Chapter 4 : Ilayaraja's song while working impressed the officer.
One day the chief engineer heard the song sung by Ilayaraja while watering the plants.
Explained in the words of Ilayaraja.
Area where I worked usually tend to be busy. On that when I was singing while watering, there was no sound and the place was silent. I thought that by hearing my song everybody become silent and started to increase my voice. At that time, the chief engineer had come for a spot visit heard my song.
I kept on singing. He came close to me and called “Hey, come here man”. I dropped the hose pipe and went near him. He asked me “who are you & what is your name”. I immediately replied “Raajaiya”. He was surprised at my reply and asked “have you studied”?. I replied “yes sir. 8th standard”. He looked at me with surprise and said “meet me at the office”.
I went to the office and met him. He said “you don’t need to water the plant. Come to the office from tomorrow”. I returned happily. His assistant told me that I was appointed as the office boy.
Next day, I went to the office. Only four or five persons were working in the office as Secretary, Clerk, Ledger keeper & Accountant. The office was a single building with 2 partitions and had four tables. My work was to carry files from table to table to get the signature of the person. It was a boring job as I could not able to sing and enjoy.
And I was asked to carry food for engineer Muralidharan at officer campus. I have to walk 1 mile to the place and serve the food for him. Some day, I would reach early and wait for him and other day the opposite. The engineer was not impressed with my service and demoted me as waterman and sent me to dam area.
The construction work of Vaigai dam were coming to the finishing stage. There was an announcement from the Government to the people of 11 villages including Kamakkapatti asking them to leave their place to other place with a deadline date, as waters of the dam would fill their villages.
While watering the plants at the top of dam, I used to see people leaving their villages in groups. As the deadline date nears, more people leave their respective place. I could not bear at the sight of people leaving their villages. Government can give them new land to live but cannot compensate their relationship with their land.
I worked at the Vaigai dam for one year and earned some money. I decided to join the school at Davaram and make the words of astrologers go wrong. But I could not able to join the school as I went to Kerala with my brother Pavalar Varadharajan. It was election time in Kerala and my brother Pavalar campaigned for the Communist party. In 1957 general election, Congress party won all over India except Kerala where Communist party won the election. Congress party couldnot bear their only defeat in Kerala. It was announced that the election held at Devikulam & Beermedu were disqualified and re-election to be held.
The party who win this re-election would form the government in Kerala. It was a do or die battle for both the parties, as all the leaders of the parties were campaigning at the place.
My brother Pavalar was campaigning for Communist Party. Myself and My brother Baskar went to Munnar to meet Pavalar. There was huge rush in the office and the campaign in-charge told the estate leaders and workers that Communist Leaders like Jeevanantham, P.Ramamoorthi, P.D.Ranadive, S.A.Tange, A.K.Gopalan, Jothibasu, Rajeswara Rao would come here and campaign. Hearing at this, estate workers said “Comrade, we don’t want the leaders. Just send Pavalar with a mike and we will win this election”.
This happened in front of my eyes. The secretary replied to workers that Pavalar would come and sing first, then the campaign starts with the leaders. Pavalar Varadharajan would sing with a mike in the hand at every estate in the area. The sight was blessing for me and Baskar.
Next chapter – Namboothiripad appreciation.
continue your sincere effors sir.
ReplyDeletebest wishes
Thiyagarajan
its very interesting
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