A COTTAGE IN SWAMI HILLS*
17. BOROUGH POLITICS
In 1960s, Kumbakonam was a strong congress constituency and I was also a strong congress supporter. I swore by congress and Kamaraj was our favourite leader. The new breed of politicians led by Anna found no favour with us though we liked their Tamil. The main reason for our hatred was that they were anti brahmins and anti Hindus according to us.
My grandfather was a congress man though he started leaning towards Swatantra party started by Rajaji. Still,he was fascinated by Nehruji and had a lot of respect for him though Nehruji was not liked by many in our street. They supported congress more out of respect for Gandhiji and for want of better alternative. After the Swatantra party started, My grandfather used to read "Swaraj" edited by Khasa Subba Rao. He used to like the cartoons appearing in "Swarajya" very much though the cartoons invariably criticised congress and its policies. He was also some time the Union Leader for Postal Employees and was respected as a staunch supporter for their causes. I have no inkling whether the union had any political affiliation though I strongly suspect that it could be congress.
We had Municipal elections around 1963 and in our ward, G K Venkataraman won and he was in Swatantra party. Of course, he joined congress later and died prematurely. Except that, people were leaving congress and joining DMK and Swatantra.
Even among my classmates, it was fashionable at that time to wear the black and red and claim allegiance to DMK. For instance, Anwar Batcha openly wore black and white bunian with MGR picture and showed it to us proudly. However,not all the boys were motivated by the Dravidian principles of DMK. Some were just there for the goodies. Babu summarised the feelings of many when he said," Look, Sekar, My chithappa was in congress for eleven years and what he got for his marriage,nothing. My mama joined DMK four years back and for his marriage, can you imagine, the party people gave him a big Venkatachalapthi picture (at this point of time he extended his hands to the full to show the size of the picture)." A dravidian party gifting Venkatachalapathi picture was not digestible to me.
I had a conflict in my allegiance to Congress when M. Sundaram became my friend in seventh standard. He was nephew of O M Arunachalam and O M Irusappan of Thukkampalaya Street. They belonged to a party called கள் வேண்டுவோர் கழகம். Our friendship demanded that I support this party but the one point agenda of the party was the stumbling block for my support. Obviously, I could not be seen to be supporting a party which is for Toddy. So, I devised a new logic for not opposing, if not supporting, that party and that was their leaders were very polite. Unlike other candidates, Kal venduvor kazhagam candidates never came in decorated chariots nor raised slogans nor sang loud songs. They always came with folded hands in an open car and that was it. No slogans. No loudspeakers. No procession. They never took tea or milk from the houses on the road. Only thing is they never won. Sundaram never felt unhappy about the defeat of his uncles. He always said "They will win in the next election".
Within friends, politics never entered. We had almost reconciled to the effect, "They are congress people" or "They belong to DMK". But, one incident was an exception. I was in 6th standard and we had Sundaresan as our Class Monitor. The only qualification he had to become monitor was he was the eldest and the tallest in our class. He somehow developed a dislike for me and one day he asked me "Why are you wearing vibhuthi on your forehead?". I mumbled some reply. he told me "By tomorrow, I need a reply for this" and left me. I went home and that evening an expert panel consisting of my grandmother and her sister Yogakka and the cook Ponnamma Mami and other people listened to me and they told me to draft a detailed reply. It was about two pages and consisted of sections like Vibhuthi as a medicine and Vibhuthi as guard against devils. Finally, as per the panel''s advice I wrote the song
மந்திரமாவது நீ று வானவர் மேலது நீறு
சுந்தரமாவது நீறு துதிக்கப்படுவது நீறு
தந்திரமாவது நீறு சமயத்தில் உள்ளது நீறு
செந்துவர் வாயுமை பங்கன் திரூ ஆலவாயான் திரு நீறே
Next day morning, I folded the paper neatly and handed it over to Sundaresan. According to some of my friends, it was a daring act and I invited trouble. They told me that Sundaresan's family was a prominent supporter of Dravida Kazhagam and they would not take it lightly. They warned me "we have to cross their house when we go to Play ground.". Nothing happened as they feared. Sundaresan any way vanished insider their house on the way to play ground for snacks etc and only once he showed me to his family people and said something. Incidentally, this was the first essay I wrote. I am thankful to God that the first essay contained Sambanthar's words. I feel blessed.
By 1965, the congress lost its respect among many. The handling of Anti Hindi agitation spoilt their image in every town. Their leaders were ridiculed by all. One such joke going around at that time was about our then Prime Minister Lalbahadur Shastri. When he raised some prices, the cartoon said " This man is neither Bhadur nor Shastri. He is only a Lala".(I think it was picked up from Swarajya). Another joke was to pronounce Bakthavatsalam (name of then then CM of Taminadu) as Paththulaksham ( பத்து லக்ஷம் ) meaning that he has amassed ten lakh rupees.
Mr N Kasiraman who was a Mayor and a congressman frequently came to our house. He was the classmate of my uncle and so he was invited to all functions.
In 1967 elections, Congress faced an uphill task. Anna was clearly the leader among the youth and downtrodden. "The North is thriving and the South is shrinking" ( வடக்கு வாழ்கிறது தெற்கு தேய்கிறது ) slogan was catching up among all the people. Congress roped in some learned pundits to defend themselves. My grandfather was called upon to defend and garner support for congress as a true congressman (when did congress realise that?). He and Agnihothram Thathachariar addressed a public meeting organised near Sankara matham.
I attended the meeting and good two hundred people attended were present. My grandfather did not use rhetoric nor used emotionally charged words. he was factual and pointed out the inexperience and the impatience of the DMK. However, Agnihothram Thathachariar was on the offensive. He said " அடே அது உதய சூரியன் இல்லடா !! மலையில் சூரியன் அஸ்தமனம் தான் ஆகும். உதிக்காது. அஸ்தமன சூரியனுக்கு ஒட்டு போடாதே !" was his argument.
Whatever may be his political leanings, my grandfather had a great admiration for Nehru bordering on the hero worship. He had a photo gallery of Nehru from birth to becoming PM. One of the photographs showed during his upanayanam with tonsured head. When Nehru died, he was shaken badly. He wanted to cancel his shashtiabdhapurthy celebrations or at least postpone them. But I think no one listened to it.
* Cottage in swami hills refers to the house in which we lived in Kumbakonam. This phrase was used once by my grandfather when I asked him that as some people go in summer to Kodaikanal and Ooty where they have a cottage whether we would also be able to go and stay like them one day. My grandfather replied that he already has a cottage near swami Hills (swamimalai) and he referred to his house as the cottage.
Even among my classmates, it was fashionable at that time to wear the black and red and claim allegiance to DMK. For instance, Anwar Batcha openly wore black and white bunian with MGR picture and showed it to us proudly. However,not all the boys were motivated by the Dravidian principles of DMK. Some were just there for the goodies. Babu summarised the feelings of many when he said," Look, Sekar, My chithappa was in congress for eleven years and what he got for his marriage,nothing. My mama joined DMK four years back and for his marriage, can you imagine, the party people gave him a big Venkatachalapthi picture (at this point of time he extended his hands to the full to show the size of the picture)." A dravidian party gifting Venkatachalapathi picture was not digestible to me.
I had a conflict in my allegiance to Congress when M. Sundaram became my friend in seventh standard. He was nephew of O M Arunachalam and O M Irusappan of Thukkampalaya Street. They belonged to a party called கள் வேண்டுவோர் கழகம். Our friendship demanded that I support this party but the one point agenda of the party was the stumbling block for my support. Obviously, I could not be seen to be supporting a party which is for Toddy. So, I devised a new logic for not opposing, if not supporting, that party and that was their leaders were very polite. Unlike other candidates, Kal venduvor kazhagam candidates never came in decorated chariots nor raised slogans nor sang loud songs. They always came with folded hands in an open car and that was it. No slogans. No loudspeakers. No procession. They never took tea or milk from the houses on the road. Only thing is they never won. Sundaram never felt unhappy about the defeat of his uncles. He always said "They will win in the next election".
Within friends, politics never entered. We had almost reconciled to the effect, "They are congress people" or "They belong to DMK". But, one incident was an exception. I was in 6th standard and we had Sundaresan as our Class Monitor. The only qualification he had to become monitor was he was the eldest and the tallest in our class. He somehow developed a dislike for me and one day he asked me "Why are you wearing vibhuthi on your forehead?". I mumbled some reply. he told me "By tomorrow, I need a reply for this" and left me. I went home and that evening an expert panel consisting of my grandmother and her sister Yogakka and the cook Ponnamma Mami and other people listened to me and they told me to draft a detailed reply. It was about two pages and consisted of sections like Vibhuthi as a medicine and Vibhuthi as guard against devils. Finally, as per the panel''s advice I wrote the song
மந்திரமாவது நீ று வானவர் மேலது நீறு
சுந்தரமாவது நீறு துதிக்கப்படுவது நீறு
தந்திரமாவது நீறு சமயத்தில் உள்ளது நீறு
செந்துவர் வாயுமை பங்கன் திரூ ஆலவாயான் திரு நீறே
Next day morning, I folded the paper neatly and handed it over to Sundaresan. According to some of my friends, it was a daring act and I invited trouble. They told me that Sundaresan's family was a prominent supporter of Dravida Kazhagam and they would not take it lightly. They warned me "we have to cross their house when we go to Play ground.". Nothing happened as they feared. Sundaresan any way vanished insider their house on the way to play ground for snacks etc and only once he showed me to his family people and said something. Incidentally, this was the first essay I wrote. I am thankful to God that the first essay contained Sambanthar's words. I feel blessed.
By 1965, the congress lost its respect among many. The handling of Anti Hindi agitation spoilt their image in every town. Their leaders were ridiculed by all. One such joke going around at that time was about our then Prime Minister Lalbahadur Shastri. When he raised some prices, the cartoon said " This man is neither Bhadur nor Shastri. He is only a Lala".(I think it was picked up from Swarajya). Another joke was to pronounce Bakthavatsalam (name of then then CM of Taminadu) as Paththulaksham ( பத்து லக்ஷம் ) meaning that he has amassed ten lakh rupees.
Mr N Kasiraman who was a Mayor and a congressman frequently came to our house. He was the classmate of my uncle and so he was invited to all functions.
I attended the meeting and good two hundred people attended were present. My grandfather did not use rhetoric nor used emotionally charged words. he was factual and pointed out the inexperience and the impatience of the DMK. However, Agnihothram Thathachariar was on the offensive. He said " அடே அது உதய சூரியன் இல்லடா !! மலையில் சூரியன் அஸ்தமனம் தான் ஆகும். உதிக்காது. அஸ்தமன சூரியனுக்கு ஒட்டு போடாதே !" was his argument.
Whatever may be his political leanings, my grandfather had a great admiration for Nehru bordering on the hero worship. He had a photo gallery of Nehru from birth to becoming PM. One of the photographs showed during his upanayanam with tonsured head. When Nehru died, he was shaken badly. He wanted to cancel his shashtiabdhapurthy celebrations or at least postpone them. But I think no one listened to it.
* Cottage in swami hills refers to the house in which we lived in Kumbakonam. This phrase was used once by my grandfather when I asked him that as some people go in summer to Kodaikanal and Ooty where they have a cottage whether we would also be able to go and stay like them one day. My grandfather replied that he already has a cottage near swami Hills (swamimalai) and he referred to his house as the cottage.
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