Gold Chain

 After joining the Cochin University in 1982 as a research scholar in the Department of Applied Economics my beloved father expired.Since he had many dreams and aspirations about me it took time to console myself.My research activities continued and towards the middle of 1983 field data collection started and in February 1984 it was completed.After completing the data collection I was in a fix.Although lot of information were collected I did not know how to proceed.Practically I was like a monkey holding full coconut. Incidentally some of my colleagues made adverse comments about my competency in doing research. These adverse comments along with my own inferior feeling haunted me like anything finally made me depressive.                Fortunately in the Department both Head and Guide were very much encouraging.Despite the conducive atmosphere in the Department my own lack of confidence persisted. Luckily that time two of my fellow researcher...

I was born in a traditional farmer's joint family six decades ago.Our village was surrounded by paddy fields coconut and arecanut plàntations along with lots of mango and jackfruit trees.The system existed was that except small children all family members had to work.They had to work along with other workers domestic helps and house maids.When I grew up my job was largely taking care of cows bathing them, irrigating the plàntations and during harvest arranging the hay.        Among the workers there was a very hardworking house maid named Lakshmi. After a while her lone mother expired and she became an orphan. My parents brought her to our house and she stayed there the rest of her life . We called her Lakshmi aunty.Lakshmi aunty was very affectionate and friendly with all people.During harvest she used to distribute butter milk to all.Her favourite food was coconut grinded porridge and she used to chew betel leaves as well.One speciality I noticed in her was her inn...