MALACCA......

The days of Nicobar were really always there to cherish.

I remember our house in malacca was very near to the sea(the sea water roaring sound will haunt the kitchen everytime).Their were two harbours in Nicobar one is Malacca(for 6 months) and another was Lapthy(for another 6 months).

Me with my parents and brother would go to the Malacca harbour(which was 5 min walk from our house)whenever Ship with passengers will come.The Ship would stand some 2km away from the harbour(as the ship cant come to the harbour where the water level was less) and from their the passengers would be carried to the shore via FANTOONS(one big piece of iron with its three sides open and pulled by small boats).The passengers would desend to the FANTOONS via ladder (there would be full of wind and the ladder would be flying and the passengers would jump from the last of the rope ladder to the Fantoon).Then the Fantoon will be pulled via a speed boat to the shore.That too the passengers would jump into the water,upto their waist length(as Fantoons cant be dragged above the sand in the shore)and then at last would reach the Nicobar Island.That is the only way to visit Nicobar Island.I remember i saw many of the persons, luggage been lost as carried away with the wave while throwing and many a times the luggage would be filled with water.This was one of our big timepass activity while we stayed in Nicobar.

Our house was near to the school that is why i used to go by walk.There were two ways one via the main road and another via the graveyard.I use to take the graveyard road and will reach the school in 5min.As in Nicobar island there are mostly christans and muslims,they beleive in ghost a lot.The friends of mine would ask have you seen any ghost during ur way???I will say no.They used to say that i was bold and i will pamper with the idea.

Nicobaries beleive in rituals and superstition a lot and one of them is when one person will die the whole family(the families were real big each having three four children)would stay for few days in the house situated in the graveyard.They will cook and do everything there.I used to see them on my way to school but never talked.They have their own language which is nicobarise but they can speak and understand hindi and english.

Our school in the frent had one big playground, there used to be prayers there but our games would have to played in another ground and during the P.E.T(Physical education training) period there was a rule that everybody should play.We gals would love the Kabbaddi game a lot.Most of the times as all gals love gossiping we too would enjoy that while sitting under the tree.

I would participate in March Pass during Republic Day and Independence Day and in some functions would be playing rings struck in the waist and with them making waves (there would be soothing music in the background and we would make waves and other formations with our rings in hand).I did remember our music teacher Geeta Madam use to take me always in singing or putting garland for the chief guest and i will happily go as i enjoy to be out of my studies.

The school of mine Govt. Malacca Senior Senondary School at present is been fully
destroyed by the earthquake.But it can't destroy my most cherished days in Nicobar.