VAZHI– PATH I was recollecting the student days doing Geometry classes.To prove certain Principles/Theorems we had to draw certain lines in theprepared drawing. The term used to mention it was vazhi. AnArithmetic done with steps was also told as Vazhikannakku. If at all one hadmade a mistake in last steps a percentage of marks were awarded for the correctsteps. I have erred many times in last steps and got between 35-50 % of themarks for such vazhikannakkuin school in college I got cent percent in Mathematics examination andit raised my total percentage high.
Vazhi is a word usedwith many other meanings in Malayalam and Tamil. One of them is a path. In most ofthe financial institutions we can see some obstruction created in the entrance.I could gather it prevented to certain extent quick escaping of culprits.Collapsible grill gates with chain permitting not more than one person, doubledoors, wicket gate etc. are some examples of obstruction. Especially with major banks it is quite common nowadays. I have learnt that since elephants cannot walk fast throughnarrow streets, when they go out of control people are asked to go throughnarrow paths by the mahouts trying to control them. However some will wait forHOURS at the narrow path end for attacking waiting for the person. Probably hewould have tried to control or attack the animal. While taking elephants through bridges, it is customary notallowing more than one at a time, because of the weight of the animal. In forests the way formed by the walking ofelephants is referred as Aanathatam. Why elephants, certain bulls and buffalos also stand inroads without permitting people to walk. It takes their own time to get out of the paths. Many a time elders andchildren take some other paths having no alternative. Especially in villages wecan see attacking bulls. In city they stand creating fear. Attacking is lesser. Yesterday I was seeing a news item about biting dog menacein Kerala. One cannot identify which dog would bite standing on the roads orchasing vehicles. Dog menace is much more in Kerala. I am not sure about thesaying- Barking dogs willnot bite hold good now. Giving way is a procedure in National and state high waysfor speedy vehicles by other drivers asking for path. Mostly it is followed toavoid accidents. For Ambulance giving way is a must. Mostly they don’t care forsignals and pass speedily and other vehicles give way. A door is a way to go out of room. Paths in modern days canbe lifts, escalator and steps to go up and down in tall buildings andflats. On those days it was a practice to move others to sideswhen honoured peoples like kings and ministers pass in their chariots. Now thedifference is not much- They are cars of ministers etc. Sometimes for hoursroad is blocked while Chief Minister, Governor and Central ministers go intheir vehicles. I have experienced it more in Trivandrum. Give way (Vazhi Vidal) is also used to mean for giving wayfor conductors in crowded buses. Sometimes conductors use front door and backdoor to go in overcrowded by ladies in the bus. Today I witnessed such anincident which prompted me to this posting. When we are not sure of a location while going- It is bestto ask the auto drivers about them. 99% of auto drivers will correctly guide properly hearing us. Vazhipokkan is a person going through a road.On those days we had resting places, now bus stops. Mostly the seats areoccupied in bus stop by those walking and going rather than passengers waiting. A way out (Pomvazhi) is a solution to problems thoughtin daily chores. It could be financial or health or other problems. Curved path (Valanja vazhi) is a term used to mean crookedpath. Some people always think through Valanja vazhi. Good things cannot bediscussed with them. They would have first Negatives about it. Missing path (Vazhithettal) is word used to mean generallymissing a path in a junction or branching area. It is also used to meantendency to lean to negative characters like smoking, drinking, flirting etc. There is a proverb in Malayalam - Atichhavazhiyaepoyillengil poya vazhiyae adikkuka (If one does not follow the guidance andtake wrong path, he would suffer and take the correct path in due course-approximate meaning intended) I recollect a humorous seen in a Malayalam film whereMohanlal under influence of liquor telling the driver – Namakku vazhi chodichhupokaam- (We do not know the way. We will continuously ask others and go. Now we have tracking for the items send by courier orregistered items. The receiver can track the path it reaches from sending station. In city roads other than the main path there are sub paths.For reaching a flat or company we ask the driver to take sub path from mainpath. For entry of servants there is a path on side in manyhomes. I have recently read in Palghat Agraharams there is a separate path forcows to get in reach their shed and in the morning go out for grazing outsidein the iyer homes. I have read in Kodaikkanal near Vilpatti in the forestssunlight will not enter even in the mid noon. If one miss the path, verydifficult to get out. Even the forest guards go with high power torch and drawingand campus to get in and comeback through the correct way. Writer- R. GopalaKrishnan dated 25-7-2016. Reposted on 30-12-2020 after updating. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. 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