Venkichan's Ammai: A Screenplay to help appreciate the Palagattan lingo

Author's Note: Shri.N.Kameswaran is a resident of Chembur, Mumbai. A retired senior official who has had long stints with RBI and Nabard, he has taken the effort, pro-actively, to educate our blog's readers on the Palagattan language's nuances. He has chosen a creative methodology of a screenplay. Incidentally, he is the author's (AVIS') athai's (father's sister is athai) husband. This blog salutes his enthusiasm, interest and knowledge. Enjoy! Kindly appreciate that this screenplay is reflective of a real-life situation in a Palagattan context in one of the several villages in Palakkad where most Palagattans have their roots.


PS 1: The author (AVIS) has added additional emphasis and clarifications to the script as may be necessary.

PS 2: All characters in this screenplay are imaginary and any resemblance to any Palagattan living, dead or to be born, is purely uddheshichuttu alla__without intention.


ACT-I

SCENE-1

[Pichumani is sitting on the verandah, i.e., thinnai, of his house in Kalpathy village, when Venkichan (Venkateswaran), passes that way.]

Pichumani (P): Enda, Venkicha, yen pesaadakku poray, enkitta deshyama?(Why are you going without speaking to me? Angry with me?)

Venkichan (V): Illayda, nan konjam dhruthi-le irukken, athra thaan (Not at all, Am in hurry-dhruthi in Palagattan- that’s all).

P: Ennachu? (What happened?)

V: Enga ammai-ku rendu naalaa theera sugham illai (totally ill); pona budhan kizhamai oru dhahana-kkoravu-innu chonnaa (she complained of indigestion-dhahana-kkoravu in Palagattan-last Wednesday); innaikku idhaa …adhu vayar- elakkathila (bhedi-le in Tamizh, and means diahhorea) avasanichirukku (=ended). Naan edakku-edakku (=often/occasionally) ava kittey solleenduu iruppen, “sooshichu iru, vellam thelappichu kudi-innu(=take care, drink boiled water)” Ava chonnaa kettaa thaaney? (Does she ever listen?) Ippo idhaa doctor kittey odeendu irukkeyn. Kazhiyaratholam (=as far as possible) doctor kittai pondaannu vijarichen (= thought-vijarichen in Palagattan-I need not go to the doctor). Ippo koodatha kazhiyaathu-innu (=considering it inevitable) porappettein (=started, to go to the doctor...)

P: Nalla kaaryam cheydhay (= did a wise thing); Dr Vaarier-odu gulikai rendu naalakku kazhiccha ellaam sariyaakum.(=Dr.Vaarier's tablets-gulikai in Palagattan-for two days should take care of things/her) O..O..Oh, aduthaan nee Kittu-maashaathu (= Is that why, well, oh, you didn't come to the wedding in Kittu teacher's family-maash in Palagattan means teacher!) kalyaanathukku varalayaa?

V: Aamaanda; neengal ellam saddhi (=feast) enjoy pannarathey naan aathuley cheeraachaarum chutta pappadamum thinnundu irundeyn (While you guys were lapping up the wedding feast, I had to settle for jeera rasam and roasted pappadam). Saddhi eppadi irunduthu? (How was the feast?)

P: O..Oh, podi paaarithu (= the feast was grand). Kaaalan, Olan, Aviyal, Erusseri, Koottukari, Aratchu-kalakki (This one is a Palagattan speciality which is as exotic when good as it is vengeful when stale__made of nellikkai or gooseberry), Valiya pappdam, Cheriya pappadam, Varuthupperi, Charkara-itta-upperi …yellam irundhuthu

V: Appoh, keman (grand) aachu innu chollu. Thoran irukkalayaa?

P: O..Oh, marandeyne, adhukku pakaram (=instead of) idicchakka-podithuval(=curry of tender jackfruit) irundhuthu.

V: Dey, ennai ormai irukkalayedaa onakku (=you forgot me...while at the feast). Yenakku pakarchai eduthundu varappadaaadhaa?(=could you not have carried the items to me) Aamaam, dahannam aaroadadhu? (=whose cooking was it?)

P: Namma Aalikutti pattar-oadadhu (Our Aalikutty brahmin's...)

V: Aalikutty-ya? (Aalikutty who?)

P: Athuthaandaa andha Aadikkutty (Aadinarayanan)…Maaplamaaroadu (= of Malabar muslims who were called Moplahs) functions-kkum chamakka-povan; athinaale avanai appadi parihasamaa kooppadara. (Because Aadinarayanan cooked at Muslim feasts, he was nicknamed Aalikutty)

(Meanwhile, Appukuttan-another Palagattan-joins them)

Appu (A): Ennah..renduperuma solllindu (= are you both chatting idly?) irukkayel? (Here “lll” has to be pronounced as we do in the case of velllai, i.e, white)

P: Illey, ivan-oadu ammaikku ashesham (totally) thallalayaam (His mother is unable to bear it/push herself/unwell). Vayar elakkamam. Adhai patri chollindu irundaan. Pinney, nee enna maashaathu kalyanathukku varalai? (She has a stomach upset. He's was narrating about it. By the way, you didn't come to the teacher's family wedding? Why?)

A: Enakku kshananam illaidaa (I was not invited); sondhakkaaralayum asalaathilayum thaan kooppattaa innaakkum kaettein (they called only family and neighbors)… pinney (next)…. oru pakshey (even if) kooppattaalum vandhirukka sadhichirukkadhu (=I could not have come even if invited) - enakkum sukhakkedu (even I was unwell) …cheerappu (cold), chomai (cough), panipidicha maadhiri oru thonnal (=feverish feeling). Raaathirikku thanuthu verachuthu (=was shivering with cold in the night). Ippotthan konjam aaaswaaasam (=only now I have some relief) irukku. Innaikku pacha vellathula thaan kulicheyn. (See, I took bath in cold water today) Paaruu..inda chinna, chinna sukhakkedai ellam kondaada pdathu.(See, we should not let such small ailments be celebrated__that, is pin us down!)

P: Dey, sooshich iru. Sakala edathilayum dannam-deenam inna varthamaanam (news) thaan keikkarathu.(Take care mate. I am hearing everyone's down with one form of ailment or another-dannam-deenam in Palagattan!)

V: Dey, Pichu, enakku neiramaachu, naan inna erangarein (=I am getting late so, let me get along, start moving); apram kaanalaam. (Will see you)

(V moves away)

A: Dey Pichu, yivan ennadaa ippidi mushinja mundum keera kuppayavum pottundu nadakkaraan? (Hey Pichu, why is this guy-Venkichan-is wearing such a lousy dhoti-sarong in Malay, veshti in Tamizh-and a shabby shirt?) Minney ellam pattraassu-le (= he used to be so flamboyant, and in style) irundhaaney? Vadikkaatha thaadiyum (his unshaven look) kashandi mandayum (=bald head) paathaa oru praandhan (=mad cap) maathiri irukkan (he looks loony because of his unkempt looks and his bald pate). Kalyanam aayittillai paaru (he isn't married, you see); indakkalathu ponn kuttigal ellam aalodu bhangi-ya thaan paarukkaraa(bhangi = azhagu; girls these days consider the looks of the boy). Konjam nee eduthu chollu.(Why don't you take it up with him?)

P: Illeyda, avan saadhaaranamaa (=usually) ippidi illai (he isn't always like this). Avanukku ennavo, sakala sthlatthilayum (=in all places) kuruthakkeydu (=bad luck) (he's having a bad time because his chips are down). Pona maasathiley irundhu avanukku velay illai (he's been out of job since last month). Naal-anju kollam (means years in Palagattan) avan service-le irundha company aakkum (he used to work with that company for over 5 years). Indha economic slow-down-iley adhu polijuthu (=crashed in Palagattan; means folded up). Ippo ennavo oru chinna paniyum koodi kittarathillai (=he's not getting even a small job now). Avan kalyanam angey irukkattum (let his wedding plans be); avan thangai oruthi irukkaaley, avalukku 28 vayassu praaayam (age/old) aayaachu – kalyaaanathukku vaigiyaachu(=delayed) (his 28-year-old sister's wedding is delayed too). Ippo panakkashtam vaerey (he's having a cashflow problem/he's broke); eppidiyum churungina thothiley (=in a small scale) panninaalum ippollaam kalyaanathukku naal-anju laksham chelavaakaathaa (how much ever we economise, a wedding today costs four to five lakhs)? Athu poavattum (=let it go), namukku ennathukku inda aavasym illatha khaedam(=worry) (why do we sweat over this unnecessary situation). Athu avan vidhi.(That's his destiny)

SCENE-II

(A big crowd in front of Venkichan’s house; Pichumani passes that way)

P: (Asking Appu who was also there) Ennadaa ingey ithra therakku? (why's there such a big crowd here?)

A: Paavum, Venkichan-odu ammai chatthupponaalaam. Idhaa ippo konjam minnaley thaan.(Poor Venkichan's mother passed away, just a short while ago)

P: Avan doctor-ey koopadarathukku vaigitthu (he delayed getting the doctor over). Neythakkey paathirukkanam (he should have got one to see her yesterday) Eppo dahanam?(=when's the cremation)

A: Konjam kazhinjaa ellaam aayidum. (In a while, it will all be over) Vadhyar vandaachu. (The priest has come).

P: Adukku veyre chelavu; indha vaadyammaru thattipparikkaraa (robbing) (That's also an additional expenditure. These priests fleece--these days).

(Both of them enter Venkichan’s house)

P: Onakku ennadaa ippidi pinneyum pinneyum (again and again) kashtam varathu (why is misfortune chasing you like this)? Paavum onga ammai, onga rendu peyrayum kalyanam cheythu paakkanam innu irunthaal (Your poor mother. She would have wanted to see you and your sister married and settled). Ippo pettennu (=suddenly) ippidi ponaaley (she's gone so suddenly). Ellaam vidhi…. (It's all fate/destiny).

A: Nee avanodu kashtatthey-ellaam ippo ormappedutthaadey (=don’t remind)…meyley ulla kaaryamellam nadakkattum. (Don't remind him of his miseries now. Let's get on with the rites...)

(Pichumani and Appu silently walk out; Those assembled outside, waiting to join the funeral procession, have formed small groups of 3-4 persons talking among themselves about anything and everything under the sun, but Pichumani and Appukkutan were genuinely concerned about Venkichan)

P: Yenda, Appu, Venkichan-odu Chitthappa Mumbai-iley periya shithi-iley (=big shot in a big position) irukkaa innu keytteiney..avar ivanai sahayikka (=help) maattaraa? (I heard that Venkichan's uncle is a big shot in Mumbai. Will he not help him?)

A: Avan mahaa pishukkan (=miser) aakkum; Kayyiley panam vechundu chumma panja-paattu paaduvaan. (he's a big miser. He will claim he is broke while sitting on hard cash) Adha viduda; ippo aarukku enna kashtam eppo varum-innu cholla saadhikkaadhu.(Let that go. No one can predict how each of us is likely to be affected by our misfortunes) Idaa neythakku keitttein, Maashaathu Ponnu pukkaathiley-irundhu thirumbi vandaalaam (listen to this, the teacher's daughter-who just got married-came back from her in-laws home); innamey angey pomaattein-innu chollaralaam (she says she won't go back there-and stay with her in-laws!).

P: uuum…yennaachu? Naan rendu aazhchai=(weeks) minnaley thane andha kalyaaanthukku poyi saddhi saappattein..thinnathu innam dhahanam aayittllai… adhukkulley ippidyaa! (What happened? Just two weeks ago, I was at the wedding feast. The food hasn't even digested and now, this news?)

A: Ava maamiyaar-um naathnaar-um rombha updravikkaraalaam(=harassing) (the mother-in-law and sister-in-law are troubling/harassing/torturing her too much). Ongaathiley chonnaappoley pandam (=ornaments) podaley, pazhaya paathram (=vessels)-ellaam polish cheythu thandhirukkaa ongappa chathicchaa (=cheated)…appidi, ippidi innu cholli-kaatteeduuu irukkaalam (The boy's parents complained about not enough ornaments and poor quality (old, repolished) vessels as part of the dowry, accused the girl's father of cheating). Aval thoiram (harassment) sahikkaathakku aathukku madangi vandoottal (=returned home) (She came back unable to handle the harassment)

P: Paavum maashu; avar manassu thalarndu (=idinju inTamil) poyiruppaarey (pause)…(Poor teacher-maash-, he must be a heart-broken man). Innaalum Venkichan-odu thangey-ye patri aalochichaa(=when thought of) (even then, when I think of Venkichan's sister), sankatam varathu (=I feel sorry); nalla ponnu (she's a good girl)..kaanarathukku bhangiyaa (=good looking) irukkaal, yennittum(=still), veli (marriage) aakaathakku ippidi nikkaraa! (she's good looking but still unmarried)

A: Yenna, nokku avakittey premam (=love) varatho? (Are you in love or perhaps, having a crush on her?) Inna nee kettikkoyein (=marry) avalai. (then why don't you marry her?) Onakku ishtam aanaa (=pidicha in Tamil). Naan Venkichan kittayum ongaathileyum cholli kaaryam sariyaakkarein.(If you are okay, I will talk to Venkichan and with your parents and make the match) Theerchaya chollu (=be decisive) apparam pinn-vaangaathey (=don't go back later).

P: Yenakku virodham illai, aanaa enga ammai enna cholluvalo (I have no objection, but wonder what my mother will have to say!)

A; Paathayaa..neeyum appiditthan..baakki ullavrai ennathukku kutram cholanam. (See, even you are like the others. Why blame others?) Onakku avalai pidicchaa aarayum keikkandaam (If you like her, we need to consider no one else). Nattellu (backbone) venam idhukkellam (You must have a spine for such things/decisions).

P: Appidi-inna nee kettikkoyen (Then, why don't you marry her-Venkichan's sister)

A: Yenakku avaaa daayaadee (=cousin)-da; patthu naal peley (=theettu in Tamil) undu (They are my cousins. She's a cousin. I am in mourning for 10 days). Illey-inna naaney kattindu iruppein (Else, I would have married her!)

(Meanwhile, Venkichan's Ammai's body is taken out and the funeral procession proceeds...)