Life in the Sixties

There were University examinations in  the second year of the course and I continued to maintain  my over confident approach to  studies  .. The examination month  was fast approaching and I really started worrying a lot for not able to cover the portions for the examinations and regretted very much for the foolish attitude I  took from the beginning of the academic year . However  with the available time I started studying vigorously day and night   , getting up early  in the morning at 4 am( Amma used to wake me up without fail )and sitting very late in the night  everyday.Studying.Hindi  was still  problematic ..Co- students asked me why I selected the language  when I was good at Malayalam  having got the first prize in essay writing at the College Annual  Day competing with students who had opted for Malayalam.There was no answer except  that  for getting job one had to go to north India and Hindi would be of some help  in future.I remembered the struggle my elder brother made to get a job in Kerala after passing his diploma in electrical engineering.(In fact I  wrote a the story about his struggle  for job   in a short story competition    conducted by the local library and won the first prize)   

I passed the second year exams in the third class . .After knowing the results of the exams I decided that I  should start studying systematically from the new academic year( Third year).However the habit of postponing the studies had taken deep root in my  mind. . .So I became a victim of my own  bad habit of postponing important matters for tomorrow..I made a trip to Coimbatore to get some text books for the final year exams from the eldest brother ( during May-June period  the weather used to be pleasant there with cool breeze blowing  after  4 pm .)...I  could get a book on Economics given by another professor of the college who was my brother's friend but could not not get any book for Political Science and World History. Brother  suggested while parting  that after passing the degree I could go for MA in Economics and thereafter try for All India Service Examinations and should not be sorry for taking Arts subjects for degree..I came back with renewed enthusiasm for hard work and study for the final year.

One Professor KTV   had  good opinion about me and  used to tell in the open class that  he was expecting two first classes in the university exam that year, one being  myself and the other being oneU K,.a boy from Ottapalam, Kerala. staying in the hostel So one day I went to the hostel  to request UK to take me to the warden of the hostel. KTV was the warden then and I had a long talk about my ambition and lack of text books.Text books were not being issued by the college library and the book stalls in Thrissur rarely keep text books on Arts subjects and  we had to depend entirely  on the notes prepared by the professors in each subject .These notes were to be taken down  in the class manually as  photostat machines were unheard of. during those days Buying text books used to be rare among most of the students . My Political Science Professor (actually we called him lecturer only )gave a good book on Political Science(Appa Dorai) before leaving  the hostel that day and that book helped me a lot to get good marks in that subject. .

. Every day  after the classes, I  used to go  for taking tuition classes.. RD  used to go to hotel everyday and  used to invite me ..Since he started earning money as an advocate he       was lavish  in spending
..We used to go almost daily to vadukkunathan temple in the evenings(not inside the temple but within the  compound  as RDdid not like to remove his  shirt  for entering the temple)We had a trip to Guruvayur temple also In the sathram(lodging provided by the devaswam) ,  a man staying in the adjacent room ( a tamilian)came to meet RD and told us how he became devoted to Guruvayurappan and got cured of his disease(loss of voice)like chembai Vaidyanatha bhagavathar, the renowned classical musical genius of Kerala.
After the final exam which were over by April  first week or so  I had plenty of time  at my disposal and therefore  started tuition classes for local  students of village O . to earn some pocket  money.
Father  told frankly that it would be better for me to try for some jobs in Kerala  after knowing the results of the degree final year  as he could not afford to send me to Ernakulam for pursuing  higher studies.There was no post graduate classes  available in colleges at Thrissur  then..
 Remembering the unemployment experience of  by my elder brother ,  I made a  decision not to try for job in Kerala but to go to north (Bombay was the favorite destination then)People used to stand in long queue for one full night at the Thrissur railway station for getting a reserved ticket to Bombay those days..Mean while my other elder brother who  was  in Ranchi , Bihar wrote to father that I  should come to Ranchi as  that year there  was a proposal to start MA  course in Economics in the Ranchi university and I could try for it after coming over there.
I was very happy to go to Ranchi and try my luck .He gave the directions how to reach  Madras, how to get   Howrah mail      and reach Kharagpur  and  how to come to Ranchi by train. from Kharagpur.The result of the final exam was not known but I  was confident that I would be successful and convinced  father.and got the money for the train journey(I  do not remember how much he gave me, not much as he was very  frugal in spending).He used to say that we boys should be careful about these things-- frugal in spending in all matters, not playing cards, not to booze and smoke and not to eat meat..

I started from Thrissur by train with an reserved ticket as there was no time for advance booking as I wanted to reach Ranchi before the University started admission process. So my cousins  and elder brother came to the station to see me off and since  the unreserved  bogie  was fully packed  I was pushed through the window along with the luggage,Fortunately one north  Indian man asked me in Hindi  to occupy his seat till he return from the platform after buying some snacks and later when the train started moving ,agreed to share his seat with me..I reached next day morning in Madras totally tired having no food in the night except one vada  given by the north Indian..Fortunately one  B K M  son of my  mother's friend and classmate of my elder brother  came to the central station to pick me up and I spent the day comfortably with him He came to the station to see me off also.
After several hours of journey(probably  24 hours)  I reached Kharagpur in West Bengal,  with the dress and body full of coal dust( the trains were run with coal as fuel).,took bath in the retiring room and  food in the railway refreshment room.Since my connecting train was  running  late , I  kept the luggage  in the cloak room and went out of the station for sight seeing.. I strolled  in the railway station area for some time.Then somebody called me in Hindi from behind and I found a  man looking like a beggar  was calling..First I thought I should not respond to him, a stranger  but later changed my mind and asked him the purpose of his calling me, out of curiosity.. He started telling in Hindi  that he was an astrologer and could tell my future correctly and completely for a small fee .I refused telling him that I did not believe in astrology.Then he started telling that  I was going in search of employment  and would struggle for some time in life but  would be  successful in later   ,a statement that made me happy, . .I do not remember whether I paid him  any fee or not    but  rushed back to the station   as the Ranchi  train was to arrive shortly according to the platform announcement .
.I again got into an unreserved compartment of the train but this time  fortunately the rush was less and I could get  comfortable sitting  accommodation
Next  day got up early in the morning and was watching from the train the scenic beauty of Chhotanagpur region of Bihar . .At one of the small stations a  a train ticket examiner  entered the compartment..I searched  for my purse to take out my ticket  but lo I could not find  it anywhere in my pockets  I realized I had lost my purse along with the ticket.kept in the purse  .I started perspiring and  all thoughts came to my mind how  I would now end up my search for higher studies and job  in the jail. I  could not remember where I lost  my  purse Probably during sleep somebody might have pick pocketed  as this was my first  overnight journey by train and had slept like a log enjoying the train journey during the nights...With no one to help in a strange land with unfamiliar language with no money to pay  even for tea I  was totally depressed  and worried.. I also thought  that if my elder  could not come to the railway station to receive me due to some reason or other what course of action was left for me., nothing but go  to jail. .I called all the deities to help in  that critical situation
. .I thought of hiding in the toilet till the TTE goes to the next compartment but then good sense prevailed and I thought  I should be frank instead of hiding in the toilet room .So I  went straight to the TTE before he reached my place in the compartment and with tears in eyes dramatically explained my predicament in broken English and Hindi.  The  TTE , a stout man  with a black coat and tie,smiled  at me and  told me not to worry and asked me to  meet him on getting down at the Ranchi railway station  and went to the next compartment after some time.. There was great mental relief and I   thanked all the gods and the TTE  in helping me out..After seeing his smile I thought  the TTE would not charge me anything   as I was frank and innocent and  I was the only madrassi in the compartment according to the TTE.( he  addressed me  madrassi  though I told him that Iwas from Kerala  and not   from Madras)
When the train arrived at the Ranchi station my brother was waiting at the platform and  I got down  and explained  to him the whole situation . .  .He told me to go out of the station immediately as we were near  the end of the platform from where we could go out without through the official exit gate and that the TTE might have excused me being a madrassi.... I  remembered what the TTE told and wanted to thank him for the kindness shown to me  and hopeful of exonerating me.at the station platform..  We went to the TTE  who was busy in  making receipts for all unauthorized travelers and seeing me  he immediately prepared  a   receipt for   certain amount and told smilingly that he  had charged  the madrassi  for the ticket less travel only from Jamshedpur  and not from Howrah , the starting station of the train.( which he was  expected to charge as per rules).. Brother paid the amount immediately and we came by manual rickshaw  to the place where my brother stayed with his friends  known as Nivarampur mess of malayalees
This journey taught me that during  travel  one  should not keep  money and ticket at the same place as loosing both will be highly problematic. By keeping  important things separately even if you loose ticket you  will have money in your purse to reach your destination and if you loose  the purse you can still  reach your destination  with the ticket you had .I had made several train journeys later to different parts of India  and this principle was religiously followed.I never lost money or ticket thereafter in any of my journeys subsequently. 

Life in the 50s

I was admitted in the Middle School  adjacent to the church in the 5th form and it was in that year that I decided that I  should study well. That was after reading a book on Madam Curie, the Nobel laureate.Her tireless work  which culminated in getting the Nobel was really inspiring.Meanwhile one of our uncles told us that scholarship would be given by a Trust in Thrissur to deserving poor students and I should apply for that.Accordingly I applied  for it and to my surprise I was given the scholarship.As father had no specific job to maintain us  and the tenants start delaying the payment of rent thinking that new Govt would bring legislation to end the agricultural tenancy,financial position of our family became critical.However the eldest brother completed his graduation and  got  a teaching job in a college in Palghat.
 .The life in those days was pretty  bad as  financial position of the family  continued to be poor though the elder brother had started sending money through money order facility of the post office.
Father also earned a little by doing  some work for the local namboodiri family such as visiting their farm houses and  supervising the agricultural operations there and also attending to sraddham etc.There was no pocket money given to us by father but during cashew season we were allowed to sell some cashew seeds and utilize the proceeds for going to cinema etc.I became a member of the local grameen vayanasala(library) on the specific advise of our Head Master and became a voracious reader reading anything that was printed..I passed the 7th Form  from the middle school run by the church and while receiving the certificate and TC  the teacher told me that I got the only first class in the public examination. from that school

My  elder brother was admitted in the Government School in Thrissur  and I also wanted to join in that school.But  father took the stand that it would be better to join a nearby school as Thrissur was faraway (about 5kms) .So I was  admitted in the high school  in a nearby place, about 2.5 kms from our house.

I used to carry the lunch in a box which would be kept in a shop  near the school and at lunch time I would come all the way from school ,  had lunch and returned to school. Everyday the same items used to be kept in the lunch box, rice  mixed with buttermilk, some achar of gooseberry and sometimes some vegetable .One day I  complained to mother that I was fed up with these items and wanted some money for buying something fried from the hotel near the school. but mother told that we didn't have enough cash to meet such expenditure.So my desire for fried snacks(vada) remained only in dream.
I also joined in the Boy Scout organisation of the school and  had  opportunity to  meet Boy Scouts from another school(Wadakkancheri).In one of our camps I showed a magic of burning paper  without the help of match sticks.and my friends were wonder-stuck.It was done with some potassium  permanganet and glycerin, a knowledge I got from a  magazine.
Due to financial problems I could not buy new text books and therefore depended on second hand books available at half the price from seniors.That practice was continued till I passed School Final(Secondary School  )I used to walk about 4 kms sometimes(village A) to read books available with my cousin..I studied well and got first class in the final exam(SSLC).Another boy also got first class in that year.The rest of the students  passed without any class.
During the school days I developed a  liking for writing short stories and  got  the first prize for short story writing conducted in connection with School Annual Day.I also got the first prize in short story writing conducted by the local Library.
 Having passed the School Final  the only option for higher studies was to join in the college as I did not like to go for diploma/certificate course in engineering. Since I had first class there would not be any problem to get admission in the best college in the town.So I applied and got admitted  in the Pre-Universty Cass, a one year  course   to be completed for joining degree course
.I used to walk from home to the college, a distance of 5 kms in an hour or so everyday as the buses were very very limited and  they charged also..I approached the management of the college for financial assistance and I was called for an interview.at the office of the bursar of the college  at the Bishop's Palace.I told everything about our financial condition and how I completed the school education with scholarships from charitable organisations.The priest took a favorable stand and recommended  my case for reduction of 50 percent of the normal fees.Still I had to pay Rs 9 every month which my family found difficult to pay. as other brothers were also required to pay their tuition fees
As already stated in an earlier blog , immediately after joining the college, the Asian   flu(1957) started spreading throughout  India and most of the people fell victim.In our family mother did not contract the disease and we were all believing that because of her pious nature she did not get it saving our family .After  I got rid of the disease, my health condition became poor  , had to be on leave very often from the college.My close friends including R came to our house and one of them expressed the view that I might not survive.
As already stated in an earlier blog I passed the Pre- university exam  with the encouragement received from my Professor of English VS
After passing the PUthe problem again arose  about future studies.I went to Coimbatore alone  at that age(17-18) to meet my elder brother who was  a Lecturer in a Govt. college there.He advised me to go for Arts subjects as my marks in the  PU  for maths , physics and chemistry were not that good.The other option was to go for zoology, botany group for which I had better grade in the PU but I  did not like those subjects  and going for medicine later was unthinkable as I was  afraid of sickness. and death.
Finally I joined in the local college for BA  Economics Main with Political Science and World History as subsidiary subjects
In those days there was a feeling among the students that only dullards would go for Arts subjects and the intelligent  would go for science , maths or commerce. I found the classes boring and got the feeling that I could clear all the exams with ease.Only  selection of Hindi as an optional  language during the degree course was my mistake and I cursed myself         for selecting a subject I was not interested..I used to tell all  thereafter  never select a subject you were not interested for studies for heaven-sake  and make your life miserable .
As I was overconfident  in getting through the exams  I   started  skipping the classes and doing some extra curricular activities like participating in the Association programs of RD, starting a small library in our village and taking tuition ..That tuition work brought me some pocket money and I  started coming to college by bus instead of on foot and  going to hotel  during lunch break instead of bringing the lunch from home .all the way.
The Association used to bring out a magazine and I was officially the printer and publisher.It appears that every year by march the publisher should publish the ownership details of the magazine and if not published, liable for prosecution.
One day a police man came to the house in the morning with a  notice that I should explain why I should not be prosecuted for not publishing the details as required as per law.We  were all agitated and father told that I should immediately discontinue   the membership of the association ... RD had become a full fledged Advocate then and I consoled father that RD would sort out the matter with the authorities and no need to cut off the membership. or association with RD.
The library became very popular and we tried our level best to increase the number of books in the library so that we could apply to the state library council for registration and get some grant every year,I approached some of our professors and lecturers to donate books and some of them gladly donated.We could collect some books but not sufficient enough  to get recognition from the Govt.Then we arranged for the Annual Day, invited important people to preside over the function and deliver speeches .That was the  second occasion when I tried to make a public speech.I was terribly upset  being an introvert but  with    much effort could deliver the speech and later I was told it was not bad. by our President .The earlier occasion was when I was studying in the middle school , I was asked by my class teacher to make a speech at the send off function for the  Father(priest) of the church managing the school. In spite of my reluctance, I was forced to come to the stage,  say something, but no words were  coming from my mouth.Fortunately the Father understood my position and prompted me from back( in low voice) what  I should tell about him and I faithfully reproduced his words.and the audience applauded and we were  taken to the new church at Thrissur were the priest was posted and were given a grand tea party.

After the  Annual function of the library the accounts were  to be finalized. A committee member told that he lost the receipt book and could not remember the exact amount he  collected.The other members got agitated over the issue  and started abusing the member telling that he had misappropriated huge amount..I tried to explain that the amount should not be that too big as from my own experience people gave maximum one rupee or half a rupee and not more than that..The financial position of most of the people was bad then and I found  to my surprise poor people were giving more compared to the so called rich.Any way the dispute continued and the accounts could not be finalized and I got so much fed up with the whole thing that I tendered resignation letter as secretary of the Library .I also decided that henceforth I would not hold any responsible post in any organisation and get myself worried over small small things.With the resignation, the  Library was closed for ever. the books were taken over by the President.and the owner of the library room  let out it to some other people, I think
The last year (1959) passed away without any major event I think..I will come back again for stories starting  from the year 1960