The chambers of Sir VP were in turmoil. In a corner stood some of his juniors huddling over something. Once in a while one of them threw back his head and laughed. But the mirth was muted, for any moment now the great man would be returning from arguing in the sensational Uppudur Zamindar Minor Restitution Case.

But so engrossed were they in whatever they were doing that they did not notice his arrival. Sir VP was in an elated mood. His arguments had as usual had the judge eating out of his hands. He was wanting to share some of his sensational pronouncements in the court room with his juniors, but here they were all behaving like a pack of juveniles. Having pushed two of them who stood in the periphery, he peered in and could see a Tamizh magazine in the hands of Somaiyya, his clerk. With a powerful twist of his hands he snatched the magazine and held it at arms' length.

So, this was 'Kalki'. The new rag that had come up after Vasan had wisely dispensed with Kalki Krishnamurthy and T Sadasivam’s services at the 'Vikatan'. He looked at the article that had caused so much of merriment. Under the title “tirappu vizhAkkaL” the writer had parodied Sir Mutha Venkata Subba Rao’s speech at the inauguration of the Music Academy’s annual conference.

Sir VP’s eyes bulged as he read the lines where Kalki had obligingly translated the word “ignoramus” into Tamizh as maDa sAmbrANi, agnAna iruL kuNRu and mauDIka malai. This was too much. True, Sir Mutha did not know much about music and had requested Lady Venkata Subba Rao to write the speech. She, in turn, had contacted Sir VP and over coffee at the Cosmopolitan they had written the speech together. They had both thought it would lend a touch of humour if Sir Mutha described himself as an ignoramus and now they had all played into Kalki’s hands.

Having thrown an acid glance all around, Sir VP strode into his inner sanctum and banged the door shut. He sat down heavily in his chair and began reading the article once again. This was sheer bias. Just because Sir Mutha was a Telugu gentleman and had spoken against this Tamizh chauvinism, he had been pilloried by this Kalki fellow. He must meet Sir Mutha and discuss if there were grounds for libel.

The telephone rang.

“Lady Venkata Subba Rao on the line, Sir,” said Somayya in a trembling voice.

“….”, Sir VP was at a loss for words for once.

“Hello, is that you VP? Did you see the write-up by Kalki? I must say he has done us proud. I have for long been telling Sir M that he is never in the limelight and it is high time he got some of it like Sir Alladi and others. You see, the apellate side of the court never gets the kind of sensational cases as people like you on the original side. Now Kalki has made my husband really famous. This morning we were at breakfast when the khansamah came with the magazine. He was trembling all over. I wanted to know what there was in it. Neither I nor Sir M can read Tamizh well and so we got the khansamah to read and translate it to us. Sir M was chortling away as the lines were being read out. He let out great peals of laughter and the doctor who was visiting us said that this was good for Sir M’s digestion. As you know, he has a bad stomach and we have tried all the cures in the world. But nothing helps. But this morning he had two helpings of gOngura chutney after reading this wonderful article. I have decided to subscribe to this magazine. The khansamah can read it out to us at the breakfast table. I must rush as I have a Service Guild meeting. Please convey my regards to Lady VP and tell her we miss her at the club. Good day.”

Sir VP removed his aching ear from the instrument. Blast these Andhras. They don’t have it in them to put up a good fight. He took out a sheet of paper and drew a line vertically down on it. It was his habit to draw a balance sheet on any issue. On one side he wrote Tamizh Isai and on the other, Music Academy. He began to think of the artistes who remained on the Academy side and those who had defected.

At this point, Sir VP laid his pen down. He shut his eyes. He could not see where Semmangudi placed himself. The man had given equivocal statements. He had promised to sing in both sabhas. Of course, so had the others, but he could see them tilting towards the Tamizh Isai Sangam. About Semmangudi he was not sure.

Sir VP got up and paced up and down his room. The more he thought about it, the more he was convinced. Semmangudi has not made up his mind. It was now left to him, Sir VP, to convince Semmangudi on the futility of the Tamizh Isai issue. He would corner him at the RR Sabha lobby this evening and make him decide.

To Be Continued...

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