Three decades of overseas work
enrich life of senior Gulf Malayali.
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Social Life and Entertainment
'The new generation elite class of Keralites
has been moving away from the common man, forgetting the old
pattern of cordial social relationship. Now even the social organisations
representing the Keralite community have divided in to Malayalam
and Kerala Wings.
Celebrities frequent the Gulf providing
Pravasis a unique chance of personal interaction.
Like majority of the common Indians in the Gulf, Balettan
was keeping aloof from the elite social gatherings. He was not
a member of any social organisations until 1987. "I joined
the Kerala Cultural Centre to play badminton. I also used KCC
to perform 'Mappilapattu' and act in dramas, fancy dress and
other cultural activities,' he added.
In 1991, he became a member of the KCC
Management Committee. He has also been an active participant
in cultural programmes. In 1989, he acted as a marriage broker
in Thoppil Bhasis' drama, 'Rajan" organised by the KCC.
In 1989, he presented a fancy dress showing a traditional 'Nampoothiri.'
Later he joined the Malayalam Wing of the Indian Social Club.
Initially cinema was the only entertainment for the
Indian community - there were two cinemas viz. Rex cinema and
Ruwi Open theatre. Malayalam films were shown on Fridays in Rex
Cinema. Ruwi Cinema was an open theatre. 'Most of the Keralite
families used to come for Malayalam movies. Some of them would
come with a Two-in-One record player to record song scenes. During
those periods, not many people had Two-in Ones. Radio was popular,'
he recollects. Initially a video cassette recorder cost RO 450!
Indian and Malayalam Newspapers used to come only twice
in a week. After Three Star started newspaper distribution, situation
improved. No India television channel was available --local TV
was available. Not even the white collar workers had telephone.
"Only Cargo clearing agents had telephone. There was no
public telephone, or direct flight to Kerala. Passengers had
to go to Bombay and change flight, he recollects.
Since there were not many Keralite families, the mutual
bond of friendship and community feeling was strong. "Everybody
knew everybody else. Since most of the families were staying
without their close relatives, people needed each other's help.
There was no strict division between the elite and common man.
Even the elite Keralite families did not show their superiority
complex because they needed each others support and the Keralite
community feeling was strong,' he noted, adding that even now
there are a few Keralite families who maintain their old bonds
of friendship and solidarity. 'The new generation elite class
of Keralites has been moving away from the common man, forgetting
the old pattern of cordial social relationship. Now even the
social organisations representing the Keralite community have
divided in to Malayalam and Kerala Wings.
Omanis are good and friendly people.
The value of Indian rupee has declined sharply from
RO 41 for Rs.1000 in 1974 to RO 8 per Rs.1000 at present, but
the erosion in the value of human relationship and community
feeling has been more. The Indian community has also been maintaining
very cordial relationship with the Arab and Omani people, who
are very friendly. Crime rate was so low that people used to
sleep with their doors wide open! Crime among expatriates was
also very less, Balettan stressed.
His future plans include a bit of charity work to help
the poor and downtrodden by providing poor students with assistance.
"If the situation permits, we will do something to help
the needy in Kerala," he said. Since he hailed from a poor
family, he understands the common man's problem. "I understand
the meaning of poverty and the feelings of a hungry man,"
he says.
