MY AMAZING
CHILDHOOD DAYS .........
(Episode 1 – Abdul Khader, Amavasai & Other incidents)
I was born in the year India
became independent. Yes! In 1947, but a few days before that epic mid-night
development, which was to become history in the following years.... On the 10th of May, to be precise.
Like all of you, I too had the
proverbial “wonder years”. In the next few episodes, I shall be telling you
about those wonder years - at least whatever I can recollect. I was born with two siblings above me (Another
was to be born 3 years later). We had all the sibling rivalries, fights, reconciliations,
etc., etc.
On turning
5, I was put in a government school nearby. (Manjapra Elementary Girls School)
Though a co-ed school, the girls far outnumbered the boys, and I didn’t like
the tag of “Girls” School. Not at all. But since the school was hardly 50 metres
from our house, my father insisted that all of us should have our primary education
there. I can’t recollect much memories here, except that I lost the Class
Leader election, while in Std. 5 (through secret Ballot) by a huge margin, 2 for me, and 18 against
me. I got the votes of myself and one Abdul Rahman, son of the Postman, ‘Saybu’
by which name the entire village and nearby places knew him. Abdul Rahman was a
great fan of me and would do anything for me. I lost the election for two reasons.
Being secret Ballot style, My rival from the same village, Balasubramanian and
me had to choose, any one symbol. He smartly chose the “Two Bulls” symbol. I didn’t
think much about it then, so I chose “Lotus” as my symbol. Now, Nehru was the
Prime Minister then, and the great Congress Party’s symbol was ‘Two Bulls. So,
naturally the “Lotus” had absolutely no chance against the “Bulls”.
Another reason
for my ‘pathetic’ failure was because the class teachers would always compare
my “intelligence” with others, and would ask them to be like me. To be frank, I was
like the king with a cut nose in a state where all others had NO nose. ......
!!! (There is a saying in Malayalam, “Mookkillaa Rajyathu Muri Mookkan Raajaavu” !!!) However,
that experience gave me a big life’s lesson, I must say. Because, till then, I would
get upset for any type of failure, be it my team losing, my not winning any
prize in the deshi lotteries, or even my not becoming the class first in term
exams. After the pathetic defeat in the election, I decided to take things
lightly, and not to get upset on adverse situations. On that day, I decided
that I will never ever be cowed down by challenges when they stared at me. I would
rather convert the challenges into opportunities.
My real school life starts when I leave the ‘girls’ school after 6th Standard and join the nearby Chamy Ayyar High School at Ayakkad, some two miles away. Oh yes! I’m flooded with memories at C A High School. For example, my first day at the school entering the 7th Standard or "2nd Form” (Section A). For starters, those days schooling was for 11 years. Upto 5th standard, it is elementary. From Sixth Standard, or First Form, the high school starts. And we had the Public Exam on the 11th Standard, or more precisely, Sixth Form. And then the college life starts.
I will now come to the Abdul
Khader’s story.
Even before I joined the new school, Miss, Saraswathi, the 7th standard ClassTeacher already had apparently told stories about me. That he is super intelligent, has already cleared the ‘Rashtra Bhasha’ exam of the Dakshin Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha with first class etc. I was taking tuitions with her since my “Pradhamik” level, and she knew me very well. Now as soon as I entered the class on my first day at the new school, I was able to see the hostility all around. Everyone was staring at me like a dirty animal, or may be a totally unwanted guest. Now, a stout black boy came to me and scowled, “So, you are the new super intelligent student, right?” I kept quiet. Then he asked me what my name was etc. Say, a crude form of "Ragging". Thereafter, he continued, “OK. If you are good at Hindi, then tell me, the meaning of the word I will ask you’. I agreed, and he continued, “What is the meaning of “Bandhar?” I didn’t know what to reply, but mustered the courage and wanted to put this boy in his place. So I replied, “Well, that is another name for YOU ...” And all other students laughed loudly (because everyone knew Bandhar means ‘monkey’). He then challenged me to ask him the meaning of any Hindi word. I told him, “Tell me the meaning of “Lifafa” (It means envelope, actually)” he blinked, and all the boys and girls clapped me, and I became popular instantly. Sundaran, Chamy, Abraham (Who later became my bosom friend in later years), and of course Amavasai came to me and shook hands with me.....
And when the
Class Miss, Saraswati teacher entered, four of us were asked to sit in the
front bench. Abdul Khader, Abraham, Amavasai, and myself. What is common or the
connection between Abdul Khader, Amavasai etc., is only that all names start
with the first and best alphabet, “A”. Seating was in alphabetical order for
ease of attendance. We became thick friends till we left school in 1963. However,
we were in touch ever since. That day evening, Abdul Khader came to me before
leaving the school, and said sorry, and that he wanted to be my friend. I gracefully
accepted ... !
I will be
telling more about my school days, but first let me tell you why I consider
names indeed matter a lot. Amavasai was telling me about his recent visit to
the bungalow of Abdul Khader at Lucknow. They were meeting after almost 40 plus years. The
initial ‘Ubhaya Kusalopari” etc., were over, and after Abdul introduced his wife to
Amavasai, he asked about the children of Abdul. He told, the first two
were already married and the third will soon get married. He called his first daughter,
and when Amavasai asked her what her name was, she replied “NC” and went away. Then the second daughter came,
and told her name was “MC”. Now Amavasai knew that in North people choose
all kinds of names, like Babloo, Dubloo, Inki, Pinky, Ponky, and all weird
names one can imagine. This was something he wasn't prepared for. He asked, “Is
there any special reason for you to choose these two odd names?”
Abdul replied, “ Arre, nothing special, yaar. Soon after marriage, we wanted to know how it feels like having a child. So, because of Natural Curiosity, our first daughter was born. So we names her, NC. Amavasai asked, “What about the second?” Abdul replied, “After 4 years, we wanted to have another child, since NC should not suffer from the ‘Single child’ syndrome. Thus the second girls was born, and we named her as MC, because she was born out of our Mutual Consent. There was an eeriee silence. Amavasai said, “But you said you have three daughters? Is she here, or gone out or something?”
Abdul said, “No, No, she is here only’ But he was reluctant
to call his third daughter. But Amavasai insisted, and after his repeated requests,
he called his third daughter. Amavasai asked her, “Betee, kyaa naam hai theraa?”
She ran away without answering. Obviously dismayed, he asked Abdul what her
name was.
“Arree, chodo yaar.. Let’s talk about something else” “Come on. You have to tell me. Are we not the best of friends, and you know there’s no secrecy between we two, and Ananth?” With persuasion after persuasion, Abdul very, very reluctantly said that his third daughter was named “ABC”
Amavasai almost
swooned ! The names, NC, and
MC, though sounded weird, had some logic behind them.
But ABC was
something way beyond his wildest imagination. And even after repeated request,
Abdul will not tell the reason behind naming his third daughter, “ABC”. Finally,
he yielded when Amavasai threatened to severe his friendship unless he told him
the reason.
“That?”, “Don’t laugh at me please”
“That was 'ABSOLUTE BLOODY CARELESSNESS', hence the name ABC ......”
I am stopping my First Episode here. More will follow. And wait for further blogs..NOW TELL ME HONESTLY, DON’T YOU AGREE THAT NAMES DO MATTER A LOT, DON’T THEY???
for ever..........
It's about who come and never leave your side.
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