The Coolies and Sreerengu
Yes, they were called coolies; they were coolies. The Tamil
workers who worked on the Kannan Devan Hills Plantations were by and large simple, polite, sincere, obedient, loyal, and devoted. They used to stand by the window to talk to my father every morning and evening. My father would be sitting inside the room which was both his office and bedroom. Their respectful greeting still rings in my ears: “Salam Ayyah!” and “Salam Amma!” We were happy when they addressed us, “Salaam Chinnamma, Chinnayyah…” etc. The thought of it in later years even flattered us. Now, when I look back, I wonder whether it was right to feel flattered on such occasions. On further thought, I have resolved that showing respect to elders and superiors is valid anywhere any time. Calling children like us came naturally to them as it showed their love.
I feel sad to think about the miserable plight of the labourers in Munnar now. I feel that they are not taken much care of; more than that, not even listened to. “The Penpillai Orumeii” of recent years shows the unity of the women on the plantations. Aren’t they treated as non-entity? I am sure, the saga of these women labourers will be sung in the later years. Why don’t the Planters and the Government pay attention to their plea? Do they think that they are a group not worth reckoning? But I’m afraid whether I am mistaken in this view as i have no knowledge of the real situation.
Among the women labourers of “Silent Valley”, I remember Sreerengu the best. The memory of the sweet delicacy ‘she gave me when I was small still tastes sweet on my palette and heart. I have already written that my brother Babu and I used to sit on the top of the wooden gate and wait for her till her dark figure appeared afar at the bent of the road. Even now, when I see this delicacy in the glass almirahs of small tea/coffee shops I am reminded of the ones gifted by Sreerengu. Where are you now, Sreerengu? My father and mother are no more. Have you also gone away from the world? Are your children or grandchildren there in the sheds or the shacks in the estate? How I longed in vain to come to your sheds and ask of you!
In fact, I did, when we as a family visited Silent Valley in 2001 and 2004. My husband– he is also another Babu, our son Jubel and, our daughter Jeana went there on one of the two occasions we visited Silent Valley. I enquired the people of the ‘layams’ about Sreerengu. Nobody knew anything about Sreerengu. They were of the new generation. Usually, when they become old and their work is over the labourers go back to Tamil Nadu, their native place.
Sreerengu used to come to wash clothes for us. She would be combing my hair also. Ammachy was very kind to her and gave her food and everything she needed. I think she assisted my mother in her work in the backyard also. Ammachy had grown a variety of plants and vegetables like cabbages, carrots, cauliflowers, tomatoes, potatoes, chicory, beans, double beans, peas, etc. about which I have written elsewhere. Ammachy cut the chicory in small round pieces and got them sun-dried. Then it was sold to the merchants. In factories elsewhere, coffee was produced out of it. We used to eat carrots plucked fresh from the soil and washed. We had the habit of taking boiled, but unmashed potatoes frequently. We cut tomatoes into small pieces, mixed them with sugar, and ate them. Usually, we kept it as such for some time. Then the sugar would residue into a sweet syrup, and oh, it was lovely eating the tiny slices of tomatoes soaked in the sweet syrup. In the years to come, workers and friends who visited us in Kottayam quoted the labourers’ comment “ Writer Amma pone piraku thakkali ellame chinnathayirukke”. As Appachen was called ‘Writer Ayyah’, Ammachy was called ‘Writer Amma’. What they meant was that after my mother had left, the tomatoes became too small. I have never seen tomatoes as big as the ones Ammachy grew there!
Ammachy used to add some cabbage leaves as a whole into the chicken curry. It was very tasty then. All the vegetables were fresh. Now when we take pesticide-affected vegetables, we are reminded of the good old days we spent in Munnar!
I remember the tall and fat Karuppayya with an unusually big moustache like the handle bar of a cycle, who came to see my father. I think he was involved in politics in later years. But he was very polite to Appachen. Other names I forgot. Muthu Sami, Periya Sami, and such other names were very common among them.
Even though cash was not in abundance there was no scarcity of food for the coolies. They were well taken care of by the Managers and the Estate Conductors like my father. ‘Kanganees’(Supervisors) were in charge of the coolies. The tea leaves were measured out and calculated for the payment. Disputes were settled by my father who was very fair and just in all his resolutions. The coolies loved him dearly. That was clearly shown when we took leave of the Silent Valley Estate for good. They wept when Appachen bade them goodbye.
They invited us to their club months later and we were given a ‘grand’ treat there. They gave each of us a gift also. They had asked for our group photo and we had taken it for them. They hung it on the wall of their club. It must be still there. The club was closed when we went there last time. A few of them used to visit us at times. Years later, once we went on a family trip to Munnar when Appachen, Ammachy, Joychayan, Annamma Kochamma,Omanachechy, and our children were all there. That might have been in 1986 or so. It was a sudden plan. Omanachechy had suggested it one Saturday when she came from Ernakulam with her children Jobin and Jickin to spend a weekend in Puthenangady. Immediately we hired a Minibus named “Mookambika” and set out on the journey the next day itself. Joychayan, Annamma Kochamma,their children Aji, Anju and Anupa were there. Mollychechy and Johnychayan could not come, but their children Ansu, Priya and Pramod joined. Thambichayan and Molly Kochamma were in Abu Dhabi, but their daughter Manju was with us. Our family was there. Babu, Jubel, Jeana and I. We took our maid Jainamma also with us. It was a lovely occasion. We visited Munnar, Indian Club, and Mattupetty .
We wanted to go to Silent Valley also. But Appachen discouraged us because it was getting late and if we did not start the journey back from Munnar town by five in the evening, it would be misty and the journey would be difficult. We were disappointed. As Silent Valley was in a remote corner some sixteen kilometres away we were not likely to come back by that time. It would be getting dark early in hilly areas, and we would be stuck somewhere in the middle of the road or some wilderness. Elephants would be frequenting some of the areas where trees were grown thick. We had not prepared for a stay back as it was planned as a one-day trip.
Anyway, it was wise that we did not go. Even though we started around five, terrifying moments were waiting ahead of us. When we came some farther, before we reached Walayar, I think, mist spread everywhere. We could not see anything ahead. The bus went on. All of us were scared. Omanachechy asked all to pray. There rose a question from the back seat. It was Jubel, my son. “Will we fall into the abyss?” It was enough to get on to Omanachechy’s nerves, as everybody was tensed. “Be Quiet!” the teacher in Omanachechy shouted. She was the convenor of the trip. We prayed, some loudly and some, silently. God protected us from any untoward happening. When the journey started, Omanachechy had prepared a special kind of sandwiches for our journey. I still feel the taste of it on my palette.
Never again had we gone there before 2000. By that time, Appachen had passed away. We had been to Munnar, Mattuppetty, Rajamala, etc., from colleges but never to our dear old Silent Valley.
The reason was that our one-day trip was not sufficient for visiting more than two places in and around Munnar. Moreover, Silent Valley does not have any significance to others, other than its scenic beauty while this place is filled with nostalgic memories for our family. After the long journey from Kottayam, we did not get time to visit Silent Valley, as it was a distant place and the road was narrow and untarred as all the roads within the estates were at that time and they were not in good condition, and it was difficult to travel after nightfall. For one-day trips, we had to start the return journey from Munnar at the latest by 5 in the evening as I have mentioned already. Otherwise, we would be hindered by mist and nightfall. Now when I look back at the place with nostalgia, I wonder why Appachen never voiced his desire to visit Silent Valley. Amid the dull and harsh realities of life, he might have sacrificed his desires. Or, he might have developed by that time a second passion for paddy cultivation in his home village after tea plantation in the High Ranges.
That was an age of innocence when Appachen and Ammachy spent the best part of their life in Munnar. As for us, their children, it was a golden period in our life—an unforgettable period which has carved a niche deep in our hearts.
Sreerengu, as you know, was a Tamilian woman who helped Ammachy in her outdoor work. Ammachy had all sorts of vegetables in the plot assigned for Appachen by the Kannan Devan Company. Appachan’s salary was notenough in meeting all our expenses, with all the children(except me) staying in hostels in different places. As I’ve already written, my brothers were studying in C.M.S. School, Kottayam, and my sisters in Mahilalayam School, Alwaye at that time. The produce from the garden sufficed our needs and Ammachy could make some income by getting the vegetables sold in the market, however meagre the price was.
Sreerengu was very loving. I don’t exactly remember what all work she did other than washing the clothes and working in the home garden. I was too young to remember such odd jobs. Two occasions are vivid in me. One when Ammachy used to make her comb my hair. Oh, it was a real ordeal for me. It ached me when the comb was pulled through the strands of my hair. It was worse when Ammachy herself did the ‘monstrous’ work on my hair. Though I expressed my discomfort and pain in the course of this severe combing, and it made me cry because of the pain, Ammachy was stubborn in finishing her job thoroughly till it was over up to her satisfaction. Moreover, there was often the threat of ‘the small elephants in the forest on my head’(lice). I was away from my home during my third standard and my hair, which had thickly grown, was left unkempt during that one year. It was then that these ‘small ones’ migrated to my fertile wilderness on top that provided them the best habitat.
I have already shared a pleasant memory I have about Sreerengu on her salary days. She used to gift me with a sweet delicacy(what we call ‘madakkusan’ in Malayalam and a kind of ‘paniyaram’ in Tamil) when she returned with her salary. Silent Valley was a small place and shops were not common at all. These sellers knew about the payday and they came from Tamil Nadu or some places nearby, Bodi Naykkannoor or so. When it became a habitual gift once every month, I started waiting for her coming, because we knew from Appachen that it was the payday and he was to distribute the pay. My brother Babu, just elder to me was also with me. We would be seated on the wooden front gate with the herbaceous fencing on the two sides with a multi-coloured clusters of flowers decorating the border. Oh, how happy I was to see Sreerengu coming at a distance. She brought two pieces.
It was Joychayan and his family who first visited Silent Valley after a long interval. Then we followed suit. In 2000 when my family went to Silent Valley, Thambichayan’s son Manith was with us, we enquired some labourers about Sreerengu. Our small family went again in 2004. Thambichayan was with us. We stayed at the cottage run by Mar Thoma Church on the first occasion and the second occasion in their newly constructed Guest House in Munnar Town. We proceeded to Silent Valley, Mattuppetty and Rajamala in our car. In 2015 we hired a minibus and all the siblings’ families went together. Appachen’s quarters looked much more deserted at that time. It was a sorry sight. No fencing…no proper way. Plants had grown wild all over the place. Some of us were bitten by the leeches too. It caused much alarm as we had never experienced such a thing in all the years we were in Silent Valley. It was also a one-day trip, as the elders of the group were not prepared to stay back. The younger generation was unhappy when we cut short the visit to Mattuppetty because some of the children had developed signs of nausea.
I do not know when we would be able to visit our Silent Valley again. The glory has departed. Thambichayan and I fondly wished if we could own our old quarters! A foolish wish, I know. But our old ties are too strong to settle our foolish hearts! Silent Valley is still beckoning us from far away….
In fact, I did, when we as a family visited Silent Valley in 2001 and 2004. My husband– he is also another Babu, our son Jubel and, our daughter Jeana went there on one of the two occasions we visited Silent Valley. I enquired the people of the ‘layams’ about Sreerengu. Nobody knew anything about Sreerengu. They were of the new generation. Usually, when they become old and their work is over the labourers go back to Tamil Nadu, their native place.
Sreerengu used to come to wash clothes for us. She would be combing my hair also. Ammachy was very kind to her and gave her food and everything she needed. I think she assisted my mother in her work in the backyard also. Ammachy had grown a variety of plants and vegetables like cabbages, carrots, cauliflowers, tomatoes, potatoes, chicory, beans, double beans, peas, etc. about which I have written elsewhere. Ammachy cut the chicory in small round pieces and got them sun-dried. Then it was sold to the merchants. In factories elsewhere, coffee was produced out of it. We used to eat carrots plucked fresh from the soil and washed. We had the habit of taking boiled, but unmashed potatoes frequently. We cut tomatoes into small pieces, mixed them with sugar, and ate them. Usually, we kept it as such for some time. Then the sugar would residue into a sweet syrup, and oh, it was lovely eating the tiny slices of tomatoes soaked in the sweet syrup. In the years to come, workers and friends who visited us in Kottayam quoted the labourers’ comment “ Writer Amma pone piraku thakkali ellame chinnathayirukke”. As Appachen was called ‘Writer Ayyah’, Ammachy was called ‘Writer Amma’. What they meant was that after my mother had left, the tomatoes became too small. I have never seen tomatoes as big as the ones Ammachy grew there!
Ammachy used to add some cabbage leaves as a whole into the chicken curry. It was very tasty then. All the vegetables were fresh. Now when we take pesticide-affected vegetables, we are reminded of the good old days we spent in Munnar!
I remember the tall and fat Karuppayya with an unusually big moustache like the handle bar of a cycle, who came to see my father. I think he was involved in politics in later years. But he was very polite to Appachen. Other names I forgot. Muthu Sami, Periya Sami, and such other names were very common among them.
Even though cash was not in abundance there was no scarcity of food for the coolies. They were well taken care of by the Managers and the Estate Conductors like my father. ‘Kanganees’(Supervisors) were in charge of the coolies. The tea leaves were measured out and calculated for the payment. Disputes were settled by my father who was very fair and just in all his resolutions. The coolies loved him dearly. That was clearly shown when we took leave of the Silent Valley Estate for good. They wept when Appachen bade them goodbye.
They invited us to their club months later and we were given a ‘grand’ treat there. They gave each of us a gift also. They had asked for our group photo and we had taken it for them. They hung it on the wall of their club. It must be still there. The club was closed when we went there last time. A few of them used to visit us at times. Years later, once we went on a family trip to Munnar when Appachen, Ammachy, Joychayan, Annamma Kochamma,Omanachechy, and our children were all there. That might have been in 1986 or so. It was a sudden plan. Omanachechy had suggested it one Saturday when she came from Ernakulam with her children Jobin and Jickin to spend a weekend in Puthenangady. Immediately we hired a Minibus named “Mookambika” and set out on the journey the next day itself. Joychayan, Annamma Kochamma,their children Aji, Anju and Anupa were there. Mollychechy and Johnychayan could not come, but their children Ansu, Priya and Pramod joined. Thambichayan and Molly Kochamma were in Abu Dhabi, but their daughter Manju was with us. Our family was there. Babu, Jubel, Jeana and I. We took our maid Jainamma also with us. It was a lovely occasion. We visited Munnar, Indian Club, and Mattupetty .
We wanted to go to Silent Valley also. But Appachen discouraged us because it was getting late and if we did not start the journey back from Munnar town by five in the evening, it would be misty and the journey would be difficult. We were disappointed. As Silent Valley was in a remote corner some sixteen kilometres away we were not likely to come back by that time. It would be getting dark early in hilly areas, and we would be stuck somewhere in the middle of the road or some wilderness. Elephants would be frequenting some of the areas where trees were grown thick. We had not prepared for a stay back as it was planned as a one-day trip.
Anyway, it was wise that we did not go. Even though we started around five, terrifying moments were waiting ahead of us. When we came some farther, before we reached Walayar, I think, mist spread everywhere. We could not see anything ahead. The bus went on. All of us were scared. Omanachechy asked all to pray. There rose a question from the back seat. It was Jubel, my son. “Will we fall into the abyss?” It was enough to get on to Omanachechy’s nerves, as everybody was tensed. “Be Quiet!” the teacher in Omanachechy shouted. She was the convenor of the trip. We prayed, some loudly and some, silently. God protected us from any untoward happening. When the journey started, Omanachechy had prepared a special kind of sandwiches for our journey. I still feel the taste of it on my palette.
Never again had we gone there before 2000. By that time, Appachen had passed away. We had been to Munnar, Mattuppetty, Rajamala, etc., from colleges but never to our dear old Silent Valley.
The reason was that our one-day trip was not sufficient for visiting more than two places in and around Munnar. Moreover, Silent Valley does not have any significance to others, other than its scenic beauty while this place is filled with nostalgic memories for our family. After the long journey from Kottayam, we did not get time to visit Silent Valley, as it was a distant place and the road was narrow and untarred as all the roads within the estates were at that time and they were not in good condition, and it was difficult to travel after nightfall. For one-day trips, we had to start the return journey from Munnar at the latest by 5 in the evening as I have mentioned already. Otherwise, we would be hindered by mist and nightfall. Now when I look back at the place with nostalgia, I wonder why Appachen never voiced his desire to visit Silent Valley. Amid the dull and harsh realities of life, he might have sacrificed his desires. Or, he might have developed by that time a second passion for paddy cultivation in his home village after tea plantation in the High Ranges.
That was an age of innocence when Appachen and Ammachy spent the best part of their life in Munnar. As for us, their children, it was a golden period in our life—an unforgettable period which has carved a niche deep in our hearts.
Sreerengu, as you know, was a Tamilian woman who helped Ammachy in her outdoor work. Ammachy had all sorts of vegetables in the plot assigned for Appachen by the Kannan Devan Company. Appachan’s salary was notenough in meeting all our expenses, with all the children(except me) staying in hostels in different places. As I’ve already written, my brothers were studying in C.M.S. School, Kottayam, and my sisters in Mahilalayam School, Alwaye at that time. The produce from the garden sufficed our needs and Ammachy could make some income by getting the vegetables sold in the market, however meagre the price was.
Sreerengu was very loving. I don’t exactly remember what all work she did other than washing the clothes and working in the home garden. I was too young to remember such odd jobs. Two occasions are vivid in me. One when Ammachy used to make her comb my hair. Oh, it was a real ordeal for me. It ached me when the comb was pulled through the strands of my hair. It was worse when Ammachy herself did the ‘monstrous’ work on my hair. Though I expressed my discomfort and pain in the course of this severe combing, and it made me cry because of the pain, Ammachy was stubborn in finishing her job thoroughly till it was over up to her satisfaction. Moreover, there was often the threat of ‘the small elephants in the forest on my head’(lice). I was away from my home during my third standard and my hair, which had thickly grown, was left unkempt during that one year. It was then that these ‘small ones’ migrated to my fertile wilderness on top that provided them the best habitat.
I have already shared a pleasant memory I have about Sreerengu on her salary days. She used to gift me with a sweet delicacy(what we call ‘madakkusan’ in Malayalam and a kind of ‘paniyaram’ in Tamil) when she returned with her salary. Silent Valley was a small place and shops were not common at all. These sellers knew about the payday and they came from Tamil Nadu or some places nearby, Bodi Naykkannoor or so. When it became a habitual gift once every month, I started waiting for her coming, because we knew from Appachen that it was the payday and he was to distribute the pay. My brother Babu, just elder to me was also with me. We would be seated on the wooden front gate with the herbaceous fencing on the two sides with a multi-coloured clusters of flowers decorating the border. Oh, how happy I was to see Sreerengu coming at a distance. She brought two pieces.
It was Joychayan and his family who first visited Silent Valley after a long interval. Then we followed suit. In 2000 when my family went to Silent Valley, Thambichayan’s son Manith was with us, we enquired some labourers about Sreerengu. Our small family went again in 2004. Thambichayan was with us. We stayed at the cottage run by Mar Thoma Church on the first occasion and the second occasion in their newly constructed Guest House in Munnar Town. We proceeded to Silent Valley, Mattuppetty and Rajamala in our car. In 2015 we hired a minibus and all the siblings’ families went together. Appachen’s quarters looked much more deserted at that time. It was a sorry sight. No fencing…no proper way. Plants had grown wild all over the place. Some of us were bitten by the leeches too. It caused much alarm as we had never experienced such a thing in all the years we were in Silent Valley. It was also a one-day trip, as the elders of the group were not prepared to stay back. The younger generation was unhappy when we cut short the visit to Mattuppetty because some of the children had developed signs of nausea.
I do not know when we would be able to visit our Silent Valley again. The glory has departed. Thambichayan and I fondly wished if we could own our old quarters! A foolish wish, I know. But our old ties are too strong to settle our foolish hearts! Silent Valley is still beckoning us from far away….
