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Part IV of the series - on time! Enjoy!

FORT ST GEORGE.---- FISHING and MAGICAL "MANADI"

There was so much to do during each season every year. A young Anglo Indian boy's  life was a very busy one. Another class mate of Michael and Rudy's, Clive Peters, who also lived in George Town, knew an AI who used to sell
tropical fish. One Mr Brady. Clive used to supply Mr Brady with  sea water tropical fish. Mr Brady would acclimatise the fish to fresh water and sell them. "Listen, Clive said,  tomorrow is Saturday so if you two  are doing nothing and want to make some cash, meet me at Fort St George, near the main gate, at 10 O'clock --- we'll go fishing. My cousin normally comes with me, but hes not well, so I could use some help."

The next day, Michael and Rudy met him at the gate, and Clive took them over the small bridge and into the bushes towards the moat that surrounded the fort. The moat filled with water from the sea, at every high tide and brought with it " Gauramies of every imaginable colour combination, Midnight  Morlies, Sword tail  Guppies, Zebras , Siamese fighters, and the most exotic of all The Angel Fish. Today on orders from Mr  Brady, Clive was after Zebras. "Right guys , he said  as he started stripping, Keep your jocks on, and come on in with me". Out of a bag he pulled out three glass jars, which he filled with water and placed on the edge of the bank, and also, what looked like a mosquito net.

The three of them went into the water and stood motionless in the middle of the moat, with the mosquito net, spread out and held waist high. Michael and Rudy were amazed at , first how clear the water was and second at how
many different varieties of tropical fish went past them. The idea was to lift the net when enough fish were in it .  It was pains taking work but after a few hours they had a good catch of  Zebras and a couple of medium sized Angels too.

Mr Brady paid them 4  Annas  for each fish, so at the end of the day they made 9 rupees between them. That was a fortune and they went to "Manadi" straight away to buy a big "Spinning top" each, because it was top season. Manadi was a treasure trove for young AI boys. You bought egg shaped, green wood apples for wood apple fights, well I use the word "bought" lightly. You did'nt  buy anything if you could help it. That went for everything, from polly mangoes to borams, custard apples, kirks and a whole range of stuff that  are too numerous to mention here.

Manadi was about a half mile away from George Town,and the most amazing things used to happen there. There was a concentration of Temples And Mosques in the area, which made it a very exciting place during Deepavalli
(diwali) and Holi, but the most  sensational, festival was the muslim's "Muhurram".  Devotional groups of muslim men  converged on Manadi, from all the mosques in the area. Chanting "Din bol, Din bol. and Hassan Hussain".  Dancing to a mesmerising rhythm, these groups  moved down the main street and waited  for their turn to dance in a 20ft by 8 ft Fire Pit.

The chanting continued in a low, deep register, never strident. Powerful, Incessant, Pounding, it got to your very soul. The chosen man leading the group, was carrying an iconic golden replica of "The Prophet's Hand" and was by now in a trance. As he stepped to the edge of the Fire Pit, the chanting  became, deeper, softer and slowly began to get faster and louder, but never too fast to lose the pounding rhythm. At a seemingly unprompted moment, he stepped into the smouldering, red hot coals and bits of iron and with a slow, shuffling set of steps, to the right and then to the left, He  Danced towards the other end of the Fire Pit. When he reached the end he would be , supported and carried up. His legs from his knees down would be smothered with a Haldi (turmeric) paste, and still chanting a triumphant "Hassan Hussain" his group would take him away.

Anglo Indian lads from George Town, were there in numbers, enjoying the festivities, a lot of them would scamper through the fire as a dare, certain to regret it the next day when they had to go to school with blistered feet, daring little buggers. Further down the street, men painted as tigers would be doing a frensied dance to the beat of drums. The highlight for the boys from George Town would be to stop off at the Flag Tea building on the way home. Traditionally, the proprieter of Flag Tea would sit crossed legged on a raised dias. The challenge was : If any one
could make him laugh he would give them Rs 100/-.

There were two boys from George Town who were right clowns. They were the inventors of funny walks and talking a gibberish language, affectionately called "Manga Thalay" and Theinga Thalay. (mango head and coconut head). Alright, it may seem cruel and not really PC, but that was the way it was in those days. They would have a go at making the fat man laugh, they would do their funny walks and the crowd would be hysterical, but the old fat man would be unmoved. They never won, but there was always a reward , an armful of sweets which included "mutai pink",  dolls, moulded out of sugar, which the lads shared with everyone.

Next in the series: TAMIL MASTER'S BLESSINGS 

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