Childhood memories - the Durga Temple, Thottekkad, Pulpatta, Manjeri

 

One memory from my childhood is the frequent visits to the temple near our home - the Bhagavathi or Durga temple. On Fridays, we have a special offering at the temple - "Nerathala" which is basically Coconut rice - coconut shavings cooked in hand-milled red rice which is cooked by the priest (Embranthiri) in the temple itself. Anyone of us children should go to the temple to collect the same which meant you need to take bath early morning. The bath in the pond is a celebration in itself though the water will be very cold in the morning. But after the first leap in the water, you dont feel the cold at all. 

A three-four minute run to the temple, doing the pradikshinam and collecting the Nivedyam and back to home - all would be over in about 15-20 minutes maximum. 

The other memorable event is during the Vilakku where oil lamps are lighted all around the temple and we children have to pour the oil into the small metal lamps fixed on the outer walls of the temple as well as inside - around the garbhagriham. With a kuthuvilakku we used to go around and light all the lamps by sunset. Then there are special pooja etc. Each family would have a dedicated day of the month for the Vilakku. 

Also coconuts are thrown on to a slanting rock in front of the Iyyappan's temple and we children used to run and catch the broken coconut pieces. The special Ney Paayasam with roasted sessame on top was other delicacy of various Nivedyams from the temple. 

Learning to swim and other memories..

When we think of our childhood, we become nostalgic. The way you grew up in your home, the day you spend time, your school, the village life etc. etc. 

I was borne in a joint family and we were five children - me the third. I remember even today those early years before I started going to school. We were taught at home - all basic writing, reading, the Gunakoshtam or the multiplication table etc. Sathyalayam - that was the name of our house in Thottekad, Pulpatta about 8 km from the nearest town of Manjeri. We had a beautiful little pond in our home. As children we had to learn swimming and the usual practice is that you are pushed into the water when you are just about 3 years old. You drink a lot of water (of course the pond water was much better in quality than what you get through municipal supply these days) and you somehow start to swim. Thachi (my maternal grandmother's elder sister) had taught all of us swimming. I still remember my sister being pushed into the water and when she came up all frightened and gulping water, Thachi gave her a slap and said it will prevent from being afraid of the near process of drowning.. 

A school and a programme: Govt. High School, Kodathur, Puducherry.

We all have gone through our own schools. From the first school to where you have passed out your 10th standard. All of them have beautiful memories. Sweet memories. I still remember my first school in Thottekkad, in Pulpatta near Manjeri in Malappuram distrit of Kerala State where we used to walk about 4 km every day to school climbing two small hillocks, passing a couple of brookes, and the day the school reopened, we will be welcomed by the fresh rains ... Schools always bring nostalgic memories to you..

As part of the ongoing Water Festival 2016 which we are organising in Puducherry, Aurovile, Villupuram and Cuddalore (PAVC) bio region, I have been visiting a good number of rural schools in Pondicherry as well as a few in TN districts of Cuddalore and VIllupuram as well. One such school was the Govt High School, Kodathur. While one goes to Thirukkanur via Vazhuthavoor, you take a right turn at Muttrampattu and you are there. A small beautifully located school. It was established in the year 1957 almost a decade before I was borne. The HM Mrs.Pushparoja and the Science Teacher Ms.Hemalatha and other staff welcomed me. My friend Alexander was already there setting up the banners and posters giving water conservation messages etc.The school has about 300 students.

I was moved by the affection and care given by the teachers and HM of the school and the importance they gave to the programme. While conversing with the children, I could feel the energy and happiness of the children. May be it is because they enjoyed the programme which was different from their daily routine classes. May be they got a chance to answer the question we put to them, or may be because they felt empowered in giving their suggestions for conserving the water. The staff told us we could come back anytime for such awareness programmes.

I felt happy because if at all, the All for Water for All collective which is organizing the programme have achieved anything is reaching out to these young children who feel energetic and are better informed than actually I was during this age. Or is it that we did not have these issues in our times? Or is it that we just did not realize it then?

More schools, more children, there is a need for many more such initiatives like the All for Water for All collective or movements like the Pondicherry Science Forum and the like in many states which are part of the People's Science Movements (PSMs) to take these issues to the people and make them aware that unless we act today, tomorrow will be too late...