Can't I speak in Malayalam ?

Can't I speak in Malayalam?
I bumped into our post graduation batchmate Monojit Mukherjee in Kolkata airport in March 2015. We found ourselves in same security hold area. We were going to different destinations with my flight departing much later. We sought the help of a much younger passenger to click our photo.
Monojit left and I introduced myself to the young passenger - Amit Dubey, chemical engineer working for Haldia Petrochemical. I sat next to him. I got a phone call from home and I got up moved to closer to glass wall facing the tarmac.
After the call, I heard somebody saying something Malayalam addressed to me. I turned around and looked around. No familiar faces. Amit was sitting with straight face.
I asked Amit whether he said something in Malayalam to me.
His response? Can't I speak in Malayalam. I told him he was welcome to converse in Malayalam. He had spent his schooling life in Kottayam in Hindustan Newsprint Colony- his dad was working in Hindustan Newsprint.
He studied engineering in Coimbatore. As a result he knew Tamil and Malayalam very well. He overhead me talking in Malayalam mixed Tamil and surmised Malayalam was my stronger language.
We have kept in touch since. I post my vignettes to him on Whatsapp as well especially if it is about life in Kerala.
He responded with vignette after reading my piece on Bhagavathi temple oracle yesterday.
Amit said it was his first attempt and was tempted to write after reading my vignette. He is continuing from where I let go.
Hope you enjoy his vignette on Xmas Carols in Kottayam 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻
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Christmas Carols were new to non- Malayalee population in the company colony during end 70's and early 80's.
Few days before X mas , Carol's would visit company quarters one by one sponsored by about 3 local Churches in the area.
Someone had spread the word around that Carol's would ask for big amounts at the end of performance. This made many households switch off lights giving impression that no one was home and they would pass by.
As the non Malayalee population began exploring the adjoining areas and made friends that this miscommunication was corrected.
And fear / aversion was replaced by joy and welcoming of X mas in the years that ensued.
Houses with lighted paper Star hung in front of the houses would get longer performance.
This would coincide with last of our half yearly exams

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