Childhood remembrances

Aham Asmi bhoo…..

In the 19th century, much before the dawn of independence, Palaghat was part of the Madras presidency directly ruled by the Governor of Madras from Fort St George. Palam means bridge and ghat means the ghat section. When you cross the mountainous trek at Walayar, you come down to Palaghat. Coimbatore was the Manchester of India, as the gentle breeze from the Blue Mountains hit the place. It was a cotton grower’s paradise, and also known as ‘Lancashire of the East’. The Collectorate adjoining to the Coimbatore Station was somewhere near the heart of the City, while the market was in the Double Cross Road. The flower bazaar was also close to this market, and as you enter the Road, there is wide fragrance. R S Puram was a well planned suburb. In RS Puram, there was the East Sambandam Road. At the end of the East Sambadam Road on the west was our ancestral house known as ‘Parvathi Nivas’ constructed by my grandfather Palaghat Ganapati Ananthasubramania Iyer. My grand father had two boys and six girls. My mother was the eldest and the house; I suppose is named after her.

It was the period of early marriages. My mother got married at the age of 18. She came to Kochin during war time, when because of the natural harbour, there were continous black-outs. And she knew few alphabets in Malayalam. One day, a vendor came calling ‘kadal vazhakka’ (fish). Being a poor vegetarian, my mother was shocked when he put the basket carrying fishes on the ground from his head. Like that she made a couple of mistakes. But stupidity always gives way to understanding after bad experiences.

When a boy is born, there is a ‘namakaran’ ceremony. The practice in the Brahmin house-holds is the first boy is named after his grandfather; he will also be given a ‘chellaperu’ (pet name), so that when all and sundry call him by the grandfather’s name, it should not hurt him. When the appropriate age comes, two or three, he is taken to Guruvayoor and given ‘annapravasham’. A thulabaram will also be performed in front of the Lord Guruvayoorappan. The first shave of the head is performed by the customary ambattan (hair dresser). After giving him ‘dakshinna’ only, he performs the feat. During navaratri, after Sarswathi pooja, the ashan used to make us write, a, ah, e, ee, u, uu, etc (Malayalam alphabet) on the sand which is spread over his rough portion of his thatched shedl. He is also given dakshina. He is called ashan (teacher). During our childhood, these people left a lasting impression in our minds. When the girl attains the age of puberty, she becomes ‘periyavazhal’ and there is all round celebration. The boy when he attains the age of 14, is made to wear the sacred thread which is called ‘upanayanam’ which is held in pomp and glory. Part of the upanayana celebration, include begging biksha, “ma ma bhiksham dehi…”(this teaches the young boy to be modest, and life would also mean that you would have to be modest to climb the ladder of success). The mother and father, along with the Vaidyar, cover the boy with pattu (silk) uttarayam, and the Vaidyar utters, “ombu, ombava, odhuam sudha, Om maha, Om janaha: othumsathyam, thatsaravaranyam, bragodevasya demahi, diyo-yo-na-projothayathu, Om apa: jyotisarah: amritham brahmo, boorbovasyaroom….” The Maha Gayatri is a part of this mantra, which has to be chanted 108 times in the morning and 64 times in the evening. The Thalai aviniyavattam is considered to be the most significant in the life of a Brahmin.

There are number of celebrations that Brahmins celebrate in Kerala. Of course, Pongal, attu pongal, mattu pongal, is a celebration of gaiety in the Tamil Brahmins’ psyche. Thiruvathira is a celebration for the ladies. Sastaprathi in Cochin is a great event, which all Brahmins in Cochin look forward to. It is a feast, having pachadi, thoran, koottu, avizhayal, one sweet item, olan, kazhlan, chips, four type pickles, pappad, paruppu, sambar, rasam, two types of payasam, mooru/thiru. Chakkathooran is one of the specialties of the sasthaprathi. Thekkamadam sasathaprathi is followed by Parur, Ernakulam, and Palaghat feasts. Parur sasthaprathi was conducted in a best manner, and the vivid portrayal of the event is recaptured beautifully by Malayattur Ramakrishnan, an IAS officer and a great writer whose novels have been made into movies.

Diwali and Vishnu is also celebrated. Vishnu is Kerala’s cultural festival, while Diwali came to Kochin because of the formidable presence of Gujaratis. Onam is a national festval, celebrated by the entire Keralities, without any difference in caste, creed, religion.

Muslims celebrate their important festivals with religious fervour when Christian festivals are held with great cherish.

The talapalli of the Pazhayannur Bhagavati temple, the sivalli of the Pallurthy Devi temple, the annual celebrations of the TD temple, are all events which attract elephants, sivalli, para (elephant respected by pouring of paddy before it is crushed to rice). The Devis in all their splendours give a divine touch to Mattancherri.

We spent our childhood there. We grew up. We finished our College education. The girls were betrothed and given away in marriage. The time came, when we had to live our splendid Kochin to greener pastures. Like all families, aging parents do accompany their elder son after his marriage. In some families, adjustment gives way to peace in some others irritation becomes larger as the women cannot get along. But parents are not show pieces who can be shunted from one place to another. They should be given the pride of place. In the earlier age, the parents ruled the roost, because the eldest male was the Karnavar, and his writ ran. But the nuclear families, break up of the Joint family system has caused quiet a distrust. Old people refuse to change. Youngsters want freedom and change. There is a generation gap between the old and the new. Conventional wisdom gets drenched in theory of convenience. Tradition gives way to modernity. A new samskar

Every day, after the sandhyavandanam, we used to chant, abivadatheya, angirasa, barahaspathya, bradwaja, thiryarishiya, bharadwaja gotra, ashilayana sutra, rigshada aszyayi, ramanatha sharma ahim asmi bhoo…. And fall at the feet of our parents. . I am dedicating myself to your service that is what I am saying. Precept and practice is a yard long!

Today, these land marks, which were vestiges in one’s childhood frame, are no more. The colonies are also not there. The old families and familiar faces have left Kochin. They are no more there. The temples stand. A new generation lives there. Aham asmi bhoo….