Malairaj: More Than a Chauffeur

In the late S. Muthiah’s household, everyone was a strong character. The Chief may have appeared preoccupied with Pentland, Havelock, and others, but he never cut himself any slack. Valliammal, his redoubtable wife, was a personality in her own right. Suffice it to say that the Chief would never have become the Chief without the woman he loved beside him. That Chief, of course, is a quote you would have recognised at once. And now I come to Malairaj.

The Chief’s Trusted Chauffeur

Malairaj was the Muthiah household chauffeur. For years, he ferried the Chief and his good lady around town and to Chettinad and back. He drove a Fiat before they graduated to something more modern, though the Chief always felt the Fiat was better. Malairaj agreed.

My memories are of him sitting on a comfortable wooden bench under the portico. From there, he kept an eye on visitors, alerted the Chief to their arrival, and generally remained at hand whenever needed. “Malraj…” — that is how the Chief called him, with a delightful blend of Chettinad and Chequers in his voice.

And Malairaj would immediately appear.

A Member of the Family

He was very much treated as a social equal. The Chief was a socialist at heart and treated Malairaj accordingly. On some occasions, regular visitors such as Shobha Menon, Sushi Ravindranath, and I would witness spirited arguments between Malairaj and other domestic staff. Mrs. Muthiah would often add fuel to the fire.

These moments were unforgettable because they were rich in humour. The exchanges were lively and full of wit. At such times, it was difficult to keep a straight face while discussing Pentland or Havelock with the Chief. Yet he remained completely unconcerned. These fiery debates usually ended with Malairaj declaring to us, as we emerged, that his continued employment in the household was no longer possible. We knew, however, that it was an empty threat.

The next day he would be back, the All Clear having sounded.

More Than a Driver

G. Shankar, who handles page layout for MM, recalls that Malairaj would visit Lokavani on behalf of the Chief to inspect copies of MM as they came off the press. He examined them like a hawk and pointed out any printing flaws he spotted.

Eventually, the day came when Malairaj had to retire from driving. A new man arrived. “Not up to the mark,” Malairaj whispered to me. Yet he could not bear to stay away from the household he loved. Nor, for that matter, could the Chief or Mrs. Muthiah imagine a time without Malairaj. So he stayed on as the trusted man Friday.

Farewell to Malairaj

After Mrs. Muthiah passed away, Malairaj continued in his role for quite some time. I do not recall whether he remained with the Chief until the very end. However, he was certainly there when the Chief passed away. He was also present to see him off on his final journey. Farewell, Malairaj. When you meet the Chief, tell him Madras misses him.

This article appeared in Madras Musings-https://madrasmusings.com/vol-36-no-3/drive-on-malairaj/

My book, Chennai, A Biography can be ordered–https://sriramv.com/2021/12/27/how-to-buy-autographed-copies-of-chennai-a-biography-from-outstation/20.ece