"Dear Grandpa," "Kuttapayi is writing this letter to you" "Its Christmas eve..." "My god shower his blessings on you" "But..." "There is no Christmas for me" "TMV" "Dump those ducklings behind" "The boy has slept..." "Its smelling like shit!" "Ah!" "Haven't you slept?" "He has nothing else to do.." "Simply holdings on to the ducklings.." "Leave it Boss" "Hmm..." "That's the problem" "Give it boy.." "Grandpa see this"" "leave it boss." "He is a kid." " Kid!" "Let them do some work or other." "Not just pamper." "Don't worry boy." "You lead them to the waters" "Boss is just scarring you." "At this age boys go for work.." "You know how much they earn?" "And you are just holding him between your legs!" "Today is Thulam 10" "I will come for christmas." "Keep them living." "What's dead its gone." "Don't swear..." "Better leave boss.." "I am not doing this for the first time.." "Let not your words be a curse." "Team DrC" "You are quite late this time?" "Haven't you heard it?" "Indeed." "What a pity !" "." "Two souls in a single go." "What to do ?" "Their son ?" "Yes.." "Kuﬂapayi." "Are you hungry?" "Hm.." "Don't feel such a hunger early morning itself" "Aye.." "Not for that." "If you need eat anything"" "hm.." "The sun is just up." "Come on man." "I will come in the evening." "This boy wont let me..." "Why worry a kid?" "." "I will sway him." "He is not what he looks" Just a spoiler." "Should I say who is the spoiler?" "Need not!" "Don't let my dad sneeze from his grave." "Kunjutty, you are asked to go to Kandanchira." "If you need any tool, its here." "I will come in the evening." "Valiyappy, Look who's here!" "Kochappy, Duckman has come." "Let's give today's catch to him." "Not today..." "Lemme put up a hovel." "How's the catch this time?" "Good?" "Aye, its bad!" "Water is salty too." "Don't go too far." "Team DrC" "Grandpa," "Who are my mom and dad among these?" "." "See..." "One end at the far is your Ma..." " See the next one twinkling near." "That one?" "Yea.." "That's your papa." "Can they see us?" "Why not?" "Better than we see things here." "They can see you running and playing here." "Grandpa..." "Kuttappai..." "Come here" "Have the ducks laid eggs?" "The black ducks laid white eggs!" "Come fast." "Team DrC" " This is Joseph's son..." "Right?" "Yes." "Shouldn't you send him to school?" "Yes" "What use if kids don't learn four letters!" "You are right..." "He was in class two actually." "Where shall I keep him while drifting with these ducks?" "Keep with his kins." "He is just a kid." "What use saying since his parents are no more?" "." "Don't you want to learn, My boy?" "Hmm!" "See." "Poor boy" "What you said is true." "Our life like drifting rains." "We are here today, But tomorrow we are somewhere away." "Betty is over there." "Do go." "Tinku your boat is here.." "Come on." " Have you seen my school?" "." " Nope." "Its close by." " Then why take a boat?" "." "If I go walking, Daddy will scold me." "Tinku..." "This too." "Every time he forgets something or other." "I too want to learn." "You will..." "Team DrC" "Thought of saying the word to someone else when you didn't turn up." "But Moly said No." "What happened this time?" "I had decided to quite the job." "My son and daughter left us." "Then I thought about this boy." "What was the issue for the two to take their lives?" "They were in debt." "People say so..." "Government say they will write off loans." "But they are mere words." "Should've thought about this boy at least." "They gave poisoned food to him too..." "Got him back out of luck." " Had any catch?" " Not yet." "Wait, you will.." "Share with us once you get one." "To whom else if not for you!" "." "Who is this rug rat?" "He is my grandson." "Rat in looks.." "But he thinks he is my grandpa." "Wanna join?" "." "I'll teach you catching fish." "Hm.. sure, the boy will 'learn'." "Hi, Grand pa..." "Baya weavers nests!" "All of them are here..." "Natives and visitors." "What do you mean by 'visitors'?" "Migratory birds..." "They are just like us..." "Arrive after harvest." "Wander for a while..." "And fly back home.." "Do they come every year?" "." "They will..." "While we don't." "Lay eggs..." "Hatch them..." "Little ones come..." "And they return..." "Father, mother and little ones." "What about the little ones with no parents?" "Little ones with no parents!" "Team DrC" "Shan't we party?" "Why does he light lamp over there?" "They gave poisoned food to him too..." "Got him back out of luck." "Once upon a time..." "For the boats and boatmen in the backwaters..." "It was a beacon"" "and its been there long before the torch and other lights." "He isn't doing it for the sake of money." "He is just doing it." "Hopping that it would help someone or the other." "Holy boat race day at the Chambakkulam church... holy lighting festival at Am balapuzha"" "hi lovely lass of Kuttanadu fields..." "Garudan festival for Kaavilamma..." "Are you giving away your share to the dog?" "Give him one more plate of fish and tapioca." "Team DrC" "Whats the name of this puppy?" "." "It has got no name." "'Nameless Dog'." "Isn't that your name?" "." "Stop stop!" "Avaran look whose here!" "I have always wanted to ask." "Why he is called 'Toddy Shop Avaran'?" "What else would one call a guy who instead of sleeping his woman." "Sleep at this toddy shop." "Plied on the twenty eight leaf water wheel..." "Plied on the twenty eight leaf water wheel..." "Twenty eight leaves..." "Twenty eight leaves..." "Plied on the twenty eight leaf water wheel..." "Twenty eight leaves..." "Twenty eight leaves..." "Kurrappaayh" "Tell me a story"" "I will, if you hum..." "Agreed..." "Till I fall asleep." " OK" "Then start." "Once upon a time..." "There was a king..." "He had five sons..." "First one is S.." "Second one is T." "Third one is O." "Fourth one is R." "Fifth one is Y." "That the end of the STORY" "NO.." "NO.." "This is a cooked up story." "Tell me another one." "OK.." "Here is another." "Once upon a time..." "I will, if you hum..." "Aye.." "This won't work boy..." "A1] Plied night into day." "Everything dark..." "Everything dark..." "Woke up in white..." "And the sun came from afar." "Where are you going?" "To see the school" "Will return soon." " Take care" " OK" "Whats the problem?" "This early morning?" "Hi postman." "Please show him the school." "Why not?" "Come with me boy.." "Anyway..." "Nobody gets letters in Kuttanadu.." "I will show you the school." "Team DrC" "Oh my God!" "How did you get A plus without doing homework?" "From where you got this pupa and Butterfly?" "Whose book did you show your teacher'?" "Oh!" "That's it." "So, you helped him?" " No." "I asked him that!" "When the teacher was to beat him..." "Good." "Learn from him.." "Instead of you..." "He should be sent to school..." "Can't we admit him in school?" "Oh!" "Just try..." "They will make you run.." "Even you got your seat on recommendation from the church." "More over, he can't always be here." "He should go back with the ducks." "Kuttappaayi likes to learn." "I'll teach you my boy." "Take a rough book." "Give one to him as well." "You two sit together and write, OK?" "Team DrC" "Grandpa, Shall we hatch some eggs?" "From where to get a broody hen?" "Let's try some other time!" "If it's today, Tinku can also see it." "Let's see..." "Postman uncle.." "Got any letters of anyone in kuttanadu." "No letters.." "No one in Kuttanadu has got letters." "What's this?" " What" "This one!" "Haven't you seen baya weaver'?" "Its their nests." "They have got little ones inside." "Shall we take them home?" "No tinku..." "Let them fly on free." "Come..." "Let's go." "Nameless dog!" "Step"" "Why not?" "Come with me boy.." "Plied on the twenty eight leaf water wheel..." "Twenty eight leaves..." "Twenty eight leaves..." "Haven't you got anything so far?" "Still it's a pleasure." "Take" You hold it boy." "Team DrC" "Grandpa is coming with the broody hen!" "1" "Come..." "let's see how the eggs are hatched." "Why is the hen on the top of the duck's eggs?" "Oh... you don't know that?" "Ducks don't come for hatching." "Kurrappaayh" "Its dusk..." "Take him home." "Let's go." "I don't feel like going." "Will you come tomorrow?" "I have classes tomorrow." "I will come the day after." "Sunday alone is a holiday for us." "Shall we lunch from here that day?" "Take..." "It's from the library." "TOTO CHAN." " Good one to read?" "Of course." "What's all this?" "Did you go ploughing or what?" "It's mud all over..." "Did you see?" "Team DrC" "This is what I got from the pocket of a school goer." "From where you got all these... boy?" " Kuttappayi gave it to me. - Which Kuttappaayi?" "That duck boy." "We don't such friends..." "Got it?" "Go do your homework." "Go inside and take bath." "Grandpa..." "It's today the day after tomorrow?" "How can today be the day after tomorrow?" "Today is today." "Tinku promised to come on the day after tomorrow." " If so..." "That day after tomorrow is today." "That's what I asked." "What a mess!" "What do you need?" "Shan't we prepare something?" "Isn't the toddy shop for that?" "You will get anything over there." "Not that..." "Let's cook something." "Let it be so... if you say so." "Come on Grandpa..." "This one..." "And this spoon too.." "It's already 3." "Seems he won't come." "No.." "Tinku promised to come." "Go and see." "May be he forgot." "Team DrC" "Tinku..." "Tinku..." "Tinku promised to join for lunch." "He didn't turn up..." "Moly..." "Who's over there?" " Who's over there?" "That duck boy." "If there is any food left over..." "give him." "Don't be sad my boy." "They are all rich..." "Duck men's rice won't go down their chops." "Come.." "Let's go." "Team DrC" "Kurrappaayh" "Kurrappaayh" "That boy is here." "You don't need much of his company, ok?" "Come..." "let's go.." "These boys!" "Whatever!" "I am sent out of class." "For not doing anything for the Art exhibition." "What's it?" "We should make something of our own." "I don't know to make anything." "Shall we try one?" "Come... what shall we name it?" "Hope." "Will catch a fish someday." "That hope!" "Hope..." "Good name." "Kuttappaayi..." "From where did you learn it?" "Does anyone teach a nightingale to sing?" "Do the kingfisher go to school..." "to learn catching fish?" "You are bright indeed." "You were to be born in some rich family." "In this lovely locale..." "Below this beautiful sky..." "Near this charming mustache..." "With out a slip in foot fall.." "The night comes near..." "With out a slip in foot fall.." "The night comes near..." "The glaring night..." "Sleepless night..." "Toto Chan was sent out from school." "That too from standard one." "That was what saddened the mother." "Grandpa..." "Why don't you hum?" "Grandpa..." "Grandpa..." "Grandpa..." "Grandpa..." "Grandpa..." "Grandpa..." "Grandpa..." "Grandpa is not well..." "Come fast..." "Team DrC" "How old are you?" "Around 70 plus." "Do you have children to take care?" "No." "All I have is a grandson." "Grandson..." "Age?" "Eight." "Just eight?" "That means there should be someone to look after him." "That's true..." "Need someone to look after him." "What job can we offer him?" "Wiser thing is to send him to some orphanage." "Shall we keep him here?" "Will be a good company for Tinku as well." "He could help with the house boat too!" "It'll lead to big trouble." "This isn't a silly deal." "It's child labour..." "we will be behind bars." "Betty says there is no way to keep him here." "When I'm no more he will have none on earth." "Kuttappaayi..." "Have those eggs hatched out?" "Not yet." "I checked even today morning..." "Team DrC" "Grandpa..." "The eggs have hatched..." "Come fast..." "Grandpa..." "Why did you scare it away?" "Once the egg hatch, the broody hen should be got rid off." "Othenlvise it may hurt the new born." "Once it realizes that they are ducks." "So what would these ducks do?" "They will go on their own." "God will be with them." "Team DrC" "I said it earlier... to send him to work." "Hey there!" "Come join!" "I don't think there is any other way." "Fireworks companies will take him..." "He'll be paid well too." "If we say for work, he won't come." "He wants to learn." "Will they look after him well?" "I have cared him so much." "Why do we cut bamboos?" "This time, we are making the biggest ever Christmas star." "Wait and see." "But, Christmas hasn't yet come." "Once you go to learn, you can't come for Christmas." "That's why we do it earlier." "Who is going to learn?" "Kuattappaayi... who else?" "In Tinku's school?" "In a better school." "But it's a bit afar..." "The Boss will take care of every thing." "Then what about Grandpa?" "What a fun!" "How can I leave my ducks behind?" "If so, I don't want to learn." "I will be here." "Whenever you feel like, you can come to see me." "Is that OK?" "Team DrC" "The star is ready." "Now we need to wrap it with color paper and hang it there." "No need Grandpa..." "Let's gift it to Tinku." "What about you?" "I have lot of stars in the skies..." "Come on..." "Grandpa..." "Pull on..." "Pull on..." "Pull on..." "A little more higher..." "Enough ?" "Shall I tie it?" "Just a little more." " Grandpa..." "This is enough?" "Ready?" "Maw... for you Kuttappayi..." "Here is the camel..." "Kuttappaayi..." "Just come here..." "Here is some cake." "Have it." "I too want one." "You get it every day boy." "Let him eat today." "Still..." "I'm also going to learn." "It's true..." "My Kuttappaayi too is going to learn." "Plied on the twenty eight leaf water wheel Perspired all over even in this cold..." "Plied on the twenty eight leaf water wheel..." "Grand pa..." "Why don't you join?" "Sing along." "Plied on the twenty eight leaf water wheel..." " You are going tomorrow..." "No?" "." "Why do you send me to learn?" "Why do everyone learn?" "Who knows!" "Slow..." "Slow..." "Stay here and I will teach you how to ply..." "I too want to learn." "What?" "How to add and subtract?" "Whatever you add..." "Whatever you subtract..." "You will get nought at the end." "How will you catch fish now?" "With or without sight..." "You'll get what you'll get." "When I return after learning I will bring a big hook for you." "With a a big hook its not easy to catch fish." "Small is always better." "You also be small always!" "Bye Grandpa..." "You'll catch lots of fish by the time I return." "Yea..." "I'll catch something." "Bye Grandpa..." "Give a kiss for your Grandpa." "Team DrC" "Tinku.." "Tinku." "Come in Kuttappaayi"" "where is Tinku.?" "He has gone to school." "You come in the evening." "I am going to learn." "I will return only after many days." "Wait..." "I will come right back." "My dear Moly." "Don't donate like this." "'There is no point in preaching philosophy before poor'" "Don't you say that when you are drunk." "Just consider this as the money for those drinks." "Kuttappaayi!" "Nameless dog..." "Take care of my Grandpa." "Team DrC" "The sparrow from within me lamented" "Afiithe harvest ended And the festivities concluded AU" "The sparrow from within me lamented," "Grandpa... am going to learn." "Go learn and come back." "O, the dream bird of the nomadic chief Whither have you gone...?" "Whither thou art missing whither, O whither...?" "Eyes not caught in Not ears swipe in," "Silence still unbroken, Even as the mind looked on." "Letterless Postmanl!" "Got letters for anyone in Kuttanadu?" "No..." "No..." "No one in Kuttanadu has got letters." "Ah!" "like my flock of ducks Ah!" "like my flock of ducks." "I feel disarrayed I feel disarrayed" "I feel disarrayed" "Team DrC" "Grandpa..." "I don't want to learn." "I don't want to go to school." "Grandpa..." "I don't want to learn." "Grandpa..." "I don't want to learn." " Grandpa..." "Stay there!" "Grandpal!" "Leave me!" " Grandpa..." "Stay there!" " Leave me..." "Stand right!" "Grandpa..." "I don't want to learn." " Grandpa..." "Stay there!" " Grandpa..." "Don't go!" "Stay still..." "You want to jump into the water?" "The sparrow from within me lamented," "The moon shines shattered, Disappears in the soul of river Pam pa." "The moon shines shattered, Disappears in the soul of river Pam pa." "Playfully mounting and falling on the ripples, Even while watching;" "Team DrC" "Upon yourself I vouch, You are the one so dear to me," "Grandpa..." "Grandpa..." "Where is Kuttappaayi?" "Entwined if even apart." "I got first first prize... for the sculpture Kuttappaayi made for me." "Gone." "Where has he gone?" "To learn." "He has gone to learn how to live." "Ah!" "like the water on my rowing oar" "I feel disarrayed I feel disarrayed" "Kuttappaayi!" "Learning and learning till the very end!" "Take your seat!" " Quite long since we met." "What to do!" " The boy you told about?" "Yes" "Go up..." "Wait in the room upstairs." "Heard it?" "Go and sit in the room upstairs." "I don't want to learn." "I want to go to my Grandpa." "That's why I asked you to sit in the room upstairs." "They will take you home." "Near your Grandpa." "Go..." "Go sit there." "It's Boss telling you!" "Go" "There won't be any issues, right?" "Till date you have no issues..." "No?" "Give me some more." "He works real hard." "This is enough." "There are children ready to work just for food." "You know that?" "Team DrC" "Thomas Kuruvila, the third standard student has surprised even the elders" with his sculpture titled ,AuHope,Au." "This young boy who fishes hooking hopes and anxieties lets us think." "We do see the hopes and aspirations of childhood... along with the tiny fingerprints." "Still visible in the clay." "Team DrC" "Do it propeﬂy" "I will kill you!" "This is not the place where they teach." "This is where fireworks are made." "There are many boys like me here." "Since the day I arrived I am always beaten lam so hungry" "When I asked for a cup of water" "I was dragged and thumped on the floor" "Then, whipped with a belt." "When I told I wanted to go home and see my Grandpa," "They stopped giving me food." "I get beaten with whatever comes his way" "I am to work always" "There's no place to sleep." "No blankets" "Worse than a dog..." "I will die" "In the name of the lord, you have to take me from here." "I will do whatever you say." "I will look after to ducks." "Tell Tinku, his mother, and the nameless dog that I remember them all" "When I grow up I will care you like anything." "When you die," "I will go to church everyday and offer a candle" "When you make a Christmas crib at Tinku's," "Please put a starlet for me" "When Tinku's mother asks" "Tell her that its for Kuttappaayi" "Come soon Grandpa"" "I beg you I have no parents so please be kind towards me" "Before they kill me beating Take me from here" "You rs Kuttappaayi" "To my Grandfather Kuttanadu" "There is a letter" "KuttapayPs Grandfather!" "There is a letter from Kuttapayi." "I have caught a fish!" "Tell Tinku, his mother, and the nameless dog that I remember them all" "When you make a Christmas crib at Tinku's," "Please put a starlet for me"