Chapter 5: Pappachi’s Moth

Mammachi and Pappachi had an age gap of 17 years. Pappachi was a retired high-ranked officer and was jealous of the talents which his wife Mammachi possessed and the attention she got. Even if it was her violin classes in Vienna or pickle-making, he was jealous of her. Apart from all the fights and friction they had in their relationship, Mammachi always stayed with him. She was more attached to him and was not exactly in love with him. She could not let go of him even if Pappachi beat her with brass vases. At his funeral, she cried very badly, not because the man she loved had died but because he would not be around her. He was like an old shoe to her, which she was unable to let go of. She was very close to him, though she was beaten by him and was used to having him slouching around the pickle factory.

The egocentric Entomologist husband of Mamachi always discouraged her. He was an unsupportive husband and was jealous of her talents and any kind of attention she got. It was mainly because of the anger which remained inside his heart for not getting the deserved fame of his moth discovery, which he wished to be named after him. Her pickle recipe was very famous, and she was called by the Kottayam Bible Society to prepare some of her famous tender mango pickles and banana jam for an upcoming fair. It was sold instantly, and she received many orders, which she could cope with. Excited by the success, Mammachi decided to persist with the jams and pickles and was very busy the entire year. Later, she set up a pickle factory and was very successful.

Mammachi’s husband, Benaan John Ipe, Pappachi, retired as the Joint Director, Entomology. He was a very reputed man and was proud that he was a high-ranked government officer. Upon retirement, he found it difficult to manage the ignominy of retirement. Pappachi and Mammachi had an age difference of seventeen years which made him perceive that he was an old man when his wife was still young. He was a jealous husband and did not like the attention his wife was getting all of a sudden. Retirement was a constant reminder of his old age, which pricked him very deeply. A man who was once so strong to beat his wife with a brass vase was now put to a stop by his son. He felt dejected and neglected. An imperial Entomologist had now changed to a withered aged man, and this gave a jolt to his ego.

John Ipe was very disgusted with the world. He did not get what he wished for. The moth discovered by Pappachi was not named after him, and this made him feel jealous of the talents which his wife possessed. He was a retired government officer without any fame, while his wife, who was about seventeen years younger, was earning well out of her pickle factory. Pappachi was hurt by this, and his pride got wounded. He then started to beat his wife Mammachi regularly. The fame which he never received and his wife’s success hurt him very badly, and his anger got multiplied.