Returning to my grandmother’s wedding story, I asked Ammachi, “ where did they cook the food ?”
“Oh, they cooked at the back of our house. They used three huge stones and built a stove outside the house. They used wood fire and placed huge pots on it. Mathaichettan would direct the men- one would be slicing the green banana to make chips, another would be cleaning the fish and vegetables.
And every few minutes Mathaichettan would take the toddy bottle from inside his sarong and take a sip. When my father saw him drinking the toddy, he told him,
‘Eda Mathai, don’t you dare get drunk!’ And Mathaichettan grinned and told my father , ‘Aiyo ente Achaya, I was just drinking some water. The fire is hot and I am thirsty.’
By afternoon Mathaichettan started to sing, banging the pots and plates. My father was angry with him for getting drunk but didn’t say anything. Mathaichettam was a well known cook. He was also worried that if he scolds Mathaichettan, he might get angry and probably make a scene and that wouldn’t be nice on the eve of a wedding.

“The priest arrived in time for the evening prayer. All the women covered their heads and my mother gave me a towel to cover mine with. After the prayer, the priest blessed the food. The men ate first, sitting in the outside on the benches, after all the men ate then the women ate in the kitchen. Everyone gorged on the feast Mathaichettan’s men made: rice with fish curry, fried beef, avial and pappadam. Everyone agreed Pappichettan’s son inherited his skills and knacks from his father.

“After everyone finished eating, Thampichayan’s wife, Kunjannamma Kochamma, sat me on a stool and anointed my hair with oil and the women started to sing the Rabban Pattu.”
“Ammachi, what is anointing the head and what did they sing?”
“Vinu anointing the head with oil is our custom and the song tells us the story of Syrian Christians”. Ammachi proceeded to sing the Rabban pattu.

Pandorunalthu
Padinjare nattinnu
Vela kapplil
Yesode siyen
Nattil vannu……..
“After anointing my head with oil, Kunjannamma Kochamma then took me for the ritual bath. After the bath I had to come inside the house and sit on a white piece of cloth and my mother gave me a piece of banana cooked in syrup to eat. Then all the women started to yodel.” Ammachi placed her left hand over her upper lips and with her right index finger showed me how to yodel. I tried to follow Ammachi’s instruction to see if I could yodel. Ammachi told me ”with a little bit of practice you can yodel well” Then she looked at me as though she has second thoughts and told me. “No Nina, Don’t practice at home. Your mother wouldn’t like it”