Autobiography of Adhyatma Ratna Kumbakonam C N Guruswami Sarma -Chapter 7- Under the greenwood tree

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
ADHYATMA RATNA KUMBAKONAM C N GURUSWAMI SARMA (1900-1968)

Chapter 7

Under the greenwood Tree *

Another daily programme in melur which thrilled me was to go for fresh water to a well called shrestadar well.  All women gathered there with bright brass pots and kudams in the evening. hey baled out water with a choir and filled the pots one after the other. Until my sister got her turn to fill up her kudam, I was demurely watching the lovely scene with the setting sun shining on faces some merry, some pulled down and some old and ugly who never seemed to enjoy this life of theirs. I had not developed any desire for anything for I never knew what I wanted and I was supremely content and my bodily needs were attended to and I had a change of scene. I was not morose but people called me moody. I was blamed for being silent and the appellation of இடிச்ச புளி (person as static as a tamarind which is pounded)  was something which adorned my name as a title.

Few months passed .One bright morning, my grand father came from the village by walk accompanied by one Sundhu who brought a delicacy in a brass tumbler sealed with a portia leaf and tied by a noose around its neck. My grandfather's presence somehow cheered me and I began to climb up his stalwart frame. He gav me three or four doses of sweet "thirattu Pal". (திரட்டுப்பால்)- the name I learnt of that delicacy- stating that I must eat a lot and become a stalwart like him. At that age he prided himself on his bodily strength humorously saying that he had got married to a doll (மரப்பாச்சி). My grandmother was fair complexioned and bore him a number of children. he brought lotus leaves and with great fiesto showed me how bubbles could be got when eating a hot meal on it. after a day's stay, he took me with him to the village (Melavalavu-Ed) the distance being covered by me riding on his shoulders (The distance between Melur and melavalavu is 8 KM-Ed) and looking at the lovely ground from a vantage position. When I was pointed out the village from a furlong apart I jumped with joy. Two lovely mountains at the back and a lake to cross on its bend before going into the street and a number of round thatched houses with black glistening pials and walls and groups of men and women making obeisance to my grandfather who had a kind word to each one of them. he proudly announced that I was "Ponnu mahan" and there was a chorus. I was relieved and every one of the women there took me in their arms, petted me , kissed me and christened me as "Ponnamma mavan" and blessed me by crackling their knuckles. My senior uncle was in the house as well as my aunt Mahalakshmi Mami. I had never seen thatched houses till then and I wondered how beautifully chic they were. There was no regular road anywhere. I was given butter, milk and some eatables by my aunt and her first born was crawling. my uncle Nagaswami Iyer was right glad to see me.   By about mid day, I had romped around each one of the thatched houses and rolled on the smooth blackened mud floor. The girls of the locality took a great fancy ot me. They were presenting me with pan pipes made of portia leaves and and an eatable made with soaked ragi and karuppati. All of them sat around me and spoke to me in a tongue and  note which I was not comprehending for a day. We then became great friends and I had the freedom of the village, going in and out of every neighbouring house. My constant companon was Sundhu's daughter Seeni ammal who said that she sailed in the same boat as she also had no mother. Why on earth all who saw me emphasised this aspect I could not guess and I ceased to tax my little brain. My aunt and the girls took me for a bath in a lake (ஊரணி )  about a mile form the house. prickly pears were growing in plenty. The fruits were viscous and very red though thorny. the girls plucked some and removed the pulp from inside dexterously and made me eat it. it was really good and I had a taste for it. in the lake (ஊரணி ) itself i saw a number of full blown lotuses and I longed to clutch at them, The  girls with their hairs smeared with that ill smelling neem oil soon sprinkled water on their heads applied a mud lotion from the banks and bathed head in water upto their necks and lo and behold the stink of the oil was gone. We waded into the water and I was given a bath right royal  with the appication of mud smeared over the body. Plenty of cool, dark and sweet water with a warming sun overhead made the bath really enjoyable. I had enjoyed nothing like that till then. Right round the tank on all the sides, there were big banyan trees with roots descending down from the branches and I was helped into one of the swings made by tying the loose ends of the hanging roots and I swung to and fro for a while. Later it became my favourite pastime in the subsequent visits to that village. I felt like one of the multitude and every one had a kind word and a smile and a present atleast a maize corn or fried ground nuts to give me.

Usually, my grand father came for a bath a bit late. He swung a big cauldron of water on his head and strode like a giant. Having finished the bath and towelled himself, he applied white vibudhi showing for miles off set from the black ebony of his forehead and chest and arms  We urchins gathered speed and ran after him.Getting home at mid day, we had a square meal which contained all kind of things from Mavadu, sundaikkai, lime and Mahali and what not. We had a plenty of unsoured curds with a dash of cream on it. I relished the thing splendidly. 

Time seemed to sail smooth in that village and under the green wood tree in front of the house my grandfather and myself often went to sleep on a coir cot.

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Editor's note; * Title has been changed by me.

The picturesque description of the idyllic village life with its rustic beauty brings to us the memories of the song so aptly written by William Shakespeare.

Under the greenwood tree

Who loves to lie with me

And tune his merry note

Unto the sweet bird's throat

Come Hither ! Come Hither! come Hither!

Here shall he see no enemy

but winter and rough weather.  . 

- Amiens song in  As you like it.

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