Three months passed since Thangam married Dhandapani and came to live in his house in the village. She observed that her husband was mostly staying at home.
Thangam asked Dhandapani, "Should you not be going to our fields and supervising the farming operations going on there?"
"There is no need. I have leased out my lands. The tenants will carry out the operations and give us our share in the harvest. Our job is to just to receive the paddy and store it in the bins. In fact, I won't be bringing home our entire share of the paddy. I will bring only the quantity needed by us for our food. The tenant will sell the remaining quantity to paddy merchants and give me the sale proceeds in cash" said Dhandapani, proudly.
'It is like someone peeling the banana and feeding it into your month, saving you even the little labour of peeling!' thought Thangam.
"We own a rice mill. You don't go there either" remarked Thangam.
"We have appointed a person to manage the rice mill. He meets me every evening, gives me the day's account and hands over the amount earned that day. Have you not seen him visiting our house every day?"
"Has this been the practice since your grandfather's time?"
"My grandfather was looking after the lands, but there was no rice mill during his time. My father was not interested in farming activities. So, he leased out the lands. He started the rice mill and looked after that business. Since the rice mill business had stabilized during my father's time, I entrusted running the rice mill to a manager" said Dhandapani, feeling proud about his ingenuity.
"Are you going to start any other business?" asked Thangam.
"No. But, why are you asking this question?"
"Your grandfather was looking after the lands. Your father started a rice mill and was looking after it. But you have not been looking after either. That is why I wondered whether you had a plan to start some other business."
"I have been looking after you. Is it not sufficient?" asked Dhandapani, jocularly.
After a few days, Thangam told Dhandapani, "You know there is a free library in our village."
"Yes. An old lady has been running it. I have visited the library. But I don't have interest in reading books. So, I have not been using the library. The lady has been running it very well. I have often wondered how she has collected so many books and why she has been lending books to people free of cost, spending her own time and money in doing the service. I salute her for doing this service at this age, exerting herself physically."
"Yes. Running the library has been a difficult task for her. When I was talking to her, she said that it would be helpful if someone assisted her in running the library. I intend to go to the library every day and help her in her task" said Thangam.
"What is the need for you to do this? We are not in need of money. She won't be able to offer you a good salary, either" said Dhandapani, surprised by Thangam's idea.
"I won't be working for a salary. I just want to volunteer my services."
"Why? Sitting at home is boring to you! If you feel bored, you can borrow books from the library and read. You can even buy books and read."
After hesitating for a moment, Thangam said, "Our family has a good reputation among the people in this village. Your grandfather kept himself busy by looking after agriculture. Your father started a rice mill and kept himself busy by running it. But, you are not engaged in either activity. If we live an idle life, without engaging ourselves in any activity, the esteem and goodwill we have among the people will get eroded gradually. Only if we are involved in some activity, will people respect us. Till the time you take up a job or some activity, I propose to engage myself in such activities, to save our respect and esteem from getting faded."
Section 2
kudiyennum kunRA viLakkam madiyennum
mAsUra mAyndhu kedum.
Verse 600
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