CLEOPATRA AND MARK ANTONY Dear friends,
I just switched on the TVyesterday night 10.30 PM. A politics based serial “chakkara bharani”was getting closed in soorya TV Channel. There is a lady police officer by nameCleopatra in the serial. The SI of police was explaining of who was Cleopatra and herinitial relationship with Juliuscaser and later with Mark Antony. The innocent constable asked theSI why he was not knowing those things.The SI answered it is because of that only he remains asconstable and he holds the SI post!! It is a satire politics basedserial. I was really astonished to havesuch HISTORIC INFORMATION IN A SOAP. Really great and this made me to titlethis posting as Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Let me further proceed with somehistoric and famous peoples and a few persons very much impressed me in thisposting. Sincerely, Gopala Krishnan 28-10-2011. Re posted on 3-4-2021 afterediting and updating. Most of the serials in Malayalam now cannot be calledsimply soap. A lot of historical, current, mythological information, sayings,proverbs and many more information arethere in the serials. 1. Ithihya mala fame Kootarathil Sankunni. Kottarathil Sankunni Variar andhis Ithihya mala in volumes was an attraction to me in my boyhood times. I amnot sure how many times I have read them, though many I cannot recollect now.In each volume the last chapter was about an elephant. Now when I see E4elephant serial really, I am put to think of such writings of Sankunni variarwhich brought vivid picture of those elephants. The petty quarrels ofAmbalappuzha Lord Krishna and Guruvayurappan installed there when Guruvayurtemple was closed during Tippu’s attack was read by me in the book. The Ettumanoor valiya vilakkustory I read in them. Chootanikkara Deviand Mithran Nampoothri and Ittrusu variasar episodes I read in Ithihya mala. The kadamattathu kathannar storytoo I have read in them as well as legends of Tirunakkara and Vaikkam templesto quote a few coming to my recollection. Once I read the avatharika, Iunderstood, he belonged to Kottayam area and was related to my home Pandalam, Thekkae variam who are still havingkazhakam in Kaipuzha temple. Kottarathi sankunni had no children, though hemarried two times. Update- I am having Eithhyamala all the volumes in smalltypo in a single book is with me purchased and complimented to me by arelative. It requires, not spectacles, but magnifying glass to read it. Butyoungsters may read with glass/without glass. 2. Rama Ayyan dalava. Rama Ayyan who was Dalava of KingMarthanda Varma is in my memory andalways two incidents related to him. One is the origin of Aviyal. It was during the period of a murajapam. For feast vegetables were beingcut to the sizes required and there was huge quantity of vegetable bits Lyingin baskets when Ramayyan Dalava went forinspection. He directed the cooks using all such vegetable to prepare a dishand that dish is today’s most popular dish during feasts. Yes- It is AVIYAL. The other is with respect to his timely action. Onceking Marthandavarma was taking his palkanji in the night in the light ofNilavilakku. Ramayyan dalava was waiting in the next room. Suddenly the lightstarted going dim. Waiting for no time Ramayyan dalava entered the hall,removed his ring from the finger, set right the wick without going off. Theking got very much pleased with Dalava and rewarded for his timely action. My father Rama Iyer was oftencalled as Rama ayyan by the local palace people. So whenever I think ofRamayyan dalava, immediately the picture of my father too comes to me. Update- Trivandrum city had the powersupply at time usingdiesel generator- I have read else where. Later when EB supply produced andextended to my home, other than single phase, we could not see three phase.Bulbs used to be very dim in the evening and glow with brightness after about 8PM. 3. Chanakyan I studied about the minister cumadviser Chanakyan of Chandra Guptha Mourya in my middle school, high school aswell pre degree History classes. On those days other than his capacity nothingmore was thought by me. Very late I could read hisChanakya Neethi. Though not much is known, the current concept with me is hewas a chozhia sub caste of iyer. What made me to wonder is how such a personfrom southern side could be on Northenpart of India on those days. I have read the chanakya neethitranslation in English. The neethi which attracted me very much- Do not be very truthful. Straight treesare cut first. 4. Pandalam Kerala varma The library at Pandalam , my home is in the memory of Kerala varma who hasauthored many books. If the library would not have been there this much ofreading would never have been possible to me. The picture of the Royal memberis coming to my remembrance displayed in the library Hall now. 5. Muttatthu Varki and K Surendran It was a haram for me to readnovels in my college and high school days. When new books are to be purchasedwhile grant was given to local library, the librarian used to give a few of us the lists , to select books to be purchased. We had topurchase books in different topics in Malayalam. So in the novel field our firstpriorities were to the books of Muttatthu varki and K Surendran. Novels ofThakazhi, Vaikkam Muhamed basher, MT Vasudevan nayar were all given priority. Mariakkutti of Muttathu varki isread by me more than Chemmeen or kayar or Enippadikal or Murappennu or such books from the other authors. The novels, Maya, kattu kuranguand Thalam of K Surendran have been readmany more times by me. I think still Maya and Thalam are in my book shelf. Update- Marthandavarma of CV RamanPillai, and Indulekha of Chandu menon should have been first in the list. 6. Lecturer Kunju sankara pillai There was a lecturer by name asabove in Pandalam NSS College during 1960-70’s. He belonged to Kottarakkara and was staying along withothers in the 3rd house from my home taking it for rent. When Ijoined the college he was my Malayalam lecturer also. He was personified forhis simplicity and move- ment with students. While going and returning at least15-20 students would be with him whilewalking. He was head of social service activity andinvolved all of us to it during our college days. He was the person promoted mywriting aptitude. In college magazines, he used to ask us to write two or threearticles and used to select the best for publishing. He was known to all people of myarea and was a “Janasammathan.” During temple festivals in and around Pandalam he was an invitee for talk onreligion and matters. It was called matha prasangam. He used todonate the amount with a smile to the temple itself paid to him on suchoccasions. People used to wonder, hisvast knowledge. He was so simple he used to wear SINGLE DHOTHI WITH SHIRT andcome to the college. 7. Director Variar and Lecturer RS Iyer There was a Director Variar fromAlleppy Joined at Trivandrum training centre where I was a senior lecturerin 1992’s. He was very much impressive to every staff there and he had a few inassistance in the training centre activities. I was one in the selection withhim. He used to move very closely and ask our suggestions or views which heused to appreciate as creative and accept. Once he ordered me for a training course in Delhi for three months. I was on leave for somepurpose to native and on reaching hetold with a smile his decision- “I have that much freedom I think to do so,without asking you since I felt you are the first person to be sent for it”.That was variar sar. (Honourable Mr variar) During holidays he would go toAlleppy temple and take kol vilakku forsreebali- He used to say- Athallaejangaluate kulatthozhil. (Temple work is our family tradition). He neverused to call us by name- he will use words like- pinnae, vannittu, Ingottu nokkiayae etc. He was the muchhonoured director and later retired as GM from Alleppy. This posting will not be complete– If I do not mention Mr R S Iyer. He is a man from Tirunelveli and settled nowin Kerala. He is an AMIE. He is elder tome by 4 years or so. What astonished me much was with many afterfinishing his astrology talks straight away he used to go to the classes withouteven reference and start the classes and teach all technicalmatters . He was having wide technical knowledge and good remembrance . Astrology came like flowing water to him.For him once a while seeing books wouldhave been sufficient probably rather than preparations. He appeared such a simple man inappearance and way of living. He is avolunteer of Matha Amritanda mayi now after retirement . Once my brother met him while hewas in Pathanam thitta as Divisional engineer. I was along with returning our Sabari malai trip viaPathanamthitta. After meeting him my late brother told me- He is a siddha. Update- I started with tele serial. I was just seeing theserial Pookkalamvaravayi in Zee Malayalam.There was on occasion Poornam Poornamada reciting. -- 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/1378890457.2550613.1617465545622%40mail.yahoo.com.
