To Sita: Murukanandam did not even think in his mind that the life dreams he had lying on the table in a shop during the pouring rain would come true. Even in Abhrapali, it is very unlikely that anyone has seen a life like that of Murukan (30) who took the hand of his foster father and stepped into the Kathir Mandapam. The arrival of Murukananda, the true ‘Muruka’ of Angamoozhi people, brought only good luck to the Mavel family, and Murukan himself.
∙ Childhood school life…
The incredible life story of Murukananda, a native of Tirunalveli Vallamkota, who had no means of escape from severe hunger, began during his school days. The family, consisting of mother Saroj and younger brother Perumal, who became a porter in Karingalmada following their father left them, was starving most days. A childhood that longed to eat even a piece of candy. Murugan’s eyes fill with memories of his childhood days when he used to skip classes and go to Poonulla to look for a job and stand on his own feet.
From his childhood, Murukan was worried regarding how to study amidst the chaos at home. In that child’s mind, he wanted to get a job anyway. During the third grade. He goes to class every Wednesday punctually. Only on that day will the school get eggs for lunch. No matter how hard it is to eat it, Wednesday’s class will not be interrupted.
∙ The beginning of that journey…
Murugan’s friend and neighbor Bhaskaran had heard that he had got a job in Kerala that day. With that, Murugan made a deal with Bhaskaran’s father Ravi to get him a job in Kerala. Then one day at dusk, Ravi came home looking for Murukan.
He was told that he had been offered a job in a hotel in Angamoozhi near Sabarimala in Kerala and that if he wanted to go, he should board the train that very night. Even if you study, you can live without hunger for a while. And thought nothing of it. In the daytime he went to school in his uniform of white shirt and black knickers. At night I boarded the train from Tirunalveli railway station to Chengannur. On the trip, only dreams of work were in mind.
Unbearable hunger as soon as he got down at the railway station. Ravi bought an omelette and gave it away (first time eating omelette). The bus boarded from Chengannur to Pathanamthitta in the morning itself. From there straight to Angamoozhi.
∙ First job…
The work was arranged in a hotel at Angamoozhi Junction. As soon as he came, he was relieved to see his friend Bhaskar. The hotel owner showed Murugan how the work was done. Picking up the tea glass, cleaning the table, serving water, just small and small tasks. After completing the training, both of them went to bed with Bhaskaran on the table of a nearby shop. Very cold. There is no other way to cover. The only comfort is the warmth from the jute sack spread on the table. Meanwhile, the rain started falling and continued till dawn. Early in the morning, following taking a bath, Murugan went to the shop for work. For the time being, Murukan is not needed for the job. The guy isn’t tall enough or big enough. This is the reason for the job loss. The moments when I thought that the journey to Kerala with high expectations was over.
∙ Changed head while waiting for the bus
In order to go back to the country, Ravi stopped early in the morning near the stationery shop owned by Shailu in Mavel at Angamoozhi Junction. Ravi remembers that the shop owner Shailu had earlier asked him if he might get a helper when Kattakkada was waiting for the KSRTC bus coming from Moozhiyar. Immediately Murukana showed Shailu. Let him be here. I’ll take a look. Ravi boarded the bus and returned home.
Shailu, who came home following closing the shop at night, was accompanied by Murukananda, who was only nine years old. Shailu’s wife Smita remembers that Murugan would come home with Shailu on the night of Prophet’s Day in 2000. Smita took Murukananda as her eldest son along with food. Eat and sleep at home. Shailu should go to the shop near the house for food during the day. It is a stationery shop. Helped by doing small tasks that might be done. Shailu Murugan’s foster father Shailu is Anna and Smita Murugan’s sister from that day till now.
22 long years that followed. Shailu changed the name of the little boy Murukananda first. Murugan. Murugan did not show interest even though he said that he would enroll in a school near his home. Meanwhile, Shailu’s daughter Abhirami was enrolled in LKG class. Murugan also started learning Malayalam along with Abhirami in the evening. The teacher was Smita, the stepmother. Murugan, who memorized writing and reading, became the cynosure of everyone in the country and at home.
Many years have passed. All his infancy and childhood were spent in Mavel’s family. As a young man, Shailu almost completely left the charge of the shop to Murukan. Shailu turned to contract work. Meanwhile, Murugan passed the 7th class equivalency exam and got his driving license. Murugan owns all the family vehicles in Mavel. Last year Shailu also bought a bullet bike. Now that’s the journey.
∙ Marriage…
When Murugan reached the age of 30, the Shailu-Smita couple came forward with a marriage proposal. After many deliberations, nine months ago, he got married to Sharanya (22), a graduate from Adoor Mannadi. Last Monday, Saranya also became another member of the Mavelil family as Murugan’s life partner. Marriage was also an unprecedented innovation. Most of those invited to the wedding are close friends of Murugan. The groom and his party reach the underground auditorium in five tourist buses. Shailu himself did all the preparations.
The marriage was as per SNDP custom. Shailu and Smitha completed all the tasks from the position of the groom’s parents auspiciously. In Mavel, the family’s ration card has Murugan’s name instead of the eldest son’s. Shailu’s name in the father’s place, Smitha in the mother’s place, Abhirami as the second daughter and Devdarshan as the third son are recorded. Murugan also holds the position of the elder brother in the family.
Eldest son Murugan and daughter-in-law Saranya will stay at home in Mavel. Shailu says that she has everything in mind for their future life.
∙ Now the country is here
Murugan had informed the country regarding the marriage. No one came. Every year Mavelil goes home with his family. Murukanandan is preparing to go to Tirunalveli on a day convenient for all with Saranya to show Petamma.
English Summary: Life story of Murukanandan, from Tamil Nadu to Kerala
