CHAAMA ATHIMBER…..CHAAMA JIJAJEE

CHAAMA ATHIMBER…..CHAAMA JIJAJEE

“Athimber ” in Tamil language, Jijajee in Hindi more or less mean the same….. “Brother in law”. However in Tamil language even aunt’s husband is called as ‘Athimber”, aunt meaning father’s elder or younger sister.

I am very fortunate to have met CHAAMA Athimber who was the husband of my eldest aunt, who took great care of my father in his childhood. Chaama Athimber had a very good physique. He was six foot tall and had broad shoulders. A small and silky tuff was adorning his otherwise near bald head. He was very proud of that, which we could learn from the way he used to fondle it whenever he had to pretend that he was thinking. It is totally another matter that he had little to think at any point of time!!

It was a closely guarded secret that Chaama Athimber had no avocation worth mentioning other than throwing his weight around the house in which had three sons and two daughters apart from our aunt! We used to visit them once in two years or so when we passed via Coimbatore! The house was always noisy as there used to be some noise or the other due to quarrel. There used to be many interesting permutations and combinations in the fights…Father with son, son with other son and father with aunt etc.

We always had a good rapport with the youngest son who used to take us to some movie or the other in the short stay we used to make in Coimbatore. With the youngest one it was fun. After good fun in the show, he used to take us to some nice restaurant for tiffin.  Once we enter the house after all these fun we used to have additional icing on the cake watching father and son fighting over marbles which our brother used to hide in the attic. Chaama Athimber would find that and start throwing them out in the dust bin!

It used to be interesting to attend any functions like wedding, betrothal etc. in the company of Chaama Athimber. Our Athimber always used to sport big shining tilak on his fore head. A nice shining jibba (loose fitting attire similar to present day shirt without collar) would be there. A nice dothi tied typically in otrthodox Brahmin style with matching angawasthram (type of long ornamental towel with nice borders!) would adorn the shoulders. So the moment our Athimber entered the hall people would turn their heads and give a reverential salute!

Whenever we enter the dining hall our Athimber would occupy a vantage seat. After a few minutes he would pick up a fight with the servers on some pretext or the other. He would summon the bride’s father or brother along with the head cook and make them to apologies for the delayed service or temperature of the food etc. That’s all needed next two days we would be received with the highest order of hospitality and served piping hot food. Athimber would swim in Degree coffee!!

Athimber was fond of playing cards in marriage halls with friends not otherwise. The sessions would last for hours together and everyone would be cracking jokes and enjoying his pranks.

Once we were travelling from his home town to Chennai in a car. The car had to stop in a railway crossing. Athimber felt like having a Panner Soda (Rose flavored aerated water). We went to a small kiosk. The shop keeper on seeing our Athimber got up and cleaned the bench. Offered him the ebest seat and served him soda in a very clean glass. He soon started talking to Athimber. Athimber was boasting about himself and we children were amused.

Then the shopkeeper asked Athimber what was his profession. Athimber without winking a second told    “Whole Sale business “. The shop keeper wanted to know in which commodity. Pat came the reply        “Diamond, Ruby, Emerald and such precious stones”! He then paid for the Soda. But the shopkeeper refused to accept the money out of respect for such a “Whole Sale” trader!

When I asked Athimber while returning to the car why he told a lie like that. Athimber told me how could he say that he was whiling away time gossiping in the village!!