The meek shall inherit …… ****

Vaithy came from a large family in Palakkad. He migrated to Malaya to find a new life. He worked hard, and supported his parents and siblings in Palakkad. He lived in Malaya in a small rented house with his wife and children. Vaithy saved money and bought a piece of farm land in Palakkad. A lease farmer worked the farm and the produce was shared among the lease farmer and Vaithy’s extended family in Palakkad.

In Malaya, Vaithy’s family continued to live in the rented house. Vaithy hoped to move his family to Palakkad one day. They would live on the farm, off the fat of the land.

***

Illangovan had migrated to Malaya to escape the grinding poverty in his village. He had befriended Kandasamy, a cowherd in Malaya, who allowed him to build a hut near his house. They reared cows, goats and chickens , and grew vegetables and fruits in the fringes of the jungle. It was no-man’s land, and they paid no rent. Life was peaceful.

***

Vaithy read the disturbing news in the newspaper. The communists had taken over in Kerala. It was bad news. Vaithy knew that something bad would come out of this. Sure enough, the communists soon passed a new land law. Vaithy’s land was seized. He was termed an absentee landlord. A capitalist. His lease farmer was given the land for a nominal sum. Vaithy got a pittance.

***

Illangovan had passed on, and his sons were living on the land now. There were a large number of houses in the area, built by the family members of Kandasamy and Illangovan and several others who had arrived there since. It was now a small colony. A few still reared cattle and goats, and grew fruits and vegetables. Many had moved on and were wealthy and had businesses in the city as well.

***

Vaithy struggled to support his family, while he continued to help out his siblings. The loss of his land had been a big setback. But through sheer grit and hard work, he managed. Vaithy’s children studied well and soon they started off on their own lives. All that Vaithy could give them was a basic education. When Vaithy died several years later, there was no property to distribute. He had lived his life from day to day. But his children expected nothing. Their parents had given them a good start in life. Now it was up to them to go on and make the best of it.

***

Karthikeyan was Illangovan’s grandson. Karthikeyan himself was a reasonably successful businessman in the city. But he maintained his house here in the colony. He had been persuaded to lead the campaign. Their village was a “heritage”, they claimed. At first he had had to explain to the villagers what this meant. He had to tell them they had rights. And they could demand compensation from the Government.

***

The Government finally gave in. The pressure was too great. The villagers were compensated handsomely. The total cost was in millions. The tab was picked up by the tax payers. Including Vaithy’s children.