My schooling spread over Kannur at north to Poovar at southern tip of Kerala. My father who began his career as a Surveyor with Survey and Land records dept of Kerala used to have frequent transfers. Most of the time he took us with him, or sometimes for few months, left us at our ancestral house, at Karumkulam near Poovar, in Trivandrum district.
I didn’t have any LKG experience. But there was a Raman mash at Kannur who trained me at home during preschool days. He taught to write all the alphabets in Malayalam and memorise the multiplication table up to 12×12, even before joining the school.
My school days began with Poothappara UPS near Azhikode at Kannur, about a km away from our rented house where I had few months of study. This school was a decent one with tiled building and lot of ground for playing. The class teacher was Kannan mash. I recollect him in his early thirties that time-a mash without “Vadi” in hand, and who had genuine passion for teaching and profound love for children. In the first day he taught us a song “Chakki paruthoru kariyam chonnathu aa raavil aaraarum keettilla……” with his melodious voice. Kannan mash was a children’s magnet who attracted us to the school without any push backs. This was 10 to 4 schooling with lunch box. I too remember him practicing us to do the “ thala kuthi mariyal” at the grass field of the school – which I was very proud to demonstrate at home those days.
But after few months, father shifted me to Alavil LPS which was very close to our residence. At this school I had the privilege of coming home for the lunch. This school too lasted only for few months. Then we were shifted to the ancestral house and the last month of first standard was at the third school -St.Andrus LP School at Karumkulam. This was at the shore of Arabian sea, with thatched roof and sea sand floor – a school run by nearby church. Second standard also was in this school. Some memories here are drill sir taking us to the beach just 100 metres behind and also once in a while replacing the old sand of the class floor turned brown with new white sand of the sea shore. Four children together used carry possible load of sand using the shirt removed from one of us. I too remember the painful bleeding experience of “Achukuthal” in this school. All the teachers here were our family friends and the school was really another home for me. Most of the students were from fishermen family. We – my younger sister along with cousins from the same joint family house and nearby had a wonderful walk to the school about 400 metres away. On both sides of the road all the people were relatives or family friends.
During the third standard, we shifted to Kollam and joined at Mulankadam LP School, nearest school to Anezhthmukku- where we were staying. Here I had the experience of sitting on the floor – there were no benches, only fourth std students had that privilege. During fourth we shifted our residence to another place in Kollam near to Mulakkadakam temple and joined at Town LPS – which shares the wall with Kollam sub jail and just opposite to civil station and collectorate. My brother also has joined his first std. I remember every day morning on the way to school praying at Mulamkadam temple. Here I had one more responsibility of taking my brother along with me who was really afraid of the police in front of the sub jail. These two schools didn’t leave much more memories.
At the end of fourth standard, due to fathers transfer, we were shifted to Neyyatinkara town LPS- sharing the wall of Sri Krishna Swamy temple, which has the famous “Ammachi Plavu” which protected Marthanda Varma once upon a time. I remember keeping the leaf of Ammachi Plavu inside the book to get high marks. This school has classes on music, stitching etc. Though music didn’t help me much, stitching classes really helped me all along the life, especially in putting back the buttons of old shirts. Fifth also was in the same school. My youngest brother also joined school this time and we used to go to school along with neighbours. Here also most of the days we used to visit the temple. Also I remember, during the temple festival days there was “Ottanthullal” at the temple during day time which was visible from the class. This school for the first time I met another boy with my name, which was very rare at that time, except the famous Tamil actor.
This school had only up to fifth and I was shifted to the UPS wing of Govt Boys High School Neyyattinkara. Very big school, with lot of seniors up to the tenth standard. First time, I had the experience of student’s strike at school. Many days we could reach home within the first period. Here there was another experience of schools being closed for weeks together because of the teacher’s strike.
This school had lot of clubs – Krishi club, Science club etc. Also there was a firing ground for the NCC students.
During the end of Seventh std, father again had a transfer – I think it was Wynad. He didn’t take us along and left at our ancestral house. I and sister joined at SNDP UPS Karumkulam and both the brothers at my old school – St.Andrus LPS.
Though there was only three months, this school was very active with again most of the teachers and class mates our relatives or neighbours.
On Eighth, it was my ninth school at Chengannur, Govt boys high school. When my father took me for admission, the Head master John Mathew Sir informed that they are going to start a new English medium that year to start with eight std. They wanted few students to join it. Since the last seven years was in Malayalam medium father was little hesitant, but due to the assurance of teachers I was put in the English Medium class – a small class of 13 students, all first time English medium students. (This transition, though it was gave little stress during those days was very helpful during the Pre-degree classes).
Being a new experience, here we were given the best teachers and individual attention. I remember the English – John Sir, Maths-Koshy Sir, Physics-Varghese Sir, Malayalam – Chandradathan Sir and Chandra Sekharan Sir. Especially I am grateful to Koshy Sir, who always encouraged us to ask the question “Why” and Varghese Sir who introduced to experimental Science.
This was a school with lot of student’s strike. That is the first I was aware of the SFI and KSU. But during the ninth standard, emergency was declared and the next two years the campus was very peaceful.
We were staying in a house at the Kizhakkenada of the famous Mahadeva temple. Though it was a new place, the temple and the swimming in the Pampa river, gave us lot of social life outside school time.
These two years were very active, and I was very active participant of the science club and quiz club and remember attending lot of completions in schools and colleges of Alappuzha district.
In addition, there used to different functions were dignitaries used to attend. The DPI – Sri.Ramachandran, District Collector, SP, Sub Collector, DySP, BDO etc etc
I can recollect the individual identity getting moulded and personal interests being developed. Also there was a state level volley ball match carried out in the school ground. We could meet the well known players that time Gopinath, Jimmy Goerge, Alamma, Aliyamma etc.
From this elated English medium two had joined Engineering and one went for Medicine.
This was the school I had a rare opportunity to study consecutive three year together.
Later we shifted to Trivandrum and continued studies at Govt Arts College, Trivandrum before joining CET.
I met few of the class mates of early school days, many time at a surprise. Something unique which all of them told me that they could recognise me (good or bad, looks like it haven’t changed much during all these days).
Along with the teachers and class mates who moulded me, my father had a great role – in all these schools he was a regular visitor who used to get direct feedback about me and conveyed his feedbacks to school also. Mother of course was a house wife always waiting our return from school with her love and delicious homemade food and my three younger ones who willingly (or otherwise !) grown under an unquestioned Chettan.
Nostalgia EE 84 