TRIBUTE TO DEPARTED SOUL

 Shri K.A.Kuttappan was born as the only son, for two  daughters in a middle class family belonging to late Appu and Madhavi couple of Kuttipetti house, in the lush and ever green Peringotukurissi Village, richly endowed with abundance of paddy fields and esteemed presence of Bharatapuzha river,in Palakkad district in 1935.Since the boy was exceptionally cute and handsome his parents called  him "Kuttappan".As the only boy he got exceptional and abundant care and affection in the entire village not only from his own parents and relatives but also from the entire village folk primarily due to his pleasing manners, as well as  considerate and down to earth behaviour of his parents Appu - Madhavi. Infact when tensions of land reforms and naxalbari movement struck through Kongad murder in the district and intense trade union activities among agricultural workers also strained cordial relations between farmers and agri workers in general Kuttippeti Appu's family's maintained cordial relations with workers and  remained stable and intact.

Despite the enormous fondling and pampering showered on the boy Kuttappan from different quarters, he did not become lazy in studies and he had an inbuilt urge and determination to study well.He had to walk 14 kilometres every day to the school.Without enrolling in school many of his friends in the same age group were either working in paddy fields,livestock rearing or attending other  jobs like viswa karma or artisans.After completing school education studiously he had shown exemplary performance both in Pre University and BSC Chemistry graduation from Victoria College Palakkad. Immediately after graduation he migrated to North India and served in various capacities in senior positions including in JK Chemicals.But finally he had to yield to his mother's  wish  and  half heartedly returned back to his native village again.Finding an appropriate job even at that period was not as easy as in Bombay or Delhi. In any case after few months search with the assistance of a local VIP he got absorbed  as Operations engineer in Travancore Cochin Chemicals and retired from there in early 1990s.

He got married to Sathyabhama daughter of another prosperous farmer family of Purandiyil  Achuthan,- Kamalakshy couple Manjalur where in Sathyabhama was also the only daughter for two younger sons. Since his father in law expired untimely, Kuttappan particularly insisted his brothers in law Rajendran and Narendran to  continue to pursue and they had successfully completed  engineering programme.Kuttappan Sathyabhama couple were blessed with five children three girls and twin boys.All of them were brought up in Aluva.When I married his elder daughter Sheela in 1989 we were brought to the ancestral house of Peringotukurissi I was  astonished to see that apart from family friends and relatives folks of agricultural workers were pouring in to get a glimpse of the new couple.Despite 34 years have passed their (workers) attitude still remained intact.Even though their team leader changed by inheritance from Mundan to Manikan the cordiality and attachment of them continued  at the same level despite the onslaught of changes in the society due to globalisation and information and communication technologies

After retirement from TCC his attachment with farming brought him back to native village where his son Benoy also lived and other son Bejoy lived in his Aluva house.As years passed his attachment with children and their families further  intensified and he wants to meet us frequently and all of us made it a priority to visit him regularly. Accordingly Sheela and myself met him on 14th May and did spend the entire afternoon chatting and discussing as in the past but he appeared slightly tired and exhausted. Another change observed recently was that instead of calling children's name he was prefixing their spouse name like- Ravi Sheela,Mohan Sujaya, Jyothi Sumitha,Ruby Benoy and Neena Bejoy.On that fateful day May 22nd after finishing his breakfast he expressed his desire to meet his grand children, but without waiting for their arrival he departed to heaven deserting his near and dear ones.By the grace of God he was very much fortunate to have a peaceful and painless departure. More than six decade old life partner Sathyabhama,son Benoy and daughter in law Ruby were there in his bedside at that time of last breath and all others joined within few hours.His body was cremated in Ivermadom and mortal remains were immersed in Bharathapuzha on 25th May, along with the countless number of ashes recieved by the river from time to time from people well known and unknown from time totime.In any case his life gives us the message for maintaining equity, cordial relations and shedding of false ego while interacting with all sections of the society.infact atleast practising cordial and accomodative relations with one other would be the best tribute that we can pay to him.I wish and pray  that considering him as a role model his near ones can continue to sustain cordial relations shedding false egoes and embracing the spirit of both accomodation and inclusiveness.

Now one year has passed after his departure. 

Let the spirit of affection and accommodation continue to inspire us.

OM SHANTI .

May His Soul Rest in Peace .

. PRANAMAM 🙏🙏🙏