Konnothu Valyachan lay on his deathbed. He would never rise from this bed again. His breathing had grown labored. Only a few days ago, Kodanthra Moothassan had died. In the hour of his death, Konnothu Valyachan and Seerattakaimal had stood by his side. They watched, eyes brimming with tears, as those eyes closed for the last time. Kodanthra Moothassan had lived as a good man; he walked the righteous path. With his death, there was no one left in the village who could taste and identify the subtle flavors of the temple’s morning naivedya prasadam. Now, in Kodanthra, the Moothassan was Ayyappakuruppu; he was the son-in-law of the deceased Moothassan. Likewise, when Konnothu Valyachan died, Kallaraykkal Raman Pillai would become Konnothu Valyachan. Konnothu and Kallaraykkal were two branches of the same family. In either Konnothu or Kallaraykkal, the eldest by age would become Konnothu Valyachan. The administration of both branches would rest with that person. Kallaraykkal Raman Pillai now sat by the bedside of the dying elder, watching without blinking. Seerattakaimal was also there beside him. The sorrow of impending solitude was plain on his face. In the span of a single life, yet another companion was about to depart.

Amidst his labored breaths, Konnothu Valyachan reached beneath his pillow and felt for something. A heavy bunch of keys—the keys to the devasthanam treasury, the rice granaries—

That was the key-bunch of all such things. Earlier, it had been under the charge of Kodanthra Moothassan. When Moothassan was on his deathbed, he handed it over to Konnothu Valyachan. Now, everyone gathered there was eager to know to whom Konnothu Valyachan would entrust it next. In due course, Konnothu Valyachan handed it over to Seerattakkaimal. The reason was that, among the living leaders of the community, the eldest now was Seerattakkaimal. With tears in his eyes, Kaimal extended both hands and received it.

When Konnothu Valyachan was dying, Raman Pillai, the next in line in that family, had expected that the key-bunch of the Devasthanam treasury would be given to him. Similarly, when Kodanthra Moothassan was on his deathbed, Ayyappakuruppu had hoped that the key-bunch would be entrusted to him. But the older generation always has little faith in the new. The elders think the younger generation is irresponsible. It has always been this way. Everyone says the coming generation is worse. Yet, generations move forward.

Now, Seerattakkaimal became the owner of the Devasthanam treasury keys. When Konnothu Valyachan died, all six community leaders had gathered together. It was as if a minor chieftain had left his land.

After Konnothu Valyachan’s death, it was the Kallaraykkal faction that gained importance. The reason was that it was the head of the family who measured out and gave them the paddy for their expenses each month. When Konnothu Valyachan was the head, the women of the Kallaraykkal faction had never eaten their fill. Now, with Kallaraykkal Raman Pillai as the head, the Konnothu faction was lying hungry. There was not enough paddy in