My (Ramanathan) childhood and youth stage

My Village - Arangotukara/Ezhumangad
I was born in father's house Chakkali Puthan Madham in Arangotukara/Ezhumangad village, in Thrissur District of Kerala State in India, on 20.6.1939. Up to upper primary (7th Standard) studied in the school of the village. The school is in the center of the village center on the main road and my house is about half kilo meter away. There is a rough path from the main road running down towards South. The main houses are on this rough path. This path doubles as a storm water drain during rainy season. There is a hill on the back side of the school from which all the water comes and flows through this rough path. In my school days there were no  umbrellas of the type found now. The umbrellas are made of bamboo sticks covered with palm leafs. When water is there in the rough path but no rain we keep the umbrella in the water in upside down position and keep the books in the same. the umbrellas will float in the water like a coracle. Of course we were also apprehensive of the possibilities of snakes being washed down in the water from the hill. Whenever a snake is spotted in the village the snake catcher will catch the snakes and put it in a mud pot, take the pot to the top of the hill and just throw it on the hill. The pot will break and the snakes will escape. Sometimes some of these may be found in the water.

High School study was done in a neighboring village by name Varavoor about 9 km from village.The only mode of conveyance at that time was by walk. There will be groups of students going to the school from my village and on the way may merge with other groups.  We used to have our pranks. This walk of 4 years of 9 km each way along with the god's grace has helped me to have a fairly normal health. I was a timid and a cowardly at the same time happy go lucky boy during my school days. From 11 -12 years of age, I formed an organization named as 'Balasamajam' at my village. I was not knowing how the institution came into being except that I had discussed with my school mates about the necessity to form a volunteer group to keep the village thorough fare clean especially during the village festival which was the Dussera festival of the local temple around September - October. Before the festival we clean the thoroughfare and decorate the temple for the festival. later we also clean the temple pond of the weed which almost covered the pond. I had also established a sports club by the name Union Sports Club. I got one radio (those days radios were just introduced and only the rich houses used to have radios) from the block development funds. Since no electricity was there in the village the set was working on battery system. As mentioned after the studies I went to Bombay (now Mumbai) and forgot about these. But when occasionally I meet someone who was present around those days used to mention about these and I used to get real pleasure.

College studies at Bombay

Immediately after study, I went to Mumbai for college studies. My elder brothers with lot of persuasions and pleadings made the principal of a very good college, the Ramnarayan Ruia (RR) College in Matunga. The principal was skeptical of my studies there after seeing the marks card and me. However he agreed probably only because of the earnestness of my brothers. I was just an average student and I had  not much concentration in academic studies. In the meantime there was an urgent call from father that one of us from Bombay should go to the village and help him in our business there. This was because of one of my brother who was attending to the business at the village went away from native place. Since I was not very keen on studies and my other brothers at Bombay were already employed, I agreed to go to native village to help father to run the business. I had done business for 2 years in the village. Business of provisions, textiles and stationary in the family building on the main road side. It was going on very well. But there was serious differences between me and my father. I formed a recreation club in the village with boys of my generation and were arranging tournaments with the neighborhood schools or sports clubs in foot ball, volley ball, ring tennis and physical games like running, high jump etc. Though I was mot spending money for this of my own except the general collections of small amounts occasionally as contributed by others, father felt that I was spending money from the business and my time. Generally he do not like playing. He is a very short tempered person with no tolerance. So I planned to go back to Bombay. In the meantime my elder brother who was looking after the business (shop - it was for his sake the shop was opened as he did not have much education).

My early employments

Accordingly I fixed up with my brothers at Bombay and went there by train. When my brothers letter came asking me to go over Bombay, father felt very bad as he did not anticipate my contacting Bombay and going back there. Within a week on coming to Bombay I had a walk interview which I attended and was selected on the spot. It was my first employment. The employer is a private company by name Rashtriya Metal Industries (also known as Binani Metal Industries) near to J B Nagar bust stop on the Andheri - Kurla Road near Chakkala, Andheri East a suburb of Bombay. My salary was Rs 100/-. As per the terms of appointment I was to be on probation and after completion of probation was to be given an increment of Rs 15. I was posted in their costing department. The department has to work the costing of the materials produced in the factory and work out the profit and calculate the incentive to workers on the basis of their contribution to the production and profit. My elder brother had bicycle which was lying idle and I was going to the work on the bicycle from Rajawadi to Andheri. Those days there were lot of dry and barren lands between Rajawadi and Kurla and there were kacha short cut path to Kurla - Saki Road. I used to take that rout e by cycle as it is not crowded and was also short cut. After about 4 - 5 months a batch of 5 - 6 freshers came to the office as apprentices. One of them a very nice boy of very good nature was attached to my work and I was giving the details about the work to him. He was a Marwadi boy. He gave me a photo of Lord Srinathjee.  The company agreed to pay Rs 150 to that boy. I felt bad and represented t the GM that the boy is learning work from me and while I was paid Rs 100, he is being paid Rs 150 which is not correct and I should be paid at least that amount. The G M  informed me that the boy was a relation of the MD one Mr Mundhra and I cannot compare his payment with mine. Then I decided to leave the job. I went for an interview for a job in a company by name M S Patel & Co near Saki Naka on the Andheri Powai Road and was selected  with a salary of Rs 150/-. I abstained from my previous employer and joined here. As per the appointment letter I have to complete 1 year of service or I have to give 1` month's notice to the employer. On the basis of that clause the first employer sent a registered notice to me. I had a friend there and he informed about it and suggested to that the letter should not be accepted. I requested my sister-in-law (I was staying with one of my brothers) to inform, the postman that I had to go to native place urgently. After 2 attempts they kept quiet. After about 2 - 3 months I went there and collected the balance amount due to me with out any problem.

In the second employment I was promised that I will be designated as assistant manger  and so many departments were t be attended by me under a Manager. I was working satisfactorily. It was a smaller factory cum office. I was also in charge of stores and stationary and hence I had contact with all the employees. we became close and I formed a welfare Association for cultural activities.  In this company also one of the relations of MD was brought in and part of my work was given to him. Then slowly all papers pertaining to my work also was being marked to him and he used to pass on to me. I went and protested to my boss the Manager who said that he is helpless and I can approach the MD. I spoke to the MD who appeared to be very nice and after listening to me promised that it was an oversight and will not repeat. He started marking my papers to me. After few days I again he started playing the trick. By that time I got an interview call from LIC where I had written test for employment and had passed in the test. Immediately after my leaving the company, the welfare association had joined the Union of one Shanthi Mehta which was if I remember correctly named as Hind Masdur Sabha (of the then PSP) and the employees went on an indefinite strike for their demands.

In the LIC interview I was selected and I joined LIC on the day I was to join after informing my present employer. I do not consider myself as a bright person. For my passing the test I am indebted to my immediate brother A  R Narayanan who had arranged for old test papers and answers solved that it was easy for me to pass the recruitment examination. In LIC I had a 3 month training (45 days theory and 45 days practice) and then 3 months probation. during training I was paid Rs 100 and on probation I was paid Rs 145 pm. Later the salary was raised several times and I got promotion to a higher cadre. In LIC there were two avenues through which one can expect promotions. One is the departmental tests and the other is the Insurance diploma examinations conducted by the Insurance Institute. I opted for the Insurance Institute route. Normally at that time in LIC to get one promotion on seniority used to take 15 to 20 years. The departmental examinations also just help to reduce the period of seniority. But Insurance Institute exams get immediate promotions and also increments in salary. The first examination of the institute is Licentiate examination. For this there is no promotion but one increment will be given. On passing the next examination, the Associate Examination  one can get 2 increments and promotion to the pre officer grade known at that time as Higher Grade Assistant. Next promotion is to Class I grade or Officers grade. I passed the Associate examination in 4 years and got the promotion immediately to the HGA cadre. I did not write the examination for passing or for promotion. I found some of my senior colleagues who were very good in their academic careers but were not able to pass the Institute examinations even after 3 or 4 attempts. Because the examinations are considered as tough many people do not attempt for the same but go to the departmental test route. I had a feeling that I should find out what is so tough in it. I appeared for the first examination and passed 2 subjects out of 3. By that time LIC started General Insurance department in addition to the life insurance business it as doing. LIC selected a batch of 15 employees for the new department and I was one of the 15. So instead of the failed life insurance subject I took one of the General Insurance subject. With this subject I appeared for one part of two of the next examination, the Associate examination and passed the subject of first examination and 2 out of 3 subjects of the part I examination of the Associate. Next I took the remaining subject of first part and the second part. I passed in the first part subject and 2 subjects of second part. Then I went for the first part of 3 parts of the next examination, the fellowship examination. I took leave for study which I had not done for earlier examinations. But as I was active in the Union activities, I could not concentrate in studies and was about cancel my leave and skip the exam. At that time one of my friend Mr Sriraman suggested to me not to cancel the leave and go over to his room in Matunga (a suburb of Bombay) and can have joint studies. Accordingly I used to go to his room. He used to read aloud and I used to listen. We used to discuss the lessons. I wrote the examination and I passed the same thanks Mr Sriraman who hails from the Trichy Thanjavur belt of Tamilnad. 

My Mother C S Seetha Ammal - a gentle and efficient lady

My Mother

My mother's name is Chenangad Subramania Iyer Seetha Ammal (C S Seetha Ammal). She was a mild and gentle person. She got married to my father when she about to be 13 yeas of age. My mother's childhood days girls used to get married between 11 and 13 years of age. She suffered lot of humiliation when the family was joint living together as joint family. My grandmother (father's mother), my uncle's (father's elder brother)  family and father's family were together. She being a mild and gentle person had to suffer for all misunderstandings and any deficiencies in the family. My aunt (uncle's wife) was very clever and used to escape all problems. The whole family was in poverty and were virtually living with the help of others as in those days Brahmins were treated piously. My father left for distant towns and started earning. Later when father made some money the family property was partitioned  and our family had a seperate house near to the ancestral house. The ancestral house is  called the Chakkali Madham and our house being later built is called as Chakkali Puthan Madham.

I was born in a backward village by name Ezhumangad in Palakkad district, which is bordering a village known as Arangotukara (Arangode) in Thrissur district. The portion of Ezhumangad village where my house is situated  is known by Arangode or Arangotukara only. During my childhood days there was no communication facilities like that of now. The only mode is letter which may take weeks and months depending on destinations. Urgent communication has to be done through telegrams. To send telegrams one has to go to far away towns of about 10 km. But the telegrams were identified with bad news like serious illness to the nearest or deaths.  Lighting source was the lantern and oil lamps. After 6 to 6.30p m no one could be seen out side of the houses.

I am the 6th child of my parents. All my elder brothers and sister were at Trichy or Madras (now known as Chennai). Father was at far away place named Parvathipuram in the then Srikakulam district of Andhra near the border to Orissa (present Odhisha) running his own hotel there. It might have taken 4 - 5 days to reach our village from there.

I being the eldest male member at home studying in primary and the high school, she had to manage the matters of the family. Of course there were servants to attend the out side work and father had a secretary to attend to other matters. Mother had to co-ordinate their activities. She had no education as at that time girls were not sent to school for studies and the parents do not wanted the girls to study.  Her marriage with took place when she was just 13 years old as in those days marriages of girls used to take place between 11 years and 13. Father used to send money sometimes by money orders and bulk he used to bring whenever he came t the village. He had bought paddy lands, horticulture lands and plot of about half an acre (where he built a commercial building) on the main road side near to market in addition to the house with its compound of about 1 acre. Whatever father earned and brought she managed diligently and helped father to increase the property or wealth. Though she was mild and gentle she was very efficient. Since father will be out of station for about 9 to 10 months in a year, maintaining the family and bringing up all the children during the school days were brought up by her almost single handedly.

Having had to suffer poverty and humiliation she used to be very generous to the poor. The workers and beggars will get sufficient food if they come during the lunch hours. During summer when it will be very hot, if some body ask for water, she will give water and buttermilk. After several years after her death people used talk about her as a food giver.

I am really proud of having born to such great lady.

Hearty Welcome to Arangotukara - Ezhumangad

This is a web site created to give information/news /events/messages between persons of the twin village of Arangotukara (Arangode)-Ezhumangad. It is for all of those who are interested to become part of this from the village. They may be in the village itself or at other places in India or in foreign countries.

The Village of Arangode-Ezhumangad

'Arangotukara' is a village in Thrissur district, Kerala state, India. But in reality the village 'Arangotukara' is a twin village consisting of two portions. One portion is known as Arangotukara (also as Arangode and Kizhkkumuri) which is in Thrissur District and the other portion is known as Ezhumangad (also as Padinhjattum muri). The infrastructures are divided between the two portions. These two portions are divided by a sub Road of the village running from a hill with the Desamangalam Rubber Estate in the North to the end of Arangotukara in the South. Right side of the road that is the East side is Arangotukara and the left is Ezhumangad. The main road of the area is a State Road connecting Shornur (a railway junction), Ottapalam (Thaluk head quarters), Palakkad town (District head quarters)and Thrissur (District headquarters) on one end to Kunnamkulam and Guruvayur on the other.

The Ezhumangad portion is under the Thirumittakode Panchayath, Ottapalam Thaluk under Palakkad District of Kerala State in India. This portion is having the Aided Upper Primary School of the village. This school is about 90 years old, founded by the late A R Krishna Iyer of Chakkali Madam. It is one of the best upper primary schools of Palakkad and Thrissur Districts. The Ezhumangad portion is having the Main shopping center of the twin villages. Ezhumangad (Padinhgattumuri) is having the Ezhumangad Mahadeva Kshethra (temple) and the Mullakkal Durga Devi temple. The Mahadeva temple is one of the oldest temples in the area. Sivarathri (night of Lord Siva) is the main festival of this temple. The Mullakkal temple is having the annual festival of 'Thalappoli' (a procession of ladies with traditional dresses carrying a plate with a lighted oil lamp with the accompaniment of Panchavadyam (an orchestra producing rhythmic sound)and Thayampaka ( a long drum played to produce rhythmic sound) an Oracle (Velichappadu - a male with long hair dressed with auspicious red color dress carrying a sword in right hand and chilambu - a brass hollow oval shaped ring with small balls inside which makes sounds when the balls move and the population of the village. The procession will follow the decorated elephants numbering about 1 5 to 30 depending on the availability). This procession starts from the Main temple of the Village in the Arangotukara portion known as Karthyayani Devi Temple to the Mullakkal Devi Temple. This portion of the village is having a library established in the year 1943 known as the Vidya Poshani (enhancing knowledge) Public Library with a reading room. This library got the award of the best library of the Palakkad District recently.

The Arangotukara portion of the Village is in Desamangalam Panchayath, Thalappilli Thaluk, Thrissur District, and Kerala State in India. The post office is in the Arangotukara portion. This portion is having one of the oldest rubber estates known as the Desamangalam Rubber Estate, Arangotukara. This portion also has the Karthyayani Temple near the South side and another temple known as the Thrikovil Ambalam (Sacred temple) to the North. The Karthyayani Devi Temple is dedicated to the goddess Durga with 2 festivals annually. One is the Dussarah festival lasting for 10 days during the period of Sept – October. The other one is Karthika deepam festival of one day. The Thrikovil Ambalam is dedicated to Narasimha Swamy (god with the head of a lion and body of a man) one of the incarnations of Lord Maha Vishnu. This temple pond (tank) known as the Thrikkai Kulam (sacred palm pond) is of about 2 acres in area. The legend is that this tank was made by the pressing of the palm of Sage (maharishi) Agasthyan or Ashtavakran.

The first top most executive of Press Trust of India (P T I)in independent India was the late Sri A S Bharathan who was from this village. His son, Raju Bharathan was a famous cricket commentator in the Illustrated Weekly of India (a Times of India news group). The P T I was a British owned news agency. The same was nationalized later.

This twin village of Arangode-Ezhumangad was very important village center for many villages around this place. People from these surrounding used to come here for their main provisions and clothing. The main road was an important road connecting various parts of Palakkad and Thrissur districts. Buses from Palakkad/ Coimbatore to Guruvayur were going through this Road. With the conveyance facility improvements and people of other villages also setting up trades in their villages, the commercial importance of this place was reduced.

This village used to have a Saturday Bazaar (sani aazcha chantha) in the compound next to the school on the left side. This was owned by late Kutti Kunjan Nair. People from near and far away villages used to bring their merchandise of vegetables, fruits, pulses, animals, household items etc for sale in the chantha.

However, after the election of EMS Namboothiripad, the 1st Communist and chief minister of India and 1st non Congress Chief Minister of Kerala, from Pattambi Constitution, he got a bridge built across the Bharatha Puzha. After this all major vehicular traffic was diverted via Pattambi and the number of vehicle plying through this place was reduced considerably.