My Ernakulam cousins

We all have aunts and uncles and cousins who are there ever since we remember and they remain as an essential part of our existence.  They form what we call the extended family, some of whom are close and some who are not so close but who will come together whenever there is a need or a celebration.

From my paternal side there is Lakshmi, Ani, Sunil, Shankaran, Nandini and there is my sister Deepti.  Lakshmi is my soul sister, she and I did a lot of things together growing up.  When we were little girls we were constant companions and we have tasted wild flowers that numb your tongue to choreographing dance items on Malayalam Bhajans and we also at times had same frocks, only in different colours.  She and I can chat, sing to each other, hold hand and even whisper to each other whisper to each other our troubles and our joys, our sadness in life and our successes, its a precious and intimate relationship.  Days can go by without a word but one call and we get back immediately.  She is the gentle soul in my life who during my last visit to her home used to pat me to sleep.  In her rests many talents and she is my hero.

Sunil and Nandini are the childhood chums more so Sunil than Nandini.  Nandini was more the younger sister who would pester and insist on being with us even though she was not wanted in our games or make believe world.  Sunil loved keeping a fish tank full of fish and other than the occasional gold fish the rest were mostly from the rain water drain or the canal nearby.  Nevertheless, I had the privilege to be his assistant in repairing the fish tank and not even molten tar on my hand kept me away from assisting him.  We partnered in crime be it walking on the parapet and giving a scare to the elderly neighbours or plucking mangoes from the neighbours’ trees or digging up near the septic tank to see water rise.

Nandini was around all the time with her big smile, cute now, but those days we would run away from her.  I love her for her laughter, her taking things in her stride, her size because she can give big hugs and pick things for me from the topmost shelf.  I get to start laughing the moment I am with her, even today.

Shankar was the silent, quiet and good child, who was never naughty.  I will always remember his shy smiles, his little jokes and his little chats with my father as we drove from Ernakulam to Guruvayur and Vadakkath.  There was a time when he believed he was the strongest in Ernakulam and he would show his muscles even though his hands were puny.  He remains the quiet, gentle self and very recently at a wedding I realised that he is an excellent singer.  As a child Shankar used to play the violin.

As for Ani, we met occasionally as children and a few days of being together are limited to our trip to Bombay when we were in Standard 4, his trip to Delhi when we were in standard 5 and the trip to Agra during that time and we cherish a photograph of me in a multicoloured frock (which does not show in the black and white photo) and he is knickers and shirt and both of us sporting well worn bata hawaii chappals.  Then we met when we were young adults because we were in Delhi and my aunt and uncle were in Delhi too and dear Ani would visit for his vacations.  I tasted my first Pizza, my first sausage with him at his home.  He is always there for me and for everyone else.  How can I forget that he was recently there for us taking care of my Debu, like a child, feeding him and making sure he rests.

I am ever so grateful for a family of cousins like us, and the illumination we send out when we are together these days was very evident in every event and fun and frolic we had at our nephews wedding and in every photograph of us together during that time.  The PhenoMenons as our whatsapp group us called is indeed a charming family