Nurungukal...2...contd...

        My transfer to Pondichery was sudden and unexpected. But  mentally I welcomed it. I was to hold charge of an up coming centre. The management had lot of expectations in me. And I took it as a challenge.My immediate problem was to find an accommodation. In Pondy I had no friends and to locate a rented house was  a difficult task. When I was pondering how to manage the issue, a helping hand came to my rescue. It was non other than Mr. Pandyan an assistant in the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Dept. He was working with us to supervise their transactions in the warehouse.

         Years ago Pandyan was living in a nearby village to Pondy town. His parents had a small farm. He had spent his child hood there. During our journey to Pondy he narrated  about his school days and how he was forced to shift to Chennai.

           His father was a peasant. He managed a home stead farm. The entire family was involved in the management of various operations. The cultivation depended entirely on the availability of  water from an irrigation system.  The water supply was often erratic as it was interrupted by the surrounding farmers who owned much larger area and were power full. Many a time Pandyan father had to face the wrath of his neighbours. The officials were less sympathetic to him as they were puppets of the bigger land lords in the area. In spite of these he managed to find a living. It was then the tragedy occurred. Pandyan lost his parents when they succumbed to a nasty epidemic of smallpox.  Many died in the village. Those who had better facilities managed to escape, but the poor were helpless. Although Pandyan was saved, the scars disfigured his face. More over it also affected his eye sight. He said the life after his parents demise was miserable as he had to depend on his relatives who were more concerned to snatch away the property. He some how managed to complete his SSLC. By that time he became a land less orphan. With the help of some social workers he managed to find a job in Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Dpt.

            He was about forty years old and a chronic bachelor. The deep scars on his face and the spectacles with thick glasses stood in the way of his marriage. Nobody ventured to seek the gentle man in him. He was one of the finest human beings I have met. He was always obliging to the needy, irrespective of their social placing. Many a time I have seen him volunteering to help those who are in trouble. He was known to all as Pandyan anna and in one way or other many were indebted to him. His face with a broad smile showing his sparkling teeth and  brisk walk in white shirt and pants still linger in my memory.

        By the time we reached Pondy he almost finished his story and drew much more closer to my heart......contd...