Environmentalism, Politics, and Love

By Sunny Thottam

My novel is about the relationship between a colonel in Indian military and his wife, Joyce, who was an environmentalist. Colonel Thomas was assigned to various responsibilities such as a military convention regarding the necessity of an airport in Simla, which is one of the most beautiful states in India.

After having the successful military convention in Simla, Colonel Thomas was asked to preside over a military convention against the leftist ideology which is taking the state of Kerala backward. Joyce, the wife of colonel Thomas, was a dissent in many matters. Despite their differences, they had an ideal family life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669818762

Sunny Thottam

Sunny Thottam was born on 03-08-1965 in Kerala India. He us currently living in Queens Village in the city of New York. He is a graduate of BA Mathematics from Hunter College in New York. Literary works: One novel titled Feathers of Dream is written in the Malayalam language and published by the author in February 1995 and distributed by National Book Stall in Kerala. A short story collection was published by the author as well in May 1996. The author has written and directed five dramas for the Laymen Association of Knanites in New York. The titles of the dramas are The Empire of Ura, Guardsmen of Morality, John the Baptist, King David, and Solomon. The first four dramas were written in Malayalam, the language of Kerala. Solomon was written in English. The author used to write essays and a few short stories in Malayalam Weekly. They were published from New Rochelle, New York.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

When Lieutenant Colonel John Thomas entered the respected hotel in Simla in Himachal Predesh, the receptionists were respectful. They were ready to give him the computer key, and the assistants were there to carry his luggage to his room. It was about eight in the evening. There was a slight cold breeze outside. The colonel had a light jacket on him.

Will you send a bottle of whisky to my room? Colonel Thomas asked.

We will. But please call the room service from the room, sir, the receptionist replied with respect.

There will be a wake-up call around eight, and a driver will be here around ten to take you to Delhi.

Colonel John Thomas was not confident about what was going on around him. He could not figure out the importance of his dissent; the dissent about building an airport in Simla.

Colonel Thomas liked the ideal room reserved for him. The view from the room was the replica of the beauty of Simla. When Colonel Thomas came to the military camp near the China border, he was astonished to see the beauty of the land called Simla which was unknown to him.

Colonel Thomas, the chairman of the military commission, was assigned to study about a civilian airport in Simla. The study was done cautiously, considering the border security of India. The commission unanimously opposed to the civilian airport plan.

Don’t destroy the ecology of Simla with your commission report, Joyce warned with humor.

How do you know about the report? Colonel Thomas was anxious to know.

I will tell you everything when I meet you in Delhi.

The attendant came with an Indian whisky called Royal Flush. He had appetizers along with it.

The dinner will be ready in twenty minutes, the room service boy said.

After a shower in hot water, Colonel Thomas looked through the window and enjoyed the replica of Simla’s beauty from the room.

The dinner came with salads and a vegetable soup. The main course was chicken masala. Chicken curry with eggs in it is called Chicken Masala in Simla.

Colonel Thomas had his dinner before he had few pegs of Royal Flush.

While observing the national news in the television, cool breeze came through the open window and the colonel fell asleep without intending to.

The telephone in the room rang at eight in the morning and the colonel had a shower in hot water. Coffee was served first. Then the colonel had breakfast with fried eggs.

The colonel was ready at ten in the morning and he was in civilian dress per the instruction near military headquarters near Simla near the Chinese border. The driver in the civilian uniform saluted, ignoring the protocol.

Reported as ordered.

The Tata Indigo car left abruptly with Colonel Thomas.

You are a military driver? Colonel Thomas asked.

Yes, sir.

Why a civilian vehicle other than a military vehicle?

I don’t know, sir, the driver answered with respect.

Do you work for the Indian miliary? the Colonel asked.

Yes, sir, the driver answered.

We are in civilian dress. Therefore avoid the military language.

Yes, sir.

What is your name?

My name is Hari Nair, the driver answered.

You are a Malayalee?

Yes, sir.

Hari. Do you know the reason for this civilian trip?

I don’t know exactly the reason. The hearsay is that you are the chairman of the commission to advise about the significance of an airport in Simla.

Everybody knows about this secret military commission.

The captain was extremely careful while taking the turns, and he used the horns in advance to avoid possible dangerous collisions.

The roads in Himachal Predesh are adventurous, the lieutenant colonel observed.

They are much better than the local roads in Kerala.

After a minute of silence, the colonel agreed.

Himachal Predesh is considered as one of the fast-developing Indian states, Captain Hari Nari said.

"Yes, I read the survey in the India Today," Colonel said.

Coca-Cola is a tasty drink. When it is chilled with ice, it is an energetic drink. Why are so many Malayalees against this humble company?

The colonel noticed the hidden attack against his wife’s stand against the Coca-Cola and Pepsi company.

Kerala is blessed with so much rain. The incapable inhabitants in preserving the water is groaning with hate. Is that what you meant?

You said the sit. I cannot believe Mrs. Joyce Thomas is one among the leaders.

She does not live in the reality. She is not using her fame in an ideal way. I agree. But she is very talented.

We are proud of her, colonel. But her priorities are damaging the path to prosperity.

Are we becoming a liability to the Indian Union, I mean the developed Indian union of states? the Colonel asked.

The refusal to share water and the threat as a beggar for more appropriations are the symbol of becoming a liability. The captain was furious when he said that.

There was no electricity in my parents’ house half of the time. Joyce is still against raising the possible level of waters in the dams. I ridiculed her for her positions.

Incapability is celebrated in our home state nowadays, Hari Nair said.

Productivity is a distant dream in our home state, Colonel Thomas agreed.

The idle youth dreams about the utopian world of equality and vote for the arrogant and incapable leader of a changing party into power. I have heard only the words of arrogance from this leader so far, Hari Nair said.

While they were continuing their travel to Delhi, Captain Hari Nair complained about the roads in his local village in Kerala.

Without having decent roads everywhere, we can never attain prosperity.

As we discussed before, I am afraid Kerala is becoming a liability to the Indian Union of States. Colonel Thomas was worried.

Someone must stand up and explain this to the Malayalees, Hari Nair explained.

Colonel Thomas was asked to stay in a hotel in Carol Bagh in Delhi.

Joyce owns a house in Delhi. She bought that house in Delhi with the money she obtained from her first novel published abroad, Colonel Thomas told the captain.

I have read that novel. It is a nice novel.

I think that the major general fears that Joyce’s presence and influence may have contributed to the report that we prepared regarding a civilian airport in Simla.

Hari Nair smiled and agreed.

Both Captain Hari Nair and the colonel enjoyed the prosperous farm lands in Haryana during the drive through the attractive expressway in Haryana.

The sojourn in Carol Bagh was more than satisfactory. The hospitality in the hotel was based on a reception entitled to a colonel.

The meeting with the Major General of the Indian Army was at ten in the morning.

Colonel John Thomas saluted the major general. There was a salute in return.

Sir, I am reporting as ordered.

Have a seat, colonel. The Major General Mr. Singh was courteous.

While Colonel Thomas was finding his chair comfortably, the Major General Mr. Singh was going through the report of the commission prepared by Colonel Thomas and his two colleagues.

The report is well prepared from the military point of view. A militarized border is a cautious plan for a developing India.

Colonel Thomas observed the dissent immediately.

A developed India’s borders should be less militarized? Colonel Thomas asked.

Major General Singh smiled and asked, Do you think that China will dare to conquer the places in India where Europeans and Americans are vacationing? Do you think Tibet will dare to test the largest military in the Indian subcontinent?

We did not prepare the report foreseeing the possibilities of international tourism in Simla. Colonel Thomas is defending his team’s report.

Did you ever discuss this matter with Joyce?

No, sir. I did not.

But Joyce knew about this commission?

She spoke to me about it yesterday, Colonel Thomas agreed.

I read her first book. It is a nice book. But she is a product of Bengal and Kerala, the two states, many think this will be a liability in a developed India.

I agree that Joyce is overly concerned about nature and wants to become a dissent all the time. But the attack against my state, which is more developed and civilized, is unfair, Colonel Thomas protested.

Unfair . . . The newly elected chief minister of your state threatened the unity of India with his rough language and with his futile and utopian idealism yesterday.

I think he is ignorant about the possibilities of the union of the Indian states. Colonel Thomas was apologetic when he said that.

When the Indian military of the Indian police raided the Golden Temple in Amritsar, it was only a captain in the army. Even then, my loyalty to the union of Indian states was strong and I had never deviated from that thought. Major General Singh was angry when he said that.

I understand the feeling. When the American military circled the Vatican consulate in Panama to capture Noriega, I was angry as a Catholic.

Who preserved the rich water and the splendid rivers in Kerala in the last century? the major general asked.

The arrogant chief minister’s earlier declaration that the state of Kerala will not pay the loans from the Asian banks is saying that we will enjoy someone else’s product of hard work, said Hari Nair.

The irony is that he is not ashamed to say that, Colonel Thomas agreed.

I was planning to go to Kerala for my vacation. Now I do not feel like going there. I cannot take arrogance anymore. No wonder why almost every educated person wants to leave Kerala forever.

Don’t say that, Hari Nair. I don’t know whether I would say that, Colonel Thomas replied.

For decades we longed for higher education. It was prohibited to us. We went outside of Kerala to learn decent English which enabled us to acquire decent jobs in the military, Hari Nair defended his position.

Colonel Thomas had to admit that higher education in Madras helped him to get a commissioned officer’s job in the military.

It took about decades for us to have decent colleges for everybody in Kerala. Even then, the revolutionary wing of the student parties were protesting and still issues threats they will close all of them.

The colleges with international standards are required in Kerala to become a part of modern India or developed India.

Colonel Thomas agreed.

Have you noticed the new constructions in Simla? Captain Hari Nair asked.

They do not use sand from the rivers to build new buildings.

We have to use different technology in Kerala to build new buildings. I think Keralites are the group of people who abused the environment more compared to any other group of people on earth.

Those who destroy beautiful rivers are cruel people. Joyce is furious about it, Colonel Thomas agreed.

Malayalee’s sarcastic comments are cruel. But Madam Joyce is always a dissent, Hari Nair told Colonel Thomas while enjoying the last portion of the South Indian lunch.

That is true. If you are a dissent all the time, your protest will be ignored very often.

After drinking a chilled glass of Pepsi, Hari Nair started a different topic.

"Those who conspired to kill other human beings can be forgiven eventually. But they cannot become the cultural leaders and the guardsmen of morality. The ex-Naxalites in Kerala are the