Outsourcing

Outsourcing is the buzzword these days. But its origin can be traced to a few hundred years.

In northern Kerala, there were professional fighters called 'Chekavar'. If two parties have a dispute, they will approach these chekavers who will fight on behalf of them for a fat fee. The party who has sponsored the winner of the fight (the chekavar who lost the fight invariably loses his life too) would deem to have won the dispute. Folklore on the bravery of these chekavers are legendary. Musketeers of France were along similar lines as chekavers.

Even breast feeding was outsourced in rich families. 'Wet nurses' who breastfed children of affluent families was very much in demand.

Sometimes I do wonder how innovative we are. Or more appropriately, how smart our ancestors were. They seem to have done most of the things that we practice today without even thinking about it.