V.Aundy Pillai

Aundy Pillai was born at Pazhaveedu, Alapuzha., as the son of Ananthan Pillai ; who was an employee of zilla court, Alapuzha.He had many sisters & one brother --- Sankara Pillai. The family name was " Karukaparambil ". After his high school education at Govt. Mohammedan School, Alapuzha, joined H.H. Maharajahs College, Thiruvananthapuram. ---- then situated in the area where A. G s Office is working today. His optionals for his Bachelor of Arts degree course were Philosophy & Logic. An Englishman by name Mitchel was the Professor / Principal. Those days, the college was under Madras University & Aundy Pillai had to go to Madras to appear for the B.A. degree examination. After completing the degree, he worked in the "Hazoor Kacheri " (the Secretariat was known by that name, those days) and subsequently was posted as 2nd Class Magistrate. He worked at many places in the southern parts of Travancore. Subsequently, he got promoted as 1st Class Magistrate. He worked at places like North Paravoor, Vikom etc.. He became famous as a non-corrupt officer . He was compassionate in awarding punishment to the convicts. " Justice should be tempered with mercy " was his motto. He was promoted as Division Assistant (equivalent to Asst. Collector, with magisterial powers) and was working as Division Asst., Kottayam Dist. It was during his posting there; that the historical " Vaikom Sathyagraham " , took place. Many of the legendary leaders who led the struggle for independence & who fought for the abolition of prohibiting the entry into temples for the Hindu lower castes were arrested under his order. The late K. P. Kesava Menon, Chief Editor of " Mathrubhumi " malayalam daily was one among the sathyagrahis arrested. He, after many years wrote his memoirs of the Sathyagraha in " The Indian Express " . In that article , he made a reference to Aundy Pillai ; which reads as follows, : I quote " The then Magistrate Aundy Pillai was mercy itself " . Aundy Pillai was so to say, a scholar. He had a good collection of Malayalam & English books. He wrote literary criticisms and used to send them to the authors. He translated "Narayaneeyam" Sanskrit "slokas" into Malayalam "Slokas". His diction in Malayalam, English & Sanskrit were par excellent. Very God fearing, he showed compassion to the poor, needy & downtrodden. He used to invite hungry beggars from the street for a meal or offer them small amounts of money.

He was an admirer of Sri. Chattambi Swamikal, a great & reknowned promulgator of Hindu philosophy. Swamikal who was very scholarly, intelligent, and had photographic memory & was a maestro of percussion instruments like "Mridangam ". He used to visit Aundy Pilllai at his residence & held discourses about religion & Hindu Philosophy, epics & many other general topics. Aundy Pillais name has reference in all the books written about Chattambi Swamikal. ( as Thahasil Magistrate ).