In Memory of Vaikom Muhammed Basheer

Vaikom Muhammed Basheer is considered the legend of Malayalam Literature. Most of his works have appeared in the textbooks of Kerala both in Malayalam and English. Right now, we have two stories in our English Readers viz. 'The Rightful Inheritors of Earth' in Std VI and 'The Snake and the Mirror' in Std X.

The Rightful Inheritors of the Earth (Std VI - Unit 3)

Basheer described his feelings for all fellow creatures as brotherly. They are, like us, inheritors of the earth, this was his opinion. The story 'The Rightful Inheritors of the Earth' is an extract from his story Bhoomiyude Avakashikal.

Here are some questions. Try to answer them.

• Have you ever thought of a conflict between human beings and wild animals?
• Do you have permission to kill animals?
• Look at the title of the story, and the pictures given in your textbook.
• What comes to your mind when you read the title 'The Rightful Inheritors of the Earth'?
• Who do you think the 'inheritors' are? Are they the owners of the Earth?

Our house has its share of ants, cockroaches, lizards, flies, squiggly rolly pollies, mosquitoes, spiders and even the mouse. And all these are treated with kindness, to the point of reverence.

No insect is killed, and the lizards are given full freedom to roam about undisturbed. When they decide to come a bit too close to the fruits, a big slap is given to the dining table. The lizards move away and decide to come again another day.

My grandmother is constantly on the warpath against ants. Every vessel of foodstuff is carefully balanced on a plate filled with water. Luckily ants do not know swimming, though the occasional daredevil manages to find its way to the food. My grandmother ties a cloth to the end of a stick and begins her operation. The cloth is dipped in kerosene and applied on the way the ants come.

Flies are ignored; food is always kept covered, so these things create no threat. Not so the mosquitoes. When Noah was filling his ark with all species of life, why didn't he simply swat those two mosquitoes? But my family would not allow killing even these irritating inheritors. Instead, they would advise that killing is a sin. Just make them go with your hands.

Spiders are tackled by the broomstick method and cockroaches by the plastic mug method. Grandma is familiar with both methods. The broomstick method is simple. Get the spider within the folds of the broomstick. Throw it out from our house. The plastic mug method for cockroaches involves running after the cockroach. Without making any sound, cover the mug over the cockroach. This needs practice. Once you have the victim, use a piece of hard paper (wedding card) to slide under the mug. Thus the cockroach is escorted safely outside.

The beautiful red namburisan attas are my favourite in the insect world. I love the way they roll over when touched. I don't mind them at all. But my grandmother doesn't like this species of 'attas'.

In the case of rats, ignorance is bliss policy. We simply turn a blind eye to them. Somehow rat is a pretty rare occurrence in our house, maybe because of the multitude of snakes running around.

Our housing colony is a mini-ecosystem. It even boasts of mongooses, snakes (rat snake to the king cobra), stray dogs, stray cats, and even some domesticated pigs encroaching sometimes. Only our house has this all-are-God's-children-so-live-and-let-live policy. And the neighbours jokingly tell us, all the insects that you carefully exercise come to our houses!

The Snake and the Mirror (Std X - Unit 1)

Do you like to look at yourself in the mirror?

What do you think about it such times?

Have you ever seen a dog, a cat or a bird look into a mirror?

What do you think it sees?

The story presents a contrast between dreams and reality humorously. The doctor in the story had just started his practice. His earnings were therefore meagre. He lived in a small rented room, which was not electrified. He had only sixty rupees in his suitcase. Apart from a few shirts and dhotis, he had one solitary black coat. His house was full of rats. However, his dreams and ambitions were in contrast to this.

The concept about his 'would be'

He had thought of the lady he wanted to marry. He wanted to marry a woman doctor who had plenty of money and good medical practice because he did not have any of those. He wanted a fat wife so that whenever he would make a mistake she would not be able to catch him. However, the woman he married was a thin and slender person who could run like a sprinter.

Admirer of beauty

He was a great admirer of beauty and believed in making himself look handsome. He took a close look at his face in the mirror and decided that he would shave daily and grow a thin moustache to look even more handsome. Then, he looked into the mirror and smiled. He decided to keep smiling always as he considered his smile very attractive.

The Snake Episode

When the snake coiled around his arm, he turned into a stone. At this moment, he felt the presence of God. He even tried to write 'O God' in bright letters. He felt pain in his left arm where the snake was coiled. He realized that if the snake struck him, he did not have any medicines in his room. Now, he thought that he was a poor, foolish, and stupid doctor. But at times he repeatedly remembers that he is a bachelor and a doctor.

Sentences used to describe that he was afraid of snakes

1. I was turned to stone.

2. I was no mere image cut in granite.

3. The arm was beginning to be drained of strength.

4. I tried in my imagination to write in bright letters outside my little heart the words, 'O God'.

5. I didn't tremble. I didn't cry out.

The doctor had a sense of being a handsome gentleman.

Sentences used to describe his admiration

1. I looked into the mirror and smiled. It was an attractive smile.

2. I was suddenly a man of flesh and blood.

3. I was after all a bachelor, and a doctor too on top of it!

4. The fellow had such a sense of cleanliness...! The rascal could have taken it and used it after washing it with soap and water.

5. Was it trying to make an important decision about growing a moustache or using eye shadow and mascara or wearing a vermilion spot on its forehead?