A-38: TSD had separated from the joint family system when I started studying in the V1th Form, i.e., 11th Standard called SSLC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) in the year 1955 which means TSD stayed with us from October 1954 till middle of 1955. Within this short period of time, in spite of the income we derived from the “quota” allotment, the debt increased considerably and the main reason for his separation was to save his skin from the debts mounted under his stewardship. Poor TAD had to take over the responsibility of the whole family when he should have been hardly 21-22 years old with mum. By then, he had earned a name for himself as a good State foot-ball player. The Madras Port Trust selected him to be a member of their Foot-ball Team and offered the post of Tally Clerk in the Madras Harbour. Elder sister late Mrs. Caroline Victor continued to be in the Bon Secours Convent Hostel. Panchi having failed in the SSLC Final Examination was simply sitting at home. I was continuing with my free schooling getting ready to write my final examination of SSLC in March 1956. Late Mr. Swamidurai, having stopped his studies with Ist Form, i.e., 6th Class itself, was working as a trainee in a Lathe Workshop owned by TAD’s school friend at Maskan Chavadi, Broadway but with his own fraudulent acts of deceit and theft now and then. Younger sister late Mrs. Ruby Ernest remained at home, her continued education having been stopped with 5th Class itelf, taking into consideration the hardships and unexpected problems a young girl of about 11-12 years will have to face to walk all alone a distance of about 6-7 km each way from our house at Kalmandabam to St. Anne’s Convent at Broadway. She was helping mum along with elder sister Amali in the daily chores. Alphonsa was a child of 3-4 years old, fearful of anything and everything because of lack of patronage, kindness and mercy of others towards a fatherless female child. The income to the family was mainly TAD’s salary plus the usufructs derived from the allotment of “quota” which was not regular. Late Mr. Salam was guiding TAD and mum to profitably use this additional source of income and introduced a Sindhi cloth merchant by name late Mr. Gulabrai in the Sowcarpet Market to help us by giving advance cash to take delivery of the “quota” and buying the products allotted to us at a good price. In order to meet the basic requirement of Binny & Co. only to stitch ready-made garments and market them and not to directly sell the clothes received by us, Mr. Salam arranged for two sewing machines on hire from Mannady area and tailors who were stitching such garments. This was only to show to the officers of Binny & Co. who used to visit the allottees to check if they really complied or not with the directives of the company that we did not violate their terms. Meantime, mum and sister Amali tried to sell Sinnaalampatti cotton sarees by buying same from one, Mr. Sivaramakrishnan and his father on hire purchase basis and selling them with a little profit to support the family expenses to extent possible by them. Swamidurai used to steal sarees now and then without anyone’s knowledge and this act of his nefarious activity used to create a lot of suspi-cion and internecine quarrels between mum and sister Amali very often. One day, this regular theft by late Swamidurai was detected and paved way for a final truce between mum and sister Amali. As this business was only ending up in loss due to above factors, it was given up. Because TAD was employed, Panchi and myself used to go to Mr. Gulabrai, collect the money required as per the Sale Note and Invoice received and remit the same at the cash counters of Binny & Co. With the Delivery Challan received from the Cashier, we used to go to the B&C Mills Office at Perambur, arrange a cooly to take delivery of the bundle on our behalf and carry same to our house at Kalmandabam. This is the usual procedure we followed whenever the “quota” was received. One day, Panchi went alone to do this job but he never returned home not only for the day but for the next 3 days causing unexplainable anxiety and misery, especially to mum. The endless weeping resulted in my taking her to almost all the astrologers of almost all types. Attempts to check with the hospitals for any accident cases involving him and enquiries in almost all the Police Stations to see if they had any information about Panchi proved unsuccessful. This agony prevailed continuously for 3 days non-stop. No one was able to control the sob of mum. On the 4th day early morning, Panchi was found knocking the door. Everyone was surprised and flabbergasted to see him with his dirty clothes and poor appearance. Mum could not control her happiness and hugged him and requested every one not to ask him for any details for the time-being. After some time, we were informed by Panchi that he went with the cash received from Mr. Gulabrai to Salem to find a chance to become an actor with his other friends in the old Modern Theatres and because he had spent all the money and found no other way to remain there, returned home empty-handed. In spite of all this, TAD, the great and magnificent soul, was not showing any sign of anger and was tolerating everything silently.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Mar 2014 08:36:52 +0000
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