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Speaking Tree - Arok Sundar

Early 60’s Madhavaram, ST. SEBATIAN’s Friary church was like Mary of the Angel, Assisi during the time of St. Francis of Assisi. Innumerable palmyra trees tall and one part of the area was occupied by casuarina trees standing together to make a grove. A beautiful pond at the side of it reflecting the jamun trees against the sunlight invited people together for relaxation. Amidst these numerous trees that looked like jungle couldn’t win over the sight of a lone tree, robust, strong, knots on its trunk decorated the tree with a lot of experience and stories of the time. This NEEM TREE elegant, gigantic branches stretch out to welcome people to take shelter under its shade.

All the innumerable palmyra trees, Jamun trees disappeared and clustered casuarina trees have been replaced by concrete blocks to give vocational training for the poor boys from villages. Once this was sandy place turned into marshy ground now. In one word this place had a village look where the life was slow and occasionally buses carry passengers to MINT and PARIS CORNER.

This forest village look place had a simple, small tiled roof with beautifully decorated laced facade church little bigger than the church of SAN DAMIANO. This church was dedicated to ST. SEBASTIAN and would draw devotees from all over Chennai for the saint was considered to be the patron against epidemics.

Madhavaram has a special place in my life. I had my high school and college studies from seraphic boarding. After finishing my priestly studies, I was ordained priest in this church. A few years later I was appointed as the pastor of the parish. By then the face of the got changed with new large church to accommodate the people to participate in the worship.

Slowly the concrete blocks came one after another beginning with the friars residence. Then followed the expansion of carpentry trade and other trades came in as development. And now 70 years have passed once again a very awesome church elevation with some extension was made. To cap all these changes the statue of JESUS stands above all with hands out stretched.

BUT

The lone tree stands amidst all these changes unchanged placing all the events as history in its trunk. Every bark of the tree has a story to narrate. That is why the bark is like tiles cladded around the trunk. The carpentry trade was started by Rev. Fr. Dante’s Molenkemp and friar Angelo took it up. He struggled to impart the learning because of finance. If I am not exaggerating, almost all the Catholic Churches and the school furniture was made by our institute. Many poor boys of the time earned their future by this trade.

FEAST:

The church feast is a two-day program then. The devotees come by Saturday evening and leave the place by Sunday evening or maximum Monday. Along with Catholics people of other faith come to honour the saint. People come with various petitions of thanks giving and requests stand for hours to pay homage to the saint. The tree has met people with varieties of needs and wants and their joy and sorrows.

In 1965 there was a cyclone and that was the time the Myanmar government sent the people as repatriates. People with no house to stay... children crying for food and taking the bad situation into hands a lot abuses went on. The Friars came forward to accommodate them in places and calmed their fears.

In 1970 the annual feast was on and that evening the rain slashed the area in such a way the Friars had to to bring in devotees into the church .... residence. The remaining were generously allowed to shelter into the house of late MR. Kenny dmonte. Later for him to clean and colour his house costed him a big amount.

On another occasion when I was the parish priest same experience of rain pouring down and the people ran hither tether to avoid getting wet. In this scenario the saints statue was forgotten and they were left to be under the shamiana. One of the statues made white cement could not withstand the wetness. It got diffused in the water. Such was the rain.

On the morn I went to thank the municipality chairman. Seeing me he got up and said till yesterday I was not giving much importance to this God of yours. But after the rain I realize the power of your God. He is amazing. Then he explained: as per the plan of two notorious group each one wanted to eliminate the other at this festival night. But the rain averted it. The police and me left our sigh with great relief. Your God is not only a God to avert epidemics also the unwanted elements removed and safety ensured.

The neem tree is known for its medicinal values.... the leaves! Bark and the twigs. Whereas this robust gigantic tree has stories of the Friars, people of that time the changes in the name of development and the church. The tree carries the joyful stories and sorrowful events. Every piece of the tree bark has plenty to narrate. This write up is only a tip of an iceberg. Do you have the time to spend under this tree of (Knowledge) experience. Till then I am silent. Arok Sundar

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