Necklace broke in Love-Making

I had just posted "17 Horses and 3 Brothers" (Click here to read it) and within a few minutes one of my middle aged well-wishers taunted me with a Question. "You have Stories to teach fractions only to children. Don't you have any story to teach this to older people? I have to teach a grown-up here!".

Most of the literature is for adults. Or I should say-grown ups. It requires more skill, effort and discretion to write for children. One should take care to imagine the questions that may crop up in young minds and answer them logically. Children should be able to get the whole picture of what is being said, without asking any questions. 

One poet, probably a family man and worshiper of  Shiva and Parvati , visualises and salutes them thus:  "Young Ganesha is siting between Shiva and Parvathi. They are very pleased by little Ganesha's pranks. They both turn to Ganesha to plant a kiss on his head.  Sensing this, the mischievous Ganesha ducks at the appropriate moment. I salute Shiva-Parvati at this moment, sitting in this pose". If you need to go further, read  Kaalidasa's "Kumara Sambhava".  And many others.

As regards teaching fractions to grown-ups,  I quote a translation of a verse  from Stanza 54, Chapter 3 of the book  "Lilavati" and the English Translation is by Mr. T N Colebrook: 

Whilst making Love, a necklace broke,
A row of pearls mislaid.

One sixth fell to the floor,

One fifth upon the bed,

The young woman saved One third of them,

One tenth were caught by her lover,

If six pearls remained upon the string, 

How many pearls were there altogether?

Bhaskara II (the author of Lilavati) is clear in his question. There is a young woman and her lover, presumably young too, though she could save a third of the pearls and he could catch only a tenth. There was a pearl necklace, presumably worn by the woman. And it broke while making love. The two of them caught some, some were lying on the bed and some more went farther and fell on the floor. Finally six pearls remained in the broken string. The mathematical question is how many pearls were in the necklace before it broke?

I leave it to your wide or wild imagination to create the scene in your mind as to why, when and how the necklace broke, while reserving my right to my own imagination and interpretation. I will only dwell upon the solution of the mathematical problem and not its creation!

We were all taught problems of fractions and LCM and HCF while in school. It was over five decades ago for me and I have forgotten about it.  However,  the problem can be simplified as under:

Lying on the floor                                                              :     1/6
Lying on the bed                                                               :     1/5
In the hands of the woman (saved by her)                       :     1/3
In the hands of her lover (caught by him)                         :     1/10
Left in the broken string of the necklace                           :      6
 
If represented in an equation it is :   1/6+1/5+1/3+1/10+6  = total number of Pearls in the necklace before it broke.

Use  LCM  for  6, 5, 3 and 10.   It will be 30

Then  pearls in different places is 5+6+10+3+6 which makes a total of 30 pearls in the necklace before it broke!  Problem solved!!

I had suggested demonstration to children in the "17 Horses and 3 Brothers" story by replacing horses with Apples or Chocolates for the sake of simplicity, easy availability and generating interest among the children.  I have no such suggestion for this story.

17 Horses and 3 Brothers

This is a very old story of a super rich man and his three sons.  Of his vast properties and possessions that included seventeen horses.  A story some may have heard or read, but can be re-heard or  re-read one more time.  It is not just a story, but more of a mathematical problem.

Once upon a time, there lived a very rich man.   Who became rich by sheer hard work, and more importantly by honest means.   He had three sons and he loved them very much.  The sons also loved and respected their father equally.   The sons were as honest and hard working as the father.  The family lived happily.

The rich man became very old and realised that his end was near.  He wrote a Will dividing his properties and possessions among the three sons. He called all the three sons together and handed it over to them.  He knew that the sons could be trusted and there was no need for an attorney or witnesses for the Will.  He told the sons to open the Will after his death and distribute the properties and possessions as detailed in the Will.   He told them that there may be some differentiation in dividing the properties among the three brothers.  One may get more land than the others.  Another may get more buildings than the other two.  The third may get more movables assets than immovable properties.  The division was based on economies of scale and preservation of property value as against dividing each item equally among the three brothers and thereby resulting in loss in net value.  Sound Economic principles.   He assured them that the division made in the Will, though may not look equitable on the face of it, was actually fair and all the three brothers would get a third of the overall value of the estate.  The sons believed in the judgement of the father and the father believed in the understanding the sons would show.  And more importantly, in the understanding the three daughters-in-law would show.   Difficult to believe that such an ideal family ever existed, but it is true.  At least in this story.

The super rich man died in the normal course and peacefully.   The customary last rites were performed by the heirs and all the relatives, friends, well wishers and the not-so-well-wishers of the family participated in them.  On the last day, just before dispersing, the elders in the gathering offered their services for supervising and dividing the property among the three brothers.  The brothers politely declined the offer and  told them that they would themselves do it as suggested by their father before his death.  The well wishers were indeed happy and left after remarking that the rich man was really lucky for having such children.  The not-so-well-wishers were disappointed at denial of an opportunity to fish in troubled waters.  Nevertheless, they also repeated that the rich man was really lucky to have such sons and they also left.

All the assets were distributed as directed in the will.  The only item left to be distributed were the horses.  The will stated that they should be divided thus:  Half to the elder son, One Third to the middle son and One Ninth to the Youngest son.  The three sons tried their best to solve the division issue, but failed in their efforts.  For the first time in their lives, fissures appeared and they started discussing the issue agitatedly.

An old friend of the rich old man, himself very old but still alive, was going on his horse when he heard the heated discussion among the brothers.  He came to them and asked what the problem was.  In deference to the old man and a good friend of their father, they explained the problem of division of the horses.  He thought for a moment and told them that he would divide them as per the wishes of their father, if they all agreed to his method.  When they agreed, he added his horse to the pool and told them he would divide the pool of 18 horses.  He gave 9 horses to the elder brother, being half of the 18 horses.  The middle brother was given 6 horses being one third of the 18 horses.  The youngest got 2 horses being one ninth of 18 horses.  That still left one more horse, the one belonging to the wise old man.   He thanked them for their co-operation, mounted on his horse and rode away!

The brothers stood there, amazed at the simple way in which the wise man had solved the tough problem.   They realised that this was not just a division of horses, but the last lesson their father wanted to teach them.  They took the advice of the old wise man whenever the need arose, as long as he was around.

Is not this story a better way of teaching "Fractions" in "Mathematics" to the children?   One could use Apples or Chocolates instead of horses to give a practical touch.  There are many such riddles in ancient Indian books like "Leelavati".  Some are simple, some more complex and some, they say, have not yet been solved.

Your Cow is eating my Crops

The Child was crying continuously and inconsolably in the small village hut.  Mother was busy with the household work.  Her husband, child's father, was busy lazying in a corner of the hut.  He got irritated and shouted at his wife.  Poor fellow, that was the least he could do.

"Why don't you do something about the crying child?"
"What can I do?"
"Do something to stop its crying"
"It is crying because of hunger.  It wants milk"
"Why don't you give some milk?"
"There is no milk in the house. I am telling you since a week to get a cow"
"Okay, I will get a cow from the Haagalahalli village fair on Friday"
"What should the child do till then?"
"Do something now and borrow milk from someone in the village.  Can't you manage even such small things?"
"I am managing that way since one week"
"Okay. Only three days before the village fair.  Manage till then"

The child had stopped crying, may be because it had no more energy to cry.  The wife was busy with other household work and had no time to argue further.  But the husband was free.  He continued.

"The cow will give more milk than we need.  Surplus milk will go waste"
"Do not worry about it.  We can always sell surplus milk"
"Who will buy milk in the village?  Everyone has a Cow or Buffalo"
"We can sell some milk.  I will make curds from any surplus milk"
"What to do with the Curds?"
"We can eat some.  I will make butter and butter milk from the extra curds"
"What will we do with a lot of butter?"
"I will make Ghee from the extra butter.  It can be kept for a few days and can be sold in the village fair"

The husband had a problem in every move and at every stage.  The wife had a solution for all such problems.  He was not the one to be defeated in the argument.  He continued.

"It is fine with all that.  But you should not give any Ghee to your parents"
"Who will do cleaning and bathing of the cow?"
"Of course, you will do. Who else?"
"Who will give fodder to the cow and clean the yard?" 
"You have to do it.  I may be busy with other things"
"Who will make curds, butter and ghee?" 
"You have only suggested all these things.  Naturally you will only do it"
"Then why I should not give some milk or curd or butter or ghee to my parents?"
"I am telling you.  You should not give"
"Why?  I will definitely give them"

The husband was enraged.  He had no valid argument but could not keep quiet also.  He started beating the wife.  Now it was the turn of the wife to cry.  She started crying loudly, unable to bear the pain.  A neighbor heard the crying and came to see to what was going on.

"Why are you beating her?"  

"She says she will give Ghee to her parents despite my telling her not to do so"

"Where is the Ghee?" 

"It will come from the surplus butter" 

"Where is the Butter?" 

"It will come from the surplus curds" 

"Where is the Curd?" 

"It will come from the surplus milk" 

"Where is the Milk?" 

"The cow will give the milk" 

"Where is the Cow?" 

"I am buying it in the Haagalahalli fare on Friday" 

The neighbor understood the perfect logic clearly.  He quietly went out and returned with a big stick and started beating the husband.

"Why are you beating me?"

"Your cow is eating the crops in my lands.  I am put to loss.  It is your cow.  Hence I am beating you"  

"Where is the cow?' 

"You are buying it in the village fair on Friday"

"But that is still three days away"

"But it has already given milk and your wife has made curds, butter and ghee" 

The husband understood the bigger logic now and the matter was resolved.

Many times domestic quarrels are on such non-issues.  Quarrels start even before the issue is born.  It is better to cross the bridge when we reach there.  And start the quarrel, if necessary, after the issues arise.

Jessica Cox - Ultimate Motivator

Some twelve years ago, I was on a flight from Bombay to Nagpur.  The flight had taken off smoothly and was in the air for about 45 minutes.  Delicious breakfast was served and almost every one was having a coffee or tea cup in hand.  There was a sudden jolt, the biggest I have ever felt on a flight, and everyone spilled coffee or tea, quantity spilled being directly in proportion to the coffee or tea left in the cup and inversely proportional to their capacity to hold on to the things in such a situation.  The turbulence lasted for about two minutes and everyone heaved a sigh relief when it was over.  I was not much perturbed for two reasons.  Firstly, you cannot do anything about it.   Secondly traveling on Bangalore roads had steeled and tempered me for such a violent movement.  The only surprise was that it happened in the mid-air.  A person sitting next to me remarked that the aircraft must have hit a big cloud and the pilot also might not have seen the cloud in the flight path.  Seasoned air travelers know whether the landing has been smooth or not, which of course depends on many factors; weather conditions, state of the runway, condition of the aircraft and the skill or lack of it in the Pilot.

Ten months ago we were on a flight from Port Blair, Andaman Islands to Chennai.  The flight was very smooth and we did not even feel the minute shaking while landing.  The aircraft was waiting for a place in the terminal when the hostess announced the usual thanks of the airline company for taking that flight.  Then we realised that the Main Pilot was a woman by name Indira.  My wife was elated and conveyed her congratulations to the Pilot through the air hostess, when we were getting out of the aircraft.  She smiled broadly, happy at her colleague's  skill being recognized.

What is so special about it?, one may ask.  In a society where a female child is liable to be killed even before she is born, getting recognized as successful in any chosen area considered as a male bastion is indeed praise worthy.  Of course, today women have equaled men in all fields and in some areas even bettered them.  I was on a few flights in which the co-Pilot was a lady, but this was the first flight in which the main pilot was a woman and her skills deserved to be appreciated.

I am fortunate to have some very good friends, the third requirement for a happy man as Vidura reckoned  and I recalled in the blog "Who is a Happy Man".  One such friend sent me an e-mail photos of a pilot yesterday.  This was about a girl who flew an airplane on Mother's day, all by herself and without anyone accompanying her.  Nothing special about it.  Only that the aircraft had a board on it :  "Look Mom,  Flying without hands".  The photos made me to ponder on her success.

Jessica Cox was born in Arizona, USA, in 1973.  The child did not have the two arms due to a birth defect.  She often wondered as a child why she did not have arms like all other children.  Her parents are her greatest source of strength and Role Models.  Her mother told her that she could do anything she wanted like all other children and her father never shed a tear since her birth.  She was not considered as a victim. When she was young she frequently felt opposed, downtrodden and on the verge of tears resulting from anger due to her lack of arms.  In this background, she placed all her energy in the practice of sports and refused prosthetic limbs at the age of 13.  She started using the legs instead of hands.  She got first opportunity on stage at age six during a tap dance recital.  She says she did everything to avoid spotlight.  Her Mother and Dance Teacher convinced her otherwise.  She never looked back.

Her achievements are astounding.  Here are some of them:

•  She can type on a keyboard with a speed of 25 words a minute.
• She has a "Bachelor of Arts" degree  in Psychology from University of Arizona.
• She can swim.
• She can eat with her feet.
• She Combs her hair, makes her eyebrows and lashes.
• She can put on her contact lenses using fingers of the feet.
• She drives a car on her own, a car without any modification and ones used by anybody else.
• She has secured an unrestricted license for driving such a car.
• She pumps gas for her car on her own and pays for it without help.
• She is a certified SCUBA diver.
• She is a Black Belt holder in the American Taekwondo Association. Now she has two Black Belts.
• She secured an "Able Flight Scholarship" and after three years of training earned her Pilot's license on 10th October 2008, at age 25, becoming world's first armless pilot.  She operates all the controls using the fingers of her legs.  She can fly a light-sport aircraft  up to a height of 10000 feet. 

She has created an Organization "Jessica Cox Motivational Services" and speaks to thousands of people worldwide about how she overcame obstacles everyday and how those thousands can overcome their own obstacles. She has met everyone that matter, "From Pope to Pentagon" as her website says.  She has spoken at AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association), American Army. State Farm Insurance and many other forums.  Many of her clients are Non-profit Organizations and she aids in fund raising efforts for many good causes.

If you want her to give a lecture at your place, you may have to wait for long, for she is a very busy person.  She was in Philadelphia last week. Some where else now. But her wonderful pictures and videos can be seen at any time by visiting her website, rightfooted.com.

She hopes to  marry and have a family;  she has no illusions about the difficulties she has to face in this plan.  She is known as a person with warmth, humor, interactive and uplifting to those coming in contact with her.  Just see the name of the website for humour.

There is one question she is unable to answer.  After answering so may questions and solving so many problems in life, she asks with a twinkle in her eye, "What shall we say when the boy comes and asks  my parents for my hands in marriage?"

Best Roti I ever had.....

This happened around the time "Coconut Trees Criminal Case" was going on. I was about nine years old. My grandfather P Nanjappa was living by himself in our village. His wife had died when he was still in his thirties and he lived a hermit's life thereafter. His three sons lived elsewhere as per the demands of their employments. He was an all-rounder and an integral part of the village life. He was a Doctor dispensing Ayurveda medicine to the needy.  He was a general liaison man with the government officials as most of the villagers were illiterate. He was the money lender of last resort. He was a consultant for Agriculture as well as Astrological predictions. He also officiated as the local unofficial judge to settle disputes and counsel the agitated. Never offered his services voluntarily, but did not disappoint anyone who went to him with a problem.

He had retired after serving as a School Master. He had a small pension to lend support to his meager requirements. He had put up a small hut in his own agricultural lands, just outside the village, and a well close by  provided the water for drinking. A small pond in the land was enough for bathing and washing. He grew enough Paddy and Raagi for his year's requirement of cereals. Some Pulses and Groundnuts were also grown as side crops. Vegetables were grown around his hut. He had a cow and calf to meet the requirement of milk, curds, buttermilk, butter and ghee. Firewood was available in nearby forest. He was never known to lock his hut. As they used to say in those days, he had to buy only salt, kerosene and match sticks! He had his own "Charaka" to spin the thread and needed two or three pairs of Khadi dress every year. He did not care for dressing table or cosmetics, but had a small mirror and razor for shaving. He would do all his work himself and never fell sick.  He had a good collection of books for company. He would rise before the Sunrise and retire for the day at Sunset. A small kerosene lantern was kept for emergency. With this life style, he was a contented man and a model of self sufficiency.

He used to occasionally visit us and some times brought agricultural produce with him. I did not have much interaction with him but my elder brothers have fond memories about him. He was a short man and was popularly called "Kulla Nanjappa", meaning Short Nanjappa because of his height. He was never very demonstrative about his affection for us, his grand children. My brothers remember that he would go to the taluk office on the first of every month to collect his pension. After collecting his pension he would visit them and pay their school fee. How the account was settled between him and our father was known only to them. He always had a packet of Peppermints for children during his visits. He always impressed me with his way of talking, especially about "Bhagavadgita" and such other epics. I remember one particular day when one of my aunts was very much depressed about certain events in the family. I happened to be present when he came that day and spoke to her about Lord Krishna for about an hour. The import of his talk was generally that Lord Krishna was misunderstood and criticised by many in his time. But he never bothered about it and went on with his tasks as if nothing happened. At the end of the session my aunt was relieved and told him that her mind was then clear and the worries had left her. Just like Arjuna finally said "करिष्ये वचनं तव", meaning "I will do as you say".

One day he sent a message to my father through someone that he should go to the village and meet his father. I urged my father to take me with him because I wanted to see Grandfather. It was already evening by then and my father reluctantly took me with him.  We reached the village and my father discussed something with him, probably about cropping pattern for the coming  year. My father decided to stay back for the night and we moved to our uncle's big house in the village for supper and night's stay. This uncle, a cousin of my father, was his classmate and childhood friend as well. They had many things to talk over between themselves and I had little knowledge of what all they spoke about.

We left our uncle's house at sunrise as both of us had to go to our schools. On the way to the bus stand we had to pass through our grandfather's hut.  He saw us and beckoned my father to the hut. My father told him that the issues were already finalised the day before and he was in a hurry. Grandfather told him "Ardha galigeli enoo aakaasha beelolla", meaning heavens will not fall in half Ghalige. (Ghalige is a unit of measuring time as per ancient Indian Method, one Ghalige being 24 minutes and two and a half Ghalige making one hour). We sat on the stone bench just outside the hut. Grandfather plucked out some big Muttuga leaves (a type of bush with large leaves, sometimes as big as big plate) from the nearby bush. He had kept the batter ready  and spread the batter on two of them, covered them with the other two leaves and threw them in the oven containing burning charcoal. After three or four minutes he pulled them out with a stick, cleaned and separated the two leaves and two Rotis were ready! (This dish is popularly called Kendada Rotti, and no longer in practice since cooking is done on gas or electricity. However, Tandoori Rotis are made in a similar process, but not actually thrown inside the burning charcoal). He spread the two Rotis (a type of flat bread for those who are not familiar) on another big leaf and added two big balls on them, one of groundnut (peanut) chutney and one of fresh butter. With a smiling face he gave them to me and ordered me to eat. I was looking at my father and waiting whether he would get some too. Granddad smiled and said, "Don't look him. He has had his share in the past. Today it is only for you. Eat them". No need to say I enjoyed the Rotis with the fine home made butter and groundnut chutney. Of course, we were on our way immediately thereafter.

I have had delicious Rotis with so many side dishes several times thereafter, like every one else.  But if I am asked to list the most delicious Rotis today, I would put Granddad's Rotis of that day on top of the list. I did not have another chance for such a pleasant encounter with my grandfather again as he left for his heavenly abode within a year. Now, my father also is not with us but these memories of Dad and Granddad are always there.

First snowfall of the season

Today it is 29th October 2011.  Time:  9 AM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).  I was watching the only T20 Cricket Match between India and England which was about to start.  It was dull light outside and the Sun has not come out.  Temperature outside is rather a chill 36*F, equal to 2.2 degrees Celsius.  Temperature inside the house is a comfortable 72*F or 22*C.  Heating system is working overtime to maintain the temperature at 72*F.

Everything is very calm outside.  Being a Saturday, it is week end for every working person.  Things are quiet and there is little traffic in the nearby highway.  Suddenly there are white flakes falling from the sky.  It is snowing!  Half an hour later it is regular snowfall and we have the first snow of the season. 

We had a desire to see snowfall here during this visit.  Expectation was that we may see a white Christmas. For those who have seen sunrise many times, a new sunrise may not give that much of a thrill.  But for someone watching the sun rise for the first time, it is a different level of experience altogether. For us in South India, snowfall is unheard of.  May be,  people in Himachal or Kashmir experience it every year.  Snowfall may even bring lot of difficulty and misery for people living in those parts.  Going out may be a problem and saying inside without proper heating system may be even a bigger problem.  Those caught unawares in snowfall or snow storm, especially without proper winter-wear, may even be cursing the weather.  It appears this snowfall is a bit ahead of expectation in these parts of the country, though it is snowing in mid-west since a week and Denver has received heavy snowfall.

Out first tryst with snow was to be when we visited Kufri, near Shimla, some twenty five years ago.  Our visit was in April and it was well past snowing time and it was a disappointment. The next was a visit to Manali which was again in April and there was no snowfall.  We were taken to a place some 50 Kilometers away from Manali called snow point.  We played on some snow which had already fallen to the ground and frozen as ice in most parts.  It was freezing cold and we were not comfortable in hired winter gear.  The actual feel of snow was later in our visit to Sikkim.  We had been to a place called Nathu La on the India-China border about 55 Kilometers from the Sikkimese Capital, Gangtok.  It was snow everywhere - above, below and surroundings, but we could not see any actual snowfall.  It was more of a mist cover than snow.  The nearest snowfall we saw was in Minneapolis three years ago, in October 2008, when for a few minutes we could see snow falling with along light rain.  But today's snowfall is the actual snowfall experienced by us.

भवन्ति नम्रास्तरवः फलोद्गमैः (Bhavanti namrahstaravah phalodgamaihi), the poet says, meaning that the trees bend with the arrival of fruit bearing season.  Bending due the weight of fruits.  Today I can see that it is भवन्ति नम्रास्तरवः हिमगमैः  (Bhavanti namraahstaravah himagamaihi)!  Trees are bending because of the arrival of snow.  Some of the trees have bent by as much as six to eight feet due to the weight of snow on their leaves. If we go to North Karnataka, around Gadag, in cotton season, we can see acres and acres of lands with white cotton flowering in the cotton growing lands.  Just like red everywhere in the nearby chilly growing fields.  Today it appears all the trees here are loaded with cotton and ready for harvesting.  We went out and stood in the snow for a few minutes.  Now it is "Footprints on the grains of snow" where we were standing there,  just like Footprints on the sands of time.  Photographs taken now are a treasure for the future.

It is a sight to see lumps of snow falling from the trees to the ground.  The white carpet of mowed grass fields has a six inch white carpet of snow over it.  Birds appeared to be confused and were flying around for some time.  Some of them even drank the water from melting snow flakes. Now they appear to have settled down in their nests. it could be a hard day for them to find their food today.  But nature has probably its own way of compensating them.

Snowing has intensified.  It is not a time to be with laptop.  It is a time to watch and enjoy.  Watching mother nature in a white Saree is  indeed a pleasure. And a long cherished wish fulfilled.

Coconut Trees and Criminal Case

After the arrival and departure of the "Tomato Inspector", our life continued in Chikka Muduvadi, one mile away from our native village and my birth place, Dodda Muduvadi.  It is said that two brothers, Dodda Mudda and Chikka Mudda, meaning elder Mudda and younger Mudda were small chieftains during the Vijayanagar period and ruled from these two villages on either side of the river Arkavati. I was in Second Standard and I remember the class room in which we used to sit, though the face of the teacher is not that clear.  Probably because it was not a pretty face to remember.

The School had a bigger playground and I remember Flag Hoisting functions there on the two important occasions every year, Republic Day and Independence Day.  There were agricultural fields next to the playground.  There was a small piece of land between the playground and the agricultural fields, say about five feet wide and 100 feet long.  Beyond this land there were agricultural lands belonging to one Eraiah.  The five feet wide stretch of land was used as a  pathway by the villagers for going to the fields behind the school.

The school was closed for Dasara Holidays for two or three weeks.  When the school sessions were resumed after the holidays, students and teachers saw a major change in the surroundings.  Along this five feet stretch of land pits were dug and coconut saplings were planted.  Teachers were talking among themselves that Eraiah had his eyes set on this stretch of land for a long time and desired to take it under his control.  He took advantage of the school holidays and got the coconut saplings planted so that in due course he can fence around them and the land would be deemed to belong to him.  In the local language these activities are called ಜಮೀನು ಒತ್ತುವರಿ (jameenu ottuvari) and many farmers resort to such activity to increase the area of the their land, especially if it is government land.  In course of time they would gain control of the land and everyone assumes it is their own.  Of course, the disease has now spread to towns and cities where any available piece of land is grabbed including land on storm water drains!

The matter was reported to the Head Master, my father.  He had returned from the Army after serving in the Second world War before becoming a School Master, and was young and strong.  He used to carry an army cane with him and came out of his room to survey the area, with the cane in his hand.  The action of planting the saplings during holidays enraged him.  Holding the cane in his hand he instructed the students to pull out the saplings and fill the pits, just like an army commander  directing his troops to accomplish a task.  The students duly obliged and the stronger and well built boys were in the forefront.  Within minutes all the saplings were pulled out and the pits were filled with mud.  School session started after the usual prayer.

We heard some shouting and exchange of hot words before lunch break.  The removal of the saplings by school children on the directions of the Head Master had reached Eraiah and he had come for a showdown with the Head Master.   Later on in the evening I heard our father telling our mother that Eraiah had threatened to file a police complaint against my father for destroying crops in his fields and take the matter to court.  Police enquiries were made and Eraiah wanted my father to apologise and allow him to replant the coconut saplings.  Village leaders tried for a compromise but both the parties stuck to their stands.  The matter reached the court.

In those days there was only one court in Ramanagaram having jurisdiction over three taluks - Ramanagaram, Channapatna and Kanakapura.  Though our village was in Kanakapura taluk, for court issues one had to go to Ramanagaram.  There was only one judge in the Ramanagaram court.  He would sit as a Munsiff and hear civil cases for four days.  On the other two days he would sit as a Magistrate and hear criminal cases.  Eariah was a moneyed man and had his own lawyer representing him.  My father was in no position to engage a lawyer to fight his case.  He used to tell my mother that he would fight his own case.  I was too young to understand the issues involved but I remember that there was an atmosphere of fear in our family in those days about the outcome of the case.

After several adjournments the case finally came up for evidence one day.  Magistrate asked my father to bring his lawyer.  My father told him that he had not engaged a lawyer and would conduct the case himself. Eraiah was examined by his lawyer.  Eraiah testified that the school head master had instigated his students to destroy saplings and it had resulted in loss to him.  The charge was for criminal trespass and causing wrongful loss.   The magistrate then asked my father to cross examine Eraiah as he had no lawyer to represent him.  My father asked three questions and Eraiah replied.  The way in which the questions were asked convinced the Magistrate that my father was not trained to conduct the case and his line of questioning was not of much use.  He asked my father to keep quiet and himself asked Eraiah three questions.  The first question was whether the land in which the saplings were planted belonged to him.  He answered vaguely that it did not belong to the school.  Magistrate curtly asked him whether he had any documents to show that the lands belonged to him and he can produce them the next day.  Eraiah had to say that he did not have any such document.  Then the Magistrate asked him as to why he filed a case against the Head Master for something that happened in a land belonging to someone else or the school.  Eraiah had no answer.  Magistrate dismissed the case.

Several years later, when I was studying Law, I realised why the Magistrate dismissed Eraiah's case.  There is an established principle of law which states that "He who comes to seek justice must come with clean hands".  Eraiah's hands were not clean in as much as he wanted to plant the saplings in someone's land.  His motive was faulty ab initito and his case was liable to be dismissed.

Though the problem was solved, two things bothered my father.  First was that Eraih was telling everybody in the village that the Magistrate severely reprimanded my father while hearing the case. Second was destroying the saplings.  He felt that destroying coconut saplings was not good as fruit bearing trees or saplings should not be destroyed for any reason.  He went to Ramanagaram and obtained a certified copy of the judgement.  He waited for an opportune moment and went to Eraiah's house when there were many villagers during his money lending time.  In the presence of all the people, he took out the judgement copy and told Eraiah that if he did stop his mischief, he would go to the sante (weekly village market) and read out the judgement to every single villager.  Eraiah's tirade stopped from that day.

As regards the second issue of atonement for destroying the saplings of a fruit bearing tree, he found a solution by getting ten coconut saplings planted along the border of the school playground.  When I last visited the village with him thirty years ago, the trees were fully grown and laden with several bunches of coconuts.  I could see a glint of happiness and contentment in his eyes.