இன்னுமொரு பயணக் கட்டுரை - பகுதி 2

11.11.2015

முதல் நாள் இரவில் நெல்லை ஜங்ஷனில் ஒரு லாட்ஜில் அறை எடுத்துக்கொண்டோம். இரண்டாம் நாள் அதிகாலையில் குளித்து முடித்துவிட்டு நேராக திருச்செந்தூர் செல்வதற்கு புறப்பட்டோம்.  பாளையங்கோட்டையைத் தாண்டுவதற்குள் என்னுடைய மாருதி 800-ன் இடது பின்சக்கர டயர் பங்க்சர் ஆகி விட்டது. எனக்கோ டயர் மாற்றத் தெரியாது. முயற்சியும் செய்ததில்லை. அதிகாலை வேளை. டயர் பங்க்சர் பார்ப்பவர் யாரும் கண்ணில் படவில்லை. ஒரு ஆட்டோ, டாக்சி, வேன் டிரைவர்கூட தென்படவில்லை. அரை மணி நேரம் அங்கும் இங்குமாக அலைந்ததுதான் மிச்சம். அதிர்ஷ்டவசமாக ஒரு வேன் எங்கள் பாதையில் வந்து கொண்டிருந்தது. அதை நிறுத்தி அதன் டிரைவரை டயர் மாற்றித் தருமாறு கேட்டுக்கொண்டேன். நல்லவராகத் தெரிந்தார். முகம் சுளிக்காமல் ஐந்தே நிமிடத்தில் மாற்றிக்கொடுத்தார். நாலு வழிப்பாதை மேம்பாலம் தாண்டியவுடன் ஒரு கிலோமீட்டர் தூரத்தில் டயர் பங்க்சர் பார்க்கும் கடை இருப்பதாகக் கூறினார். அவருடைய சிரமத்துக்காக பணம் கொடுத்தபோது வாங்க மறுத்துவிட்டார். ரொம்பவும் கட்டாயப்படுத்திய பின்பு வாங்கிக்கொண்டார். பணம், பணம் என்று அலையும் இந்த உலகில் இன்னும் இப்படி சிலர் இருக்கிறார்கள் என்பது ஆச்சரியமாகத்தான் இருந்தது. காரை ஓட்டிச்சென்று முதல் வேலையாக டயர் பங்சர் சரி செய்துகொண்டோம்.

இரண்டு நாள் முன்புதான் என் மனைவி மதுரையிலிருந்து திரும்பி வரும்பொழுது உடன் பயணம் செய்த ஒரு பெண்மணி மூலமாக ஒரு முக்கியமான தகவலைத் தெரிந்துகொண்டிருந்தாள். அந்தப் பெண்மணி கடைய நல்லூரில் வசிக்கும் அகில இந்திய அபங் பஜன் புகழ் ஸ்ரீ துக்காராம் கணபதி மஹராஜ் அவர்களின் துணைவியார். பார்ப்பதற்கு மிகவும் எளிமையான தோற்றம் கொண்டவர்கள். ஸ்ரீ துக்காராம்ஜி அபங் பக்தி பாடல்களைப் பாடி உள் நாட்டிலும் வெளி நாட்டிலும் மக்களை மகிழ்வித்தவர். அவர்களுடைய குழுவிலிருந்து எல்லோரும் நடையாகச் சென்று ஐப்பசி மாதம் ஏகாதசி அன்று திருச்செந்தூர் செல்லும் வழியில் அமைந்திருக்கும் விட்டலாபுரம் பண்டரி நாதரின் கோவிலில் பஜனை செய்வார்களாம். விட்டலாபுரம் பண்டரிநாதன் கோவிலைப் பற்றி நாங்கள் தெரிந்திருக்கவில்லை.  எங்கள் கார் டயர் பங்க்சர் பார்த்துக்கொண்டிருந்த நேரம்தான் அந்தக் குழு நடையாக பண்டரிநாதனின் பெயரை பாடிக்கொண்டு நடையாகச் எங்களை கடந்து சென்று கொண்டிருந்தது. எனக்கும் அந்த பண்டரிநாதனின் கோவிலுக்கு போக வேண்டும் என்று தோன்றியது.

பாளையங்கோட்டையைத் தாண்டினால் முதலில் வருவது க்ருஷ்ணாபுரம். அங்கே 18-ஆம் நூற்றாண்டில் திருநெல்வேலி பகுதிகளை ஆண்டு வந்த குமரப்ப க்ருஷ்ணப்ப நாயக்கர்கள் காலத்தில் கட்டப்பட்ட பழமையான ஒரு வெங்கடாசலபதி கோவில் இருக்கிறது. திருவேங்கடநாதர் என்பது மூலவரின் பெயர். இந்தக் கோவில் சிற்பங்களுக்கு பெயர் பெற்றது. பல நுண்ணிய வேலைப்பாடுகளுடன் ஒரே கல்லில் செதுக்கப்பட்ட ஆளுயர சிலைகள் இங்கே பல உள்ளன. கர்ணன், பீமன், தர்மர், கரும்பு வில்லை தாங்கி நிற்கும் மன்மதன், ரதி தேவி, வீரபத்ரர் போன்றவர்களின் முழு உருவ சிலைகள் அர்த்த மண்டபத்தில் பிரம்மாண்டமாக காட்சியளிக்கின்றன. சிலைகளைப் பாதுகாக்கும் பொருட்டு சிலைகளைச் சுற்றி வேலி அமைக்கப்பட்டிருந்தது. இன்னொரு சிறிய சிலையில் யானைக்கும் பசுவுக்கும் ஒரே தலை. ஒரு பக்கத்திலிருந்து பார்த்தால் யானை, மறு பக்கத்திலிருந்து பசு போல் தோற்றமளிக்கிறது. புராதன கோவில் கட்டிட, சிற்பக் கலையில் ஆர்வமுள்ள எல்லோரும் பார்க்க வேண்டிய கோவில். தை மாதம் கும்பாபிஷேகம் செய்யப்போவதாகச் சொன்னார்கள். ஆனால், அதற்குள் வேலைகள் முடிந்துவிடும் போல் தோன்றவில்லை. கும்பாபிஷேகத்துக்காக மூலவரை திரை போட்டு மூடியிருந்தார்கள். அதனால் உற்சவரை மட்டுமே தரிசனம் பண்ண முடிந்தது. புகைப்படங்கள் எடுக்க அனுமதியில்லை என்பதால் என்னால் புகைப்படங்கள் எடுக்க முடியவில்லை. பல முறை திருச்செந்தூர் சென்று வரும் வழியில் இந்தக் கோவிலில் தரிசனம் செய்ய முயற்சித்திருக்கிறேன். ஒவ்வொரு முறையும் நான் போகும் நேரத்தில் இந்தக் கோவில் நடை அடைத்திருந்தது. சுமார் 55 ஆண்டுகள் முன்பு பள்ளியில் படிக்கும்பொழுது இந்தக் கோவிலுக்கு போய் வந்ததில் மிகவும் சமாதானம்.

கிருஷ்ணாபுரத்திலிருந்து கொஞ்ச தூரம் தள்ளி வருவது செய்துங்கநல்லூர். அங்கிருந்து பிரிந்து செல்லும் ஒரு கிராமப்புற சாலை வழியாக சுமார் 3 கிலோ மீட்டர் தூரம் உள்ளே போனால் வருவது விட்டலாபுரம். பண்டரி நாதர் கோவிலுக்கு மிக அருகே எங்கு பார்த்தாலும் ஆடுகள் கூட்டம் கூட்டமாக சாலையை மறித்து உட்கார்ந்து கொண்டிருந்தன. காரின் ஹார்ன் கொடுத்தும் பயனில்லை. காரை விட்டு வெளியே இறங்கி அவைகளை விரட்டிய பிறகுதான் மேலே போக முடிந்தது. பெரிதுமில்லை, சிறிதுமில்லை என்பது மாதிரி ஒரு அருமையான கோவில்.  சுமார் 500 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு விஜயநகர சாம்ராஜ்யம் காலத்தில் கட்டப்பட்ட இந்த கோவில் தக்ஷிண பண்டரிபுரம் என்றழைக்கப்படுகிறது. ருக்மணி சத்யபாமா சமேத பாண்டுரங்கர் இங்கே காட்சியளிக்கிறார்.  விஜயநகர சாம்ராஜ்யத்தின் தளபதியான விட்டலராயர் திருவிதாங்கூர் பகுதிகளின் மீது படையெடுப்பதற்கு ஆயத்தம் செய்து கொண்டிருந்த சமயத்தில் பாண்டுரங்கர் அவரது கனவில் தோன்றியிருக்கிறார். பாண்டுரங்கரின் ஆணையின் படி செய்துங்கநல்லூருக்கு வந்து பொருணை நதிக் கரையில் (தாமிரபரணியின் இன்னொரு பெயர்) புதைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த பாண்டுரங்கரின் சிலையை கண்டெடுத்து நாட்டார்புரம் என்றழைக்கப்பட்ட ஊரில் (இன்று அதன் பெயர் விட்டலாபுரம்) அதை பரதிஷ்டை செய்தார் என்று இந்தக் கோவிலின் தலபுராணம் சொல்கிறது. விட்டலராயர் பின்பு தென்புறமாக கன்னியாக்குமரிக்கு அருகேயுள்ள சுசீந்திரம் நகரை வந்தடைந்திருக்கிறார். அங்கே திருவிதாங்கூர் மன்னருடன் போரின்றி ஒரு உடன்படிக்கை செய்துகொண்டு ஒப்பந்ததில் கிடைத்த எல்லா செல்வங்களையும் பாண்டுரங்கர் கோவிலின் பூஜைகளுக்காக ஒதுக்கிவிட்டு திரும்பிச் சென்று விட்டார். விட்டலாபுரம் கோவில் மிக அமைதியாக இருந்தது. சிறிய ஊர். கோவிலைச் சுற்றி வீடுகள். அமைதியான ஊர்.

விட்டலாபுரத்தில் பாண்டுரங்கனை தரிசித்துவிட்டு, நேராக திருச்செந்தூர் சென்றோம். திருச்செந்தூர் வளர்ந்துகொண்டே இருக்கிறது. கோவிலில் அன்று கூட்டமில்லாததால் நிம்மதியாக தரிசனம் செய்ய முடிந்தது. அன்று மாலைக்குள் பாப நாசம் செல்லவேண்டும் என்று திட்டமிட்டிருந்ததால் உடனேயே திரும்பி விட்டோம்.

மதியம் லாட்ஜில் சிறிது நேரம் ஓய்வெடுத்துக்கொண்டு, நெல்லையில் சில தின்பண்டங்களை வாங்கிக்கொண்டு பாபநாசம் கிளம்பும்பொழுது மாலை மணி 04.30. பேட்டையில் ஏதோ ஒரு பாலத்தை சரி செய்து கொண்டிருந்ததால் மாற்று வழியில் எல்லா வாகனங்களையும் திருப்பிக்கொண்டிருந்தார்கள். நாங்கள் அது தெரியாமல் ஏதோ சின்ன  சின்ன முடுக்குகள் வழியாக காரை எடுத்துச் சென்று ரொம்பவே சிரமப்பட்டுப் போனோம். பேட்டை தாண்டியும் பாதைகள் பல இடத்தில் குண்டும் குழியுமாக இருந்தது. எங்கேயும் வேகம் எடுக்க முடியவில்லை. கொஞ்சம் பாத சரியாக இருக்கிறதே என்று நினைத்து வேகம் எடுத்தால் எதிர்பாராமல் ஒரு பெரிய பள்ளமோ அல்லது ஒரு  வேகத்தடையோ எதிர்படும். மிகக் கவனமாக ஓட்டிச்செல்ல வேண்டியிருந்தது.

பாபநாசம் அருகே இன்னொரு பாலம் சரிசெய்துகொண்டிருக்கிறார்களாம். அதனால், அம்பாசமுத்திரத்திலிருந்து ஆம்பூர் பாதை வழியாகப் போகவேண்டும் என்று போர்டு வைத்திருந்தார்கள். சுற்று வழி. பாதையோ மிக மோசம். எப்பொழுது வேண்டுமானாலும் மழை பெய்யலாம்போல் இருந்தது. பாபநாசம் சென்றடைந்தபோது மணி 6.00. மழையும் பிடித்துக்கொண்டது. கோவிலில் எங்கள் பிரார்த்தனையை முடித்துக்கொண்டு கிளம்பும்பொழுது மழை பலமாகவே பெய்யத் தொடங்கியது. பல  இடங்களில் மின்சாரம் இல்லை. எங்கும் இருட்டு. ஆண்டவனைப் வேண்டிக்கொண்டு கிளம்பிவிட்டோம்.  வழியில் ஒரு சில இடங்களில் சிறிய பாலங்கள் உடைந்திருப்பதற்கான அறிகுறிகள் தென்பட்டன. எதைப் பற்றியும் யோசிக்காமல் வேகமாக பாபநாசத்திலிருந்து ஆம்பூர் வரை வண்டியை ஓட்டிக்கொண்டு வந்து விட்டேன். ஆம்பூர் வந்த பிறகுதான் மூச்சு வந்தது.

இரவு நேரத்தில் இப்பொழுதெல்லாம் வண்டி ஓட்டுவது மிகச் சிரமமாக இருக்கிறது. எதிரே வரும் மோட்டர்சைக்கிள், லாரி, கார் யாரும் ‘டிப்பரை’ பயன்படுத்துவதில்லை. கண்ணைக் கூச வைக்கும் வெளிச்சம். இடதுபுறமாக ரொம்ப ரிஸ்க் எடுத்துத்தான் ஓட்டவேண்டியிருக்கிறது.

மீண்டும் சொல்லத் தோன்றுகிறது. தமிழ்நாட்டில் எந்த பாதை போட்டாலும் ஒரு மழைக்கு மட்டும் தாங்கும்படியாகத்தான் பாதை போடுகிறார்கள். வாகனங்களை ஓட்டிசெல்பவர்களுக்கோ அல்லது பயணிகளுக்கோ எந்த வசதியும் அரசாங்கம் செய்துகொடுப்பதில்லை. அல்லது அப்படி செய்துகொடுக்கும் ஒன்றிரண்டு இடங்களையும் மக்கள் சரியாகப் பயன்படுத்துவதில்லை. அதிகாரிகளே வெறுத்துப்போய் பராமரிப்பதில் ஒரு பலனுமில்லை என்று விட்டுவிடுகிறார்கள். இந்தக் கதை பல்லாண்டுகளாக தமிழகத்தில் தொடர்ந்துகொண்டிருக்கிறது. என்ன சொல்ல?                                             ….. நிறைவு

Episode 2/Chapter 16: What, If Our Dreams Come True!

Chapter 16

A couple of months passed by and they were some of the gloomy months of our life. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion and we had no choice than to go with the flow of life – slow or fast.

During these months, I discovered William’s growing anxiety about the dam project. More than anyone in our camp, he believed in the dam project becoming a reality. I found him writing letters to his friends in England about the project, with great enthusiasm. When I probed him, I found him quite serious about his promise to give away all the money from the sale of his estate for the dam project. He appeared to love this place and his company with us and genuinely wanted to do something that would benefit the people here at large. He found the Podhigai hills very peaceful and rejuvenating for his body and mind. He found it difficult to hold back his tears when he repeatedly heard the stories of the people who suffered in the last flash floods. He was a true friend in our group and resourceful too. Some of his friends back home were willing to take the message among the larger public in England and help mobilize funds for the dam project, if the government approved it.

‘We were small fries and would we be in a position to raise money for a large project like this?’ We were skeptical.

The weather and climate change over time. That is a certainty anywhere on earth. Slowly, our fortunes too changed.

Devendran was visiting Tirunelveli, the district headquarters on the banks of Tamirabarani. He stayed in one of the lodges along the Sri Nellaiappar High Road. This lodge was very famous those days and many leading personalities in politics, film world and business stayed there, on their visits to Nellai –a fondly shortened name for Tirunelveli. He sent word for us to meet in Nellai.

With rising expectations again, we rushed to Nellai and our meeting with Devendran could take place only in the midnight, after he returned from a public meeting in Vagaiyadimukku, a popular junction in the town, around the main Nellaiappar temple. 

He looked fresh while we looked tired out of anxiety.

Another businessman from Sivakasi was with him when he entered his room.

“What do you say, Muthuvel? Here are the people wanting to sell the estate. Talk to them!” He told the accompanying businessman, then lay down on his bed and closed his eyes.

Muthuvel was direct and businesslike. William explained in brief about the estate and in all honesty, told him about the problems in the documentation. Muthuvel didn’t appear to be perturbed about the documents part and quoted a price. We were taken aback. The price was way below what William had hoped to receive. We were not sure whether Devendran had slept or not, and we wondered how to proceed with the discussions.

There was silence in the room. Some fifteen minutes passed and none of us wanted to disturb Devendran, as we all thought he was sleeping.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes and said, ‘Muthuvel, pay them two hundred and fifty thousand rupees for the estate. I think that would be fair for you and for them. As you know, that Englishman is going to donate the entire money for constructing a dam across Tamirabarani in the upper hills. What do you say?”

He then turned to William and asked him, ‘Do you still want to give that money to the project?’

‘Of course!’ shot William.

Muthuvel thought for a second and agreed to proceed with the purchase of the estate. We were very pleased that we were able to strike a deal. During the next two months, the papers were signed and the money was deposited in the State Bank of India in Tirunelveli. Simultaneously, another account in the name of “Nellai Citizen Endeavor for Hill Dam Project” was opened as advised by Devendran. We organized a ceremony in the Vaagaiyadimukku junction in Nellai town and a cheque for two hundred and fifty thousand rupees was presented by William to Devendran for the dam project. The volunteers went around, spreading out a ‘dhoti’ (a common practice among political parties to collect donations) and collected another ten thousand rupees as a donation. Ours was one of the first ever known self-help projects that was floated and funded by the community and its people. The local government could still not fund the project, but it had no objection to it if the community was able to mobilize the funds.

There was euphoria all around in our camp. We all felt that we had taken a great leap in implementing our dream. Things really moved fast from that stage.

Lakshmana Iyer proved to be particularly helpful, with his students. More than five thousand hand written appeals were prepared by his students, adding a personal touch to our appeal for donations and were sent out to many prominent citizens all over India.

The Prime Minister sent a personal cheque for five thousand rupees blessing the project as a very novel attempt. Devendran really moved many in the government and every day we received cheques from different parts of the southern states and from many prominent people in politics, industry and the government. Several philanthropists too sent in donations for the project in small and big amounts.

*****

It was the year 1920. Mr. Brooke, an English commander, was sent to Palayamkottai to suppress the freedom struggle and overpower extremist groups hiding in the Podhigai hills. He was very successful with similar operations in Darjeeling hills, the year before. He was known to be ruthless with rioters and very loyal to the Queen. Ever since he moved into Ambasamudram from Palayamkottai, the rioters were forced to shift their base constantly. Brooke chased them into the hills, but didn’t succeed in capturing any of them. The search operations were carried out with a vengeance and the extremist group also retaliated with great force from time to time.

His wife, Mrs. Romela, was pregnant and stayed back at Palayamkottai. She was a childhood friend of British Queen herself and she automatically enjoyed many privileges. Brooke visited her on all the weekend and the couple was anxiously awaiting the arrival of the baby during the next few weeks. A Gujarathi nanny was with her, twenty four hours, and a reputed local maid was going to be the midwife.

Brooke was passionate about hunting and frequented the nearby forests and hills. The place was known for wild animals that frequently entered many villages at the foot of the hills. He captured many of them while hunting and displayed their skeleton remains in his residence, with great pride.

As Romela approached the delivery date, she was haunted by horror dreams about her husband. She insisted on either Brooke returning to Palayamkottai or her joining him at Ambasamudram. The former was completely out of the question and so against all his wishes, she moved into Brooke’s residence at Ambasamudram, along with her nanny and maid. She felt better being with Brookes, though Brooke did not. He worried for her safety. He knew that the terrorist group was after terminating him. Because of Romela’s connections, even the Queen of England took a special interest in her safe delivery and their safety.

One day, he had received information about the hideout of a small terrorist outfit near Kalakkad hills, a place he had frequented for hunting. He set out with a team, to capture those people. No one knows to this date if it was a trap, but he never returned from Kalakkad hills – only his blood-stained outfit was found in the forests and there was no trace of him.

On the very same day, Romela went into labor and the delivery developed complications. While the army waited to transport her to Palayamkottai, all of a sudden, in the darkness of night, Brooke’s residence was attacked by powerful bombs and fire broke out. A few guards were killed in the crossfire. A group of two terrorists rushed to the upper floor where Romela was rested for her child delivery. They carried guns and torches setting everything to fire. The Gujarati nanny and the maid fell at their feet and pleaded with them to spare Romela. Romela watched everything helplessly. The youth who were about to kill Romela, suddenly changed their mind. They not only spared her, but helped her move safely outside to the garden where she delivered a boy. Wishing Romela and the baby well, the boys ran away to join the fight. The entire revolutionary group including those boys who saved Romela was finally killed in the fight.

Romela returned to England at the earliest opportunity and she lived somewhere in Southern London. Her son George was a frequent visitor to the Queen’s palace. Eventually George studied with William when they were growing up and one of our appeals for help landed in the hands of George who took that in all earnestness to the Queen and showed it to her.

So, when we received an envelope bearing the seal “On her Majesty’s Services”, we were most pleasantly surprised to find a cheque for one thousand British pounds, from the British Queen herself from her personal accounts, for the dam project.

*****

Devendran was quite young, dynamic, forthright, and honest. When it came to politics, he was very ambitious. He believed that in a democracy one could achieve a lot only if you were in politics and that too in power. He played his cards very skillfully and he rose in power and popularity. He moved between central and state leaders spreading his influence and soon came to be recognized as a principal opinion maker, very astute negotiator, and even a king-maker. His words carried a lot of weight and at his behest a special fund for dam projects across Tamirabarani was floated. The fund sought contributions from the public, though, not much contribution came in.

During those days, the country needed a strong international ally, but was suspicious of the Americans. India was attracted to the socialistic models of governance and naturally leaned towards Soviet Russia that was more willing to take India’s side on many international issues and help India financially and technologically so that they could tilt the power scales in their own struggle for supremacy with Americans. We needed to import a lot of heavy equipment, fertilizers, arms and ammunitions, military hardware, aircrafts and a host of things that needed substantial foreign currencies. We were strapped for American dollars which remained the principal trading currency worldwide and Russia was amenable to rupee transactions for trade with India. They were ready to send their engineers and provide us the technology. We came to know that Devendran was already talking to a few powerful officials in Soviet Russia about his dream projects to build several dams in Southern India.

Rathnam, the former jamindar had an excellent rapport with the labor force and he went around several villages in and around Tirunelveli and enlisted a large work force for the construction of dams, in exchange for food for their family. Ours was one of the earliest public projects assuring food for work. Most people along the banks of Tamirabarani were agrarian and didn’t have work, round the year. Agriculture depended on rains which played ‘hide and seek’ all the time. The river supported them partially through a number of smaller canals built by several, over many centuries.

Easwaran and Lakshmana Iyer became our spiritual centers providing the much needed psychological and motivational support, helping everyone believe that the project would become a reality soon, through regular prayers and chanting of religious hymns in the temple. 

In between, William went back to England to solicit further support for the project and he came back after six months with a bagful of cheques and bank demand drafts. He also brought a list of names of several specialist engineers who were willing to provide technical consultancy for constructing dams. William favored engaging British Engineers whom he considered far more competent than Russian engineers. There were tension and conflict in our camp between the protagonists of the British and the Russian engineering teams, each side claiming supremacy.

In and around Tirunelveli, across Tamirabarani many check dams had been built over millennia by the rulers of those days. I decided to study them in detail in the meantime. Sudalai arranged a bullock cart for me and we took a detailed tour along Tamirabarani, over the next several months. When I returned, I was fully equipped with sufficient information about dams and water reservoirs. To me it appeared that check dams were the best option under the given circumstances and that we should not mind using our ancient indigenous technology and wisdom in building dams. I also made a quick visit to Anicut otherwise known as ‘Kallanai’, a check dam across Cauvery river, built by Karikala Chozhan who ruled Chozha empire during the 2^nd century C.E in Tamilnadu. It still stood the test of time and the design was later adopted by the legendary British irrigation engineer Arthur Cotton, who went on to build various irrigation structures across our country, in the nineteenth century.

Check dams were eco-friendly because they did not submerge nearby farms and property. They also helped recharge groundwater in aquifers and nearby wells. They allowed more percolation of monsoon rains into the soil. Thus, it increased moisture in soil and vegetation. Erosion of soil was controlled and thus flooding too. To the contrary, bigger dams resulted in environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity. People got displaced while building big dams. More significantly, I came to know that the rare plants that were unique to Podhigai hills might disappear if big dams were built.

People around me supported my ideas on check dams. They all agreed that check dams would be more efficient for supporting irrigation for agriculture, than bigger dams. Besides, the nationalist feelings were still running high and we had only recently suffered the commercial exploitation of the country’s resources by foreign powers. So we needed to convince the authorities to use our ancient indigenous technology that even the British had used during their rule across our country, rather than seeking foreign collaboration.

We went through several rounds of discussions with the government representatives. We met roadblocks on several issues. Hoping that Devendran would support us, we went ahead and pressed our claims. We told the government that inasmuch as the major part of the money for the construction of the dam is raised by us, we should have a say in every matter relating to the dam. The land belonged to no one in particular and so it belonged to the society. We had the labor ready to proceed with the work. We had with us a number of independent retired engineers who were familiar with our indigenous technology in constructing dams. Materials required for construction were locally available. All that was required, was a government stamp of approval, cooperation, and support with whatever resources they may have.

The government didn’t agree with many of our stipulations that we considered important for us to have a hold on the project. The government insisted that they would ultimately execute the project once the money was ready with us and that they would have the upper hand in making decisions about various issues relating to the project. They wanted us to deposit the entire money into the government accounts from where they would make it available periodically for the project, as work progressed. We stoutly objected many conditions imposed on us by the government, even while we were cautiously aware that the project wouldn’t come up without the support of the government. We tried to use as much leverage available with us as possible. In the process, the coming up of the dam was getting delayed and we were growing nervous and anxious. At times, we came to suspect the motive and the sincerity of the government in implementing the project.

William gave excellent support to us and I was constantly educated on several issues relating to project planning and execution. His contacts in England and the British engineering team were constantly in touch with us. However, it was a tedious process of writing to them, hoping to get replies from them, waiting for the reply and again getting in touch with them with more questions when we got replies. We educated each other about the kind of peculiar problems of our terrain and the choice of solutions available.

We made several presentations to Devendran who appreciated our concern, but due to several legal technicalities, couldn’t alter government’s stand. However, we pursued with our claim.

*****

Episode 2/Chapter 14: What, If Our Dreams Come True!

Chapter 14

I was brought back to the present world, when suddenly several people were seen rushing into the inner hall of the temple, gesturing and shouting. All along, as I was listening to the story of Lakshmana Iyer, I was completely numb with shock and sorrow.

“Paiya, you heard enough. Now, if we don’t quickly get into the queue, we may go starving for the day. Come on, run now and reserve a place for me too. I will join you there,” said the ‘sadhu,’ whom I now knew as Ambalam.

I followed the crowd mechanically, to collect my food from the temple kitchen. I was still in a state of shock. They served ‘kootanchoru’ (rice mixed with some vegetable curries and gravy) in a plantain leaf. The food was quite hot and tasty. The quantity was sumptuous, more than what I got to eat on most days. Those days, a number of temples provided annadhan to poor people. That answered how I myself survived several days of travel. I always made sure that I was around some of those temples that provided food in the afternoon.

Ambalam ate with me silently. He gnawed his food slowly as though every lump was one full meal and he seemed to be enjoying every minute of his eating. Once finished, he told me that it was time for him to take a short nap and asked me whether I would leave before he got up. I wasn’t very keen to go away and I wanted to hear more from him. Our close association had thus begun.

In the next several months, I did a lot of commuting from Ambasamudram to nearby villages. I had an urge to meet those survivors of the flood and hear from them personally.

I had no difficulty in getting in touch with Rathnam, the erstwhile jamindar and his wife Meena through Pazhani who continued to be the village chief. Rathnam seemed to believe that he had no will to live, but for his innocent wife, who continued to wear a blank look the whole time we were talking to each other. Tears rolled down his eyes, as he narrated his love for his wife and how their life had now become barren and miserable. But, he didn’t utter a word complaining about his wife.

Easwaran, the temple priest, was in shambles when I met him. He had been spending all his time in the temple, constantly staring at Mother, and questioning Her why he alone survived. But even while he was talking sullenly, he beckoned me to do something about these floods, as though I had the power to stop them.

Lakshmana Iyer was very balanced when he narrated how he lost several of his children in the flash floods and how he longed to do something about it. But his responsibility and burden in the Gurukulam had increased with the addition of more children and he was struggling for finances. His priority was to ensure that those children got at least one good meal every day. He hoped that someone had born somewhere to take up the issue of preventing such flash floods in future.

Jhia was the most difficult to get in touch with, as she seemed to be shifting places aimlessly and my meeting her didn’t happen for long.

*****

Episode 2/Chapter 13. What, If Our Dreams Come True! :The story of Lakshmana Iyer, the Master

Chapter 13. The story of Lakshmana Iyer, the Master

“Every story is more horrendous than the previous one. If the story of the jamindar Rathnam was pathetic, then the story of Jhia, the nomad girl was a great tragedy. The story of Easwaran and the calamity at the temple makes me cry. I feel helpless.” I confessed to Ambalam.

“I shall complete with the last of the stories I know intimately. That is the story of Lakshmana Iyer. You hear that and then decide what you can do about it. I already get a feeling that your arrival here, has a special purpose. Shall I continue? But, remember. All that I told you, were just samples only. There were many more people whose lives were destroyed due to the flood.”

I nodded my head. My heart was heavy with sorrow.

‘I already get a feeling that your arrival here has a special purpose.’ Why did he say that?

For his age, Lakshmana Iyer was a very brisk and active man. He performed his ‘Shashti abda poorthi’ (completion of 60 years of age) only a couple of months ago. It was a simple function, but with greater emphasis on Vedic rites and rituals. His grown up children hosted the function, in a simple ceremony performed in their ‘ashram,’ located not very far from the river Tamirabarani.

Until a few years ago, he was running a small ‘vedic patshala’ (a school for teaching ‘vedas’), with just eight students, in a small rented place, in an adjacent village. He himself had learnt the Vedas in Kasi (present day Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh) on the banks of the river Ganga, when he was quite young, under the tutelage of a very learned ‘guru’ who was an authority on ancient scriptures. After completing his full academic course which ran for a little more than twelve years in the ‘gurukulam,’  he wandered around places in North India for several years before he was directed by another ‘guru’ to go to river Tamirabarani to start a ‘Vedic patshala’.

Establishing a ‘Vedic patshala’ on the banks of the river Tamirabarani required a great deal of efforts and support from local people. Thanks to Keshava Iyer, a rich landlord who resided in Kallidaikurichi, a small town very close to Ambasamudram on the banks of the river, Lakshmana Iyer got a substantial grant to start and run the school. Keshava Iyer was a conservative Brahmin and was married to Ganga. Even after several years of their marriage, the couple didn’t have a child. Ganga’s parents were only too willing to give their second daughter Gomathi in marriage to Keshava Iyer so that he can have an heir to his vast properties. Unfortunately, even the second marriage didn’t produce an offspring at home. A visiting ‘Swamiji’ suggested Keshava Iyer to help poor small children learn as a penance for some past ‘karma’ and predicted that he will have a child soon.

Fortuitously, around the same time Lakshmana Iyer landed in Kallidaikurichi and the meeting between him and Keshava Iyer became very fruitful to them both. Keshava Iyer helped Lakshmana Iyer with a small house and some adjacent structures, to start the school. Within a year, many children from poor ‘brahmin’ families from the nearby villages joined the school.

Within the same period, both Ganga and Gomathi conceived and strangely both delivered twins. Keshava Iyer was delighted at the great blessings. He believed that the visiting ‘Swamiji’s blessings came true and stepped up his support for the ‘Gurukulam’. The Vedic school flourished and earned a high reputation, in and around Kallidaikurichi. Everything went on smoothly during the initial few years.

Lakshmana Iyer was a very knowledgeable scholar and a sincere teacher. He loved the children who studied in his school and the children too reciprocated equally well. He was very ‘brahminical’ in his philosophy and attitude in the true sense and taught the children that realizing ‘Brahman’ ought to be the ultimate aim of every student. ‘By realizing Brahman, you realize everything else,’ he told his students, echoing Vedas and Upanishads.

He was also a nationalist and was influenced by the teachings of Gandhi during the freedom movement. Having stayed in Northern India for the most part of his younger days, he had seen Independence Movement in its active form and embraced the call to be free from foreign oppression. He had also taken active part in the freedom struggle while he was in northern India, though at the fundamental level he believed that as a true Brahmin, his task was to help people attain true freedom, by knowing the Ultimate Truth – Knowing God. Torn between conflicting ideals and goals, sometimes he had become a recluse at Joshimatt in Uttar Pradesh, to resolve the conflict.

Once, when cholera and small pox broke out in southern India, it affected many villages near Kallidaikurichi. A number of people died due to inadequate medical attention and lack of medicines. Many parents lost their children; many children lost their parents and became orphans. When the disease spread to Kallidaikurichi, many families quarantined themselves. Volunteering agencies were quite slow to help the situation. A few Christian missionaries brought in many volunteers and held medical camps, but many in the area were suspicious of the Christian missionaries and their motives, refused their help and drove them away.

There was a barber Singaram, who regularly visited the school to tonsure the heads of the Brahmin students. The Brahmin students were supposed to have only a small tuft on their head and not allowed to grow long hair. Singaram travelled a long distance from another village and he marveled at the discipline of the children in the school. He interacted with Lakshmana Iyer and other children, raised penetrating questions on God and on life and death and learned a lot. He was in a sense one non-brahmin student at the school. Lakshmana Iyer too liked him and used to comment that, maybe one day Singaram too might become an enlightened saint like Valmiki or Vyasa. On those occasions, Singaram used to ask Lakshmana Iyer innocently, ‘Do you really believe so?’ The answer invariably was, ‘Why not?’

One week, Singaram didn’t turn up for his regular visits to the school for performing the tonsuring for the children, Lakshmana Iyer was upset. There was no news from him for a week. Lakshmana Iyer was worried and he missed Singaram and his prying questions on ‘Brahman.’ He sent word and the news he got back, devastated him. Singaram seemed to have been affected by small pox the previous week and died all of a sudden, leaving behind him his wife and a four year old son.

People at Kallidaikurichi were really surprised when Lakshmana Iyer shed tears for Singaram and mourned his death. Lakshmana Iyer gave another rude shock to everyone when he brought Singaram’s wife and his son Maadan to his place and kept them in a small outhouse in his school. Immediately, a number of locals protested, saying Singaram was from a low caste and could not be allowed in a Brahmin locality. Lakshmana Iyer tried to explain, but the people were adamant. The matter was taken to Keshava Iyer, who was unsure as to what stand he had to take. But when his wives Ganga and Gomathi, insinuated by their parents, protested too, he gave in.

He, subtly, suggested to Lakshmana Iyer to send away the family of Singaram to their place. A veiled threat was given that the school might lose patronage if the advice was not heeded. Lakshmana Iyer was in a fix.

Singaram’s wife too pleaded with him to allow them to go back to their village, to avoid further embarrassment to Lakshmana Iyer. When one day, he almost decided that in the interest of the school, it was best for Singaram’s family to leave, more shocking news came in. In another nearby village, a massive cholera outbreak afflicted a number of families and within a couple of days, twelve children in that village became orphans overnight.

Lakshmana Iyer was overwhelmed suddenly. His nationalist feelings took over. He rushed to that village. The residents were all from the so-called low castes and considered untouchables. He was reminded of Gandhiji’s teachings. He decided to defy every objection and brought all those children to his place.

When the news that he was bringing those low-caste children to his school reached Kallidaikurichi, people gathered on the outskirts and blocked his entry into the town. He was asked to go back and not return to his school. Keshava Iyer refused to entertain him, for fear of antagonizing the other powerful local people and suggested to him to take them to some other place. He gave some money to Lakshmana Iyer, to temporarily tide over the situation, with a promise to give him some clandestine support.

Whatever went into his head, Lakshmana Iyer took a very defiant stand and took all those children to the outskirts of another village on the banks of Tamirabarani. He did not even bother to check whether the land belonged to someone or not, he got a few huts erected and put all the children there. He went back to Kallidaikurichi in the dead of night, woke up all his students who were temporarily taken care of by one of his senior students under his instructions and brought them too to his makeshift huts.

Since then, his new Gurukulam started functioning from there. People of Kallidaikurichi could do nothing about whatever he did, except complaining to local authorities about the unauthorized use of public land. Local chieftains visited the place, were very much impressed by the arrangements made by Lakshmana Iyer and decided to follow a ‘no-interference’ policy, as far as his Gurukulam was concerned.

Some support came from different corners, but they were quite meager. However, Lakshmana Iyer met the challenges with great determination.

He consciously decided to segregate the Brahmin boys from the other children. He believed that the path to salvation and higher consciousness could be different for different sets of people, though every path was valid. He always advocated the virtues of tolerance, equality, and acceptance, and he never wanted prejudice even unknowingly. He felt that it was his duty to help every child attain higher states of consciousness by showing them their right path. 

“Don’t be carried away by the pigment of the color of one’s skin. Beyond the skin, everyone is the same. Never ever think you are superior to the children from the other section. They just have a different set of duties - Dharma - to be performed, that is all. Otherwise, they are your equal. Besides, they have different sets of skills and knowledge. Everyone here would use their knowledge and skills for the common good. You, as Brahmins, have a duty to perform and that is, to help people realize God. You will perform that duty without any bias or prejudice or ill feelings.” He told those Brahmin students.

To the other children, he said, “Do not ever think you are in any way inferior to those boys who are studying Vedas. Your duties are different and you will all be mutually supporting each other. They have a different upbringing than yours and that doesn’t make them superior or you inferior. Remember, you are their equals. But it doesn’t authorize you to intrude or meddle in their affairs. We are all different arms and limbs of the same society working for common good. Maybe one day, if you desire, you may also rise to sainthood, but remember, the life of a saint or a true Brahmin won’t be an easy one. Singaram was one who could have become a saint one day but for his ill-fate, remember that.”

In between, a few apprehensive Brahmin parents came to his school and wanted to withdraw their children, as they didn’t want their children to have anything to do with low-caste children. Some were convinced and some were allowed to take away their wards.

There was harmony in the Gurukulam and the children did what work was assigned to them. They cleared the bushes, tilled the soil, planted trees, grew plants for flowers and vegetables, watered them by bringing water from the river,  and turned the land into a green garden.

Keshava Iyer initially continued his monetary support to Lakshmana Iyer, clandestinely. He still remembered with gratitude the fortuitous coincidence of his wives giving birth to healthy babies after he started helping the Gurukulam of Lakshmana Iyer. But in the course of time, he too became powerless before his wife’s objections and his support to the Gurukulam dwindled. Lakshmana Iyer didn’t worry. Somehow, he kept the Gurukulam going. All was fine until one night.

That night, it rained heavily and powerful gusty winds blew off some of the roofs in his Gurukulam. It was pitch dark. Being a low-lying area, in the darkest of hours, they didn’t notice Tamirabarani river breaching the sides and entering the Gurukulam. They were all caught unawares. Many children were quite young and helpless. A huge tree broke off from its roots and fell heavily across a few huts. Lakshmana Iyer and a few seniors frantically searched for every inmate in darkness. The night was dark and rain was pouring torrentially. They spent the whole night getting as many kids as they could, to a safe place. When it dawned, at least sixteen children were missing without any trace. Lakshmana Iyer lost all his sense of composure.

*****

Episode 2/Chapter 12: What, If Our Dreams Come True!

The Story so far…..

Armed with the extraordinary power of the blessings he received from the mysterious sadhu at Courtallam, not knowing what exactly lay ahead, Poornam walks all the way to Ambasamudram, on his way to Papanasam. There, in the Siva temple, on the banks of Tamirabarani, he encounters another sadhu-like mendicant. Developing a conversation with him, Poornam hears about the colossal damage that had happened in Ambasamudram region due to the flash floods in the upper regions of the river. Ambalam, the mendicant narrates a few stories of people who suffered due to the floods.

What follows is the narration of the series of stories of people who suffered in the floods…… Having heard the first story of pathetic zamindar Ratnam and the second story of the gypsy girl Jhia, the narrator is now ready to listen to the third story in the series.

Chapter 12: The Story of the temple poojari

“Are you okay, ‘thambi’?” Ambalam enquired with concern.

“I am deeply moved by the story of this little gypsy girl. I am at loss of words to express my feelings,” I replied unable to control my choking voice.

“Your looked really frightened. Your eyes were fixed and frozen.”

“Actually, as you were narrating the story, I was visualizing every bit of it. I felt transported in time and it looked as though I was myself experiencing the flood.”

Not able to muster more words, I stayed quiet for some time and then asked Ambalam, 

“Do you know where this girl can be found?”

“I hear that she is not doing the street shows anymore nowadays. She is a nomad and never in one place. Shall I continue the rest of the stories or you feel tired?”

“Please do continue. I am all ears for them. I am already getting a hunch feeling that my life is going to be tied with some of these people.”

“Then let me tell you the story of Easwaran, the poojari.” 

Easwaran was a pious ‘poojari’ (priest) in the temple in a nearby village. He was a disciplined worker and he followed a rigorous routine. He opened the temple very early in the morning. He would bring water from the nearby well. The well was open and deep. He had to draw water standing on the edge of a stone bridge that was placed across the well. There were sharp stones and rocks at the bottom of the well. In the twilight of the morning, standing precariously over the bridge, he would use a brass pot tied to a strong rope to draw water from the well and he would carry it on his shoulders to the temple. He would have to make several rounds to fill the big brass vessel with water so that he could start performing ‘Abhishek’ (holy bath) for the deity. In between, he would run to the ‘nandavanam’ (a garden) that was located just outside the temple corridors, to pluck flowers for decorating and garlanding the deity and also perform ‘archana’(a ritual offering of flowers to God). On most days, his wife Meenakshi would join him in the temple. She would bring ‘prasad’ (food offering to God) prepared at home for the deity, to be offered after the ‘poojas’ were over. She would also help in making flower garlands for the deity. Even as the morning ‘poojas’ got over, he would have to attend to devotees who came to the temple for worshipping. Then he would have to prepare for the mid-morning ‘pooja’, after which the temple would be closed till five in the evening. He would carry home the small food that was left over after distribution to devotees. Evenings were usually more crowded at the temple and he would be busy till around nine in the night, when the temple was closed for the day.

Easwaran was strict about adhering to sanctity, traditions and ‘Vedic’ disciplines. He would not allow outsiders inside the sanctum Sanctorum. Fearing sanctity could be lost, he would neither physically touch others nor allow others to touch him. The village people respected him a lot for his devotion and sincerity.  He had a melodious voice and rendered several devotional hymns like ‘Thevaram’ or ‘Thiruvasagam’ or ‘Abhirami Andhathi’ with great dedication and involvement, that tears would roll down his eyes when he sang them. On normal days the temple had very few visitors, but on special days hundreds of people from nearby villages thronged to the temple. The temple somehow managed to survive from the meager contributions from the villagers. But Easwaran never complained about finances and he attended to his temple duties without ever raising a voice.

Though he was now married for the last two decades, he was blessed with a baby girl only last year. The little girl was very cute, fair and looked very pretty. His wife would bring the child to the temple everyday and the little baby grew up listening to the various hymns and chants that went on in the temple. Easwaran believed she was a divine child.

That day, Easwaran was very sick running high temperature. Ignoring the advice from his wife, he took a bath in cold water as usual and went to the temple. There was no substitute for him and he had to perform the rituals in the temple as usual, alone. Meenakshi quickly finished her ‘prasad’ preparation and rushed to the temple to help Easwaran. Struggling and trembling, Easwaran managed to bring water from the well once, but more water was required for ‘abhishek’. He couldn’t walk another foot and sat down near the deity breathing heavily. He looked at the idol of the Lord and prayed to Her to send some help. Meenakshi offered to bring water from the well, but Easwaran refused. It required great expertise to stand delicately on the stone bridge, drop the pot tied to the rope into the deep well, deftly swing the pot to fill it with water and then pull the rope. A small mistake, one could find oneself falling into the deep well and at that wee hour, not a soul would be available for help. Somehow the village never provided a proper pulley system to draw water from the well.

Time was running out and there were no visitors at the temple. The early morning ‘poojas’ had to be performed in time without delay. Easwaran tried to get up and go for drawing water from the well, again. But he felt very weak and couldn’t move. His head spun and everything blackened out for some time. Without waiting for his permission, Meenakshi went to the well. Her first attempt was very successful. She brought water and filled the brass vessel. Easwaran looked on with consternation and signaled caution to her. She had gone ahead more confidently this time and her second attempt also succeeded with ease. Easwaran relaxed for some time and closed his eyes. Meenakshi went again to bring water and didn’t return. Meanwhile, Easwaran had lost all sense of time and his baby girl was quietly sleeping in one corner, undisturbed.

Sadasivam, a ‘pandaram’ (someone who lives on alms given by devotees of the temple) was the first to realize that something was amiss. He had come to the temple, as was his routine, to pray and seek alms from temple devotees. It was the crying of a young child that caught his attention first and he rushed in. He used to spend a few minutes with this baby almost every day after his prayers. But, today, the baby was all wet and crying, but had no one to care for. He ran to her and lifted the baby. He didn’t know what happened and what he needed to do. He saw Easwaran lying unconsciously inside the sanctum sanctorum, near the deity. He didn’t dare getting inside the sanctum Sanctorum for fear of spoiling the sanctity of the place. He rushed outside and after several minutes brought a couple of people. Easwaran was lifted and brought out of the sanctum Sanctorum. With high temperature, his body felt like a hot plate. Someone ran to bring the local ‘vaidhyar’ (doctor). But, those days, even an emergency situation moved like a slow motion movie.

When Easwaran regained senses, he first turned his head here and there looking for Meenakshi. Words failed to come out of him and he struggled to finally question about the whereabouts of Meenakshi. Immediately someone dashed to his house and not finding Meenakshi there, rushed back. Easwaran was confused and he fumbled for words. He couldn’t connect things clearly and completely. Finally, he managed to signal to the people to look for Meenakshi near the well.

There alas! Meenakshi was floating in the well water. Pandemonium broke out and the whole village quickly assembled in the temple. Rescue teams were constituted and Meenakshi’s body was recovered from the well. Everyone was scared of informing Easwaran, but they had to tell him the bad news. Easwaran broke down completely when he heard the news. He shouted aloud, ‘Amma…….’ and he collapsed.

*****

Nearly a month passed by since Easwaran lost his wife to the well. He was devastated and stayed in a state of shock. Some temporary arrangements were made by the local people to take care of the temple routines, as Easwaran was in no state to manage it. He wore a blank look all the time, completely disconnected and was in a state of depression. Villagers took care of him and his baby very well.

Easwaran believed so much in destiny. Destiny is a convenient explanation for many unpleasant things in life and is a kind of acceptance of the inevitable. He soon recouped himself. He began to accept the loss of his dear wife, as an ill-fate. The baby was a daunting responsibility. One of his very distant cousins offered to take care of the baby. They took the baby to their distant village, with a promise to bring the baby back every now and then.

‘Kodai’ festival (The annual summer ‘poojas’) at the temple was approaching. The village and its surroundings depended on agriculture so much for their daily living and agriculture depended on rains. Without the rains, there was no water for the crops. A number of sacred rituals associated with the festival would have to be performed with meticulous care, to appease the Mother deity so that She showered plenty of rain.  

One day, he was back in action at the temple as usual and people were happy. He knew the procedures for the annual temple festival thoroughly and the villagers were relieved to know that they wouldn’t miss their annual festival that year.

He started organizing things for the preliminary poojas required before the actual ‘Kodai’ festival began. He prayed intensely to Mother to bless the village and the people with plenty of rain. He was pleasantly surprised, when the very same day, the sky turned dark and it rained heavily at midnight. Next day, he profusely thanked Mother for her kindness. Little did he realize that it had rained torrentially up the stream in Tamirabarani.

*****

‘Poojas’ in the temple began in all earnest, on the day fixed for the summer festival. Easwaran and many others didn’t sleep the previous night. There were endless formalities around the ‘Poojas’ that needed to be taken care of meticulously. Many elders and youngsters were at the temple helping him on a variety of errands and he looked completely at balance and command. He never looked like the one who had lost his wife in a terrible accident only a month back. It appeared the whole accident and trauma of the experience was pushed behind in his mind, as though it never happened.

People started arriving at the temple from very early in the morning. Hundreds of people registered themselves for offering ‘bali’ (animal sacrifice) at the altar of the temple and formed long queue. Offering ‘bali’ was a very important and sacred ritual to many. ‘Mother’ was always pleased with ‘bali’, people strongly believed. Easwaran had to offer sanctified holy water for all those animals, and perform mini ‘poojas’ for every animal before they were offered as sacrifice. He had also to take care of the big crowd of devotees, waiting in front of the main sanctum Sanctorum, to offer flowers and take blessings from the Mother. He was moving like a dart, appearing in one place, disappearing suddenly and reappearing at another place. Though he arranged for some assistance, people insisted that he alone performed the ‘pooja’ for them. They believed that when Easwaran performed the pooja, Mother answered immediately.

Sun was slowly rising in the sky and the people began to feel the heat and humidity. The temple was overcrowded and there was not an inch of space to stand anywhere. Long queues waited outside, to enter the temple, while another long queue waited patiently for their animal sacrifice. The whole place looked chaotic, but when someone observed closely, there was complete order even in chaos.

And, suddenly it started raining and soon it became a heavy downpour. Initially, the crowd was happy with the rain and everyone thanked the ‘Mother’. When it rained non-stop and the rain water stagnated in the temple surroundings, the crowd again rejoiced. The rain eventually stopped after some time, but the temple appeared to be floating in water. Almost everyone was wading through water here and there. Small children were the ones to enjoy playing in the stagnant muddy water.

Little did they all realize that they were about to face one of the worst calamities of their life in the next few moments.

*****

Sudalai had been awake for the whole night.  His job was not an easy one. He had the most unpleasant task of ensuring that the bodies of those departed souls fed to the flames were fully burnt and turned to ashes. Yes, he was in charge of the cremation ground in another nearby village. He performed his job with great satisfaction and lived happily with the small money he received from the families of those deceased. He had a difficult job to do. But he was a philosophical man. ‘The world needed people like me to make room for new entrants too.’

Sudalai was also a pious person. He was a regular visitor to the temple where Easwaran performed poojas. But he would never enter the temple. There was a stigma attached to the community in which he was born and to the job he performed. Though, by the laws of the land, un-touchability and the social taboos were banned and largely removed for the oppressed communities, Sudalai was always extra careful. He never wished the sanctity of the temple to be spoiled by his entry into the temple and he was scared of inviting the wrath of the Mother. He never complained and was quite contended with worshipping the Mother from outside. The ‘Mother’ had kept him very happy in his life. ‘What did it matter, whether he entered the temple or not?’ he thought.

Easwarn knew the exact time when Sudalai would visit the temple every day and he would come all the way to the outside of the temple, to give him the temple ‘prasad’, though on his own, Easwaran never invited Sudalai inside the temple. Easwaran greatly appreciated and admired Sudalai’s piety.

To make matters worse for Sudalai that day, there were two deaths the previous day and both families insisted upon cremation before sunset. Sudalai was late today, as he had to sit a whole night with the burning bodies in the cremation ground to ensure that they were fully burnt. The two bodies that were cremated the previous night seemed to be solid rocks and they took their own time to burn. Everything got finished that early morning only. He cleaned up the place and returned home in a hurry. He was already late to the temple. Today was a special day at the temple and he had to hurry. Though most days he would go to the river to have his bath, today, he had no time. He quickly finished his bath at home. When he stepped out of his house located at an elevation on the outskirts of the village, he noticed something unusual.

There, before his eyes, a few small huts in the far horizon on the slopes were floating in water. That could only mean one thing. The river Tamirabarani was in spate and must have breached somewhere. This was happening for the second time in his lifetime, the last it happened was almost a decade back and he was still haunted by those memories.

He became numb and motionless for some time, with what he saw. It took some time for him to return to normalcy and grasp the gravity of the situation. He immediately ran, doubled up and headed towards the temple.

*****

There was hardly any place to stand even, inside the temple. The public did not appear to be initially bothered about the crowding. Women took more time in front of the deity and men shouted from behind. Many became restless and started pushing others. A few fell down and others stamped over them. Soon it became a stampede, chaos and commotion inside the temple.

Easwaran was outside the temple and watched the situation helplessly. That was when he heard the terrible sound from the far corner of the temple wall. He quickly waded through the water and saw a huge trunk of a tree floating in water, moving swiftly and hitting the temple wall repeatedly. He also saw that the water was no more stagnant, but had gained flow, as more water gushed from behind the temple. The tree floated swiftly to the front, where many children were playing in the water and before Easwaran could do anything, it hit them with force. Some children gasped, some cried, some shouted and the younger and weaker ones were pushed under water and carried away. Before anyone could notice, a few small kids were already floating in the water and the floating tree was pushing them further and further with force. Many people quickly rushed to save the children, while others tried to hold the tree from moving further.

Suddenly, there was another big gush of water from behind the temple and water entered the temple from outside. Everyone was terrified and started running to get out of the temple causing more stampede.

*****

Sudalai ran at breakneck speed. He had a good physique and was used to the terrain. But to reach the temple, he had to cross a small canal. A cut ‘palmira’ tree placed across the stream was the makeshift bridge. But the bridge was missing today, when he reached there. The canal was brimming with water, that was flowing down with force. Sudalai didn’t hesitate; he jumped into the neck deep water. The water current pulled him, but he managed to reach the other side and continued his run.

When he reached the temple, the situation there was something he would never like to witness in his life. He was quite strong mentally and in his profession, never scared of dead bodies. He handled them as inanimate objects as such, but he always prayed for the dead soul. But today, his stomach churned, seeing so many floating along the river.

The temple was in the middle of a valley, sloping down and as Sudalai galloped down the slope, he trembled and his stomach churned again. He saw the trunk of the big tree moving swiftly down the river and pushing the kids, animals and birds along with it. For a moment, he tried to count the kids. For a strong man like Sudalai, he felt dizzy for the first time.

He saw Easwaran and many others struggling to reach the log and prevent it from floating down. He too rushed. Seeing Sudalai, Easwaran felt relieved. Together, they all managed to hold the log from pushing the kids. But, several of them had already drowned in water and were seen moving away down the stream. A few more rushed to help.

They managed to hold a few kids, lifted them in their arms and shoulders and carried them away on a high platform, built in another corner, in front of the temple, where a tall and colorfully painted mud statue of the Standing ‘Ayyanar’ stood looking ferocious, holding a huge sword in his hands. The rescue process was slow, but they made progress. The rescued children shivered and teetered in fear. Sudalai’s contribution to the rescue mission was significant.

Easwaran suddenly extended his hand to Sudalai and held his as a show of solidarity. He didn’t feel bad about it now. Whatever he thought, he then suddenly hugged Sudalai emotionally and then holding his hand, led him into the temple.

That was a great moment for Sudalai in his life. Even in the midst of chaos, he felt liberated, as he just stepped inside the temple.

Did the ‘Mother’ bring in this chaos so that he could enter the temple? He was puzzled.

As they entered the temple, they couldn’t help walking over a few who had fallen on the ground due to stampede. People were still moving in and out, searching for their near and dears, crying and shouting. Releasing his hands from Easwaran, Sudalai turned his attention to rescuing people who were strapped inside the temple. He shouted out to others for help. His authoritative voice had its effect and some semblance of order returned. More people had now focused on clearing the pathway inside the temple. A few more bodies were removed from inside the temple.

Easwaran somehow managed to clear through to the Sanctorum and there, the Mother stood in waist deep water, with her right hand signaling refuge to those who surrendered to her. She was shining in her new ornamentations and decorations. Easwaran cried aloud, ‘Oh, My Mother! Why this deluge?  Who is at mistake here? What wrong had these innocent children committed? Why are you punishing them all?’

The day passed into evening and then into night. The rescue operations went on slowly and were hampered by darkness everywhere. Thick burning wigs were brought in for better lighting, but intermittent rains at night hindered all their efforts. The operations went on throughout the night. When it dawned the next day, the whole place resembled a massive burial ground.

Easwaran, keeping his both hands over his temple, cried for a long time. The human loss was colossal. Easwaran and Sudalai were among those survived. ‘Why did I survive?’ Easwaran questioned the Mother.

*****