A Trip To Kanyakumari

The peninsular tip is called in Tamil the 'Kumari Munai', for those from outside the Cape. This is a place that sees Indians from every state, many of them have their own eating places. On the road from Nagercoil there were far too many posters. The Deputy Chief Minister and son of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi M K Stalin was making a visit to the district. And the grace of the ancient Tamil culture shows up, what to others can be a phony show. Not in Tamilandu, some time back visiting Madurai where an imminent visit of J Jayalalitha, matinee idol turned former Chief Minister, was scheduled the road sides were all filled with the letters ‘Amma’, mother, what the people in Tamilandu call her with affection.

Superlatives can be sky high when people are honored, MGR, the other matinee hero of Tamil politics was called ‘Makkal Thilagam’ and Jayalalitha is ‘Idaya Daivam’, goddess of the heart. Karunanidhi is ‘Kalaignar’. The newspapers come out with far too many supplements and the roads are full of hoardings. To be a politician in Tamilnadu is a matter envied by other state politicians. Just across the borders in Kerala a politician needs police top take them around as they can be attacked. Leave alone honored. There is a reason in Tamilnadu with all its natural adversities the politicians mean business. Where else in India can one see free televisions for the poor, rice at two rupees a kilogram, free sarees, free bicycles for all school going girls, so on the welfare state runs.

The state administration is fully geared up for new innovations and the state government employees in Tamilnadu are perhaps the most committed in the country. That is said from experience, having been a Consultant to the state’s rural development department. You see staff members at Collectorates working late in to the night, on their own, if you ask they tell that there is work to be finished. No wonder most of the projects that are announced get implemented with meticulous care. In fact the funds allotted by the government of India get fully utilized, unlike most other states, and the beurocrats ask for more. Unspent money from others reach the people, instead of getting wasted. And in governance Karunanidhi is literally with Karuna. The best officers are posted in key areas and given complete freedom, the system works.

At Nagercoil, where the abode of the serpent god is, hence called Nager-coil, one can see a neem tree at the city centre, the place is called Veppumoodu. It has a history, there is a statue of K Kamaraj the erstwhile national politician from Tamilnadu, under the tree and this has come as a saving grace for the tree. Whenever the public works guys came to fell the tree for road widening the people opposed it. Huge crowds, mainly from among the majority Nadar community, came on the roads. Matters often got out of hand and the authorities gave up the plan, the tree stands in all majesty at the city centre. Not many trees had this security and they have fallen for wider roads. One can see the fortune tellers, whose parrot tells anyone’s future for a mere Rs. 5/, sits peacefully waiting for clients on the road sides. It is another common scene in Tamilnadu and it is indeed a people concerned about the future.