THALAIKKOOTHTHAL

Parents are the ones who introduce a new born adolescent to the world. They are the guiding light in the dark astonishing journey of life. Parent’s love is patient and forgiving when all other are forsaking, their love never fails or falters even though the hearts are breaking. They are the roots of the grown, strong, alluring and elegant young trees. They are the sunset that soothes and slumberous, which energizes for the upcoming aurora of a new sunrise. They devote their present, to shape their offspring’s future. They evade their meagre joy to fulfil their child’s massive wishes. In spite of all their dedications and sacrifices, do we really have the courage of showing the setting sun a new sunshine?

THALAIKKOOTHTHAL is a tradition that not just stops us from recognising their endure but even abolishes all the frames of humanity. It is the traditional practice of senicide (killing of the elderly) or involuntary euthanasia, by their own family members, observed in some parts of southern districts of Tamil Nadu state of India.Thalaikoothal is no random act of extermination, but a well-oiled death ritual provoked by poverty and abetted by custom.
It’s said that invalid elders are given a final oil bath and forced to drink tender coconut juice, followed by tulsi juice and then milk (a customary pre-death drink), with the relatives standing around chanting, ‘kasi’, ‘kasi’. In some cases, even hard pieces of murukku (a savoury) are forced down a resistant individual’s throat, causing them to choke to death. In fact, mud mixed with water is also used, with hopes that the watery Hemlock would cause indigestion — brutally fatal to an already compromised body. And even as preparations for the Thalaikoothal are under way, families actually start arranging for the funeral anyway.

Unfortunately, the victim’s ‘consent’ isn’t an issue as they are either terminally ill or almost unconscious and the community takes the decision on their behalf.

Even though the truth behind these deaths can be brought to the limelight by the better investigation, they are almost always signed off by a certifying doctor as death due to natural causes — old age in their cases.
Some say that though Thalaikoothal is practiced under the wraps in fear of being caught, it is more prevalent now than ever before, citing greater employment as one of the reasons. They say that in the earlier times, there would be someone at home to take care of the elders.

It’s important for us to understand that in this cycle of life we all have to reach the same predefined sunset of old age, where all have to face the same gloaming dark night. We need to understand that a tree cannot cherish its artistry without the strong grounded roots. Parents are the roots, so now it’s time to hold their hands strong and enter new phases of life and cherish all the upcoming victories along with their grace and love!