CHENNAI: Chinese folklore and Chinese movies told us the story of Mulan, the girl who disguised herself as a man to join the army and battle against the odds. The story of Maria Ursula Lancastro, who disguised herself as a male in order to flee the house and become Balthazar and serve in the Portuguese army, is etched in history, too. Kattunaickenpatti, a little town near Thoothukudi offers a similar tale of Petchiammal, a lady who pretended to be a male for 36 years. Hiding the pain inflicted upon her after her husband’s demise, she spent every day of her life trying to fit in, even in the harshest of circumstances.
Story of transformation
Forced to marry at the age of 20, little did Petchiammal know that this life-changing event would be followed by another one — one that would leave her under the weight of a patriarchal society. Witnessing the death of her husband, twenty days after their marriage, was not just a matter of utter distraught but also disorientation. Life halted. But she picked her pieces of grief and decided to find a new meaning to life when she realised she was pregnant.
Yet, that too didn’t come without its share of challenges. Petchiammal was forced to shave her head and wear her husband’s clothes to transform into “Muthu”, her new identity. Petchiammal recalls the night of her transformation, “For my job at a coal company, I was assigned the night duty. On my way to work, a truck driver pulled over and offered me a ride. Soon, he posed several vulgar questions. I called for assistance, and someone from the garage came to rescue me. That incident made me think about my safety as a woman. After returning home, I changed my attire and decided to be born again — as Muthu. The next day, I approached the same driver and requested a ride. He didn’t bother dropping me off and instead yelled at me.”
Going back to the same place as a man was no different for her except for the surprised gazes and confused forehead wrinkles on her colleagues’ faces. Nobody from other workplaces recognised her as a woman. “My bass voice also contributed to my new identity,” she shares.
Battling the dual-identity
Being a pregnant widow with no familial support except her sister Laxmi, Petchiammal was determined to raise her kid as a single mother. She presented herself as a capable young man, ready to take up any job. So, from being a painter, hotel employee, coolie to a daily wage employee, she wore all kinds of hats to survive. “There were struggles in using the restrooms during periods. During that time, I would hide from everyone and manage everything on my own,” she adds.
While Petchiammal had her share of hardships, life was not easy for her daughter Shanmugasundari either. She grew up without knowing her mother and was plunged into her mother’s dual identity without any choice. “I grew up in my periamma Laxmi’s house and I thought she was my mother. It was only after her death that I started to live with my own Amma. I was 10 years old. She worked every day for me and in front of everybody, I called her Muthu Master.” Both mother and daughter had to hide Petchiammal’s real identity for a long time.
Just when life seemed to be fairly steady, Petchiammal was confronted with another challenge when the Aadhaar card became mandatory. “I presented myself as Petchiammal in front of the officials but they didn’t believe me. They told me to wear a saree and come; I was reluctant to do so. Now, I have an Aadhaar under the name Muthu. I faced so many troubles as I don’t have any official documents to prove that I am Petchiammal. Also, it was difficult for me to apply for a widow certificate as I didn’t have my husband’s death certificate. Now, I have to wait till I turn 60 to get the Old Age Pension (OAP),” she shares.
After-effects of recognition
Fondly known in her town as Master, Petchiammal’s life took a turn — and this time for the right reasons — when a local channel featured her story and broke the Internet. But she found a piece of joy when she travelled to Mumbai in a flight — a dream that she never expected would turn true.
Grit and guts have given Petchiammal her due, but that’s where it ends. “We all are happy about the recognition. We don’t know what to do with this overnight fame. But, we want help for the legal hurdles we are facing. Though Amma has been receiving recognition and awards, no real help is coming our way,” remarks Shanmughasundari.
It was Petchiammal’s ironwill that gave Shanmugasundari financial security as she now runs a shop in their village. But for Petchiammal, fierce independence has been her constant companion. “I have been working since a young age. Initially, it was for my daughter, and now, for myself. I don’t want to bother my daughter or anybody with my needs. That is why I transformed into Muthu. Now, I want to continue living as Muthu till I die because this look gave me courage and protection when I was vulnerable,” affirms Petchiammal, whose story reminds us that resilience is what drives human life through every peak of possibilities.