On a fine rainy evening back in the 90’s, Vaikom Muhammad Basheer brought several of his friends home for a tea. It was customary for the lady in the household to greet them with an ‘Assalamu Alaikkum’ and welcome them home.
“At that time, we led a very conservative life. Men would not touch other women’s hands and vice versa. So, when one of Ikka’s friends gave me a shake-hand, I withdrew my palm instantly,” recollects Fathima Beevi, the dear wife of the late veteran writer Vaikkom Muhammad Basheer.
“For a whole week, Ikka did not talk to me. He would do his writings and mingle with people around, but would totally avoid me. When finally I begged him to point out my error, he said, ‘Fabi, I didn’t like the way you behaved to my friend the other day. When he extended his hand to greet you, you didn’t budge. There’s nothing wrong in touching a man’s hand to greet,’ he told me.”
As far as Fathima Beevi can recollect, this was the only fight that the Basheer couple had in their 36 years of marriage.
“I tried to clear my part telling the society’s norms and our religious ethics. But he wouldn’t agree with me.” As Fabi recollects about her iconic husband on the occasion of his 19th death anniversary at their home in Beypore, words of praise just poured out of this proud lady. “He was the blessing in my life. Never an angry person, ever loving and always protecting me like a father. What more a woman needs from her husband,” says Fathima, who further tells that her Ikka was very broad-minded and totally against the illogical principles the society imposed upon women.
“We led a very normal life unlike other couples of those days. He would take me for movies and of all our outings, I enjoyed the evening strolls at Mananchira Ground.” As she says, Basheer used to discuss with her the details of his novels during such evening walks.
“It was a bliss to see him sit in our verandah and do the writings. He never used to lock himself in a room and avoid the rest of the family while writing. Even when guests came, he used to spare his writing time to interact with them.
Gradually, the outsiders themselves began to stop their visits so as not to disturb Ikka,” Fathima recollects. Basheer’s ‘Paathumayude Aadu’ is still the favourite pick of Fathima. “The story is very crisp. There are no exaggerations or false statements. When I read the book, it just seemed I was watching a movie shot at my husband’s tharavadu in Vaikom,” she says.