Looks like the next Jasmine Revolution is brewing, with its ripples felt all across the social media. Pardon me… did I say ripples. I think the choice of a word like Tsunami would be better suited here. After all, the subject here is water and the emotions behind the issue are welling up like a veritable tsunami.

A look at the two sides heading for a face off: Two states, interwoven through millennia by common roots. Two languages, one believed to be the mother of the other. Two people, interlinked by an easy exchange of culture. Two societies on the verge of being divided by a wall of water. Two governments choosing to feign impotence till things go too far.  

Water like its co-element Fire is a double-edged sword. Giving and taking life is part of what it does. When taking life is an act of Nature, we accept it. Chiefly because we are powerless in the face of Nature’s fury. But when the cause is man made, it is unacceptable. Whether the loss is precipitated by a broken dam flooding lands due to human negligence or brother killing brother over the issue of water.

The loss if it comes, is heavy for both sides. One side will lose its valuable supply of water resulting in damage to crops, a big blow to agriculture. As for the other side, it is lives that will be lost. And not in small numbers. When you tally the losses, the balance sheet points to a heavier loss for the latter. Human lives account for more than crops any day.

The facts are all out there for those looking for them. The pros and cons, the amount of damage that can be caused by the unleashed waters, the Science and the Math behind it and more importantly, the emotions riding high on those waves… everything is out there, spreading faster than a flash flood.

It is the emotions that I am worried about. Like I said earlier, the bond between a Tamil and a Malayali is much closer than that between two people belonging to two other languages. They have lived in peace, side by side, most amicably, easily exchanging cultures. The reason for this is the fact that the languages are so similar to each other. With a slight attempt, one can easily understand the other, unlike trying to learn another language.

So despite the snide remarks and stereotypical comments that both pass at each other and the ‘Pandi’ and ‘Kanji’ taunts, the bonds somehow run deep. A relationship more akin to indulgent sibling rivalry rather than real, hardcore rivalry or vengefulness.

The Tamil is known to be a creature of emotions unlike the more stoic Malayali. Everything on the Eastern side of the Ghats is slightly over the top- colours, movies, feelings, celebrations, mourning, art, literature, the very language… everything goes a couple of notches higher than the understatements and subtleties more popular on this side of the border.

For the same reason, their actions don’t just speak louder than their words, they practically scream at you. That is why you find people committing self-immolation when a beloved leader dies, building temples to a favorite film star or drawing out weapons when the honour of a community is threatened. But they are also unbeatable when it comes to hospitality and showering you with love.

The Mallu on the other hand is also unbeatable when it comes to opening up his arms and welcoming to his land anyone who comes there in the name of trade or tourism. He also has no qualms about appreciating the culture or art of a non-Malayali with equal gusto. If you doubt that statement, just take a look at the movies running to full houses in theaters in Kerala and make a list. How many Malayalam movies do you find on your list? (and no, we are not taking into account a certain movie by a certain person whose skin is being studied to develop the latest in bullet proof technology).

And nobody can laugh at himself louder than a Malayali. His self-deprecating humor is incomparable as is his good-natured way of taking the jokes ‘simbly’ flying around.