My Pre-school/LKG Life

At the age of 4 or 5, I was send to the LKG school near to my home.I was not an exceptional case as I too hated to go to school as every children of that age do.The tricks I performed to avoid school were simple.
Every afternoon I go home to take my lunch.I would take 30 minutes to an hour instead of the usual 10 minutes.On the way, I drench myself (with my dress on) in the stream that runs through our farmland.I would spend the next 30 minutes playing in that crystal clear waters,trying to catch fishes and other creatures.(Other than snakes!)And when I reach home fully wet,it would be too late to dress up and pack me back to school.Then I am excused for that day by my dad and mom.And when they plan some preventive measures for tomorrow,I will be thinking of another trick for tomorrow...

UKG to 3rd Class

In 1989 or 1990,I was admitted to the UKG classes in SAPS Anakkal.My parents, tired of my LKG adventures and hoping to get me some good education,chose this CBSE school.
Till class 2, I was send to school by the school bus;an old Standard van,the same model shown in the picture.
I hated going to school upto class 4.
Some mornings,I would suddenly disappear from home and re-appears in our dense rubber plantation.There I climb up and hides in a tree.atop the tree,I can see what is going on around my house and if Papa is coming searching for me.I may stay there hiding for hours,till my father goes out to the city.
It was in 4th class that I began liking my school a little bit.That was when I had some good friends and when we were allowed to play football during PT classes.

SAPS website
SAPS Orkut Community

2 Years in 4th Class!

First Year In 4th Class

By the time I was in 4th class, I and a few friends were a gang of our own.We were the worst boys,of the LP section.Our major pass time was throwing dusters,waste paper balls,chalks and flying paper rockets to the next class.This `game` lasts for the whole lunch break and many times, ended in fight.If the bell rang soon and we had no time to fight, we challenge their class to come to the school ground,after the classes, for a fight.
One day the Principal checked every one in the class and caught me for having a large amount of money in my possession: nothing more than Rs.40 !!!It was considered inappropriate for a 10 year old boy of class 4 to bring that much money to school at that times.
Our heroism continued even out of our school campus.We always waylay or intercept the buses that do not stop at our bus stop.The buses are already overcrowded and none of our gang wanted to board it.We did it to `show off ` our `courage` and `heroism`.Teachers stand as mute spectators and they too boarded these buses with our `help`.
All these heroism and adventures brought our names in the Principal`s ``Hit-List``.All other KDs or villians of the school come from High School classes.
And that year,I and another friend in our gang failed to pass to the 5th class...

Second Year in 4th Class

The Principal and teachers split our gang into various classes,with me and a friend of our gang still in 4th class.But that year too I had a gang of friends.Two of these friends are still my friends.(Rahul and Shaheen.)In second year too we had fights with other classes.The notable one was with a boy from next class,who is almost double in my size and weight.They always called me some nicknames and that is how this fight started.After the fight, the he was crying and our class greeted his crying with wild cat calls.

Any way,even after all these mischieves, I passed to 5th class that year...!

5th and 6th Class

UKG-6th Class, that is from 1990 to 1996, I studied in St Antony`s Public School Anakkal,Kanjirappally.It was a great school with a great campus.During 5th and 6th classes,I,Rahul,Shaheen,Tintu Bijly,Salih Mubarak,Nazeem and Alex were a gang.We were there in every trouble and mischief.
We were always together.Teachers always caught us for our (mis)adventures.We would stand `GUARD;` out of the class for days.We gossip on movies and tell adult jokes during the time.Some times we would fight with other classes.We were the class heroes.

Every lunch break,we would play-Police and Thief..I will never forget those days....Those time we spend together has helped us stay together today too.We are all good friends still..I,Alex,Rahul and Shaheen...even if we are hundreds of miles away from each other.

I first bunked classes in 1995 in 5th class.I bunk classes and go for movies.The first Hollywood movie I watched was during this time.It was True Lies or Species, I don`t remember.I also watched my first adult movie [(A) rated] during this time.It (Two Moon Junction) was a great movie.I watched it accidently and unknowingly.Any way I admit that I really enjoyed the movie.The next day I would tell the story to my class mates.Elaborately...some times I would act out the scenes in a funny way.
My funny nature and humour sense helped me gain some popularity.While waiting in the queue after class,everybody wanted to be near me;To hear my movie tales and jokes.
It was during this time I first became attracted to a girl.Her hair was bobbed and she had hazel eyes.She was energetic and sported a Monalisa`s smile.But this love was just a one-way love affair as she never knew my interest in her.I did not get a chance to develop this love affair as she moved out of school that year...

It was in 5th that I received my infamous name;
I M M I N I......!
A Deepak John named it.
That year(`96-`97), I failed to pass to the 7th class.But the school authorities gave an option,that if you opt to leave the school,you will be given a pass certificate.It was the school`s policy, promoting only the smart kids to the high school.Later, I obtained my `pass` certificate and bid adieu to SAPS Anakkal,the school which laid the foundations of my education...

7th Class Part-1 (In A Crap School)

I completed my 7th standard education in two schools.So this post is in 2 parts.

I studied the first part in a crap school.Read about the Crap School episode of my 7th class life.

During the summer vaccation (April-May of 1997) of 6th class, I made lot of friends from my village.They told me a lot about their school an

d fun they had at school.Slowly I became interested in their school, a local-crap Malayalam medium school.And in June 1997,another short episode in my school life began, at AMHSS Kalaketty.The school was just 3 kms. away from my home.It was easy and practical to cover this 3 kms. to the school on foot,as our village had only 2 service buses in 1 hour intervals.I and my local friends walked to the school everyday.These walks in morning and evenings were always fun.We played some games and had lot of fun during these walks.

I made lot of friends at the new school and everybody liked me too.I received some respect as I was from a CBSE school.

But one teacher, a nun,who showed some partiality,always nagged me.She would say,"Oh! you are from CBSE,are you comfortable with us?,We are all ordinary people.Shall we install an airconditioner in the class for you...?" I hated her and her Maths class.Gradually I began disliking the school.I also feared that if I continued studying in Malayalam medium, I may not develop my proficiency in English.And if I did not develop my English, I thought I would not be able to read

my favourite English books.(Sherlock Homes,novels...)

At this school too I bunked classes and I was not alone.There were 2-3 friends always ready to bunk classes for movies.I watched അനിയത്തിപ്രാവ് during this time.I also started watching 'Noon Shows' (Movies played for Noon Shows were usually adult (A) rated movies.) from nearby theatres.(Kanjirappally and Erattupetta)I booked the lower class tickets (Rs 5-Rs 10)at these C class theatres.

When exams are near,the teachers conducted s

pecial/extra classes,in the morning and evening,both of which I avoided.In the morning,during the extra class, I would sit on a wall in the school ground and watch people and vehicles passing by the road.In the evening I and a friend, Siju skipped the classes.The teacher (the biased nun I mentioned ealier) appointed 5-6 boys to prevent me and Siju escaping after the school hours (before the special classes).Just before the class dispersal bell, these boys would stand at all the exits and behind us to prevent us from running.But I and Siju act as if we have no interest in skipping the class today and we woul;d say them,"Because of you all preventing us from escape,today we have decided to stay...but what you doing to us is no

t right...as we are all classmates and friends yet you are all blocking our way.This is not right..." and such.And then,after a minute or so,these teacher`s fools think that we are staying and move away from us.after another minute,I and Siju signals and we grab our bags and rushes out of the class,across the ground and onto the road.The teacher and her boys are fooled again.

Despite all this mischieves and lot of friends,my uninterest towards the school increased.I talked to one of my aunt about my willingness to study in an English medium school.My parents and relatives, who wanted some discipline in me ,decided to send me to a boarding school.And in November 1997, I said salam to AMHSS and my friends, to begin my next tussle with education, in the mountains of Neeloor...

...Evolution of Immini...

A few of classmates at AMHSS and a few friends

from my former school, SAPS, studied in the same Sunday School.The SAPS friends revealed my real identity to the AMHSS friends.
On one Monday,during the lunch break, a friend who knew my real name revealed it to the whole class.The whole class began teasing me.Soon everyone in my class and the neighbouring classes began calling me IMMINIKOZHI...

7th Class Part - 2 (Neeloor)

Ullas,Vishnu,Sinoy,Sonit,Alan,.....,Don,Kapil 1997

My first visit to Neeloor was for the admission at St.Joseph's English Medium School.I arrived at the school along with my father and an aunt.the 3 hour journey by bus seemed like a bus journey through the highranges.
Neeloor was a mountainous region and the road was twisted and narrow.The bus journey itself was a great pleasure.The journey to school was like going for a picnic.
To get admission in such a school in the middle of the year was difficult.The school management doubted whether I am a dismissed student from my former school or such.
My home was some 40+ kms away from school and i stayed in the hostel.Before coming to the hostel,I thought hostel life was lots of friends and fun.I realized the 'myth.'I stayed at the hostel for just 1 month and later became a day schooler.

Sebastian,Sebin,Sonit,Sandeep,Subash,Tony and me in 1998

The journey to school by bus usually took 3-4 hours.I travelled to school by the 8 am KMS bus from my village to Pala (Chettuthode-Pala).The distance is just 23-25 kms ,but the bus took more than an hour to reach the distance.The bus passed through small villages and rubber plantations and through the abandoned paddy fields.Only two buses from KMS plied this route and it was the 'lifeline' of the villagers.I reaches Pala by 9:15 and run towards the waiting bus to Neeloor (Concord).This bus arrives Neeloor by 10,just after the school-bell.

Evolution of Immini...

During the short stay at the hostel I had two senior friends from 9th class.Diffin K Baby and Gino Gim.In the hostel study hall,I sat in between Gino and Diffin,at adesk in the front row.
During the night study,Diffin always dozed off with his head supported in hands.The bored Gino Gim shake the desk and makes the drooping Diffin's head fall from his hands.The startled and angry Diffin swears at Gino Gim.He just enjoys the prank and laughs at it.Seeing all this Tom and Jerry stuff, I often lose control and break into a loud laugh,bringing everyones attention (including the boarding rector).Then Gino and Diffin are one team and swear at me saying,"why you laughing a#@*&^!,some one close to you is dead...f%@#er...?" in Malayalam.
On one such study time,Gino asked me if I have a nick name.He agreed to tell his nick name in return.The rest is history....Within days ,every one in the hostel,then my class and the whole school began calling me IMMINI....

My High School Life...

I was experiencing the most exciting part of my life during my High School life(1998-2003).As a teenager,the life with friends was full of fun and happiness.During this time I developed lot of strong friendships.Most of my school friends are still my best friends.
Everybody in the school knew me well.I was popular and acceptable to all.Juniors and seniors liked my company.I was welcome to any class during intervals.....
Fifth class and other junior class children wrote notes and essays for me.
When I competed in the 1999-2000 School Election,my class mates elected me as the class leader.I had 23 votes and my opponent achieved 11 votes.Despite this, I was the most backward boy of the class and school.
I failed twice in 4th class in 1994 in SAPS Anakkal,Kanjirappally,in 6th class;But changed school and got pass certificate.Then in 9th class from Neeloor School in 2000 and I wrote my 10th class exams under `Private Overaged Scheme`.

From school ,I often skipped classes,Friday Holy Masses and would go for movies.I often gathered friends and we would go for trekking on nearby hills,on school days.I was a rebel for the teachers and the management.They expected me in every troubles.
Even though the teachers liked me.But I was always allowed to spend time out of the class for I created such mischievs if let inside the class.

I was very good in English.So I cleared my class mates` and even teachers` doubts.I also had very good friends from the nearby schools;juniors as low as 4th standards and seniors.They booked seats in the bus for me.
All my friends loved me a lot.That feeling of being loved was really great...something I can`t express in words.Most of them are still my friends.My best friends of that time are still my best friends.I have kept all those contacts/connections unbroken over these years.And I am re connecting all those lost contacts and connections;Thanks to www,Orkut and telephones.

My school life was great.My friends made it wonderful....

I LOVE ALL MY FRIENDS VERY MUCH............

THANK YOU FOR BEING MY FRIEND!!!!

I M M I N I in class 8

Going School Like A College Boy

In 8th class,I used to go to school like a college boy.(College boys of that era carried just one book,folded into a roll and kept in jeans pocket).I always hated carrying the school bag.There was no use of carrying my study materials to school and back to home.I devised a plan to avoid carrying the whole books to home.After the school time,I kept my books in the class itself!To be precise : In the WASTE PAPER BASKET !!!There was no better place to keep my books 'safe' in the class room till the next morning.The school peon/sweeper never cleaned the baskets and i knew nobody is going to know about my 'safe locker'.

But one day the extraordinary happened...The peon cleaned the basket and found my books in it!He gave it to my teachers.The teachers knew that the books are of no use for me but never thought I would have dumped it like this.
They called me to the Teacher's Room for a 'group interview'.After so many excuses (from me) and advises,they returned the books on some conditions.They ordered me never to leave my books in the class again.I obeyed and I left my books with my hostel friends;which I collected from them the next morning...!

My Love of Music...

This was also the time (16-17 years of age,1999-2000) I started taking the world music trends seriously.I had a small collection of English POP albums.Backstreet boys,Michael Jackson,Modern Talking etc. were my favourite bands.I exchanged my albums with other like minded friends from school.DVDs were not in the market and CDs just made their debut.An original audio CD with 10-12 songs was priced at Rs 400-500.
My school bag always had some 10-15 cassettes at a time.During class breaks,senior friends from 10th class snatches my bag and run away with my cassettes.It was very hard to get it back from those music freaks.Then I began hiding my bag inside the class room and sometimes I kept the cassettes in my friends' bags.But none of these protective measures were fruitful.They still got away with my cassettes...

Fair & Lovely

By the half of 8th class,a class mate,Jibin Mathew (from Kannur) made a discovery.A girl from our very own class is in love with me!I was in wonder and did not believed him.who is going to care for a back bencher cum class No.1enemy of teachers was what I thought first.Jibin demanded bribes (cakes and sweets) to reveal the name of the girl.he said thet the girl is always gazing at me in the classand out and that is a sign of her wanting to love me.In the next days, I found the girl and her gang following me during class breaks and after school hours.
I was very very happy that day.My joy was beyond words.I could not control my happiness and I was smiling on my way back to home.I dreamed a lot about her.Dreamed a lot about our future.In one dream we were walking together to the church ,each of us holding the hands of our kids.
I began using Fair & Lovely face creams to change my fair colour to white.(Was useless.)The whole school knew the affair.A few gossipped.Many supported.small children of 5th and 6th class asked me for a treat.Senior friends did some detective works and brought me the girl's telephone number,address and other family details.
But our relation did not progress.we exchanged very little words.And as time went by, another boy from my class got interested in her .After months we got separated by the summer holidays of 2 months.
But the next school year she showed no interest in me.she walked away from me always.Some one has torpedoed our affair.I tried a lot to appease her.I was the class leader and aften took her note books to my home and wrote notes for her ,in good handwriting.But the next day,she would have torn that page.
Later ,I found the reason for her avoiding me.Two senior students called her phone and said something abusive to her sister.She and her sister thought the voice from the phone was of mine.Her misconception has brought an end to the just begun affair...


Learning Internet

I accidently visited an internet cafe with a college going friend.There I saw lot of school children,younger than me,playing games and browsing the net skillfully.I felt proud of them.I have read lot of articles on internet from news papers and I knew what is internet.I eagerly wanted to learn it.
so one evening,I walked into an internet cafe in Pala and asked the operator to teach me internet and basics of computer.he agreed and asked me to pay the normal browsing charge of Rs.4o per hour.The first day I used the computer for about 4 hours and learnt how to open web pages and e maililg.The next day he taught me chatting,downloading,creating folders etc...
The internet connection at the cafe was the then common,slow, dial up connection.The speed was 56kbps or 128kbps then and it often got disconnected.Broadband connections were only available in big cities and it cost a premium.
I bunked classes to watch movies from the cafe.To watch movies from computer, I and my friends paid Rs.20 per hour.I also taught internet ,chatting,gaming etc...to few of my friends.
The knowledge in internet has helped me a lot later in my life...

Travelling to School

The distance between my school and home was 40-45 kilometers.I travelled this distance in the morning and evening by bus.I was the schools most distant day schooler.Yet I arrived school early and left school very late.I arrived school at 8:40 Am(some 1.30 hours before the school starts) and left school at 5 Pm (1 hour after school).
To keep up with my 'busy schedule', I wakes up at 5:15 in the morning.After brushing and toilet and a drink of warm black tea,i would ran off to the cold,fresh water streamthat flows nearby my home.Then I would come home and get dressed in my school uniform;navy blue pants and white shirt.Before setting out into the misty morning,I would have a quick break fast of 1 or 2 snacks and a tea.At 6:15 I starts to walk the 3 kilometers to Pinnakkanad.
After walking 10 minutes,I reached a junction and usually got a friend to walk the rest of the kms.He was Sanal, a painter,married and having two sons.He is limp and was on his way to his job site.
After walking another 20 minutes,there was a flower tree (flowers from October- January) near by a roadside house.Fresh flowers would be lying on the road and I picks up 8-10 of them and keeps one in my hand and the rest in my bag.I smell this flower to the main road that is still 30 minutes away.(While reaching school, the flowers in the bag are given to my friends.)
After walking another 10 minutes, I meets up with a white dog, young and playful.The dog would trot behind or beside me for the next half kilometers.May be the dog would be escorting me out of his area !
Later I met the owner of the dog...A 10 year old,4th class boy named Tom.Like the dog,Tom was also very friendly.They two walked along with me upto a house where he fetched milk for his house.he talked a lot about his school and friends.It was very nice enjoying his talk about silly,childish things.
I reaches the main road at 7:10 and at 7:20,my bus arrives.The bus was LMS (Leena Motor Service), a Limited Stop bus from Erumely to Eranakulam.I often sat at the front,adjacent to the driver,to enjoy the thrilling drive and to have a good view of the scenery.The driver shifted gears rapidly and negotiated the twists and curves with ease.As I watched his driving thrills everyday,I gradually began liking it.[Later, I loved this profession and I wanted to be a driver.(During those times,while travelling to my cousins house at Kanhanghad,I ask special permission from the driver of the Super Fast Night Service buses to admit me inside the driver cabin,to enjoy the super fast night drive.)
At about 8:10 ,LMS reaches Melukavu (a border town between Idukki and Kottayam districts, with mountains on one of its side. )From here some friends,Arunsree and party, joined me to school.We boards the Anjali bus to Pala at 8:15 AM.After 15 minutes, we are off the bus and boards another bus from a small junction.That bus, Vijayalakshmi took us 2 kms. up hill to our school.And at last at 8:40AM, I touch down in Neeloor...

Another Route to School

Some times I do not get off the bus at Melukavu.I would sit in the bus to enjoy the drive through the border districts' misty-blue mountains.
The bus would climb for about 30 minutes through the mountains.The driver's skillfull driving through the hair-pin bends was really thrilling.The bus 's stereo usually played soothing songs.(Songs from Summer In Bethlahem and Friends)There would be no sounds other than the music and the bus engine revving.View of foggy-blue mountains in the early morning sun was another exhilarating seen.When the up-hill climb is over; the bus begins the fast descent through the hair-pin bends.All these makes for a very wonderfull and thrilling ride to school.And in 10-15 minutes of descent, the bus reaches Muttom, a town close to Thodupuzha.
From Muttom, I catches the bus to Neeloor at about 8:50AM.This bus too, climbs the hill to Neeloor with its heavy load of children.This bus,PJMS reached Neeloor at 9:20 AM.

Another Route through Pala

I gets off the LMS bus at Erattupetta and boards a local bus to Pala.From Pala,at 8:05 AM,I board the Neeloor bound,'student's own' bus, Vijayalakshmi.This bus was upto Neeloor onl;y and was always empty.From Pala it always had only 10-15 passengers.Half of it are us,students.Halfway to Neeloor,the bus is packed with students except for 10-15 elders.Usually I and a friend,Chandy are the door keepers at the back door.The door keeping staff of the bus would be sitting in the back seat and smoking cigarettes, leaving the vacant post to us.Then from Kurumannu and Inchukavu,(10 minutes before Neeloor),the conductor of the bus too will be in the back seat,smoking cigarette.THe conductor's vacant post was taken by me and a senior friend,Juggy.I am tasked to collect the bus fares from the boys who boards from the next few bus stops.As I knew each and every one personally,I did my job well.Juggy's role was big;The conductor hands over the ticket book and he gave tickets to the passengers.He is also the front door keeper at the same time.
Upon reaching Neeloor,while the driver reverses the bus, he directs the driver with the bell and the conductor's whistle.
The journey to school was always like going for a picnic...

The sad part here is, our beloved Juggy is no more here....About two years before he caught malaria and has succumbed to it later.
He is only in our memories now...



Three Day Religious Retreat

A three day religious retreat was held at our school in 2008 (8th class)This retreat helped me discover one of the most beautiful places near to our school; The Noorumala (meaning 100 hill.On the first day of the retreat,a few 10th class senior students decided to bunk school.They included me in their company and we decided to spend the whole day up the hill.I was very excited, for it was my first climb to the hill.

Satellite image of Neeloor townThe next day I came heavily prepared to lead my own trek to the hills.I brought a binocular,a canera a set of playing cards and extra food.
I reached the school as usual and asked a lot of friends to skip the church.Nobody wanted to join me for the second day retreat was held at the church,not at the school hall,where it would have been more easier for us to escape.
The teachers,HM and the Boarding Rector, all knew about my first day's trek with the seniors.
After 30 minutes of canvassing,I grouped a few juniors and we were ready to go.But a teacher spotted us and send us to the church.We all sat together,near the exit.Two teachers were watching us from the entrance of the hostel.There was no escape today, we thought.Our trek is not going to happen today.I sat hopeless in the church thinking about the miserable hours of religious 'brainwashing'...
But, 'Praise The Lord', the two 'guards' at the hostel gate went back to the hostel to have breakfast.This time was too much for us,the 'little non-believers'.I asked our gang to get out of the church slowly and separately and reach the UP School nearby.
We threw our bags above the 7-8 foot iron grille of the UP School and scaled it one by one.Christy, the shortest of us (He is also one among the shortest of our school) was lifted by one of us and another held him above the tall grille.Now everybody is out of the 'danger zone'.
But still we had to avoid some one spotting us.We formed a line moved, our heads low,right below the open windows of the live class rooms of the UP School.We left the UP School compound safely and entered the rubber and cocoa plantations to circumvent our school ground.After climbing a number of boulders, we sat at a big rock for rest (or for further surveillance).We had a good view of our school and the ground from there.With the binocular, we checked the surroundings and made sure that nobody has spotted us.For all of us, these moves seemed like a commando team's movement and everyone of us was very excited.
After 40-50 minutes of climb, we reached the top.There were just huge rocks and shrubs at the top of 100 Hills.The place was silent except the sound of the wind.The view was very beautiful,with Neeloor town and our school down below.A range of mountains with springs and waterfalls by one side.
After enjoying the views,we sat down on the rocks and played cards.Then we had an early lunch,sharing each others food.We played cards for some more time and took lot of photographs.We chatted the rest of the time and a few of us slept on the rocks.
We enjoyed our full day wonderfully and packed up.We ran down the hill and reached Neeloor in 10 minutes.The retreat was not over and we waited in the bus shelter.
Later our friends informed us that the teachers knew of our escape and they are looking for us.
But they were not able to get me as I stayed home for the third day's retreat...

France `98 Football World Cup

In June-July 1998,just as the 8th class began,I was affected by a fever.This fever got me for almost a month.I lost many class days due to this fever.
It was the FRANCE `98 Football World Cup fever.like me, millions across the world was in football mania.
My favourite team was Brazil and my hero was Ronaldo.
Indian broadcast of France `98 was througha newly launched channel called Ten Sports.It was a satellite channel and it was available only through cable TV service providers.No cable service reached my village during that times.The nearest cable connected home was some 3 kilometers away from my home.Just a few of homes owned TV sets in my village.
Then Doordarshan began telecast of the finals;As live and as 'deferred live' at midnight.
There was a small reading library about a kilometer away from my home.There was an old Solidaire TV at the library.I and a few football fans gathered around the antique TV at midnight to watch the matches.I was the youngest fan and the other 3-4 guys are all elders.
It was the rainy season and I usually went to bed at 8:30 or 9 pm and,setting my watch's alarm to wake me up at 11:30 pm.at 11:30,I steps into the rainy night with an umbrella and a torch and walks towards the library.
at the library,we usually watched the second match too,leaving the club at 4 or 5 in the morning.I did not went to school for many days.
I watched the final (between France and Brazil) from my aunt's house.There I sat alone before the TV and witnessed France clinching the victory.I felt very sad and could not control the 2-3 drops of tears that made its way through my cheeks and fell as I sat still watching my team crying...
I did not sleep for the rest of the night...

The Earthquake of 1999

I experienced the very first earthquake in my life on the morning of 12th December 1999.I was 3 kms. away from home and was on the way to school.The time was a few minutes past 7 and I was having a breakfast of Dosa and Chutney from Keerthi Restaurant,Pinnakkanad.I finished my breakfast and was moving towards the wash basin.
Suddenly there was a booming sound and the restaurant trembled.It was like a huge diesel generator being started from the roof top.
One guy pushed me aside and ran out to the road.I was second to join him,leaving my school bag and umbrella inside.
Outside,the electric lines were swinging violently;Crows ,pigeons and other birds were off in the sky,flying noisly and irregularly.Dogs howled and was seen panicked.A rubber tree tapper came running towards us.He said that the tin roofed shed where he rested vibrated heavily and noisly and thus he made a run towards the street.Like him,no one as aware of what was happening...There was fear on everyones face.
On the road, vehicles passed on normally,unaware of the quake.i also noticed a school boy walking to his tuition class.He was such a nerd that he did not even noticed the tremblings that happened just beneath his feet.He did not even noticed the groups of people by the road side with feared faces.There was no destruction or damages in sight.
The fear began to alleviate and everyone began questioning each other;what is it?What's happening/happened?Some one said it was an earthquake.I and a few made another point based on the India-pakisthan war on Kargil that ended just a few months before.We asked if it was a bomb by Pakisthan?Is some place in Kerala being attacked?Is Pakisthan taking revenge for the Kargil War failure?Some people said it could be.It could be an earthquake or a bombing.Everyone wanted to hear the radio and TV news.after 10-15 minutes,my bus to school arrived on time.I boarded the bus and all my co passengers looked normal.I and a few people told about the quake to the passengers.It was then that the passengers and the bus staff came to know about the quake.By the time the bus reached Erattupetta,(15 minutes later),everybidy was discussing about the earthquake.
It was examination time at our school but everybody was talking about the quake.During examination, a few mild after shocks occured.The boom sound seemed to come from the underground.during such tremors,I too felt something like my heart being blocked and unable to talk.
later I came to knew that many schools send their students out of their classes to the ground during after shocks.The next days saw emergency evacuation drills at many schools.
I did not had a sound sleep for the next few nights.I kept the doors and windows of my room open at night.I woke up for almost every tremors at night.
another quake occured on a morning, a few days later.Telephone exchanges were jammed for a few minutes after this quake.aftershocks and mild tremors continued for the next 15-20 days.
At the same time another strange phenomenon was happening all over Kerala.
Water wells belonging to house holds began to disappear..!The wells caved in or sinked in by themselves.Sometimes this happened silently,at night or after a rain.Imagine the shock of a house wife going to fetch water from the well and finding just a mud pit in place of the well.
scientists and news papers further added to the confusion of the public.Scientists of various government agencies made different statements and baseless findings.News papers and Gov. agencies differed in stating the epi-center of the quake and the quakes effect on Richter Scale.
The people lived in fear and panic for the next few months,thanks to the Gov. agencies and news papers.