തിരുവാതിര ഓര്‍മ്മകള്‍ (Thiruvaathira ormakal)

Uma was not in an active mood. She was only a listener. That’s why Thiruvathira celebrations were a damp squibb.

Last day, Saturday, was Thiruvathira. After work, on that day, I reached home by about 4 pm. Uma was at home, and Remani too. In fact, I wanted a good thiruvathira celebration, with a ‘thiruvathira kali’. But that didn’t happen. What I had to satisfy with was the ‘Thiruvathira puzhukku’ ( തിരുവാതിര പുഴുക്ക് ) . Ofcourse, it was an excellent puzhukku, and I did enjoy that.

In the evening, as Uma was not in good mood ( it was ‘Red flag’, that’s why ! ). I decided to spent the evening with 8PM , and so shelved myself into my bed room. After a bath, I’s running though the Business Line ( the aSathyam episode !), on my rocking chair. Uma came in. “Maamma, I am tired … not energetic … though not sick … “ she put a front runner to our meet. I said “ it’s Ok, but cheer up … what should I do for you ? “. She smiled and said “ don’t disappoint that anonymous … did you write about Thiruvathira…?.” . The reminder was good, I made a spark “Yeah … tell me Uma… what should I write ? …. You promised me .. you’ll show me something good … “, I paused.

“No…Maamma… I have nothing today to tell you … My memoirs about thiruvathira is just usual… nothing hot .. other than the group bath in the pond …. “ She laughed… and continued .. “ I’ll hear you today… “. With a long pause, she said “ Maamma… you tell me your Thiruvathira memoirs … must be interesting and … “ she paused.

“Umaaaaaaa …..” that’s Remani calling her. Uma answered loud … ‘oommm.... coming aunty ….“ and she went down, showing me a gesture to wait for sometime … I nodded my head.

I decided to get 8PM early today. So I reached for 8PM from my cupboard. One with a sparkling soda (not cold !), the mild drink went down my throat slowly… and slowly my spirits came up.

I was thinking about Thiruvathira… When Thiruvathira is in my RAM, who else would come to my mind than ‘Devechi’ ? Yeah.. that’s right . Devechi, and memoires about the Thiruvathira night of 1973 filled my RAM.

Devi chechi (her official name is Devaki Amma) is my cousin sister, and neighbor. She’s senior to me by 5 years. Married to a ‘Sarkaar gumasthan’, she was living next to ours, with her husband ( we call him Chandrettan ). Chandrettan visits the ‘Kallu shop’ everyday evening, and reaches home in the night, floating. However, he is silent after his drinks, and doesn’t make any noise at all . That’s fine and so Devechi stopped her pressure tactics for stopping his habit. At home, he takes some food , and goes to sleep… to wake up only in the morning. The loud snoring makes a musical synchronisation with the clock ticks.

My relationship with Devechi (being my cousin) was however unusual and a bit different. I had a very close intimate relationship. That’s all started when she was 19/20 and I was 14, in my high school days. Devechi was a shrewd girl (the only child at home , she had no siblings !) and she was powerful at home. She could keep her mother (father expired early) at her commands. Devechi liked me . She used to keep me too at her control, and I was her assistant at home … for purchases from the shops, escorting to the temple, and other daily domestic chores. I had free entry to her bed room as well. I had the task of assisting her in dressing up ( oooommmm… she don’t shy with my presence there… ). I was so used to it, that I would pick up the items one by one and give her. The thaar thorthu.. then white paavada.. the colour paavada or mundu, the bodice.. the pettycot ... blouse … and all that… in sequence. She taught me all that .. and shown me all that too !

I used to be sleeping with her, when her mother ( my valiamma) goes to their parental home (a bit away). I remember the games she made me play … those days … starting with exhibitions and then on to real plays ... Shortly after her marriage, I went to Bengaluru (on getting a job there ). The Thiruvathira of 1973 was golden. I can’t forget that day, nor Devechi. I was at Bengaluru those days. I reach home for celebrations like Onam, Vishu, and our local temple festival. But in 1973 January (?) I happened to be here during the Thiruvathira.

While I was supplementing my Devechi memoirs, 8PM was flowing in slowing into my nerves. That’s why when Uma returned, I was deep down in my memory, and I didn’t know she returned. Uma called me “ Maamma… dreaming … ?”. Wow.. I came back and Uma said “Remani aunty is gone home early … She wanted some money .. I gave 1K… and Thiruvathira puzhukku."

Uma understood that I am flowing in my memory streams. That’s why, she sat against me … lying leaning on to the table… and gently said “ ഓര്‍മ്മകള്‍ മരിക്കില്ലോരിക്കലും ... പറയൂ മാമ്മാ.. തിരുവാതിരയെപ്പറ്റി പറയൂ...“. It was like a Hypnotist trying to hypnotise his patient. Uma slowly and softly said .. “മാമ്മാ പറയൂ..…” (parayoo .. maammaa..).

It was on the day of Thiruvathira morning that I reached home from Bengaluru. As it used to be, after my chat with my mother and father, I moved on to Devechi’s house – it’s just next house close by. I am so free and and an in-person there, I can be there anytime any manner. That’s how I just went there in my ‘at-home attire’ lungy. Devechi was busy cooking and Chandrettan was not at home.

Our chat, in the kitchen, went on for long. She told me that she’s making ‘puzhukku’, and she’s on ‘thiruvathira noyambu’ (that mainly means that she would be taking only fruits and water for the day, and no rice or other food items). Being on a religious routine, I didn’t venture into any naughty deeds. And later, when I tried to exhibit my treasures, she told me ‘don’t be naughty … kutta’. Oh… I forgot to tell you… she calls me ‘Kuttaa’. Our chat went on and she gave me many things to eat. And during the chat she told me that there’s thiruvathira kali tonight at the next house. She would need my company to go there after 7 in the night and would return only after midnight (after the thiruvathira kali’). I was too happy to agree, and said I’ll accompany her. She was too happy and said “ aaa… chandrettan orangum… pinne njan thanne pokanam … nee vaa..). I was thrilled, as I could move with her and can see the ‘thaar kali’ (as I used to mention about Thiruvathira kali).

Thiruvathira kali is very special and interesting. To me, it’s like modern model girls doing a fashion show. The ladies show all their assets.. by turning round… sitting standing, moving round (encircling) .. in this process, they show all their beautiful parts.. the booms, butts, thighs, belly, hair..… and all that. In a particular posture, they sit, their thighs spread, when their tight thaar also would be so revealing. For the kali, the dress is certainly mundu and blouse only. No randamundu (or neriyathu) and no paavada. They wear only a mundu (double) and blouse, and certainly a tight thaar under, without a paavada (under skirt). The paavaada restricts the dancing movements and so is not worn. { These days, they wear paavaada , but most of them don’t have a thaar).

Preparations before the thiruvathira kali also was thrilling. Invariably, everyone goes for pissing (usually at the rear side of the house, where they assume darkness) and tightens up their thaar, before commencing the kali. This is true after the kali too. These golden opportunities are never missed. That’s why we all youngsters used to sit and watch close. Sitting at strategic points was very important.

On that day, some of our local ladies planned to assemble at our neighbor’s house, for ‘thiruvaathira kali’.Devechi was one among the performers.

I reached Devechi's house even before dusk. Chandrettan reached home just after dusk. He was given 'kanji and puzhukku' and he took it happily. He was asking me a hundred questions about Bangalaore, and enquired about the 'kallu shops' there. After the food, he sat on his easy chair on the verandah. He was singing a film song ... gently .. maybe that he is very cautious not to be loud. Devechi came to him and asked "ചന്ദ്രേട്ടാ... വരുന്നോ... തിരുവാതിര കളി കാണാന്‍.. ഞാന്‍ അപ്പുറത്ത് പോകുന്നു... '. Chandrettan responded with the question " നീ തന്നെ പോകുന്നോ ? വേണ്ട.. ഇവനെ കൂട്ടിക്കോ.. ". After a few moments, he added.."ഞാന്‍ ഉറങ്ങാന്‍ പോകുന്നു ...". Infact he was half asleep when he said that. Devechi was too happy .. evident from her wide smile.. "നീ വാ കഞ്ഞികുടിച്ചിട്ടു പോകാം ... ". I went with her to the kitchen and took some kanji. She didnot take any. When I returned to the verandah, I heard the snoring from Chandrettan, from the bed room. I waited in the verandah.. Devechi went in the room for preparing herself to go for the thiruvathira kali. I followed her to their bed room, and waited outside, peeping through the half open door. In the brightness of the kerosene lamp, I could see Devechi changing her dress. She removed all she had then, and put on new. She wore the thaar, with a big thaar mundu. And then a double mundu over that. She put on a bodice, tied it up well and followed by a red blouse. It had a kasavu lining on its arms. She put four safety pins in the front opening to pack her boobs in the blouse. She knew I am watching her changing the dress. And that was important for her too. She combed her hair , fairly long and thick, and tied it up well (put up behind the head). She put a kumkum pottu too.

In about 5-10 minutes, she was ready, and came out with the lamp. It clicked me then ... "Did Raja Ravi Varma see Devechi in this scene, for drawing his 'Vilakkentiya vanitha' ? She kept the lamp outside, and blew down the flame. There was a lantern (റാന്തല്‍) in the verandah. She signed me that she is ready. I took the lantern, and said 'പോകാം ? " . She closed the door and followed me. Out from the verandah, she went to the '' തുളസിതര' and plucked two 'kathir' . She put that on her put-up hair, lifting her both arms. I was staring at her projecting boobs, when she raised her hands. She smiled at me " എന്താ കണ്ടിട്ടില്ലെട ?' . "എത്ര നാളായി ദെവെചി ... എനിക്കൊന്നു നന്നായി കാണണം ... " And she laughed , and walked behind me. At the padippura, I paused for her to open the half door and she did. She got out of the half door and I held the lantern behind. I just caught her right arm.. and wanting to kiss her, waited for a response. She, smiling, said ... "വേണ്ട.. വേണ്ട... ഇപ്പോള്‍ വേണ്ട ... അവിടെ പോയിട്ട് വരാം ... ".

We moved on and through the narrow lane (ഇടതോണ്ട്), to the neighboring house. We were there in two/three minutes. A few ladies and girls were waiting for us. It was about 8PM then.

to continue...