Tenkasi: Thirumaran was a six month-old baby when his father Ramachandran died in Malaysia while the couple was working as teachers in the country. After staying in Malaysia for three years, the family returned home to their native village Vengadampatti in Tamil Nadu's Tenkasi district, Thirumaran also lost his mother Radhabhai when he was in college.
The sorrow of not seeing his father though would always haunt Thirumaran (55). A retired teacher, he now works as a social activist and has rehabilitated 70 destitute children. Thirumaran said while he could not help his father's death, he always longed to see his grave in Malaysia at least once in his lifetime. However, considering the fact that graveyards in Malaysia disappear over time if they are not maintained regularly, Thirumaran had almost given up on his wish.
One fine day, one of the boys staying at his home asked Thirumaran why he did not find the location of the graveyard on the internet. "You mean Google? Google can find my father's grave?" Thirumaran asked playfully. The boys tried to search for Thirumaran's father's grave on the Internet. They searched on Google whether there is a cemetery in Girling Garden, Malaysia, where Thirumaran's family lived during their stay there.
Thirumaran was thrilled to see the picture of his father's grave along with his name and photo popping up on the Internet. Thirumaran immediately took a flight to Malaysia to see the grave of his father, with the help of his father's student there. With tears of joy, he placed a wreath on the grave and sat in front of it for a while.
In a picture of his visit, a melancholic Thirumaran is seen posing for a picture at his father's grave. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who heard about Thirumaran's tragedy and his search for the grave, congratulated him on Twitter. "Man is made up of emotions and the journey of our life made in search of love" Stalin tweeted. He also appreciated Thirumaran's social work.
