Puthenangady:
Exodus from Veloor the Flood Plain-
to the Safety of the Dry Land
Puthenangady, meaning ‘New Market’ in the olden days,
is a small residential area in Kottayam—just one and a half kilometres away from the main town. A small place and a very quiet and safe place. No threat of floods. Thiruvathukkal is the nearest square where there are a few commercial hubs, and Eruthikkal Devi Temple is close by, closer to the hearts of many residing here. You see houses of all ranges here; small, medium, and big. A healthy place; no pollution at all. Not at all a busy, noisy place! This is the place where we had our mainstay—something like a “Tharavadu” or traditional home, though “Tharavadu” had always been in Veloor in our mind. But we happened to come and settle here. Originally the house belonged to my aunt—Ammachy’s younger sister. Circumstances led them first to lease and then to sell this house to my Appachen. But, just think of life’s little ironies….
I was born in their house much before it became our home quite by accident. Yes, exactly, by accident. Ammachy was supposed to have gone to her parental home for this delivery. Appachen and Ammachy had set out for that. During those days there were only a few buses or vehicles. They reached Thiruvathukkal by a country boat from Veloor, because my paternal Grandmother was seriously ill and she compelled my mother to go to her own home. Ammachy felt bad about the compulsion because as Grandmother was in a critical condition she did not want to leave. Grandmother might have had some premonition regarding her impending death and Ammachy’s advanced state of pregnancy might have been a matter of great concern for Vallyammachy. From Thiruvathukkal my parents had to walk.
They had planned to take a halt at Ammachy’s sister’s home on the way. Appachen, as usual, especially being an athlete and a footballer, was quite two hundred metres or so ahead. Ammachy had started getting symptoms of labour pains. With much difficulty, she walked and the water bag, amniotic bag, had already broken. An old lady in the neighbourhood noticed her staggering walk. She came to her assistance and both of them got into my aunt’s house which was by the side of the main road. That night my mother gave birth to me in a small room at my aunt’s house. Mysteriously, my aunt’s home nearby avoided my birth on the public street! Now on reflection, I know it was God’s infinite kindness! Vallyammachy was told about my birth. Though on her death bed, she asked two things; whether the baby girl was fair and whether she had an abundance of hair. Both answers being affirmative, she looked happy.
Then she added that her elder daughter must be my godmother and the younger one’s name should be given to me. My younger aunt was to become my mentor and teacher years later. Divine guidance! Vallyammachy was very pious; so was my godmother. The day after my birth Vallyammachy breathed her last! Years later, my maternal aunt and family used to say that it was because I was born there that we got the house in course of time. My aunt’s younger daughter who was younger than me was born with the star ‘Chithira’ and I had been born with ‘Bharani.’ Astrologers are of the view that a person born with the star ‘Chithira’ is likely to lose his or her house. As an example, they quote Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma the last ruling Maharaja of the Princely State of Travancore who lost his kingdom. My aunt’s family lost their house, and since I was born with the star ‘Bharani,’ we got it. I don’t know. Only God knows. We don’t believe in the role of the stars in directing our life. During the two renovations, the small room stood there intact as such. That was my room during my school and college days—not solely mine. My older sisters had it and by turn, it became mine later.
There were times when I shared the room with my sisters. But when the whole house was demolished for building a new house, the room had to disappear. Not a remnant of the old house is seen now. I have a faint memory of a gooseberry tree in the backside of the original house. There was a big tamarind tree in the front courtyard. People said it was a symbol of prosperity. There were some Jackfruit trees and ‘Kadachakka’–a kind of bread-fruit trees, I remember. All those trees disappeared when my brother just senior to me got a new palatial house built up there.
During my younger days, I saw Ammachy and our neighbours talking daily standing on the mud walls that were common during those days. In between the two, there was an alley on each side. Sometimes we children would join the conversation or be the silent hearers. It would be either to Ambattu Chechy on the southern side or Gauriamma on the northern side. Just adjacent to our house, we had another Christian family where Pappa(we called him so.) and his wife Chinnamma Kochamma lived. Ambattu Chechy, Gauriamma and Chinnamma Kochmma were younger than Ammachy. On Onam days they would bring special festival dishes for us and on Christmas we took ours to them. Chechy, Balanchettan, with their children Hari, Gopu, and Kala later moved to the town. Years later, Gopu became the Chairman of the Municipal Corporation of Kottayam. Hari might be in Canada. The youngest was too small to be our acquaintance. One instance I remember, Chechy having narrated it. Hari would plant some flower-plant saplings and daily he would pick up the sapling to check whether the roots had appeared! Later the Proprietor of Josco Jewellers bought their plot and built a mansion there.
Gauriamma’s house was closer. My elder sisters were friendly with their eldest daughter, Devi. I was in company with Vilasini and Jalaja. Raghavan Pillai(We used to call him ‘Kuttan Pillai’) was the eldest son with whom my elder brothers were associated. My brother Babu had a friendship with Rajan and Murali. For some years, Gauriamma’s mother was also with them till her death. Gauriamma’s husband Bhaskaran Nair was a humble, meek, and mild person. The taste of the banana roast which he brought and the share of it we got, is still on my palate. Kuttan Pillai was industrious and he was the strong pillar of the family till his rather early death. In our young days they tied a long swing from the branch slanting to the alley and we had great fun swinging there during Onam days.
I have a vivid memory of my dear friend Rajamma and her elder sister Omanakutty near our house. We used to play a game with stones as we called it ‘Kallukali’. Every day either she would come to our home or I to theirs. Kottayam is said to be a small town. But even in this small town, we were far away when we grew up. We had been to each other’s house once and we had met only twice or so in the town. Then we lost touch with each other and there followed long silent years. After a while, we became Facebook friends. Even on Facebook, we could not communicate properly because of our/my hectic schedule. Only a few months back I came to know that she was no more. She passed away in 2017! One day I got into her profile page and wrote a message to her as my earlier message remained unanswered. In shock, I saw a paper cutting that announced her obituary. I couldn’t believe my eyes I cannot express what I felt then.
I remember having gone to Eruthickal School at Bheemanpady for some time when I was in Class I. I was scared of going through an alley leading to Bheemanpady, because of the fear of kidnappers. I would wait for one of the teachers to pass by and when I saw her I would go with her. On returning, if I was alone, I would be more frightened when I came near the Devikshethram that would not be seen properly unless we got onto the steps, as the temple was surrounded by high walls. I always anticipated some kidnappers hiding behind the walls. Quite near the temple, I had a friend and classmate in my higher class in school, Omana otherwise known as Suseela. We used to identify their house as the ‘Warrier’s house. Their cousins resided close by. Two families of ‘Kunnasseri’ lived opposite to our house. We were very close. The junction just in front of our house is known as Eruthickal Junction. The road to the left leads to “Kurisupally” at a triangular junction with one road back to Thiruvathukkal , another to Kottayam Town, and a third to Aruthootty from where we can go left to Kumarakom via Thazhathangady or right to the town.
The legend goes that a ‘kurissu'(cross) rose from underground in that spot and so a church belonging to the Orthodox Syrian Christian was founded there. Many people irrespective of religion or caste come there, pray, and witness miracles. As part of the legend, it is said that ‘Kurisoppan’, the Saint of the Church occasionally visits his sister Devi of the Devikhethram. I have heard many such stories prevalent in many different places. The people of the olden days were mostly pious and simple and for communal harmony, they might have circulated such stories.
I had a hobby of collecting the pictures on match boxes and notices of cinema. In those days there was much advertisement of films with posters over handcarts and later in jeeps. Small children used to run to collect the notices when they hear the sound of drum beating or the sound of the horn. I was one among them.
I did my Class V in a school in the adjacent ground of the church. Later the school was shifted to the hill above; it is called “kunnumpuram,” meaning ‘on the top of the hill’ where the higher classes function in St.Thomas Girls’ High School where I studied from Class VI to Class X. Ammachy and we children started residing in that old house from my Class V onwards. Before that, my parents were in Munnar. My siblings were in boarding schools—brothers in CMS School, Kottayam, and sisters in Mahilalayam School in Alwaye. Mine was mostly homeschooling, except for my Class III and Class IV in my paternal and maternal aunts’ houses, Kurumannu in Pala and Pangada in Pampady respectively. Ammachy finally left Appachen alone in Munnar with a male servant, and came and settled in Puthenangady for the sake of their children. All the birdlings who were not happy with the hostel life and who longed for home, sweet home, flew back to their Mother Bird. The Mother Bird did protect the birdlings as best as she could. Better than any other mother, now to think of it. She was very strict. Spared no rod when she found mistakes in us. We never realized till now, that was mainly because she had the responsibility of rearing the kids with the Father Bird far far away. Many a time we felt that she was cruel. She showed no softness. Rather hard upon us. No pampering, no cajoling—nothing like that. But she was a real homemaker and she managed the household with a militant spirit. Hardworking as she was, she had the spirit of an ‘easterner’ who was even prepared to work on the soil. Her home was in Pampady in the plains of the eastern side of Kottayam whereas Appachen’s was a watery place on the western side. East and West—yes, of course, there were temperamental and other differences between my father and mother. When Appachen exhibited the artistic and aesthetic impulses, Ammachy being rough was insensitive to the finer sentiments.
At the same time, she was more efficient, and hardworking in day to day affairs. At times of crisis, the Mother Bird rose to the occasion when the Father Bird sat weak and helpless. In my memory, we were pretty often under financial constraints. Appachen had no savings when he retired. In his early years of work, he had his family burden on his shoulders. He struggled hard to pay off the debt his father had incurred during the ‘99 Flood. The lost family property was restored; his sisters were married off, and his younger brother’s education and every other thing was taken the best care of. Ammachy always stood by him. Her father, my Vallyappachen had given her 5 acres of land filled with coconut trees and other useful trees. She used to get support from her home by way of provisions. Moreover, though with the assistance of the labourers, she worked on the land in the High Ranges and made an extra income.
During the Second World War there was widespread famine and she took Raggi and other provisions for her in-laws at Veloor. After Appachen’s mother’s death, Ammachy stayed at Veloor to look after the siblings. Appachen’s father had died earlier. When the time came for them to take care of their own family, there was still a hard struggle. All six of the children had to be educated. For Appachen, education was the most important thing. As there were not enough facilities in the High Ranges for our education and Silent Valley Estate was some 16 kilometres far from Munnar town which had a school, he sent all except me to boarding schools as I mentioned earlier. It is said that I being the youngest, instead of sending me to the boarding, they sent me to my aunts for two years—to my paternal aunt the senior where I did my Class III, and to my maternal aunt where I did my Class IV. I spent a troubled period with the former and a happy period with the latter.
My eldest brother Joychayan was sent to Aligarh Muslim University for doing both his BSc and MSc in Biochemistry.
At that time there was no such course in Kerala. He was very brilliant in his studies and extra-curricular activities and his ambition was to become a doctor. However, as there were only limited seats in the only Medical College in Trivandrum, he did not get admission. He had to wait for five years after giving an amount as advance to know if a seat was available in Udupi in Tamil Nadu. Then this turn came and he gladly welcomed it.
He got a distinction for his BSc. But things turned topsy turvy after that, and he wasted two years, one by not writing the exam for fear of not faring well in the exam and the other for becoming the Captain of the Riding Club. I remember having heard the matter that he had entered the examination hall, but for fear of not performing well he sneaked out of the window before he got the question paper, and later when he saw the question paper, he fainted because they were all easy questions for him. Appachen sent him money after money for his education because education was more expensive than he thought.
With four others in the boarding, it was a tough task for him and Ammachy to meet the expenses while he was in service. He had no pension and life was hard for us during the post-retirement days. My sisters had to be married off and those were the occasions when Appachen showed his utter helplessness, and Ammachy with her perseverance rose to the occasion. Quite efficiently she managed things. Now I understand, her roughness was only on the surface. She loved her children and struggled hard for them. In times of adversity, it was Ammachy who towered higher above Appachen in solving the problems. Appachen was a dreamer, more in a fantasy world, whereas Ammachy was practical-minded, and down to earth. Appachen was an embodiment of patience. Calm and composed. Rarely did he flare-up.
But Ammachy was not like that. She had a temper. She gave us the impression of a nagging wife. But it was only a facade, we later knew. She criticized Appachen severely. Appachen remained cool and unperturbed. That only incensed Ammachy’s anger. Naturally, because of these reasons, we children remained closer to Appachen. He was a gentleman and a hero to us and Ammachy was ‘a wicked witch in the fairy tale.’ (God forgive me!) We looked forward to Appachen’s visit once a month from Munnar. We waited for the sweets and delicacies he used to bring us. He never scolded us. Though he was not talkative, he was friendly—he had no airs. He kept no distance from us. A quiet man! Model of a man! We adored him.
But now I realize, Ammachy was not at all wicked. She only hid her love in her heart. She flared up on seeing Appachen’s passiveness in getting urgent things done. Always Ammachy had to take the initiative, be it raising money for children’s education, their weddings, etc., etc. I remember several occasions when Ammachy setting out to find a way out when Appachen sat silent, showing his helplessness. Yes. The problem was always financial. Ammachy could not be blamed.
My memories of Joychayan constitute only a few vignettes from Munnar and mostly from Puthenangady during his professional life, marriage, etc. I don’t remember much of his young days. He might have been away in college. I cannot forget the day he took me to a film as a treat for getting a first class in my S.S.L.C. exams. To be frank, I being a reticent person at that time, and Joychayan himself being so, I was feeling a bit awkward to go and watch the film alone with him. That gesture showed his concern for me. I remember the excitement I felt when he and Thambichayan made me sit on the petrol tank of the Motor Bike Appachen had when I was small. I heard that Joychayan had a nickname “Mayavi”(Phantom) in college as he came on the BSA or Royal Enfield bike for his intermediate course in C.M.S.College. In the ‘era’ of the next generation, Joychayan was their unrivalled hero. All his brothers’ and sisters’ children had very fond memories of their “Vallichachen.”
They loved and adored him. He never forgot to bring them delicacies. He took them to hotels and tourist places. The so-called taciturn person was very outspoken in the company of the kids and the teenagers. He told them many adventurous stories, including his fictitious yarns. Even when they grew up he had a ready stock of anecdotes of which those kids were characters. He gave fantastic pet names to his children, grandchildren, his nephews, and nieces. He called his younger daughter Anupa, ‘Dingidi’, his granddaughter Minnu ‘Pinkan’ and my son Jubel ‘Music Director.’ Joychayan was a favourite among the relatives and relation-in- laws both on the paternal and maternal side. Occasionally he visited them. Despite his generally quiet nature, he had a quick temper at times.
A thousand tongues he had when the subject was ‘horses and horseriding.’ He always wanted to launch a Riding Club in Kottayam in the model of the one in the university of Aligarh. He had inspected places and started making preparations. Finally, he built a small house in Veloor just as a camp house for use when he would start the Riding Club. We always discouraged him, saying it would incur heavy expenses. He was greatly disappointed in this.
Thambichayan was an all-rounder in college as he participated in Sports and Games. Like Appachen he was a footballer. He played hockey also. He was the captain of the teams in C.M.S.College. I remember him coming back from tournaments bruised or hit during the tournament and seeing him soak the towel in hot water and applying it on the knees several times. He had already left the college before I joined college for my Pre Degree course. Another memory of Thambichayan is the time he spent in front of the mirror doing his abundant hair. It was his pride possession. Unfortunately, time has taken the toll on his hair and he is semi-bald now. Sometimes, during the nights we would wake up from sleep hearing some noises. Thambichayan would be chasing a rat and trying to kill it.
Ammachy was there to assist him. Ammachy had told us that he used to help her a lot in the kitchen while we were in Veloor, by drawing water from the well and doing other chores. He was Ammachy’s right hand! I also remember him clearing the ceiling of cobwebs with a long and special kind of broomstick. There is an old saying that ‘cobwebs will be fully cleared by men’s touch.’ It might have been told and retold through generations either to make men do some household work or because women could not reach up to the ceiling with the broomstick.
I also remember how he used to narrate stories of films. We three sisters would be his listeners. Of course, Babu, the younger brother would also be there. It was Thambichayan who took me to an interview in a college in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, and to Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta. Later when I was called to join the college as Junior Lecturer, it was again Thambichayan who took me there.
As for Mollychechy, my eldest sister, I can say that she was an avid reader. When she read she was fully immersed in it. Sometimes, a burst of loud laughter would be heard from somewhere when she found something funny in the book. She had great narrating ability also. She might have imbibed the skill from Ammachy. She would narrate the story of the films she had seen with her friends.
A colourful and descriptive account it would be! I still remember ”My Fair Lady” a film made from Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. Hindi films were shown in the theatres in Kottayam at that time. Sometimes we would go together. Otherwise, she would be giving us a graphic picture describing scene by scene. “Que… sera…sera”, whatever will be, will be, the future is not…”Que… sera…sera”…?” She and Omanachechy used to sing the song.
Both Mollychechy and Omanachechy were very good singers. I had a feeling that I was not good at singing and that my voice was not fit for it, etc. Kochamma was taking me for elocution competitions, not for any song performances. So I was keener on it. Years later, I started singing in groups. But I never had the confidence in singing a solo. Now I regret that I ought to have listened more to songs; I ought to have practised more singing. Then, a person cannot do everything! This short life is not enough for a person to do so many things at a time. Mollychechy was interested in cooking experiments. She used to prepare delicacies, cookies, etc. (Even now she continues the practice.) As she always experimented with a little quantity for fear of an impending calamity with the experiment, when we found it very tasty and we wanted more, there would not be more than a piece for each of us. So, every time she prepared things and distributed them, we were disappointed!
As Mollychechy’s culinary experiments did not provide us with proper satisfaction of our palates, we the younger ones gave her a nickname ‘Kendram’ meaning the central power. But the night of her wedding day, when she left for her husband Johnychayan’s home we all felt unhappy. There was total silence at home. We missed her badly. Before her marriage, as she was the eldest, she was supposed to keep everything ready and set the table for the visitors or guests. I mean, it was her duty to lay the table with the available Kottayam delicacies like ‘kuzhalappam’, ‘churuttu’, ‘avalosunda,’ etc. As the famous entrepreneur of the day, Mammichedathy’s home was hardly one kilometre away from our house, these delicacies were always in our stock. We had seen Mammichedathy when she came to do the work for us during Joychayan’s wedding preparations. Ammachy would buy the ‘mandaka’ the cover for ‘churuttu’ and she prepared it, and ‘kuzhalappam’.
Mollychechy also had done Masters in English Literature. She had an in-depth knowledge of the subject. Johnychayan was a Senior Manager in the Indian Oil Company in Madras at that time. He was not particular about his wife working. But he insisted on having her the qualification sufficient for employment. If it was needed, she must be ready to work. It was his policy. He might have adopted this policy because of his brother’s experience. His elder brother was bed-ridden at the time of Johnychayan’s wedding with Mollychechy. We saw him lying on the cot attached to some frameworks for support. They were in Bombay. He had a stroke following an accident that happened earlier. He had to leave his job and come back to Kottayam. Then his wife did a B.Ed. course and joined a school nearby as a teacher. This incident in his family made Johnychayan form such a policy in his life. Anyway, the wedding took place in two weeks. Without much delay, both of them left for Madras. He took her straight to Stella Matituna College of Education for B.T. Before her marriage, she had taught at MA College, Kothamangalam for one year and it had led to our brother Joychayan marrying her colleague Annamma Isaac in the dept. of Chemistry. Later, when Mollychechy was in Hyderabad with Johnychayan she did a Certificate Course in the English Language at CIEFL. When they were in Bombay and Doha she taught in schools. But she always preferred to be a homemaker rather than pursuing a profession, whereas Omanachechy and I could never think of remaining at home without a job.
After Mollychechy’s wedding, Omanachechy came to ‘power.’ Like Ammachy she was a good talker and did a lot of household chores. When she was in Mahilalayam, she used to enact in drama every year. Always she was the central character, mostly tragic, and she was often awarded for being the “Best Actress.” “Heera” was one such tragic play. In Kottayam also for a fund-raising programme for the Simhasana Church, this drama was staged besides other cultural programmes. She was also a singer and prepared the students for a variety of entertainments while she was in Mahilalayam before her marriage and Indian School, Abu Dhabi after her marriage with Johnychayan (one more Johnychayan) as a teacher. She had also successfully run a nursery called “Baby Land” before she joined the Indian school Omanachechy was hardworking. She would even sit for the whole of the night studying during her college days. Her ambition was to become a school teacher and it was accomplished. She was very considerate. I fondly remember how she took care of me during my studies. She used to give me Horlicks while I was studying. She had the habit of making friends with people of all ages, mostly much senior to her. Now she spends most of her time for prayers and evangelization.
As she was in her young days, unlike me, she wakes up early and does her work diligently. She has a great love for her siblings and relatives and she would attend almost all the functions at the relatives’ houses.
My third brother, just senior to me, as I mentioned earlier, was Babu. He was also very hardworking and he took utmost care of the parental home. He was my companion even in my college days. He used to accompany us on many occasions when I went as part of the College Hockey team for intercollegiate tournaments because Mr.T.J.Mathew, our Physical Director had complete trust in him. He was also a Hockey player. He had a troublesome period in his college days. Omanachechy took him to Abu Dhabi after her marriage and he rose to great heights through his honest and earnest work. Eventually, he became the Chief Accountant of an American Oil Company. It makes me sad that he is no more. He passed away in 2018! I miss him dearly.
Only for two years, I was away from my parents and siblings. I had not experienced hostel life during my study days. I was sent to St.Thomas School at Puthenangady where my paternal aunt the junior was the Malayalam teacher. She had passed the ‘Pandit’ examination in Malayalam. All the other teachers called her ‘Pandit’, and I had the privilege of being her niece among the teachers. Kochamma encouraged me in my studies and extra-curricular activities. She gave me a lot of books to read. Later in High School, she was my teacher also. She had no offsprings. At that teenage, she gave me many biographies. I think I got the motivation in life by reading those stories of great people. She encouraged me in Sports and Arts also. I partook in drama and got the prize for the Best Actress. I got many School and Inter-School prizes for Elocution and Essays in Malayalam.
“What do you want to become in the future?”
That was one of the earliest topics she wrote among several speeches for me. I remember having made the same speech on three different occasions and getting the prizes. One occasion was when I got the second prize for the speech competition that was conducted at Tagore centenary celebrations at Mammen Mappila Hall in Kottayam. I spoke on the same topic. I was in Class VI then. I got Tagore’s collection of poems, Fruit Gathering and I felt exhilarated as Tagore was my favourite author. Gradually this ambition got rooted in me and I wanted to become a doctor in the future. I studied well, read well. There was not a day I did not let go without studying the portions taught daily at school. I think, only in the first term of Class VI my rank was not One; but ever since that, I continually got Rank One. Though I got a First Class in Class X, I was not the topper, as I used to be during all those years. I felt very sad.
I joined the Second Group with Biology, Physics, and Chemistry to become a doctor. But as I got wider opportunities in Sports and Games in C.M.S.College than in my school, quite enthusiastically I got engaged with such activities along with some of my friends. I drifted away from my habit of daily study, as I would be tired when I reached home after practice. I did not have the habit of early morning and late-night study. I wanted only the day time to study. So my work continued to be pending. But I made full use of the study holidays, but could not complete my portions. I got only a second class in my Pre Degree and there was no hope of going for M.B.B.S. One of my aunts and her husband were working in Pune Military Hospital and she suggested that I could write the test of the Medical College there in the following year.
Just to while away the time, I joined B.A.English Language and Literature for which the fee was the lowest. After two or three months I realized that my real taste was in Literature, and I had got top marks for my Language papers even in school. I happily abandoned my idea of becoming a doctor, and I have never regretted it ever since. However, I had the desire of becoming a ‘doctor’. In my school days, I used to write Dr.Aniamma Kuriakose several times on paper, and this desire grew with me. This was the reason why I took a doctorate in English Literature. It was my stubbornness; determination; the fulfillment of a dream.
(Cont’d)
About The Author
