mavelikkara

I was going through face book and jumped into Mr.Anil Varma, Mavelikkara. We became friends presumably there was this "Mavelikkara" in common.

I turn on the wheels backwards.  My father has told his story.. My father was born in Thiruvalla, Thukalassery.  He became more attached to Mavelikkara. His mother's place. His uncle, uncle's sister, their children and he was happy to be there, though in the midst of poverty. 

It was during the War - usually referred to the World War - a period when the people in South India indirectly experienced the war time.  

My father's uncle was running a hotel in Mavelikkara and so he began studying in the Boy's High School next to his house.  His day begins early in the morning and straight to the hotel. Though it was his own uncle's hotel, he is first a serving boy, then he has to go for purchase also and that was how people are moulded - not straight to the cashier's desk. By 9.20 a.m. he has to rush to house, get bathed, put on his dress, eat whatever is there and usually he sits on his bench in the class room 10 minutes after the bell. He never dwells into what he studied in the class.  Exactly, at half past twelve, the school bell, a round piece of iron or brass ( it is shining in the middle because of constant banging by a wooden piece) and the sound reaches not only the school but much beyond and the town itself corrects the clocks by this bell. Mahadevan - my father had to rush to hotel to help during the rush hour and return on time to school for afternoon session. In the evening, he will be in hotel upto 7.30 or 8 p.m. 

At times, he was sent to the ration shop nearby to fetch rice for the hotel. The ration shop closes by the same time and this child is asked to come to the backside and the rice is sold for a price more than the allottees, still it is cheap.  The ration shop owner then posts the quantum of rice as sold to the card holders who may have lapsed their quota.

But yet back home, there is life, jokes, stories ...

I don't understand the last line as i always fought with my little brother and nuclear family already has set in.