KOCHI: These giants who propounded, believed and followed the communist ideology had never been seen together in a single photo frame. But the momentous occasion finally dawned on Sunday at Athirapally in Thrissur district at the wedding of a CPM local committee member.
When Engels got married on Sunday, Lenin and fellow party ideologues Marx and Ho Chi Minh were there to bless the couple. No, they did not arrive in a time machine. Instead, they were represented by namesakes born and brought up in Athirapilly village in Thrissur district. Engels, a native of Athirapilly, got married to Bismitha, also from the same place, at the Athirapilly Panchayat Community Hall.
"Of course, it is very rare to have all the giants in communism come together in a single frame," joked Engels. According to Engels, the Athirapilly grama panchayat has been a communist stronghold for a long time.
"Every family here is a staunch follower of the Communist party. My dad Thomas and the father of Marx and Ho Chi Minh, Ouseph, have been friends and neighbours. They were die-hard Communists and followed the ideology to the letter," said Engels who has been a member of the Athirapilly CPM local committee for the past 12 years. He said Ouseph was the first secretary of the Athirapilly CPM local committee.
"So, when we were born, our father named us after the German philosopher and revolutionary socialist Friedrich Engels and the first and founding Soviet head of government Vladimir Lenin while his friend named his sons Marx and Ho Chi Minh. However, this was limited to us. My two younger sisters have normal Indian names," he said.
For Engels, the name has never been a problem. "I have been an active member of the CPM and had been with the SFI since my school days. However, the same can't be said about my younger brother Lenin. He is not into politics," said Engels whose wife was also with the SFI during her college days. "But now she is not active," he added.
As for giving his kids communist names, Engels said, "As a staunch communist, I would like to follow my father's trend. However, this is a decision that I won't be able to take all by myself. I would need my wife to agree to it."