🌿 Allilu: A Story That Began on a Swing Chair
The other day, I was sitting on the balcony with my younger daughter — my little third-year philosopher.
Morning breeze flowing, birds warming up, and me… mentally preparing for the daily rapid-fire round of questions.
If you’ve sat with a 3-year-old early in the morning, you’ll understand —
their mind works faster than any AI model.
Questions come like KSRTC buses during rush hour: no gap, no warning, full speed.
“Appa!! Appa!!”
(She just walked into the room while I’m writing this. One hug break. Okay, continuing 😄)
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🌱 The Day Begins With a Question
We were on the swing chair. She climbed onto my lap like she’s renewing her season ticket.
As usual, the first five minutes were inspection time —
scanning the balcony like a wildlife researcher.
And my balcony… well, it’s a mini forest.
Tall green canopy, herbs growing like they have dreams, tiny flowers that pop out of nowhere,
and half-eaten fruits that always make me wonder who visited before us.
Her little head suddenly turned sharply towards the trees.
“Appa… Elli!” (Rat!)
I turned slowly, the suspense music playing in my head…
and saw a tiny Allilu (squirrel) sitting on the branch like a silent monk.
“Magalu, adu Elli alla… Allilu.”
(Not a rat, dear — it’s a squirrel.)
She nodded with her classic “Okay fine” expression and immediately followed up:
“Appa… story heli.”
(Appa, tell me the story.)
Ah yes. That moment when Appa becomes Netflix.
So let me take you into the story too.
Are you ready?
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<<<<<< Fast Backward Mode On
But before that… a small confession.
In my childhood, whenever someone said “Let me tell you a story,” my eyes automatically searched for a spider web on the wall.
Don’t ask me why — that spider web was like a 3D IMAX screen for my imagination.
I would stare at it and build a whole universe of scenes as the story unfolded.
So if your eyes wander while reading this, don’t worry. You are normal. In fact… you are like me 😄
Okay now…
Fast backward <<<<<<<<
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🕰️ Year: 2009
Location: Bangalore — where every IT engineer’s story begins.
By 2009, the Garden City had already transformed into Silicon City
and was slowly evolving into Traffic Jam City.
Friday afternoons were unofficially “escape plan day.”
Backpack ready.
Mind already in hometown.
Laptop pretending to work.
By 12 PM, we were just waiting for that magical moment —
when can I leave office without looking suspicious?
After the traditional struggle, I’d rush to the BMTC bus, reach Shantinagar,
and board my loyal friend — KSRTC Sleeper — to Palakkad.
5:30 AM arrival. Cool breeze. Early chai aroma.
Cousin or uncle waiting to pick me up.
But this trip…
was unforgettable.
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🐿️ The Guest Who Owned the House
As I removed my sandals and stepped in, something tiny shot across the hall like a jet.
A small creature.
Fast.
Fierce.
Fearless.
And the moment my cousin entered, this tiny fellow jumped onto his shoulder like it was his reserved seat.
It wasn’t just a pet.
It wasn’t scared.
It wasn’t uncertain.
It behaved as if he was family.
Maybe even more than family.
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📦 How the Squirrel Came Home
Over breakfast, my curiosity exploded.
“How did you get a squirrel, macha?”
He smiled.
“Coconut plucker found two baby squirrels in the tree.
He brought them down carefully and gave them to me.”
Two little babies.
Eyes hardly open.
Skin soft and fragile.
He fed them with a tiny nipple bottle.
Later, groundnuts, carrot peels, little fruit pieces.
They lived with him for four months.
Until nature reminded us that the wild has its own rules.
One was taken by their cat.
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🐈 Amma Puchhe — An Icon in That Home
Their cat was legendary —
13 to 14 years with them,
countless kittens,
kind eyes, royal attitude.
But in nature’s food chain…
a squirrel is prey.
Still, my cousin didn’t give up.
He made a small wooden box for the surviving squirrel.
Kept it safely in his room.
Cats were not allowed.
And the squirrel?
It trusted him
like how a child trusts a parent.
Uncle, aunt, elder cousin — everyone adored it.
It became the heartbeat of that home.
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🌅 An Evening I’ll Never Forget
Kerala homes always have that iconic Easy Chair.
The OG recliner.
Perfect for tea, reading, gossip, or plain daydreaming.
One evening, my uncle sat with a cup of tea.
Right next to him,
on the wooden armrest,
sat the squirrel — eating its favourite snack.
Both watching TV together.
Two buddies.
Two worlds merging quietly.
That image stayed with me forever.
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🌳 The Day of Freedom
Next day, everyone left for a family function.
The squirrel was kept safe in the room.
By Sunday night, I travelled back to Bangalore with a heart full of warm memories.
A month later, my cousin called.
“I left the squirrel near the banyan tree at the temple.
It found friends.
It plays around.
I still see it whenever I visit.”
Some bonds don’t break —
they just shift to a new place.
The squirrel found its world.
Free.
Happy.
Wild.
Loved.
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>>>>>>>>> Fast Forward: Back to My Balcony
As I finished narrating all this, my younger daughter was glowing with happiness.
My elder daughter quietly joined.
My wife too sat beside us, listening with a soft smile.
Then came the question:
“Appa… naavu ondu Allilu na manege tagond bappana?”
(Shall we bring a squirrel home and pet it?)
I smiled.
“To pet an animal, you need love, patience, care.
Mava had all of that — that’s why the squirrel trusted him.
If you both learn those qualities, one day…
maybe we can think about it.
But remember… animals are happiest when they are free.
They don’t belong to us.
They belong with us.”
They nodded, holding onto the story…
and maybe a little dream.
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❤️ A Small Tribute
To all the animal lovers out there — hats off to you.
Your love, care, and quiet patience create a world where a pet is not just a companion,
but a reflection of your own heart.
💬 Closing Quote
“Some stories are not told by words, but by the tiny creatures who trust us with their world.”
Some Real Photos of Squirrel and Cat
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| Pet squirrel Photo-1 |
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| Pet squirrel Photo-3 |
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| Pet squirrel Photo-3 |
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| Pet squirrel Photo-4 |
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| Mother Cat |
