So, college was a new experience and a different world altogether. Something different from what we had seen till then. We were astonished to see our English-speaking lecturers and professors wearing pants and Bu-shirts while we used to wear dhotis and shirts. We always thought they come from a different world.

They would come and give lectures in English. We were not very familiar with that language. We had some rudimentary kind of knowledge. Since the medium of restriction was Malayalam only, we found it very difficult to follow much of what they said.

I would like to particularly mention Professor Kurien. He was educated at Oxford University in London and the head of the English department in our college, which was also run by a Christian missionary.

So, he would come to the class and give a lecture in English for one hour. After he left, we all would go ‘what a wonderful lecture’ without understanding a word he had said. That was a measure of his greatness and eminence.

These were our initial days at the college. After that, we slowly got used to it. We started learning English as everybody was speaking in English only and the lectures were also given in English. Slowly we got used to it although we were not able to speak yet or converse in English. Among us, we would speak in Malayalam. Interestingly, our lecturers and professors would ask questions of us in English only and we tried to answer those in English with great difficulty. Most of us would reply in Malayalam. This went on for a year or so. 

To be continued.....

The picture is for representation purpose only.