THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was a long- cherished dream of Pradeep of Pradeepam, Peyad, on the outskirts of the capital city, to celebrate his father’s birthday. At last, he got a chance - on his father’s hundredth birthday. Rising to the occasion, Pradeep invited his friends, relatives and neighbours to his house to celebrate the birthday. Cake was cut, a sumptuous feast was served and’ poojas’ were performed in temples. It was the first time that the 45-year-old Pradeep was brating his father’s birthday, as his father had been leading the life of a wanderer, ascetic and exponent of Bhagavatha. Gopala Pillai Swamy was born on the Revathy star of Malayalam calendar year 1087. He had his schooling from the local schools and joined a starch manufacturing factory at Kundara. It was after marrying off his six sisters that he wed Rajamma at the age of 36. The couple had five children- three sons and two daughters. He was also gifted with 19 grandchildren. Gopala Pillai Swamy, as he is known among the pious lot who yearned to attend his Bhagavata rendering, had been wandering over the past many decades in temple after temple and houses, where he was a revered invitee. It was in the late 1960s that Gopala Pillai Swamy set out leading the life in a different world and exploring the Bhagavatha, leaving his house at Cherumoodu, Vellimon, near Kundara, in Kollam district. It was after serving for years as supervisor at the starch factory that he found his real calling. His companion was Kadavur Balan, another celebrity exponent of Bhagavatha. For several years, Pradeep had no inkling where his father would have been or even whether he was alive. His mother Rajamma looked after the five children the couple had, while he was leading the life of an ascetic and paid little attention to his family. It was during a ‘sapthaha yagna’ at Naduthala temple, near Poojappura, some seven years back, that Pradeep heard his father leading a sapthaha yagna. He walked to the temple trembling and prayerful. His prayers didn’t go unaddressed. From there, he took his father, in his nineties then, to the Abhedashram in the city. For over six years, he stayed at Abhedashram. As he was ill, he asked the Ashram authorities to let him take his father to his house at Peyad, which the authorities obliged. Pradeep said that his father was still active and had no problem in reading and hearing music. He often sang old melodious songs and enjoyed the company of youngsters, reminiscent of his memories of his youthful days “ I want to see my relatives and old friends once again. I wish they would come to see me,” Swamy said while having the birthday feast along with his children and neighbours. Though all his children, and most among the 19 grandchildren, came home to celebrate his birthday, his wife, who is ailing, remained at their house in Vellimon. Pradeep said that relatives in Kundara were all eager to meet Gopala Pillai Swamy soon and have announced plans for a visit shortly. Pradeep’s enthusiasm in celebrating his father’s birthday is unfathomable, forgetting the pangs of his youth, when his father was nothing more than a portrait on a wall. For both father and son, as well as the whole family, it is second life.
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