The farmers, not knowing what else to do, ran into the village. Every field they passed was a wreck like theirs. Every tree top in the shrub forest, every rooftop was covered with locusts. Not a single leaf was visible.

Most of the people rushed inside and shut the doors and windows.

37

THE LOCUSTS ARRIVED UNANNOUNCED AND left unannounced.

The only traces of their visit were the drops of faeces under the trees near the fields and the erasure of green from the village. Not even a blade of grass was spared. Palm trees stood bare as massive pestles. The village stood depleted of all its adornment.

The people were too shocked and stunned in the beginning. Then they were borne down by sorrow. Who was to console whom? Whom could they blame for this disaster? The grief was heartrending. The hearts in the Kottaiyar house melted. They called the people and comforted them, and opened their granary to the village.

‘Keep some for sowing and enough for us to eat. The rest distribute equally to them,’ Govindappa Nayakkar instructed his brothers. He also made sure the livestock were given a share of the fodder.

‘Govindappa, this year we might not be able to have a thick Kanji. But by your grace we will have a thin one at least,’ said Engatrayalu, gratefully.

‘Why do you say so? Things don’t become ours only because they belong to us. Don’t forget that our ancestors joined hands to level a shrub forest to make the fertile fields,’ replied Govindappa Nayakkar, sharply.

38

AFTER THE ‘LOCUST FAMINE’ HIT the village, the Kottaiyars’ kindness solved some of the people’s problems, but not all their agony.

Govindappa Nayyakar wrote in detail to the Company about this occurrence and the effect it had had on the people of the village but got no reply.

People were once again worried about dacoits and murderers. There was no encouraging news from anywhere. Even the news that did come in, they did not know if it was true or false.

One was that the White man was chopping off the thumb of anyone daring to spin the chakra. The people could only laugh, fearfully.

The other was that the White man beheaded anyone who objected to him.

Apparently they were not allowed to pluck the cucumber off their plants and give it to someone without permission from the White man!

While these rumours milled around, a report came that the raja of Panchalakurichi, Kattabomman, had been hanged from a tamarind tree. This caused quite a ruckus.

There were several versions to this report. Some said it was only because Kattabomman rebelled against the Whites. Others said Kattabomman’s younger brother Umaithurai killed and hanged ten Whites in revenge.

The people were divided in defence of and dissent against the Whites.

‘He has come from a tiny land, across many oceans. How dare he enslave us!’ demanded Akkayya.

But the White man had pistols, gunpowder and cannons. One shot from a cannon could demolish an entire village.