Kaleidoscope Of My Childhood

Jasmine

My nephew "Mammu" came by running.

His sister pathu is following him.

They held my hands and we started walking home.

Mammu showed a scale, with pictures of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. A glowing one, which change the picture when you bend it.

"A scale with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck …."

My memories went back to my childhood.

Jasmine,

Her face was like jasmine, so white and transparent. You can see the blue veins in her neck. I noticed her on my first day in Madrasa (school where they teach religious rules). She was beautiful.

"Eeman Kayrangal ethra (What are the basic principles of Islam?)", Kunhalavi muslyar (Teachers in Madrasa are called as muslyar with respect) banged his cane on the table and asked. He looked around at all the students. This is a lesson in previous year, we supposed to know the answer.

Darkness in student's face moved with the movement of his eyes.

I have joined that Madrasa after moving to my mother's place. Kunhalavi muslyar started asking the question one by one… Those who don't know the answer should stand. They are not allowed to sit.

Rows of students standing grew as a snake's tail. Glow in muslyar's eyes also grew proportionally.

My turn came.

"Six Sir" I answered.

What are they?

I recited the answer like a poem.

The Muslyar was not happy as the answer was correct.

"Hmmm... sit down."

I sat down. Yes!!! Those eyes looked at me, I smiled.

Kunhalavi muslyar started his punishment from one side.

Each student should show his hand straight, and then he will beat 2 times with his cane.

I was looking at Jasmine. Those white hands are shown straight… Red lines of cane mark came in to my mind… I saw the fear in her eyes. Hmmn I can feel the pain.

Jasmine's turn came..

Then the miracle happened. Kunhalavi muslyar didn't beat Jasmine. He asked her to sit.

I felt happy… But, why? Rebel inside me started asking... Why?

I stand up and shouted... "This is wrong".

His face turned red, eyes widened in disbelief

"Hmmn… what is your problem? Show your hands"

I showed my hands, he beat twice.

I didn't feel the pain. I felt the admiring look in other student's eyes.

I felt the admiring look in those beautiful eyes.

Next day Jasmine came with a 30 CM scale. In the corridor of Madrasa, when nobody was noticing, she gave it to me.

A scale with pictures of Miki mouse and Donald Duck.

Picture change when you bend it.

In the class, I was holding the scale... Looking at it, smelling it… I owned something like that for the first time in my life.

I raised my head and looked her. She was smiling.

Next week we exchanged name slips. Friendship blossomed.

She gave gifts when ever her father comes to India. I did not have anything great to give her. I gave her "Balarama"(A famous child magazine) and name slips.

Later I moved to my father's place. Memories faded away.