"Thattathin Marayathu" (Behind the Veil) ~Zenana Tales 1~

 

Picture courtesy: Google

This was back in 1995. After my Pre-degree (class 12) I skipped a year to do Entrance coaching. Entrance coaching for a whole year . Well, my logic (as explained to my mother) was, every year I study in school and I pass the final exam. This year, I will study just 3 subjects and I will pass the entrance. Easy, right?

With this theory, I joined Tandem Entrance Coaching Centre in Trivandrum. Now, what if I don't get through the entrance!! One year gone!!! No way!!

I joined in Women's college too. If it is meant to be, I will be a medical professional....If not, I will do what I love best! Ahem, there were 3 bests in my list....So according to my order of importance I opted for B.A English Literature, B.A Psychology, and B.Sc HomeScience. I got the 3rd one!! No English, no Psychology . 'Anyway, I'm going to get through the Entrance, this is just a standby that I will never need', I thought to myself as I slowly settled down in Trivandrum.

Zenana hostel was instantly home to me. Such a beautiful place. Situated on a hill top, called Fern Hill (how fancy, right?) the entire compound was covered with trees and flowers. The hostel was not a regular building that looked like a double decker London bus. Instead, it was many buildings, old and new, traditional and 'modern', single storeyed and double storeyed, all scattered around the premises. The mess hall was at the far end behind the office building, the study hall (aka auditorium) to one side and the chapel to the other.

I was initially given a double room with a very senior inmate doing her final year LLB (Bachelors in Law). Shortly after, I was given a bigger room that houses 6 people....All of us, the same age, a 4 out of the 6 doing Entrance coaching. There was only me and Krupa doing a year long coaching. The others joined for shorter courses. We were all very close and like minded....not nerds, like entrance kids would generally be considered. What we did throughout the year, the mischief, the madness, etc will follow. Right now, I'm going straight to December....our Annual celebration which also coincided with Christmas celebrations.

Krupa and I loved to sing and we were part of our church choirs, so we were in the Carol team. There were skits, dances, etc too, but we weren't part of them. Now a small group of us sat together in the study hall discussing something. Krupa and I were listening to all the planning going on. Preetha chechi was the leader. She was explaining things. I vaguely remember that it was the script for the skit that she had in her hand. She was delegating duties to people gathered there.

"Costumes, costumes??" One girl puts up her hand, so she was made in charge of arranging costumes.

"Props, props??" Another one raises her hand, and gets the job.

This went on for a bit and after she was almost done explaining and giving duties, she looked at the papers in her hands and said. "Ithu English-il ninnu Malayalathilekku tharjima cheyyanam". (This has to be translated from English to Malayalam). The word was new to me, but since I knew what everything else in the sentence meant, it made sense to me.

At this point, Veena chechi walks in. She was a very bubbly and cheerful chechi, quite chubby faced, always smiling. She was late for the meeting but Preetha chechi didn't notice as she was busy looking into the paper. She quietly sat down.

Almost immediately, Preetha chechi goes, "Tharjima, Tharjima???"

Nobody lifted their hand.

Veena chechi was so lost. I was sitting near her, she looked around, and to me she went, in a rather loud whisper "Aara Tharjima?"( Who is Tharjima?) LOL, I would have answered, but mine was a guess too. Just as I was about to open my mouth, Preetha chechi, who heard her went...."uuuhhh, Traanslaayshun!! Kure Madamamaaru (some Madams)!!!"

"Oh!! Aano", Veena chechi chuckled, "Njan vijarichu etho Muslim penkutty ayirikkum ennu!"

(Oh, is it! I thought it was some Muslim girl's name!)

......And the whole bunch burst into laughter.

And there was me, imagining.... Tharjima Abdul Khader, mmmm, not bad!!

Preetha chechi wanted to laugh too, but also didn't want to let go of her seriousness. She smiled....It was beautiful to see the otherwise serious Preetha chechi smile. Who is Preetha chechi, I will tell you later.

Right now I'm just hoping I don't get booked for sharing a 'light moment' involving the Health Minister! (Veena chechi is now the newly elected Health Minister in Kerala)

~priya~