God (A) Trunk Box

Gudiyatham, Vellore 1914



After worked throughout the day in agricultural land Thenappan washing his face and hands in river water. It is so dark, while he washing his face suddenly something hit his leg, he got scared and just rant to shore. He checked the thing which hits his leg from the shore itself and that was one old trunk box with half rusted which was floating. He took that from water and he noticed that it has big lock which is hanging outside of that box. He checked around but no one is there except him. He took that trunk box and went home. While he reached home he saw his wife Valli standing outside.

Valli : Why are you late? What is in your hand?

Thenappan : I found this in river while am washing the hands

Valli : What’s inside? 

Thenappan : Don’t know let’s check it tomorrow morning

 Next day morning while Thenappan in sleep heard some sound, he wakes up and saw his wife vomiting.

Thenappan : What happen?

Valli : Don’t know, vomited 5 times since morning

Thenappan went and called his grandma whose house is in corner of the Street. She used to give some medical remedies for the people on that village.

Grandma : What happen Valli? What do you ate last night?

Thenappan : Both of us ate rice only, but don’t know what happen to her

After checking Valli for few minutes, Grandma said

Grandma : Congrats my son! You are going to become a father

Thenappan : What? Are you saying really grandma?

Both Valli and Thenappan are in immense happiness and also confused. Because they didn’t have a child for past 10 years, thought they had some medical issues. And also they came to a state that they are not gonna have a child in their whole life. However they are happy by hearing such good news. While grandma leaving the house she noticed the trunk box.

Grandma : What is this?

Thenappan : I found this yesterday in the river grandma

Grandma : At river? At what time?

Thenappan : I don’t know the time, but it is dark

She took that in her hand and shaking her body saying that she has some vibration in that.

Thenappan : What grandma? What happen?

Grandma : This is not just trunk box this is your god. This came to you to develop your life and your generation

Thenappan : What are you saying grandma?

Grandma : There is a belief that our god ‘Palaiyathamman’ will surround our village at night through river. Only she came to you through this trunk box. See, the very next day you got such good news which didn't happen to you for past 10 years

             Things which grandma said were seems to be believable for both Thenappan and Valli. So they started worshipping that trunk box as their god. While years passed they also added so many myths and worship styles for their god (Trunk box). Generations crossed but their god remains same and also they believe that if anyone tries to open their god (Trunk box) then the whole family and generation will be cursed and will die eventually.

Chennai 2020

             As years passed now the god (Trunk box) is with Baskar’s family who belongs to same generation. Baskar, his wife Mohana and his son Gowtham (Age 16) lives in Chennai. All three of them know the story about their god. Baskar and Mohana use to say many mysterious stories about their god to Gowtham from his childhood. So these stories had built a fear in Gowtham. Their god (Trunk box) will be kept in a pooja room, whenever Gowtham crosses that room he felt scary.

             One day Baskar’s family shifting their house to Next Street. All the things are packed and they are loading in a truck, at that time

Mohana : Gowtham! You take our god (Trunk box) and come by walk, because we should not keep our god (Trunk box) in a truck with other luggages

Gowtham : What me, No I can’t? Tell dad or you take and come

Mohana : Dad already left. And I should not touch our god

One of the myths which formed over the years was ladies should not touch their god (Trunk box)

Gowtham : Ma! Please

Mohana : Just do what I say. You take and go, i have to clean here and then I’ll come

Gowtham was so scared; he lifted their god (Trunk box) and started walking to their new house which is in Next Street. While he reached, his whole body sweats due to the fear. His house is in 2nd floor, so he started keeping his legs one by one through the steps. While stepping he missed one step then he lost his control and dropped the god (Trunk box) down. Their god (Trunk box) fell down and in that pressure the old lock which is hanging outside was broken and the trunk box opened. Gowtham got so scared; he started running downstairs. Because of his rush and unsettledness he fell down, rolled all over the steps and reach the ground. He lost his consciousness. Next he wake up in hospital and saw his mother next to him

Gowtham : Ma what happen? Is anything serious?

Mohana : No, you had minor injuries only      

Gowtham : Am not asking my myself. Am asking about our god (Trunk box). I saw it opened

Mohana : Don’t talk about that. Just leave it.

Gowtham : Why ma? What happen? Tell me. Are we all going to die because of the mistake I did?

Mohana : I said don’t talk about that, just leave

Gowtham : Why ma? Tell me what happen? Am so scared

Mohana : That box is not a god anymore

Gowtham : What?

Mohana started explaining the things happened while he is in unconscious.

             Over then, Gowtham fell down and lost his consciousness so Baskar sent his wife and their neighbors along with Gowtham to hospital, and then he went to their god (Trunk box) which was opened. He was so scared because he was grown by saying that if anyone tries to open their god (Trunk box) then their whole family will be cursed and will die eventually. With eyes full of fear he took the god (Trunk box) which was flipped downside and all the things in the box are below that. For past 100 years they are worshiping this as a god and none of them know about the things being inside. He flipped the god (Trunk box) straight and saw few dresses, colorful ripens and some shining ornaments. He don’t know what to do, he took all of that from ground placed it in trunk box. He thought that someone who knows purana and ancestral things may know about this, so he took that and went to temple.

             Baskar reached the temple which is nearby, but the temple is closed because it is noon time. He noticed one old lady who sells flowers outside of the temple; she is getting ready to leave. Baskar walked towards her and asked

Baskar : Grandma at what time they’ll open temple

Old lady : By evening only

Baskar : Is there any persons house nearby who works in this temple

Old lady : I don’t know

Old lady noticed the old trunk box which Baskar has in his hand.

Old lady : This is very old type trunk box. I remember even my father had one like this

Baskar thought maybe she knows something.

Baskar : Grandma! please check these things and tell me what is this, if you know

Old lady opened the box and checked the things one by one. After few seconds 

Old lady : The dresses and ornaments are antique. These ornaments are imitations not original. And also no normal people will wear such kind of clothes over then. All these things are used by streetcar artists (People who put dramas on roads). Definitely this Trunk box is belongs to one of them

Baskar was so shocked and confused.

Old lady : Where did you got this?

Baskar didn’t say anything about the trunk box to that old lady. Because they are worshipping it has a god for past few generations without knowing what is this, if he tells this to that lady or anyone definitely they think him as a stupid person not only him but also his whole generation. He said thanks to that old lady and left.

Mohana : This is what happened. Don’t tell this to anybody

Gowtham : Really ma! Do you think that I feel proud to tell anyone that we are so dumb for past few generations?

Gowtham was so pissed off, because he was scared for past 16 years by seeing an old rusted trunk box which is full of colorful dresses and fake ornaments. He came back to home from hospital. While he entering, he noticed all the things are arranged in their new house. He went near pooja room and noticed that the trunk box is not there.

Gowtham : Ma! Where is the trunk box?

Mohana : Your dad kept it in a store room along with old stuffs

Gowtham : Better!

The End