Post SSLC..1

One year - Wasted or Learnt ?

During the waiting phase I used to go to Madurai for some works. The bus travels in front of the Tamilnadu Polytechnic. In Tamil it will be written as "pal thozhil nutpak kalloori (பல் தொழில் நுட்பக் கல்லூரி)". This நுட்பம்  attracted me over Engineering - பொறியியல் and I was inclined to join in that. So I was looking for some good polytechnics.

Later I got the application and applied also. With this in mind I did not try for any other courses. Later, I got communications that I cannot be called for admission due to under (less) age. Passing SSLC with medical certificate has not helped me in getting admission in Polytechnic. This rule is not applicable for arts college for PUC.

Having rejected I wanted to join PUC (Pre University Course) and approached a College just opposite to my favourite Polytechnic, Madura College. The admission team , on looking at my marks, were little sad telling that the mark is direct eligibility for the Ist Group (Maths, Physics, Chemistry), and that the admissions are completed for that Group. Openings are available in the IVth Group (Economics) only. I thought I will not take this group and simply returned home.

Anyway I did not join any course that year. I decided to help the home activities.

This one year I learnt a lot of the real things in life. How the people always look for troubling others, cheat and take away money by false means are all something I learnt indirectly from my father. Now a days, when actor Vadivelu presents a lot of comedy scenes putting him into problem, I used to visualise the incidents as more of them are what happened in Madurai.

Throwing of a imitation jewel in front of you on the road and asking for a share of money; asking the route for an address and requesting to take them there (the famous address is 'karuppatti chathram'); luring for 'mangaatha' game and rope winding game; inviting you to be a moderator in a financial dispute and trapping into that, are very famous, other than direct pick pocketing. I have seen people losing thousands (in the mid 60s) in mangaatha game.

I with another person carried out some very useful works in this year. Our village name was not there in any maps. There was not even a post box in our village and postman also will visit very rarely. So we wanted to increase the flow of letters. I used to write letters (post card) to American and many other Embassies requesting for details of their country and tourism. They all promptly will send materials frequently. US Embassy was printing weekly papers 'American Reporter' in Tamil and English (may be in other languages too.). We subscribed for these papers under different names and the flow increased many folds. So we approached the Postal department for adequate representation. Within a short time they installed a post box and ensured the postman visits everyday for collection and delivery of letters.

During this period after a long follow up of our people, electricity line was drawn to our village. It was pleasing to see the village at night in street lights.