A real life story………….

by Sidhu,

As recently as fifteen years ago, Kaliappan and Amudhavalli from the neighbouring villages of Thiruvanamallai, a famous hill temple dedicated to Lord Arunachaleswarar and also in the caves of the hill the renowned saint Ramana Maharishi  had attained enlightenment, this  couple descended into Bangalore to clear the debts incurred due to the marriage of their daughter Kalai.

The middle aged couple who owned a small piece of land had to mortgage it to finance the first wedding in the family. The girl had to be given steel and brass vessels, a cot, a cupboard, a gold chain and earrings, clothes for the bridegroom and sarees for the bride.   The total cost of the entire wedding came up to less than fifteen thousand. But the hard times began for this family which had another half a dozen mouths to feed.

The man Kaliappan stood  at six feet ,broad shouldered…a perfect physique for the toughest jobs. From sowing to harvesting and saving on at least three to four hands, climbing the coconut trees to laying the roof of the house with palm fronds and several other tasks, the man had much pride and self respect. One incident that plummeted the fortunes of the family was the fall of this man from a treetop which fortunately did not disable him but the man lost his teeth and vigour and the traumatic experience left him an invalid for a long time to come.

The wife Amudhavalli continued to strive longer and harder, but to no avail…the problems mounted. A woman who once prided on her husband’s strength and physique, silently suffered the pain and ignominy of a man who could no longer recover his former self…respect nor pride.

It was then that they decided to seek newer pastures and what with failing rains, droughts. And with so many having sought fortune in Bombay they choose Bangalore as a safer and closer place for a relief uplifting in many ways – economic , social…..

They were open to construction work which didn’t require skills or expertise but just the strength to carry bricks and cement, balance well and walk with no insurance on their life. In a country that shows scant respect to human life…a couple of fatal accidents in the process is no big deal. A compensation package by the owner or the contractor will include the expenses of transporting the body and funeral and also maybe covert the helpless young widow burdened with little children.

Coming from a village that had a system however unfair to the hapless, there was fear of committing offenses and facing ostracization. They were answerable. But the story of this family that began with a purpose of repaying the loans incurred actually ends up losing its human dignity, in a place that gives work and money but takes away everything else…….economics learnt but morality unlearnt, money earned but dignity lost…….Kaliappan today at sixty years of age looks a hundred, toothless spent two decades on plain rice water while carrying bricks and cement the only occupation that he still continues to do. His children married have followed the father…..migrated and destination still unknown. His family consisting of four children, their spouses, grandchildren with no access to basic amenities, no house, no water, toilet nor bathroom and school have set out on a journey and God alone knows where they are headed.

A family that began an unknown expedition with innocence gets sucked into a world that manipulates and gets them to commit crimes of all nature….stealing, cheating, gambling,drinking, polygamy, adultery…..This story is the story of more than ninety percent of the migrant workers who come in search of a livelihood and end up selling their lives, their souls…..When the governments are blowing their trumpets over free primary education, free food and clothing…….other election bonanzas- TVs, subsidised food grains, housing etc in Tamilnadu it is shocking that villagers arrive in hundreds in search of construction work. When Karnataka or Bangalore in particular goes completely greenless the Government may give the green signal to these people to get out. I hope somebody out there addresses this issue before things get out of hand. What have these people done to themselves?