UNCLE MOON

In malayalam, little children are taught to call Moon as 'Ambili Ammavan' which translates as 'Uncle Moon'. There are poems revolving around Uncle Moon in every Indian regional language. In Hindi literature, moon faced or chanda sa mukda or chandini (moonlit), chand (moon) are all terms used to address someone absolutely dear and loving. 'Chand ka tukda' which translates as 'Piece of Moon', is referred to a child by it's mother when the heart is so fondly overflowing with love for the child. As a child I used to read the childrens' magazine Chandamama (Uncle Moon) which is available in so many Indian regional languages. A malayalam version 'Ambili Ammavan' was a favourite among Keralite children. There was children's movie made by the same name by Vinayan in 1984.

Uncle Moon remains in the sky and children make fondest wishes looking at the brighly lit moon. Mothers tell stories of 'Uncle Moon' to the children who eagerly envision those stories with gleaming eyes and all ears. As a child, I too was fascinated by the unreachable moon. My mother told me stories about a real 'Uncle Moon' who was her cousin who loved children and laughed a lot and gave little gifts to the children he favoured most. I must have been around ten when during a vacation in Calicut, I was playing with my cousins and friends one morning, oblivious to the world around me, when my mother excitedly shouted, 'Look who has come to see you' and I wondered who is this person who came as an interruption during the end of my carrom board game and I was supposed to be winning. It was none other than the living legend, 'Uncle Moon'. He had a round face and a bald head and was of a short stature. True to what my mother said, he laughed a lot and obviously was very fond of children. He gave me a bag of goodies and he asked me, 'Do you know who Iam?' and I went, 'Yes, Uncle Moon', to which he roared with laughter quite pleased with my answer. Uncle moon was an Income Tax Officer and was held in high esteem by all. Uncle Moon always wore white clothes only. When I asked him if he didnt like any other colours, he merely laughed at the question. Several visits to his house was filled with a fascinating time. Uncle Moon was an excellent story teller and his stories were laced with humour and he had not only the children but adults spell bound.

Sadly Uncle Moon passed away quite early in life that saddened the whole family for a while. I heard my parents say, 'There is no one so wonderful as uncle moon' and his death was a terrible loss. During my last visit to Calicut, I met Uncle Moon's only son, who was the exact physical replica, with the round face, bald head and quite short. I found myself wondering if he purchased his clothes from the Children's section of Retail shops. I found my friends and cousins laughing as he approached us at a relative's wedding. I wondered why they laughed, but then I realized, my mischivious cousins and friends spared no one when it came to physical attributes, not that they were unaware of their own flaws. I did find Uncle Moon's son quite an amusing character. He wasn't like his father at all. He lacked the charm, the exuberance or the ability to laugh or lead or get a crowd going like Uncle Moon did. Why am I comparing I thought, 'He is just another individual, quite unlike his father'. However, Uncle Moon's son did take up the same profession as his father, he too is now an Income Tax Officer. He introduced me to his rather tall wife who was definitely a couple of inches taller than him and his daughter who towered over him. I wondered whether Uncle Moon's son was just plain serious or was he suffering some depression. Some said, he was queer, some said, he is a funny man, some said he is good at his work. We both talked about his father and I realized, his father whom we fondly called 'Ambili Ammavan' passed away when he was just a school boy.

The Uncle Moon I knew would have been delighted to know that India sent Chandrayaan spacecraft to the moon.