There’s a Malayalam song from the 70s that goes, ‘Indulekha thăn pon kalithoniyil innale njaan ninne kondu poyii’. The translation: I took you out yesterday in Indulekha’s golden toy boat.

Indulekha is none other than our very own moon. Apparently she owns a boat, a golden toy boat which can be borrowed for men to take their girls out for a spin. What a beautiful way to spend the night! But I don’t think too many men know about this golden bought that Indulekha has in her possession. Has your man ever taken YOU out in it?

Anyway

That made me wonder how the pair of them managed to fit into a toy boat. Or maybe kalithoni is not to be literally translated as toy boat. It could just mean a small boat of the kind that two people can safely sail in, especially two people so much in love and want to make a get away to be by themselves for a few minutes at least.

Hmm… that made sense. It’s hard for lovers to find time to be by themselves. Rather, it was pretty hard back in the 70s.

But I needed to know more.

What exactly is Indulekha’s (or the moon’s) golden boat? Is it the moon’s ray? Wow, what imagination equating the moon’s ray to a golden boat. So the lovers in their imagination sailed on the moon’s ray to some place where they could be together, away from prying eyes.

That makes even more sense.

Nosy parkers are ‘data’ collectors who then report back to parents or other seniors, or in most case anyone and everyone willing to lend them their ears. And they were pretty active back in the 70s too. Is it any wonder then that this man and his woman had to tap into their imagination and opt for moon rays to travel….

But, but….where did they go in their golden boat? More questions!

It had to be an equally exotic place, as exotic as their transport. And I found out it was so indeed. They went to the Shores of Sleep. Gosh! That’s a new one. Sleep has shores? Is sleep a sea, a river, a lake, what?And what did they do there on those shores? Kiss, make love, what? Not that I would ever want to spy on the lovers in this strange meeting place of theirs. But I had to know.

The lyricist was the very obliging kind and has revealed all. They had their engagement ceremony that night on the shores of sleep. I am betting you anything it was a secret one and that not too many were invited. Otherwise why did they have to use such a strange mode of transportation to get to an even stranger sounding place?

The venue is described as beautifully festooned with white clouds. That I can easily imagine. A night sky with moonlight and fluffy white clouds. How magical! During the engagement ceremony the flower trees and creepers rained on them it seems. That I am sure is the work of the naughty breeze. She is always doing such things I have noted. Bless her sweet heart.

The sky and earth were seemingly the sole witnesses. Yup, you need two witnesses minimum when you go to the registrar’s office too. And anyway you don’t want to let too many people know what’s happening. If it gets to the wrong ears the relatives and family are going to swarm in and put a stop to it.

By the way, the waves, the sly little things, awake at all times of the night or day weren’t going to be left out of it. They ululated in support as the couple exchanged rings set with precious stones, cat’s eyes, no less. That was no ordinary cat’s eye either, but those made from the tears of their love.

Now that I finally know all the details, all I can say is, imagination is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?

©️ Shail Mohan 2024