Chakkali Puthan Madham: My parents - Late A R Ramaswamy Iyer & Late C S Seetha Ammal

My parents were Late A R Ramaswamy Iyer and C S Seetha Ammal.

My father late A R Ramaswamy Iyer (full name - Arangotukara Rama Iyer Ramaswamy Iyer)

My father's birth place was Ezhumangad/Arangotukara. His father's name was Late A R Raman. My parents were in the ancestral home Chakkali Madham. Grand father died when father was very young. father and his elder brother the 2 sons of grandfather had to go for labor when they were very young as their father died when they were very young and the burden of maintaining the family fell on their shoulders.

His brother being elder he went for employment in a big landlord's house, Nareri Mana as a cook. My father joined him as his assistant. But the landlord used him to be the bodyguard or companion to his son who had to go to Thrissur for studying in school. Since father has nothing else to do during the school time, he also attended the classes up to 3rd standard.

Since father was ambitious and wanted to raise his family's financial standard, he went to the then Penang. He had to return as he had Malaria fever. After treatment he went to 2 place called Aranhtangi and Thiruthurapoondi in Tamilnad and used to sell Tea in the Railway platform. Since his income was very limited as there used to be only one or 2 trains during the whole day, he gave the right of the trade on the platform to his assistant. He then went to Bhimilipatnam in Andra Pradesh. His brother joined him and after sometime he left the hotel to his brother and went to Parvathipuram a border town between Andra and Orissa. Though the town was very small in the forest area, it was a big center for trade of spices and people used to visit. He had a good business and started earning money. He repaired the ancestral house bought an old house next to the ancestral one and renewed and expanded the one. He also bought a plot for his sister and built a house identical to that of his brother's and his. My father had 7 sons and 4 daughters.For the daughters he gave education up top the primary school level as our village school was a primary school. when the eldest sister was studying and later became upper primary school and the other 3 daughters could study up to 7th standard. In those days girls were not sent to schools normally . For his sons he did not have any limit for studies except that they should not fail or they should decide that the education is enough. But only the 2 eldest brothers and the youngest brother completed graduation. The eldest brother became an engineer. All others have passed S S L C and some attended some classes in colleges but did not complete any degree course. The last brother also completed graduation. I have also completed only S S L C as I was not bright or interested in academic qualifications.

He died after a brief illness of about a week related to the old age. He died at the Christian Mission Hospital the best hospital at that time in the nearest town center Thrissur from our village Arnagotukara.

My mother Late C S Seetha Ammal (full name - Chenagad Subramanya Iyer Seetha Ammal)

My mother was a very mild and decent lady who used to take trouble to avoid trouble for others. She is personification of patience and tolerance. She was a quiet and capable lady. She being mild and tolerant others in the joint family created problems by others. Her father was from Chengad a village in Ottapalam Taluk very near to the Ottapalam town in Palakkad District. Her mother was from Cherukunnu, near to Kannur Town in Kannur District. My father was busy making money for the family to be lifted up from poverty. The money saved by father used to be sent partly by money orders and major portion he used to be carrying with him when he come personally to the family. Mother used protect the same and use diligently. She had brought up 1 children almost single handedly as father used to be outside till the last 2 years of my school studies. Thereafter father came and settled down in our home. Father had bought some landed properties for cultivation of paddy, vegetables, fruits plants and trees etc. She used to mange the whole properties till he came and settled down. In those days ladies of upper caste never used to go outside their houses except to go to their relatives.

She died of blood cancer. She was under treatment for about 1 month intermittently for blood cancer.

Parents had 11 children

Late A R Lakshmi Srinivasan

Sri A R Ramanathan

Smt A R Parvathy Parameswaran

Smt A R Sarada Krishnan

Smt A R Rugmini Anantha Narayanan

Sri A R Venkatachalam