JOIN USThis story dates back to the early sixties. My parrot Johnny escaped, preferring freedom over the boredom of the ‘gilded’ coot. RK, a boyhood friend of mine, came forward to get me another parrot. But I did not want another parrot.
"What about a golden fish?" asked RK. "No, keeping a fish in a small tank and keeping a bird in a cage is the same. I want something that will stay with me of its own free will for a long time without requiring confinement," I said
“Then….what suits you is a baby tortoise. A real lifetime pet," said RK. The next weekend he took me to Madras Moore Market. RK had in his pocket a big sum of Rs 20 in one rupee coins which he pilfered from his father's coin bag.
I made my choice from a dozen baby tortoises kept in a tub. When the small little fellow was placed in my palm I was thrilled. ‘Feed him some grass cabbage or spinach he will be happy' said the seller as he placed the tortoise in the cotton bag I had with me. RK gave him the name Ambi-- a common title by which little boys are addressed in Brahmin households in Tamil Nadu
Reaching home, I jubilantly showed my new pet to my mother. She was startled. "Why on earth have you brought this inauspicious creature home? It brings misfortune!” she exclaimed.
My father returned from his daily tuition duty, had his supper and lay in his easy chair. I went up to him apprehensively, holding Ambi in my cupped palms and announced "Dad, meet my new pet Ambi". I expected a fusillade of rebukes from him but to my great relief he took a long contemplative look at Ambi and said, “You can keep him but change his name. Call him Kurma”. Thus Kurma (Tortoise in Sanskrit) alias Ambi, joined our home and became the ninth member of our family.
The joys of having a non-naughty tortoise as a pet are many. When I was doing my homework he would be walking around like a sleepwalker with his droopy eyes. When I held him in a turned-turtle position he would slowly kick his elephantine legs in the air like a baby. When he was asleep, to wake him up, I would just gently knock on his shell as we do on our doors. He would stick out his sleepy, bald head and seem to ask “What on earth have you disturbed me for?”
Kurma did not bring misfortune, he actually brought the fortune. Hardly a month after Kurma entered our life my grandfather won Rs. 1,000 in Tamil Nadu raffle. He celebrated the event by buying laddus for us and lettuce for Kurma.