A few streets at Paachal in Jolarpet had surprise visitors on Tuesday morning. After years, they were hearing an age-old greeting — ‘nalla kaalam porakudhu’ (good times are coming) — accompanied by the beats of the ‘udukkai’ (a percussion instrument) outside their homes.
Two ‘kudukudupai karans’ (soothsayers who herald good news) were going around the streets uttering their catchy phrase that many remembered since their childhood.
There were two others. ‘Boom boom maadu’ (Oxen that nod their head at the instruction of their masters) — named Madhesh and Ezhumalayan — were decorated in colourful clothes. They walked around with their anklets jingling and their handlers playing the percussion instrument.
Once they drew the attention of residents, the soothsayers said good times would come only if they cast their votes without taking cash from politicians.
It is an attempt by the Tirupathur district administration to create awareness of the importance of casting votes at Paachal, which had reported a poor turnout in the previous elections.
“Earlier members of these communities used to be seen often. Now they are disappearing. So we thought we could use them to create awareness of the importance of voting and the younger generation can also come to know about them,” Collector M.P. Sivanarul said.
Superintendent of Police P. Vijayakumar said, “It is important to have 100% voting in the district and such an awareness drive will help to achieve it.”
The soothsayers and the men handling the oxen are happy to help. “We have been earning money by soothsaying for generations. Earlier, we used to go from door to door early in the morning. Now we go at noon. We earn around ₹5,000 a month,” says N. Ullas Rao of Tirupathur, one of the ‘kudukudupai karan’.
M. Alagesan, who handles the oxen, says members of his community are residents of Thaneerpandal near Natrampalli and earn around ₹500 a day.
“I am sending my children to school. My son Velu wants to become a police officer. They won’t continue this tradition after my time.”
