PAAI- PAAI (MAT) Dear friends,
One week back I was cleaning thefront of my house in the morning and I was astonished to hear the voice- “PAAI,PAAI” by a mat seller in a two wheeler coming close to the gate and slowingdown. Normally in the morning it iscustomary to hear “ELANEER, ELANEER”(Tender coconut).I do not know who is thenaturopathy expert who suggested earlymorning drinking tender coconut water will ward of ALL HEALTH PROBLEMS AND CURE ALL DISEASES (As the firstintake to stomach ). Mostly the tendercoconuts are brought down the previous day from tree and sold in three wheelcycles in the early morning before 6 AM-6.30 AM! How many people in the morning-the morning walkers, workers, homemaker ladies, and what not- even the matsellers too. Probably the only exception- myself looking at the scenario. (Notmy wife- She is in the group of waiting for the seller) It was about 5 years back. I hadto consult a nephrologist after a urinary infection treated and cured by familydoctor. The nephrologist first wrote in the prescription: The three items to beAVOIDED for a healthy kidney. 1) GRAPES 2) TENDER COCONUT 3) PLANTAINS I too was no exception to taketender coconut water often before that. Since he has written “AVOID” once awhile now also I consume them. How can Iavoid sweet poovan pazham after seeing it or allmy family members are enjoying tender coconut water and when my smallest grandsonoffer half of his tender coconut to me telling- Inthaa- thattha meethikudichhukko!!!. (Thattha- you drink BALANCE!!!) In subsequent days too I observedthe mat sellers coming in the morning like tender coconut seller. Probablymaking it a practice, customers may be waiting for the mat in the morning. What the seller means by Paai is the PULPPAI. The mat made of leangrass special to Tamilnadu growing in sides of streams. In Kerala what we got earlier (Now toorarely) were THAZHAPPAAND METHAPPA, made of thick and broad grass split, boiled slightly driedand woven of thazhampoo plant. These grasses are special to Kerala. The mainmarket for paai was/is ALLEPPY for central Kerala. There is a special pleasure in lying on thepaai as well as simply on granite flooring itself. I get nap (sleep?) For above an hour keeping the cushion of sofaas pillow and lying on granite floor enjoying the natural wind. Now the hot summereffect called KATTHIRI has gone from Chennai and temperature is bearable oraccustomed one. Today my posting is aboutPAAI. Sincerely, Gopala Krishnan 2-6-2013. Reposted on 2-1-2021 after editing and updating. R. Gopala krishnan. 1. BRAHMINS AND PULPPAI. For upanayanam, marriage etc.seating of vatu, parents, bride and bride groom are on PULPPAI. The paai shouldbe a new one for both the occasions. The unwritten law- It should be the bestquality made using very thin grass. Probably the Kerala iyers compulsorily carried forward acustom during migration from Tamilnadu. Normally the name of the bride,bride groom and date of marriage would have printing or special weaving on themat. In marriage for OONCHAL the mat isfolded in to three or four breath wise and placed over the wooden plank of oonchaland the bride and bride groom sit on it. For evening NALUNGU also the same matis spread and bride and bridegroom sit on the opposite sides. Some purchase Pulppa from shops and mostorder them from shops or firms if sufficient time is there. On ordering theprinting and required quality could be more precise. Either it is Kerala or Tamilnadu,Brahmins/Kerala Iyers want Pulppai for the functions. Kerala metthappa or Thazhappacannot be a substitute. The bride groom side has to compulsorilytake the pulppa with them while returning. It is not customary but COMPULSORY. Somethingsimilar to OUPASANA PPANAI taking to bridegroom’a home and preserving on thetop of the loft with some yellow rice inside. Sasthrikal surely advice bridegroom side - To becareful of Oupasana panai and ensure it does not break by any means and keepsafely. After the marriage for mostfunctions the new pulppai would be used including receiving and seating womenfor NAVARATHRI in the bride groom residence. 2. PAIKKADAI. Chennai central railway stationis at park town and the next stop for buses is either called PAIKKATAI OR EVENING BAZAAR.As the very name of the place indicate- we get varieties of pulppai, beddings,pillows, and pillow covers there. Anumber of shops dealing only such items. I recollect many of my friends in the lodge(during the bachelor days) were using Pulppai and some aristocrats havingKUPPAM BED AND PILLOW. For avoidingdirt and dust it was spread over a small Jamukkalam. Kuppam bed is light weightand attractive to see with small cushions of 3”x3”. If friends come, they were askedto sit on Pulppai, Spreading it by those having pulppai. One room was occupiedby at least 5-6 people, and 6-7 rooms had one or two common bath rooms. Monthlyrent lodges were available only with that much of facility on those days. 3. PATTHAMADAI PAI Later moving with closerTamilnadu friends I could understand from them certain places are famous forcertain items. I write a few for the youngsters from Kerala 1. Tirunelveli Halwa 2. MaduraiMalligai ppo iddali 3. Dindugal murukku/poottu 4.Salem mango 5. Erode Turmeric 6. Kangeyam ox 7. Sivakasi fireworks and matches8. Rajapalayam dogs 9. OOthukkuli butter 10PATTHAMADAI PAAI. I do not know how, iyer families in Trivandrum have the phone number ofmat sellers from Patthamadai. It is obtained from one mami/mama by another. On phone call the seller reports the next day and punctuallydeliver mat in time after taking order. His price may include transportation.But quality mats are delivered. 4. PANTHI PPAI. He delivers also one or twopanthippai. It was/is useful for small functions in the house like VALAIKAPPU,SEEMANTHAM etc. On those days Tiffin/ meals wastaken by people sitting on the floor over the mat. Now elders use dining tableor most youngsters on teapoy or holding in hand sitting on sofa and enjoyingthe TV. (Even kids are fed, they sit on sofa, and mothers feed in mouth fromthe plate). Mostly dining table is forthe very aged having shivering and dining chairs are stools for taking things from loft… 5. METTHAPPAI Even in Trivandrum chalai matshops, methappai is not common. Some howthazhappa is available looking almost similar to metthappa. ( Methappa hascolour border and smaller split leaves. Now a day some small one or two designstoo in the body). In my opinion he is the king among paai. After coming over to Chennai, afterhome construction, I felt why I can’t have METHAPPAI. Once when I went toTrivandrum, I placed order with a shop. After a week he delivered, I brought itkeeping on the lower birth of mine, sitting on the side. While co passengerswere sitting I kept it on top birth. Though in spite slightly got folded, Icould bring it safe. Eachmat cost 900-00 rupees in 2006. This was after all my efforts failed toget two from Kairali and Poompukar in Chennai. Recently my brother’s two sonscame for holiday. I offered the Methappa. One of them exclaimed- “Chitthappamethappa tharumennu ippo vicharicchathe ullu” (Just now I thought you will offer Metthappa) 6. THATUKKU Thatukku is a square mat of size2’x2’. Now too nampoothiries prefer themto sit and perform japam. They keep it pure. Earlier days many used to offerthatukku for sitting of guests. They were hang using a hook in the veranda. 7. THAZHAPPA He is an elder brother ofMethappa. Here the split leaves arebroader and of less quality leaves. Methappa is from leaves of special varietyof KAITHA. On those days royal women duringperiods used the Thazhappa for sleeping. Similarly delivered women also. Afterperiod the servant of the royal used to take the mat for dipping in the riverfollowing them for purification. In due course educated royal women felt delicacy when even many elder women asking EVEN ON INNOCENCE themissing of mat as conceiving... The practice got stopped. 8. KIDANNA PAA CHURTTIYILLA… It was the discipline afterwaking up the mat had to be rolled with pillow and sheet and kept on the THATTU. If by chance anymember forgot to roll the mat- It was considered in auspicious and elders usedto get angry. It would be taken only next day night for sleeping from Thattu. Now having sleep well mattress,rolling is impossible, we fold and keep the bed sheet neatly over the pillow onwaking up. 9. JOKE ON MAT ROLLING. I do recollect a joke about newmat in a recent film. If at all it is spread it rolls again on either side. Theactor is SALIM KUMAR. He wants to sleepover the mat, but it rolls back on either end to centre. He sits on one end, the other end rolls. Hesits on other end, the previous one rolls. Now he sits spreading either sidewith hand in the middle. The moment he takes the hand, the mat rolls on eitherside. Finally not able tospread, he sits over the rolled mat with a ridiculed face!!! 10. MAT SIDE Mat has two sides. The top wellfinished and smooth. The bottom rough finished having roughness due tojointing. Mats torn should not be used. Repairing mat ispractically impossible. Normallyafter one or two damages the mat is discarded. 11. METTHAYO METTHAPPAYO? On those days when the query wasasked- to guests - The answer mostly was – I desire mettappa. That was the position of royalmethappa. 11A KEDAKKAN NERATTHANO PAI ANVESHIKKUNNATHU... The person who desires somethingin the last minute after exhausting is told so. If a person HABITUATED TO SLEEPIN BED with pillow has to go to sleep during a function he has to ensure bedand pillow are there for sleep after night meals. After chitchatting and othertalks, if he searches in the last minute, all others would have taken theirshare, bed a scarce item may not be available WAITING for him… 12. METTHA PPA POYI METTHA VANNU DHUM DHUM DHUM.. Last vacation when my grandsonscame, I told the youngest, on one day night while putting to sleep METHAPPA poyi METTHA vannu dhum dhum dhum The youngster (small kid)responded …. THALAYANA poyi KUSHAN vannu dhum dhum dhum… I continued SETTI poyi SOFA vannudhum dhum dhum The younger one added for his turn with a special smile(meaning??)- COMPUTER poyi LAP TOP vannu dhum dhum dhum. Now the eldest added SERIOUSLY SMILING as if he is Einstein- NOTEBOOK poyi IPAD vannu dhum dhum dhum.. I got defeated? .. I could notget the next one to say. Somehow I said– FLOPPY poyi CD vannudhum dhum dhum. He youngest asked- What isfloppy? He has not seen it. He continued CD poyi PEN DRIVE vannu dhum dhum dhum. Now the youngest added againfalling to sleep NOKIAH poyi BLUEBERRYH vannu dhum dhum dhum. My wife alerted/ warned. Enna-Kuttikal thoongiyacchu- porum… (Children hav slept. Stop) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/110991264.1061690.1612235283326%40mail.yahoo.com.
