If I am able to ride a cycle and climb trees at 95, it is only because of the cow’s milk I grew up drinking. Milk is a rich source of all nutrients, my father used to say. I vaguely remember my childhood days at Keezhakuyilkudi village. My parents were poor farm workers and brought home a few kilos of paddy as their take-home pay everyday, which we used to cook and share. Once agriculture was taken over by land sharks, we moved to the city in search of better life. I and my 10 siblings grew in a hut we built on the Vaigai bank. Later, I moved to P & T Nagar and currently I rear six cows and 20 goats. Everyday, I start my day on the cycle, distributing milk to a dozen households in the area. I go on a similar round in the evenings. I sell close to 10 litres of milk a day for Rs.300. I earn nearly Rs.10,000 per month, a large part of which I spend on buying fodder and medicines for the cattle. I don’t mix water in the milk and people appreciate the quality. The milk that goes unsold is given to other milk men for a slender profit.
I have six daughters and a son who are married and have families. I am blessed with a dozen grandchildren, some of whom help us in the milk business. However, the animals are our companions. I and my 85-year-old wife spend much of our day taking care of the goats and cows and that keep us going.
(A fortnightly column on men and women who make Madurai what it is)
