Wednesday, August 9, 1944: My rendezvous with Planet Earth

Wednesday, August 09, 1944

Around 0015 hours, this day in 1944, I was allowed to touch planet Earth.
 A squirrel-like tiny thing, Amma was not as happy seeing me, as several other members of the joint family who were jubilant about the arrival of a male member who had three elder sisters, eldest one already married.
Malayi Ammunni, the Village Mid-Wife consoled Amma that "size doesn't matter, health is important, though..."
My parents were given free advice by all who visited me that going by the size, survival of the baby will depend on additional feed, preferably fresh cow's milk.
Father, within days, managed to buy a milch cow and its progeny or new cows continued to be part of our family till circa early 1960's. 
In 1963, I remember, my eldest sister's husband and I wandered around in villages miles away, to buy a milch cow within our budget (around Rs100). I will always remember the sarcastic remark of one proud owner of a Highbred cow, when he knew that we were in search of a milch cow for hundred rupees. He said: "You should not have wasted time here, if you didn't have at least two "green notes""(that was how the hundred rupees note was addressed with love and respect, by villagers those days!).
M G Warrier


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