Raman Mootha Panicker was managing
the Tharavad efficiently but managing the revenue collection of vast
area of land, which was mostly under lease, with absolute authority of the Mootha Panicker (Karanavar) was creating a lot of resentment and
discontent among the members, whose number had also considerably increased
over a period of time. The Tharavad had branched out to 6 large Thavazhis.
The Second World War had already started and it had its impact in Kerala
also. Famine conditions prevailed and there was ration for all essential
commodities, including food articles and even cloth, etc. There was
difficulty in collecting Pattam - lease revenue from tenants. The women of the Tharavad had to frequently keep
requesting for money for their increasing necessities. Getting an additional
room when the number of children grew was very difficult for a mother.
Educational opportunity was not available to all members on account of the
expenditure involved. The protest and frequent complaints of the members
led the Karanavar, Raman Mootha Panicker (49) to chart the modalities
of partition. In the year 1949 a Committee under the chairmanship of
Sreedhara Panicker (108) (Deputy Collector) was formed. Paramesvara
Panicker (105), Narayana Panicker alias Kuttappa Panicker (95),
Chappa Panicker (98), Chinnappa Panicker alias Kunjhunni Panicker (89)
and Govinda Panicker alias Balan Panicker (153) were the members of
the Committee. An agreement was drafted giving the details regarding the
mode of partition. At that time there were 82 members who were entitled to
get share and their names appeared in the agreement. As per the agreement
Raman Mootha Panicker was to manage the Tharavad properties as before
till the partition was effected and he was to give the required funds to the
committee to meet the expenses of the partition work. When Raman Mootha
Panicker died in 1950, the chairman of the Committee, Sreedhara Panicker (108)
was authorised to manage the properties, which he did till his death in
1951. Then a general body meeting of the members of the Committee was held
and Cheriya Ukkanta Panicker (74) was made the chairman.
During this time
Lakshmikutty Amma (93) and her children filed a suit for partition
(in the year 1953 as O.S.42/53) at Ottappalam Sub Court (since Ponnani Taluk
was under Palakkad District then). The case was filed mainly because the
Committee had not considered resolving some of the specific grievances of
the complainant. After 3 years (i.e., in 1956) the case was withdrawn,
since the Committee sorted out their specific complaints.
Again there were hardships
and ground of complaint for many members and immediately another suit was
filed for partition in the year 1956 (O.S.18/56) at Ottappalam Sub Court by
Bhanumathi Amma (161) and children. As a result the court appointed a
receiver –Chinnappa Panicker alias Kunjhunni Panicker (89), who was
an advocate. Later one N.Damodara Menon, advocate was appointed as the
receiver. During the time of receiver’s administration each member was
given Rs.25/- and 6 Paras of paddy
per month towards maintenance and this arrangement continued for about 14
years, till the partition was over. Elaborate works regarding measuring of
lands and determining the assets went on at a snail’s pace during this long
period. The receiver’s salary was Rs.3000/= per month which he was promptly
drawing, while the members’ monthly maintenance of Rs.25/- and 6 Paras of paddy each was never given
monthly, but on a consolidated basis, after the Pattam - lease revenue collection once
in 4 or 6 months. Education of young members was considerably affected
because of this system and whatever was given as a consolidated allotment
was also insufficient for maintenance for many members.
A meeting of the aggrieved
members of the family including women was called at Athit Bhavanam,
Venkitangu in the month of February 1963 under the aegis of Bhaskara
Panicker (164) which was also attended by some senior members like
Chinnappa Panicker (89), etc. Bhaskara Panicker informed that the
delay in partition was on account of the delay in legal proceedings and in
order to expedite the completion of the partition process all members would
have to submit a jointly signed memorandum to the court. This was
unanimously agreed by all the members who were present and Bhaskara Panicker
volunteered to collect the signatures of all the members, which was itself a
laborious task. On the basis of this joint submission the court appointed
Bhaskara Panicker himself as the commissioner (on honorary basis).
A preliminary decree was
passed by the court fixing shares to various members of the family. Each
member got approximately land yielding 600 Paras of paddy and rent of about Rs.200/= as his/her share. The Kerala Land Reforms Act passed in the
year 1963 (amendment in 1970) however, deprived most of the members (who got
as their share lands given on lease) of the fruits of the partition of the
extensive landed property once proudly owned by the Tharavad. It was
an irony that in a single stroke, in the form of a Land Reforms Act passed
by the then Communist Government of Kerala, many members were reduced to
penury immediately after partition. Since there were long arrears in the Pattam some members managed to
negotiate with their tenants (Pattakkar) and as a compromise got some
portion of the Pattam dues as a
lump-sum. Anyhow, now most of the family members are financially
comfortable, since the younger generation got good education and job, many
of them outside Kerala. |