In a small village called Kannarath in the southern part of Kerala, there lived a family of Chinnars. It was their tradition that all the family members should stay in the ancestral home. Being a very big family of almost forty-five members, they all lived in their palatial ancestral home. They were the most respected family in their village. Almost all the farms, shops and land were of the Chinnars. The family was headed by the karanavar, Jagannatha Chinnar, the eldest of the family. He was the uncle of the next generation of Chinnars. He was a chronic bachelor and his nephews were his heirs. The family followed marumakathayam, where the uncle looked after the family affairs and after his death the ancestral property will be given to his nephews.

Karanavar's was the final word in each matter of the family and business. Everyone in the family obeyed what the...