WHEN THE FARM WAS STARTED IN 1974, THIS AREA WAS CONSIDERED A VILLAGE BACK OF BEYOND. FAR FROM THE CITY AND WITH PADDY FIELDS, MANGO ORCHARDS AND COCONUT PLANTATIONS SPREAD OUT ON EITHER SIDE OF THE SINGLE LANE ROAD THAT WOUND ITS WAY DOWN THROUGH THE VILLAGES.

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THERE WAS ONE PUBLIC TRANSPORT BUS THAT RAN THIS ROUTE THOSE DAYS.

 

BUS NUMBER 119. NOOTHI PATHOMBODU IN TAMIL.

 

IT STARTED AT PARRYS CORNER IN THE NORTH OF CHENNAI AND WENT UP TO KALPAKKAM, BEYOND US. EVERYONE IN THE AREA USED THIS BUS AND THE BUS DRIVER & CONDUCTOR PROBABLY KNEW EVERYONE. SO MUCH SO THAT IF A PACKAGE HAD TO COME IN FROM THE CITY, IT WOULD BE LOADED ON THE BUS & THE CONDUCTOR WOULD BE ASKED TO DROP IT OFF AT MATTU PANNAI (DAIRY FARM IN TAMIL). THE BUS WOULD CHUG ALONG & THE PACKAGE WOULD BE DROPPED OFF AT THE GATE.

ONLY ON BUS NUMBER NOOTHI PATHOMBODU.

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LITERALLY TRANSLATED, THAT WOULD BE

ONE HUNDRED TEN & NINE.

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TWO POINTS OF INTEREST HERE:

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-  TAMIL LANGUAGE HAS SPECIFIC CHARACTERS FOR 10 AND

   THE POWER OF 10s.

   10 to the power of 2 = 100 = ௱ = nūru

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-  A REPRODUCTIVE PREFIX IS ADDED TO ALL NUMBERS

   BETWEEN 1 AND 9. THIS PREFIX WORKS TO JOIN THE

   PRECEDING OR SUCCEEDING 10 TO ANY OF THESE

   NUMBERS. THE PREFIX FOR 9 IS 'TOM'.

   So nineteen becomes Pathu + tom + onpadu = Pathompodu

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AND SO 119 BECOMES NOOTHI PATHOMBODU!

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FOUR DECADES LATER, THE NUMBER STILL STAYS WITH US; NOOTHI PATHOMBODU HAPPENS TO BE OUR PIN CODE. NATURALLY THEN WE SAY IT & USE IT OFTEN ENOUGH. A UNIQUE WORD THAT IS FUN TO USE & FULL OF DISCOVERY.

 

MUCH LIKE OUR COLD BREW BLEND - NOOTHI PATHOMBODU.