How V.O. Chidambaram Pillai earned the title  ‘Sekkizhutha Chemmal’

V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, fondly known arsenic VOC and Sekkizhutha Chemmal (‘the large antheral who pulled the lipid press’), mightiness different person been remembered by the lesser rubric Kayiru Thiritha Chemmal (‘the large antheral who spun coir’). This alteration came astir owing to the “kind attitude” of a British jailer named Mitchell. When Mitchell saw VOC’s  hands bleeding from the harsh labour of separating coir and spinning enactment successful the Coimbatore prison, helium advised him to enactment astatine the lipid property instead. VOC accepted the proposition and pulled the lipid press, a task usually performed by bulls. “Though it earned him the rubric Sekkizhutha Chemmal, words neglect to explicit the carnal symptom helium endured during that period,” Kurusamy Mayilvaganan writes successful Kelatha Kathai (The Unheard Story).

Helping hand

Unable to carnivore the show of VOC pulling the lipid property nether the scorching sun, chap prisoners were profoundly moved. “When British officers were not around, they joined him successful pulling the press. They asked him to remainder nether a histrion and devour sesame effect balls and insisted that helium propulsion the property lone erstwhile the lawman jailer was present,” writes Mr. Mayilvaganan. His publication chronicles the 1,449 days VOC spent successful prison.

VOC was arrested connected March 12, 1908, and released connected December 24, 1912. During these 4 years, helium was lodged astatine the Palayamkottai, Coimbatore, and Kannanoor prisons. He was sentenced to treble proscription for beingness and exile connected the complaint of sedition. In a telegram to the Director of Criminal Intelligence, the Director of the Madras Crime Branch said, “Tinnelvelly sedition cases. In the archetypal lawsuit Subramani Siva sentenced to 10 years’ proscription and Chidambaram Pillai to proscription for life; successful 2nd lawsuit Chidambaram Pillai again sentenced to proscription for life.” Subsequently, the punishment was reduced to 4 years.

The rubric Kelatha Kathai is derived from a connection successful the poem Velalan Siraipugunthan by writer Subramania Bharathiar. The poem was secretly sent by Bharathiar through Parali Su. Nellaiappar, a adjacent person of some Bharathiar and VOC, who gained entree to the situation successful disguise. At Nellaiappar’s request, VOC wrote his autobiography, Va.U.Chi Suyacharithai, composing it arsenic 10 poems successful Coimbatore. The 2nd part, a agelong azygous poetic version, was written astatine the request of T.S. Chokkalingam, exertion of Gandhi and Bharatham. But for Chokkalingam, the satellite would not person known astir VOC’s jail life.

The autobiography is an authentic grounds of his situation experience, and Mr. Mayilvaganan has rendered it successful mundane Tamil. He notes that the accomplishment of state combatant Subramania Siva successful Thoothukudi and his gathering with VOC on February 3, 1908, ignited the political atmosphere of the larboard town. The publication records events from that time on. What affected VOC most severely during his imprisonment was the illness of the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company that helium had launched successful 1906 with the purpose of challenging the economical mightiness of the British Empire.

Call to shareholders

“Brothers, I americium successful situation now. I bash not cognize what volition befall maine tomorrow. Therefore, the emotion and interest you person for maine should besides widen to our shipping company. Do not deliberation it was established for generating monetary nett for shareholders, but arsenic a temple of our saccharine Bharat Mata and dharma. Work with patriotism,” VOC wrote to his shareholders from the Palayamkottai prison. VOC continued to combat for the rights of his chap prisoners. His connection with the  extracurricular satellite was maintained done The Hindu, which was smuggled into the situation on with Swadesamitran and Amrita Bazar Patrika. When the sentences of immoderate prisoners, including Sankaranarayana Pillai, convicted for their engagement successful the Tirunelveli riots, were reduced, situation officials suppressed the accusation and continued to detain them. VOC sent a missive to The Hindu through his brother-in-law, Pitchai Pillai, and its work led to their release. However, the smuggling of newspapers and letters besides caused him trouble. Prison officials insisted that VOC, alternatively of sweepers, dispose of the soil kept successful a cookware for urination successful the cell. He refused. That night, Ramaiah Gounder, who had brought The Hindu, snacks, and letters, was caught.

The writer besides addresses the allegation that VOC remained a “casteist” and insisted that lone a vegetarian navigator hole his food. He recalls a speech betwixt VOC and a navigator disguised arsenic a vegetarian. “He ne'er concealed his caste. In his code astatine the Salem league successful 1927, helium proclaimed it openly, but made it wide that helium would not o.k. of 1 caste suppressing others,” says Mr. Mayilvaganan.

A enactment of appreciation

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who has written a enactment of appreciation for the book, says tears good up erstwhile 1 reads the transition describing VOC receiving the coarse covering fixed to prisoners. “His sacrifice becomes evident erstwhile we comparison the situation attire fixed to VOC with the elegant formal and thalaippagai he erstwhile wore,” helium writes.