My friend Jose Jacob, who was the son of Prof. K.C. Jacob of SH College, stayed in 'Chakola Colony'. It was just about 300 mts from our house on the Chackalackal road. I had never used the term Chackalackal road (I think it was thus named); I think this road is now named Deever Road (perhaps after some Deever or after Dheevara community, though this section hardly ever had anyone from Dheevara community. It should definitely have been named Payyappilly road after the predominant family there and the renowned Venerable Fr Varghese Payyappilly, our great grand uncle.) The entire section had mostly our Palakkappilly family households, also called Payyappilly. One taravad was called Illathuparampil - which appeared, of the lot, a little more advanced and educated. There was also a section called Koonamveedu. where there were only female inheritors and the Vellyamma of that family was married to Thayyil Luka (from Kottayam Dt). He inherited the property and it became Thayyil, though among us, it was still Koonammveedu. I never felt they were part of our circle. Thayyil Luka and Vellyamma had again 3 daughters, two of whom embraced religious life in the Catholic church, and the lone daughter left behind, Thankamani became a local school teacher (I think, at primary level) and got married to Prof. Joseph Panjikkaran of Zoology department of Sacred Heart College. Their eldest daughter Jessamma, was almost my age, and by the time we grew up, it had become Panjikkaran family. There was another Koonamveedu, where the Vellyappan had only one daughter, and she is now married to a ..... of Thevara, and comparatively large property holdings of Payyappilly family has gone to another family. At least 2 families of my father's generation ended having no issues, but the property has gone to their wives' families. One more family had a child adopted. In our established and unchristened 'Palakkappilly Colony' facing the Chakola colony of the Varattans, now just about 8 households remain as Palakkappilly, with hardly any unity (though there is no fight or disunity as such). I am afraid hardly anyone in the present generation possesses the Surname Palakkappilly or Payyappilly.
In the present day, in this locality, there remain just 10 households having the title Payyappilly-Palakkappilly. Even during those times, Chakola had a few buildings in our unnamed 'colony', given to some of his staff members as quarters for a nominal rent. I think gradually, either they inherited that or purchased those properties from Chakola.
I began this note describing the Chakola colony. Now this suffix of a 'colony' to Chakola sounded very hep for our times, evoking something elite as distinct from us commoners and locals. Yes, the important aspect about it was that almost all who resided there were from other parts of the states - varattar (usually used in masculine singular as something unfavoured, if not abusive). We hardly ever understood or bothered about the nuances of 'colony'. Perhaps, it was Chakola himself who named it thus. It was a kind of gated property without a gate. There was a garland-like tarred road with quarters built neatly on both sides and the centre. Altogether, there were perhaps 10 to 15 houses in the 'colony' with the garland road leading to Chakola's single-story lakeside residence. The Chakola property appeared elegant, though the house in itself was not at all imposing. There resided the founder of this 'colony', Mr Joseph Chakola, together with his consort Annamma Chakola. They had come from Thrissur and had purchased this plot from Luiz sayipp (most likely the Malayalam version of Sahib, the Hindustani equivalent of Sir/Master. S.P. Luiz s/o Paul Luiz was a well-known Anglo-Indian politician who lived in Perumanur). I think when we search our family history, at least a sizeable section of this property belonged to our ancestors, who are said to have settled in this place from Paravoor (fashionably written in English as Parur). Joseph Chettan and Annamma Chedathi were people who were held in honour in business, church and political circles. Though they were Syrian Christians and within our parish limit, I hardly ever saw them in parish church. I think, if they did go, presumably they did, it was to the monastery church, for they didn't belong to our local community.
I had a few occasions to visit that palace that had nothing palatial about it - usually on our annual rounds in October for Mission Sunday Collection. And if recall correctly, Joseph chettan would give Rs. 5.00 without a smile, whereas Dr A.K. Chacko who occupied the first quarters in the colony facing the Thevara road would contribute Rs. 5.00 with a smile and some friendly banter with us kids. He was a regular at the Church, on almost all days, and without fail on Sundays. Initially, he used to drive his ambassador to the Church (though the church was only about 300 metres away), but after he had had a cerebral stroke, his wife drove the car for him. While an amount of Rs 5.00 was quite a generous contribution, which made us young altar boys happy, when I look back, I feel it was a paltry sum as far a Joseph chettan's stature was concerned. (Though a 100-rupee note was a rare thing to possess by an ordinary young man, I had seen my St. Augustine classmates like Krishnakumar, Dandapani and Anil Sivan possessing, not one, but many such notes, and spending lavishly among their friends, including me.) Perhaps, Joseph Chettan was contributing in many other ways, and he condescendingly looked at this as some kids' affair to be encouraged at their level.
Joseph chettan's daughter's wedding was a big event - the entire garland road of the colony was made into a pandal and decorated. I don't know if we had an invitation. The wedding took place in the Ernakulam Cathedral, I think, and not in our parish church. Many years later, I met the family at Kalamassery - with four children - 2 girls and 2 boys. The common mass was usually my duty, and they used to interact and respond. Once, my reference to something from Hindu tradition during the homily was questioned by Mr Jose Anathanam. Some time later, I learnt that the family had joined the newly formed sect of the elite Christians of the Syro-Malabar church, under the leadership of one Anathanam. But he appeared like the young man who approached Jesus with great eagerness and genuineness; and perhaps, continues to be so, unlike many of us steeped in and complacent with our elaborate liturgies and ritual prayers.
Then the great Joseph Chettan of Chakolas passed away sometime in the late 70s. That was the most solemn celebration of death I had ever witnessed in Keralam, till the modern times emerged, and everything became available for everyone, and St Oommen Chandi set new standards while bidding farewell to the Common Home in this state. Again, perhaps the Chackolas of those times felt it was not befitting that such an eminent person get buried in an island hamlet like Konthuruthy. He was solemnly carried in an unimaginably long motorcade and most likely buried in the Cathedral cemetery or somewhere in Thrissur. I don't recall. I never felt attached to visit him, but the whole thing was a spectacle, and I was a spectator. With Joseph Chettan gone, the family apparently suffered serious setbacks in their enterprises. There was perhaps no one interested in maintaining the kingdom he had established. The famous Chakola Silk house, run under the leadership of Annamma Chedathi also was no longer heard about.
Our Malayalam teacher at St Augustine's (whose real name none of us was sure about - we called him Ponnamma sir - don't know why) once narrated about vimochana samaram with, Chackola annamma chedathi in the lead! ഇറങ്ങിപ്പോയി ഇറങ്ങിപ്പോയി കേരള ജനത ഇറങ്ങിപ്പോയി. I was surprised to hear such a reference to my neighbour in a school classroom about 10 kilometres away. I was impressed.
A lady used to great privileges and with readiness to serve the society, her last years were not all that comfortable. Once in a year she used to give a high tea to the members of the monastery. She knew the elder daughters of our family and used to refer to them when she used to meet me at Thevara, even when she did not have access to abundant resources. And she would join the community for that.
By 2021, I think her memory started fading. However, till the last time I met, perhaps she was already past 90 then, she still had retained the natural grace that her face exuded. I feel bad that I have not been able to meet her since then, and now that she is departing, a venerable, warm, friendly lady in the neighbourhood, and committed to the well-being of the less privileged, I am not able to bid her farewell.
As Fr Austin puts it: For the Thevara-Perumanur region, Joseph Chettan and Annamma Chedathi were the uncrowned King and Queen. And she has lived a life of fortitude and forbearance and of spreading joy in spite of her various sufferings and for almost 5 decades she has lived that life without the support of Joseph Chettan, who departed in the prime of his life as a business leader and public figure.
I was very glad to listen to Fr. Sabu, my colleague at SH College, as her spiritual father in the her final years on the planet, giving glowing tributes to her spiritual status, her keen desire to be with the Lord, and in the Lord's house. I hope the psalmist's prayer is fulfilled in her: 'My heart and soul rejoiced, when I heard them say, let us go to God's house' (Ps. 121).
May she rest with the Lord in abiding peace and abundant joy!
Note: In the present day, decolonising and recapturing are happening. My cousin Johny, having a relatively well established business, has managed to get back a sizeable chunk of Sayyip's as well as Chackola's property.
No comments:
Post a Comment