In remembrance of our Malayalam teachers

Today is Atham. The 10 days of Onam celebrations begins today (Atham pathinu ponnonam - അത്തം പത്തിന് പൊന്നോണം). On Onam, the first thing that comes to mind is my High School Malayalam teacher Padmavathi teacher's lively narratives about it.

She made the boring afternoon sessions full of life. Let me take you to her class.

The chapter is about Onam and Mahabali. We see her explaining the meaning of the popular Malayalam saying 'kanam vittum onam unnanam' (കാണം വിറ്റും ഓണം ഉണ്ണണം) . One must not miss the Onam lunch even if it demands to sell everything one has.

Then she changes over to the song:

Maveli Naadu Vaneedum Kaalam,
Manusharellarum onnupole

മാവേലി നാട് വാണീടും കാലം
മാനുഷരെല്ലാരും ഒന്നുപോലെ.

Under the rule of the king Mahabali,
all were equal.

But wait! What is that shrewd smile on her face for? She has not finished the second line yet! Instead, while letting out the word "onnupole" we see her forming the numeral 1 in the air with her index finger. That simple gesture changes the very meaning of the song. Under the rule of king Mahabali, all people were like the numeral 1. While the original phrase denotes the "one-ness" of people, it is now about the shape of the people - a skeletal 1. That is, they were undernourished and poor. We all laugh out loud until our sides ache.

Ask any older generation Malayalees from Kerala, and I am sure, they would all agree that the great influence behind the incessant humour sense and the unsatiated quest for knowledge of Malayalees was our Malayalam teachers. Today's entry is a tribute to them. It would be great if you have something to say about your Malayalam teachers of yesteryear. Post it here. What a better way to begin this year's Onam celebrations!