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The Best of Thiruvalla: an English professor’s sky-high view of a Central Kerala town of hoary past and bubbly future (Kurian Pampadi)

Published on 17 May, 2017
The Best of Thiruvalla: an English professor’s sky-high view of a  Central Kerala town of hoary past and bubbly future (Kurian Pampadi)
Thiruvalla is the most advanced municipal town of Central Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district. It has many claims to glory, historically, culturally and economically. No wonder that the town boasts of scores of millionaire-depositors in banks of every hue and cry. Hence the 533-page volume with 81 writers on roll call by Prof. Babu Zacharia and his son Dr. Arun Babu Zachariah  deserves a connoisseur’s bi-focal. Babu has the reputation of being the most beautiful English commentator of Nehru Trophy Boat Race in Alappuzha.

Hundreds of the sons of the soil have emigrated to the far corners of the world including the Americas, Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, the Gulf and the Pacific-rim countries who look back with nostalgia to Thiruvalla and its deep green environment encircled by Rivers Pampa, Achenkovil and Manimala and their myriad  water regattas. “My son is in Quetta,” confided  John Joseph, a retired teacher, waiting for the weekly call from across the continents. Quetta in Ecquador may be a far cry but common it is denominator.

“Reading the book brought back memories of visits to Thiruvalla as a child. My father’s mother’s house was in Thiruvalla—this was the house my father was born in and the house we visited every summer, even if for a few days”.
writes Dr. Janaki Abraham, Associate Professor of Sociology, Delhi University, in her introductory piece. She is also the daughter of Abu Abraham, the most celebrated Indian cartoonist who worked for The Observer and the Guardian  in London and later the Indian Express in India.Appropriately, the Best of Thiruvalla is adorned with three best cartoons by Abu on its cover.

“As children we so enjoyed watching the cows being milked early in the  morning, hot appams made with fresh toddy brought in at 6 am, watching the heavy rain beat down on the red earth, and mornings in the market near the house buying fresh fish and vegetables while my father did drawings of people” Dr. Janaki muses.

“This is a valuable book that focuses on the social history of a town from the eyes of the middle class. Those who have a connection with Thiruvalla will enjoy this book, but so will those who do not...they will learn a lot about several aspect of the social life in a town in South Kerala”—she concludes her ‘academic appraisal’ as the editors would have it.

Logically, in the chapters segregated into nine Sections such as Culture, Economy, Education, Environment, Health, Media, Politics, Reminiscences and Sports the editors try to give a dichotomy of what catapults the town  as a virtual city state. With Sabarimala, the abode of Lord Ayyappa and Maramon, the venue of the world’s second largest Christian congregation in its precincts, their task is unenviable and labyrinthine. A number of articles had to be translated into English. Amusing that they take anticipatory bail for the inevitable lapses of some of the contributors who go overboard in their designated task: “The editors take no responsibility for the views, ideas and details expressed by the contributors...”

“Of the 686 districts in India, Pathanamthitta is the only district which shows a negative growth rate in population. It is a district where Christians, a minority community, are a majority”, says Dr. Alex Mathew, principal of Marthoma College in his inaugural presentation. “Thiruvalla has a known history of about 2500 years. It is believed that the Sreevallabha temple has the longest history. Christian places of worship like the Niranam Church was constructed around AD 52, “ says Dr. Simon John.

No history is complete without mentioning ‘the Bishop with a golden tongue’. Rev. Dr. Mathew Daniel does it deftly and reverentially about 101-year old Mar Chrisostum Valia Metropolitan. “I love Thiruvalla because it is my homeland where I was born and brought up. Now the town has developed into a big cosmopolis where you meet with people from many different states. It is an educational city. People need no longer send their children to Ootty, Coonoor or Kodaikanal. The town has grown into a medical city too,” says Rt. Rev.Thomas Samuel, former CSI bishop.

“I dream of a Vedic society where caste system doesn’t exist, where women are not discriminated against and land and material resources are not monopolised,..Ellam subhamayi varatte (Let everything come out well)” says literary luminary Vishnu Narayanan Namboothiri, in an interview with Dr. Arun Babu Zachariah. An excellent piece that probes the genius of the professor-turned poet, basking in the glory of an armful of honors including the Padma Shri.

“A less known Triveni sangamom, but no less blessed of Pampa, Achenkovil and Manimala rivers makes Thiruvalla truly the heart of God’s own country” trumpets Kurian John Melamparambil uncharitably dubbed as “a small town businessman with a big heart”. But bravo, Rev.Dr. Abraham Mulamoottil unveils the ambitious ‘Pamba Valley Green Techno City Project’ envisioned  as a Knowledge Society and fourth Industrial Revolution  (Industry 4.0) in Thiruvalla.

“If you are not beside a real river, close your eyes ad sit down beside an imaginary one, a riverside where you feel comfortable and safe,” rues astute media person Radhakrishnan Kuttor about the missing river Varattar that used to replenish the Pampa. “Once up on a time a Ganga used to flow here,” laments Abraham Karickam in his essay ‘Upanishads and Eco-spirituality’ Unfortunately he does not condescend to compare it vis a vis River Pampa or Thiruvalla.

‘The Best of Thiruvalla’ sadly contains a number of pieces that has nothing to do with the town, not even remotely. Though the editors set out with lofty goals (quotes from Voltaire, Martin Luther King, Billie Jean King, Tagore and Amartya Sen among a few), they seem to be in a hurry and left out many things unsaid and many things said too loudly. For example prayers like “May I take this opportunity to thank everyone for the unstinted support in all the activities of the YMCA...Thanking Almighty God for all the blessings showered on the YMCA, let me conclude” go unedited or clipped altogether.

One feature about the ‘Kingdom of Communicators’ is a misnomer. It is a directory of the author’s friends and heroes many of whom have nothing to do with Thiruvalla. ‘Padma Shree’ and ‘Padma Shri’ appears in the same article. ‘Shiela Elizabeth Abrham’ is followed by ‘Dr. Shiela Elizabeth Abraham’ in the very next tag line. There is a long write-up on Keralam by a well known poet but it escapes the vigilance. Another long piece by a well known publisher is lost in wilderness.

Two top army brass contribute their mite to the scintillating collection of memories. One is Brig. Thomas Ninan, 92, who joined the British Indian Army in 1942. “There were also a few eateries where for one Rupee you could get 12 lunches. A kilo of rice would cost an anna and a half, so students usually carry their lunches from home”, he writes. The other person is Col. Dr. James Thomas, a product of the Armed Forces Medical College, who rose to become the Vice Chancellor of a Medical University and perform a record number of 16000 heart surgeries in 36 years to end up as president of the Indian Association of Cardiac Surgeons.  

Mambally Laxman migrated from Thalassery to Thiruvalla (a rare reverse migration from the North to the South) to set up Best Bakery in Thiruvalla and bring biscuit and cricket that his hometown had inherited from the English. He  was a multi-facetted personality. Prof. Babu Zacharia does some real research and bring out Lakshmanan’s literary erudition and his love for classical arts and music. However the book purported to be the best of Thiruvalla turns out to be a festschrift to Lachettan with almost a dozen articles by admirers. Published by CSS Book Shop, Thiruvalla (0469 2630389) it is prized Rs. 450.  Nevertheless, for the lovers of Central Kerala  the book is a collector’s item. Forward by Thomas Jacob, Editorial Director of Malayala Manorama, is deeply nostalgic, amusing and a must read.
The Best of Thiruvalla: an English professor’s sky-high view of a  Central Kerala town of hoary past and bubbly future (Kurian Pampadi)The Best of Thiruvalla: an English professor’s sky-high view of a  Central Kerala town of hoary past and bubbly future (Kurian Pampadi)The Best of Thiruvalla: an English professor’s sky-high view of a  Central Kerala town of hoary past and bubbly future (Kurian Pampadi)The Best of Thiruvalla: an English professor’s sky-high view of a  Central Kerala town of hoary past and bubbly future (Kurian Pampadi)The Best of Thiruvalla: an English professor’s sky-high view of a  Central Kerala town of hoary past and bubbly future (Kurian Pampadi)The Best of Thiruvalla: an English professor’s sky-high view of a  Central Kerala town of hoary past and bubbly future (Kurian Pampadi)The Best of Thiruvalla: an English professor’s sky-high view of a  Central Kerala town of hoary past and bubbly future (Kurian Pampadi)
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