Tiruvalla Memories. K.George John.
Life in Thiruvalla a small Town in Kerala State.
(kindly bear with me some repetition from my life story)
I was only 5 years old when I was put into the Balikamadam Girls School at Tirumoolapurm in Tiruvalla. There were 2 residential girls school in Tiruvalla, both started by British ladies, Nicolson and Balikamadam. Balikamadam admitted boys in primary school. My memories from this period is the ride on the cross bar of cycle with my uncle, during short holidays, to my ancestral home in Thuruthikadu, about 14 kms away and back. My bottom pained for days after the rough ride, inspite of a cushion on the cross bar. I remember being held down in the Manimala River, by my aunt, to clean my scabies infested legs by the tiny fishes. In just 4 days of this treatment, scabies heal dry. On another short holiday I was taken to my Aunt`s house in Mallapally, 14 kms away and back, in a Bullock Cart (Villu Vandi) which took 4 hours each way. Villu Vandy (Bullock carts with plate spring suspension) were the mode of transport for the well to do families.in those days.
By 1943 my father moved family to Tiruvalla and I was enrolled in the S.C.S.Kinder Garten School in 2nd standard. The school was located on the east side of SCS hill, where the present B.Ed College is functioning. There were only about 10/ 12 students in my class, mostly girls. One of them Leela used to come to school in a Villu Vandi. Her mother was an English Lady who was married to son of Rev V.P.Mammen, who was residing near Nicolson school. I can remember only one boy who was in class with me, Mr. P.G.Cherian, Poothikotte, but I can remember 4 or 5 girls, including the Ammini sister of Ammal, who was murdered in Tiruvalla. The East side of the school was a paddy field (where the present stadium is located), whichcould be crossed on bunds only during summer, to the side where the Pushpagiri Hospital is now located.
Another memory is about the Chanda Thode, which was an important commercial link by water to Kuttanadu and Alleppy. Kettu Valloms (large boats made of wooden planks stitched together by coir ropes and greased) were used to transport Paddy and commercial goods to and from Alleppy and other locations to Tiruvalla Market terminal. The water was clean and was used by all for bathing, swimming and fishing during summer. I learned to swim in this Thode(stream),. It is now filled with water plants, plastic waste and mud and is un usable. The commercial goods brought through the Chanda Thode, were transported inland by Bullock Carts. I remember 3 families who maintained good bullocks and made a living by transporting goods. They were healthy young men who themselves loaded and unloaded goods on contract. One such person who was living in my locality, died recently,was Appu, son of Kunjavarachen of Kurisummoottil family. Kunjavarachen`s brother Pappichettan owned St George Motors, a bus service from Tiruvalla to Elapara. After his death his wife successfully operated the bus service for many more years.
During the 2nd world war days Petrol was rationed by monthly coupons to car owners. Only very few had cars in Tiruvalla. I could think of only Mr.I.C.Chacko, Dr. George Kuruvilla, Col. Varghese, Mr.C.P.Jacob Chalakuzy, St George Pappichettan and only a few others owned cars in those days. We had a brand new Chevrolet 1942 model car bought from Stanes Motors Ootty, for a price of around 8000- rupees. Even as late as 1952 a new Morris Minor car was sold for Rs.7777-. In 1950s Hindustan Motors started making Cars (Morris -10, as Hindustan 10, (fore-runner to Hindustan Ambassador later). During the war days all buses were run on coal gas and tall cylindrical device were fitted at the back of the bus to gasify the coal. It had to be lit and hand cranked to make enough gas, before it could be started. The busses had open body. The Kottayam bus started from near the Cross junction and Kozhencherry from SCS junction. The 2 seats next to the driver were VIP seats. Next row was for Ladies. The back was inward seats, on all 4 sides with open space in the centre, for standing passengers. Only the Kili(Malayalam version for cleaner), had permission to stand on the foot board. The bus stand in Kottayam was in the Tirunakkara Maidan from where you had to take another bus for Alwaye etc.
Medical Facilities were very limited in Tiruvalla in the 40s and 50s. There were no specialty doctors and each was a General Practitioner, Physician, Surgeon, and Gynecologist etc., all in one. The medicine often was carbonative mixture, or such medicines the Compounder prepared on doctor’s prescription or pills. The present Tiruvalla Medical Mission Hospital was small. It was started by Divan Bahadur Dr Varghese then known as the Velia Baby, and was served by a well known Physician Dr, Somervell of CMC Vellore fame. There was a special ward called Aniyan`s Ward, which was a long school like building at the back with tiled floor with verandas on either side? This ward or other rooms had no fans. After Dr Somewell left, the hospital was handed over to the Brethren Church who runs it now as TMM Hospital. It is now a modern Hospital with many new buildings and modern medical facilities. Causality/ Emergency Facility, fully air conditioned Consulting and Waiting rooms, Operation Theaters, recovery rooms, clinical labs etc. The Government Hospital was functioning at the same location as today, with a few qualified doctors on Government service. It had separate general wards for men and women. There was a pay ward with few rooms. The general wards served the public, free of cost but more often there was no stock of medicine and one had to buy it from out side medical stores. The only other Hospital in the 40s was the GK Hospital and dispensary, owned by Dr.George Kuruvilla. He was known as Doctor Kochu Baby. The hospital was small with limited rooms/ beds and located at Kavumbhagom, at the west end of Tiruvalla. This was with a view to help the poor families, from the low lying water loged ares like Chathankeri and Mepral, often affected by floods in rainy season. Dr.Kuruvilla was from a wealthy family in Mepral. He served the poor with much compassion and also free of cost, in deserving cases. The hospital had operation theatre, and other medical facilities. They have added new wing, with more beds and room in recent times. Including ICU. It is now run by his son Dr.Thomas Kuruvilla MD from Vellore and his son Dr Manoj Kuruvilla also an MD from CMC Vellore.. By 50s the Pushpagiri Hospital was started by the Catholic Church. It developed to a large modern Hospital facility fast and was made into a Medical College. They have all the Medical specialties of a modern Medical College, in recent past. It now has Nursing College, Dental College, College of Physio Therapy, and Pharmacy College in a separate Complex called Medi City about 4 Kms away. Latest in the medical service field in Tiruvalla, is the Believers Church Hospital at Varicadu, about 4 kms away from town, with ultra modern facilities, started just 2 years ago. Few large buildings are almost ready for a Medical College with this hospital. They have brought many senior doctors from well known hospitals, like CMC Vellore, CMC Ludhiana, and Manipal Medical College etc. The hospital facilities are modern and well maintained. The service is good and the cost very reasonable. Bishop K.P.Yohannan who heads the Believers Church, wants it to be the best in Kerala. He is well known for his ability to implement new Mega Projects he plans.
In recent past Tiruvalla town has changed much with many modern buildings with large Gold and Sari (cloth) shops .Kerala State Transport Corporation also built a multistory building, in the center of the town which serves as a bus terminal. With poor planning of the road system and large increase in the population of vehicles of all kinds, the traffic on the roads are atrocious. There are very few footpaths, no medians, underground or overhead road crossings for pedestrians. The two wheelers and Auto rickshaw’s come from any side and direction and make U turns anywhere. I have seen worst traffic situation only in Cairo in Egypt. The poorly designed town Bypass Road planned more than 20 years back, will take an indefinite time to complete, thanks to our political systems and administrators..
K.George John,Maruthikunnu,Tiruvalla 2017
