Man Who Cut his Roots

In the town of Vannathoor, every year the villagers gathered under a great Neem tree near the temple for the Chithirai festival.

They tied garlands, sang songs, cooked pongal, and danced till the moon rose.

But one man, Velan, always stayed inside his big house.

Velan owned land, bullocks, and gold — but not friendship. He frowned when children laughed, scolded those who came to his well, and once even shouted at the temple priest for ringing the bell too early.

One year, as the festival approached, Velan grew angry. “Why should they gather near my field? That Neem tree leans into my land!”

That night, he took an axe.

By morning, the tree lay fallen.

Birds flew off, garlands were crushed, and the village woke to silence.

The people were shocked. But they said nothing. Instead, they stopped greeting Velan. The potter refused to sell him new pots. The blacksmith said his tools were busy. The washerman never came back. The village had turned its face away.

Velan tried to ignore it. But days passed… Then weeks. And finally, his own servant left, saying, “Ayya, even the gods don’t stay where the village turns cold.”

One evening, hungry and alone, Velan went to draw water — and saw a small sapling planted near the temple.

A child beside it whispered, “This one is for everyone. Not just one man’s pride.”

Velan sat down and looked at the drying garlands that once hung for joy.

A crack formed in his heart before one had formed in his wall.

He returned the next day with a small bronze bell, and asked the priest, “Shall I sponsor the festival this year?”

The priest simply replied with a verse from ancient Tamil poet Avvaiyaar that echoed through the temple walls:

"ஊருடன் பகைக்கின் வேருடன் கெடும்"

“He who fights the village, cuts off his own roots.”

Velan bowed his head. The village had punished him not with fire — but with silence. And that silence had taught him what no book could.

From that year, Velan became the first to hang the garland on the new tree.

Moral:

If you quarrel with your community, your roots will be destroyed.