Walking extra miles to keep a pledge!

KOZHIKODE: For 75-year-old Unneerikkutty, a pledge should always remain a pledge, though it may appear silly for others. Keeping his pledge, Unneerikkutty has not visited his nearby town, which is just 50 metres away, for the past 45 years.Unneerikkutty, a native of Ponnempadam near Feroke in the district, goes to Ramanattukara, which is 10 km away, or Kozhikode, which is 35 km away, to buy grocery and other requirements, but does not enter Ponnembadam town or ‘angadi’. The reason may appear strange. Forty five years ago, Unneerikkutty had a tiff with his friend Velayudhan and pledged not to go to that town again. “It was a dry evening in 1966,” recalls Unneerikkutty while tilling the land at a coconut plantation at Ponnempadam village.“Velayudhan and I had a quarrel when we were playing cards at Ponnembadam town. Many of our friends were watching us, the dialogues heated up and I pledged not to step into the ‘angadi’ (small town) again and left,” says  Unneerikkutty while wiping the sweat from his forehead. As many as 45 years have passed after his ‘Bhishma Pratigna’, but Unneerikkutty has not forgot his pledge. His friends and neighbours often force him to visit the ‘angadi’. Some even tried to carry him to the town to break his ‘terrible oath’. But the ‘Bhishma’ of Ponnembadam, Unneerikkutty is adamant that he will not enter the small town with around 15 shops. “The quarrel with Velayudhan was settled years ago and our friendship has resumed with added vigour. However, we cannot talk to each other frequently as he has shifted to his daughter’s house,” says Unneerikkutty.   Unneerikkutty, who is called ‘pappan’ (uncle) by his neighbours, also avoids marriages and house warmings of his relatives if he has to walk through the ‘angadi’ to reach their houses. He is even willing to walk  miles together to avoid the town to reach nearby places. “He buys articles we need from Karad or Ramanattukara town,” says Janu, his wife. “Meanwhile, my son Valsan or his children bring goods from Ponnembadam angadi on requirement,” she says, adding that Unneerikkutty stopped the habit of playing cards after the quarrel with his friend.