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| Pa. Singaram |
Chapter 10: Aavanna
When the Indonesian-Malaysian region was under the control of the king Shailendra of Srivijayam, and even before that too, the commercial ships of Tamils were busy travelling on sea in groups in search of new harbours. There was a time the naval fleet of Royal Cholas were navigating on this sea making this entire stretch tremble with fear.
There was a close commercial relationship between king Shailendra and Cholas. One of the Shailendra dynasty kings, Srimara Vijayothungavarman built a beautiful Buddhist monastery known as Sudamani Vihar in Nagapattinam in memory of his father during the reign of king The Great Rajaraja Chola. Another Shailendra king sent his navy in support of Cholas to fight against Singalese. Later, it was the conflict between them as to who would dominate the sea that proved to be an irreversible reason for the decline of Shailendras.
In 1025 AD, the columns of King Rajendra Cholan’s war ships descended on Indonesian sea waters and destroyed the ships of Shailendra, burnt them, drowned them and completely routed his naval fleet. The army that descended on land pillaged the capital of King Shailendra, Srivijayam and Malaiyur- a big commercial town, and burnt them down. The king of Srivijayam, Shankiram Vijayothunga Varman was captured and it set off the beginning of Shailendra Empire’s decline.
After Shailendra, a kingdom called Maya Bahit came to power. It was followed by petty scuffles among smaller kings. Then came the flood of Islamic invasion- an unstoppable deluge of sort.
The legacy of Chera, Chola and Pandiya kings’ war ships that once roamed in this tri-waters had become a dead dream, reduced to a mere fantasy, an old story, a buried treasure and it had disappeared from the memory long ago. Some of the Tamil people who hailed from the pedigree of those warriors who once descended on this land and burnt down the ships of King Shailendra and demolished his forts and armaments are now travelling in a ship from Sumathra, which was once upon a time a part of ancient kingdom of Srivijayam, to Malaya- another region sharing similar backdrop of history. Their journey hadn’t been propelled by a desire of discovering something novel by crossing seas for the betterment of their life by using their discovery; rather it was a journey in search of mere livelihood. The sailing vessel was owned by the Chinese, built by the Chinese and driven by the Chinese. It was loaded with commercial cargo and was on its way towards Penang harbour in Malakka Sea.
It was the time of sun set. In the west, the crimson rays of the sun were glaring at the edge of stones. The circular shaped sun was touching the horizon and spinning at faster rate than the speed of one’s thoughts. The extraordinary thrust of its movement was visible on the sea as well. As long one’s eyes could reach, was there lying saltiness and limitless expanse of sea.
The ship was moving.
Ai Liang, the captain of the vessel, was lying in his narrow, hole like cabin with his head resting near a copper lamp under the stupor of his cigar smoke.
Pandian was sitting on the upper deck hanging his both legs facing the sea in the western direction. He turned his face towards east. The moon was rising in golden hue. Stars that looked like tiny silver flowers strewn on the sky started glinting. The salty wind combed his hair and made his dress flap. He turned to west, ‘Ah…Nagapattinam, Mamallapuram, Korkai, Poombuhar! How many ships that would have brought the loads of Chines silks and red corals in exchange of cotton cloths and white pearls at these harbours! How many merchants and sailors would have drowned along with their ships in the storms? Where did they leave from and where did they go? How did they die? No one knew. Who was that General Yamo Motto who had led the army of Tamils who once destroyed the mighty empire of Shailendra? No one knew.
“Paavannaa, come this side. Let us attend to the cries of our stomach.”
Pandian jumped in.
They spread a mat on the tea leaves boxes stacked in order, and sat on it. They opened the lids of porcelain cutleries, scooped out cooked rice and some side dishes from it, placed on banana leaves and started eating.
“When I came to Medan city third time, we were informed not to alight from the ship for four days at Belawan port. They told it was due to Cholera or something spreading in Malay region. It was either in nine hundred thirty or thirty one. It was the year when the business of Koppanapatti Naavanna Moonaa went south and met losses” ‘Dried meat’ Annamalai Pillai said, struggling to spit out words through his mouth stuffed with rice.
Angamutu announced that Navannaa Moonaa’s business had gone in loss in the year nine hundred thirty one. It was the year he went to work in their pawn shop in Penang, he told.
“Angamuthu is a pretty talented guy” Shanmugam Pillai declared. “He made it sure that Navannaa Moonaa’s business which was flourishing in eight directions meet with loss in the very third month he stepped into it. Didn’t he?”
“Not only flourishing in eight directions, it was at its peak that time” Aavanna’s right hand was busy wiping the banana leaf clean without leaving any trace of rice grain. “Business at its peak means not something lesser. The very mention of Naanaa Moonaa business would make the English Lord- not the one sitting in Medan City- but the one who controls everyone from London - think for a second to travel by charter plane to meet him.”
Avannaa’s head moved agreeably. His left hand picked up the towel lying near him, wiped his face and nape of neck. His eyes went to right where Nallakannu Konar was sitting.
“Maple, have your stomach full. How will you beget children after going to your place if you eat in this quantity like chicken?”
“Machan, I am contented with what I had got. Your sister is already lying weak with her waist broken. Leave it aside…. Do continue what you were talking. Was there any hidden conspiracy behind the fall of Naavanna Moonaa business? Was there any pending due in his circle that hadn’t been paid off? Or any ‘rodents’ walking with two legs caused him any such damage?
“I am very certain that nothing of such things could have been the reasons for his fall. It is just his time. His time had come. That was it. Rangoon Shop, this man…that man…everyone was speaking about different possibilities. This was such a high profile case. What comes to us now may not hold water. No one knows who had set it afire, but the truth was that the whole hay stack was burnt down. The prized ship that left with his load got crashed into icebergs…” he bit his lips. His head was shivering and lips murmured, “Velayuthaa…Gnanapanditha…” let us pray to Thanni Malaiyan. Nothing bad would come near to us”
Other got
shocked, wrinkled their face in disgust at Aavanna’s inauspicious utterances.
“Hello Paavannaa..” he turned to left and asked Pandian, “No comments from your side?”
“I am very hungry”
“Yes…Yes…I saw you sitting on the deck and eating the salty wind for a long time.”
Andiappa Pillai rose holding his hip with his one hand, walked a few steps and threw away the banana leaf into the sea. “It is this pain in my waist area which has been tormenting me. My body was completely alright before coming to this place. Velayautha……Gnanapandiathaa…”
“The real culprit is the water we drink here, Aththaan.” Nallakannu Konar opined, spitting out spittle into sea by vigorously clearing his throat. “Useless water…full of sulphur”
“Nothing to complain about water. Everyone drinks the same water anyway. We are not special species. Are we? It is due to the ailment of body. O.K…let us make our bed”
They levelled the floor, made their bed and sat down.
The moon and the stars glinting in the sky were reflected on the sea surface. A mild wind blew across caressing everyone’s body. The sound of waves hitting the sides of the ship were heard in a synchronous pattern.
All their discriminatory behaviour during their times in Moski straat was evidently disappearing and there appeared an amiable relation among those Tamil men who were floating on the sea. They broke the fetters with which they would usually treat each other and started sharing their heart instead. The topics of their conversation ranged from boarding the ship after selling all their properties back home to building a house after buying lands to getting married and settling with children.
Andiappa Pillai picked the betal leaves one by one, wiped them on his palm, nipped its stalk and tip and pulled out its centre stalk gently, applied a mild coting of lime on its back and thrust it into his mouth and spoke:
“In 1902, I boarded the ship and came to Kaanaa. Cheenaa Vaanaa shop in Epoh. Sivasangaran Pillai was my owner. Do you know who he was? He was the brother in law of “Aththaruthi” Muthukaruppa Pillai whose son got married to his daughter. He owned a vast stretch of neem trees; and is being said that he went out sitting on a horse and cut off the turfs of his enemies. You may be aware of Koonaa Paanaa Zhaana- the father of our benefactor Avichi; the elder brother of Arasappa Chettiar- he would sell the items in bulk at Rangoon Market and bring money in abundance which anyone would find difficult to count. The business house of Koonaa Paanaa Zhaanaa is a big ship like Chartered bank and the Bank of Holland. The total transactions made in Moski Straat would not even stand anywhere near to one day transactions made in that business house. I have heard Cheenaa Vaana telling this. While selling his items in Rangoon market he had witnessed senior Marwadi vendor’s son getting up from his seat and paying respects to Koonaa Paanaa Zhaanaa when he walked down the Mogul street. Having business with that house was akin to maintaining a Tehsil under the British Empire. The sound of counting cash and stacking them up in bundles by the boys and attendants in that pawn shop from dawn to dusk would reverberate around like that of one coming out of castanets. Opening up of the boxes would show the jewelleries and documents mortgaged being neatly packed in covers with the customer’s names scribbled on it and stacked one above other. The bank staff wouldn’t close their daily accounts and rather wait till the cash from Koonaa Paanaa Zhaaana reached them, no matter how long it was delayed. Gone are those days. Now every place is a business house and everyone is an owner. Leave it aside. What was I telling you about?
“You got diverted when you were talking about your coming to Kaanaa Vaanaa Cheenaa shop in Epoh”
“Yes…I was there briefly. Cheenaa Vaanaa was a very smart man in his business and a good natured person as well. But when it came to giving salary to his men, he would become a class miser. Then I went back home and stayed there for a couple of months before coming to Theenaa Moonaa Roonaa Theenaa Sithiyavan business house. That job was also for counting cash at pawn shop. I was very young that time. Then I was shifted to their shop in Penang and shuttled between the shops in Penang and Kuala Lumpur. Its owner was Thittani Chettiar, a classic case of a person known for his obduracy. It was a big traditional business house. He was very liberal in his dealings. It was at that time when I was employed at his shop, I could purchase land and construct a house for myself. At my twenty two years I got married too.”
The “Obduracy” Chettiar was like a thunderbolt in summer. The moment he got angry, he wouldn’t see who and what standing in front of him. The words would be so acerbic and he would never budge an inch down from what he believed to be correct. He would brag that he would have no qualms to even slaughter an elephant in the name of God for the sake of getting half a yard of land. He even challenged a big Jamindar and spent about one lakh rupees to bring a whore called Muthu Meenakshi from Viralimalai. As he vowed, he brought her and kept her as his concubine in a marble bungalow he had built exclusively for her.
“Aithaan, that house is in East Raja Street. Isn’t it?”
-No. It is the house of ‘Aeroplane’ Soona Paanaa for his lady, a Parsi woman. What I am talking about is located somewhere near Pallavankulam. Have you seen Muthu Meenakshi? No one would be able to see her with his mortal eyes- such a brightness of the sun. But she died very young. Then he brought a Korangi * woman somewhere near Kakinada and kept her in that house. Once he came to know that she was an ass whoring around with men, he kicked her out of the house and brought another woman from Kerala. She looked very fair in complexion like an English lady.”
-The one who had arranged her for his was a lawyer in Madurai. The commission amount for this task alone was nearly eleven thousand rupees. Her husband was given a very huge sum of money to get her divorced. Apart from these known cases, there were many more. We are not quite sure about the number of such liaisons. Our Chettiar was very weak in the matters of women.”
-I have already told you that Chettiar would never distinguish who and what standing in the front when he got angry. Haven’t I? It was my first trip I worked as attendant and went back home. I had some pressing financial need. I missed paying off an instalment of tax. The authorities appeared in front of my house all of a sudden to take possession of my house. I went to Chettiar to get some financial assistance from him. He was sitting in the hall. As soon as he saw me, he told me to go to Pudukottai to complete a work. As I went near to him and told that I would attend to the work in the evening, he got terribly angry and threw some harsh invectives at me and left in his car. I was sitting in the veranda knowing nothing what I was supposed to do after that. I didn’t have enough money to arrange a car to go to Pudukottai. Chettiar used to give me sufficient amount of money for each allotment of such works but that day as my bad luck would have it, he forgot to give it. I didn’t insist as I was confident of getting it in Pudukottai by telling Chettiar’s name. My hopes of approaching his wife went bleak as he was very sick lying on bed. My hunger pangs went awry and became simply uncontrollable. I became so hopeless thinking about my pathetic situation of having come down to my owner with an enormous amount of faith in him who I thought would extend all assistance as my rock like support. The instalment of tax was to get over by that evening. If they removed the door from my house, how would I go out and face people around? My heart burst out in angst at the very thinking of it. Suddenly I felt that my head was spinning and fell on the floor. I didn’t know whether it was a dream or something else, that I had felt someone was strangling my neck and pushing me down into water. My body was sweating profusely. That time I heard a sound calling out to my name as if it came from a well. I got up immediately, rubbed my eyes only to see Chettiar’s wife, Achi, who was lying sick on bed just a while ago, was standing at the entrance and calling me like my own mother. Soon I saw her, I broke into tears”
-Seeing me crying, Achi rebuked me, “You! A good-for-nothing fool! Why are you crying like a small baby rubbing your eyes? She asked me to wash my face and legs for having food inside. I told her, in stammering voice, “Achi, the authorities have come to take possession of my house”. She was so kind and authoritative in her assertion, “How dare they take possession of your house when your Chettiar stands like a rock behind you? First you come in and have your food” she told. I went in and had food. Achi told, “You idiot! How could you give importance to some words Chettiar uttered in a fit of anger? Chettiar had gone to that fun house run by a man from Kerala. Let that bloke die and be laid on a bier. He has taken birth to ruin the entire clan of Chettiars. Hasn’t he? Chettiar has lost some ten or fifteen thousand rupees in gambling. That was why he was not in his senses and uttered some words in anger- leave it anyway” She asked me what my problem was as I had gone to their house as the exigency of my visit was indeed visible. I explained everything to her. Without uttering anything more, she went in, opened her safe and gave me thirty five rupees. Along with it, she offered me sweets bought from Madurai- Nagapattinam Aiyar shop, Malkova mangoes brought from Salem, some breads and cakes brought in ships, some balls made of rice powder at home, Murukku, Adhirasam- all kept in a palm leaves basket. Why I am telling you all these is to bring it to your notice that a noble woman of such nature was living those days….”
-Later, Chettiar became known for his wide array of philandering ways of living. He would pick fight, very frivolous in nature and be adamant in not budging his ways as his nick name ‘obduracy’ suggested. Despite his reckless way of living outside, he had a strong support system back home in the form of his wife sitting like Goddess Mahalaxmi. Theena Moonaa Roonaa Theena had a very prosperous business with his flag flying high in all directions. One should have been blessed to have a good woman as his wife. Even today, if Arasappa Chettiar could exercise his regal influence all over six districts in Madras region and our side, it is because of the time Achi came to his home. Even if she touches sand, it would become gold. No one would raise any questions about her magnanimity to provide food to anyone who comes to her home. Would they? Anyone passing through her home would be served with sumptuous meals. Even if someone is blessed with lakhs of rupees, he needs to have a heart of that kind to serve food to unknown people. Doesn’t he? Chettiar didn’t return from Pudukottai. So I left for my village after bidding good bye to her.
-Next day, the dawn was too early and the day got longer. The Chettiar went to Maanaa Roonaa’s house by his car and sent a person to bring me there. I was getting ready to go to the field and was eating previous day’s rice. I wouldn’t be able to explain the mental stress I was undergoing at that time when I got his call. I thought he must have come there to shout at me for returning from his home without informing him. I felt it would have been better deal sitting on a river bank and earning a livelihood by shaving off everyone coming by that way instead of doing errands at Chettair’s house. As I didn’t have any other way to escape, I decided to go there. I Went. He asked me to sit at a corner. I did. After sometime he bid good bye to Maanaa Roonaa and left his house. He asked to get into his car. I got in to it. The car was rolling away towards Theradi. He asked me:
“Why did you come without informing me? Did you have your food at home? What is the matter?”
Sooner he asked me this question, my palpitation increased. I became completely void of a minimum realization that I was speaking to my owner. I almost yelled at him while explaining everything to him. The balance tax amount was not paid. I had given away the money I had kept to my uncle for meeting some emergency needs. The money which was supposed to reach me after selling the paddy grains didn’t arrive in time. But the authorities came to me all of a sudden and threatened to take possession of my house. I raced away to Maanaa Roonaa house only to know that everyone at his home had gone to Trichy to attend a marriage. I didn’t like to seek alms from anyone. I believed in my owner as my rock like support and ran to him after getting some amount from Wood Grinder Ravuthar for renting a car. But when I met you, you chased me away to Pudukottai without even asking me why I had come so urgently to meet you. I went and attended to the work you had assigned. But despite my earnest attempts, I couldn’t get the work competed. I came back. I am now explaining you how you were rude in spitting venomous words at me. I couldn’t speak more as my throat gets choked up….”
-He then extended his hands with a bunch of five ten rupees notes and asked to accept it. I told him that Achi had given me thirty-five rupees, I had my food at her home, paid the tax amount and received the amount of paddy sale as well.”
“It is O.K. Add this amount too with it. Don’t keep this amount under credit. I spoke those words in anger” he told and left in his car after leaving me as I received that amount from him.
-His cook later told what had happened on the first day after he returned from Pudukottai. Immediately after he alighted from his car, he went into his house, opened the almirah and took out brandy bottles and started drinking bottle after bottle and reportedly told the cook that he had scolded his attendant and chased him away for not being able to compete the work but now he himself had come back without completing his work. Now who would scold him and chase him out, he yelled. Then he threw those bottles and glasses over the mirror and broke it. Achi came running to him, caught his hands and led him to bed and had him lain there. Other than Achi, no one would have the courage to go near to him in such situations. In the morning as the rooster woke him up, he arranged the car and left for Tirupathur.”
“I am telling you all these to bring it to your attention that there lived such big-hearted owners. It is true that the wagers work hard and the owners amass wealth. But can we assign such a status to all owners? We have ‘Rotten Brinjal’ Pazhaniappa Chettiar who was nothing more than a cheapskate among us. Haven’t we? Persons like him are more in number here. His property is worth some twenty or thirty lakh rupees. But he would walk seven miles in scorching heat and reach Thekkur market. He would then wait under a tamarind tree till dusk so that he could pick rotten brinjals which were not sold from the market. His wife was one step ahead of him. Her legendary miserliness was such that she wouldn’t even try to drive away flies with her rice-soaked hand. Even if someone proves his hunger by taking out his entrails and put it on his palm, she would not feed him a morsel of food. She would keep all those rotten brinjals safely in almirah and would issue them to her cook by strictly rationing it. She would sell the remaining snacks in street and make money out of it….”
“Chithappu, even if the river is flowing in full spate, the dog needs to drink water only by licking it. Doesn’t it?
“This is nothing but a character one inherits from their ancestors, son. Inheritance of petty mindedness! What had happened to that money that he earned with all his might? They didn’t have children. They brought a boy from his circle of relatives. He was wearing Rudraksha in his neck and holding the holy book of Thiruvasagam in hands till Chettiar was put to rest on bier. Then he showed what he was truly made of. He had one concubine each in every village. Each woman was kept in separate bungalows. He spent his whole day either in drinks or playing cards. In a very short span of two years, he was infected with all possible diseases of wrong living and died of tuberculosis. Now all the assets of ‘rotten brinjal’ chettiar are in the hands of some unknown people and it is staring at its uncertain future.”
“Yes..yes…our Viveka Sinthamani** also says so in the form of advice from a mother to her daughter who is a whore. ‘The assets which are not spent on righteous manner will ruin under the influence of wines and schemes as per the will of God Brahma.’ It seems that this is true in his case…”
“You are right. You know money is lying with almost everyone. But one needs to have a good character. That day, I met a man in Madurai. It is being said that even if you mention one’s place, you should not speak about his name. But in this man’s case, I shouldn’t even utter his place’s name. Let us suppose he was a just bloke. He travelled in a big car that looked a ship and was doing some business in Madras. That fellow was a pimp and was the one who had arranged women for my Chettiar. Now can we afford talking about it with the same tenor? Everything has changed now upside down. A complete change, like flipping of a dosa. It was once said that the flag of the British Empire would never come down. Now see for yourself. It has fallen on ground still unable to regain itself. The Japanese flag is flying on the Singapore fort. A complete change like flipping of a dosa! It is all about nothing other than money. Money that rules. Money... Nothing other than that. If someone has money, he seems to have been sanctioned to do whatever he wants. Doesn’t he? Possessing money alone is not enough. One should have a heart of charity. One needs to be brave enough and do good things for poor people in life to earn good name. Even dogs have money these days. Aren’t they? In America, in one of the millionaire’s house, four crores of dollar have been invested in the name of his dog. The dog has its separate bungalow, car, servants and a place to rule. What is the use of all these?. All what it could do is to lick the used plates to eat its food. The moment you pick up a stone from ground, it will run away. No matter how many crores of money it has, it still remains a dog anyway. It will never get rid of its character. Rajagopal asked about it that day. There was a reason in it. A deep scrutiny of it will prove that money wouldn’t be useful even to clean up your tongue. If someone is hungry, he can’t eat money. He has to get rice and cereals to cook so as to satiate his hunger. Right?”
“How could you say so easily that money can’t do anything? Why are we then floating on this sea? Isn’t it for in search of that money?”
“Yes…you’re partially right. But you can’t find permanent peace in money. Money is incapable of being with you always. It will come to you today and will disappear tomorrow. After that it will come on its volition and again disappear on its way. Where is Lamsin now, the company which ruled this land once having no parallel? Where is Naavannaa Moonaa Business house now which had its business in almost sixty six towns? Where is Khader Bhava Ravuthar, the one who used to eat only in golden bowls? Is there any sign of their existence seen anywhere now? Money comes…and then goes. Where does the money come from? Did you bring it from the womb of your mother? No…it comes to you by the means and ways you adopt in life.”
“Aithaan, the money you get after selling a dog will never bark at you. Will it? Money is money after all.”
“I do agree with it. It is true that the money from selling dogs will not bark at. But the one who sells dogs will get the character of dogs. Ok. Let us supposing that you get money through various means and it becomes yours finally. Now what next? What is the use of safely guarding it like a genie? Keeping the money securely in your safe leaving it to be eaten by fungus is no way better than throwing it away for wrong deeds. When you are being carried on a bier to the burial ground, the gold, diamonds, your bungalow and cars you have accumulated won’t come along with you. Will they? Before burying you, they will remove even the thread from your waist. Even if you have boxes full of cash back home, it won’t stop your breath from abandoning your body. Our ancestors have written that even the kings will become a handful of ash one day. So, no one denies your aspirations of doing a couple of professions, eating well, earning enough for wife and children and building a house. Apart from all these, if you have something left in hand, you must do some charity work for poor to get a good name. If you can build a hospital, a school, a travellers shed, or a drinking water facility, it will stand for ever as a permanent light and will speak for your fame and name for generations to come. Will all your lakhs and crores of money stand like this for generations? Mmm…”
“Our Chettiar lived in his own way and ruined all his money. Despite his philandering, his wealth kept increasing as if sprouting out of spring of wealth, may be because of Achi’s lucky presence. He had accumulated wealth more than his father before his death. Even though he was a class spendthrift, he was a talented man in his profession and was very frugal in his accounts. If he found his account meant for Goddess in Pudukottai is missing, all his servants will have their worst day in life. He died of carbuncle. Two doctors were brought from Bombay to treat him but in vain. On the fourth day of his death, it was Friday morning, we heard the temple bell clanking incessantly. Achi also died. When they carried the mortal remains of Sivagami Achi through one entrance, the Goddess Laxmi who was till then living in that house went away through another entrance. After that, how long more one could live with the available resources? It was just flick of a second one winks at his eyes. Everything is gone. The flag that was blowing in eight directions in Theenaa Moonaa Roonaa business house was brought down. Once it was brought down, it remained brought down for ever. No child hasn’t yet born to hoist the flag again. Velayuthaa…. Gnanapanditha.."
After Chettiar’s death, it was his reign of his children. All were complete idiots. They were not even aware of their assets and its related accounts. All what they knew was just drinking, playing cards and picking up street whores in car. They didn’t even know the difference between saving account and current account and if someone working under them reminded them of their ignorance, they would take it affront and insult him for his guts to advise them. We were working there for a long time and left the job telling them to take care of their destiny. If they didn’t know how many zeros for one lakh, and what exactly meant by counter interest, why the heck they assumed themselves far superior than others? They were no their talented father to find faults in a single scrutiny in the accounting done by Atharuthi Muthukaruppa Chettiar. Our Chettiar was a very talented man, but died without ensuring their sons learn some elements of his professional standards.”
While everyone is curious about knowing the fall of ‘Obduracy’ Chettiar, I am asking them to see the causes that were responsible for his fall. Achi had five children like Panja Pandavas. Two of them died early. Remaining three would look royal in appearance like their father. But it was only in their appearance. They were otherwise completely useless fellows. Good for nothing. They didn’t even know how to earn a penny on their own. But they had all the comforts of life one could have ever imagined. Their father was a spendthrift anyway. But his pattern of spending was different. He would earn a rupee and spend only quarter of it. But these chaps ruined whatever was available in their hand. Nothing wrong in going after women. It was O.K. It was alright anyway. But do bring a beautiful lady of your choice and keep her with you upon some monthly maintenance amount. Do visit her quite often like a king. Licking the garbage wherever it is found is not the way one has to lead his life. Isn’t it? You could see them standing in Karaikudi Sunnambukara Street, Madurai Mottai Gopuram Street. What business they had with the sons of Topper Mama? Can they afford sharing relations with those idiots? Useless fellows.”
Once I had gone to Karaikudi for some work. When I was in my village after attending to it, I thought of paying a visit to my owner’s house. I tried my best not to go there. Despite my efforts to pull my mind back, I was obliged to accept its demands and went there by arranging a car from Pudukottai. As I thought that I was like his son, I did it. Sooner I saw their wives at home on my going there, my heart literally burst out quietly. One of their wives was in white clad whom I thought first was a widow. Later I learnt that she was English educated and roamed in the house with English slippers. Another wife had sent a car to Karaikudi to bring Briyani for her and was chomping it from the table top by sitting with her legs crossed. There was none in that palatial bungalow to receive a visitor with polite greetings. The veranda where my senior Chettiar used to sit and talk aloud like a lion was lying filled with filth. The picture that was hanging in the front hall used to be visible to anyone entering the house bearing the portraits of Chettiar and Achi drawn by a Bengali painter brought from Calcutta was missing and a picture of a man probably born to a couple of donkeys and a woman who seemed to have shed everything hugging each other was hanging there instead. Almost everything was visible above her waist. The portrait of Lord Murugan had a thick layer of cobweb obstructing visibility….do you think a house of this standard would ever proper? Now I am asking you whether you all need any more reasons that would have warranted his pathetic fall other than these?.”
“A contemptible asshole called Muthuramanni with big moustache got pally with the elder son of Chettiar. Extremely an inferior fellow. Looking at his untidy and shabby hair and thick side burns and the eloquence of spitting out unimaginable vulgar words, one wouldn’t dare to conclude that he was from Chettiar community. Even at the tender age of sixteen, he was whoring around with different women and got blisters with pus oozing out all over his body. He was the minister like advisor to the elder son of Chettiar. It was this scoundrel who dragged Chettiar’s son everywhere to assure the definite fall of the latter. These two men were always found busy in the fun house at Memalai either with drinks or women or cards. If money was needed they wouldn’t demand it from the legitimate people. They would get it from anyone coming on their way and put their signature on any damn stamp paper extended to them. There was a group of pawn brokers with a bag full of cash and printed stamp papers in hands looking out for such men who were in need of money in return of putting their signature on the stamp papers. While the eldest one was like this, the middle son would never move out of Chennai. He had an actress at home as his concubine. It didn’t matter how far the place was, if he came to know horse race being conducted there, he would attend it unfailingly along with a cart full of his entourage. Every penny spent on them would be his responsibility. The clerk back home would keep receiving telegrams from him almost daily demanding money. The last son who had gone to England to pursue law to become a lawyer preferred to stay there. The expenses on his head was almost double than his two brothers. The collective recklessness of these three shook the foundation of Theena Moonaa Roonaa Theenaa business. That time, a rogue woman was earning her livelihood at the Memalai fun house by entertaining men with three young ladies she had brought from Kerala. The elder son had liaison with all those three women. Those three ladies used to bluff that they had come from the big pedigree of a Jamindar family. This bugger, the elder one was proud that he could manage a secret affair with such high-profile ladies hailing from a big Jamindar family. A class ignoramus! He didn’t even have a minimum wit to ask himself as to how those women could say very high about their genealogy while being involved in such a lowly profession of prostitution. Anyone could bluff that ghee is spilling out of finger millet. But it is the one listening to such nonsense needs be wary of being fooled. Isn’t it? He bathed those girls with cash in thousands of rupees whenever they demanded it. It was said that he made a puberty capping in pure diamonds for the second woman. Then came another woman who was prostituting in Madurai’s Kusavapalayam Street- they brought a very fair complexioned lady, taught her some Brahmin dialects and introduced to him as the daughter of an Iyer, a lawyer in New Street. They told him that she had been madly in love with him and made him spend money on her as well. All what they needed was just a commission amount of five rupees for an arrangement of liaison, no matter who slept with whom. But one wouldn’t be permanently lucky enough to be supplied with inflow of money to throw it at anyone they wanted. The creditors understood the dynamics of this transactions and stopped giving money to him. At the same time, Chettiar families believed that it was a shameful affair to mortgage one’s physical assets. It was at that time, he fell into the trap of Nattarsankottai Sinnakannu Pillai, an extremely greedy man without any scruples. Pillai gave him money without asking any question and appropriated every piece of the latter’s assets in his favour by obtaining his signature in plain stamp papers. The two younger brothers didn’t even bother to know what was happening behind them. They would happily sign on the papers sent by Pillai whenever he gave them money for every petty thousand or two thousand rupees, an amount which they actually required for their day to day entertainment. First the agricultural land in Uthanur was gone, then one hundred seventy seven acres of land irrigated by Mullai River in one go was gone, then nearly forty seven properties such as houses and shops in Madurai west Masi Street, East Masi Street, North Veli Street and East Marattu Street were gone. Then followed the assets located in Pudukottai, Trichy and Madras…”
When this being the local affair, you must know about the very significant events occurred abroad. They sent a fraudster called Sabanayagam Pillai to Kuala Lumpur shop with a power of attorney. He was a Northerner, belonging to some lesser known caste. Such a crook he was, he arranged his own son’s wife to sleep with the elder son of Chettiar. Then what next? He became the proxy ruler and whatever he uttered became rule. Once the time was ripe, he smeared a big Naamam with the mixture of bucket full of lime*** on the Chettiar’s son’s forehead. On seeing this fraudster, the agent from Penang grew emboldened to play his role as a bigger cheater than the previous one. Then almost all the attendants and supervisors in all his shops in Epoh, Malakka, Serambon, Moovar, Sathiyavan and Alor Star also were very meticulous in cheating him. It was all just a short span of patting of one’s eye lids. The whole business house of Theena Moonaa Roonaa Theena that once ruled the eight directions with its unflinching flag got crumbled and disappeared in no time. The building in Kula Lumpur, where Theenaa Moonaa Roonaa Theenaa did deal his business in five thousands, ten thousands, fifty thousands, rubber estates, lead fields and properties like agricultural lands, has only one pawn shop run by boys dealing petty pawn business of fifteen rupees for ten rupees. There was nothing wrong with the business house. It was the owner who failed it. It was the owner who failed it!
“When our Chettiar’s father established his business in Kula Lumpur, the place had nothing but some small huts. The place was boggy everywhere with unbearable torment of mosquitoes. You might have seen a picture hanging in our Kuala Lumpur shop. It was taken by our Chettiar during a dinner offered by a rice wholesaler when he came to Malay Top. Our Chettiar, the English Lord who bought a charter plane, the president of Hong Kong and Shanghai Banks, the senior English Lord- that day the senior Lord was not at station, a Tamil man was looking after the Ayarmanees Estate in his place- was very good singer in our dialect, eight storey house’s owner’s youngest son, the one who married an American lady- all these six persons were sitting on a chair. The ‘Rice Owner’, Salt wholesale owner, Owner of Mayil shop, Leelaram- the owner of textile shop, Lawyer Sitramabalam, Nagore Marakkayar, Sangvi Doctor and some Brahmins were standing behind them. You must know something about rice wholesale owner. The value of his assets must be about forty crores of rupees at that time. Even if you collect all the amount of our Chettiar’s business completely, you can never stand anywhere in front of his asset value. In his earlier days, he came from China with a single cloth on him and sold rice here. Then started coffee business. As he wanted to open a full-fledged shop, he thought of approaching Theena pawn shop to arrange some cash in addition to his savings. “Urine leaking” Raman Chettiar was the agent in Kuala Lumpur shop. It was he who got our Chettiar’s son educated in medicine. He was not at home that day. The senior attendant, Karuppan Pillai- a Maravar community man-was sitting in the pawn shop. Our Chettiar who came to Kuala Lumpur after inspecting his other shops in Malay Top was sitting on a chair as his last leg of visits. The rice wholesaler was very young man. It was said that his hair would stand erect like iron rods. He asked Chettiar an amount that he could pay back in instalments. Karuppan Pillai asked him how much he needed. The ‘Rice Owner’ told him a very small amount. Karuppan Pillai denied him a credit of amount on the pretext that Theenaa Moonaa Roonaa Theenaa wouldn’t entertain any small amount of credit just for the sake of getting a meagre interest and rejected his request. Though Karuppan Pillai was well settled in his village, his children have become spoiled brats. Now he is very aged, unable to walk. He has to attend all his needs without moving from his place where he is sitting. Even today ‘Rice Owner’ used to remember those moments and tell stories about how he was blinking helplessly when he asked financial assistance from Theena Moonaa Roonaa Theenaa pawn shop. He would enquire about the clerk whenever he made visits to Kuala Lumpur. Karuppan Pillai was suffering from Small Pox and had severe scars on his face…”
The ‘Rice Owner’ must have been a very lucky guy that day. The Chettiar who was scrutinizing the registers raised his head, looked up to him. The rice owner also looked up to him. What went on inside Chettiar’s mind was not known but he asked his subordinates what for that Chinese man was standing there. It was the day the Goddess of Luck went to the ‘Rice Owner’ and garlanded him and no one could stop his growth afterwards. Chettiar was type of a man who just considered who the man was; he would never get into sundry details of whether that man was capable of repaying the debt. Another matter of interest was that he didn’t know how to speak Malay Language till his last breath. Karuppan Pillai explained him why the Chinese man had visited their shop. Chettiar glanced at the Chinese man once again for a second and told Pillai, ‘This boy seems to be very energetic and flamboyant. Extend him some assistance’. From that day the ‘Rice Owner’ witnessed a consistent growth in his business. The growth means not in ordinary terms. It was a mammoth growth in inexplicable terms. Seeing his probity in business dealings, every pawn shop owner was happy to extend him loans of any amount. He established a full-fledged shop, then entered in rice business. No one could stand in front of his business acumen. He extended his influence all over Malay Top, and acquired rubber estates, lead fields, agricultural lands in every village. He started operating his own shipping service and constructed a mill in Hong Kong. He built a thirty two storey hotel in Sangapattinam as if declaring everyone that he had constructed one such building which no one would be able to see in all eighteen colonies of white men. In spite of accumulating this much wealth, he never failed to be loyal to our Chettiar. He used to address our Chettiar ‘Owner sir’ till his last breath.
It was the time when Chettiar was actually counting his final days. He had gone to Vanthaviya to attend a meeting with the Governor of Holland Government to sort out a misunderstanding with the government. A telegram was received in Kuala Lumpur that Chettiar would not live for more days. I was working in Penang shop that time. Sooner he heard the news, the ‘Rice Owner’ informed the Holland government in Vanthaaviya and arranged a special aircraft. ‘Rice Owner’ went to our village. The special aircraft left from Calcutta when the village received a telegram about Chettiar’s death. The Rice Owner alighted in Madras and arranged a car from there and left for our village. In the meantime, everyone at home was waiting in advance with all the funeral arrangement such as silk dhoti, ornamental towels, and perfumeries.
He gets down at the village. The mortal remains of Chettiar burnt in fire like flames in brightest colours. No would forget and would never be able to explain in words the way the ‘Rice Owner’ cried that day and yelled in his language at seeing Chettiar’s pyre. He returned to his country only after paying rich tributes to Karaikudi Koppudaiyaal Amman temple and Pazhani Murugan Temple and giving liberal alms to many poor persons. When he heard a rumour was being spread that foundation of Theenaa Moonaa Roonaa Theenaa business house was shaking, the ‘Rice Owner’ sent sixteen thousand rupees immediately to the eldest son of Chettiar and assured him that he (Chettiar’s son) should not worry about the debts and all the debts would be paid off irrespective of its volume and asked Chettiar’s son to come to meet him. Despite his frequent telegrams, he received no reply. When his manager informed him that the Chettiar’s son was found nowhere, he was shocked and contacted the Chinese Council in Calcutta through telegram. The council along with the cooperation extended by the Indian government launched a country wide search of Chettiar’s son. He wasn’t found anywhere. Actually he was settled with a whore somewhere in Ooty. Look at his turn of bad luck! The goddess of prosperity who had deserted him once did come back and was searching for the elder son of Sivagami Achi, but the son of Sivagami Achi was lying on the lap of a whore hugging her! If the time is up, despite ones genuine efforts, no matter how truthful it is, everything will come to an end. Velayuthaa! Gnanapandithaa!
You could
never have seen a business house like Theenaa Monaa Roonaa Theenaa and you
could never get a chance to meet another ‘Obduracy’ Chettiar in life. You would
never be able to meet a noble lady like Sivagami Achi too. She was a wife of
one of the richest men of his time but you wouldn’t find any trace of such
arrogance in her attitude. She would never utter even a single word that could
hurt the feelings of poor. What is the use of thinking about all these now? She
didn’t distinguish between her sons and other servants. As long as she was
alive there was no difference in food prepared for her family members and servants
unlike other rich businessmen’s houses. Everyone would get the same food made
for Chettiar. It was the golden period of Sivagami Achi. Now it is gone. These
everything has become European, be it a zigzag parting on one’s head, or
applying talcum powder on faces, or wearing stylish blouses, or wearing
uncomfortable modern slippers and dancing while walking. You might have seen
one thing! Highly educated ladies and ladies from rich families have stopped breast
feeding their infants as they think breast feeding makes their body
unattractive and saggy. What sort of a body is theirs! What sort of a birth is
theirs!
When I was about to leave my place, my daughter Amirtham caught my legs and asked:“Appa, make a set of two bangles for me” she started nagging me holding my hands. Andiappa Pillai tried his best to comfort her but in vain. She started crying. Unable to bear her nagging, he thrashed her with a loud yell.
Amirtham fell
on the floor and became further adamant, kicking her legs in air. “Appa…I need
bangles…”
“What a worthless fellow I have become! Why the heck I am earning travelling across seas? I don’t have the heart to make a set of bangles to my own daughter! When am I going to meet this poor soul again?”
The tears started rolling down his cheeks. He covered his face with a towel holding it with his two hands.
Amirtham was still lying on the floor crying incessantly in demand of bangles.
“Appa, I need bangles. Appa, I need bangles”
His wife and
other two daughters tried to assuage her.
The tender body of Amirtham was still rolling on the floor restlessly demanding bangles.
“Appa, I need bangles. I need bangles appa” – Pillai emitted an exasperated yell as if his heart was torn to release such a yell.
“You such a merciless ass! You rugged scoundrel! Why you should need children if you don’t understand their importance?”
He started
knocking the top of his skull with his right hand. His whole body was
shivering.
“Athaan…Athaan…Please don’t lose your heart” Nallakannu Konar comforted him with his feeble voice. “In two months, this wretched war will be over. With the blessings of Goddess Azhaku Nachi, we all can go back to our homes and buy as much as we could for our children”
Others watching him crying with a mask on his face, remained silent, probably unable to bear the pain of watching him in that condition.
The shiver in Aavanna’s body came down gradually, and then disappeared finally. The towel that was covering his face fell off.
“No use in mourning our fate. It is all our destiny” – he wiped his tears. “Let us make our bed. Gnanapanditha”
They lay down on their beds.
The ship was
moving slowly, in search of Penang port.
***Chapter 10 Ended***
Chapter 11: “Madurai” will be published soon.
Note:
*Korangi-
It is a small port in Andhra Pradesh. Since people from Andhra boarded ships
for different countries from that port, the Andhra people were known (in the
lands where went) by this port’s name.
**
A Tamil didactic treatise.
***
Applying Naamam means cheating someone in a big way. Naamam is a religious
symbol drawn on one’s forehead mostly by Brahmin community. If someone is
cheated, colloquially it is said that he has been given Naamam on his
forehead.
