As Told and Written by P.Kalaimani
on
30.05.2001 

Translated into English by Alex.
Compiled by Jessie

I was born on a Good Friday on 21^st March 1951 at my grandfather’s house. My mother’s name is Arul Mary and my father’s name is Parisutham. I’m the eldest daughter in my family. I was also the first grand daughter to my father’s side as well as my mother’s side. Therefore I was a pampered child in my childhood. 

            During my childhood we lived in Lakchumaangkudi. Here I was admitted to first grade in a school nearby. After 4 years my first younger sister Juliath was born. Then since my father got transferred to Tanjore, all of us shifted to Tanjore as well. Here we lived in a nuclear family with my grandfather Masilamani Nadar, my grandmother Arulanandamal, my aunties and my uncle George. We lived in a house in Missionmet street Manambuchavadi in Tanjore. 

From my second grade till my fifth grade I studied in a convent in Manambuchavadi. At this time my second younger sister Alphonse was born. My father’s youngest sister Papayi and my mother’s sister Mary and myself used to study in the same school in different classes. 

Again my father was transferred to Mayavaram hence my mother and my sisters also followed suit. In my Mayavaram in 1961 My first younger brother was born. Since he was the first male child we all showered lots of love on him. I was in my sixth grade during that time. 

And again after one year we all shifted to Valanggaimaan. Here I studied from 7^th grade till my 11^th grade. In 1964 my second younger brother Charles was born. We live there in a big tiled house. 

My schooling days are still fresh in my mind. We studied well and we played well. Our house was situated in Pavanaasam road. I still remember the “pasalik kodi” in a corner of the house. I still remember my father’s anger when we refused to take castor oil (Velakennai) to prevent digestion problems. Fearing my father’s anger I used to take without objecting. Once Juliath refused to take ‘Velakennai’ so my father asked me to bring ‘Aruvaal’. I was so scared. I ran and hid myself behind my mother. Then my father lifted Juliath by one hand, swung her one round and left her down violently. 

            When I was in my 11^th grade, we moved to a smaller house in the same locality.  I was 15 years old then. Till then I had not watched a single movie. But we had a radio at home. But I seldom used it since I didn’t like it. ‘Chandrothayam’ was the first movie I watched during my holidays after my 11^th grade exams. My classmate had seen me inside the theater and I was so shy and scared that he might tell everybody, for I thought-watching movies was bad. During this holidays I went on a tour to Kumbakonam with my friends, we even took photos. There I watched my next movie ‘Bama Vijayam’ with my friends. 

            Just before my 11^th grade exams, I was infected with chickenpox but I still wrote my exams. I secured 351 marks out of 500 which was far below my expectation. Again my father got transferred to Tanjore. Here in Tanjore Palace I studied PUC. During these years we lived in a rented house in Arulananda Nagar. But here we lived only for a short while. Because my mother’s father’s elder brother Rathnasamy Nadar gave us a land nearby in Arulananda Nagar. 

            During these years we still had financial problems. It was around this time that my next younger brother James was born. The delivery took place at home. At that time my mother’s mother (Amachi), my father’s mother (Atha) and Atha’s mother (Ammayi) came to live with us. 

            In 1969, I joined Sarfoji college to do my BA economics. In 1970, my next younger brother Vincent was born. To celebrate this I distributed sweets to my friends at college but they made fun of me. Though I didn’t understand it first later I cried when I was alone. In 1971, I completed my college, when I was 20. When I was 21 in 1972 my youngest brother Alex was born. 

            I was idle at home for 2 years. In 1973 I attended youth service training in Chennai for 2 months. After completion I joined Tanjore medical college hospital as youth service volunteer for monthly stipend of Rs.175. The bus fare for going to medical college from my house was 25paise. I would get 50paise daily. If I lost 25paise then I will have to walk my way home. Which was around 5km. 

            In 1975, I got married. My father’s uncle’s son Amul was the groom. In November 1976, I was blessed with a baby boy. We named him Richard Raja. I was still working as youth service volunteer. For two years, from 1978-1979 I worked as a clerk in state government. In 1980, in the month of May I joined as GS (Grama Servika) in Vathalakundu. There we rented a house and lived with my husband. Raja was 3½ years old at that time. In July 1980 for six months I was given Grama Servika training in Kallupatti T. 

            On the 21^st of January 1981, I joined as GS (Grama Servika) in Pavanaasam Panchayath Union. After joining work at Pavanaasam, Raja, my husband and I rented a house in Sundara Perumaal Koyil and lived happily. My husband was involved in business related to ever-silver factory and toddy shop together with my uncle George. This happiness lasted for only 10 months. My husband met with an accident on 16 November 1981 and passed away two days later in Tanjore Medical college hospital. From then on I brought up Raja in the midst of so many hardships. 

            In my service in the state government I worked in Mannarkudi, Nilakottai, Thiruvidaimaruthu, Aarani, Coimbathur, Budhalur and Orathanadu as Grama Servika and MS (Mukkiya Servika). Currently I’m working in Thiruvonam Panchayath Union as Mukkiya Servika. 

            Raja is doing BSC computer science. He loved a girl named Uma. Since the girl’s parents wanted an earlier marriage he was left with no option but to marry her on 10 March 2000 before even he could finish his college. On 31^st December 2000 I became a grandmother, as my daughter in law delivered a baby boy.