For Mother

by Rajan V Kokkuri

I lived in a small village by the name of Attoor in Kerala State of Southern India. We had a very big ancestral house over there. This house was more than one hundred years old.

My hanging coat was moving slightly and I guessed mother might have just got up bed and went to the staircase to go downstairs of my house. I could see the entrance of our very old ancestral house through my window. I heard the loud noise of the door opening in the entrance small house called ‘padipura’. I could hear the footsteps of my grand uncle who used to wear sandals made out of wood. As soon as hearing the sound of his steps everyone sitting in the front side of the house rushed inside the house with slight fear.

‘Vesu’ I heard the loud angry voice of uncle. I could sense there was something wrong. ‘Call everyone.’ I went to the other side of the house near our kitchen well. From there I could see whatever happened in the front portion of the house through the gap in the wooden door. All elder boys of the house were called to get a thrashing by wooden stick. All of them went for a Malayalam film shooting near our rice paddy field. During those days children were not allowed to go even for movies without permission. In case of going for film shooting turned out to be very harsh on children. We had lot of old traditions during those days. Every film was ruled by the eldest male in the family. Even children own father’s were not having authority above them.

I too was afraid of uncle. My grandmother had threatened to inform him about my one mischief which happened few days ago. My elder brother Giri was a little weak in health. We all never had privilege of drinking milk everyday. Milk was very much a luxury during those days. My grandmother used to hide milk for Giri without offering me even though I was younger. One fine day I lost my patience and broke the wooden cabinet where grandmother used to keep milk. We didn’t have fridge those days. In our village electricity was there in one or two rich houses and shops. So one can imagine how we will have coolers or fridges. Grandmother caught hold of me and threatened to inform uncle. I was very much afraid, but grand mother did not inform him and spared me during that time. It was 1972 and I had just finished my seventh grade examination and it was school holidays for me. The sun was about to set and I had walked back to the house.

I could hear the crying sound of my mother from far place itself, ‘’What happened mom?’ ‘I am having a severe stomach pain., can you go see the Doctor Sethu who was our family Doctor. Doctor Sethu was the only Doctor. in the village. I was disappointed not to be able to find the Doctor,

I returned to home. ‘Mummy, Doctor. Sethu is not at home.’ She pulled out an older cover of a medicine and showed to me.

“You go to Shoranur with Unnikuttan and get this medicine fast.”

I rushed to Unn’s house. His wife was cleaning the front side of the house. ‘Where is Unnikuttan?’ She looked at my face and toldme . ‘He has gone to the paddy field.’ I did not wait for any further and rushed to the paddy field.

‘Sarada’ ‘Where is my son?’ ‘Sister, he went to call Unnikuttan and not returned so far.’ ‘It has become dark, where he has gone?’ By that time they could hear the sound someone coming down by the steps of the entrance. ‘Sister, what happened? Why did Raja come to my house?’ Unnikuttan reached the entrance and asked the ladies. ‘Unnikuttan, I had stomach ache and Raja went in search of you to buy medicine from Shoranur.’

‘I was in paddy field, I did not see, him.’

‘Where has he gone?’

‘Don’t worry, I will go in search of him.’

Unnikuttan walked towards the village bus stop lighting a lamp in hand.

‘What would have happened to Raja?’

A fearful thought passed through the mind of Unnikuttan. After walking a few yards Unnikuttan could hear someone was coming towards him. Unnikuttan thought it might be Raja. Raja appeared in front of Unnikuttan. Unnikuttan waved the lamp in front of Raja’s face and asked. ‘What happened, Raja?’

‘Hello Unnikuttan, I came in search of you to send you to Shoranur for buying medicine for my mother.’

‘I had been to the pond and the paddy field.’

‘Yes, I came looking for you and I didn’t see you.’

‘Ok, but where did you go till time has become dark, your mother and all at home are very worried.’

‘I went to Shoranur to buy the medicine and wanted to come back by the last bus Karippla service in our route to Thrissrur .’

‘Ok, time is become too much now?’

‘Yes, I did not get that bus, I got a half way bus which was going to Chelakkara.’ ‘How did you manage rest of the distance?’

‘I walked and ran in the dark from that bus stop.’

‘Unimaginable, you walked 4Km in darkness, I appreciate your courage.’

‘What could I do, Unnikuttan? I want my mother to get relief from pain fast.’

‘You are a smart boy, go to your mother and tell her the incidents, she and others were very worried and waiting for you.’

‘Thank God, I was able to help my mother in time, I will do anything to help my mother.’ Unnikuttan and Raja walked quickly towards the house.

I Remain Forever Yours is available now

The link is here