Gopalla Gramam

Did you ever travel to a village? Ever spent time in a village where you had to engage with a diverse range of people? Have you had a chance to explore the many cultures there? In the event that it doesn't, Gopalla Gramam author Ki. Rajanarayanan will take us on a voyage. There are no typical love stories or tales of revenge in this book. The story follows each villager as they unfold in their own lives, showing us how the village came to be, how each person evolved, and what customs they adhere to on a daily basis. The East India Company had barely started to dominate India when the author takes us through Gopalla Gramam.

The story begins with a thief killing a woman in order to take her jewellery. Krishnappa Nayakar, who happened to pass by, caught him and brought him to the village panchayat. The narrative then follows Krishnappa Nayakar, who is a member of the large family headed by Govindappa Nayakar in the village. One of the notable characters of the story is Akkaya, who works in Govindappa Nayakar home. One of the top workers in the house who oversaw the in-and-out operations was Akkaya. The author did a fantastic job portraying his persona. Everything about him was masterfully explained, including his youth, bravery, how the villagers came to know him, his cheerfulness, and his sense of humour. One such instance was displaying Akkaya’s bravery in making the gang of robbers flee the village and averting a serious threat to the residents.

Mangathayaru Ammal is one of the eldest members of the Govindappa Nayakar family. She has been a resident of the village since its founding, and she is 137 years old. She travelled with the Kammavars when they left Andhra to settle in Tamil Nadu. Mangathayaru Ammal was Senna Devi’s younger sister. Senna Devi was a beautiful young woman. In her community at the time, she was well-known for her appearance. Danger and beauty can coexist at times. Senna Devi's situation followed a similar course. The Tughluk king, who ruled their place, commanded his soldiers to bring Senna Devi to his palace to marry her. Senna Devi's family was taken aback by this choice. Thus, they made the decision to depart and move south without notifying the Tughluk King.

They found it difficult to secretly relocate from one location to another, though. They travelled far, overcame many obstacles, and lost many loved ones to disease along the way, including Senna Devi. Senna Devi's passing shocked Senna Devi's relatives. Senna Devi's demise weakened their motivation for moving. Nevertheless, they are unable to go back to their hometown. Thus, they carried on until they arrived at a place in Tamil Nadu. Back then, it was a thick forest. They set up temporary shelters and gradually transformed into a village. The book provides an intriguing explanation of how they turned the wild area into a village. During ancient times, a large family would have been seen as prosperous as they could work and cultivate more because of their strength as a unit. Under those circumstances, the Govindappa Nayakar family attained that rank.

The story is nonlinear. It travels in a parallel manner. Within a story, there are stories. But the transitions were so seamless that there was no discomfort or confusion while switching between different storylines. The story began with a murder case inquiry and then shifted to the Govindappa Nayakar family, Mangathayaru Ammal, and then back to the Village Panchayat. Several dignitaries were present at the Panchayat. In addition to giving us a brief introduction about each dignitary, the author also describes their backgrounds and the significance of their contributions to the village's crucial decision-making. The rest of the narrative tells us what judgement was rendered for the murder case.

The author also discusses the British invasion of the village and how the locals first welcomed the British until having a negative encounter with them. The challenges the locals encountered under British authority and the decision made by the village to fight for independence were displayed by the author. Caste designations were mentioned with the names of the individuals. This clearly demonstrates the extent to which the caste system was in place at the time. The author keeps readers engaged by using straightforward language that is easy to understand. All in all, this book takes the reader on a thorough exploration of village life.

Enjoy the ride!