The Untold Story

Kittu Mama was the official treasurer. He took his job quite seriously, and reported to work everyday, no matter what. He made it a point to get creative with every little thing in his official line of work, and was very eager in seeing to it that his presence was felt in even a small stone that was turned. Kittu Mama had come a long way, being born in Pattamangalam and having travelled all the way to Palayankottai to earn a living. He always felt that he had a gift, just wasn't exactly good at pointing a finger at what it was. Alamelu mami was very supportive, and was always by his side in all matters concerning his daily curd rice or Nellikka pickle. Kittu Mama always felt that Alamelu Mami was a chip off the old mami block. He loved her a lot but always found her a bit thick for his liking and her humor wry. For instance, he wasn't amused at her outrageous suggestion that Kittu Mama was outgrowing his poonal - "Yaenna, Konjam periya poonal pottukkanum pola irukkae, romba erukkama poyindu irukku".
There was the fact that she was a lot younger than him, and he had always had that disconcerting thought that she was not attracted to him, from that startled look on her face when she saw Kittu Mama for the first time during their marriage. That, and the fact that she cried non-stop during their first night, smashing to pieces all the plans that Kittu Mama had meticulously laid out. But then life had moved on, and the burden of the family landed on Kittu Mama, mere months after his marriage. His father passed away so suddenly, moments after he choked while attempting to swallow an entire Vadai at the Ganapathiraman's house Srardham.
Kittu Mama didn't wallow in grief for a long time. He took a few shots of Melagu Rasam from his favorite copper Shombu and made a bold career move. He took up the offer from Palayankottai Zamin for the post of treasurer. Alamelu hadn't been keeping well ever since the day they had been married. Every single night she had complained of a severe headache and had gone to sleep immediately like she was knocked out cold. It must be the water, Kittu Mama thought, a change of scene would do her a whale of good too, and they would have a better chance to consummate their marriage.
Kittu Mama was in awe, when he saw the Palayankottai Zamin. His first taste of royalty, and the Zamin was so young too. He was told that the Zamin was the most eligible bachelor of South India. Well, he would do well to lose a few hundred pounds, but girth always spelt royalty and Kittu Mama knew that a bigger waist was a huge turn on for the girls. Kittu Mama settled into the job very quickly and he had little to complain. His every whim was taken care of and he was treated with utmost respect. But the job quickly got into a routine grind and there was very little Kittu Mama could do by way of being creative. He introduced multi-colour strings for the money bags. He came up with the novel idea of a plantain leaf dispenser, where he devised a tall wooden pot in which they would stack the plantain leaves, so that they needn't go cut leaves every time Kittu Mama felt like a snack.
This invention was greatly appreciated by the Zamin's Holy Cow.
One day, Kittu Mama was walking up to his office when he heard about the contest on the Public Address system. His mind raced, and he felt the adrenalin rush, but he was aghast at the fact that nobody showed any interest at the broadcast. The Flower vendor Pakkiri was tying up the rose garland, business as usual splashing water on his girlfriend Parijatham, who was seated on the ground sieving through the flowers. Ambujam Aunty, with both her hands coated with fresh cow dung up to her wrists was trying to brush away an errant strand of hair from her forehead. And Somu Mama was pretending to read the Panchangam without realizing that he was holding it upside down. How could these people not realize the potential that this contest meant to their royalty? He decided that the importance of it had struck him just because he was gifted, and decided to take the matter up with Palayankottai Zamin's mother. He fixed an appointment with Palayankottai Zamin's mother, and told the Royal Lady that he would like to escort the Zamin personally to participate in the contest. But even before he finished the statement, the old lady started laughing so hard that she started gasping with a rasping sound, so disturbing that the Raja Vaidhyar came rushing in from the ante-room, hair all dishevelled and the Panchagacham with the wrong border out. Kittu Mama knew that the Old Lady was elated at his suggestion and proceeded to make all the arrangements for the Zamin to leave for the contest.
The Contest to be held in Mythilai City.
For the hand of the daughter of King Janaka.
What better groom than the Palayankottai Zamin?
As the ministers broached the proposal to the Zamin after much persuasion by Kittu Mama, the Zamin distinctly opened one eye and groaned. A definite expression of interest, and the Royal Palanquin was readied for the long and arduous journey to Mythila. Kittu Mama told Alamelu Mami to pack for an Indian summer, and for the first time he saw her laugh so hard that she had to be supported.
The journey to Mythila was long and arduous. The Zamin's fourteen palanquin bearers fell ill. Kittu Mama came up with the shift system, where he hired four teams of Palanquin bearers, and appointed a supervisor for each team. This was included in the management text scrolls of all leading management institutes for several years to come. They reached Mythila a day before the contest, and the streets were completely jam-packed. Again, Kittu Mama to the rescue. He ordered the eighteen palanquin bearers, (Zamin had gained a few pounds during the journey, and so they had to add more bearers), to take a shortcut through the Royal garden.
The team made steady progress through the beautiful garden, and Kittu Mama was at the front of the troupe, a pall bearer of sorts, munching on the bits of broken Vadam that Alamelu Mami kept feeding him. They could see the magnificent palace where the contest was going to be held, and the flowers all around were spell binding. The grass beneath their feet made them feel like they were floating on air. The multiplicity of all this Mayai did not waver the razor sharp intellect of Kittu Mama. He saw some women in the distance and there was a fascinating aura about them. He felt like he was drawn in that direction by an invisible flesh magnet. As he got closer to the hedge behind which the women were standing, Kittu Mama realized with a jolt that it was none other than the daughter of Janaka. She was so beautiful that Kittu Mama's breathing became a voluntary activity. The radiance was simply breathtaking. He turned around to see if Alamelu Mami was seeing this spectacle, when he realized that Alamelu Mami was looking at the other side of the hedge before which the Daughter of Janaka was standing. Her mouth was open and her pupils dilated. Kittu Mama had seen a similar look on her every time the Zamin's Head of Guard practiced his Silambu wearing a loincloth, but this was much greater in magnitude. He spun his head in the direction of Alamelu Mami's stare and the sight he saw was so astonishing that he didn't feel his Kudumi's whiplash.
There was a man standing across the hedge from where the daughter of Janaka was standing and he was spectacular. Kittu Mama knew that if there were a God, he would look like this man. A bit dark complexioned, but if he were in the room, you cannot blink.
Kittu Mama immediately realized that they had to turn back.
That this would not work for the Palayankottai Zamin.
The daughter of Janaka was looking at the spectacular man, and he was looking back at her. There was something fishy going on here, and he would be damned if he was going to drag his lord, the Palayankottai Zamin into it. He walked up to the palanquin and drew back the curtain. The shape inside was not stirring, and though Kittu Mama couldn't quite make out where the head was, he knew that the Zamin was fast asleep. It was God's handiwork, that the Zamin didn't see the daughter of Janaka, or there would be no telling of the heartache that he would have to endure.
Kittu Mama barked orders that they should turn around and said that he would explain the reason in good time. They made steady progress despite the fact that they were the only group of people going out of Mythila. On the second day of their journey they heard the news that the daughter of Janaka had married the man she was eyeballing in the garden. Kittu Mama was also told that the contest was a simple Bow threading competition, something that the Palayankottai Zamin would have done blindfolded.
Upon reaching home, Kittu Mama explained to the Royal mother how he had saved the Zamin from a hideous blemish on their reputation, and even though nobody displayed any emotion during Kittu Mama's narrative, he knew that he was undoubtedly the local hero. He realized the impact of his good judgment when he was told that he could work from his house, and he would get his paycheck every month.
Alamelu Mami started a small retail unit in their house where she started making foodstuff that she said were Mythila recipes. It was a great hit and soon their establishment grew to several shops all over Palayankottai. Kittu Mama knew that their commercial success would slowly cast the shadow on his exploits on what should have been the Ramayana (would obviously be called the Zaminayana), but he was always the player, and supported Alamelu Mami doing what he was best at.
Kittu Mama the treasurer.