Village Boy

Village childhood Days

Yes. The dreaded world war II was coming to an end. Rangan was born in March 1944 in Madras, in a middle class family. The parents Ramaswamy and Bhuma have decided to retain Rangan in their native village Kottayur near Kumbakonam till such time peace returns to India. Rangan enjoyed the crackers during Independence day in 1947, without knowing what is was all about. He grew up in his aunt’s house in Kottayur. When he was around 4 years, a helpful neighbour by name Yagna Krishnan had taught him to write alphabets in sand and then with crushed paste from green leaves on a piece of wood, besides teaching him a few slokas. When Rangan was around 5 years old, his aunt’s mother, whom everyone called “Ammanga” was serving the children and the grown ups with rice and lentil sambar. The sambar was very tasty. During the course of the servings, Rangan’s hand happened to touch the wooden serving ladle. Ammanga reacted instantaneously and with a big cunning smile on her face, asked him “Ranga! Tell me which hand has touched the ladle”.   Rangan became serious and thought for a while of the consequences of getting punished with a hot iron ladle. He collected his courage and answered in an equally broader smile and with a loud voice “Ammanga ! My father is coming tomorrow. I shall tell him. He will explain to you as to which hand touched the ladle in a way you can understand. Mind you, my father is sending Rs 3 to you every month”. Ammanga kept quiet. In the night, when every one was sleeping Rangan, went to the kitchen and observed a long steel ladle by the side of simmering firewood. Ammanga used to leave a small portion of the firewood burning in the night, so that she can prepare hot-hot coffee in the morning. Rangan had a flash. He kept the small end of the steel ladle in the hot firewood and waited for it to become hot enough. He then held the ladle with the other cool end. He went stealthily towards the sleeping Ammanga and applied on her right hand. Before she could react, Rangan shouted “Ammanga ! Ammanga ! This is the hand which had touched the ladle”.  Ammanga became silent because Rangan’s father was expected in the morning and she did not want to loose Rs 3. Rangan’s father came in the morning and after lunch told him to come Madras, as the situation is normal and he should start going to school. As a gesture Rangan requested his father to give Ammanga Rs 5 before leaving. Rangan had now learnt a very important strategy in his life.  “anticipate”.

Rangarajan Ramaswamy Bangalore India July 2014