Helping campaigns get a cracker of a start in Tamil Nadu

Everyone talks about the crowds at political campaigns. But not many notice who gathers them before the politicians arrive.
Kathiravan bursts crackers at a village in Perambalur | Express
Kathiravan bursts crackers at a village in Perambalur | Express

PERAMBALUR:  Everyone talks about the crowds at political campaigns. But not many notice who gathers them before the politicians arrive. More often than not, electoral candidates get delayed as they pack a tight, back-to-back schedule. But the villagers, who gather to hear their leaders speak, cannot wait endlessly for them.

So after a wait for more than an hour or two, they tend to disperse. But thanks to ‘cracker boys’, the contestants don’t come to an empty arena. “On hearing my crackers, people rush out of their houses and gather,” says a proud Kathiravan, one such cracker boy of Kanakiliyanallur in Tiruchy district.

This 25-year-old “rocket man” is known for his seemingly-effortless skill of bursting 10 rocket crackers in quick succession, making it look a folk art. Kathiravan goes ahead of politicians, bursting the ‘rockets’ and a string of other fireworks to let people know it’s time to assemble.

“On Saturday alone, I burst crackers at about 25 villages in Perambalur district. When clients buy fireworks from our unit, they hire me to burst them. There are at least 10 youngsters in the villages around Lalgudi who burst crackers for a living,” Kathiravan says, adding that he’s been doing this for the past 10 years, and gets Rs 500 a day, besides a free meal.

*Kaboom* Here comes your leader, announces ‘cracker boy’ Kathiravan

Though he kicks off campaigns, Kathiravan doesn’t get to stay on for them. Even before candidates start their speeches, he’s on a mini-truck packed with crackers, posters, flag poles, pamphlets and other things, all set to head to the next village. When not bursting crackers for political events, Kathiravan offers his services for temple festivals, weddings and funerals.

On other days, he works at a crackermanufacturing uni t near Lalgudi. “I’m good at procuring and bursting crackers quickly. Immediately after reaching a village, I find a safe spot for fireworks. It’s important to get the job done soon, so that many people gather before the candidate arrives,” he explains. But Kathiravan isn’t just doing it for the crowd.

“I feel proud that candidates for whom I burst crackers have now become lawmakers. In the 2019 parliamentary election, I burst crackers for Parivendar, who is now the Perambalur MP,” he beams. In 2019, while bursting crackers at a funeral, Kathiravan lost a finger, and underwent a surgery. Due to this, he had to stay away from work for 45 days. Kathiravan’s mother teaches stitching, and his father cooks at a restaurant. His brother works at a service centre.

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