JANAKI – Setril Malrnda Senthamarai
Janaki, an IPS officer. Praised as the most honest and efficient officer in the state. She got an information about some sex trade in an otherwise decent housing colony. She called up her lady deputies and raided the place. When she was walking away with them, she saw a small girl standing at the end with a book in her hands and tears in her eyes. She went close to her, hugged her and kissed her on her forehead. Then she told one of her assistants to take care of her.
Her thoughts went back to ‘Mudukku Theru’ a street in Srirangam in Tamilnadu, known for it’s busy nights. Mudukku Theru was known as the red light area of Srirangam in 50s and 60s. While the sex trade was flourishing all around, including in her own house, she was a girl of great grit and inner strength. Her mother while indulging in sex trade for the family’s survival, never allowed anyone to go near her daughter Janaki, who was a bright, brilliant student.
Today she stands tall as an honest and efficient officer and her mother is busy organizing reformation for destitute women. The Tirukkural that Janaki learnt in her young days was:
"Ciraikaakun kaappuevan ceyyum makalir
Niraikaakkun kaappe thalai". Tirukkural 57
This means: prison walls, pad locks and chastity belts are absolutes of no use to ensure a woman’s chastity. Her own conscience and inner strength will alone keep her really pure.
A good translation of this Kural given by Thiru K.Srinivasan: “Of what avail is watch and ward? A woman’s chastity is the best safeguard of her honour.
“Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come”
My sincere thanks to Dr.S.M.Diaz IPS, Ph.D., and Thiru.K.Srinivasan
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