E.R. RAMACHANDRAN writes: Ajji felt she had run a marathon when it took more than seven hours to reach Mysore from Bangalore.

“Sakkappa Saku! How long this dispute over Cauvery will go on?” she asked without really waiting for an answer.

“Alvo Ramu. If the normal life is disturbed almost everyday won’t it affect our own people?”

“Nija Ajji. But the Tribunal has not given a fair judgment. At least that is what a majority of people feel. Namage anyaya agide.”

“Anyaya agabaradu. Agide antha itko. Your brother told me some years back that ‘Koldro’ river was being shared by seven States in America. It seems they celebrated 75 years of signing the water treaty recently.”

“Koldro alla Ajji, adu Colarado! Suri told me too.”

“Even India and Pakistan have a treaty it seems, of sharing Indus water, which is working well without any problem.”

“Parvagilla Ajji! Olle stock ittideeya, neenu.”

“If those States and even India and Pakistan could sit down and work out an agreement, why can’t Karnataka and Tamil Nadu? We will be neighbours, till eternity, that is God’s will. Cauvery ondu Jeevanadi; Annapurne for both of us. Without her, people from both sides would starve.”

“Howdajji! Aadre…”

“If it rains well, both sides would be happy. Here, we are talking of only Kashta Kala. When our Shyama had an attack and none of you were at home, didn’t our neighbour whom we hardly knew rush him the hospital in time? When Rame Gowda’s house caught fire, despite the problems you have with him, you jumped from the roof and pulled them out at the dead of night when they were sleeping. Didn’t you?”

“Ajji! It’s true. But…”

“Same thing here too! ‘Sankatabandaga Venkataramana’ anthivi. Adarajothe ‘akkapakkadavaru obbarigobbaru sahaya madkobeku.”

“This problem is different Ajji.”

“Ibbaru neravagii mathukathe nadsbeku. Third fellow will always do kithapathi! Kothi kajjaya hancho kathe aguthe! I read there was a committee of farmers from both sides meeting every year reviewing requirement of water both sides. They call themselves ‘Cauvery Family’. Isn’t it nice! This is done in the friendliest of atmosphere. If they could do it year after year, why not others?”

“Nija Ajji.”

“The main thing here is trust between members. Your brother Shekar when he came from Japan was telling me…. For every problem in their factory, people opposing each other’s views are put in the same committee with a simple advice: ‘Come with a solution which is acceptable to all in your Group.’ If they don’t, they are asked to go back to it till they find a solution!”

“That’s true, Ajji. It’s called ‘Quality circles’.”

“Kwality andhre ice cream madovra! Bidu. Such a Group will come back with a far better solution than a ‘ Tribnal’ which is subjected to outside force and will give a kajjaya verdict favourable to only one side!”

“Nija Ajji.”

“Kone maathu, Ramu… Jagaladinda yaaru uddara agolla… Shanthiindale baalu belakagodu.”

“Yuddhadinda, courtu kacherigalinda, ‘Bandh’ninda mooru kasu prayojana agolla…’