I went home thrice a year. For Onam, Christmas and Vishu(Summer Vacation). Most exciting part was the previous day of the journey. That day we had the respective celebrations at school. Onapookalam (Floral design) competition and the Xmas Tambola were my favorites. There used to be special feast as well.
Onapookalam at Std-12
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That night roll calls were special too. House master (warden) used to read out the destination of each student for confirmation while giving pocket money for the journey. The amount was in co-relation with distance to travel and seniority. Those days we felt like school gives it from their funds, by the way they used to ask many questions. After collecting the money we had to sign the list. It felt like collecting my salary.
Group song - Xmas eve
Those nights were just normal for a junior student. When you are a senior in the school, those days began to be so special. We used to have floodlight socks ball cricket tournaments in our dormitory. Some guys would be playing cards the whole night. When in Junior classes it used to be WWF (now WWE) trump cards. We never slept those days. Then bath at around 4:00am and I guess by 5am we would have our breakfast (mostly bread and butter-jam on those days) and also collected our parceled lunch. It was Poori and dry Potato subzi stuffed in. I still have that wonderful taste at the tip of my tongue.
Previous nights used to be like this at times
We then go to Thiruvananthapuram railway station in our school bus. Mostly used to be in time for Parasuram Express (around 6 am I guess). In some rare occasions we were slightly late and had to rush inside. Those times we would have to spread out to many compartments. Mostly we used to be inside even before the lights and fans were on. Teacher (guide) always asked us to occupy 2-3 adjacent compartments for his convenience. But as you become seniors in the school you simply want to go as away from the Teacher as possible. Sitting at the doorsteps, going to the pantry and buying stuffs, getting down at most of the stations unnecessarily were all considered heroics those days. Still cant figure out why we did so. It was more to do with watching and envying our seniors do those things I guess.
Now when I think back, It was a huge experience in my life. Those trips were so influential in me as I was travelling through the entire length of Kerala. A full day spent with people from all kinds of background from all over Kerala. I always felt moving in a long hall filled with such verity of people across Kerala. Mostly train was full from Kollam and sometimes even before. Many of us used to let others sit and use that as an opportunity to move around. There used to be noticeable changes even in behavior of the crowed as we moved through different regions. The way they ask us for the seat and so on. In some regions they used to be so polite where as some others could fight for seats. Some elderly persons used to ask us for a place and then later push all we kids slowly out and later get his people to occupy the entire coupe.
One incident vivid in my mind is giving some money to a begging kid of almost my age with a baby in his hand. I could listen to an elderly lady telling her family members '' look how nice of that boy, he never gave any money to any beggar. But when he saw a kid of his age he helped him'. I obviously felt very happy and proud of myself. Those days children begging were not so common. However the most common beggars were the ''Pardeshi Pardeshi'' singers from northern part of India and those compartment cleaners and shoe polishing guys from the neighboring state. Then there always used to be those merchants selling towels, purse, books, lottery, duplicate sunglasses and off course the Chaiwale and others selling food items.
Seeing our friends off from their respective stations used to be another lovely thing to do. I still remember the stations of many friends. Changanassery was a station were many of my batch mates got down. Then Kottayam, Ernakulam etc too had many friends getting off. Few of us were even nicknamed after those stations, like Gokuldas from Patambi, Lipeesh P from Parapanangadi. I remember those days when I travel across Kerala in Train even today and try to recall who all used to get down at each station. The happy and excited faces of parents and siblings who come to receive us can never fade in our memories. I also so some worried faces till they find their kids. Shoranur used to be the station where the train halted for more time. As seniors we even were comfortable if our parents never came to pick us up. We always felt we were grown up enough to take on the world. Now when I see school going kids, I understand how stupid we were to think so. Or is it that this generation kids are not as matured?
Shoranur was important as it was the longest halt
In junior classes the excitement actually increased once I crossed Kozhikode, eagerly waiting to get home. Thinking of sharing with my brother all that happened in past 3 months in a night time, we never slept those nights. When the train crosses Mahe we used to get ready to get down. We had tickets booked in group. Myself, Nikhil, Ashish, Sruthiijith and some juniors are some I can remember getting down at Thalassery. Challenge was to get hold of the person who has the ticket and go with him, so that checker do not hold us back at the exit. I remember getting in this trouble once in 6th.
On that particular day when I gave money to the begging child, I was so excited and proudly told my father what happened. Unexpectedly he was not at all excited. In fact he looked little bothered. But with a smile he told '' You have in fact did a big mistake by giving him money. If you really had feelings for them you could have given or shared what ever food you had. They are all been sent to beg by some elderly people to whom they have to give the whole amount. Finally what the kid gets is more and more sufferings.'' Even today when ever I hear news of child trafficking I think of those words from my father. I never gave any money to any more beggar, but I remember giving the parceled lunch from our school mess to some children who came begging for money.
When you really want to see the smile on their face, give them food.
No money please
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