done it to Peter because he was a calm and gentle child.  Therefore, I record my regret over that incident, here.  

IInd Std

      ( 4 )
     The school re - opened after the mid summer vacation in the 1st week of June, 1980.  On the first day, I sat in the 1st Std, eager to go to the IInd Std, like all other classmates.  The Teacher called the names of the students who had passed from the 1st Std to IInd Std.  Everyone went out of the class one by one, with the Teacher.  At last, I only remained there, alone.  Fear entered my mind and alas ! I thought, "Did I fail ?  Failed in the 1st Std !  How can I pass all the classes and acquire a job ?  Did the Teacher call my name ?  Perhaps I wouldn't have heard".  I sat there in a confused state of mind.  Suddenly I heard footsteps outside.  I heard the sound of my Teacher.  She found me in the corner of the classroom where I was seated and produced a sigh of relief.  "Here she is", she said to other Teachers.  "I am greatly relieved", she continued to say.  She asked me,"Why did you not come and made us so much worried".  Oh ! how can I describe the relief I experienced.  Quickly taking my basket, I followed her.  When I entered the IInd Std, it was full, I was the last student to enter the class.  I still remember the anxiety I experienced and how much anxious my Teacher became on that day.
     Near the house of Mallika, there lived uncle Narayanan and aunt Shantha.  Their son, Gopu joined the 1st Std, that year.  Aunt Shantha told us ( Mallika & I ) to take care of Gopu, always.  Therefore, during the intervals, I and Mallika ran to the 1st Std, to enquire about the welfare of Gopu.
     It was in the IInd Std that Rani became my best friend.  She sat beside me and led me in many things.  She frightened me by saying that her father was a policeman and if I didn't obey her, he would come and arrest me.  I became afraid of her and as a result I did anything she ordered to do.  This particular kind of relationship made restlessness in other students.  One day, at noontime, after having lunch, she asked me to come with her to her home.  First I resisted but yielded finally because there was no other solution before me.  We started from the school, journeyed through different roads, mud roads and tarred roads.  I was frightened and sometimes I felt I was being abducted.  At last, we reached her home.  I don't remember how her household received us, but somehow or other, we returned soon.  By the time we reached the school, the session after noontime had already been started.  The Teacher questioned us about our late entry to the classroom.  The answer to the Teacher's question came from the whole class.  All the students unitedly said that I and Rani were very close and I always carried out the commands of Rani.  Hearing this, the Teacher changed our seats in the class.  I looked at Rani, frightenedly.  I was afraid to look at her eyes.  Many times I had thought about speaking frankly to my parents, about Rani.  But I was afraid that they would scold me for keeping such a friendship.  "Sometimes I am very courageous, but here I became afraid of another girl", I thought.  All these things appeared as an irony.

     As a child, I had no playmates to play with, in my  neighbourhood.  I don't forget that there were Peter and Basil - but they were very rich and I was very poor.  I agree that the differene was there, always.  Both Peter and Basil had tricycles to play with, in their homes.  In Peter's house, there was a long verandah and it was an interesting and funny experience to run that cycle there.  I won't forget the fact that I also had got opportunities to sit and drive ( slowly, a small distance only ) in those tricycles.  

     My memory again travels to the past.  One day, I and my mother went to Puthiyaveettil Mr  Johney's house.  Ms Kunjamma seated me in a korandi ( a miniature form of a table which was used in Kerala,to sit over, do jobs and also to take food).  Near to me, Basil was also seated in another korandi.  Kochechi ( I called Ms Kunjamma, by that name ) served rice and curries to both of us.  My mother had strictly ordered to me that I should not waste the rice served by her.  Remembering this, I had taken the whole rice, without making any waste.  Kochechi was impressed by my behaviour and she told Basil to look at my plate & surroundings and learn how to take food.  Eventhough it was a casual talk, I was hurt when he began to cry and also because he was one year younger to me.  

     I had also taken food from Puthiyaveettil Mr Johnson's house.  I don't remember when it  happened.  It was at the time of taking food that I and my mother reached there.  All the labourers had gathered there to take food.  All of us were seated in the kitchen in the korandis.  The rice was served and the curries, kaalan ( a curry made from curd ), sambar ( a vegetarian curry popular in South India ) & the papad.  The rice was the sweetest one I ever had taken.  "The rice I take in my house has no taste at all", I thought.  It was the rice which was grown in their own paddyfield ie, it was not bought from the market.  And the curry from the curd....that taste is still there in my tongue.  I thought, "If I get this everyday, I am ready to take two or three plates of rice".

     

Neighbours & surroundings

    ( 3 )

       It was the mid - summer vacation.  "Annamma, Annamma", where are you"?,aunt Gouri was calling out from outside.  Hearing the sound, I came out of the house.  My mother was pulling out water from the well which was very deep, situated in the eastern side of our house.  Aunt Gouri said that her youngest son, Mohan was going to join the 1st Std, that year.  But she had no money to buy the textbook for him.  She requested my mother to give my textbook to him because I had passed into the IInd Std, by that time.

     I got alarmed to hear the news.  My mother said loudly, "Diya, give your textbook to aunt Gouri, she has no money to buy it for her son".  Aunt Gouri had three sons, she worked as a housemaid in the rich families and sometimes in the paddyfields.  It was very difficult for her to meet the two ends of her life.  Though I felt sympathy towards her, I could never part with the textbook.  I knew each and every part of that book, as a result it had become almost a companion to me.  All the pictures and words in it attracted me in some way or another.  I knew the fact that all my classmates would have given their textbooks to somebody else by that time.  But I....I wouldn't do that.  My mother explained to aunt Gouri, "See, this one is a particular type of girl,she is almost like her father - obstinate and always disgusted.  I don't know what will happen to her in future".  At last, when aunt Gouri returned, I opened the text and turned up the sheets of paper.  It was designed so that it should attract the tender minds instantly.  Even the grass in those pictures appeared heavenly to me.  Eventhough I always notice the beauty of the nature around me, this is another thing.  This is art - something that elevates us from the lower level to the higher.  In the artistic form, everything appears in its fullness -  its beauty, structure or anything.  Only the persons who know the Child Psychology could develop a textbook like that.  I looked into the pictures for a long time so that I would experience joyfulness in its full spirit.  I wonder whether the textbooks of today are like this or not.  I was fully contented about my textbook and even  today I desire to see that again!

     My house situated in the middle of about 25 cents of land.  Standing on the courtyard of my house, I could see five houses ie, my neighbour's.  The first one belonged to Puthiyaveettil Mr Johny & Ms Kunjamma.  They had a little child, Basil who was one year younger to me.  He had already joined in the St. Peter's English Medium School in the LKG and next year he would be in the 1st Std.  Besides them, there was the father of Mr Johny, Mr Thommachan and his mother Ms Mariamma.  They owned about 12 acres of land ( excluding the paddyfields).  The second house was  that of Mr Johnson's & Ms Achamma's, which was also named as Puthiyaveettil because Mr Johnson  was the elder brother of Mr Johny.  They had four children - Elias, Liji, Aby & Peter.  Besides them, there was another person - Ms Saramma, the sister of Mr Thommachan.  Everyone in the village called her 'The Great Aunt'.   She was married and somehow or other her marriage was a failure and she returned to her father's house.They also owned 12 or 13 acres of land.   The third neighbourhood was Kalluvilakathu House, where lived Mr George, his wife Ms Sarakutty and Mr George's sister, Ms  Susamma.  All of them were old people.  There was a servant girl & a driver.  There was an outhouse built for the car driver to stay.  All their sons had migrated to the United States of America.  The daughters were married and lived a little far away from the house.  This family owned about 16 acres of land, I think.  I had seen the members of that family very rarely because there was no particular reason to go to that house and also they always travelled in car.  The fourth and fifth neighbours were Ithipuzha House & Karingattil House.  In the Ithipuzha House, there lived a priest in the St. Peter's Church, Kolenchery, Fr. Jacob Ithippuzha,  his wife, Ms Eliamma & four daughters, viz. Bincy, Jincy,Lincy & Rincy.  Opposite to their house, there was the Karingattil House, where lived Mr Cherian, his wife Ms Sosamma & their only son, Mr Saju.  In these houses, Puthiyaveettil Houses and Kalluvilakathu House were the branches of the richest family in that village, called  Chittuparambil House.  

     My house was set as boundary to three family's lands.  There was Mr Johnson's one acre land on the left side of our land.  It was left uncultivated for a long time.  The reason was that 'they were the poorest in that richest family', and as a result they didn't have enough money to cultivate anything in that land.  There were three Cashew trees, different kinds of small trees, shrubs & bushes in that land.  It was an ideal place for rabbits, mongoose & snakes.  The second was the land of Mr Johny, which was about two acres of which only a little portion set boundary with us.  The third one was with Mr George's land, full of mango trees, jackfruit trees and coconut trees.

     In my house, there were three mango trees, three jackfruit trees,

Jackfruit tree

one cashew tree, six coconut trees, one teak tree & one cotton plant.  There were two guava trees and one mulberry.   In front of the house, on the two sides of the steps, there were jasmine flowers swung on long stalks to the road.  On the left side of our house, near the jackfruit tree, there were numerous jasmine flowers which produced a pleasant smell all over there.  There was a Hibiscus plant in that place, from its leaves we used to make shampoo, to cleanse our hair.  I remember teenagers from the different families of the Chittuparambil House coming to our house, to collect jasmine flowers. On the right side, near the kitchen, there was a curry leaf tree,which was grown  so high that we couldn't take curry leaves from it.  In that compound, here and there, small curry leaf plants and chillies were present.   In front of our house, there was a small garden in which different kinds of flowers bloomed.   The flowers and butterflies made my childhood a colourful one.

     I am very sad to say that my house is not there today.  The land is owned by somebody else.  Whatever it be, the house and its surroundings are still alive in my mind.  

     

Journey to the school

    ( 2 )
      In front of our house, there was the main road, through which buses were running every fifteen minutes, incessantly.  My journey to the school was not through the main road, instead it can be described like this.  I would climb down the many steps from the courtyard of my house, either with my father or with my mother, cross the main road and enter into a mud road which was a private one, in the opposite direction of our house.  Walking a few steps through that road, if I turned right, I could reach our nearest neighbour Mr Johny's & Ms Kunjamma's  house.  But we would walk past that road to reach Mr Johnson's & Ms Achamma's house, where their youngest son, Peter, who was studying in Std II , would be getting ready to go to school.

     Mr Johnson and Mr Johny were brothers and they belonged to the richest family of our village.  Eventhough the rich pupils studied in the English medium school, Peter happened to study in the Government school because his father, Mr Johnson was only a farmer, having no other income.  Moreover, his eldest brother and two elder sisters studied in the Government school and the reason might be the English medium school was not fully developed as a High School at that time.

     It is during the first week of June that the South West Monsoon come over Kerala.  Also it is at the same time that the schools re - open after the mid - summer vacation.  As a result, we always started to school with an umbrella.  I remember that Peter had not only an umbrella but also a raincoat, to escape from the rain.  I, Peter and one of the persons from his house started the journey to the school, through Mr Johnson's compound.  Then we entered a paddyfield, which was owned by various branches of the same family.  Crossing the paddyfield, we would again enter into a plot owned by Mr Johnson.  Walking through a narrow path formed by the constant walks, we would reach another mud road, where I would see various huts where labourers in the paddy fields lived.

     My mother had told me that I should call them uncles and aunts because they were my distant relatives.  It was from one of these houses that Mallika, who had also joined in the 1st Std with me, came to our gang.  From there, we would enter another mud road, cross it, reaching a narrow pathway where dry leaves scattered on the moistened land.  In the middle of that path, there was the house of Mr Jose,where the inhabitants were only Mr Jose and his wife Ms Eelikkutty.   At the end of that path,there was the road near the canal, we would cross the bridge over the canal ( which was a small one ) enter into another narrow path.  There lived Mr Gopalan and his family, in a small house.  Here, there was a mud road again, walking through which we could enter into the main road and go to the school straight.  But, instead of doing that, we would enter into the one acre rubber plantation, where there was a narrow path which was formed by the continuous passing of the people.  Then, we would enter into the main road, cross it, and enter the courtyard of the school.  There was another way also to the school ie, many steps were built into the courtyard of the school, from the main road.  When we reached the school, our feet would be covered with dirt.  Sometimes we would wash our heels under the tap in the main road, near the steps.

     I used to go to school, with a slate and pencil, a textbook, a notebook, a lead pencil, a tiffin box and a water bottle all set in a plastic bag which was made by aunt Molly.  For erasing the slate, we used the plant, paperomia reflexa. For writing in the notebook , there was lead pencil.  But everyday my pencil was lost which caused unrest to my father.  He carried out a new plan ie, whenever he bought a new pencil, he would cut it into two pieces and gave one piece to me.  "You can use the second half after you have finished with the first", he said.  From that day onwards, I went to school with a half pencil.

     When I had entered the mid term of the 1st Std, there was the talk about joining Sunday School classes.  We usually attended the Mass in the St. Mary's Church, Valambur.  My cousins were already studying there.  Oh! I forgot to introduce my father's family.  My father had one elder sister and two younger brothers.  The elder sister was married and settled in a place which was a little far away from our village.  She had five children - all of them were elder to me.  The younger brothers were Mr Yacob and Mr Yohannan.  Mr Yacob had two children - Benny ( 11 years) and Maji (9 years) .They were elder to me because Mr Yacob married earlier than my father.    Let me also say that Mr Yohannan was a bachelor at that time and he lived with my grandfather & grandmother.  However, I was joined as a student in the 1st Std of the Sunday School in the 1st week of January, 1980.

     The church was a small chapel.  Beside the chapel, there was another church, a well - built one.  "Some years ago, there was a quarrel among the people and the church was split into two, and we joined this church," my mother would say occasionally.  The 1st Std was at the back of the chapel.  One line of girls and another line of boys with the Teacher in the middle , in semi circle.  The 1st Lesson ended like this ( almost like this because I learned it in Malayalam ) .

              "Our great grandfather is Adam

                Our great grandmother is Eve

                God sheltered them in the Garden of Eden

                When they committed a Sin, God drove them out from there".

     

( 1 ) The Ist Std

         ( 1 )

     Mr Satheesan made me sit in between his twins Neethu and Geethu in the 1st Std of Government Lower Primary School, Kadayiruppu, in the district of Ernakulam, Kerala State, India.  It was the 1st week of June, 1979.  I turned my head and had a glimpse of my father and Mr Satheesan talking together at the verandah of the school as long term friends.  It was my 1st day in school.

     In the morning of that day, I had set out from my house with my father, saying that I would go to school, study well and acquire a job.  Even when I was four years old, I used to speak about learning and getting a job.  I think that the idea of studying and acquiring a job came to my mind from the continuous talks of my father and mother.  They always spoke about this matter and I just repeated it!  Whatever it might be, I was really enthusiastic to go to school.  Here, I want to point out one thing.  The nearest school to my house was an English medium school, where only pupils from rich families studied.  "I am very poor, that is why I am going to a school which is a little far away from my home", I thought.  It was a Government school and the medium of instruction was Malayalam, my mother - tongue.

     The memories before I went to school, include mainly, three things.  The first one, which is interesting, can be described like this.  One day, my mother and I went to South Hill, where my father was working as a Rubber Tapper, to give him tea and snacks.  The South Hill, as the name denotes, stood in the southern direction of our house, a small hill owned by one of the rich families in our village.  When we almost reached the top of hill, a rabbit crossed the narrow pathway through which we were heading high.  It touched my legs, and I was afraid, excited and screamed.  My mother told this incident to everyone, everyday & every week.  As a result, it was deeply rooted in my mind forever.  Therefore, the image of a young girl, leaping excitedly, still engraved in my mind.

     The second important event in my life was the birth of my brother.  It was the year 1978, December.  My memory is only this.  I, my maternal aunts, Molly and Laly were standing in front of my house.  My father was in the hospital, with my mother.  When an elder woman from the neighbourhood returned from the hospital after visiting my mother,the aunts became very anxious to hear the news.  She told us very loudly,"A boy, a boychild".  Hearing this, the elder aunt, aged 17 years,leapt excitedly.  "A boy in our house, a boychild in our house", she told loudly, dancing.  The younger aunt,aged 15 years was also excited.  There was a clear reason for their excitement.  My mother had three sisters - one elder and two younger ones.  The elder sister had two daughters and the younger ones were minors.   Thus, my brother became the first boy in my mother's family.  Eventhough my family was a patriarchal one, they rejoiced in that moment and I remember that the aunts came to my house to look after me in the absence of my mother. Later I went to the hospital with my aunts to see the child.  We waited outside for the visiting time to start.  My mother stood on the first floor and stretched her hands towards me.  Eventhough my memory is a faded one, I remember that I was reluctant to respond to her gesture.  I had already become a shy person even at that age and was timid to appear in public places.

     The third memory is related to the building of our house.  If my memory is correct, I lived upto my 5th year, in a straw - house.  I remember people filtering soil for the purpose of building the house.  I remember seeing a sketch of the house in the hands of my father.  Everyone was proud of the new house.  When the new house was built, its roof was covered with tiles.  It had a chimney and the fire place was similar to one of my neighbour's house.  Its walls were made of laterite stone and its flooring was with cowdung.

Prologue

       I intend to pen down my remembrances since birth to the start of my career as Guest Teacher in a Government Higher Secondary School in Kerala, India.  In detail, the period extends from my birth upto the 1st week of June,1999.
     In this humble endeavour, I acknowledge the wholehearted support of a friend who is fondly called Anna by dear ones.  We were together while doing Masters in English Literature.  When I shared the idea of writing a blog and requested her assistance, she agreed to do it without any hesitation.  I appreciate her encouragement in all possible ways.
     There are a few people who deserve to be mentioned here.  Treesa Thomas who inspired me to buy a tablet in which I work and post chapters every week.  She accompanied me to a Cell Phone Store to buy and equip it with all the necessary accessories and Apps.  Jaya S & Treesa Jose also helped me with some Apps.  It was Jaya who took my snaps.
     I dedicate "The Melancholic Reminiscences of a Woman" to the people, especially women who are neglected, harassed,oppressed, experience pain, grief - stricken,homeless & hungry.

The Melancholic Reminiscences of a Woman

     Friends, I am coming with "the Melancholic Reminiscences of a Woman ",..............................Wait...