Skinny dippers beware: Clever Fish Population hides in the pond

Skinny dippers beware: Pond has curious Fish

In the summer of 1967, as a young geologist, I camped in Muthalamada, S.India, in a large house given to us on gratis, along with buddy Kannan Nair (who later joined Oil Company). We used to go for an extended and relaxing bath later in the evening in a pond right in the middle of a large patch of paddy field. Thanks to the tour of duty.

We chose the bath time as later hours of the day for multiple reasons, one we will be practically alone in the pond where I enjoyed skinny dip and two the local folks of men, women and children would have done with their turn of bath after a long day of work or rest. In other words it is an air of peace, calm and quietude. Sky light was aplenty. There is yet another more valid reason to do so because our dinner will not be ready before 8 pm.

Rightly or wrongly we never took a flash light and only light were the skylight. Especially the low relief terrain of Muthalamada had a wide and expansive horizon all around. My buddy Nair and I were totally unconcerned about how we bathed in the veil of low or dim light of the dusk. On the first day itself before the first skinny dip, Nair warned me of the fish attempting to peck on the manly icon. I guessed that this man apparently had such encounters earlier while bathing in river water.

I was, at that age, very curious and ready to experiment with anything in life, if there was no threat to my life. We swam across the small pond in the chill waters saw fish and even water snakes either blocking our way in the water or avoiding us. Nair wanted me to avoid the water snake as one has to take rest for 24hr, and skip meals if bitten by the water snake.

I stopped the swim came out of water to get copiously lather my body, both reachable and hard to reach spots, with a white cake of “Lux” soap. While I was bend down and doing the lathering, Nair jumped out of water nearly screaming, which put me in a fix. On enquiry he said he was pecked by fish on the top of his nearly frozen icon which threw him into jitters. And he also announced that he is finished with the bath and would wait for me on the shore.

I had a big laugh by the fish story because; I too had gone through it earlier on some occasions while bathing in the local pond in my hometown. Most of the time I took it sportively as it was quite harmless. Yet I agreed to finish the bath quickly and sort of flooded all over my body with water by doing squats in waist deep water – sort of jigging. The first dozens did not attract any rogue fish to my icon though. Soon they started attacking the head of icon which to tell you the truth I enjoyed. I am not sure whether I polluted the waters or served a desert for the fish.

On our way back to our camp-home I told Nair that enjoyed the pecks which led to a plateau. To my luck the pond did not have any large fish. It always kept me wondering how the women folk in spite of the bright anatomy escaped fish pecks in this pond or ponds elsewhere.

I am not sure if you ever had a fish attack.

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Thrivikramji in Wichita State University & in Belize

Thrivikramji in Belize (Former British Honduras)

An award of a Fulbright PD fellowship in Aug. 1989, took me to the Geology Department in the Wichita State University (WSU). My immediate host was Bill Full – a Bob Erlich Student from South Carolina State University, who was perhaps the brightest among the third line of mathematical geologists. In fact it was my request to Bob Erlich to permit me to enjoy the PD award in CSU with him, made the door open for me to WSU and with Bill Full. Wichita is in the southern edge or border of Kansas state known for tornados and blizzards. To my own surprise when I landed in Wichita and in the department I realized that my own MS thesis advisor Prof Dan Merriam also was in the faculty at WSU. Interestingly I never saw Dan and Bill even exchanging salutations to each other. Some behavior I thought was only India specific. Yet, the bottom line is that Dan was very much instrumental in university’s hiring Bill as Assistant Professor. Duane Eppler, a contemporary at Syracuse with me, was also a good friend of Bill. Both were groomed into two dimensional shape analyses by Enrlich in the SCSU.

AT WSU, I had a golden opportunity to learn and practice the art of edge digitizing of the grain images under a microscope, so that the data set could be used as input in a unmixing algorithm based software to discriminate the environment and sources (?) of sand samples based on the particle shape. I had a very nurturing stay in WSU and in the town of Wichita. Wichita sits over a landscape reflecting the basement folds or plains type folding special to Kansan Geology. The Friday evening sessions in the Petroleum Club across the street from the main gate of the university –rather the gate closer to the Geology & Geography building, truly gave an occasion to unwind, rewind and relax over a pitcher of Beer or two. Surprisingly, my friend Bill was a teetotaler, yet he gave a good company for me over his favorite club soda.

My hostel, arranged by Bill, was in another edge of the campus and closer to the Boeing Lab., and had a roofed swimming pool attached to it. I had routinely my lunch at the cafeteria while the other two meals I had in my apartment. Oatbran cereal with skim milk and handful of raisins, juice and milk was sumptuous and indeed mouth watering even these days. When I came back home to Trivandrum, India and checked my cholesterol it was surprisingly only 163 m/dl. See the way the bran cereal enabled that low number.

One Friday, Dan drove me to Univ. of Kansas and especially to Kansas Geological Survey to see face to face John Clement Davis the director of the survey then. We started driving at about 6 am in the morning and before hitting the highway had a breakfast at a truck stop. The breakfasts in the truck stops are only one of the coziest things you may enjoy. But for the fellow truckers, the menu is quite long and attractive. We got to the U of K campus around 9 am. And Dan and me walked straight into John’s office. After the preliminaries, I wanted to go about the multi storey complex that housed the KGS. The office once used by Dr Raymond Moore (remember the Moore of Moore, Lalicker and Fisher-Paleontology text), even that day and now should be standing out there as a living memorial for that great paleontologist. I saw the museum, library and a series of laboratories housed in the complex. In fact the Dept of Geology & Petroleum Geology of the U of K shares the expertise from the Kansas Geol Survey too - A nicest arrangement beneficial to newer generations of Geoscience students.

During fall break, on invitation I joined the team led by Bill to Belize for geological foot work, in central America. Belize formerly known as British Honduras, is a wonderful patch of tropical land (a British colony and a destination for deported convicts from India), with quite a bit of Indian community mainly from north India. The waves of both Pacific and Atlantic Ocean lashed the beaches- more so by the Atlantic. The warm and calm sea on either side attracted hordes of Canadian and American Tourists every summer. The tourist dollar was the primary revenue for the state and provided several thousand mandays of work for the natives- generally colored people.

The warm, clear and calm waters also offered an idyllic setting for the luxurious growth of coral reefs as barrier reefs and patch reefs protecting the back shore from the occasional fury of the rogue seawaves. Our cruises in the tidal creeks crisscrossing the vast stretches of mangroves bordering the wetlands and provided a closer view of the exotic plants and animals and fish life in the waters of the wetland. The giant Food companies of US has their Banana plantations (may be others too) here in Belize. For the first time in my life I saw the high degree of care given to the banana gardens and banana bunches by the profit oriented farming company. All operations A-Z are scientific and hence they could repeatedly get bumper harvests and perhaps bumper profits.

The villages along the backshore had houses (most of the time entirely built of timber) standing on the stilts to allow a storm surge to pass by and under without damaging the property and possessions of the home dwellers. A technology to emulate but we in Kerala never do so. We, Indians, are rather technology unsavy.

The weeklong stay in Belize took us from the south to north. The landscape was dotted with very large sinkholes, as the bed rock here happened to be limestone. The solution activity by the carbonated rain water spanning over millions of years have created very large sinkholes. But this did not deter the tropical forest trees to re-establish in and along the edges of such spectacular sinkholes.

In fact, we had hired two Samurai jeeps to cover the area we wanted to cover. The food was exceptionally fantastic- loaded with sea food and Hotels reasonably priced and neat and clean. Shops and shopping malls were not that impressive. The locally sourced “dead” coral stone from the depths of the ocean is carved and shaped into beads to make ornaments of dark green colour. I did buy a garland and ear drops for my wife any way. The price was so cheap that it tempted any American visitor to fall over it.

We on returning from Belize, landed in Huston International Airport. I had a hell of a time in the immigration as the officer denied my entry to USA, as my visa had originally stamped for a one time entry. However, I had a visa stamped later in Belize for a second entry. This did not correctly register with the man. Other members of the team walked away, after Bill giving me his credit card to use just in case I had to sleep in the airport hotel, to the gate to catch a flight to Wichita. Luckily for me yet another immigration official went over to a telephone contacted the desk in Department of state (it was a sunday though), Washington DC for a brief talk, and then he walked toward me with a broad smile to shake my hand. He led me through the door to USA and I ran to the gate 10 (roughly one hundred meters) to catch the flight with the rest of the crew from WSU.

My stay in Wichita lasted till the 3^rd week of Dec. 1989 so that I will have a taste of nearly less snowy but high blizzard prone winter in Wichita. However, you should know that on a bad blizzard day, you better stay indoors and not try going out unless you had at least four layers of warm clothing to beat the cold and spiked by the windchill factor. The day I left Wichita was so cold that the jet engines of the twin engine Boeing aircraft refused to turn over. The engine was dead frozen in the cold. But the air port has truck mounted hotair blowers to warm the cowling and the engine. This little giant helped to start the plane and we a team of just nine passengers took off to Kansas city – the hub.

I landed in JFK domestic terminal enroute to Connecticut to spend time with them during Christmas of 1989. It is the Dr Jose family and Dr. Roy Chacko’s brother in law- a MRI specialist working for the local VA Hospital system – perhaps the only system totally federally funded and run. I had a comfortable stay with the Joes. Joes mom was staying with them and she made puttu for me. I joined the celebrations in the local church and home. They lived in a million dollar home set in a two acre wooded lot. On the 29^th of Dec 1989, they saw me off at the JFK. I came back home fully realizing that the infrastructure was not available in the University of Kerala to continue to practice or preach what received a specialized training in. But the exposure to new technology was a great newer input into the armory of my knowledge. I rejoined the Dept. of Geology on the Jan 1, 1990.

thrivikramji@gmail.com

Kerala Construction Sand-reservoir sourcing flops

Reservoir sand extraction flops

Gladdening news that Thomas Issac informed the house of Kerala Assembly in the Q&A session today was the dismal performance of the mission launched to win sand from the reservoirs of Kerala to supplement the need by the EMS housing scheme to start with. In fact, a geologist like me, knew better that this mission of the Issac-Rajendran duo will fail ultimately. Either these chiefs were incorrectly briefed by the concerned directorates, or they made an attempt to overestimate the human decidedness over the basic tenets of science.

Well it is high time that we as a society pay little more heed to the science rather than to emotion or blind enthusiasm. The administrators are only a slice of the society at large and hence the scientifically unsound decisions mirror the IQ of the society. I am sure that the entire society need not be blamed; instead the sycophants are to be put under limelight.

The rock weathering is the process that generates sand and the rock in general has less than 27 percentage points of quartz which goes into making of the sand. An to convert a meter thick layer of rock in our tropical climate takes a pretty long time of close to a million years.

Another “blunder” is in the anvil. It was announced in the house today – decision to recover sand from the Akulam-Veli kayal in the NWern suburb of Trivandrum. The suction dredging or whatever type of dredging to win sand will be futile to the ecosystem of the Kayal and the sand will be substandard as it will be laced with sea-salt, and perhaps with a modal size of 0.5 mm or less and will not be a graded sand desired by the construction industry.

Hence let us stand warned: Laws of nature are inviolable, but they may be modulated. Respect Gaia.

thrivikramji@gmail.com

Friedman write in NY times blog about the state of education in the US, which is a picture of the ground reality over there and what other countries should be doing. There are several examples of the appalling state of school education in the US. This might turn out to be a shock to the future of techno hegemony of the US.

The same thing is valid for countries like India where we are concerned about the numbers and not of the quality. Friedman says what is needed in quality education is a skill set of communication, working in groups and basic grasp of the matter. It is possible only if the kids at home devote more time to the homework and less in front of LCD TV and the computer games.

The toppers among the countries regarding school education are Singapore, S Korea and Finland. In these countries the teachers come from the top one third of the graduating class.

The students are good but the teachers are not very good.

It is time for us Indians to think about such systemic changes in education. Like what is followed in US like Teach For America, where the graduate students, with a fellowship take out one year from the university and go to schools across the country to teach subjects in which they have outstanding skills and aptitude.

Initial opposition from the teachers unions gradually evaporated and now it is like peace core equivalent of educating t he highschool kids. Let India waste not time.

World Toilet Day

Did you know to day Nov 21, 10 is world toilet day and this years slogan is squat for five minutes for ease and joint health, Try squats ever day and win over the joint pain. Luck to you all,.

But keep in mind one thing. There are more mobile phones in the country than toilets.

JCB&HARVESTOR in place of Sickle & Hammer

Commies adopt JCB&HARVESTOR in place of Sickle & Hammer.

Our comrades have been using the red flag decorated with a sickle and hammer symbol – a signature of the camaraderie with the farm and factory workers. All along the history the commies struggled to uphold this vision and fought for the rights and aligning with the working class in the farms and factories legitimizing the symbol.

However the iconic symbol in the redflag, continuing till to day without any change, is oblivious of the extinction or near absence of the blues collar factory hand or the brown collar farm hand; ironically representing and exhibiting the absent or non-existent. Equally outmoded and anachronistic are the slogans even today recited by the commies in their protest rallies.

In fact, the right wing commmies are still in the pit of farm sector and as a consequence they continue with the sickle and bunch of fronds with grains. But now the farms have dwindled along with the sickle holding farm harvesting hands. So are the factories and factory hands, where the sledge hammer and hammer no longer are needed and instead magnetic and mechanical hammers and robots rule the factory and shop floor. Instead of men robots have come into the factory shop floor. Therefore I sincerely feel and request the left commies that in the next party congress the new symbols like HARVESTER&JCB should be considered for replacing the current symbols of sickle and hammer. Otherwise the Indians born after 1990’s will not heed to or rally for the leftists views and calls.

Truly, the right wing comrades better not worry about their iconic symbols. As they have not come out of the farm land yet, both physically and philosophically, as indicated by the current symbols, their day has dawned when the only reminders of the right wingers will be in the pages of history books but not in the minds and hearts of living humans.

The moral of the story is that the commies have become an endangered species and even Mr Jayram Ramesh has no magic bullet to help them.

thrivikramji@gmail.com

DREDGING SAND IN AKULAM KAYAL

DREDGING SAND IN AKULAM KAYAL

THRIVIKRAMJI@GMAIL.COM

As part of the Malayalam news bulletin, an interesting report with visuals of piled up sand was on the screen of my TV in the Kairali channel this morning at 7:00 am. I saw the blue and striped kurta wearing image of Thomas Issac also somewhere along. The voilce over said about 1 laks tons of sand now recovered as part of the program of cleaning the Kayal. This sand dredging or recovery of construction sand was part of the project launched by the Travancore cements or someone like them. There is also a plan in Thiruvallom too to go for dredging.

1. Only point I want to bring to public notice is that the sand pile in Akkulam and that might come up in Thiruvallam are part of ancient beach deposits. In fact the google earth image I am attaching will add science to my sentences. Once up on a time our seashore in Trivandrum was like to the east of Attukal Temple, Thampanoor, Pettah, Anayara and toward north further, i.e., far inaland of the modern shoreline. The Veli Hills (ridge) formed the northern boundary of the embayment, while the southern boundary of this “bay” was along the Thiruvallom Hills, whose northern edge of the latter is skirted by the Kaimanam Thiruvallom road. The drainage course were also active in that deeper time.

2. As time went by like around 4000 -4500 years ago, the sea reached the present position by a relative fall in the sealevel converting the entire bay like area into land. The Akkulam kayal is the channel for the drainage from the hinterland of Trivandrum (most of the present city) and the monsoon discharge maintained the channel that is cut through the ancient fill of sea or beach sand.

3. When the co-op bank building, east of “Padmatheerthom”, foundation was tested, before construction of the structure, some kind of drilling was employed to get samples of the substrate and it so happened a piece darkgray clay sample, recovered from the boreholes, landed on my office desk, for verification of the sediment type. But what also attracted my attention was the presence of foraminiferal tests – fossils of a marine micro-organism. To me it was the sure hint for the existence of western sea behind the Eastfort Bust Station. A s geologist, I will extend that sea to all the land at the elevation of Eastfort bus stand.

4. When the TTP wanted an extra source/supply of water the CGWB (Central Ground Water Board) was requested for help, who advised sinking of two large diameter wells in their campus at Veli. The exploratory work revealed presence of a thin limestone layer in the TTP compound to the western side of the Kochuveli Train station. This is a “smoking pistol” in so far as the presence of the western sea inside the modern land area in coastal Trivandrum. In fact, between the headlands formed by the Veli Hills of VSSC to the north and the Thiruvallom Hills in the south, there existed a large bay like extension of the modern sea, which gradually got filled in with sea and beach sediments. However, the drainages along the Akkulam kayal and the Karamana ar continued to exist and were maintained by the monsoon discharge from the land area in the east. This patch of todays land and some water courses, is in fact a reservoir of 1000s of millions of beach sand, which geoscientists will designate as ancient beach alluviam.

5. Say 4000-4500 yr ago B(efore)P(resent), the Akulam kayal basin and Karamana ar mouth were somewhere far landward of the modern shoreline, which gradually migrated toward the modern shoreline, through and over a substrate of beach sand brought in by the waves and currents of the western sea. Therefore we can dredge and get sand from the shallow waters, and if dredged somewhat deeper we will also come across the limestone reported by the CGWB from the TTP compound. As one went deep into landward the limestone has changed or “morphed” in to marine fossil bearing dark-gray shale (shale is a fine clay rich rock) that appeared in the subsurface underneath the co-op bank building at the East fort.

6. So what is the point of this note. Firstly it is no surprise to have hit the mother lode of sand. The geohistory has it that way. Secondly it is not construction grade coarser sand instead it is medium to fine beach sand and in fact ancient beach sand. Further, the volume of shell and shell fragments in the sand may be deleterious for the proposed end use.

7. I am unsure whether or not any mandatory clearance of any sort is required for changing the bottom-scape or bottom topography of the Akkulam kayal, which has a shoreline richly endowed with several important mangrove plant species. Once the kayal bed is deepened by dredging and removal of sediment, the shore sediment at equilibrium with the original kayal floor will get disturbed and the only means of reestablishing a new equilibrium will be by subaqueous slumping which will affect the modern shoreline and everything practically living attached to the shore sediment. The mangroves are no exception to this law of nature.

8. I am not sure if any scientific outfit of the government ever gave clearance for this sort of dredging sand from the kayal or river bed. The scientific approval is important in issues like this, unlike the so called administrative approvals where the scientific input is limited to the science of paper making and the software.

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MADE TODDY AND ANTIQUE GOVT POLICY

MADE TODDY AND ANTIQUE GOVT POLICY

thrivikramji@gmail.com

It is time for the general public to assail the state’s policy of the distribution of several lakhs of rupees to the members of the affected families soon after the strike of a spurious liquor or made toddy tragedy resulting in loss of life, blinding or maiming.

In fact, instead of piping out the tax payer’s money from the coffers of the state, the concerned dealer or contractor has to be made responsible for the tragic deaths and they should be made to pay off the compensation fixed by govt.

I suggest some other alternatives. For e.g., look at the third party insurance in respect of motor cars/lorries etc. It is a process that is time tested and well run all over the world. There is an analogy here. The compensation can come out of an insurance of some sort paid for by the promoter of the toddy/liquor business.

Think of this one. There is already a toddy tappers welfare fund. What about a toddy drinkers welfare fund of some sort. Think outside of the box. The ministers can only offer wads of currency to the families of the diseased and suffering victims. It is for the rest of the society to think in terms of containing the risk and reducing the risk due to some evil minded trader of spurious toddy/liquor making quick money.

Or this one too, i.e., some sort of a group insurance scheme offered by the dealer to the drinkers. The life of toddy drinkers must stand insured against an event of tragic and accidental death due to consumption of spurious toddy or liquor. The financial aid will come to the rescue of the survivors of the family from the insurance company. The trader will pay the insurance cover anyway. Something like an insurance cover we buy before we board a flight. Here instead of the buyer, the seller will have to pay for the insurance.

I would also go to the extent of suggesting introduction of a billing system carrying the name and address of the buyer so that in the event of a tragic end, the buyer and seller are easily located to settle the claims. It is also a mechanism by which more income tax payers can be brought under the tax net.

Our police department once a while posts large bill boards listing death statistics on the roadside to remind the drivers about the risks human life is exposed to in the highways and other roads. Why not a similar system of display in all the shops trading liquor and toddy loudly and boldly announcing the number of deaths or maiming due to sale and consumption of spurious toddy/liquor.

Similarly how about executing a written undertaking by the dealer/contractor stating that in the event of a death due to the consumption of the stuff sold by the dealer in one or other of his outlets, he will promptly pay off the compensation to the victim’s dependents and at the rate fixed by the government from time to time.

Such a revolutionary thinking needs to be introduced to save the lives of some citizens as well as to secure the future of the affected families. If the govt can make money out of the sale of business rights for a decent fee why not measures such as the above or any others better than these to avoid the tragedies in future.

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Toddy Tragedy:Malappuram, India

The surprising thing to me about the Chittur area of Palkkad Dist is the profuse source of toddy resident either on the surface or on the subsurface there. The Regulating f agenfcy designated for movement of toddy is the excise department. In fact they issue permit for moving toddy from Chitrtur any other part of the state.

What I am blank about is the source of toddy, the off take volume per day, number of trees that are harvested for toddy. In fact, there is a system of keeping a tab on the number of trees tapped and the book keeper is the excise department of the state.

Luckily, if investigated one would find a correlation between the off take and use in Chittur on the one hand and the number of trees designated for tapping toddy by the government agency. After all even the gods open their mind and eyes at the sight of wads of currency note.

In such a society, what about the mortals who work for the government. What is needed to investigate is the beeline of beneficiaries out of the made toddy in the district.

After all the government pays away Rs.65 lakhs per live lost. But the money comes from the exchequer just like the pay and salaries of the government employees.

The memory is absolutely short and until the next tragedy lands people involved will go about freely doing their ways of doing things.

In fact the made toddy saved the govt from the lottery scam.

The Minister in charge Gurudasan found a solace in the fact that TN has 6000 shops doing the business while Kerala has far fewer and statistically Kerala record is better than what TN has.Three cheers for the minister for this achievement.t

Thrivikramjis Darsan Costumes as Maveli

Prof C Karunakaran keenly following a speaker on a Wednesday AN seminar, CESS Hall, 1981 Also seen are LtoR: Dr.KK Ramachandran, Dr.S.K.Ghosh, and rest of the crowd

MsSebastian, TKP & GDN

Doyens of Geology of Kerala II: Prof.K.K.Menon

This year (2003) is very special to geoscientists (whether they be in academia or in the professional outfits under the union or state), in that it was in 1953 June, a relatively young and US educated (Yale University, New Heaven, Connecticut,USA) Prof. K.K. Menon, enrolled the first batch of B.Sc. students in the erstwhile Maharajas College (now the University College), Trivandrum.

Before coming over to the Geology Dept in the University College, Prof. Menon was the Chief of Division of Mineral Survey and Research of the Central Research Institute of theUniversity of Travancore. Sri (late) CV Paulose, K.P.Ramachandran Nair and Shri K.V.Krishnan Nair also served in the Division of Mineral Survey for varying terms and capacities.

Prof. Menon continued to preside over the Geology Department until June, 1963 and then moved over to the Department of Geology of the University of Kerala, built on the core resources of the Div. of Mineral Survey and Research, which till then had the stewardship of Shri.K. V. Krishnan Nair.

Prof. Menon retired as the founder professor of Geology, in the University of Kerala in Oct. 1979. He was a founder member of the Geological Society of India (Bangalore) and the Mineralogical Society of India (Mysore). In addition, he also served in the various academic bodies of this university and others in the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh Prof. Menon also served as the Dean, Faculty of Science of the University.

During his long tenure as an educator and educationist, several scores of students benefited from his personal disposition, reputation and scholarship; innovative teaching style and unceasing and sincere encouragement he offered to his students. Many of his students have reached the far corners of the world in both hemispheres, as well as in the senior echelons of the professional and administrative pursuits.

Prof. Menon’s primary research interest was focused on the recent and modern sediments of the southern Kerala and parts of Tamil Nadu. Even in the early fifties he had focused on the signatures of paleoclimate from the attributes of sediments, i.e., Teris. His contribution in the area of low temperature Geochemistry of Pyrite as well as stratigraphic relation of the Quilon and Warkalli series, though seminal in character later spawned new ideas like two periods of lateralization.

He was associated with the Geological Society of India and the Mineralogical Society of India (by serving in the executive councils).- the premier professional organizations of geoscientific community in India.

After retirement from the university service in Oct.31, 1979, he followed a lifestyle amply fitting a contented and scholarly person, leaving the geological arena to the younger generation of professional and academics. He passed away after a brief illness in10-6- 1998. He is survived by his wife and two daughters and a son and several grand children..

I am sure that the venture by GOSAN to organize biannual commemoration lectures by eminent geoscientists bears fruit in some moments from now. Our distinguished speaker is a very well know son of India, Prof. T.M.Mahadevan, Director (Rtd.) Atomic Mineral Division, and Government of India.

Prof. K.K. Menon

Born: Sept. 26, 1919

Education:

School: Govt. Model High School, Trivandrum

College : B.Sc. (1941) Presidency College, Madras

: Colorado School of Mines, Boulder, Colorado, 1945

Transferred to Yale University : M.S., (1947) Yale University, New Heaven, Connecticut

Career:

Asst. Geologist, State of Travancore, 1942

Acting Geologist, State of Travancore

Senior Research Assistant, 1947, Travancore Univ.

Assistant Professor (1953), University College, Travancore University.

Reader & Head (1963), Dept. of Geology, Univ. of Kerala, Trivandrum

Professor & Head (1968), Dept. of Geology, Univ. of Kerala, Trivandrum

Served as Dean of faculty,

Retired, 31 Oct. 1979.

(Contributor: thrivikramji@gmail.com)

Posted by Prof.Thrivikramji K.P. at 10:34 AM

DOYENS OF GEOLOGY OF KERALA,I: I.C.Chacko

DOYENS OF GEOLOGY OF KERALA,I: I.C.Chacko

DOYENS OF GEOLOGY OF KERALA, I: Chev. I.C.Chacko, (1876 to May 27, 1966) The State Geologist, Director of Industries & Author (A brief biographic sketch) The need for profiling of mineral resources of Kerala is ancient and classical as the days of sovereign state of Travancore- the present core of Kerala state. A quick scrutiny of the accessible records of the state concretely vouches for the mineral inventorying activities carried out by the state Geologists like Chev. I.C.Chacko (under aegis of the Industries department and in the absence of a separate Department of Mines and Geology). Chev.I.C. Chack was borne in 1876 in Pulinkunnu, Kuttanad and had his early education in Govt. English High School Alappuzha (1887-93), and followed by St. Ephrems High School Mannanam,(1894-95). Immediately after school, he joined “Deepika” as sub-Editor, Deepiksa (1894-95). Later he moved to Trivandrum for studies in the HH the Maharajas University College, Trivandrum (1895-99) where he studied also Sanskrit as one of the language courses. On graduation from the college, Mr. Chacko had a short stint (1899-01) as the Headteacher, Leo XIII High school, Alappuzha, In the following year, quest for higher education took this young man to the Imperial College of Science and Technology, Univ. of London (1901- 1906) and studied Physics as one of the subjects. He also qualified to be an Associate of Royal School of Mines, 1906. On his return to India and Travancore, Mr. Chacko was appointed as the State Geologist, Travancore state (1906-31) and finally elevated to the position of the Director of Industries in 1921, and continued in the position till 1931.

Geological Magazine (Decade VI), Volume 3, Issue 10, October 1916, pp 462-464 a renowned journal carried a research article by Mr. I.C.Chacko On Cordierite from Thiruvalla, which later became a highly researched topic in Kerala Geology. The abstract of this paper is as below. Cordierite was first found in Travancore at Teruwulla (lat. 9° 22′ N. and long. 76° 37′ E.) in a kind of diorite. In the hand-specimen the mineral appears as violet patches and spots. Monazite, magnetite or ilmenite, garnet and biotite with probably a little hornblende, occur in association with it. In the sections the mineral is found to contain numerous globular inclusions which are surrounded by pleochroic halos. The larger of these may be identified as monazite under the microscope. The mineral is itself pleochroic, light vibrating in the direction of the axis of mean velocity (Y) showing a pronounced violet tint. When light vibrates in other directions the plates do not show any distinct colour, but a faint yellow tint may be observed in some plates. When light vibrates in the direction of the Y axis the pleochroic halos round the inclusions disappear and assume the violet tint of the crystal plate. Cordierite is supposed to occur usually in metamorphosed sediments, and the pleochroic halos are regarded as due to the presence of organic impurities. But a sedimentary origin is out of the question in the present case. It is held by some that pleochroic halos are due to the presence of radio-active substances. I kept an Ilford Empress photographic plate exposed in a dark box to a crushed sample of the mineral for more than twelve hours, but on development the plate did not show any indication of having been affected by the mineral. In addition, Chev. I.C. Chacko was a great grammarian and much respected linguist. His 1956 publication “Paniniya Pradyotam (Light on Panini’s grammer) earned him the Sahitya Academy Award. The Kerala Shaithya Academy also had instituted a I.C. Chacko award in his honour to be given away to a creation in Malayalam and falling under interest Mr. Chacko. In the later years of the Travancore state and founding of the University of Travancore (1936?), but in the colonial days, a Division of Mineral Survey & Research wing was founded to further the mapping and research on the geological resources of the state, while the dutuies of exploration and licensing vested with the Department of Industries, which later evolved into the Directorate of Geology – an independent entity under the government. The Division of Mineral survey and research that continued in the University of Kerala (founded in 1957?) by June, 1963, transformed itself to the present Dept. of Geology, University of Kerala. This year, the Department plans to hold a scientific session/s to commemorate one of the early fathers of geological profession in the state:

Labels: Chev. I.C.Chacko

(Compiled by: Dr.Thrivikramji.K.P.)

Doyens of Geology of Kerala- III V.C JACOB

Doyens of Geology of Kerala- III

V.C JACOB

A Hydrogeologist Par excellence

Vadakkethu Chacko Jacob (born on May 12, 1929) of Kuriyannoor, Thiruvalla (Kerala), after completing School education locally, enrolled in the Benares Hindu University to finally earn the degree of M.Sc (in Geology) in 1952.

Subsequently Mr. Jacob, served the Sereguddin & Co as a geologist (from November 1952 to October 1953) in Keongjahar District, Orissa, to help the company in establishing an iron ore mine and also carried out geological field investigations in the adjoining districts for locating commercial iron ore and chromite deposits.

Later, in October 1953, Mr. Jacob joined the Geological Survey of India as a Geological Assistant, and worked initially in the petrological laboratory. As part of the GSI’s exploration work, he assisted his senior colleagues in exploratory drilling operations in the coal fields of Bihar, to locate and assess the underground coal seams.

Mr. Jacob’s promotion in Oct. 1954 as Assistant Geologist and posting in the Ground Water Division of G.S.I to work in Ferozpore District of Punjab (till March 1955), offered an opportunity to take a closer look at the problems of water-logging, caused chiefly by surface water irrigation in the district. In the years that followed (i.e. till 1960), he was associated with the exploratory drilling under Ground Water Exploration Programme in the Narmada and Tapti valley alluvial tracts, as well as in parts of the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana.

On promotion as Geologist (May 1960), Mr. Jacob continued to serve in the Ground Water Exploration Programmes of GSI in Saurashtra and Gujarat regions. He also worked in the hot spring areas of Bihar during this period. Till 1962 he was attached to the GSI headquarters in Patna, in the Bihar Circle. Systematic geological mapping of the Bhagalpur District of Bihar was one of his notable contributions during this period.

In November 1962, Mr. Jacob, on promotion as Senior Geologist, was posted in the newly formed Kerala Circle of GSI, at Trivandrum, along with other senior officers, viz., Dr.M. R. Subramanyam, T. M. Mahadevan and K. V. Poulose. During the tenure in the Kerala Circle (1962 to March 1969), he was associated with the systematic geological mapping of Quilon District. Other contributions of V.C Jacob during the period included the geological study of Mica Belt of Punalur, mapping and exploration of graphite resources of Vellanad area of Trivandrum District, and demarcation of semiprecious / gemstone belt occurring in the Taluks of Nedumangad and neighbouring ones in the Trivandrum District. Yet another remarkable contribution of V.C Jacob during this time was the indisputable identification of rock types, referable to the Khondalite Group for the first time in Kerala.

There was a climatic extreme, i.e. a severe drought situation, during April 1969 to August 1969 all over India, and V.C Jacob was called back to the Ground Water Division of GSI. During this time, he carried out the ground water survey of Kasaragod Taluk of Kerala. Soon afterwards, a separate Ground Water Division was established in Kerala and he carried out ground water mapping of the state, along with a couple of officers. Ground water survey of the entire Lakshadweep Group of Islands during 1969-71 was another commendable work of Mr. Jacob.

From March of 1971 till 1975, Mr. Jacob, on deputation to the Kerala State Government service as the Chief Hydrologist and in the newly established Ground Water Department, organized a laboratory, procured drilling equipments for exploratory work, designed a technical program for implementation, and above all recruited and trained a number of junior officers as hydrogelogists. The immediate outcome was exploratory drilling, development and construction of numerous tube wells in state government farms and for farmers, who badly needed to augment their available water resources with ground water.

In 1975, Mr. Jacob assumed charge of the newly formed Kerala unit of CGWB, in Trivandrum. In the same year, on direction from New Delhi, Mr. Jacob went to the Maldives to study and assess the ground water conditions of a number of islands and recommended rainwater harvesting programmers to meet their mounting water requirements. On conclusion of this assignment, he continued to serve in Kerala till 1977, with ground water programmes and training a number of junior officers.

In 1977, Mr. Jacob was deputed to WAPCOS (Water and Power Consultancy Services), Government of India. In April 1977, he was deputed to Nigeria for a period over five months, to carry out ground water investigations in the three states of that African country. He, in that capacity, advised the Nigerian government on the construction of tube wells, as an effective solution to overcome the severe problems associated with drinking water scarcity.

Later, he was posted in Hyderabad, as Regional Director of CGWB (Central Ground Water Board) and during this tenure Mr. Jacob guided and oversaw the departmental activities of CGWB in the four southern Indian states.

In April 1980, Government of India selected Mr. Jacob for an assignment in Philippines, to study the ground water conditions of the Mindanao Island, and make technical recommendations for more scientific groundwater development programmes.

Mr. Jacob came back to Kerala for another term (May 1980 to June 1983), to be in charge of the activities of CGWB and to train a number of new junior officers. Afterwards, he paid an official visit to Sweden, where he held discussions with the professors of Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm and officers of the Swedish Geological Survey, as well as toured to various places in Sweden to study geology, and various activities connected with the groundwater studies of that country. From November 1983 to June 1988 he was engaged in the study of various aspects of groundwater in the southern half of Kerala State, in collaboration with SIDA (The Swedish International Development Agency), covering exploration, drilling and appraisal of groundwater potentials and aspects of groundwater pollution, etc.

Mr. Jacob also served as a member of Kerala State Committee on Science and Technology from 1982 to 1987. He had helped ISRO in developing their water resources at their different laboratory complexes, like at Valiya Mala, and later at Mahedragiri near Kavalkinaru (in southern Tirunelveli Dist, Tamil Nadu) - a hard rock terrain which now houses the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, an integral part of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He undertook the preliminary geological studies of Kudamkulam, in the same district, where the construction of a Nuclear Power Station is nearing completion.

Mr. V.C. Jacob retired from the CGWB in 1989 and presently lives in Trivandrum (Kerala), with his family.

Compiled by Dr.K.P.Thrivikramji and Prof.S.Mohana Kumar

Jatadhari on Global Climate Change

Jatadhari of Cherukol Sri Bhuvanendran on “How the world will come to an end”
(This summary that follows here is based on part of the Chapter 27 of Bhuvanendra Khadgi by Varinjam Raghavan Pillai- the biographer of Bhuvanendran of Cherukol.
It is surprisingly and broadly coincidental with the scenario of climate change consequences proposed by the IPCC. So here it is for you to read through the views of Jatadhari on the world of future professed in the early 1950’s)

Jatadhari, the bodyless sanyasin or ascetic orbited around Sri Bhuvanendran of Cherukol very much like a natural satellite- say like the earth and the moon, and regularly paid visits to the boy sage Bhuvanendran at night fall and occasionally even during the broad daylight.

Jatadhari is perhaps a unique combination of a duty bound servant, an efficient PRO, and occasionally philosopher to the master- all bundled into one. Practically all programs of Sri Bhuvanendran and activities in the Cherukol homestead (Bhuvanendra Griham) are apparently masterminded by Jatadhari. Even the trip to Prayag, where Bhuvanendran and eight others sadly died, was a design of Jatadhari.

The picture that was painted by Jatadhari then had fairly deep overtones of what we hear these days in respect of global climate change.

We might generalize that the duo of Jatadhari and Sri Bhuvanendran, as the right eye and the left eye, or the right palm and left palm of a person. It is interesting to note the way Jatadhari predicted or sketched the exit of Sri Bhuvanendran as well as the end of the world.

Keep in mind that this picture in prose about the future of the world was rendered by Jatadhari in one of those nightly discourses to the devotees assembled in the Bhuvanendra Griham and that too, in the early 1950’s. Then, Jatadhari professed “World is nearing its end. Humans are doing their bit to help this process. But all mighty god is of the view that humans need not work for ending this world, as it is god’s own karma.

It is impossible to revive or maintain the world of ours. What is required on the other hand is a total destruction by pralayam or mythical flood to allow rebuilding again. When the word flood is uttered many an eye brow is twisting. But earthquakes and storms are like a sneeze of nature and generally people are not perturbed by these unless they are directly affected. Mused Jatadhari.

Again, Jatadhari declared cogently what is bound to happen to this world in future. The frequency of rain fall will decline to one or two spells or falls in a season of six months, which will then become more infrequent like once or twice in a year and finally into a rainless phase world over.

Sun’s heat will raise the surface temperature to unusually high levels. Agriculture and crops will perish due to lack of rain and overwhelming heat. Food stuff will become scarce and lead to starvation. Even the wealthy among the communities will suffer due to inability of their wealth and money to buy food stuff. Shops will be looted by starving people. Masses will suffer from scarcity of drinking water. Wells, ponds, tanks, streams, rivers and lagoons will dry up. The only water left behind will be the salt water in the seas. People, already suffering from water scarcity related diseases, will morph into ugly looking walking corpses and will march toward the sea shore across the hot sandy soils, for a drink of water. In fact most will perish while crossing the hot sandy tract.

Jatadhati even declared that people will begin to drink blood instead of the scarce water. Human meat might become a substitute for their meals. Epidemics will take a great toll of human life so will the natural calamities.

In a dry rainless phase, the governments will become dysfunctional. No tax revenue will be available for collection and to meet the bills and run the government. Prostitution, plunder and killing will become commonplace.

Trees will become dry and parched. Masses will die of rising temperatures. Sunlight will resemble flaming light. Humanity will perish in the world over. This will affect all the nations of the world. Like one sun energizing the whole world, the changes will engulf the entire world.
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(The chapter then goes on to deal with the exit of Sri Bhuvanendran and other matters)
Rendering by: thrivikramji@gmail.com

Varinjam Raghavan Pillai: Sri Bhuvanendran’s Biographer

Varinjam Raghavan Pillai: Sri Bhuvanendran’s Biographer

[The details that follow have been gathered by us (Prof. S Mohana Kumar and Dr.Thrivikramji KP) during a face to face on 18-01-10 with Manager Varinjam Vikraman Pillai, kid brother of Varinjam Raghavan Pillai (VRP). Our intention was to know more about VRP- Sri Bhuvanendran’s biographer. During the conversation, Manager Pillai consistently referred to VRP as Saami. In fact the dead body of VRP was cremated in the rubber plantation behind the Manager Pillai’s “Ambadi” home and the spot is now marked by a slender coconut palm tree amidst rubber trees. Ambadi is only about a kilometer from the Seemattimukku immediately north of Kalluvathukkal in the NH47 ].

Surprisingly, when we gate crashed at “Ambadi”, (18-01-100) the generally busy and active Manager Vikraman Pillai was very much at his home, never expecting our visit. Hence, he too was sort of stunned and surprised by our visit. In fact the duo (viz., SMK and TKP), never faced any road block in the quest or the research efforts for the Bhuvanendran Book Project.

Initially the stocky, fully grayed and grandly bald but clean shaven man with a prominent thin but long mustache appeared to be quiet reserved. When we declared the purpose of our mission, this man (manager) became very eloquent and slowly but steadily poured out several anecdotal details, on the life and journey of his eldest brother, VRP who was frequently quoted by the nick name saami.

In fact when we parted with Manager Vikraman Pillai, as he was popularly known in t he immediate and distant neighborhood, we were fully and completely happy about close to 5 hr we had spend with this man, who was practically dominating the discussion. He in fact kind of stopped us from poking questions when he was pouring out the anecdotal narration. This covered practically the various facets of life and character of VRP.

Now for some more details of Saami.

Saami or VRP was the eldest son of the Shri Narayana Pillai of Kallada and Smt. Kalyani Amma of Vettikkalariyam.Though she, Kalyani Amma delivered 14 children only 8 lived through and grew up. Other siblings of the family are Varinjam Gopinathan Nair (A high School teacher etc.), Varinjam Vasupillai (A Janatha Dal leader). Saraswathy Amma, Kunjukrishna Pillai, Kamala Devi Amma and Varinjam Vikraman Pillai (Manager of KKPM UP School).

Mr.Narayana Pillai was the karydarsi or Trustee of the now famous Chittumala Devi Temple Kuthirakettu or building larger than life sized and costumed horses, with scrap cotton waste, gilded paper and such other easily and locally available materials, is an important ritual and offering to the god mother or deity of Chittumala temple. The horse, built on a wooden frame, is set on a nearly A-frame like poles and is carried through the streets in and around the perimeter of temple by a group of strong and young men who share-carry this burden of god (symbolizing god mother. Kuthirakettu marks the grand finale of the special festivities of the Chittumala temple in which there is the participation of 18 built-horses from the 18 karas or communities out of which one will be polled as the number one.

Though the legal ownership of the Chituumala Devi temple was originally vested in a group of Brahmin families in Trivandrum, the day to day running of the temple along with the rights to own, safe keep and control the income as well as other landed wealth of the temple was entrusted by the original Brahmin owners to Shri Vasu Pillai (the maternal uncle) of Kallda near Chittumala. .The temple festivities were the sole right of 18 Karakkars. Kettukuthira display was the chief item of the festivities. Such Kuthiras came by canoes as well as on land by the shoulders of devotees from each of the Karas or let us say the families
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Education and Freedom struggle
Saami was an embodiment of compassion to poor, and needy, synonym of unselfishness, brilliant in studies at college and earned scholarship from the government, recalls manager Pillai. Though Shri Gopinatha Pillai was equally brilliant in studies and earned a government scholarship at College, was opposite of VRP in many other respects – like for example, very selfish, stingy, and self promoting and not worrying about others trials and tribulations. Both these brothers studied for college in Trivandrum. Shri VRP studied to become a lawyer – the closely guarded and nurtured desire the dad.

Shri Vasu Pillai used to utilize part of the temple income for one’s own needs including the educational expenses of the children who were going to college in Trivandrum. Shri Vasu Pillai was also very close to the Dewan of Travancore, Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer. The dad Pillai desired and sincerely hoped to make use of the Dewan connection to make the eldest son (VRP) a Judge in the state soon after completing the law degree.

With this noble dream in mind, Shri Vasu Pillai after orally asking the permission of Chittumala Devi, as and when need arose took money or gold from the temple vault for use in connection with the studies of the children in college. Shri Vasu Pillai also made the solemn promise to the Devi that all the sums he owed to Devi will be returned once the son reaches the Judges Chair and earns an income from the judge’s job. In fact the dad used to maintain a register about all the sums and gold the former owed to the Chittumala Devi.

One day in a Horse Buggy Shri VRP reached Chathannur to participate in a slogan shouting march and picketing to protest against the Dewan’s and British rule. VRP shouted slogans like “Mahathma Gandhi Ki Jai; Bharathamatha Ki Jai” and so on. Then VRP was taken into police custody. The egg buying/vending shop owner was the one who informed dad about the various deeds that happened on that day. Before joining the strikers, VRP had a meal of cooked rice and butter at home, which he served on his own without informing mother. Mother caught this self service when she saw the rice pot standing right side up in the kitchen. In fact the water in the pot had not completely drained.

Then dad came home and quickly departed to Trivandrum to meet with Sir CP Ramaswamy Iyer, to plead for the release of Shri VRP from jail enabling to appear for the final examinations. CPR insisted that due to the anti-state actions .VRP will not be allowed to go away, but instead agreed to let VRP to take the examinations in the jail cell. But VRP declared that he will not take any examination in the Jail. The intensely and deeply agonized dad came back home and in desperation started rolling over and kept rolling over in the front yard of the house. When the mom enquired it was the sons adamancy about not taking the examination in the jail that made him roll over again and again in the front yard of the house. Dad died on the seventh day of this incident. VRP was allowed to go home from jail with police escort to perform the last rites to the departed soul and then was taken back to jail.

V Vasu Pillai (Janatha Dal leader later) took over the management of the house hold and the properties to help the siblings to attain whatever they attained later.

Para Raghavan, Harijan Postman was a good friend of VRP. These friends on one day sat in the same mat ready to eat lunch to be served by the mom. Mom served rice and other curries to both fellows. In fact at some point, when there was excess rice served to Para Raghavan, mom had to make the potion smaller, by removing some from the brass plate, which mom later promptly served others. Mom never had any clue to the origins of Para Raghavan.

The VRP asked if mother had any objections in serving food to Para Raghavan – a person who shouldn’t have stepped into the house in the first place due to the bane of untouchability. Mom promptly replied “For me he is also like you only”

Never, kneel down to the British police was a slogan by the spirited N.Srikantan Nair, which attracted VRP to team up with Srikantan Nair. When Srikantan Nair jumped the prison, he promptly went VRP’s house and started a hidden life in the attic of VRP’s house. Srikantan Nair was a voracious eater.

VRP was arrested again and sent jail.

To express the opposition to British rule VRP and Srikantan Nair decided to follow a policy of not rising up at the sight of any member of the British police. Once it so happened, that VRP did not rise on his feet when a police party arrived. The angered police started beating up VRP. This made Srikantan Nair to jump up on ones feet to escape the wrath of the British Police.

When British administration ordered killing of Netaji, VRP started publication of a Magazine (monthly) called “Netaji”. Unfortunately, the magazine never saw the light of the day. Copies were bundled together and kept away without circulating it.

Soon one man came rushing to the house asking mom to put away all copies of “Netaji:” away from and out of the house so that police party supposed to come for home search will not get any clue or any copy of the magazine. In fact, Chathannur Vasu Pillai came that evening and removed all copies of the magazine.

CP ordered confiscation of copies of “Netaji” from everywhere. Police came in search of copies to the VRP house where mom was living with Vikraman Pillai. In fact when Police came to search the house, mom was sweeping the front yard with a broom and Vikraman Pillai was towing behind amma. Police searched for the magazine everywhere in the house. Angrily police loaded all the furniture in the house. Mom went and lied down in the only remaining piece – a cot in which Vikraman Pillai and mom slept together every night. There was no lady police those days. Out of fear, Vikraman Pillai held on to a limb of mom and police started pulling the boy clinging to the mom so that both will fall off leaving the cot behind. The clever amma kicked the dear son who fell off the cot so that police became helpless and left without the cot..But then on in the evenings mom and Vikraman Pillai as usual slept in the cot

This furniture on auctioning was purchased by congress veteran TM Vargheese but did not go back to VRP house in spite of the strong desire to do so by Pattom Thanu Pillai.

Though the moneys taken from Devi temple were taken on the promise of prompt return that part did not happen. “Devi probably was angry at this and as a result all such untoward things happened” mused manager Pillai.

VRP was allotted the Kottarakkara seat at the time of elections after independence.. At the time filing nomination papers for the election VRP strayed somewhere else and could not participate in the primary step of the election process, i.e., filing the nomination papers .

There was a picketing organized under the leadership of VRP in the Gun court of Kollam. The styagrahis were lying in a row blocking the path of speakers. Some of the speakers literally stepped on the bodies to reach the dais, while only Pattom Thanupillai carefully tiptoed between the bodies. The meeting however ended without the usual speech making.

Then VRP starated publishing a daily called “Jai Hind”. The editorial used to attract a wide readership, yet the daily did not survive for long.

VRP and VGP used to go around the taluk for reciting Bhagavatham. One would read or recite and the other would explain. Many a times the sessions appeared to be a wordly fight between them which also divided the listeners to take sides and argue. The poor crowd never knew that the guys were only a team of brothers. Similar incident happened once at Varkala on a sivarathri night.

Where ever he goes VRP will be in the first row.

Kumbalam was a leading figure in the Karunagapally taluk. If anybody spoke against this man, the thandars will teach those guys a lesson.

Narayana Pillai used to be in charge of Chittumala Temple for 18 years and conducted the festivities very precisely and promptly. Narayaana Pilla used to accept and obey only the Devi and nobody else in the world. However, Shri Pillai no longer was favored by or acceptable to the Karakkar or the important families that participated in kuthirakettu. In fact, some Karakkars at the time of Kuthirakettu, wanted a different route for the procession carrying the Idol of Devi. In fact, some wanted the Devi procession to stop and allow one particular Karakkar to offer puja and related rituals, practically violating the order that was in place for a long time. This was a trick played by and managed by Kumbalathu Sanku Pillai. But, Narayana Pillai’ had a ferocious brother who loved only own brother and no one else. He secretly asked the Potti, if any altercation regarding the route of procession and the first stop arises, just keep the idol on the floor at the place of dispute and not take it up again to continue with the procession. If it was not carried out elder uncle will finish off the Potti. The celebrations went on without any dispute coming to the fore. Chittumala Temple keys were formally taken away from Narayana Pillai, and with that act Devi was too much angered resulting in the down trip or decline of the temple and Karakkar. Currently the Karakkar and the temple have come back to limelight again.

Devi told dad “Whatever you said have all been fulfilled” and continued “what about your promises to me that you wrote and kept”

“VRP published a small book “Prathyaksha Pathram”. VRP wrote, “Pattom Thanu Pillai had only one longing and desire, that is to become the chief minister of the state” VRP was a failure in politics – a field where just and principle individuals totally fail or become utter failure.
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VRP also published a news paper “Jai Hind” which also turned out to be a failure. VRP also wrote two books – “Hridayanjali” and second one “Kairali”. Sir CP came under severe criticism in one of the books.

Saami made a trip to Kolkotha to meet Shri Sarachandra Bose, Netaji Subhash Chandra’s bother. Unfortunately the day saami reached Kolkotha, the news of demise of Sarchandra reached him.

Later Saami without any ones knowledge went Himalayas to seek sanyas and asceticism. There was a blackout for a longer while about saami. Later say after six months or so, saami reappeared in Varinjam with fully matted hair, long black beard. He traveled all the way back home in trains without a ticket .Once reaching Kollam, someone funded saami to get back home by bus. After reaching home, saami completely shaved off the matted hair. Then saami went away to Trivandrum. And from Trivandrum went to Cherukol Bhuvanendra sadanam. Stayed there, observed the various happenings and events that appeared around Sri Bhuvanendran.

During the stay at Cherukol, Saami gifted all his landed wealth to sisters and to Vikraman the land where now Ambadi is built. The copyright of the books of Saami was given away to a nephew (sister’s son)

Varinjam Gopinathan Nair, a teacher brother, was those days a staunch communist.

Later, Saami came to the varinjam homestead along with Bhuvanendran of Cherukol or athbhuthasisu and a party of devotees. There was an altercation then at the house. Vikraman Pillai intervened and declared that “each and every one has civil rights” No one can trespass into those rights. Then Saami went back to Cherukol (Thiruvattar). Saami then joined with Sri Bhuvanendran and made a trip to Guruvayoor. Vikraman Pillai, Manager, recalls “the showering of flowers offered to idol in the temple slowly descending on Bhuvanendran which surprised everyone present inside the temple”.

Due to blessings of Choittumala Devi VRP came back, recalls Manager.

One of these days, Saami’s amma was bitten by a snake and she died of the complications due to snake bite. Saami did not come to see the dying or dead mom. When asked, Saami answered that:” he knew in advance that thakshakan will finish off mom”. Mom was a god fearing and a devoted individual to god. There was a bumper crop of cow pea around the homestead in that season. Mom was harvesting the cow pea. A snake without mom’s notice was following her. And one day she was bitten by the snake. This strong willed mom, tore off a piece of cloth from her own dress and tightly tied it above the bitten spot on her leg. She was in coma for about two days before breathing her last breath.

Manager Pillai, then a student in highschool, was due to speak in the school on a weekly public speaking classes, that mom’s death was taken to school to fetch the boy back home. When the time of speaking came up, his class teacher with over flowing eyes went to Pillai to ask him to go home without going to the presentation. Pillai did not know the cause of sudden change in the schedule. At home Pillai saw the dying mother showing convulsions. My uncle Vasu Pillai shouted “ my sister is gone and gone forever”

During the Vimochanasamaram, Saami joined the picketing of Kollam Collectorate.

KKPM UP School was sanctioned at the instance of Saami by taking up the case with Pattom Thanu Pillai, the CM. School opened on 1962 May 25th. Vikraman Pillai with the company of a friend, Thankappan Pillai walked on a wet mid night over to see Saami at the latters hermitage at Velinallur. Thankappan Pillai wanted Saami to intervene in the quick sanctioning of the school which is named after his deceased ascetic brother Kunjukrishna Pillai for which Saami agreed. Only then Vikraman Pillai appeared in front of Saami. Saami offered a late night dinner of pineapple to both and offered to see both at Trivandrum to see the concerned people, i.e., the CM. School is named KKPM UP School- after late Kunjukrishna Pillai who died of an enlarged heart in a Bangalore. Hospital. The body was brought back home by a party to which Vikraman Pillai too was in.

Saami died toward the end of 1995 at a hospital/home of nephew in Trivandrum. The body decorated with then wreaths placed by leading congress men like Oommen Chandy and others were taken back to the Velinallur and later to Varinjam and was cremated in the presence of a large crowd of friends and followers. We saw the burial ground now marked by the ritualistic and traditional coconut palm tree in the distant backyard and among rubber trees of Ambadi homestead.
Rendering:thrivikramji@gmail.com
18-01-2010 (Sunday)
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