Searching my root

  After a long time, to be precise more than 20 years, I travelled to my native place. Then after a gap of year or so, I travelled to my native place. Last time, I spent most of my time at my mother’s place (my maternal grandfather’s village). Long back, my maternal grandfather use to proudly say he is Sambhavar. This way long back, say 30 to 40 years back. I have heard of this. This time when I was in the village, people have started identifying with the Paraiyar caste. The government and the political parties representing the downtrodden want to being them into one community. The political parties for their own political gains and the government to bring all the downtrodden community under one caste.   Here, my thoughts wandered. Long back when the first census was conducted, that is way back in the last of the 18 th century, the Konar community due to the similarity with the Yadav community from the North India were bracketed under the Yadav group. It is possible that ...

There were many reasons that kept me away from my village. Then one fine day, I landed after 20 years, on my village. On the material front, lots of changes were there, the cycles have been replaced by the scoots, bikes and in some cases by cars too. But, mentally and physically I did not noticed much difference 20 years back and now. Back then for to pass time, youngsters (including me) use to play cards and now too they are playing cards for timepass. Sometime money too in involved. There was one change, now, youngster and middle age sit comfortably and are playing card game – pattan pandu (mendi coat) sitting together. My thought were, if they continue like this they hardly have any future. Then a thought passed my mind why not teach them to play chess. That was last year. This year, I purchased two chess boards. The funniest part was I too don’t know to play chess. I learnt watching various YouTube channels. I landed on my village with two chess boards. My task was to collect...

I always wonder are the mythological stories a myth or it is a fact? Hailing from Tirunelveli, my mind wonders when I read, re-read and think about Lord Shiva’s marriage. The story goes thus; Lord Shiva has invited the whole universe (including gods, goddess, bhootas, aasuras, and others) for his marriage with Goddess Pravati at Mount Kailash. This congregation of large number of invitees unbalanced the earth. To balance the earth, Lord Shiva asked Siddhar (Saint, Rishi) Agastyar to travel to south. Agastyar travelled to Pothigai Hills, which is located in Tirunelveli district, to equal the unbalanced caused by the marriage. Now, lets’ interfere. In those times Tirunelveli might be the end.   That might be the reason Agastyar travelled to Tirunelveli. One more from the pages of mythology, Parashurama the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Parashurama after killing five generations of Kshtriyas, threw his blood stain axe from Konkan in now Maharashtra (they are different versions, so...

 Everyone has this wish to know about his ancestors - who were they? I too. In my quest to find my family tree, I could map my family tree roots to no longer than 5 generations starting from me. That is myself, father, grandfather, great grandfather and great great grandfather. My search ends here. I tried. I talked with relatives. I converse on this with my uncles; but to no anvil.  Then a thought struck me. My great great grandfather lived during the British times. It could be the 18th century. That is my guess. By the 18th century Britishers were expanding their hold in Tamil Nadu, in fact the whole of India. Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) was in British control. They, the Britisher, have just started dealing in the lucrative tea business. They have purchased plantations in Ceylon to plant tea. They required labourers in thousands in tea estates. My thoughts said, maybe one of my ancestors might have shifted to Ceylon for better opportunities. There were other events that wer...

Tamil Nadu has the distinction of electing Chief Minister who are from the film industry. It has been now close to 50 years the Chief Ministers are from the Tamil film industry also know as Kollywood to some. Right from M Karunanidhi who is one of the founder of DMK to his son M K Stalin have contributed to the growth of film industry in Tamil Nadu. M Karunanidhi wrote script and dialogues for films. M G Ramachandran popularly know as MGR was the matinee idol. He ruled the hearts of the Tamilians, first through films and later on as Chief Minister. His stint was followed by J Jayalalitha. There was a lull in between, till the current Chief Minister M K Stalin took the oath of office for Chief Minister. He too has acted in films.  Recently, popular Tamil actor Kamal Hasaan, launched his own party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM). He contested the 2019 Assembly election, but failed to bag seats. Before him, it was actor Vijaykant through his party Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK...

In my last blog, I have mentioned I had visited my native place after a long time. In these long interval, I did notice a list of social and economic prosperity. Like to say on the economic front the villagers have progressed from cycle to two wheeler. There are more than two to three two wheeler in every house and quite a lot of four wheelers (cars). Even in religious front they are moving ahead. Every Poornima (full moon day), married females in the village contribute money and organise Vilaku Pooja.  The missing part is offering skill training to the villagers by the villagers without expecting anything or little in return. There are few nurses in village. At present, they have taken break from nursing. These nurses can conduct health check-up camps once in a month. This will benefit the villagers. The learned can help the students in their studies. Weekly, they can conduct study camps for them.  The drivers in the village can help the youngsters in teaching how to drive ca...