Big has its own charm!
Remember a man of abnormally big size, who used to visit us often, when we were children. His name was Madhavan Panicker but his size earned him the nickname of ‘mathan’ Panicker. Mathan is pumpkin in Malayalam! Though he was discarded merciless by his wife and children, we found him extremely happy. He used to tell us stories and one of his stories, I’m mentioning here.
‘There was a big king with a big heart and big frame. Wearing his big golden crown, he sat on his big simhasanam, which broke into pieces and the king fell down. Everyone laughed and as he was unable to get up on his own, his crown and jewels and even his golden costume were taken away by his family, before he was made to stand up. He stood up raising his crown-less head high, collected a lungi and walked out of his home, smiling. When he reached the outer gate, his wife invited him to come back. ‘Varoo, Chetta! Come back’
He laughed, removed the only possession he had on his body, a tulasimala, with golden link, threw it at his wife, saying, ‘molea, pidicho’ means, here it is, my dear’
As children, we laughed hearing his story. Now, when I turn back, my eyes become moist.
Mathan panicker lived long and I was told , died peacefully. Some one known to him buried his body, uttering ‘Shiva, Shiva’.