Achachan
We called him Achachan, the equivalent of grandpa in my native language, Malayalam. He was actually my grandpa's younger brother. I don't have clear memories of first meeting him. But I remember whenever we met him during some family gatherings; he used to be very affectionate to us. And my father was fond of him.
Achachan was the youngest child in his family. As a kid, he was very good in his studies and did his course in Survey. Later he worked as a civil engineer in Singapore. He loved books and was a voracious reader. Not sure about the authenticity of this story, but it still makes rounds in the family. When Japan invaded Singapore during the Second World War, people started leaving their houses picking whatever valuables they could carry. One day, while the bombing was going on, Achachan ran out of his house and kept running for some time. Once the sound of bombing subsided, he walked into a nearby house. He couldn't find anyone inside and suddenly fire broke out. While he was about to get out of the house, something caught his attention. He didn't think much and picked all the volumes of Britannica Encyclopedia which was the only thing he found worth saving and ran out of the house. He loved reading books and had an excellent memory. He once told me the story of Dr. Johnson being summoned to the court for assaulting a man. To the judge's question what happened that day, Dr. Johnson replied "While I was perambulating in the nocturnal hours of the previous day through the combined latitudes and longitudes, I spied a rustic, whom I interrogated and with the rotary motion of the cudgel in my hand, I made his perpendicularity into horizontality" It is said that Dr. Johnson was acquitted after he made this statement as the judge wanted to save himself from the embarrassment of asking Dr. Johnson what actually the sentence meant.
Achachan was interested in palmistry and had mastered the subject. He could quote the Chiromancy written by Cheiro, verbatim. He was so popular in Mumbai that some of the celebrities from Bollywood had invited him to their houses to get their future predicted. But later in his life, he wasn't keen on this subject and used to discourage people who came to him to know their future. After reading my sister’s palm, he predicted that my sister would live abroad and will become rich. The first part of this prediction has come true and my sister is waiting for the latter to happen soon.
Achachan came out with a unique solution for every problem. During his younger days, he used to work in a steel plant in North India. He had to work in shifts and early morning shifts were always a problem to him. He always used to be late for his shifts. Finally, he found a solution to this. He started getting ready by finishing his shave and got into his uniform at night itself, before going to bed. So when his driver honks in the morning, he just put on his boots and hat and walked into the car.
His personal life also had its share of uniqueness. He was married 6 times. His first wife walked out within a few years of their marriage. He later married another lady while he was working in North India. That relationship also didn't last long. He accused her of having an extra-marital affairs. The truth was since the house didn't have an attached bathroom, she had to get up and go out of the room at night. Achachan who was paranoid thought she was going out to meet her paramour who is waiting outside. That lady had 5 brothers who were the local rowdies. Once they came to know about their sister's plight, they threatened their brother-in-law of dire consequences and he had to flee the place. The details of the remaining alliances are unknown to anyone in the family. I once asked Achachan about that and he simply dismissed them as gossips framed by his enemies to tarnish his reputation.
In my family, nobody tells the actual age when asked. The same was true with Achachan too. When somebody asked him his age, he used to digress from the topic. If the person still insisted, he would give some figure which was always 10-15 years less than his actual age. He was very particular in maintaining his health and appearance. Even in his nineties, he wasn't bald. He liked to keep his hair a bit long. I used to keep my hair short and noticing this he suggested me to sport long hair as girls are interested in guys with long hair. Considering the fact that the advice came from a man who supposedly had 6 successful affairs, I think I should give serious thought to his suggestion. He always dyed his hair black. While experimenting with various dyes, he once developed a reaction with a particular brand. After that, he started using his own home-made dye. The dyeing sessions usually ended up in painting sessions. He was never careful about the nicely painted walls around him. So once his hair-dyeing was over, the walls also got their share of the dye and looked like Michelangelo murals. He was a morning person and started his day with his ritualistic shave. One must be wondering whether he didn't brush his teeth. Yes, he daily washed his dentures thoroughly. He sported a Hitler mustache. His mustache was also a reflection of his political leaning. He preferred a disciplined autocracy to a chaotic democracy. Once I had to prepare an essay on the topic "Political situation in India". He helped me write a wonderful essay on the subject, which I still remember had very interesting thoughts on the democracy of India and ways to improve it.
After his bath, he used to read the newspaper thoroughly and discussed some news of interest with all of us. He was particular about his food and consciously avoided food rich in carbohydrates like rice. He gave the reason that starch would ruin his six-packs. Jokes apart, he always had a lean and fit body. He liked his tea in a large cup and enjoyed drinking it piping hot. After his morning tea, he takes a bowl of cereals. Then he gets ready for his morning walk. He wears cotton pants and a T-shirt and carried his shoulder bag while going for the walk. The walk usually ends in his favorite hotel, from where he has his staple diet - paratha and beef fry. Then he visits my dad's house and spends some time with my aunts. After his lunch from there, he walks to the town. He used to come back home before sunset. Once reaching home, he changes his clothes and shares the day's experiences with us. He used to take one or two chapattis and some vegetables for dinner and start his elaborate preparation for the sleep. He first wears his balaclava helmet. Then he would wrap the woolen muffler around his neck and then pop a pill of dry grapes which he believed is good for digestion. He then wraps himself in a thick woolen blanket and goes to sleep. Even in the hottest summer nights, he didn't sleep under the fan.
He was a very candid person. My grandpa had borrowed some money from Achachan and couldn't repay it on time. Achachan sent a letter to my grandpa. The content roughly translates like this "I had been to your office last week and your clerk had no clue where you were. I need my money back. The revolution arising from poverty will be strong enough to tarnish your reputation. I would consider life in prison heavenly if need there be." I can’t imagine what my grandpa had felt after reading this. My father still has this letter with him and whenever we happen to go through this, nobody could help to burst into laughter. Achachan was a very generous person. My father still remembers going to the post office to collect a big radio sent by Achachan from Singapore to my grandpa’s family. That Murphy radio was the first radio in the whole town and remained to be the only one for a very long time. During the later years of his life, he faced some financial difficulties. He never bothered to save when he was earning. While he was in Singapore, he used to send money generously to his nephews. But when he was in need, none of them bothered to help him. In his last years, he expressed his wish to stay with my family for some time. Since we live in the quarters, we didn't have an extra bedroom for him. But my parents gave their bedroom to him, which has a bathroom attached. He was quite happy with the stay. But it was difficult for all of us to adjust for a long time because of the lack of space. So one day my father hesitantly told Achachan about this and he promptly made arrangements to shift back to his old place. My father still repents his decision to discussing that to Achachan. But he was to some extent helpless in that situation.
Most of his relatives were intolerant in accommodating Achachan. They couldn't bear the thoughts of Achachan painting their walls with his custom-made dye, his request for a large cup of tea, or a cereal breakfast. While he was staying with a relative, they arranged a room for him which didn't have a bathroom attached. The head of the family was offering his prayers to the Sun God and later that day he told his wife that finally Sun God had answered his prayer and blessed him by creating a geyser from the ether. Achachan wanted to go to the bathroom, but was feeling weak to walk. So he just pissed out of the window and the person was standing below offering his prayers.
Achachan loved life and always kept his inquisitiveness alive. Even though people disliked his maverick ways, he never could hate anyone. I always cherish those days he stayed with us sharing some of his wonderful experiences and insights into life. Beneath the eccentricities, he was a genuine human being and for that reason, he lives forever in my heart.
Achachan was the youngest child in his family. As a kid, he was very good in his studies and did his course in Survey. Later he worked as a civil engineer in Singapore. He loved books and was a voracious reader. Not sure about the authenticity of this story, but it still makes rounds in the family. When Japan invaded Singapore during the Second World War, people started leaving their houses picking whatever valuables they could carry. One day, while the bombing was going on, Achachan ran out of his house and kept running for some time. Once the sound of bombing subsided, he walked into a nearby house. He couldn't find anyone inside and suddenly fire broke out. While he was about to get out of the house, something caught his attention. He didn't think much and picked all the volumes of Britannica Encyclopedia which was the only thing he found worth saving and ran out of the house. He loved reading books and had an excellent memory. He once told me the story of Dr. Johnson being summoned to the court for assaulting a man. To the judge's question what happened that day, Dr. Johnson replied "While I was perambulating in the nocturnal hours of the previous day through the combined latitudes and longitudes, I spied a rustic, whom I interrogated and with the rotary motion of the cudgel in my hand, I made his perpendicularity into horizontality" It is said that Dr. Johnson was acquitted after he made this statement as the judge wanted to save himself from the embarrassment of asking Dr. Johnson what actually the sentence meant.
Achachan was interested in palmistry and had mastered the subject. He could quote the Chiromancy written by Cheiro, verbatim. He was so popular in Mumbai that some of the celebrities from Bollywood had invited him to their houses to get their future predicted. But later in his life, he wasn't keen on this subject and used to discourage people who came to him to know their future. After reading my sister’s palm, he predicted that my sister would live abroad and will become rich. The first part of this prediction has come true and my sister is waiting for the latter to happen soon.
Achachan came out with a unique solution for every problem. During his younger days, he used to work in a steel plant in North India. He had to work in shifts and early morning shifts were always a problem to him. He always used to be late for his shifts. Finally, he found a solution to this. He started getting ready by finishing his shave and got into his uniform at night itself, before going to bed. So when his driver honks in the morning, he just put on his boots and hat and walked into the car.
His personal life also had its share of uniqueness. He was married 6 times. His first wife walked out within a few years of their marriage. He later married another lady while he was working in North India. That relationship also didn't last long. He accused her of having an extra-marital affairs. The truth was since the house didn't have an attached bathroom, she had to get up and go out of the room at night. Achachan who was paranoid thought she was going out to meet her paramour who is waiting outside. That lady had 5 brothers who were the local rowdies. Once they came to know about their sister's plight, they threatened their brother-in-law of dire consequences and he had to flee the place. The details of the remaining alliances are unknown to anyone in the family. I once asked Achachan about that and he simply dismissed them as gossips framed by his enemies to tarnish his reputation.
In my family, nobody tells the actual age when asked. The same was true with Achachan too. When somebody asked him his age, he used to digress from the topic. If the person still insisted, he would give some figure which was always 10-15 years less than his actual age. He was very particular in maintaining his health and appearance. Even in his nineties, he wasn't bald. He liked to keep his hair a bit long. I used to keep my hair short and noticing this he suggested me to sport long hair as girls are interested in guys with long hair. Considering the fact that the advice came from a man who supposedly had 6 successful affairs, I think I should give serious thought to his suggestion. He always dyed his hair black. While experimenting with various dyes, he once developed a reaction with a particular brand. After that, he started using his own home-made dye. The dyeing sessions usually ended up in painting sessions. He was never careful about the nicely painted walls around him. So once his hair-dyeing was over, the walls also got their share of the dye and looked like Michelangelo murals. He was a morning person and started his day with his ritualistic shave. One must be wondering whether he didn't brush his teeth. Yes, he daily washed his dentures thoroughly. He sported a Hitler mustache. His mustache was also a reflection of his political leaning. He preferred a disciplined autocracy to a chaotic democracy. Once I had to prepare an essay on the topic "Political situation in India". He helped me write a wonderful essay on the subject, which I still remember had very interesting thoughts on the democracy of India and ways to improve it.
After his bath, he used to read the newspaper thoroughly and discussed some news of interest with all of us. He was particular about his food and consciously avoided food rich in carbohydrates like rice. He gave the reason that starch would ruin his six-packs. Jokes apart, he always had a lean and fit body. He liked his tea in a large cup and enjoyed drinking it piping hot. After his morning tea, he takes a bowl of cereals. Then he gets ready for his morning walk. He wears cotton pants and a T-shirt and carried his shoulder bag while going for the walk. The walk usually ends in his favorite hotel, from where he has his staple diet - paratha and beef fry. Then he visits my dad's house and spends some time with my aunts. After his lunch from there, he walks to the town. He used to come back home before sunset. Once reaching home, he changes his clothes and shares the day's experiences with us. He used to take one or two chapattis and some vegetables for dinner and start his elaborate preparation for the sleep. He first wears his balaclava helmet. Then he would wrap the woolen muffler around his neck and then pop a pill of dry grapes which he believed is good for digestion. He then wraps himself in a thick woolen blanket and goes to sleep. Even in the hottest summer nights, he didn't sleep under the fan.
He was a very candid person. My grandpa had borrowed some money from Achachan and couldn't repay it on time. Achachan sent a letter to my grandpa. The content roughly translates like this "I had been to your office last week and your clerk had no clue where you were. I need my money back. The revolution arising from poverty will be strong enough to tarnish your reputation. I would consider life in prison heavenly if need there be." I can’t imagine what my grandpa had felt after reading this. My father still has this letter with him and whenever we happen to go through this, nobody could help to burst into laughter. Achachan was a very generous person. My father still remembers going to the post office to collect a big radio sent by Achachan from Singapore to my grandpa’s family. That Murphy radio was the first radio in the whole town and remained to be the only one for a very long time. During the later years of his life, he faced some financial difficulties. He never bothered to save when he was earning. While he was in Singapore, he used to send money generously to his nephews. But when he was in need, none of them bothered to help him. In his last years, he expressed his wish to stay with my family for some time. Since we live in the quarters, we didn't have an extra bedroom for him. But my parents gave their bedroom to him, which has a bathroom attached. He was quite happy with the stay. But it was difficult for all of us to adjust for a long time because of the lack of space. So one day my father hesitantly told Achachan about this and he promptly made arrangements to shift back to his old place. My father still repents his decision to discussing that to Achachan. But he was to some extent helpless in that situation.
Most of his relatives were intolerant in accommodating Achachan. They couldn't bear the thoughts of Achachan painting their walls with his custom-made dye, his request for a large cup of tea, or a cereal breakfast. While he was staying with a relative, they arranged a room for him which didn't have a bathroom attached. The head of the family was offering his prayers to the Sun God and later that day he told his wife that finally Sun God had answered his prayer and blessed him by creating a geyser from the ether. Achachan wanted to go to the bathroom, but was feeling weak to walk. So he just pissed out of the window and the person was standing below offering his prayers.
Achachan loved life and always kept his inquisitiveness alive. Even though people disliked his maverick ways, he never could hate anyone. I always cherish those days he stayed with us sharing some of his wonderful experiences and insights into life. Beneath the eccentricities, he was a genuine human being and for that reason, he lives forever in my heart.
Comments
that was a wonderful piece about our kochachachan.....i still rememeber that Dr. Johnson story he told us...
During my degree course, one of our english Professors tried to quote that during a session about Dr. Johnson. But even he couldn't get all those complex words. I had a good mind to tell the whole story and also about kochachachan for rendering that knowledge. But I was shy that time, being it was my first year and still around new faces.
do you still remember the time when we went to see him after after my marriage?? He was covering his mouth with a towel & avoid talking to us 'cos he couldn't find his denture!!!