Balakrishnan
Master of Thandasseril (80) used to elegantly wear an impeccably white and
pressed dhoti and shirt whenever he moved out of the house. He vividly
remembers my grandfather. He recalled my grandfather and said, “Oli Ousepachan
used to get information in advance about events; many a time, he personally
intervened to sort out issues and his decision was always final. He was
impartial. No one dared to question his prudence, fairness and decision.” All
the same, “Oli Ousepachan maintained a very healthy relationship with all the
Islanders and he never discriminated them on any grounds whatsoever. He had a
very cordial relationship with the ‘Nair
Madambis’. Balakrishnan Master also added, “Your grandfather used to send
baskets full of varied snacks to Thandasseril for the marriage of his young
uncles and aunts. The aroma and tastes of those snacks still linger.”
Sarojini,
(84), the daughter of Lakshmykutty of Chennom-Veedu-South narrated to me that
the Oli ‘Kayaloram’, shore, was
occupied by the British military camp. The military troops used to conduct
parades and mock wars even late into the evenings. During the night patrol of
the area Sarojini, who was then a 14 year old girl, used to see men in uniforms
near her house. She was very scared of them. She would run inside the house and
keep the doors closed. She had goosebumps when she recalled and told me about
those scaring events. She said that on a particular day her father did not
return after work. She gathered he was taken into custody by the military
people camping on our Island. As advised
by her relations she and her mother approached Oli Ousepachan. Immediately he
sorted out the matter with British Officers and he was released from their
custody. (I remember Sarojini’s husband Narayanan Nair. He was popular for making snacks like “Gilebi, Vada, and Neyyappam.” Sarojini’s
uncle Sankara Menon built their tharawad
house, which had independent rooms for each woman and their children. Later that big house was demolished after
partition.)
Ollarikkat
Sreedhara Kaimal (Mynapilly,) (85), recollected, “Oli Ousepachan used to attend
weddings at his house and he was familiar with him. He told me, “With great
reluctance, I approached him for some financial help. Without any hesitation he
gave a hundred rupee note. Those days such big notes were very rare.”
Raghavan
Chakkalaparampil, (87), an elegantly dressed person, told me that he was the
treasurer of Sanmarga Pradeepa Sabha (SPS) in 1996. The SPS property originally
in the possession and enjymentof Atuvallikkavu Mana. He said, “People threw
waste fish and waste meat and bones into the courtyards of the Manas, knowing
that they were pure vegetarians only in order to to scare the inmates and
disturb their ladies.” When the Nambuthiris
fled, it was occupied by the Konkinis. Ninety years back, it was
Naduvamnuri Rama Kaimal, who assigned the lhe leasehold right in that property
to SPS. It was during his period as treasurer, that the temple was reconstructed. Subramonian is the main deity. Durga Devi, Sasthavu, Ganapathy, Bhuvaneswari
are the other deities. He said that eighty years back Sree Narayana Guru
wearing a ‘Methiyadi’, a wooden shoe
with a needle to grip worn by Brahmins, visited the small temple.” He further
said, “Your grandfather, Oli Ousepachan was revered by all the communities. ‘DIM PANTHEERAYIRAM’, (an expression he
often uttered to convince people,) your
grandfather would see the matter is settled amicably. His word was taken as the last word.”
Velappan
(81), Paruruthil recollects, “Appachan
was tutored by Ayyappan “Asan,”
teacher. He and Krishnankutty
Vallathithara were permitted to attend the same classes with your father, and other Nair boys and girls too used to attend the same class.”
Joseph
Kannamkeril (91), a former Tahsildar in the revenue department of the State of
Kerala, spoke very highly of my grandfather. He said, “Oli Ousepachan was a
tall and well built person. He was a gentleman in all respects. He was compassionate and had great concern
for the poor. He was the last ‘Desavazhi’
of Kumbalam.” Joseph Kannamkeril, a native of Kumbalanghi married Annamkutty
Palliparambil. Her family was at Venduruthy. Their family properties were
acquired by the central government for setting up the Naval Base. Therefore they migrated to Kumbalam Island.
When NH-47 opened for traffic, they
along with their children, Thampi, Francis and Babu settled in their
properties at Matavana in Kumbalam Village.
Ayyappan
Thachankattu (more
than 80 years old in 1960s) and his wife Cheria were
the oldest among our labourers. They used to call ‘Appachan’ as ‘Thambran;’
‘Ammachi’ as ‘Thambratty.’ Jacob and I were addressed as ‘Thambai’. I remember him telling me, “Thambaiyute Muthumuthachan,’
your great grandfather, who was the ‘Desavazhi’,
bought my grandfather and all other labourers in Kumbalam Village from Pollachi
Market, (which is a border town in Tamilnadu State) and
for whom he even found suitable mates from the same market. He brought them to
Kumbalam and looked after them very well. A small portion of the wet
lands on his properties were elevated to form ‘Tharas’, drained land, on
which they erected huts to live in.” He was proud of
my ancestors. Emptying a glass of water
at one go, he added, “Nobody dared to touch
us, we belonged to Oli Ousepachan, our ‘Thamar’,
(in Tamil language it means “owner.” Cheria, his wife, nodded endorsing his
statement. I gazed his eyes moistened
with tears of affection. So loyal were these labourers.
Excerpts from
MEMOIRS
An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@google.com
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