Memories of the Kuwait War ~Chapter 17~ Home, sweet home!

It was night time, when we took off from Jordan . I, and I’m sure everybody else, looked out the window to get one last glimpse of the lands we trailed through. Small shiny golden pearls that mostly outlined roads, and some others scattered randomly, smiled back at us from below, the city of Jordan had welcome the night as we were bade farewell, eagerly waiting to welcome dawn. 

We were served our meal shortly after take off. Oh, the taste of Indian food! I vaguely remember it was some rice dish, but I remember clearly that it was yummy. I ate so quickly without wasting even one grain, and tucked myself in to sleep. I was very tired. 

I woke up to the sound of men talking. The voices in my head grew louder and clearer as I walked out of my slumber into full consciousness. The sky was lighter and it was dawn already. I sat up straight and tried to spot some land from way above, but didn’t see anything. In the distance,  much later,  a faint emerald streak appeared from amidst the patchy cotton carpet beneath us. It seemed to grow in size by the minute. It was her...India, Mother India!! Other people had also seen the coastline in the distance. They were clapping, cheering loudly, and there was just so much happy noise inside the aircraft. The pretty airhostess smiled looking around at the passengers, I saw. From somewhere behind, I could hear a tune. Some really elated, emotional passenger was singing...”Jana Gana Mana adhinayake jaya he, Bharat bhagya vidatha!” Some others joined him, while some sat quietly, probably sobbing silently while looking out the window, like me.

The greenery below started getting bigger and clearer until we could see rooftops and roadways. It really excited me. We were preparing for landing. Within minutes we touched down, and people broke into prayers and thanksgiving. I saw Acha close his eyes and loudly thank God for finally bringing us back safely to India. This was Bombay airport, and the first time I was going via Bombay from Kuwait. We finished all the security procedures and came out of the customs area. There were special passes for trains for those returning from Kuwait. We just has to show the documents and the fare was waived. Thampi Pappa said he was going to the station as he wanted to reach his family as soon as he could. We parted ways there, and from the airport, Acha called to Avarachan Appachan's house . 

Avarachan Appachan was my Ammachi's younger brother, and they were settled in Bombay. Within about an hour, Daisy Ammachi (Avarachan Appachan’s wife, Acha's Ammayi) came to the airport. She was overjoyed, and relieved to see us. She ran to Acha and hugged him tight. “Kulichittu 3 divasamayi, Ammayi....” (It’s been three days since I had a shower, Aunty), he said as he reluctantly put his arms around her too. “Nee poda! Ningale ellareyum thirichu kittiyallo, athu thanne valya karyam”, (Keep quiet, We got you back safe and sound, that’s more than anything!) she responded. She hugged us all, so lovingly, and said, “Lets go home.” 

It was a happy reunion at Avarachan Appachan's house in Malad. They had a huge bangalow, and by the time we reached, the house help had kept a room ready and replaced all the toiletries. Acha called one of his sisters who had a landline those days and conveyed the message that we had reached safely. We showered, and was served hot food. We stayed in Bombay for the night, only because Acha couldn’t say no to his Ammayi. He just wanted to go home to Mavelikara. 

The next morning after breakfast, we prepared to leave. Appachan and Ammachi dropped us off at the railway station. Now it was another 2 days until we could finally get down home, our real home. We had food packets nicely packed from Bombay to have on the way. “Train food is not good, so be careful”, said Daisy Ammachi, as she handed Amma a bag full of food. 

The long and rattling train soon left Bombay behind, forcefully cutting through the southern wind, whistling away and gently swaying over the tracks as she moved hastily on, into and through Karnataka. I was excited to see the different places and stations as we ticked them off one by one. The seats weren’t comfortable, but that didn’t seem to bother us much as we entered Kerala. “Soon we will be home!! I can’t wait”, I told my brother. “I’m tired, I also want to reach Mavelikara soon”, he said. We were all tired. We had left home sometime in September and it was now October.

It seemed like forever, every other station was there along that track, but where was Mavelikara??!! We saw Kottayam, Changanacherry, Thiruvalla.....”Oh my!! We are close”, I realized. I knew, because Thiruvalla was a familiar place. Thampi Pappa’s place. My brother and I kept our eyes glued for the next station. We were sure it was Mavelikara. “Look, the next station.....Oh, Chengannur!,  Maybe Mavelikara is next”, I assured my visibly pissed off brother. “Yes it is!”, Acha confirmed. Soon we were pulling out our luggage from under the seats and moving towards the door. 

The long byroad leading to the family home, right after the bridge over the beautiful Achenkovil river, the small and big houses along the way, the sound of hens clucking and cows mooing, the smell of fresh cowdung, chants from the temple nearby, the elephant with coconut palm leaves held tightly in his trunk and extending across his face ( a regular sight) and children running after him to ask the keeper for his tail hair, the wire fencing covered with the creeper that had heart shaped leaves and pink flowers, the huge jasmine shrub right inside, the massive sweet mango tree on one side, and the long winding veranda running all around the front portion of the gracefully aged house, and my Ammachi, in her ‘chatta and mundu', coming out the door lovingly calling, “Kunje....” ( my father’s pet name is Kunju)..... Oh!! Those images flooded my mind as I virtually walked home.

8 minutes from Chengannur, the train finally slowed down. My eyes were searching for our loved ones, and a long way down the long platform, there among a sea of strangers, we saw some familiar faces, two of Acha’s sisters, their husbands, and some others from the family, under that big, beautiful, yellow board, “MAVELIKARA”.

It was done! The exodus finally found it’s end. Drowned in hugs, kisses and tears, we watched the train whistle us ‘bye-bye’ and move on ahead, as we walked our way out.....out of the war zone, out of homelessness and helplessness, out of a chapter of hardship and uncertainty, into a new chapter, a new life! 

It was good to be home!

~priya~