THE AUTOBIOGRAPHER’S NOTE

JOSEPH J. THAYAMKERIL
(LAWYER)

Ayyanat Thayamkeril,

'Oli Mana', 

Kumbalam,

Kochi- 682506,

Kerala, INDIA.

josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

13th July, 2011

    Severe mental pain and agony inspired me to write this book. I am a lawyer with thirty four years standing at the Bar and a handful of juniors attached to my chamber in the City of Cochin. I had a good number of clients that include - a major corporate bank, statutory bodies, about fifteen registered companies, private clubs, real estate developers and builders and other private clientele. I used to handle civil, criminal, tax and other matters both in the High Court and other moffusil courts in the City of Cochin. I used to enjoy my trial work and my opportunities in the High Court as well. I used to work twelve to eighteen hours a day.

It was under compelling circumstances and due to the persuasion of Justice Shri. K.S Paripoornan, (a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India), with whom I started practice, that I decided to move my residence back to my old idyllic home, ‘Oli Mana’ at Kumbalam, where my old and ailing father stayed alone.

It was difficult to persuade my father to stay in Cochin City with my family as he was deeply attached to our home and its surroundings. Similarly my young children were not happy about the idea of leaving the comforts of the city for a rather “dull” countryside. I had no other option but to renovate ‘Oli Mana’ to suit the taste of my wife and children. It took almost a year to complete the renovation of the ‘Mana’. After its completion the new computer too was installed in my office room ready for use. The next morning, I came and switched on the computer, but found that I had no legal matters like drafting petitions or counters or any fresh matters to start with. As my office library and files were still in my chambers in Cochin City, I had no books to read as well. A person who was used to working for long hours a-day suddenly found himself with nothing to read or write. It was boring and depressing. In that melancholic mood, I lifted the drapes of the window beside my work table and gazed out. I found my thoughts drifting back; to the day I lost my mother. I shook myself to see if I was hallucinating. No, vivid memories came rolling back, the sad demise of my mother, ‘Oli’ Rosammma; I saw her body being carried by my uncles, an event that happened when I was nine years old, my pent up emotions and sorrows gripped me and I started  to weep. I opened a new page on the computer and typed out the heading “THE BLACK DAY”. That is the last chapter of my sequel to this book, which is entitled “MY INTERACTIONS WITH FLORA AND FAUNA” It was subsequently that I wrote the “MEMOIRS.”

My endeavour is to take the reader back to my carefree childhood days, where only fond memories of my home, its secure environment and the beautiful interactions with nature that I experienced, would remain. It was a world devoid of any worries about my future.  

I believe that we all have only one life, a short life, which should not be spent on anxious moments. One should be like a child in his mother’s arms to enjoy the peace and tranquility that Mother Nature gives out in abundance. I sincerely hope that this book will enable you to live your childhood once again. It may help you recall those precious moments long forgotten, which are still stored somewhere in the niches of your memory. These glorious memories could even be shared with your children and grand children. 

JOSEPH J. THAYAMKERIL,

(LAWYER)