Wait and Predictions

The wait and Predictions

During this period I had again gone through certain experiences. All about future predictions, that have come true.

The first one was the traditional 'parrot joshyam'.

One day the parrot joshyamwala came and few people were surrounding him, wanting to know what is in future for them.

Somebody asked me to come for the prediction. I was reluctant. The joshyar himself called me and said please see your future. Being a rationalist I told I have no belief in these things. He offered to see for free which also I refused. But all forced me and the parrot started its functioning and he was explaining the card. He told in fifteen days I will get a job. I just criticised him that he won't be here to see if the statement has happened, so he can say anything. He said, I do not take any money (50 paise) and he will come again after 15 days, and if does not happen, he will release the parrot and this job. He left immediately and did not take the money and also met other's request.

In about 10 days, the BE results were declared. I went to the University to see the result, as soon as it is put on the board. I have passed in First Class.

I was returning back home and the Postmaster called and said there is a registered letter for me. I received and it was the appointment order from Sriharikota. It was a real surprise and a pleasant shock .

I told my parents and others, and somebody reminded about the parrot joshyar. We were not hopeful he will come again here. And on the 15th day he did come and met me. He was very happy on the developments and the receipt of order and blessed me. My father gave him 10 rupees, but he gracefully refused to take and took only 50 paise.

Is it a mere coincidence or the real capacity of the joshyam, I do not know. But his guts to come back again tries to prove his correctness of prediction.

The second one was the palmistry prediction by my relative. His statement was that I don't belong to this place, I will settle somewhere else. That turned about true for many critical functions I could not attend here and have totally delinked the connections.

After the result is received, the next task was to get degree certificate for joining, and it was not expected immediately. So the next day I went to the University and enquired about some letters indicating the pass. But the administrative personnel were expressing, it will not be possible. So I met the Registrar who immediately called his staff and issued me the Provisional certificate and expressed his greetings for getting the job.

Fourth Year

The fourth year of the college had all the attention on the studies. We had only two extra activities - a South Indian Technical Tour and another NCC camp at Chennai.

The South Indian educational tour (in 1972) contained visit to Industries in Chennai, Bangalore, Ernakulam and Trivandrum. But they were not so full due to the India-Pakistan war. Certain visits (like that of Vikram Sarabhai Space  Centre, Trivandrum) were denied after reaching there. So we had free sightseeing trips to places in those locations.

The NCC Camp at Chennai was in the open space near the Puzhal water pumping station (near today's Puzhal central Jail). We had to make our tents and dig trenches around that to protect us from snakes and other elements. the depth was around 2 feet and width was more than one foot. We were not sure whether really snake cannot come through the trench. But we have not been troubled during our 15 days stay.

This camp was in contrast to that at Bangalore, as we had more freedom at the same time strict about regulations. We had good food, better treatment from the officers. Me and my friend had to run two rounds around the parade ground for reporting late after a free day.

We discontinued the NCC participation in the final year.

Third Year

The third year did not have many eventful incidents. I kept away from other distracting things. But to have some engagement, I joined the NCC.

Whatever we plan and do, things can always go in different direction, as we are bound by our surroundings.

That is what happened when a small incident happened in the College. One group of students went on strike and it turned out violent. So the Principal closed the College 'indefinitely'. The word 'indefinitely' was misunderstood by many. The parents and students thought the College will reopen after a few days or at least after one or two weeks.

But there was no communication from the College administration on the reopening. The educated parents got disturbed (as they only had future plans for their children) and contacted the Principal ( I believe it was Prof. Maria Louis). There were some discussions going between the Parents and the Principal, and it appeared that the College put the parents squarely responsible for their behaviour of their wards in the College Later, after more than a month, the college sent communication to the parents with a format to be signed (by parent) and brought in person to the College in a fortnight. The content was an agreement cum authorisation empowering the College to suspend / terminate their ward in case the student behaves in any unruly manner in the college.

The college reopened after this, and there not strikes affecting studies (though it surfaced in later years). Luckily there was no political or Governmental pressures on these.

In this year we had our NCC Camp at the army training center (MEG), Bangalore. Before reaching there many had a joyful feeling , of going to Bangalore, and free from studies for a fortnight. It was a pucca training ceter and we were treated a army personnel, not as NCC candidates.

We had to be ready for the training at 6 AM. With a big group of members ( students from many colleges were put in a big hanger, and amenities were limited. We used to take bath in groups only.

The training included all as per military training. Everywhere we have to walk only. And we have to return to return back for lunch. Alternate days it was 'running day', we have to jog for anything. If anybody is found to walk, they have to face the punishment. Lunch was horrible, daily rasam rice (rice had the insects - வண்டு - floating when added to rasam). Vegetables were there for namesake only. Really it was a very bad experience. Our army will be demoralised if it was the food they have to take regularly.

The roll call is another torture. We cannot be peaceful, as at anytime the roll call siren will go and we have to line up in the ground for attendance. Any missing person will be severely punished the next day. Few of my friends who went out  and could not be available for roll call were asked to crawl on elbows carrying the rifle on a rubble road. They all had to be bandaged in the elbow due to the injuries received.

So when, in one evening the siren came, I came to the ground with towel only, straight from the toilet, else I may also be made to crawl.

The climax was on the day of departure. we were to start after breakfast and we were at the food distribution counter. We had a shock to see each plate contained two iddlies, one green chilli, a small piece of coconut and small quantity of porikadalai. They said they did not have time to prepare chutney and we can take the ingredients themselves. It , at least at the end, infuriated our leader . He said don't take anything , we will have something on the way. We simply left all items there itself and left for the railway station.

After few years, when some of our colleagues have met the captain in the MEG, he has told that the Major who was behind all the looting was court-martialled , terminated and jailed.

I had two more chance to enter this training centre , on my official capacity, to have a discussion with a Lt. Colonel, and the treatment was entirely different.

Second Year .... 3

During the second year, the College Tamil Mandram was with a different group, which was in contact with me. So I was with them for most of the activities, and when the 'Muthamizh Vizha' came, I spent a lot of time in these activities.

A souvenir was being prepared and I was the proof reader (reason: I had a better control on Tamil than others!) . At the same time the college magazine was also being printed - in the same printing press.

So when we (actually I) go for proof reading at 10 PM, college staff will be coming out of the press after magazine proof reading. It went on for few days. My cousin on coming to know about this, told me to spare more time for college activities and side step from those activities. I did not listen - and reaped the result - goofed in one subject in that year.

And it did not stop with the magazine proof reading or participation. I have spoken in an election meeting of a party. It was arranged by the students belonging to that party and I was asked to speak in that, in Thirupparankundram. I agreed.

Meeting was going on and my turn came. I have criticised two other contestants. And I started about one major complaint at that time, the ladies cannot walk freely on the road, if this party comes to power. Just at that I saw two girls were walking by the side of the stage and I took that opportunity and said ' you see these girls walking freely. they don't have any problem. So such accusations like others are bogus and people should throw that away'. I saw the girls walking further and then two elders following them. I was totally shocked - it was our principal and his wife and the girls were their children. So it was a double shot on me - one participation in a political meeting and the second talking with reference to the Principal's family.

Anyway, there was no query or any sort of thing from the Principal.

So what I learnt at the end of the year was - mind your business first.

Second Year ..... 2

I along with my friend Jayaprakash Narayanan used to attend most of the elocution competitions happening in and around Madurai. The main draw back for us is that we have less touch in literature, so when the topic is announced just 10 minutes before the start of the event, we always had problems in organising points for the talk.

Two eventful incidence are

1. On the Poet Bharathiar's  memory there was competitions (probably arranged by a School and some association). The title was 'if Bharathiar was alive today'.

The event being on a holiday, there was a moderate crowd and more adults.

The competitors were praising that he would have been happy about the developments and improvements that have taken place in the recent years. Me and my friend were feeling restless on the way the praising was going on and wanted to take on the other side.

My friend had the first chance and mildly he spoke of setbacks and  saying 'he (Bharathiar) may not be happy'

After some time It was my turn - ' Dear all It is happy to be here in the competition under the name of Bharathiar. I am coming from a village and I got down at ... and walked through a chettiar road and the mudaliar lane to reach this place. Did Bharathiar wanted such things? ' . And I gave some references of women inequality news of that time. 'What Bharathiar wanted to happen - eradication of caste and male - female in-equivality are existing today. So if Bharathiar was alive today, he would have killed himself '

Obviously I did not get the prize but the presiding chief guest made good references of my anguishment.

2) Second one was organised by State Government in connection with the birth centenary celebrations of VOC (V O Chidambaram Pillai, freedom fighter from Tuticorin). It was a district level competition, organised in Yadava College in Madurai. The selected speakers will be participating in the final event at Chennai. This elocution was chaired by the then Education Minister Sri Thamizhkudimakan.

When the topic was given, we were down. Being in Engineering college we have less knowledge on these area to speak in a competition. For arts students who keep reading the history the topic may be very simple .The topic was ' Which was predominant in VOC's life - affection towards home or nation?'

I just made the very general references and completed. The person who came after me started criticising my talk line by line. I felt bit offended by that. We used to see this student in most of the competitions and neither he nor we won prizes. At least we got good comments from the chief guest.

When the Chief Guest came for final selection, he had fully blown that person and said 'you have to present your points and not criticise other's points. We are not concerned about only the fluency in the talk but the material in it'. Any way at the end we were not selected, but we were satisfied.

There were many smaller level competitions, but not much to be remembered.