Kottayam: Even as the country celebrates Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's 128th birth anniversary today, Kottayam in Kerala, too, has a tale to tell about the hero who revived the Indian National Army.

Netaji's maternal cousin Sunil Bose married a Malayali woman at St Mark's CSI Church at Olassa. The marriage registration book bears the signature of SC Bose, the guardian of the groom. SC Bose is the abbreviation for Subhas Chandra Bose.

The marriage had a sweet peculiarity. Instead of ice cream, rosogollas brought in from Calcutta (now Kolkata) were served to the guests. Bava Thomas, wife of Kandamchira Tharyan K Thomas, goes down memory lane to the wedding.

Sunil Bose was a lieutenant in the Royal Indian Navy. His bride, Achamma Kuruvila alias Kunjamma, was Bava Thomas's maternal cousin (daughter of her mother's sister).

The groom was the son of Nishabati Bose and Dr Jithendranath. Netaji's parents, Prabhavati and Janakinath, brought up Sunil, who had lost his parents at a younger age. For Netaji, Sunil was like a brother.

Kunjamma was a mathematics teacher at Maharaja's College in Ernakulam. "My mother's younger sister, Dr Mariamma, was working at the eye hospital in Ernakulam. Kunjamma, daughter of another aunt Eliyamma, was then staying with an unmarried Dr Mariamma," Bava Thomas recalled.

"Sunil Bose was living on the upper floor of their house, Kalathiparambu, in Ernakulam. Gradually, Sunil Bose and Kunjamma fell in love. They informed Kunjamma's family through Dr Mariamma, and they got married on August 6, 1945," she said.

"I was then 13 years old. About 50 of Sunil's relatives from Calcutta attended the wedding. Naval officers led by Commodore Aymanam TJ Kunnankeriyal, too, attended. The Navy band played the music. Lemon-sized rosogollas were brought in crocks," she recalled.

Sunil Bose adopted the name Samuel, while Kunjamma became Amala Bose. Some two to three years after their wedding, they left for Sunil's ancestral home in Calcutta. Their house was barely five minutes from Netaji's residence. Kunjamma joined Julien Day School as a teacher. Whoever visited their house was also taken to Netaji's residence.

"Netaji's cot had a white sheet with flowers scattered on it. They did not believe that he had died," Bava Thomas said.

Sunil Bose and Amala became the parents of two sons, Robin Bose and Rathin Bose. Robin is a psychiatrist in London, while his brother Rathin is a scientist in the US.

Kunjamma died in December 2000 and was buried at the CSI Church in Kolkata. Sunil Bose passed away in 2006," Bava Thomas said.

Sunil Thomas last visited Kerala in 1995 at the age of 85, Bava Thomas's son Santhosh Thomas Kandamchira said.

Santhosh added that Robin Bose and Rathin Bose visited Olassa two months ago and stayed for a week with Amala's niece, Ramani Jacob. Ramani is the daughter of Amala's brother Kunjachan.