Krishnan Kutty’s family received a Telegram from British Army. Achudhan knew a little bit of English, he had studied up to Sixth Standard. Achudhan read it carefully, it read “Regret to inform Sergeant. Krishnan Kutty. No KK 0036234 M. Missing in Action. Will inform after investigation.”
Achudhan only understood only one word ‘Missing’, and he was in deep thought in analysing the message, ‘Missing, it could mean that Kutty had run away. Why should he run? He had a good job, now a promotion to Sergeant, really a big man. Kamala, his wife came running, what did the Postman bring, a letter? Kutty coming?’ Achundhan ‘No it is a Telegram.’ Kamala; ‘What is Thelegrom? We never got any Thelegrom! Tell me when is my Unni coming?’ Achudhan ‘Telegram! Means special word from Army, British Army, and they sent word to inform us that he is missing. Missing means he is not there.’ Kamala ‘What do you mean, he is not there?Achudhan was in deep thought! He could not find any answers. He just wiped his face, still no answers came. He raised his hands and said ‘I don’t know.’ Kamala wound her sari, around her waist and approached him ready for battle, ‘I know where he is! What did you say, he is in Barma? He is just like you, remember how you ran away with that Muslim girl, what is her name, yes Fathima! Same blood, he must have run away with a Barma Girl, the Barma girls I have seen their photo, the girls wearing Lungi, nothing on top, shameless girls.’ Achudhan ‘This is British Army Message. It did not say anything about Burmese girl. Kamala ‘Go immediately to that Post Master. He is will know, go immediately! And remember don’t tell anyone. Total secret, understand? If people come to know that he has run away with a Barma girl that is the end of Unni’s marriage. All girls are not like me, to tolerate a shameless man who ran away with a Muslim girl, Fathima! She spat on the ground. Her vehemence more emphatic.
Achudhan thought ‘What can I do? Fathima was a good looking girl, she had come crying ‘My husband is marrying another girl, and he is trying to kill me. Please save my life, please I cannot commit suicide, it is Haram in Koran.’ What could he do? She was pretty and he agreed to go to Kochi, she lead Achudhan to a house in Mattancherry in Fort Kochi, a handsome bearded Muslim man received them at the door, Fathima went inside, and the door was barred for Achudhan and he had a lot of problem to explain, and the fact that he had come back alone convinced them he was indeed a fool. Kamala ‘Thank God! They did not kill you, sometimes I wish they had killed you. My son would not have had this problem. My Unni ‘Where are you? Give up that Barma girl, I will find you a better girl, Muthappa! Muthappa, please save my son, Five rupees Archana for you Muthappa!’ Before things get out of control, Achudhan ran to the Post Office. The Post Master had no clue in this matter, this was the first time he had seen such a message.
Achudhan came back disappointed, ‘That Post Master does not know, he says he had never read such a message.’ Kamala ‘I know that Post Master knows nothing, he always walks looking at the ground, he is afraid someone may ask a question.’
Kamala ‘Now what do you do? I told you not to fix a marriage, the Broker told you she is a pretty girl, so you went, and the Broker had free Toddy! You tell me?’ Yes it was true, the Broker had a good amount of free Toddy, yet the girl Nalini was a Pretty girl. He liked her, she was simple and sweet, not like this fighter Cock’. Kamala ‘Show the Tellicherry people this Paper! What you say Thelegram? And say Marriage we fix, when Unni comes.
Kamala could not visualise the scenario, the broad nose yellow skin girl, improperly covering her chest so shamelessly. Her daughter in law, never! Kamala will never permit. This I swear by Muthappa!. Kamala’s instructions continued. ‘Stand straight when you go there, you are the boys party! Remember, they should bend not you’.
Achudhan could not fight back, it was he who initiated the marriage, now it was his problem! It has always been his problem. The moment he raises his voice, she comes out with that Fathima stuff.
… xxx …
Kamala sent her husband to the Barber, to get his unruly hair trimmed, clean shaven and dressed with freshly washed clothes and starched with indigo. Achudan looked handsome. Strangely he also looked educated. Achudhan departed, Kamala was apprehensive, her Husband was actually a simple and honest man, and the task at hand was complicated. She had briefed him thoroughly. The mission was a delicate one. Achudhan agreed to all the conditions. But he lacked confidence, he also knew the solution. He went straight to his Toddy Shop, the Shop was closed, he went inside and took out the bottle from his secret reservoir, a French Brandy, his favourite and he gulped a large swig straight from the bottle. He took another large Swig, in went straight inside like honey. It was pure heaven, and he almost raised for a third swig. ‘No Acudhan No’! He complied with his own instructions. Achudhan went behind the shop, he had cultivated a Lemon Tree, specifically for this purpose. He plucked a raw Lemon and chewed the skin, the taste was bitter, but he smelled of lemon.
Achudhan boarded the Bus from Kannur Bus Stand, bus direct to Tellicherry. He kept repeating the instructions and the dialogue in his mind, the Bus stopped near a village, a good looking women entered the Bus. She asked Achudan ‘Chetta! Bus to Tellicherry?’ No answer. ‘Chetta! Does this bus go to Tellicherry?’ Achudan was forced to reply, he did ‘Yes Tellicherry’. She sat in front of him. She had flowers in her hair. Achudan forgot his sentence, the flowers were fragrant.
… xxx …
Achudan called a shared Horse Tonga, he reached close to Nalini’s house, and he knew the house, as he had been there. Nalini’s father Haridas, himself a handsome and elegant man saw Achudan, he rushed out to meet the future Father- in- law of Nalini. Nalini’s mother Shobha too rushed in, Shobha liked him, a simple man with an elegant smile. Achudan was actually nervous, all the phrases and words that he had memorised deserted him. He was struck with just the first word, he delivered with compunction and perturbation. Achudan ‘Unnikrishnan!…Haridas ‘Yes! When is Unni coming?’ Achudan failed to formulate a reply, and he just took out the piece of paper, the Telegram and showed it to Haridas. Haridas took the pink paper, the Telegram Paper and read slowly. Haridas murmured ‘Missing in Action…’
Nalini’s mother Shoba heard nothing, she was hard of hearing. Shoba asked her Husband loudly ‘What does it say? Why can’t you read properly! She was getting nervous. Shoba ‘Nalini! Come down immediately.’ Nalini came down, she was looking pretty. She read ‘It says Unnikrishnan Missing in Action’. My God! Thought Nalini, this was serious and wonderful, but she still could not elaborate properly. Shoba ‘Nalini tell properly? OK, Say it in Malayalam. Nalini again made an effort, missing in Action, does not make any sense. What is the meaning of ACTION? Nandu, the neighbour’s kid was present, nobody saw him enter, but he was carefully monitoring the situation. Nandu ‘I know Action, yes I saw Action’.
Nandu was confident, he was allowed to speak. Nandu ‘I saw Film shooting at the beach, ‘The director shouted ‘Camera Roll, the camera rolled. Director shouted ‘Action’, the Hero Jumped! God promise Hero Jumped’. They were all confused.
‘If Action was jumping, why was Unni missing? The neighbour Babu too knew English, he was called urgently, Babu came immediately, he managed to change into a better shirt, he calls it the lucky shirt, the Pants was not given the same degree of importance. Babu was given the piece of Paper, now it has become an important piece of Document. Babu read it, once silently, then a second time loudly. He too could not figure out the context of the word ACTION. Without saying a word, Babu ran back into his house, he came back panting, the excitement was evident, a tiny sweat was trickling down his sideburn. He did not wipe it, he had no time for that. Babu held in his hand an old OXFORD Dictionary. It was in tatters, ‘My Father’s’ He proclaimed it proudly. ‘Yes, let me see’, he could not see properly, it was getting dark. Babu moved towards the window ‘Yes, here it is, he read it loudly’ Yes Actioin, it says “Process of doing something or functioning thing done”. ‘Yes this is what Oxford Dictionary says. Any Doubts?’ They realised, being the owner of the Dictionary, Babu was more confused than them.
Shobha decided to take initiative, after all it was the marriage of her only daughter. Shobha said ‘We must consult Vasudevan, he worked in Madras, he should know’. The youngster was asked to call Vasu Uncle, it was an urgent matter. Vasudevan, delighted to be consulted upon a serious matter, washed his face, applied the black eye shadow pencil, to cover his grey hair, combed his hair, put on his best dress and walked out with his new footwear.
Vasudevan studied the Telegram carefully, then he wiped his glasses, read it again, he gave a deep thought. The entire congregation in silent mode. Vasudevan cleared his ears, scratched his nose and delivered his opinion. ‘Enemy has taken him away’ Vasudevan sat in silence. Shoba ‘Enemy who?’ Gopal was also present, he promptly said ‘JAPANESE’. Gopal was the war expert, the first man to alert them of the dangers of the Japanese advance through Burma. This was serious business. Whatever Gopal said has come true. They all looked at Gopal with a new respect and guidance. Haridas ‘Will they come to Tellicherry? Will they come from Burma?’
Gopal was emphatic, he said it firmly ‘They will not come from Burma, they will come from the Sea. The beaches are the greatest danger point.’ They asked in unison ‘We should run towards the mountains.’ Gopal’ No run, we should defend the beaches, we should not allow them to land on the beaches.’ Gopal ‘The battle will be fought here on the beaches of Tellicherry’.
Nalini was delighted. Gopal was the Leader. He was giving the problem a serious thought, he seem to have worked on the problem’. With the Khaki Uniform, Gopal looked like a General, an Army General. It was a war council. The Marriage was forgotten.
To be Continued….
Trance Series 