Published Date: Apr 1, 2013
Whenever you meet
Veerapandiyan, he always greets you with the query Saaptingala? (Have you eaten something?). This is because he experienced
hunger all through his college days, despite having worked part-time in the
catering business. His debut novel Parukkai
weaves the tale of first generation graduates, who have all chosen to work as
caterers, in order to meet their educational expenses. Written during his
post-graduate days, it has been published recently to good response.
A native of
Andhanur, a small village in Tiruvannamalai, Veerapandiyan was born to Selvaraj
and Kamatchi, who worked in the forge as blacksmiths. Born with three siblings,
Veerapandiyan was the first person in his family to step into school, college
and university. After a while, he started to pen his experiences, which
resulted in the autobiographical sketch Parukkai,
which has been well received by readers. Currently, he is pursuing his doctoral
research at the University
of Madras.
Speaking to City
Express, Veerapandiyan looks back on his early days, his experiences as a
caterer and what pushed him to write such a novel.
“I completed my
schooling by walking three kilometres up and down daily. Even to travel in a
government bus was an expensive thing for me,” says Veerapandiyan.
He added, “Food
was mostly noyyarisi, the favourite
dish for us not because of we liked it but because it was the only kind that we
could afford to buy. All the siblings were earning by that time as labourers
except me. Though I had an interest in continuing my studies, my economic
condition didn’t permit me and I too worked as a labourer for a while. Later, I
managed to join BA (Tamil) in a government college”.
“Even after the
graduation, my parents were apprehensive over sending me to work. But I decided
to study further and with the help of my savings I also completed B.Ed.,
course” he said.
“Little later, I
came to Chennai, to pursue my post-graduation and I got a seat under the first
generation graduate scheme. The Government only gave me a seat but didn’t
provide any basic facilities such as hostel, food, etc. At first I slept in
parks and beaches, and then with the help of my fellow student friends, I
stayed in their rooms and ate without the knowledge of wardens. Staying in
those hostel rooms and not affected by jaundice, typhoid, malaria itself a
great achievement. And that was the time when most of the students decided to
work in part-time jobs regardless of what type it was — such as working in
a petrol bunk, as a security guard or even in the catering line,” he
added.
“But it is not
such an easy job. We will get food after serving all the invitees of the
function. Most of the times, we won’t get food due to shortage. Those times, we
go to bed with tears in our eyes. Even though we were paid some meagre amount
as our wages, our pain was that we could not spend even Rs.15 to eat, because
that money could be used to purchase magazines and books to study or on
travel,” he said.
Against all odds,
he managed to score 81 percent marks in MA “I missed the gold medal by one
percent” he smiled. “My experiences pushed me to write. I met Siva
Senthilnathan, publisher of Parisal Pathippagam, who helped me. I dedicated this
novel as padaiyal to all the persons
who give food” he said.
“Now I have
received a scholarship from UGC and I am able to live a normal life. But still
there are many of my juniors going to catering and now its my turn to help
them” he concludes.
Courtesy: The New Indian Express
