I belong to Paramakkudi and Ramanathapuram Proper. My family had a huge property in a Village called Thiruvarangam about seven miles from Paramakudi.
A sort of jamindars on one side and we belong to a vaishnavite famiy which is a special one called svayamacharyas, which means the eldest member of the family becomes the guru for the family clan.

Ramanathapuram district even now can be proudly called a place of pride in the sense that all religions and all castes take life as a process of harmonious co-existence. I come from a land where even a child is respectfully addressed or referred.

My father was a garrison engineer in the British Army and retired prematurely on health grounds for having had to take care of the Lands. He was born in 1909 and a freedom fighter, went to jail, refused to apply or accept privileges accorded to a freedom fighter by our government. According to him doing anything for the country is one’s duty and receiving any benefit for that or even publicising that was wrong. That was what he was. He was a very pious, compassionate man very loving and very caring but could never tolerate nonsense or idiocy. He was a rebel among Brahmins, as he used to drink the kelvaragu kanji given by our kudi pallan family. But then in Ramnad district you will find that the huts are kept very clean and hygienically maintained.

A Pallar or the home maids or anyone for that matter, we, the children of the house had to address them all with respect and a relationship like akka, anna, ayya etc. They in turn will address us as chinnachamy, periyachamy, china thangam, mootha thangam etc.

Even just during my teens and early twenties our house maid Anjalai was akka to us and her Son Palani was given regular extra coaching for his studies by me and my sister. He is married to an engineering graduate girl and bought his own house in Velachery 25 years back and works for an MNC. Until recently Anjalai used to come and help us occasionally. My father introduced her as his elder daughter.

The whole India was burning red during the Hindu Muslim Riots of December 1992. I was peacefully shooting for my documentary in Ramnad and adjascent muslim areas where both muslims and hindus were contributors to my Documentation.

Thankfully I belong to a region where cast is not important, religion is not important; but people were important, brain and intelligence mattered, respect to fellow human beings prevailed.

Much to my surprise, the element of my father is seen in Chinmayi. She is concerned about social issues. But we are not obligated to give our opinions or observations unless we feel it to be necessary or we feel we are qualified/authorized to do so.

She is a replica of my father. Takes pains to park the car however difficult or far away it is and walks back to give a 50/- or a 100/- or even a 500/- sometimes and she gives it by holding it in her hand and bending humbly asks them to take it.

She is a very genuine girl but like her grandpa, she does not take crap or nonsense. Cast, language or region or religion as a barrier or source of verbal, mental or physical violence repels her.

She works very hard. And she has a good ability to handle a few things simultaneously, an avadhani.

Why I wrote this long story is for people who have only hatred consuming them, who do not even know why they hate a particular thing or a person. To find out whether the buds of goodwill and affection could ever blossom in their hearts. Will they care to explore the beauties of extending goodwill, prayers, well wishes, appreciations, positive thinking and such other lovely things on earth.

This is one life and only one life time. Make it worth its while. Please.

Since my last mention of names is getting them worried, I am not mentioning any names or ids, but I am sure they will understand whom I meant this long post for.

Among the 45 thousand followers, if ten people are different, it should not matter, if they are not people from our state. We both care for them that's why this post. They should be protective of their (tamil) family member. Instead using derogatory language, instigating others to get into a derogatory mode etc. are not good for us.

I Pray my Devi to enlighten them on the path of affection. ( I am not using the word love because I don't want the word to be manipulated)

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