18. The Grinder

In Search of Swami series. Semi-autobiographical work about my school days. Sri Vidya Mandir, Salem.

Let’s go back to the mess hall. During my second year in the hostel, new machines started to occupy the mess hall. Earlier the batter for idly and dosai were grinded in traditional stone grinder- Ammi kallu. Now they installed a big electric grinder. They also installed a RO water purifier. Welcome to the liberalization era.

The electric grinder container was big, probably a 25-35 liter. The electric motor was open; it was kept besides the grinder container. A rubber belt will run from the motor, which will make the grinder iron wheal to rotate, which in turn will make the container to move.

All these settings amazed us. Whenever Mani and his associates prepare the batter, there will be always some eager kids around the grinder. The water purifier was silent and so we never cared for it. The grinder was attractive- in its sound and motor movements. 

As I said earlier, on how kids will improvise things around them to create some kind of gaming activity, the grinder was no exception. Someone stared to play with the grinder.

The distance between the motor and the iron wheal was almost 2 feet. The game was to keep the toe\leg on the rubber belt while the grinder is on the run. Whoever keeps the leg on the moving belt for long time is the winner.

I was never in this game. In fact my gang was never in to it.

Sometimes Mani will notice it and will shoo away the kids, but since the grinder was kept near drinking water spot, there was always some “Dennis the menace” kind kids.

An accident happened; the culprit or the victim was Prabhu. He and Ibrahim were the contestants. Prabhu was the one who earlier did a daring escape from the hostel. Now, in the game, Ibrahim was giving him a tough fight. Prabhu couldn’t grip the rubber belt and so his toe finger was caught in between the iron wheel and the belt. 

Rest of his life Prabhu was a toe-less man.

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*** Above image by the blogger