Minnal Bhaskaran

I come to touch with this great character in mid 90's, that time I am working in my cousins workshop. That was my first and joining day when I get off from the car I saw him, he was a 16 year old round faced boy standing behind an autorickshaw, wearing typical muddy dress (oil and grease stains) and holding a screw driver in one hand and a bunch of waste in another looking curiously towards me. Other character of this story was Bhaskarettan who was Senior Mechanic of the workshop and in local language he is called as Bhaskaranna/Bhaskarettan/ Main Pittar/Ashaan etc. He also preferred these titles. He was not holding any certificate or degree/Diploma's in automobile field he studied only till 8th standard he dose not know about gear ratio, bhp, torque curve etc. But he can dismantle and assembles whole Bajaj RE & Lamby Autorickshaw and Scooters like Lamby, Bajaj, Vijay Supers etc. without any difficulty and do the tings even better than many trained authorised service station, he did not uses any special tools to measure play of CR bearings nor to check worn out piston rings his eyes, ears and hands are sufficient for these works.

Third and fourth character was 'Chandra' and 'Sassa'. Chandra was little educated guy and senior to 'Minnal', 'Sassa' was studied till primary and he can only able to write his name in paper in such a manner that others are not able to read or even cannot able to recognise the language whether it was 'Kannada' or 'Malayalam'. His actual name is 'Satish' but due to high speed pronunciation it shortened to 'Sassa'. He takes at least one to two leaves in a week and also not expert in any field just doing the things in write way and at least not spoiling anything. Chandra was quite opposite to him, he comes regularly and also have better skilled person, he can able to do some small works independently. But the common thing in both of these boys are teasing the 'Minnal' every day if they got little free time they never miss the great opportunity.

The poor fellow 'Minnal Bhaskaran' was new to the workshop, he didn't know much work, his work is just cleaning dismantled Machines thoroughly in kerosene. As soon as Engine Dismantled 'Minnal' ready with holding old varnish bottle in one hand and bunch of waste in another, as soon as he got money from the Driver/Owner he rushes to 'Hajars' shop just near the workshop. First he buy a packet of 'Pan Parag' (Tobacco Product) for himself and buys Kerosene with rest of the money and starts his work promptly and again he appear in front of the Driver/Owner only after their machine fully ready, to collect his 'Milage' as well as Tip. He also expertize in the filed of changing the inner cable of autorickshaw was but only 'Lamby' makes, he never touches Bajaj RE, because it's engine is situated rear side of the auto and cables are travelling from the hole the way from handle bar to rear engine through twists and bends just like Train No. 2618 travels through the Konkan Railway, if in case it stucks in of these tunnels only God will survive.

That was very interesting incident that he got 'Minnal' title in front of his name. In Malayalam 'Minnal' means 'Lightning' it's really very attractive, in rainy nights it's common thing in villages that electricity disappears, once it disappears then it will appear only afternoon of next day, and again its stays till night and get disappeared by simple rainy wind. I never miss such as great opportunity. as soon as electricity goes I open the front half doors and stands in front of it the whole sky was looks like a dark screen nothing is visible, we can here only the sound of heavy rain, and flow of water near the small river like water passage which help to takes whole the rain water to river. In such a night lightning lite up the whole sky, there are different types of Lightnings some are very thin but sharp and bright some are having many curves and other are thick Lightning, wide Lighting and so many varieties, oh god I really miss it. It appears in the sky with background music of Thunder. One can measure the place of lightning by delay of Thunder it means In case Thunder roared as soon as lightning it means it is very near to us in according to the time delay between Lightning and Thunder we can measure the distance correctly. In such a heavy rainy day our 'Minnal Bhaskaran' got his title. Due to heavy rain there was no much work and Bhaskarettan also take leave, rest of the members are just sitting around 'shops flour and simply gossiping, Chandra and Sassa does not want to miss such a great opportunity they started to comment over the 'Minnal' who is sitting in side of the workshop, generally he always neglect the comment but nobody knows what happened to him within a fraction of second he rose up and pushed 'Sassa' over old tyre and start beating every, body wonder by his action nobody able to believe their eyes it was happened just within a fraction of second. That was last their after 'Sassa' Never try to tease this boy and this incident brought the great 'Minnal' title in front of Bhaskarn permanently.