Adventures of Sankaran Pathiyan.

By jimiless:
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Karunanidhi's ( former CM of Tamilnadu and Chief of DMK) demand to annex to Tamilnadu, certain Taluks of Idukki district where Mullaperiyar Dam and its catchment areas are located brought to my mind the life and times of Sankaran Pathiyan, a neighbour of mine in my childhood.

Sankara Pathiyan was a nice old gentleman with a fine sense of humour by ordinary standards when he was well. But unfortunately he was not always well; he used to be mentally deranged occasionally. When he was in such a state, his people used to keep him in a temporary shed close to his house, locked to a large wooden log Though he was angry with his folk for locking him to the log, he used to entertain neighbourhood children like me with folk songs,pranks and tricks. On some occasions he got himself free from the wooden log and then his sense of humour would make him play mischief, sometimes with disastrous consequences to neighbours and strangers.

On one such occasion, he appeared at the door of his neighbour Pappachan one early morning and woke him up. Pappachan was a bit startled, but tried to keep his cool and gently enquired what help he could do for him, but did not ask him anything about his escape, to avoid any unnecessary provocation.

Sankaran Pathiyan appeared to be in very good mood. He asked for some pan. While chewing and enjoying the pan and spitting out the blood-red mixture from his mouth, Sankaran Pathiyan asked,

" Pappachan chetta, could you please give me your hen coop. Anyway you have no need of it."

Pappachen could not accede to Sankaran Pathiyan's request. He wask keeping about a dozen egg-laying hens. He replied. "Sankaran pathiyan, sorry for not being able to help you.You know I have about a dozen hens. Where will I keep them without a coop."

Sankara Pathiyan replied, " Hey there are no hens in it.I just came by that way only."

Pappachan was now really concerned. He ran to the hen coop.. Sankaran Pathiyan was dead right. There were no hens in it, and none was to be seen anywhere nearby in the compound.

A diligent search showed that all the hens were killed and buried in a pit near Sankaran Pathiyan's shed. Killed by Sankaran pathiyan not out of hatred or revenge, but in his madness. And even in his raging madness, he did not lose his sense of humour!

Tamilnadu took land on lease from erstwhile Tavancore King, built a dam across Mullaperiyar river running entirely through Kerala, enjoyed its waters for 116 sixteen years for free, and when  Kerala seeks protection from a disaster resulting from a possible collapse of the old dam built with ancient technology,
instead of cooperating with Kerala and allaying the fears of the people living in the river valley, is kicking up passions by demanding annexure of Kerala lands to Tamilnadu.

Is our good neighbour Tamilnadu any different from my old neighbour Sankaran Pathiyan?
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