Chapter 7

Kerala tharavdes 

Pyinampally Thekkedath Ramachandra Menon or PTR Menon was a born communist. In Payinampally there were Thekkedath and Vadekkedath . Thekkedath Tharavadu was known  for its Communist heritage. In Kerala Tharavadu means ancestral house name  which is carried by generation to generation. A person is identified by the tharavadu name and even for marriage proposals it carries much weightage. If it is a known tharavdu people never go for any investigations or spy works to know the background of a groom or a bride. That much weightage is given to Tharavads.  Thekkedathu Tharavadu and Vadekkedathu were always had a cold war in between. 

 ‘Tharavadu nannegil, pinee onnum nokkanilla’ , if the Tharavadu was good , nothing  to be seen, which was the general concept.

 PTR  Menon’s , father  was having around two hundred acres of rubber estate . People say that his father ie. Parvath’s grandfather ,was a financier and used to lent money to people against land. As they were unable to repay the loan the lands were sold to him. Then he toiled and planted rubber . The rubber price was very low and he was not able to pay wages for the tappers. But he remained to be a good samaritan and one time he gave away some of his rubber plantation to the tappers themselves. He helped them to form a co-operative society and the ownership was rested in the Society. It was during the period when communist movement was very strong. 

 Menonettan or Ramettan was closely associated with all social activities in that part of  Cannannore where he lived.  When the Communist Party split in the early years of fiftees he bacame member of the Communist party Marxist. Then on he actively associated himself with the Party. His ancestral properties were partitioned and he got his share of fifty acres of rubber estate. 

 Ramettan being the oldest person and head of the Thekkedath Tharavade had always a say in whatever that happened in the Panchyat. Further he was the old comrade with stint of modern outlook . So he couldn’t be treated as a core leftist. He had a peculiar characteristic  of inspiring people around him.

‘Rametta, don’t we have to make the arrangement for the Theyyam, Being a person who took interest in the social activities, his opinion was sought by the committee members.

‘Alla, enthe Krishanan onnum mindathe’ in the malabar slang Menon asked.’ Why Krishnan has not uttered a wod?’

‘I don’t think any necessity of my opinion, every thing is done not based on the committee decision’ he quivered.

 ‘do the communists have any interest in religious activities?’

There was a big commotion in the committee. Though the Theyyam was done regularly, every year  there would be some issue regarding  organising the same. The two Tharavades had a say on the way it was conducted. Both Tharvdes organized separate Theyaam with much pomp and show and competed each other. 

‘we have to organize it much better than the Vadekkadathu’ one committee member opined.

Menon being  neutral,  never advocated any type of competition. He was self restraint and of the opinion that Theyyam being an art show by the Malabar , should be made more popular to make tourist attraction. 

 ‘ how being a communist, could you convert this as a money making festival?’ some one who pretended to be a principled communist quivered.

‘ This is the problem. don’t think this to be an attempt to make someone rich. This is a    unique art which is to be presented to the world. I don’t think any thing is wrong to conduct it as a Kerala festival and organise the same with much publicity’. 

 'This is the problem with all communists. According to my opinion , we should think more novel ideas without any harm to the society, to enrich the State. We are not selling our art. It will one way give an opportunity to the rare artists to exhibit their skills…….’ Menon gave a long lecture. Being a rationalist communist, he was not against implementing new ideas which would create developments in the State. 

A few days with a ghost.                                      Adv. Janardhanan venkiachalam

                                                                                                                 continues