"Estate Thiruvilla naalai Vellikelimaaiial irunthu Nayitrukilaamai Vaarai, Naam Maha Mariamman Alayathithil Kondaadapaadum, yella maakallum vanthuu, kaalanthukoolaalaam, ipidiku namathu estate neervagam" meaning, "Our estate temple will be celebrating its annual prayers, starting from Friday and ending on Sunday; the estate management cordially invites all estate residents to attend the prayers".
This message was carried "live" to every home in the estate by our estate odumpillai, or messenger, the late Mr Thangaratnam.
Mr Thangaratnam, curly-haired with a grey receding hairline, was a small-framed gentleman who stood about 5 feet 7 inches tall. Small was his size, but not his voice.
His voice was adenoidal, meaning it sounded like he was speaking through his nose. It was high-pitched and deep, thus reaching listeners as far as 30m away. He was always in a white T-shirt, usually unbuttoned, with brown or khaki trousers.
Mr Thangaratnam would announce anything and everything that concerned our estate.
He was also a rubber tapper like all of us, but being the odumpillai was his other duty.
He would walk around the estate, announcing details of annual prayers, deaths (if any), monthly movie nights, salary day, and if we had visitors or guests on our grounds.
I am not sure how much he was paid for this task, or if he was paid at all, but he did a good job of it.
The children, upon hearing his announcement, would listen attentively and spread the news, regardless of what its content may be.
He would walk around the estate housing lines and make the announcement, ensuring that every resident was aware of the news.
If it was a happy event, he would share the smiles and laughter with each household he stopped at. If it was a sad event, like a death, he would shed a tear and sympathise with everyone.
The undulating landscape of the estate never posed a challenge for the athletic man.
His strides were wide. He was slightly hunched, but he walked fast. The estate dogs were so used to him that none disturbed him when he was on duty.
Aftermaking his announcement, he would refresh himself at the estate's only sundry and coffee shop.
The estate residents were used to his voice and demeanour. He was the most liked man, especially whenever he announced movie night. Sometimes he would announce the estate temple prayer invitations, house-to-house, too.
None of our homes had a letterbox. Any letter or package for the residents would be left at the sundry shop or received at the chief clerk's office. The chief clerk would distribute the letters or packages to us through Mr Thangaratnam.
Today, we live in an era where the Internet is compulsory.
Back then, we had only one odumpillai serving the estate workers as our "Internet", "Intranet", postman or courier man.
He never complained. Instead, he carried out his duty professionally and effectively.
The odumpillai is no more. He walked all over the huge estate to deliver the news to everyone.
He would have covered every inch of the estate's housing lines with no delay or tiredness.
Sadly, his "footsteps" are now covered by massive developments like housing estates, a Muslim cemetery, golf courses, shopping malls, and small and medium businesses, leaving no evidence of his presence or the people who waited ardently for his announcements. Today, we have p-hailing riders criss-crossing the streets, delivering food, letters and parcels in Bukit Jalil .
Many may not know that there was an odumpillai doing this job, too, a long time ago, diligently and single-handedly.
Thank you, dear Mr Thangaratnam, for updating us with interesting news.
- NST
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