A PICTURESQUE SCENE

We used to get enough paddies for our use and the balance was sold in the open market. Jacob and I used to supervise all the work like - tilling the soil, sowing, replanting, weeding, manuring and harvesting. It was very interesting to watch the re-planting of seedlings, and the harvesting with sickles, and trampling out grain on threshing floor. There was such a festive air as women worked to the accompaniment of folk songs sung aloud by Thanka, (a gorgeous woman, wife of Purushan who was the grandson of Ayyan Nurukanni), one of the best singers among the women workers. While cutting with sickles and binding the grains the other women workers joined her for the chorus. Folk songs like -  

“Ponnriyan Padathe. Chudum Konde..e….

Illimulam Kaderi Pokum Katte…e--.

Yi Pavizha Padathu Neeyum Vayo…o…..

Yi Pavizha Padathu Neeyum Vayo…o….”

Hoyyaro… Hoyyaro… Hoyya. (Chorus)

Here, the workers in the paddy fields are beckoning, “the winds that carried the heat from the paddy fields, grown with Ponnriyan paddy, into the   bamboo forest.” The summer heat is unbearable and “the workers are requesting the winds to carry the heat from their workplace also, which is ready for harvest.”

Yet another folk song that lingers on my mind is as follows: -

“Yellarum Padathu Swarnam Vithachu.

Yen Yente Padathu Swapnam Vithachu.

Swarnam Vilanjathum Nooru Meni…

Swapnam Vilanjathum Nooru Meni…”

She sang, “Everyone sowed gold in their paddy fields; but she sowed dreams in her paddy field.  However, both yielded hundred percent.”

This song was written by a well-known lyricist Shri. Vayalar Rama Varma. This film song was sung by a veteran playback singer Smt. P. Suseela.

These songs bring to my memory those picturesque scenes in my tiny village during the harvest season. These simple joyous expressions on their faces are all things of the past! Years later during my travel in and outside Kerala I observed that this was a very common sight – “Women donned in their work attire, a ‘Kaily Mundu’, coloured check dhoti, and a colourful blouse with a ‘Pottu’ a red round bindhi or any other mark and colour of their choice on their foreheads singing out during the times of replanting and harvesting, all this colour and music transformed the entire paddy field into a stage performance.”  This is a typical picturesque scene prevalent in most parts of India and the South East.

These men and women in the paddy fields belonged to the lowest castes in the caste ridden society. They lived in miserable huts often sheltered the livestock as well as the family. Their doors so low one had to stoop to enter and the huts were poorly lighted. Their clothing was coarse and their food was scanty. They had to work hard and their compensation was small. They had little opportunity for travel, education and amusement. I have heard a few landlords punished them severely for slight offences and were deprived of medical aid and in some cases, of spiritual comfort. They were down trodden, who were socially, culturally, economically and educationally backward. They did not have any platform to express their feelings of love and affection towards their beloved heroes, leaders and brethren and also express their love of nature. They recognized their dependence on Mother Nature to produce their crops, and in time of drought they offered sacrifices and psalms of praise to persuade the spirits to grant favourable growing seasons and bountiful harvests.

They did   not have another stage to air out their grievances against atrocities meted out to them by their landlords, kings, police or any other officials who governed them. So singing was an ideal medium for them to open up through a melodious note.

I cherish to re-create the environment but the prohibitive labour charges and lack of sincere, devoted and efficient workers deter me from doing so. Those years of total uncompromising dedication is a story of yester years.  Mechanization is the one and only dependable alternative to improve agricultural production.

Excerpts from

 MEMOIRSR

by

Joseph J. Thayamkeril

josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

SPRAYING OF POISON UNDER THE GARB OF MEDICINE

STICK TO ORGANIC MANURE

UNITY IN DIVERSITY

Geographically India is a vast peninsula with a total land area of about 33 million Sq.Kms. It is the seventh largest in area and it accounts for 2.4 per cent of the total geographical area of the world. The length and breadth of the country is around 3,214 and 2,933 Kms respectively. Due to its large area it is often referred to as a sub-continent. One of its states is bigger than many countries of Europe. But the whole country is well bounded by nature. The north and north-east region is sheltered by the Himalayan Mountain Range. The Indian Ocean situates on the southern side. The eastern and western sides of our country are flanked by the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. The mountaneous and hilly regions of the Himalayas in the north are extremely cold but the coastal areas in the south are at times extremely hot and humid.

India is the second most populous country in the world with around 1.271 billion people (2015), which is more than one sixth, (17.5%), of the world population.

India is a repository of multiplicity of cultures and it is one of the ancient civilizations in the world stretching over 5000 years. There are more than 33 languages and hundreds of dialects in India. The Constitution of India recognizes 22 major languages, written in 13 different scripts. The Indian languages belong to four language families namely Indo-Aryan, Dravidian, Austroasiatic (Austric) and Tibeto-Burman. Majority of India's population are using Indo-Aryan and Dravidian languages. The Indo-Aryan languages like Assamese, Bengali, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanscrit, Sindhi and Urdu are spoken mainly in northern and central regions. The Dravidian languages of southern India are Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. Ethnic Santhal tribals of the Chota Nagpur Plateau in eastern India (comprising the states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha) speak Santali belonging to Munda family, an Austric language. People in the northern Himalayan region and near the Burmese border (Assam and Manipur) speak Tibeto-Burman languages like Bodo and Manipuri (includes Meitei.)  The official Indian languages are Hindi (with approximately 420 million speakers) and English, which is a world language widely spoken among the educated class of people in India. In spite of different languages and dialects, Sanskrit, the language of Vedas, brings us all together because Sanskrit has made great influence on all these languages.

Religion has the most important place in India. We have different religions in India. Apart from Hinduism we have the followers of Budhism, Jainsm, Islam, Sikhism, Christiantity, and Zorashtrainism of Parsees. Judaism of Jews too has influenced us. These different religions and cultures have been blended together. But Hindus form the greater majority. Despite diverse languages and dialects; and different cultures; varied castes, sub-castes and creeds; different food habits, clothes, from region to region; there are a lot of other factors like religion, customs, traditions and the theory of “Dharma and Karma,” (the law and its observance; and daily service or duty) that binds us together.  Indians lay emphasis on spirituality, not on material pursuits or wealth. Hinduism has been, to a great extent, able to take all other Dravidian gods like Mahadevan, Murugan, Badrakali and a lot of other gods into their fold and that has helped in merging of their identity. Hinduism has a broader outlook and the capacity to absorb all the immigrant good ideas and cultures. Hindus firmly believe in freedom of thought and expression because such freedom enriches the culture which then becomes dynamic. The theory of rebirth, the fear of hell and heaven purification of soul, and the ultimate aim of achieving salvation, keeps them all bound together. Our philosophy of life, customs, creeds and traditions are basically, more or less, the same. The institution of marriage and most of the rituals are similar everywhere. We unitedly celebrate the festivals like Holi, Diwali, Christmas, Id, Budh Jayanti and Mahavir Jaynti.

National unity and integrity have been maintained even though sharp economic and social inequalities have obstructed the emergence of equalitarian social relations. It is this synthesis which has made India a unique mosaic of cultures. We might be little different in patterns of living, life styles, occupational pursuits, inheritance and succession of law and practices, and different in rites related to birth, marriage and death. We might also be subject to regionalism and casteism in trifling matters but we always rise to the occasion in times of need such as foreign interference or invasion on our territory.

The idea of unity and integrity of India is inherent in all its historical and socio-cultural facts as well as in its cultural heritage. Constitution of India guarantees to its people belonging to all socio-economic strata and belonging to diverse religions, cultures and languages.

The significant characteristic of Indian society is the religious tolerance and co-existence of different ethnic groups. India is one of the countries in the world where people belonging to different religions, castes and creeds with sharp economic and social inequalities, speaking different languages, having different cultures, different modes of living, different clothing, different food habits, worshiping different gods and deity live together in harmony and believe to be the children of “Bharath Matha,” Mother-India. We are one nation at large without a parallel in other continents. Despite these differences and foreign invasions, and Mughal and British Rule, the people of India belonging to varied castes, creeds and communities upheld its national unity in diversity.

Excerpts from

 MEMOIRS

by

Joseph J. Thayamkeril

josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

REVIEW THE LAW RELATING TO PROHIBITIION OF CHILD MARRIAGES IN INDIA

            A century ago, people in our country firmly followed the age old customs and traditions of getting married when still young; to be more specific, before or immediately after they attained puberty. My paternal grandparents, Oli Thressiamma and Oli Ousepachan, got married at the age of 8 and 12 respectively. Same was the case with my maternal grandparents, Elykutty and N.J. Chacko Neerakal who were 8 and 15 years old respectively when they got married. They had their first child when she was 19. All their children were healthy, good-looking and brilliant. This was the general trend in families throughout the country. Most young people, especially girls, are physically and psychologically ready to get married as soon as they attain puberty. The norm that was widely followed was, “the earlier the marriage the better.” 

            As I understand it, child marriage has a number of advantages. Being young, the couple understands each other better; both of them have the benefit of growing and learning together, adapting to new surroundings and situations, making them extremely compatible with each other. This makes the transition of adjusting into the spouse’s house a much easier process. It is easier to create a family when one is young. In their close affinity, there is hardly any room for confrontation. I have never seen my grandparents fighting each other. Since they take up responsibilities at a very early age, they tend to be more serious about life and plan their future accordingly. 

            This can be set against the lifestyle of single men and women, who (in most cases) are more laid back, giving them extra time on their hands to engage in past times such as smoking, drinking and taking drugs, under the pretext of “enjoying” life; following the misconstrued ruse of being “cool.” 

People who oppose child marriage would say that it would adversely affect girl’s education, personal development, job prospects and personal income and childbearing goals. Some argue that she might be pulled out of school, and separated from her peers. I disagree that early marriage would keep people from studying and/or building a career. If there is a will there is a way. Young couples manage to combine studying at the university, having a family and even children. If you have the desire, determination, dedication and devotion nothing could prevent you from getting higher education. Another case that is widely argued is that child bearing at a young age leads to high rates of maternal and child mortality. However, this stand is not justified in the present scenario, where medical attention in various disciplines is available in every nook and corner of our country.

The youngsters of our country suppress their innate sexual drives. When you get married late; you won't get those years back. Little do they realize that there are many other significant things to achieve in life. The cleverer a person becomes the more difficult for him / her to find a partner in life. It is not easy to live together if two people have two completely different, even contradictory views on life. Furthermore, a woman’s chances of getting pregnant decrease as she grows older. When a woman crosses thirty, infertility issues are almost doubled. 

Virginity is sexual abstinence until marriage. Historically, premarital sex was considered a moral issue which was taboo in many cultures and considered a sin by a number of religions, but since about the 1960s, it has become more widely accepted, especially in western countries. Arousal of sex is a natural hunger, a biological necessity. I have heard people say, “Morality is lack of opportunity.” In western countries, dating is very common. They enjoy sex from a very young age. Their youngsters leave their parental homes and move into dormitories when they attain puberty. In case a boy /girl doesn’t have a girl / boy friend; their parents are anxious and they would take their child to a psychologist. But modern relationships are much more complicated; people date more partners before settling down; cohabitate and procreate without getting married; and might marry later in life when they are sure that they won’t desert each other. It is astounding to note that at present a majority of the young Americans below 35 years are unmarried.

It is always advisable to take some marital counseling courses before getting engaged and married to someone. Sex education programs are now available to teach the youngsters about reproductive health, safer sex practices, sexual abstinence and birth control. It will help you to avert teenage pregnancies and other problems in life. Marriage is not a bed of roses. Couples should be ready to make adjustments and accommodations and should be prepared to share their joys and sorrows to make their life a success. It is significant to bear in mind that “life is a stage in which much has to be endured and little to be enjoyed.” 

Awakening of sex, sexual intercourse and masturbation are quite natural. It’s healthy and perfectly normal. I have observed it not only in human beings but in other mammals as well, and it is unnatural to control it. We have to realize the fact that sexual relationship is not a sin at all and it is a biological necessity. There are only two unpardonable crimes in the code of sexual conduct, rape and telling of lies or breach of promise. Christianity teaches sexual relationships as abhorrence, crime or sin. They say that sexual relationship, masturbation and the child born out of a wed lock too is the result of sin. Their teachings are absurd and against the Rules of Mother Nature.

Christianity further teaches that the blemishes or sin has to be cleansed by a sacrament (a sacred ceremony of reparation, penance, compensation, self-punishments, atonement or apology) namely baptism. The sacraments are invented and introduced during various periods to extract money from the blind believers and the church discourages their independent thinking in order to exploit them. Zoroastrianism originally invented the theory of heaven and hell as a means of income or livelihood for their hereditary priests. Mithraism too adopted it and Mithraism ultimately merged in Christianity. It is pertinent to note that there are neither intermediaries nor sacraments in Islam, another offshoot of Judaism.

            Delayed marriages and suppression of sex is a curse of the Indian society, and is a major reason for many of the problems that surface in Indian society. The innate urge of immature children to experiment with the new found changes in one’s body due to puberty, is often exploited by relatives, friends, pimps and other rich and influential people in society  including politicians, top officials in the executive and the judiciary; and affluent grand old Muslim men from abroad arriving for muta-marriages. I was astounded when the media pointed out that in some cases, the rape victim’s own parents were the ones involved in such heinous crimes. It can be concluded that half of India’s problems can be solved if children get married at the right time.

            No doubt, the best age for having your first baby is roughly when you are twenty years old. In such circumstances there would be a fourth generation in most families. The main advantage here is that in the extreme event of both parents dying prematurely or in the case of  divorce, there would always be grandparents or great-grandparents to look after the children; the children won’t become orphans; a burden on society. 

A girl child attains puberty at her young age of thirteen or earlier and the boy at the age of 15 or little later. It is beyond human reasoning. There may be slight areas of dispute in the matter of child marriages, which has to be ignored. Beyond his limitations, man tries to create a new order in society and nature, thinking that he is the master. He never realizes the fact that the Acts and Rules he is making is contradictory to the Rules of Mother Nature. Like our parents and grandparents did, children should be married before they attain puberty. Otherwise there would naturally be outbreak of sex and rich and influential people in the society would exploit young children. It is not fair or proper for the Parliament to interfere with the personal freedom of individuals and it is against the Rule of Nature to fix a minimum age of 21 and 18 for marriage. Marriageable age does not come within the realm of the parliament. Let wisdom dawn on Parliament to review the prohibition of child marriage and make necessary amendments in this regard. 

Excerpts from

 MEMOIRS

by

Joseph J. Thayamkeril

josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

STRAY DOG MENACE

At times, a large number of canines could be seen roaming around in my courtyard and adjacent compound, and other open spaces as well. They ate carcasses, human excreta and other wastes that were cast ashore on the banks of the Vembanad Backwaters. These dogs would disappear on a fine morning or they would die after eating poisoned wastes. Yet another pack of dogs would promptly become visible in the next day or two. Did someone picked some 6-10 stray canines from the garbage dumb and open spaces in the crowded Kochi Corporation limits and were being released in rural areas?

 Every night they huddled together and started howling and fighting each other for food or sex, which created a frustrating din among the people in the area, who find it unbearable. These dogs would become aggressive especially during mating season, monsoon, whereas bitches would become aggressive while trying to protect their younger ones. Large numbers of puppies were delivered at a time. They attained puberty between 5 to 12 months; and multiplied faster.

One day, while I was scurrying in my orchard I was surrounded by a pack of dogs. The sturdy cane deterred them from an attack. On another day my sister, Aleyamma and Augustine Mampilly, and their children Paul, Jose and Thomman came for a visit. Strangely, while they were leaving, Thomman found that one each of their shoes / chappals were missing. I thought somebody was playing a prank on them. Then I remembered the stray puppies. We searched the courtyard and the adjacent compound. They got their shoes / slipper back but a few of them were in a dismal condition.

These stray dogs chased fowls and ducks and devoured them. At times I have noted pack of dogs chasing away two and three wheelers on the main road and this contributed to traffic accidents as well. They bit people especially young school children, who got scary and run on seeing the dogs. It is difficult to discern whether a dog was rabies-infected or not. Some of these dogs might be carriers of rabies showing no symptoms, but a few manifested symptoms like madness - sticking out their tongue oozing saliva and barked unnecessarily. To avoid risk of life, the victims of dog bites were usually taken to the General Hospital at Ernakulam to arrange for anti-rabies vaccines. The villagers said that often vaccines might not be available and therefore the bit victims were taken to Co-operative Medical College at Kalamassery, on the other end of the city for 15 days consecutively to administer the painful anti-rabies injection around the naval region. In the wake of frequent incidents of dog bites on children taking place in our village, the villagers were agitated against the local authority, Kumbalam Panchayath, for their inaction to ward off the menace of street dogs.

Eradicating stray dogs appeared to be a vexing problem for the local authorities and governments. It had become a hot topic of discussion in Kerala after animal rights activist and union minister Smt. Maneka Gandhi sought an explanation from the Muvattupuzha Municipality for killing a stray dog.

The stray dog menace persisted in every city, town and village in India. There were news reports of children getting brutally injured with dog bites on their shoulder, scalp, leg, hand and face. The situation is alarming. The animal lovers shall not be mute witnesses to these distressing episodes. The silence of the protectors of dogs and other animals is disgusting. The golden rule is that there is no golden rule. The executive and the parliament should not hesitate to withdraw or annul or reverse or even amend the law, if the change of circumstances warrants it.

In a writ petition filed before the High Court of Kerala, the petitioner therein pointed out that the local authorities are bound to take action in accordance with the Kerala Municipalities Act or Panchayath Act to abate the menace of dogs. Section 438 of the Act empowered the Corporation to seize stray dogs in the area. The provision of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 has also provided for tackling the menace. Section 11(3) (b) of the Act enabled the civic body to take steps for killing of stray dogs. The petitioner also pointed out that “the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution contemplated living a dignified life without the fear of stray dog biting.” When placed against the animal rights, “the human’s right will prevail over animal rights,” the petitioner said. It was also pointed out that a Division Bench had ruled in 2006 that “the right to live was fundamental right and it shall take precedence over dog rules.” However, SPCA (Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) points out the dogs are an important part of the ecosystem and they control the pest and rodent population.

It is pertinent to note that while passing the impugned provisions of the PCA Act, the parliament and the executive did not consider the Rule of Mother Nature, “the survival of the fittest.”

The High Court held in 2006 that for the sake of human safety, dangerous stray dogs could be killed. However, the Supreme Court of India had on January 23, 2009 stayed Bombay High Court judgement which had allowed municipal authorities in Maharashtra to kill stray dogs causing “nuisance.”

SOLUTION: Those who rear pet dogs should be directed to take a licence from the local authority and to insist that their dogs be vaccinated against rabies and be provided with a tag and should not be allowed to stray on the street. 

Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) - Jaipur model sterilization and vaccination of stray dogs, both males and females, make them less aggressive and, therefore, the number of dog-bite incidents comes down. To deal with the increasing incidents of dog bites, skilled dog-catchers be engaged for culling, and increase stray dog sterilization capacity. Therefore, the government has to provide additional infrastructural development and appoint more veterinary doctors. Each vaccinated dog should be given an identification mark and proper statistics should be maintained.

The general hospitals should be provided with sufficient quantities of anti-rabies vaccines for treatment of dog-bite cases free of cost. I understand that every day around 50 dog bite victims approach the General Hospital at Ernakulam.

Maintaining clean surroundings in all the commercial as well as residential areas is significant and proper arrangement is needed for garbage disposal. The municipal corporations and other local bodies should be directed to give strict instructions to officials of private hospitals, and owners of hotels, restaurants, poultry farms, and butcher shops to stop dumping waste material and garbage in public places especially roadsides, to avoid gathering of stray dogs.

    The public should encourage dog lovers like Smt. Prasanna, a senior sales manager in P&B MetLife Insurance India Limited at Palarivattom, a colleague of Sally, my wife. She used to cull out aged, sick, maimed and abandoned stray dogs, and rehabilitated and neatly maintained them in two special houses one at Panampilly Nagar and the other at Kaloor in Kochi City; a highly appreciable humanitarian service and a sacrifice indeed.

The central government should not hesitate to withdraw or annul or reverse or even amend the law protecting the life of dogs, since the change of circumstances warrants it.

UPDATE 5/11/2015: The High Court of Kerala, while disposing a number of writ petitions by a judgment on November 4, 2015, stressed the need to control the stray dog menace in the state and permitted the local authorities to silence the critically ill, fatally injured and rabid dogs as per the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules 2001. The court observed that the dogs roaming in public have to be captured for vaccination and sterilization which is the obligation of the local bodies with the aid of the Animal Welfare Board. The court made it clear that all stray dogs are not required to be killed and that killing has to be undertaken by the local authorities only in accordance with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and the provisions of the Rules 2001.

Excerpts from

NEED OF THE HOUR

by

Joseph J. Thayamkeril

Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.

josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com 

josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

‘puttu-kada’. com, KUMBALAM

“Puttukada” at Kumbalam in Eranakulam is a popular haunt for its freshly prepared local food. It is 2 km north of NH-47 through the PWD main Road.  There are no sign boards or directions to this vintage, typical Kerala tea shop. On the banks of the Vembanad Lake, this locale opens for its customers only from 9o'clock at night to the wee hours of the morning, around 2 a.m and Sundays are holidays. The illuminated lights of Kochi city and suburbs, which lie across the Lake, is a feast for the eyes of his customers. Soft ‘Puttu,’ steamed rice cake, and delicious village cuisines like combos of ‘Puttu’ with beef curry or mutton curry and ‘Kappa,’ steamed and fried pieces of tapioca, with chicken roast are specialties worth mentioning here.  Chicken fry and boiled duck’s eggs are also available. Piping hot tea with or without milk is also served here. Prices are reasonable ranging from Rs. 70/- to Rs. 140/- per plate.  

The shop could take a maximum of 20 people at a time on its wooden stools and benches placed in the tiny spaces. It is a popular haunt of nocturnal ‪wanderers after their cinemas and picnics.

Shibu, son of Ousepachan Ameparambil, runs the shop; it is a one man show, serving, billing, collection of payment, clearing, and cleaning. Food is prepared in the traditional manner over logs of firewood and earthenware pots. Perhaps this adds to the authentic flaovour. His service is excellent. I recommend this “Puttukada” for a delightful taste of the local cuisine. 

Excerpts from

NEED OF THE HOUR

by

Joseph J. Thayamkeril

Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.

josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com 

josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com

  

 

‘puttu-kada’. com, KUMBALAM

“Puttukada” at Kumbalam in Eranakulam is a popular haunt for its freshly prepared local food. It is 2 km north of NH-47 through the PWD main Road.  There are no sign boards or directions to this vintage, typical Kerala tea shop. On the banks of the Vembanad Lake, this locale opens for its customers only from 9o'clock at night to the wee hours of the morning, around 2 a.m and Sundays are holidays. The illuminated lights of Kochi city and suburbs, which lie across the Lake, is a feast for the eyes of his customers. Soft ‘Puttu,’ steamed rice cake, and delicious village cuisines like combos of ‘Puttu’ with beef curry or mutton curry and ‘Kappa,’ steamed and fried pieces of tapioca, with chicken roast are specialties worth mentioning here.  Chicken fry and boiled duck’s eggs are also available. Piping hot tea with or without milk is also served here. Prices are reasonable ranging from Rs. 70/- to Rs. 140/- per plate.  

The shop could take a maximum of 20 people at a time on its wooden stools and benches placed in the tiny spaces. It is a popular haunt of nocturnal ‪wanderers after their cinemas and picnics.

Shibu, son of Ousepachan Ameparambil, runs the shop; it is a one man show, serving, billing, collection of payment, clearing, and cleaning. Food is prepared in the traditional manner over logs of firewood and earthenware pots. Perhaps this adds to the authentic flaovour. His service is excellent. I recommend this “Puttukada” for a delightful taste of the local cuisine. 

Excerpts from

NEED OF THE HOUR

by

Joseph J. Thayamkeril

Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.

josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com 

josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com