MADHAVAN AMMAVAN ALIAS MADHAVAN UNCLE

          

When we hear about a person’s death, our mind will start recollecting the situations and incidents that we encountered with them.  Just a few minutes ago, I had a call from Indu chechi (sister).  She was on her way back after attending the funeral of Madhavan Ammavan that took place in Konni near Pathanthitta, when she called me.  Madhavan ammavan was no more.  He will live in the memories of a few for a few more years.  Then he will be forgotten like that of the billions of people who lived and died in this world.  However, I know him for the past thirty-five years; I could remember only a few incidents that too took place with the intervals of decades.  However, I happened to hear and talk about him and happened to meet my relatives who used to talk about him.  So, I believe that his life had something in it that need to be shared and analysed to those who want to learn more about life, death, fate and God. 

          When I was nine years old, I met Madhavan ammavan for the first time. Only that meeting I could remember.  Madhavan ammavan was shouting at my father.  It was the first time, I saw, someone using disrespectful words and filthy language against my father.  My mother tried to pacify Madhavan ammavan.  Some of my neighbours interfered and somehow he went away after shouting at my father for a few more minutes. 

.  I learned from the talk of my parents with my neighbours that he had abandoned his wife and son in Konni, Pathanamthitta  and  was living  with a  nurse in his dispensary at Anumanthan Patti near Cumbum (Tamil Nadu)..

In Madurai and Theni districts, Tamil Nadu, even now, you may find RIMP holders and homeopaths doing allopathic treatment. 

Madhavan ammavan was one among them.  My father and many of my cousins also belonged to that category.  One fine morning, an aunty and her seventeen years old son had come to my house.  Only then I  came to know that they were Madhavan ammavan’s wife and son.  My father helped them to find the whereabouts of Madhavan ammavan.  That must be the reason behind Madhavan ammavan’s shouting at my father.  Though the Aunt and son stayed for a few days with Madhavan ammavan, they went back to Konni.  That Aunt was also a nurse working in a hospital at Pathanamthitta.

          
Then, one day another malayalee nurse came to meet my father to complaint about Madhavan Ammavan.  I learned from their talk that Madhavan ammavan discarded her and then brought a nurse from Kerala. 

My father might have solved her problem by finding her a placement in any hospital.  Madhavan uncle used to get young nurses from Kerala.  My father used to bring majority of his nephews after schooling and gave training at his dispensary, and helped them to get RIMP certificates from the Indigenous medical Institute from Thirunelveli, Tamil Nadu.  They were sent to interior villages near and around Theni and Cumbum in Tamil Nadu.

          I learned from the talk of my parents with my cousins, who also had their dispensaries, that a few of my cousins were supplied nurses by Madhavan ammavan.  Later, I heard that one of my cousins had married the nurse, supplied to him by Madhavan ammavan against the wish of his parents.  Thus, Madhavan ammavan became a devil to some and an angel to some others.  There was a long gap.  We shifted to Kerala from Tamil Nadu.  Madhavan ammavan and my cousins continued to run their dispensaries in the villages near and around Theni and Cumbum.

         

               Madhavan ammavan’s son Vijayan became the sole proprietor of a Financing

Company functioning at Kochi.  When I was searching for a job after my graduation, Indhu chechi took me to meet Mr. Vijayan.  He appointed me as the Store Keeper.  Madhavan ammavan was not seen in Ernakulum.  Even then, he continued to run his dispensary in Anumanthan Patti with a nurse.  In the middle of 1986, Mr.  Vijayan gave me an assignment to go and meet his father and get the power of attorney signed by Madhavan Ammavan.  Only then, I came to know that he was also a shareholder in many of the firms that Mr. Vijayan had started.

         

I was not sure what type of treatment I would get from Madhavan ammavan.  In my memory screen, his shouting at my father years ago had been imprinted.  However, I reached Anumanthan Patti and walked towards his dispensary.  I saw a board “Amutha Clinic”, Physician, Madhavan R.I.M.P.  The door had been closed.  Therefore, I pressed the calling bell.  The door was opened.  There stood a woman of about thirty years old.  I also saw a Photo of this couple, Madhavan ammavan, and this woman, inside. Therefore, that must be Amutha.  When I told her that I was sent by Mr. Vijayan from Ernakulum, Madhavan uncle came outside.

He was in Sixties then, but was healthy.  I told him about the purpose of my visit.  I expected that he would get angry at me.  But, he behaved strangely.  He said he didn’t invest any amount.  It was Vijayan’s firm.  Therefore, he was ready to sign in the power of Attorney. .

It was actually a pleasant surprise.  Then we began talking about my family.  He enquired about my parents.  Amutha aunty came with a cup of tea.  He seemed more interested in talking about films.  Televisions were popular only in Metropolitan cities.

After having our supper, we both went to a Tamil film at a nearby touring talkies. Next day, he signed in all the papers and I left his clinic, reached Ernakulum, and handed over all the documents to his son Mr. Vijayan.

          Then, many unexpected things happened.  Mr. Vijayan’s firm collapsed.  He was arrested for swindling the funds.  He sold all the properties except a house and a small estate.  He shifted to his Rubber estate at Kottayam.  I too left Ernakulum and got a job in a bank.  Years passed.  Two months ago, when I went to Ernakulum, Indhu chechi told me about Madhavan ammavan.  Few days before his death, Madhavan uncle who was very weak had come to Indhu chechi’s house.  One Mr. Kumaresan from Anumanthan Patti had accompanied him.  Uncle might have been driven out from the clinic by Amutha.  Mr. Kumaresan, the neighbour of Madhavan uncle might be a compassionate person.  That is why he had taken the risk of leaving Madhavan uncle in safe hands.  May be, some kind people might be behind Mr. Kuamresan, to bear the expenses of taking Madhavn Uncle to his family.  Uncle preferred Indu chechi, his niece, who was poor, instead of his own son.   However, Indu chechi convinced him that his son would not neglect him at this stage.  Moreover, if he stayed with any other relatives at this old age, it would damage the name of his son. 

         Therefore, reluctantly he went to his son with Mr. Kumaresan.  It was pathetic and lamentable that his son turned his old father ruthlessly away. He might have had his own powerful reason to substantiate his stand.

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However, it was unpardonable.  It was no doubt, it was a mistake, a sin that Mr. Vijayan committed.  I could imagine the deplorable condition of Madhavan uncle and his feeling and guilt for his mistake that he had done earlier in the similar way that his son did for him during his last days.  However, he decided to go to his house where he was born. 

His nephew, who must be a kindhearted one, allowed Madhavan uncle to stay there in that house having realised the pitiable condition of him.  I could imagine the great relief that might have appeared on the face of Mr. Kumaresan. 

Anyhow, Madhavan uncle breathed his last within a few weeks.  What might be the ruminations that he had until his last breath?

What I learnt from this experience is that when we are young, we tend to commit lot of mistakes without considering other's feelings and the aftermath which have the repercussions at the end.  Life and experience teach lot of lessons in everyone's life and let us learn from our own experiences and around that we observe and spread the fragrance of love.