Episode-IV

So we reached Pgt. Now, a little bit about our home "Santhi"
when daddy was alive, about 6 to 7 mnths before he died, one of amma's cousins unnikrishna maama fell into dire straits & he asked daddy to help him monetarily by buying his property [ a farm house.. kalam] with about 2 acres of paddy fields near Manapully Kavu.

daddy or amma had never seen this place. But daddy just asked one question to amma it seems" Kochammini,do u want to help yr cousin?& if the answer is yes then i will send the money to him& buy the place".& that show the property was bought. after daddy died when we all came to palghat, amma decided to make ahome of that place. The house as such was nothing to write home abt. it wa just abt 4 rooms in arow w/ o any proper way form one room to another or attached bathrooms / toilet/ kitchen . Amma made it into the house " Santhi" as we knew it.

Then we strated living there .within abt amnths' time Rachi's marriage was conducted there. & after abt another 2years Thara chechi got married.[ i was in the fifth form then.. ie: 10th class. we had our sslc class on the 11th class]

Santhi really had agood score. Kochechi first gave birth to Latha, then Rachi to Sreekala, Then again Kochi had her 2 more children there itself as well as Rachi & Thara chechi all had all their children at Santhi.
In 1959 , I joined the medical college at Calicut[ those days the sellection was purely on the merit of yr Preuniv marks. & i had stood first in the Univ& so my seat was assured.

Our first Principal , Dr Pisharodi was daddy's colleague,& for the interview the only thing he askd me was about amma & how we were coping w/ o dad.

so my medical college days started. Rajettan & amma , accompanied me to the college. It was the first time i was going away from home apart from the v short stint at the convent boarding house where ofc, Tharachechi was w/ me.!!
I was so home sick & was crying for almost a fortnight. Then the studies started in rt earnest& then all sickness was forgotten & i was rt royally hooked to the studies.!! i really loved those days, the best ever days in one's life, i can say . No real responsibilty,no other worries [except yr studies exams & practicals']& lots & lots of fun.

" those were the days my friend, we thought, would never end "..............