The Home Beside a River

Many years ago, there lived a small family near a river. The river helped all those living near it mainly for bathing and washing clothes. When rains came, or when the there was a minor earthquake in the far, far away hills which would be more than half a day’s journey by bus, the river would be in spate. The water would be muddy yellow at first and then clear water carrying a lot of things like logs of wood, utensils, good edible fish, little tortoises etc. Otherwise the river was peaceful and had a tranquilizing effect for anyone sitting on its bank.

All most all the houses on the river bank used to get a good variety of fish for lunch and dinner, during monsoon times. The local boys would cut down banana stems tie them together to make a plank and with makeshift oars used to throw nets in the river to get a good catch of fish. Small children, young ,old  as well as pets all were given a joy ride like we see in amusement parks.Everyone was generally happy.

Sometimes the river would encroach the neighboring houses almost drowning even the six foot gates. At this time children learnt swimming as the water was good and there was no fear of drowning. Ropes used to be tied across the waist and held by some elders on the land or the husk of coconut tied together would be  used as a float, or old tyre tubes would find its way .Young and old all enjoyed themselves as if in a swimming pool with clear water and no fees to be paid. There were times when the whole area flooded with roads and fields submerged under water with all people staying inside.

Krithi never knew how to swim but ensured her children learnt it either at the local swimming pool or at the river. She would dip her kids headlong into water to remove their fears till they splashed their hands and legs with gulping  some water in the process.

The days when the municipal water played truant or the motor went bad for pumping water, she would go early morning at the crack of dawn, when no one was around to take a bath and wash the clothes before leaving for office. It was very refreshing. She never ventured into the water but went till the last step of the Kuli Kadavu or bathing area. The children would also take a dip before and after school. 

They enjoyed themselves, catching the small guppy fish in the towel or the small guppy nibbling at their legs while in water.The rains ceased, the river receded, the children were waiting for the monsoons and floods once again to revive memories and enjoy themselves.