Society » Culture » 'Orpheus' Plays on at graveyard.. .

'Orpheus' Plays on at Payyambalam graveyard.
- K.A.Antony

Kannur, July 10: Meet Mr. Madhavan, 'Orpheus' of Payyambalam graveyard. Even at the age of 74 he keeps playing soothing notes on his 'veena' in the thick of the night for the great and the ordinary, sleeping at the graveyard.

Squatting on the numerous sacks that serve as a bed, the septuagenarian, clad in red robes, plays wonderful ragas, which flows like heavenly music, uninterrupted by the roaring sound of the Arabian sea. The old coffin, he used to sleep in, before shifting to the sack bed, stands nearby. Close to it is a folded red umbrella. The nylon string in the dungy office room of the graveyard, is full of red robes. Except for the dhoti, he is red from top to bottom. Even his loin clothes dangling on the nylon string are red in colour.

The room is full of other red things- a set of dairies, torches, batteries, tooth- brush and tounge cleaners. The nauseating smell of half burnt bodies make you sick, but not Madhavan, also known as 'Choppu Swami' ( red sanyasi ) because of his obsession for the red colour sans any affinity for the Reds. He would tell you that he has been fond of this stench over the years. '' One day you and me will have to burn like this,'' he says with his eyes glued to the pyre.

Born in Kakkad near here, Madhavan, who had a Post Graduate degree in Malayalam Literature, kicked off his government job as he could not tolerate corruption by some of his colleagues. But people who know him closely has another story to relate. According to them, Madhavan had quit his job as a junior clerk with the Revenue department after his sweet heart was married off to another man. What ever the truth might be, Madhavan took to sanyas at a very young age. He was at the Swamimadom at Kakkad for a very long time before moving to the graveyard at Payyambalam with his 'veena' and started playing the Orpheus as if to bring back his sweetheart from the Nether world.

Madhavan's obsession for red clour has earned him yet another name- 'Choopu Swami.' But ask the man and he will quip : '' Can't a man choose his own colour ?.Anyhow it has nothing to do with Communism,''.

The music of Madhavn, also known as 'Chutala Swami'( sanyasi of the graveyard), becomes a lullaby to the dead besides serving as a soothing medicine for his worried soul. Madhavan ignores questions like if the souls of Communist leaders like A.K.Goplan, E.K.Nayanar,Chadayan Govindan, BJP leader K.G.Marar and Journalist Swadeshabimani Ramakrsihna Pillai, who are resting at the graveyard are listening to his music.

'' I love music and I am playing it to soothe my own soul,'' he would say if you insist on being answered. According to Balan, Manager of the crematorium office, Madhavan used to sleep inside a coffin outside the office building. The sight of Madhavan getting out of the coffin at night had scared away many anti socials, he said.

Madhavan used to eke out his living by giving tuition to students. '' Now that he is very old he does not teach students any more. However, some of his old students pay him for his food and clothes,'' said Balan.