Ch. 5 A PASSAGE TO CALCUTTA – GROWING PAINS - Palghat Tales

They were turbulent times. Even difficult times. Just a few years ago, students had rioted in the streets, burning trams and brick-batting policemen. The newspaper carried a report about Santhals shooting arrows into a police inspector in North Bengal over a land dispute. However, for Thangam and Vaithy, these were not matters of concern. More pressing were issues like the shortage of milk. Chief Minister Prafulla Chandra Sen  would urge the population to eschew sandesh, to help ease the situation, and promptly lose his position. Vaithy would wake up even earlier than usual, to trudge to the khataal, to make sure the family got the milk they needed, watching hawk-eyed, as the dudhwaalah milked, making sure he didn’t water it down.

Vaithy and Dorai.

The children were constantly ill. Mumps, chicken pox, conjunctivitis, typhoid - she nursed them through all the maladies that visited them.  Dr. Maity’s clinic saw her visits regularly. His compounder would conjure up cough syrups and ear drops, after the patient doctor made soothing noises and shook his head, clucked his tongue and listened intently to wheezy chests.  When her children’s eyes turned yellow and their skins pale, she knew there was only one cure – rush them to the saamiyaar who would perform an exorcism. Sitting cross-legged in a dimly-lit room, he would place sewing needles in cups half-filled with water, chanting incantations, and slowly wave the needles in front of the patient’s eyes and mouth, his lips moving in a frenzy. After a week or two, her child would have recovered, much to Thangam’s relief.

Saamiyar. He would cure maladies.

Indrajal Comics, Jan 1-7, 1964.

Vaithy was travelling more often because of his job. Sometimes, he spent several weeks, even months away, leaving Thangam to cope alone at home. The country was growing at a fast clip and the company was installing cooling towers in many locations. Bhilai, Durgapur, Digboi, Eloor, Bharuch, he went wherever Mr. Kapoor sent him. When he came home, he was an indulgent father, taking Meena to her music lessons at Mrs. Pankajavalli’s and Papa, Chuppam and Dorai to walks along LakeTerrace. They would visit his uncle’s son there, and on the way back, he would indulge their cravings for ‘Magnolia’ ice cream. Kannan was turning out to be quite the book-lover and got all the latest issues of Indrajal comics.

In the previous years, Vaithy had been part of an enthusiastic group of volunteers, collecting donations for a new temple. After years of effort, when it was finally consecrated, Thangam and he were among the most enthusiastic devotees, especially during the annual brahmotsavam. Thangam  would stand out during Seethakalyanam, her singing becoming a fixture at the event. Once a month, on Saturdays, she would make prasadam to be distributed at the temple – Ven Pongal, Vadamalai, Gosmalli or Sundal. The temple’s founder made it a point to give her and the family pride of place at all major events, and their renown and popularity grew.

Vaithy and Kannan.

When Kannan celebrated his first Avani Avittam, a local photographer was present. He took some photos, one of which later appeared in ‘Life’ magazine. It was a proud moment for Thangam, who remembered how Aachu mama had told her that sons were necessary to keep the lineage intact.

One day, Dorai came home from kindergarten, weeping. After much cajoling, he told Thangam that the Miss had called him “Winky”, and all the other children had teased him.  Thangam and Vaithy spoke about it that night, and realised that something had to be done, they had waited too long. A few weeks later, Vaithy managed to get an appointment with Dr. Banerjee. His diagnosis was not encouraging.  He would refer Dorai to an optician who could temporarily fit him with spectacles, but he would need surgery in his left eye.  His amblyopia would not go away, but Dorai was too young for surgery. In five or six years, it would become necessary.

A few weeks later, MD called Vaithy into his office. Mr. Kapoor was present. “Vaidyanathan, I have been watching you.  Mr. Kapoor is shifting to Bombay next year, I am putting you in his place. But you need some more qualifications, times are changing, you will do a PGDM at Xavier’s. I have talked to Father Romauld, fifteen months, full salary. You will sign a bond, I will tell Purkayastha to draw up the papers.  Kapoor says you are the right man, welcome to the family. This is a big investment, and I want good returns.”

2nd Floor, Metha House, Lake Temple Road.

The year Vaithy took Mr. Kapoor’s chair, he moved the family to a spacious, five-room flat, occupying the entire second floor of Metha House on Lake Temple Road. It would be their home for the next eighteen years. He and Mottai went to Russel Exchange and bought furnishings. A bookshelf by C. Lazarus. Four rosewood chairs and a table. A Burmah teak almirah with a polished glass door. A dining set and a Royal Calcutta King Bed, with a new spring mattress. An ebony dresser with ivory inlay, and a mahogany study table.  He bought Thangam a tambura from Kanailal’s as a house-warming present.  She was more pleased with it, than by anything else he had bought.

Mrs. Das.

This time, he threw a small party, attended by many friends. Mrs. Das was the first to arrive. Mr. and Mrs. Kapoor joined them. Even MD dropped in. In the background, the soothing tenor was unmistakable. Ameen Sayani, calling out the top song of the year:

“Rajendra Krishna ke bol, sangeetkaar Laxmikant aur Pyarelal, Lata Mangeshkar ki awaaz. Film hai Inteqam”.

Text by Shankar A. Narayan. Photo credits: Life magazine, Laura McPhee,  Manoj P and Subhrajit Mukherjee.