Our smart young guide in Shanghai introduced himself as Thomas. Explaining that it was only his English name, he said his real name was Wang.

No, it wasn't because we were all from Kerala that he had chosen one of the most common names among Malayalis. Nor did the Chinese Thomas know that a large Malayali community traces its origins to St Thomas the Apostle, who is believed to have arrived on Kerala’s shores two millennia ago. Yet the name was enough for our nearly 40-member Malayali senior-citizen tourist group to begin our 10-day tour of China—still viewed by many as India’s traditional rival—in a familiar comfort zone. Soon, many were affectionately calling him “Thomacha”, while others merrily shouted the famous Malayalam film line: “Thomas Kutty, vittoda!”

Unlike most tourist guides, Thomas was not overly diplomatic. Someone in our group, consisting largely of retired space scientists, asked where China’s space-launch facilities were located.  

“What? Do you think I am going to tell you that? Are you guys spies or what?”

His response reminded us that India and China remain competitors in high-end space research and its strategic applications. Coincidentally, it was also the day China launched its Shenzhou-23 mission, a major step towards its goal of sending astronauts to the Moon by 2030.

This was my second visit to China, a country that had occupied a curious place in my life largely because of my father, a lifelong admirer of the Chinese Revolution.

I first heard of China when I was about six years old. During the Sino-Indian conflict, my father, along with many Communist comrades, was arrested on allegations of being sympathetic to China. Too young to understand the politics involved, I was traumatised. I could not comprehend why my father was in jail or why he lacked a proper office and job like the fathers of my classmates.

I vividly remember asking my mother what I should write under “Father’s Occupation” in a school application form. “Farmer,” she replied. Perhaps she thought that, in a sense, he was indeed sowing seeds- for a revolution.

My second encounter with China was again through my father. During the Emergency, he faced disciplinary action from the party for sheltering the Maoist leader K Venu in our home. I still remember the small wooden study table that Venu left behind after his arrest. Scribbled on it was a slogan from another era: “China’s Chairman, Our Chairman.”

The third episode came in 1989, when the party censured my father for condemning the........

© Mathrubhumi English