True stories - 4Grandpa chronicles

True stories - 4Grandpa Chronicles

One of Muthassans favourite hobbies was cleaning out the "store room". The one outside the TV room, before you reach the terrace with the recliner swing. It contained Muthassans memories. His old books, his old shirts and dhotis, undamaged, just too old, but too close to his heart to be thrown away. The most important component of his store room were his old photographs and its negatives. That's the reason why he cleans it out, once in a while, so that he can see all those again, recollect a lot of memories, and that makes him very happy and content. We cousins liked to help him whenever possible, because we will surely hear a story or two and probably get our hands on a rare and treasured photograph of our parents or their cousins. Those were wonderful days.

It was one of those school vacation days where all of us where helping him around with his store re-assembly work, moving things in an out, changing things from one suitcase to the other, when this happened. A cockroach suddenly appeared and scampered towards us. My girl cousin, moved out of the way and suddenly we all hear this shrieky girly squeal, that actually jolted us more than the cockroach itself. I think even the cockroach got scared hearing the noise, that it took of and flew out of the store. Calm was restored but what amused us was the source of the shriek. It was not my female cousin, but it came from the the biggest of us all, my tall well built male cousin (who went on to become 6 foot / 100 kg), who, even after the cockroach had flown away, looked pale and sweaty. Group laughter followed and all of us cousins started to make fun of him, imitating his girly squeal and comparing it with his body size and masculinity. He was clearly becoming embarrassed. Grandpa seeing this, came to his rescue. " I guess he just proved that he's the purest Brahmin of us all.", grandpa said. 

Laughter ceased, taunting stopped, curiosity came up. "How is that??", I couldn't stop myself from asking, jealousy predominating in my voice at the compliment given to him. Grandpa smiled a deep satisfied smile and said, "Its the same reason why Karna got cursed by Lord Parasurama. You kids know that story??" One of the kid cousins offered, " Isn't it because he lied about being a Brahmin to learn archery from Parasurama??". Grandpa continued, " yes, that's the reason. But how did Parasurama find out, that Karna wasn't a Brahmin??" None of the kids knew the answer, my shriek cousin was slowly beginning to smile. I could vaguely sense where this was going. Grandpa settled himself on top of a trunk, ready for the story, the kids gathered around him, me and the 'true Brahmin' cuz standing by the door of the store. 

"One afternoon Parasurama was taking a nap on the ground, head on Karnas lap. Karna was then bit by a wasp. The bite was quite painful and the wasp was dark and scary, but Karna suffered the pain and did not move, as he did not want to awaken his Guru from his nap. The blood from the bite made his clothes wet and woke up Parasurama, who saw that  his pupil was bleeding but hadn't made any movement or noise to protect himself. Parasurama immediately knew that the boy wasn't a Brahmin, as a true Brahmin would never stay still/ silent on the sight of a wasp, let alone suffer the pain of its bite. Now you know, why I am not amused at the noise that he made, being scared of such things is inherently in our genes from time immemorial." 

Grandpa finished his story and walked away to his room, giving a small pat on my hero cousins shoulder. He looked content, gave a mini shrug as if it was everyday business being a true Brahmin, and proceeded to work, but carefully avoiding my eye. The kid cousins never made fun of him and actually gave him a little too much respect than warranted, from then on. 

I don't know what's more amusing; a giant cousin who shrieks like a baby, or a kickass grandpa who prevents his grandchildren from undue embarrassment by quoting stories from the Puranas. :-)