THAI CILAPPATIKARAM

                                                                                                                       Tamil Literature has five great epics pertaining to Sangam Literature era. Cilappatikaram, Civaka Cintamani, Manimekalai, Valayapathi and Kundalakesi. Among the five only Cilappatikaram is a neutral one as it doesn’t belong to Hindu, Jain or Buddhist religion. Other four epics are either inclined to Jainism or Buddhism.

                                                                                                                               

Cilappatikaram literally means in Tamil “The Tale of an Anklet” depicts the life of Kannagi, a chaste woman who lead a peaceful life in Poompuhar capital of then Chola Kingdom with Kovalan her husband who was a businessman. Her peaceful life went astray with the association of Kovalan with unchaste woman Madhavi. 

Due to some misunderstanding with Madhavai Kovan realized his mistakes and returned to his devote wife Kannagi. Kannagi and Kovalan duo wanted to resurrect their life in Madurai then Capital of Pandya Kingdom. There Kovalan wanted to sell one of the Anklets of Kannagi to raise capital for his business but was falsely implicated as a thief who had stolen the Anklet of the queen and murdered. Kannagi with another anklet in hand went to the King’s palace and proved her husband’s innocence and burnt the entire city of Madurai by her chastity. Thus goes the story of Cilappatikaram in Tamil.  

I had an opportunity to witness Thai Cilapparthikaram live in my working days in Thailand and played a crucial role to avert burn out. Thus ensured that all was well in the end !!

It was probably in the year 2007. I was sitting in the interview room going through candidates for the position of Supervisors to take care of packing section.  There was a candidate by name Ning. If I tell the detailed Thai name your head will start spinning, therefore this short name.  The candidate was rightly qualified and very suitable for my department. 

But on carrying out the interview further I could understand the fact that the girl had exceptional numerical skills. She had worked with an Indian owner in a plant that was export oriented and making Parothas ! After understanding the way she had planned production in a complicated set up like that I felt that she should go to Production Planning Department wherein she would fit well and help my counter- part there.

Accordingly a note was prepared and sent to the Production Planning Manager who on seeing my interview papers and notes immediately took Ning under her fold as Production Analyst and deputed her for training with me for a period of two weeks in Biscuits division. Ning proved to be an asset and started getting good name and fame.

After a few months as my departmental vacancy remained unfilled there was a bunch of application for interview. This time around, I took my assistant manager too for the interview as I felt may be I was expecting too much out of candidates. 

During the interview process my assistant jokingly remarked that we should try for Ning’s boy friend for the supervisor’s position as I was not getting convinced with that day’s candidates.  On casual enquiry I learnt that Ning had a boy friend, who on some week days travelled 90 KM one way in a two wheeler just to meet her. Weekend he traveled again to spend Sundays with her.  

Next day, I broached the topic with Ning who blushed and stated that it was true and she wanted to talk about that with me after months as she was still in probation.  We got hold of the application from her and interviewed the candidate whom we can Sing !

After marathon interview Sing was selected for supervisor’s position. Though Sing was not very good in English he was assertive as regards to manpower management, planning of machines etc. Thus he too joined our company and got allocated to Biscuits division.  Both Sing and Ning opted for Living in together arrangement to save money and doing well !

After a few month’s Sing asked for a salary certificate. I was a bit taken aback as with all other Thai staff I thought he was going for a new car? But I was told by him that he was buying a condominium near factory. I was very happy. Later I came to know that in order to get good rate and short period of repayment the loan was taken as joint one with Ning.

So far so good ! Now Madhavi had to enter to have Cilapatikaram effect. Due to expansion of business we had to hire one more Supervisor. This time we had to go for a lady supervisor as from the group of people interviewed this girl had a good university degree, relevant experience and good spoken English which was very rare. This girl had a nick name as “Pla” (meaning “fish” in Thai language). 

I was getting busy with new products, projects and other budget work etc. 

Things took two to three months to get myself to learn the realities of ground level petty issues ! That day Ning had come with day’s production plant for me to sign and acknowledge. I asked her to sit down. She then started shedding tears. I asked her what was the matter? She told me that Sing got hooked by Pla and he was no longer staying with her.  I asked her to remain calm and let me know if she needed any help. 

As the matter was too personal and involved Supervisory staff, I was feeling that my hands were tied. Local culture, tradition and values were also alien to me. Thus I was keeping a low profile. 

By then my Departmental Senior staff had got a wind of the going around and started confiding in me the developments in that case. Based on that, we moved Sing and Pla in tow different shifts so that the contact time was narrowed.  

Sing was called by my team to my office and told in clear terms that it was Ning who had brought him into the company by recommending him. It was she who had signed as the guarantor for his new condominium and paying installments monthly for acquiring the property etc.  All these and other pressure tactics had little effect on Sing as he was in a vice like grip of Pla.

Ning was losing weight, interest in work life and personal life. Once in a while I was telling her to stop paying EMI for the condominium and reverse her association with bank in the loan. But Ning remained steady and told me that she had full faith in her love and Sing would return to her. It was a very pathetic sight to watch Ning in such a pitiable plight as she used to be a lady bubbling with enthusiasm.

By then HR department had sent me paper’s pertaining to Pla’s appraisal prior to confirmation. I wanted to use that as the lever and get that issue sorted out. I met HR Manager and General Manager in person. Accordingly it was decided to terminate the services of Pla on account of unsatisfactory performance in probation. Prior to that Sing was called and advised by the Works Manager in clear terms to mend his ways and not to mess around to save his job. As he was in deep issue of EMI etc. he had no choice other than falling in line !

After a week Sing returned as a new man and started staying with Ning. As Thai people are very particular about their prestige it was decided that the topic would not be recorded in official personnel records and Sing would be let off with verbal warning and loss of increment for that year as a facing gesture.

It was my birthday party as I was winding up my work in Bangkok I threw a party to my team. Both Sing and Ning were present with a neatly wrapped parting gift. I was very happy to see both of them. The party was arranged by me for Biscuit department but Ning from Planning came uninvited. She asked me whether I minded her presence in our department’s party. I said not at all as she was the bride of our department and I advised her to ensure that her marriage with Sing got done at the earliest! I could see abundant gratitude in her eyes.

Thus Thai Kannagi did not have to burn anything but because of her steadfast, unassailable faith in her love got Kovalan back in her fold !!