Athimoolam Chettiar

Maha Sri Athimoolam Chettiar’s richness becomes declining due to the following factors. As Tamil poets used to say,” HUMANS DECLINE DUE TO MANNU (Land) AND PONNU (ladies) here ladies means not the family girls or ladies but they are all pulled down by the so called deva dasis and they have been dependant of this rich men of the area only. That’s gave them an unofficial prestige among rich in the town. And those devadasis were of good contact and very good looking gals so they were very easily covers those rich men’s in the towns to get the rich and enjoyments in life’s.

The laziness due to extra ordinary and immoral activities and feels as enchantments, and also extra marital activities. The more number of children’s in his family is also one of the reasons for his declines in his life.

His ignorance towards savings, is the other reasons for his declines.Varattu kauravam (prestige) (things always about him as a great) made to be one of the reasons for his declines.

Fourth is his children’s are not interested to work and earn a single paisa for their up keepings. And they felt more prestige than their parent ‘sand never worked under any one to earn.

Fifth his children’s are of self styled and vested interest on them selves and never bother to support his father on his business of Vegetable market contract collections and never bothers to looks after the lands and house rentals collections.

Every children used to take handful of Silver coins from the lockers for their pocket money and it was no where counted.

His imported Carbon Copy making machines are rusted due to careless handling by his workers and the incomes through that was stopped. And the kids not interested to learn the technology to earn further. And the poor knowledge of its operating system made the machine is unproductive and gave lot of loss on income.

Kasumalai making Machines also got rusted due to poor supervisions and wrong handlings. The prestige of his children’s made this equipment useless and gave a way for the loss of income..

When he becomes sick and little old he is not in the positions to meets his competitors to get the vegetable markets Contractor ship. So here also he lost his prestigious market contractor and lost all his income sources. Within these periods he has arranged marriages of his kids. That also costs him more for his debts.

And his extra ordinary and illegal martial activities and their children’s were also grown up and he was unable to meets their demands and to settle their scores he used to write of his immoveable properties on their names.

When his regular incomes were affected then also the number of guests and relatives arrivals and stay in that house was never stopped or reduced and also made him to spend more than his income.

One of his sons Mr. Chidambaram Chettiars activities like minor and his activities are quite unworthy and quarrel with him was more effects his good health .And his entangles with gals of that area and frequent police raids on the house in search of the offender made Mr. Athimoolam chettiar into bed.

Envy or jealous of his neighbors like a Police inspector next and opposed his house at the same street had some grudge and a police case have been registered/ involved as a Duplicate coin makers and on.Ofcourse the case could not be proved but the mental torture he had from his neighbor was so much. And also his son’s hooliganisms also made him into civil and criminal court cases and he has spend huge money to get it relieved from the clutches of the police case.

Maha Sri Athimoolam chettiar become very rich in his native Tirunelveli- Town due to his hard works,sincerity,loyalty,capability,reliability,kind heartedness,humbleness,made him to become one of the rich family of this small town of erstwhile British Raj.

But at the same times his behaviors towards small vendors, rickshaw wallas, cart pullers, head carrying coolies were so arrogant that they used to abuse him for the forceful collections of his share dues or called tickets in the vegetable markets contracts to collect levy on entry and exit during those days.

His robust body with heavy muscles makes others to fear and without any excuses these vegetable vendors and workers of all kind including rich and poor farmers, vendors.coolies etc will pay his dues without fails. They do know the consequences of not paying his dues make him to angry and he will drive them out from the vegetable marketing areas and so on.

Due to his toughness he used to enjoy rich harvest on daily collections and if any one not in the positions to pay he used to pulls his whole lot of vegetables to his home on behalf of the dues etc.

Due to these activities his house used to have plenty of vegetables, fruits, banana leafs, and even some times masalas even. So due to this excessive vegetables and masalas his housekeeping ladies were very glad and happy to prepare food for all at anytime and everytimes.Hence lot of guests from relatives and friends from all walks of life used to have food with him always. And he was very kind enough to have food with all at his Durbar hall.

Those days in summer the peoples of Tamil Nadu used to have their diets as Rahi, cholam, kambu etc only. And very few peoples of the city or very rich only used to have Rice as their food habitations. When his relatives from far away villages comes to Tirunelveli town only they gets rice and vegetables as a very rich diets. And also they used to surprise as Athimoolam chettiars family have Rice only through out the year as a diet. So when they reach to their villages they used to tell others about the richness of Athimoolam chettiar and his kindness towards them.

And a hot brew coffee was another luxury of their diets. Coffee made on big vessels with coffee powder and karuppatti (Local sugar made of Palm trees) and kept at all the times to the visitors to drink and enjoy. Globe lightings on his Durbar halls were the subjects of talking at their village. Hurricane lamps at each room and as a night lamps was a biggest stories among villagers.

And his sons were studying along with his Anglo-Indian friends children’s at Great high Schools at MADURAI THIRAVIYAM THAYUMANAVAR HINDU COLLEGE SCHOOLS at Tirunelveli-Junctions.
So due to his richness his sons were studied up to and X std in schools, and his second son was read up to Degree level during those days. But his girl children’s were not appreciated to study more than 8 std.And those days the gals get married at the age of 13-15 yrs and so the educations were rejected to them.

And he had a kasumalai printing machines to print design like coins on the gold ornaments and it yielded good income. Many artisans used to visit his house to do the jobs and pay him enough.

And his imported Carbon paper production machine was the rarest one in the town and every shop keepers, offices and schools used to buy from him only and that earned lot for him.

And he rented his house first floor to the Register Office and that earned him good money and name as registrar’s house. And also he has taken a agency to sell All Government Of India{Erstwhile British Raj }Stamp to sell alone in the town gave him or fetched him enough rolling cash.

Further his both sisters were brought huge amount in cash and ornaments when their husbands were died and they came to him and handed over all properties to him and settled for ever with him. Like that many ways and means the cash flow was maintained by him and that’s hard works made him to be one of the rich men in the town.

Maha Sri Athimoolam chettiar’s second marriage was elaborately conducted.100’s of relatives from all over Tirunelveli.Dist and the family, friends and relatives of erstwhile first wife’s family also was participated his second marriage. Every relative’s gents were given with new 8 yards white Dhotis and a towel’s.

For the ladies 8 yards kantangi sarees were presented. And no blouse or other clothing’s were given to them. But every one was given with a coconut, one Dozen of banana fruits, sandalpaste, kunkumam, and a solid Haldhi (Manjal) and a sentiments thaali kodis for all.

And marriage functions was over and after five days programmed events to the families and guests of honors were given to all concerned. And the fifth day first night programme being arranged so lavishly by his sisters at the first floor of the main house that’s called bungalow house top floor.

Here we have 2 see the how the top floor is being made and arranged for the first night purposes. When u enters from the temple towards northern directions after crossing the verandah a big hall is called RAJ DARBAR.The raj durbar is opened at the center from the top. The hall was supported by the single peace black stone pillars of about 12 feet height. The whole hall is supported by total of eight pillars. Length and breath of the raj durbar hall is 45 feet length and breathe of 15 feet. Each pillars is made of single stones and having the weight of more than few tons or so.

With this supporting the top floor is constructed. Over the top floors the center peace was joined in all sides to makes sun shades, and protections from the rains and water seepages. And it was so raised slanted Malayalam tiles on the center roofs.

We have never seen a direct sun rays in the house or direct raining inside the durbar hall. But how ever enough natural lighting was available for the enjoyments of the house hold peoples. Due to the heights of the center open slanted from the all cornered tiles roof on the top of the raj durbar hall will be so cooled during summer seasons and almost all the house mates used to relax on this hall only. And in the winter or cold seasons again this hall will be warmed very nicely to protect the inmates.

So when we enter to the Raj durbar hall to the right is the main head accommodations with a large room at the bottom with a store room. A large and king sized kitchen with lot of good drainage and well ventilated; large windows were on the top of the living room.
When u enters into the main hall of the rooms eastern right hand side there goes a vertical 90 degree wooden and well polished stairs to reach with one 90 degree right turns again we reaches to the upstairs.

The staircases are so polished and slanting towards u and foots likely to slips off. And to avoid and supports human weights there hangs a big rope from the top of the roof to the half of the stairs. Many were dropped from the stairs by slipping of the polished teak wood stairs. Many women’s were just slipped and dropped from the upstairs.

As after reaching inside the room towards the northern direction a beautiful and very large Belgium Mirrors fitted on the wall and slanting towards bottom. Opposite to the mirrors at the east having a very big and large black stoned bed is arranged. Height of the bed from the room’s floor is around 5 feet in height and four feet’s in wide and seven feet’s as length. When the author was a boy of seven to eight years were unable to climb the bed directly. The top of the black stones are so carved and polished we can enjoy the feels of the softy, spongy and cold in climate.

Maha Sri Athimoolam chettiar’s second marriage was elaborately conducted.100’s of relatives from all over Tirunelveli.Dist and the family, friends and relatives of erstwhile first wife’s family also was participated his second marriage. Every relative’s gents were given with new 8 yards white Dhotis and a towel’s.

For the ladies 8 yards kantangi sarees were presented. And no blouse or other clothing’s were given to them. But every one was given with a coconut, one Dozen of banana fruits, sandalpaste, kunkumam, and a solid Haldhi (Manjal) and a sentiments thaali kodis for all.

And marriage functions was over and after five days programmed events to the families and guests of honors were given to all concerned. And the fifth day first night programme being arranged so lavishly by his sisters at the first floor of the main house that’s called bungalow house top floor.

Here we have 2 see the how the top floor is being made and arranged for the first night purposes. When u enters from the temple towards northern directions after crossing the verandah a big hall is called RAJ DARBAR.The raj durbar is opened at the center from the top. The hall was supported by the single peace black stone pillars of about 12 feet height. The whole hall is supported by total of eight pillars. Length and breath of the raj durbar hall is 45 feet length and breathe of 15 feet. Each pillars is made of single stones and having the weight of more than few tons or so.

With this supporting the top floor is constructed. Over the top floors the center peace was joined in all sides to makes sun shades, and protections from the rains and water seepages. And it was so raised slanted Malayalam tiles on the center roofs.

We have never seen a direct sun rays in the house or direct raining inside the durbar hall. But how ever enough natural lighting was available for the enjoyments of the house hold peoples. Due to the heights of the center open slanted from the all cornered tiles roof on the top of the raj durbar hall will be so cooled during summer seasons and almost all the house mates used to relax on this hall only. And in the winter or cold seasons again this hall will be warmed very nicely to protect the inmates.

So when we enter to the Raj durbar hall to the right is the main head accommodations with a large room at the bottom with a store room. A large and king sized kitchen with lot of good drainage and well ventilated; large windows were on the top of the living room.
When u enters into the main hall of the rooms eastern right hand side there goes a vertical 90 degree wooden and well polished stairs to reach with one 90 degree right turns again we reaches to the upstairs.

The staircases are so polished and slanting towards u and foots likely to slips off. And to avoid and supports human weights there hangs a big rope from the top of the roof to the half of the stairs. Many were dropped from the stairs by slipping of the polished teak wood stairs. Many women’s were just slipped and dropped from the upstairs.

As after reaching inside the room towards the northern direction a beautiful and very large Belgium Mirrors fitted on the wall and slanting towards bottom. Opposite to the mirrors at the east having a very big and large black stoned bed is arranged. Height of the bed from the room’s floor is around 5 feet in height and four feet’s in wide and seven feet’s as length. When the author was a boy of seven to eight years were unable to climb the bed directly. The top of the black stones are so carved and polished we can enjoy the feels of the softy, spongy and cold in climate.

The village of Tachanallur is surrounded by luster green paddy fields. Many young folks are employed on these paddy fields only. And another lot of gals and families are interlinked with beedi rolling in their homes. And few hundreds were employed as artisan as a brass utensil makers. These brass vessels were even exported to Srilanka, Malaya, and Singapore during early 1960’s.And the small and medium textile industries were formed during late Mr. Kamaraj periods. To work on the textile mills many ladies and gents were recruited and trained well .and these work forces were settled in and around Tachanallur.
They are the real time cash flowers in our village. How ever these workers were treated as temporary workers by the mill owners. After few years of their sincere employments they were converted into permanent employees of the mills called/s Ganapathy Mills (P) Ltd, Sankar mills (P) Ltd, and Nellai Cotton Mills of co operative mills by the Govt.of Tamil nadu.
As whole these mills had around 1500 workers and the mill and workers were flourishing. During this periods due to unawareness of the Family Planning’s these labourers had more than 8 to 10 children per family. The income is from one side but their expenses were increases in many folds. Particularly effected by the Women employees.In every pregnancy and related problems they were not regulars to their jobs and that’s makes their salary reductions. Two to three months leaves on deliveries and sickness,less payments more expenses on these fields were faced by them a lot. If the monthly earnings are become hand to mouth and if a sick or social functions they used 2 take loan from the local money lenders who charges extraordinary than the main markets. The rate of interest is being paid by these laborers is 12.5% to 15% per monthThe salaries are less and the interest rates are more these labourers are unable to reach their homes because of the rowdy elements of the money lenders. Even after receiving their monthly salaries there are many labourers never comes out from the factories main gates. If they come out from the main gates the rowdy elements snatch the whole salary of the labourers to fulfill their interest dues. So this frightened employees used to scale down the mill compound walls at the rear of the factory and abscond for many days. The money for the families was supplied through their friends and so on.In one occasion I have been witnessing the rowdy elements with their bosses’ties a towel and dhotis on their customer’s neck and they drag them out from the main gates of the mills to snatch the salary to replace or repayments of the interest dues.What a shame on the man kind??Like this way the atrocities were crossing it limitations. So every worker was fed up of the treatments meted out by these money lenders. So they have decided to fight it out themselves.Repeated police complaints were no use and no actions being taken or the police may be un- able to control the atrocities meted out to the fellow Indian labors It was the year 1961 in the fine morning first money lender and great cruel money lender  Mr. Krishna Naidu have been hacked to death at Tachanallur near Kodahan channel. Followed by Mr.Sankara Naidu have been hacked to death by a sickle by a unknown assailant. So with in a month or so these cruel money lenders were eliminated from their life.And followed by this events In Our village the so called proud and rowdy elements were scared and they are all ran away from the village .So due to this eliminations by the people of Tachanallur in the year 1960 a grand Deepavali were celebrated in the houses of all farm workers, mill workers, farmers, beedi workers, children’s and families were fearlessly celebrated Deepavali in their homes. So that was the real and cheerful Deepavali for us. “HAPPY DEEPAVALI” to all the readers.

It was the year 1955 October 06 the great Deepavali expected very eagerly by the school childrens,kith and kins of farmers,beedi workers, shepherd ,money lenders and mill workers. All were waiting for this deepavali festivals should come and their houses at least lighted during that night by Hurricane lamps, in some rich houses with petromax lanterns etc.

Very few house holds are electrified in our village. And they also will put their electric lamps off during those normal nights due to paucity of money. Some puts their lights off during normal nights due to avoid envy from the villagers and few again puts off their light due to their stinginess  at least during the day of deepavali nights on a day before and day after deepavali these three days the whole village is lighted so bright  like little havens in India.

School kids like me used to dreams on Deepavali as the lights, new dress, oil bath, snacks like urd vada,Masal vada,Bujji,Suchiyam,Pottato Bonda,Mysore Bonda,Athirasam ,coconut burfies,Murukku.Then kuzhal,Seedai,Thattai,and many more varieties. If we dreams and we express our feels to our lovely parents on our will and wishes.Ofcourse if we express our feels little early they may arrange out of these snacks one or two definitely. But 99% our fortune’s never supported us why because maximum years the mill owners refuse to pay the bonus to their employees, and many formal talks  will be carried out between mill workers association members /leaders with Mills administrators. But finale is that the so called leaders of the Mill workers associations will have something behind the doors in collaboration with mill owners and deceive the poor workers.

And that also the so called leaders will instigate the workers to carry out the sit-in-strikes, dharnas, fast unto death etc activities. The poor workes are on the name of their associations carry out these activities and final result is there the mill owners will lockout the mills and by forcefully they throw these poor workers out of their premises.

What I have observed during the period of 1955-1964 more than seven or eight years we could not celebrate the so called Light festivals as Deepavali.Due to the strikes-lock outs-no bonus-and no payments. When no cash flow with villagers during this festivals what we can celebrate the festivals? During this seasons the mills on strikes and owners closed their factories no payments to the employees, hence no cash flow with the village and the cunning money lenders like Mr.Gopal Naidu, Mr.Sankara Naidu, Mr. Kili Naidu, and Mr.Ahzwar Naidu and their associates were flourish their business on money lending to the poor mill workers who is suffering for a day to day life during this striking periods. Does u know the interest rate of this kind of money lenders? 12.5% per month dear.

Once I had been to this money lender is called Naina or Mr.Sakara Naidu for the amount of 100/-.rupee and he forced me to walk around his residence 50 times or more to lend the 100 rupees that also advance interest of Rs 12.50 have been cut   andpaidmeonly 87.5 rupees only. Due    to this event I have to gotohis every month the interest of 12.5 rupees with out fail. Like that I have paid interest alone for more than 20 months are so.

Atlas one wonder took place with labor officer of so called State Govt.and the mill owners-and the mill workers associations leaders a tripartite agreements took place    and whole mill workers of my village around 1200 families were paid 8.5% as bonus in the 1963 Deepavali festivals. During that also 95% of the workers were forced to pay their interest with capital of one hundred rupees along with balances to that bloody money lenders and our parents were reached homes with empty hands with lot of sorrows in their faces.
So Gentleman in this type of conditions still prevails in our villages of India.
So Can we find a solutions to solve these social injustice done to the poor mill workers, Beediworker and so on and on??

The Gandhi jayanthi celebrations in my School and in my village is much differs from other states of India The day earlier to Gandhi jayandhi day our class teachers to advise us to come on the school at 07:00 hrs in the mornings for flag hoisting and prayers songs, followed  by the very long procession of that beautiful village. And further also said to us come with neat and cleaned or washed dress in school.

Because Gandhi said KANTHAI AANALUM KASAKKI KATTU .Means if u r wearing a torn and punctured dress also to be washed and worn. So we school boys of our age will gets up at early mornings from bed and run towards the Canadian channel and just jump inside and swam up to the next bank and back in many times with lot of Bets among ourselves who finishes first and on. During this period some of us were drowned also in the waters at Canadian channel which flows through our village Tachanallur.
After our bathing and break fast if it’s available in our homes muddy pots. And happily and joyfully we reach our school to celebrate Gandhi jayandhi day. At 08:30 hrs in the mornings we all will assembles at Gandhi statue at Center of our village Tachanallur at present that’s situated at NH/07 Madurai to Kanniyakumari national highway.

On our assembly and followed by many schools in and around Tachanallur village town Panchayats also will gather and makes a U forms near the statue The tri color flags no no Congress party Flag will be hoisted by some our Panchayat President Late.Mr.Kailasam Pillai or Late Mr.Nambhi Naidu and we all will sing the national songs like PAREER MANIKODI PAREER and followed by VANDE MATHARAM songs and small lectures by our beloved Panchayat leaders about Gandhi and his Esteemed work for our country and so on.

And from then a sweet distributions to us is very important events on the Gandhi Jayanthi days celebrations, because the poverty of this village in and around Tachanallur the kids like us never seen the toffees or chocolates. And can be only seen and enjoyed during this type of festivals or jayanthis only.

After the sweet distribution of sweets we again march towards the streets of Tachai Along with us our teachers are also march along with us. Because this is the seasons the schools will get maximum children’s for their schools new admissions.
A incidence I remember is that when we are at the street of Vadugayar Street during this periods a boy by seeing us is simply jumped in the waters of Canadian Channel flows adjacent to this street by shouting as a thief thief (Pillai pidippan) and they are catching me with them and on and as he jumped on the channel and starts drowning in the water
.
So by seeing this shock incident some of our school senior boys jumped in the water and safe guarded him. And finally he has agreed to joins in our school. And at the street corners we school children’s were singing and dancing with Kolattam, Mayilattam and local dances to attract many parents and children’s to join in our schools.
When they watch our dances and kolattams our teachers were well managed to recruit few children’s of the street. By this means of gatherings and meetings teachers were struggled to invite and recruit the tiny tots in to our schools and so this celebration of Gandhi Jayanthi were very well celebrated in our villages. Jai Hind! Jai Mahatma Gandhi!! And Jai Gandhi Jayanthi !!!

During 1963-64 I was a raw civilian and had my own thinking and thoughts on my Village named Tachanallur, near City of Tirunelveli hardly few kilo meters of walk.
Nice environments, pure oxygen, worthy drinking of river Tambirabarani waters, and our village was surrounded by many ponds, feeds the water for cultivations around our tiny village.
Only one Main road that also called National Highway 07 towards north to Madurai and south to Kanyakumari, and the village not seen many buses or lorries, but happy to see many bullock carts. Few were modified with tyre on their wheels. One or two town buses of TVS groups were running between Tirunelveli and Sankar nagar, the G8 Cement factory.

The buses were running on steam waters and powered by.. The conductor of the bus used to shout and call the  passengers to junction, town etc.The buses were looks like bullock carts in design and speeds up fast and has the  magnets in front of the front wheels to capture iron and iron particles which often damages the bus tyres
.
We used to go to our High schools by walks through paddy fields. We dance on the so called road or varappu or parapet of the fields. On the paddy fields sometimes some of us dropped on the fields along with books and Tiffin carriers. We always walk on bare foot only because no chappals or shoes were readily available those days or poverty stricken village poor like us could not offer to buy those luxuries.

During summer seasons the farmers used to cultivate urd dals on their fields. When it ripened we as a school boys used to go for plucking the urd dal, while plucking that the tender dals will be eaten by us with joy and happiness. The coolie or payments for the wonderful job we carry out for the farmers they give us one by sixth of our total plucking
The total earnings of the summer dals will be sufficient for making idlies, dal vada, urd kazhi etc for a period of six valuable months for our large family of six to eight members.

When the summer vacation ends we start going to our High School on Tirunelveli junction by walk again. And when we reaches to our school, we used to raise our heads to see our school named  MADURAI THIRAVIYAM THAYUMANAVAR HINDU COLLEGE SCHOOL and it is situated now at the hearts of our city corporation limit. That school/college has double storied concrete building in square in shape. The strength of our school was more than thousand in various classes. Each class will be having several sections from A to G. We had white shirt and dark green half pants as a uniform. For me everything is wonderful, gimmick, greats about our school.

Many thousands were studied in our school and they become high scholars. Many of them were great Poets, educationist, doctors, engineers, scientists, enterpreneurs, and freedom fighters and so on. Centenary celebrations were held at school buildings on 1964 was the periods of echoing the feels and values of our school educations and the prestige .

Mr.Natarajan and self had the sleepless night. We have decided to scale down
the school rest room by the next day night or the earlier day by dawn while we go for bathing at river ghat.He has explained me how the escapees are getting caught by
the school authorities.
(a) Any one escape and runs on the main roads will be definite catch.
(b) Any one escapes through rail route from Kadayam through Pavoor Chathiram.
(C) Any one escapes from jungle route from Western Ghats
(d) Any one escapes through bullock carts help on the kalakkad main road

So all directions were worked out and getting no clues on that night. But am very much adamant to escape by all means. If am getting caught I may die but never returns to the school imprisonment. As the long night goes very short but the escape route is not visible. But while on escape what to carry or and what not to do? That was well worked out.

The orphan uniform, school books, dresses, and all feelings of hatreds not to be carried.
Decided not to say any bad words, or quarrels on enroute to our escape.

On that last day prayers i prayed to our almighty that oh! God give me enough strength,
Will power to achieve my target to runaway from the orphan prison. Whole night awakens not gave us any solutions. But it strikes me at the early morning hours when we all were woke up by our master to drives us to open toilet near the River KADAMBA for the natural call at early morning at 04:30 hrs.

It was too dark and cold in the early mornings, twilights were blinking. The Western Ghats breeze makes us to awaken our sleeps and we are all shivering little bit on the climate. Everyone on the open toilets near the riverside and I have decided that is the time to escape from the coverage of natural darkness on the riverside

So, me and Natarajan enters the river first and slowly start floats on the river
towards the eastern directions as the river flows. We put our head inside the cold water and slowly and steadily we crosses our  school zone, next to the saranalayam,and still floats towards the women’s Ashram and further towards the eastern direction of the water flow.

When we are inside the cold water our stomachs were filled up. Feels like vomiting further. It may be around 05:30 hrs in the mornings we have little raised our heads over the running water. The morning Sun raises his head towards us, and the both the banks of the rivers were piled by boys and girls with their parents came for wonderful bathing at the river.

As we are in the water we could see some houses and can see the other banks of the river.
So slowly we decided to come out from the river water. Its coldness caught us and we made lot of cheeks and then removed our trousers and shirts and squeezes the waters and dried our body with the wed dress and again we wore the same trousers and shirts. When we confirmed the name of place from the passers by and stunned to hear.

Our travels on water are more than 8 kilometers and we cross all the danger routes. Now comes the confusions how to reach our homes? MY AUNT SAID ON THAT DAY YOUR HOUSE IS SIXTY KILOMETERS FROM Sivasailam and u can not walk or run by any means. So I have re-collects the distance from here to our homes around 50 kilometers or more. But how can we walk to that much distance?

But meanwhile, Natarajan gave me an idea hey we shall walks on the rail tracks towards eastern directions and we can reach our homes? So we ran towards the railway track but how to find the eastern directions?

To find directions, that subjects are in my science book but that lessons were not taught to us? Meanwhile we found a Shepard, with lot of goats he drives towards a jungle or crossly fields to get feeds for his goats. He said where am going to the small hillock for goats feedings are called south, so now u find out which directions u wants to go?

So at utter confusions we were standing on the rail track. Here comes a savior!  A train from one direction and stopped for signal nearby. So we ran towards that sloppy train  and asked some one where this train goes ?

Some said Pavoor Chat ram, some said going to kadayam and few said going from Ambasamudram to pavoor chathiram.From these words I could come to know the train going to Pavoor chathiram from Ambasamudram means we are running towards the eastern directions towards Ambasamudram only.

By this time the train’s signals were ON the train gone towards western direction. So we also start running towards the eastern directions on the railway track. Some how we have reached Ambasamudram railway station, While enquiry at the coolie he said the next train to Tirunelveli is at 10:00 hrs only.

Now its only 08:30 hrs only and we also have fear in our mind that any of our school staff may find us means our journey to hell begins. So we decided not to stay at Ambasamudram and further started walking towards east. It was too hot .and humidity increases, and we felt giddiness, legs were paining

Fear only in our mind so we never stopped walking or running .Some how the next railway stations at our vicinity. And we were felt little freedom, because the distance to our school prisons are very longer and felt no one can capture us. When we reached the station is called Kallidai kurichi the very famous for our Indian appalams or pappadams for export.

There we relaxed on the platform bench, due to the nice breeze of the neem trees at the station we have slept also. Suddenly when we woke up from the bench the train towards the Tirunelveli arriving with lot of noise, with screeching brakes sound it halted.
What a proud on our faces and we shake hands and embraces and very happily enters  the  compartment. What we found inside the compartment is shocking to us?

That was the year 1957 or so, my family was in acute shortage of food for eight member’s family. How ever, my father was working as a accountant at a tiny brass utensils manufacturing unit and hardly they pay monthly sixty rupees or so that also they never pay a lump sum. And also my father always bring in advance amount as five or ten rupees etc.So he never seen the full payment of sixty Rupees at a time.

And my lovely mom also employed as a temporary mill worker in those days. She has been paid weekly twenty rupees or so. The meager amount was not sufficient to feed the members of eight in our family. And also debt of family expenses on Child delivery, sickness and the mills strikes on those days made us to be debt in all the fields.

So we knew what’s hungry and how to live with out food fore a few times or days also. But our prestige and morale of our family members were so high. We never reach for the food or any assistance to any of our relatives.

During these pitiful days one of our aunts reaches our home and wanted to help my mom to relief the debt ness and the hungry, so she took with her me and my elder brother to her home at Ambasamudram that’s nearly 40 miles from the poverty hidden Tachanallur our native place.  And she has promised us to get three times a day good food, nice clothings, and a mat for our good and healthy sleeps.

So I too believed her and she has taken us to the place called SIVA SAILAM.
That place was a wonder land, just situated at the hillocks of the Western Ghats.
Ghats are just on our nosedrils.Everywhere green and luster green paddy fields.
With lot of coconut trees up to the hillocks, and a river runs alongside the hillocks.

A river flows from Western Ghats, runs across the fields and the water used for plantations cultivations and drinking as well as bathing of that area peoples. That river water is always in cool and fresh and we can see our face on the running water and can watch the bottom of the river, like a mirror image. It’s so sweet to drink and we can not make it dirty.

At last she has introduced us to the manager of the school where we were going to stay and study. He was looking very simple and god fearing, black in color, had a rudradsham on his neck, Viboothy on his fore head, kadukkan on his ears, large  gold en rings on his three fingers By seeing him I was thinking of my native place oil merchant, and so called pannaiyar of Kittamani in our great memoirs.

But his smiling face made me to hate in a angle of attacking him and his smiles if I recollects him as he weighs our poverty and pitiful ness in the society. How ever he has agreed to keep us and give education and food for us.

So my aunt were advised us not make too much merry and jokes there and do well on your studies and no crying at all. And also she has threatened us if we do mistakes or error or tease him he may kill us and so on. That frightens in our mind, we enters the school at 11:00 hrs and the staffs were welcomed us and they asks many questions about t me and my extreme poverties. And by hearing from us they also took lot of sympathy on us and gave a pair of school uniform a bed sheet, a mat, a towel. and shown the school surroundings.

In the mean while I had friendship with a boy or a senior student Natarajan of Tirunelveli town. His house is located near Theppakulam of Tirunelveli town at high road.
He was very jolly good fellow and shown the school and around and the classes and the kitchen and dining hall and the discipline at school..

The great bell rang 12 times that was the time for our lunch times. He has taken me along with him, I also carried my aluminum plate and glass and the side dish plate to the dining hall.

We are around 120 inmates including boys and girls. our plates were kept in front of us, we were sitting on the floor in the folded legs and awaits for our great grand first lunch of the school. Wow I have seen a big bowl carried by two school senior students and serve on our plate. Ohhhhhh what I have received was a broken rice kanchi of two spoons and that kanchi immediately spread on my plate looks like my plate being fully served. Then by another student carried a bowl  was the PORIKADALAI CHUTNEY means fried gram dhal have been grinded and served for us as  pleasant and great dish for that day's lunch.

Here comes the customary prayers like oh ! My god at least u may serve us the kanchi in three times a day and thanks lot for the dishes u r providing for me etc.As our class teacher said ok gentlemen start your lovely lunch! With in a minute or so all kanchi’s were swollen by us or drunken by us. And we all got up one by one to go out and cleanse the plates and glasses and carry to our room and kept on safeguard the utensils for our next times dinner or so.  So on the system of Kanchi and chutney were continued three times a day and never our stomachs were half filled.

School hrs over at 15:30 hrs and they serve us a white powdered milk supplied by United Nations under the remove Poverty schemes of the rural India .I too drank stomach fully but I have been warned by my classmates that baba don’t drink that milk stomach fully and you may have stomach pains or Diarrhea .But as my stomach was so empty, and it made lot of noise in and out and I could not tolerate the feelings of empty stomach so I drank enough of my satisfaction. I was very happy because in our village no one drinks milk or seen anybody is crying for milk.

But at last our Physical training teacher drove us towards the paddy field and ordered us to pluck the groundnut from the ground. Hundreds of acres of land were under groundnut cultivations. We the tiny tots of this school are the paymentless farm laborers of the Manager of the school. Nowadays those situations are called bonded laborers and the Govt.of India frees them and makes alternatives to them to exist on this country. But those days we can not raise any alarm or intimate to the outside world.

The farm works started at 16:00 hrs and ended at 19:00 hrs and on completion of days works we were given the same old Kanchi as our dinner,  and we were so tired and about sleep but the another teacher came for night studies and started torturing the tiny tots further.

These activities were going on for ever. But I and the Natarajan could not tolerate the tortures. On the same night I had diarrhea but no proper toilet or latrines were available. My dress was soiled with waste, no change of clothes or alternatives available. With lot of pains on stomach I was sleepless at that night.

Mean while we have a small decease called siranku or padai spread on all our school mates. Everyone scratch their hands, fingers and legs always.
No doctor available, no medicines were given to us. The deceases spread to all our inmates and I am unable to eat my food with my bare hands. The boils are getting more big and bigger and foul smells comes out from each individuals. Pains evrywhere, scractching everywhere so am unable to tolerate the pains and torture by the staffs for getting more and more jobs
.
And we made a plan to escape from the prison or the school at an early date. But he too warned, many were tried to escapes from here but they were caught on the way and beaten badly and injured there legs for running away from the school. He was also one among the great escapees but were caught on  from the railway track etc.So I have decided   to escape from the hell to anywhere in the world with a master plan to escape from the prison and the tortures.
My escape plans and route will be told in the next episode??

It was the year 1957 October the grand dussehra festival is on in our village.

Complete ten days of hectic activities were on .Everyday the temples nearby were

decorated and each day is celebrated by a cast or community. And every community and caste’s wants to compete with others in the activities of cultural and the folks of joy of memorable for the whole year.. There are three temples adjacent in the streets have same competitions. Each temple activities attracting other peoples to witness more and more. To satisfy everyone they spend lavishly by collecting community taxing by few thousands rupees for a day or so.

The templeDussehra committee members arrange for a folk dances, naiyandi melams (Drums), karahattam, mayilattam, oyilattam, Kuravan koothu etc of the famous artistes from near by cities like Madurai.

There were three schools of martial art silambu schools with their masters take traditional march on the streets with their students to demonstrate, their skills to public with Great pomp and shows. The three schools were named after their community leaders who have sacrificed their life to the society. Three communities have separate schools and the students may be from any other community, and their uniforms are much differs from others.

Over and above local arrangements the great Beedi (Tobacco) companies like TPS Sokkalal Ram sait beedi co. FIVE flowers beedi co also bring their troupes to celebrate and attract the audience to sell their beedies more and more. So During the shows live actions they throw hundreds of beedi bundles on air to attract the poor and poverty stricken workers to taste the beedies and force them to buy.

On the same fields of dussehra 100’s of school children’s like me also carried away by their tactics to sell and attract more and more number of new comers to come on their beedi smoking networks.

On the worst net works of TPS Sokkalal Ram Sait beedi company advertisements also attracts kids and school going children’s more to become beedi smokers.

Their adds like attracts the students community more and more on those days. I was also a victim of the tactics on the attractive advertisements. The hoardings will carry with small drums with eight or ten boys to dance and play like jokers using the attractive words like:

GOPALA YEN SIR?
ENGE PORE?
KADAIKKU POREN.
YENNA VANGA?
BEEDI VAANGA.
ENNA BEEDI?
SOKKALAL BEEDI.
VANGI PAR?
KUDITHU PAR
KUDITHAVANGATAA KETTU PAR??

That road show was attracted me and my mighty friend Nambhi konar of my area.

Nambhi used to smoke often but I have been attracted to smoke on the night of

12 Oct 1957.I have decided to smoke and taste the smell and joy of beedi smoking

My friends like, Anil Velu, Nambhi, Shunmugam, and Durai pandians were boosting me to smoke. So, at last I kept my mind and soul ready to smoke on the night,. They were arranged a bundle of TP Sokkalal Beedi and a matchbox and they have taken me to the Darkest bridge near rice mill and said common let us smoke etc.

They gave me a small bundle of two beedies tied together to me, to put on my mouth and one Shunmugavel lights the matches and put the fire near the beedi on my mouth. For my shock nothing took place. And they all laughed on me and my beedi ,on my tender mouth and said hey just pulls the wind inside your stomach. And am also took the courage, removed my shyness and sucked the beedi in one full length inside.

Oh!! What a shock and my heart started burnings and so the half of the beedi bundle also burnt on my mouth. And I had giddiness and dropped on the floor. The funny guys were ran away from the spot and went to my home and told to my father that your sunny is smoking beedi and dropped on ground on giddiness. My father with few of his friends ran towards me and took me to the nearby channel and thrown enough waters on my bloody face and gave little to drinks also.

As I awake, I found to see my parents with elders surrounding me and scolded me lot…What made to me to smoke etc queries were conducted on the spot, few more

chappal beatings on my back and they dragged me to home. Then elders were convinced me that smoking beedi or cigarettes were injurious to health etc.

I too understood the furiousness of smoking. The next day I become heroes of my area for smoked, smoking injuries I have received, and repulse ness of smoking etc learnt and left on a single day

Mahasri Atimlmoolam chettiar was agreed for his second marriage, due tio the extra pordinary force from his sisters.Initially the gal arranged for the marriage of him was not agreeing 2 marry him beacz of the old age but after enough convincing by their parents and their relatives she was agreed up on to marry him.

The gal Miss.valliammal from Satturwas whole heartedly agreed marry him.The marriage was done very grand scale.The4 whole therkku puthu theru was decprated with shamina pandals.House 155 Voc Street was decorated ;lavishly with banana trees,coconut shawls,large globe lights were decoratying the street and the main pandal halls of the house

Lot of musicals troupe4 s were invted to perform nadaswaram and band party to play bands on the therkku outhu theru.Horse riding chariots for the marriage processions were kepot ready.Fire crackers from Sattur and sivakasi were brought for cracking at the time of muhuratamssssss.

All family guests were arrived to work for the marriage party and functions from various places. Manu bags rice and urd dals were kept soaked on water to make malligaipoo idlies and sambars.Many cooks were engaged to preparations of food articles.Many sweets dishes like Tirunelveli Halwah,Laddus,Boondhis,Jangrees were being prepared at the master kitchen hous at the back yard of the said hous.

Almost all the vegetables from native as well as ooty vegetables are reached to the store rooms for cutting vegetables for the Gr8 Tiruneveli Avial,porial, koottu,pachadi,Vazhaikai puttu,Thadiyankai koottu, and on pickles varieties such as Mango pickle,lemon pickles,Narthankai pickles,Avaakkai pickle,Ginger pickles,poondu pickles and so on were already prepared by the realtives of Sri Athimoolam chettiar.And to make masala powders all the ingredients were arrived from his uncles Grocery shop.

The ladies on the courty yards were cleaning and preparing for the Sambar powders,Vatha kulambu powder,Rasam powders,rice powders etc.And many gal workers were grinding for the idly preparations and those days every grinding works will be done manually so these many ladies were grinding for idly ,and dosas.
The shop keepers from kovilpatti with their Mattu vandies were unloading the sambar dals ,urd dals,moong dals,karuppatti and all masalas in the store room for the next day marriage preparations.

All the marriage sarees and dress materials were brought from RMKViswanatha Pillai & sons from North car street of Tirunelveli -town-
For Mappillai Sri Athimoolam chettiar to use on marriage day dress materials are of SILK WHITE DHOTHI,SILK NERIAL WITH hundreds frills were arrived and whole family members were watching at the store rooms