Chittatinkara, a village on the banks of Killi River, was once the abode of ancient craft guilds closely associated with the construction of many famed buildings in Thiruvananthapuram. These guilds boast several talented ivory artisans and skilled artistes, who once shone brightly in the artistic realm of the capital city. A mapping of the history of these guilds reveal that the craftsmen, during the late 19th century, gradually shifted from their position as ‘village artisans’ to the role of ‘government employees’, mostly employed at the Survey Department, Public Works Department and the School of Arts.
“The transition from village artisans to government employees was not easy, for education played a key role in the process,” says 98-year-old Vasudevan Achari, a member of the Chittatinkara guild. “Then, there were few members from our guild who had the privilege of getting formal schooling, and in most cases the patriarchs were not willing to ‘spoil’ their children with Western education,” Achari adds. Vasudevan was amongst the fortunate few, for he successfully completed his schooling from the government English medium school at Killipalam. “My uncle used to call me ‘Sayippu’, for I was the first from my clan to learn the language of the British.” After completing his schooling in 1941, Vasudevan Achari and his relative Ramayyan Achari enrolled for the Certificate Course at the College of Engineering, Trivandrum, established in 1939. “In those days the college was housed in the former office and bungalow of the chief engineer (the present PMG Office). T.H. Mathewman, a Britisher, was the Principal,” Achari recounts.
Vasudevan still recalls his first meeting with Mathewman. “I got a letter from the College, asking me to appear before the Principal.” As soon as Vasudevan entered the room, Mathewman offered him a cigar. “I was stunned for a moment, and did not know what to do. Finally I gathered courage and told him: ‘Sir, I am a non-smoker, so is my father’. I saw a smile on Mathewman’s face. Next, he asked me whether I would be able to complete the course. I answered that I would complete the course successfully. The next question was whether I was married. I told him that I was a bachelor. That was my interview!”remembers Achari. Soon, Vasudevan got a memo, asking him to join the college. Mathewman, a soft-spoken man, was popular with the students. He visited the classrooms every day and when informed of the students’ progress, every time he would smile and say “Very Good.” Soon the students gave Mathewman the nickname ‘Very Good Sir ’ . J.C. Alexander, Chellayya, and D.L. Deshpandae who taught machine drawing were the other teachers.
“After the course, we were sent to the PWD for a one-year apprenticeship and in 1942 I was employed under the War Technical Trainee Scheme,” recalls Achari. Later, Achari worked at the ITI and retired in 1972 as group instructor. “Looking back, I consider myself lucky, for though I turned my back on the profession of my forefathers, Western education did aid me in leading a better life,” says Vasudevan Achari.
(This write-up is based on an interview with P. Vasudevan Achari).
[The author is a conservation architect and history buff]
