THRISSUR: When the men in uniform go the extra mile to pen down their life in service, it becomes a worthy read. And that’s just what 52-year-old Johnson Edathiruthikaran, a head constable at the district police camp in Ramavarmapuram near Thrissur, has done. His 139-page new book in Malayalam, Mapranapuranam, traces the history and myths of the historical village Mapranam, lying 20-km away from Thrissur city and 52-km from Kochi city.With Mapranapuranam, Johnson joins the elite club of cop authors such as super cop Kiran Bedi, Srilekha IPS, a senior cop in Kerala police who has published four books in Malayalam so far, and Praveen Kumar, a retired senior cop from Bangalore who penned a number books including Indian Police, an analysis of police and policing in post-independent India. A number of cops have written books on subjects ranging from fiction to travelogue which were published by big publishing houses in India. Johnson’s book is being published by the State Language Institute of Kerala, under the scheme of production of textbooks and literature in regional languages at the university level, sponsored by the Government of India and the Ministry of Human Resource Development.The book is not pure history. Rather, it is a journey through the memories of people in Mapranam aka Mapranam Nadu. Historical documents also refer to the place as Mahamaprana Kodu and Maha Bhramanapuram, where the mythical stories merrily walk hand-in-hand with history. The book also narrates the history of Koodalmanikyam temple, the only temple in India dedicated to worshipping the brother of Lord Rama - Bharata (Lord Sangameshwara); Moideen Palli (Mosque in Kattungachira near Irinjalakuda) and the Mapranam Holy Cross Shrine Church, one of the oldest churches in the state established in 928 AD. Penned under the supervision of Indian History Council member Dr K T Thomas, the book not only delineates the history of the place, but also connects effectively with the historical movements in ancient Kerala and South India.The author worked as a Gallant Guerrilla soldier in the Indian Army for about 18 years. He was also the personal staff member of the Army’s Northern Command Chief of Staff and Director-General of the Madras Regiment. He has also worked as a training instructor in the Army at various units in India. In 1997, he joined the Kerala Police. “For the past 33 years, I have been part of the force, be it the Army or the police. My job took me to several cities in the country, and this rich and vast experience prompted me to scribble down what I have gained through the years. And this is the fruit,” says a beaming Johnson.
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