Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Fond memories of a special bond with the `CM'

Sangeeth Kurian

PRIZED POSSESSION: Sasi displays the silk cloth given to him by Nayanar. Photo: S. Gopakumar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is Sasi's most valuable possession as a tailor — a pale-yellow three-metre silk cloth given to him by the late Chief Minister E.K. Nayanar to stitch a `juba' a few days before his death. Nayanar's personal tailor, S. Sasi, who is referred to as `Maistiri' by his customers, has stitched over thousands of jubas, shirts and pants for his `beloved CM' over the last 25 years. Sasi always addressed Nayanar as CM, even when he was out of power. It was one of Nayanar's drivers who introduced Sasi to the comrade way back in 1978. Since then, his association with the `VIP' customer and his family grew on a personal level.

However, the 65-year old is extremely reticent about his relationship with Nayanar. After repeated requests, he reluctantly agreed to share his personal association with one of the greatest leaders of the Communist party, who, he described, as a `fatherly-figure' to him. The last time Sasi met Nayanar was a few days before Nayanar left for treatment in New Delhi. "I visited the CM at his flat to wish him well. It was a very touching moment," said Sasi, his voice choking with emotion. "CM hugged me and gave me this silk cloth gifted to him by his daughter for stitching a juba," recalls Sasi, who runs `Modern Tailors,' a 32-year-old non-descript stitching shop at Panchappura junction in Palayam. "He told me to get the juba ready by the time he returned from Delhi." Little did Sasi realise that the cloth would soon become an invaluable souvenir of his special relationship with Nayanar. "Today, I value this piece of cloth more than anything else."

According to Sasi, `juba' and `mundu' was Nayanar's favourite attire. "He looked really stylish in it and enjoyed others appreciating him in it. He was also insistent on an additional pocket in front for the juba."

Sasi's relationship with the late Chief Minister finds special mention in `Kanappurangalile Nayanar,' a biography by P.R.V. Warrier, a member of Nayanar's personal staff. The book talks about the concern shown by the three-time Chief Minister towards his tailor when he came to know that Sasi had some heart- related ailment. "CM came to know about it only before he left for Delhi and was very angry that I had concealed it from him," recalled Sasi.

"He immediately called up the doctor and asked him to conduct a thorough medical check-up and promised to do the needful once he returned from Delhi," he said. "I still find it hard to believe that CM is no more ," Sasi added.

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