Kottayam: “A fence is not a stick” – a 90-year-old wife’s angry reaction when her hearing-impaired husband refuses to listen despite repeated requests to fertilize the coconuts at home. There are Malayalees all over the world who burst out laughing after seeing this viral scene on YouTube. Two years ago, a conversation between Anna Chakalapada and her husband Thomas in Uzhavoor Chakalapada came to YouTube. Those who have seen this scene many times since then learned the news of Anna’s death with great sadness on Friday.
The conversation in that YouTube scene is like this, ‘Fertilizer should be applied to the paddy field…fertilizer”. Thomas realizes that his wife is saying something but listens carefully but is unable to hear. When Anna Palayavarti says, Thomas is very calm and finally asks “Kodayo”. Hearing that and out of natural anger, Anna responded, “It’s not a fence but a stick.” There will be few Malayalis who will not laugh after hearing that mass answer.
Neighbor Simon Parappanad says that the mother’s reaction is so natural. Several times, including myself, many people have shown this scene to Annachettathi and Appapa. At that time Annachedatti would say that it was “daughter’s daughter’s work”. Even Thomas and indeed Jagathi Sreekumar laughed after seeing this scene. Annachettathi also laughed after seeing the video of Jagathi laughing.
Farmer Thomas and Anna have always given importance to agriculture in the video. Anna reminded her husband to fertilize after seeing that the coconuts were scarce. Elamma’s husband Kuryan says that the father, who is a farmer, raised all six children by farming. Both of them love agriculture. That’s what Ammachi reminds me about fertilizing”. Elamma and her husband Kuryan, the eldest daughter who got a job in America in the early 70s, took her father and mother to America for the first time. After the rest of the children came to America, both of them have gone there many times,” says Kuryan.
“My father didn’t like American life very much, but my mother really liked America.” That video became a hit even in America. Many will call and ask about Ammachi” – says Kuryan. There were no major health problems till the last day. Then a slight cough and shortness of breath worsened the health.