The Chembur Mama

                  by A.V. Raman*

If you happen to have seen a white-haired man about 70 years old in the Central Avenue area of Chembur in Mumbai between Diamond Garden and Chembur Rly. Station wearing “Veshti”, a loose-fitting T Shirt with a US institution/company monogram and a [AR1] cloth bag in hand, you have met the typical Chembur Mama.  Mostly hailing from Palakkad in Kerala, he has lived in Mumbai for well over 50 years, first in Matunga as bachelor and patron of South Indian Concerns (popularly called The Concerns). After his arranged marriage with a “young and accomplished girl well trained in household affairs”, he moved to his own flat “600 sq. One BHK” bought for Rs, 80000 with a loan of Rs 40000 from Govt of Maharashtra in a four storeyed building in the then developing Chembur
When he first arrived in Mumbai in early fifties with his Matriculation certificate and 45/120 words speed in typing/ shorthand, he was grabbed by the private companies owned by Gujaratis and some British Companies with offers of jobs in Sales or Accounts Departments as he was proficient in English and Mathematics. The modest salary was wisely spent and saved. He recollects those sunny days, “Eight annas got you a breakfast of 2 idlis, one vada, one dosa with unlimited sambhar and fresh coconut chutney and a steaming cup of coffee in Rama Nayak's while a book of monthly meals coupons was just Rs 22. Transport to and fro offices in South Mumbai were in the Local suburban trains costing as little as 2 annas”.  He and his wife, now called Mami, limited the number of offsprings to two or three.

Now the children have grown: the elder son is CA, married and has moved over to his own flat in the adjoining Ghatkopar/Deonar, the only daughter is married and lives in USA with her husband. The younger son is an IIT/IIM product and works as a professor in a US University. Though the elder son asked the parents to move to his abode, Mami privately told Mama that the offer is not without strings as she would be made to baby-sit their grandson. She wanted to be the queen of all she surveys which would not be possible living with daughter-in-law. Mama never having said NO to the boss all through his married and working life meekly agreed.

Mama like most of his contemporaries is a simple man with clean habits. Long ago soon after his first job he was tempted to smoke once, choked and resolved never to smoke again. Drinking was considered a sin and even as a marketing man he entertained the clients but he sipped only soda. He regularly performs Sandyavandanam and after retirement has joined the Veda Classes to learn to recite the Rudram, the Chamakam and the Suktams. He visits the Sri Ramar Koil every as it gives him the needed daily walk of about a mile or two which he says is good for “body and soul”.

 

In spite of his long living in Mumbai he has not learnt to speak Marathi but feels none the worse as he is well understood by the Chembur vegetable shopkeepers, grocers, general merchants and jewellers with whom he interacts Tamil spoken in a Malayalam intonation and accent. Even his asking for “kai vaccha banian” (banian with sleeves) is understood by the shopkeepers.
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He is member of the famous The Fine Arts Society and attends, with Chembur Mami in consort, all its music programmes, dramas and dance recitals and  the pair making  the average age of the audience at  something 55+.  The Mami is a few years younger than the Mama; her ubiquitous presence in the Katcheris, in bright kanjivarams and dazzling diamond ear-tops gold jewellery would draw attention to her. She is adept in using the cell phone and the internet and is financial adviser to Mama for investments in gold (ornaments), apartments and stocks, in that order.

 

The quiet stream of their serene life occasionally gets disturbed like when their professor son in USA announced his decision to marry his co-professor, a Chinese American. After some initial jolts and consultations and clarifications with his daughter and son-in-law Mama gave his consent. As he told his wife “It is far more wise to accept a foreign mattuponnu, than losing the son for ever”. They attended the wedding and Mama is not tired of telling how the foreign mattuponnu took care of his “Amavasya tharpanam” and the night “palaharam” of fruits / tiffin) during the few days they stayed in the US after the wedding.

All said, the Chembur Mama is embodiment of peace within and without.

 

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 [AR1]