krishnan mama's stories

krishnan Mama stories Chapter one
Krishnan Mama is no more. But he once told me a story from his life to bring to point how an elder generation valued values in life.
Krishnan mama lived in Thukalassery in Thiruvalla. Thukalassery was a village in Thiruvalla. Thiruvalla is located in Central Travancore.
I have read how brahmin community came to Palakkad and Thiru ananthapuram. In olden days, Brahmins from Tanjore came to Palakkad and from Tirunelveli they came to Thiruananthapuram attracted by the royal patronage. Thiruvalla Sree Vallabhaswamy is one of the six divine places of Vaishnavites in Kerala out of the 108 in this Universe. But how and wherefrom or through which route the Thiruvalla brahmins came is not known to me.
The manimala river flows through Thukalassery. There were about 10 or 15 families here. It was here that our Krishnan Mama lived. Krishnan mama then went to a Steel plant near Calcutta where he retired as an Engineer. The story he told was this.

Krishnan mama chapter one contd
One day our Krishnan Mama when he was a student, had an urge to see a Cinema. Going for a cinema in some talkies (theatre was then called Talkies)is a herculian task. After many days of non-retortingly doing all that was told by mother and father and acting of hardworking in lessons, you get the money required only for a ticket of the lowest class (bench class). Then walking all the way a little money is made for an extra ice stick or cigarate muttai or kappalandi or one among the many bottled items that sold like hot cakes during the interval (intervals). The items are kept outside the talkies on a movable shop mounted on four big cycle tyres and at night the 'mannana vilakku' is lighted which gives out a lot of smoke. Had somebody from Copenhagen seen this they would have banned and luckily it is now a thing of the past. And then Krishnan mama like many others who saw this Cinema (movie) would have been busy for many days telling the stories frame by frame or enacting the scenes. The Theatre or Talkies is usually a hall with a thatched roof, thatched by palm leaves and there would be two or three intervals when the spool film is changed. The present day children would be laughing this story as imagination.. Yes we in Kerala lived like this just 50 years ago and don't be surprised i had been to such a talkies in Kannur just 25 years back and still more when we hear that such things exist even now in some parts of the country.
But our Krishnan Mama, poor child he didn't know the "somehow syndrome", was just a straight forward, brought up with all care by parents who wanted him to become a good boy who will be like his father setting up an example -like.
But the urge.. it grew by hours and within a day or two, it became something without which he will not be able to live.
Krishnan mama's father was an exemplary Head master. In those days, most of the brahmins will be judges or teachers, who were vouched for truthfulness and were mostly poor except for this asset called truthfulness and of good character.
krishnan mama's brain was shut off. He knew the little tin at the secret corner with a tight lid contained coins saved by father for some unknown purpose (which later was known as savings to be given to children for some purposeful spending. the money just for the ticket came into his hands. Not more not less. There is a truthfulness in stealing. The return from the Talkies was not as swift as the going. Probably the heart is heavy with guilt, and fear. Stealing was unheard of in this family. that too by The Headmaster's son is beyond dreaming. It seems that the Head Master daily counts the coins. The next day ...(Contd..)
The great Headmaster found out the culprit and was shocked. He felt that if it was allowed to be got away, it will lead to bigger thefts and also hold his head down on the face of the world, conscience. So he decided to punish suitably and gave strict instructions to mother to tie the boy to a post exactly when the HM was returning from school. The instructions was beautifully carried out though a bit of lie and cunningness went into it. It was as if both of them had imagined bad days ahead if it was not properly dealt with. The boy was tied to a post in front of the house. The Head master's cane fell all over the body. The fear went down the spine that added the cane weighed heavier and swifter.
All was over by five minutes and father went into the house and asked mother to untie and give good food. Krishnan was totally blasted. His conscience pricked. His pride hurt and his body was full of red marks due to the caning.
I hated mother because i( krishnan) could not run as she tied me to the post.
I saw her crying and she hugged the child and somehow cajoled him to take the food. Even when i took the food my mind was full of hurt ego and wanted to take revenge.
Afte the darkness fell, the child ran to the river and swam to the other side and went to a known house and got some money and swam back ( years after Krsihnnan mama was afraid at the thought of swimming across) Simply walked away without the knowledge of the people at home. Krishnan ran away from his house and reached Mavelikkara and went to Mahadeven and narrated the whole episode and said " I am not going back". At home people were sent on all directions to look for the child. Here in Mavelikkara, Krishnan was entrusted to their relative and landed back to own house with parents.
But since then Krishnan mama never told a single lie.. The Head master went back to work ..