Christmas: Kerala Style

Disclaimer:


Any resemblance to real people (living or dead), places, events etc. is just coincidental. This is a work of fiction albiet inspired from real life experiences [;-)]

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Here, a modern-day-mallu is trying to explain how a Christmas Star became a symbol of religious tolerance for him.

Before the Christmas stars outside our homes go into oblivion - (means dumping them under our cots or over the almirah till next christmas) - let us take a kaleidoscopic (thanks to spell check) view of the Christmas stars that shine all around us.

Here goes the story.

Subbru's Christmas Star and religious tolerance

There exists a peacefully quite Cochin suburb to the south of the city where people co-exist in a sort of apartment township. As some real estate websites describe it, it is not really a township but a delightful countryside village. Incidentally, I have managed rented accomodation here. Air and noise pollution almost absent, it feels good to go for evening strolls here.

One evening, I was coming down the stairs with the exciting prospect of a walk, good food somewhere and bit of fresh air. On the way I bumped into my neighbours Mr. & Mrs Subbramanyam, and their eleven year old son who were standing outside their apartment. For the record, Subbramanyam is a 100 kg material and prefers to wear shirt only sparingly.

''Going home for Christmas?'' Subbramanyam asked, trying to be friendly.

''No... just going for a walk, heading home only on 24th'' I replied.

Mrs. Subbru rarely makes an attempt to be friendly. She consciously puts up an ''I'm a biggie'' kind of expression every time we cross path. However, this time she was kind enough to offer me a Sharad Pawar-like wry smile.

May be it's a Christmas effect. Or I thought so. After all, Christmas season stands for joy and peace.

Subbru juniour was busy irritating his cat with a pencil and even tried to scare me by holding it at my face. The animal looked like it was on the verge of losing it's patience. Neighbourhood diplomacy reminded me to pretend that I got scared by his antics. I did that and Subbramanyam nodded his head like the playful elephant at the Jumbo Circus. Appreciated.

About an hour later, I returned to the apartment.

Some hundred meters from destination, I could see that the apartment building had more lighting than before.

Another twenty-five meters...

???

???

The extra lighting is in front of Subbramanyam's house. They have a Christmas Star!!

Now that's Religious Harmony & Unity in Diversity sandwitched!

Such great neighbours. I wanted to appreciate this gesture by way of a smile but they were not around. Not even the cat.

After savouring the moment, I went one floor up - to third floor. At the landing between the second and third floors, it was sheer darkness. Already looking like the fire exit route of a 15th century ghost house, it is creepy to walk up the stairs in dark.

There used to be an incandescent bulb somewhere nearby the stairway. Old fashioned may be, but it was bright enough. Surely, it was there when I was going out.

Now where did it go?

Using light from the mobile, I checked to see if it fused out or something.

??

??

THERE IS NO BULB!

....

....

The bulb on my floor missing and the star on Subbramanyam's floor shining - all in a span of one hour...!!!

Yeah, I suddenly recalled that happy thought. Such nice neighbours...what great religious tolerance...and ..and ..and...

all @ the expense of my bulb though...and I had no damn clue that Subbru's family was waiting for me to go out so that they can take my bulb.

The living legend of Subbru's Christmas star (with my bulb inside) thus taught me what real religious tolerance is.

I bought a new bulb.