Category Archives: Historical Links, Pre-Independence

Pages from History : Musings on Saint Manikkavachakar

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Leaders

by Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy, former Head, Department of Ancient History & Arachaeology, University of Mysore

Near Madurai is a place called Thiruvadhavoor. A pious Brahmin by name Shambhupadasritar was living there with his wife Shivajnanavati. Unfortunately their exact dates are not known. A wide bracket of 3rd to 9th centuries is given to this Saint. A boy was born to them and we do not know the name given to him by his parents. Actually Manikkavachakar is a name meaning whose utterances were like manikya or ruby by which he became famous. By sixteen years, he mastered all aspects of traditional education and was ready to take up the hereditary Ministership under the Pandya king. But the young man was interested in divine things. Anyway he became the Minister and a famous administrator too. He was a great devotee of Lord Shiva and was always meditating upon him.

One day, King asked this Minister to go to the Sea Port and buy horses. Minister started with some followers after worshipping Shiva (Chokkanatha) at Madurai. He reached the sea port Tirupperunthurai and spent all the money in feeding the Shiva-devotees and on temples. This was conveyed to the king who became furious at Manikkavachakar and ordered him to come back with horses or with money. Manikkavachakar prayed to Lord Shiva and requested him to show the way. God also asked him to go back to his king and tell him that the horses would arrive on the appointed day (avanimulam). He also gave a rare ruby as a present to the king.

Manikkavachakar went back to Madurai and told the king that the horses would arrive on the appointed day. The king waited but there was no sign of any horse; the spies of the king also brought the news that no horses were seen anywhere on the way. The king got angry and put him in the prison. Manikkavachakar prayed to Lord Shiva and God came in the form of the leader of the horse trader. The Saint mentioned this to him. But the king’s ego did not permit him to respect him. However, he received all the horses; gave a silk scarf to the dealer who received it with his whip. The king got offended by this but he was helpless and went back to the Palace.

Next morning a miracle happened. The horses which the king had purchased by paying huge amounts of money had turned into jackals. They ran out of the stables and entered into the streets, houses, temples, Palace and created great chaos. The whole town of Madurai became chaotic. The king thought that it was due to the negligence of the Minister who did not take enough precautions in this regard. Hence, he ordered the arrest of the Minister Manikkavachakar and torture him till he returned all the money.

Again a miracle happened. The level of the Vaigai River rose and inundated the whole town. The king realised that this is nothing but a punishment by the almighty for this folly. He went to the prison and released Manikkavachakar. Immediately, the flood waters began to recede and everybody was very happy at this. But the embankment had breached and it had to be rebuilt. The king ordered all the able-bodied men and women to go for this work and do the repairs without any wages. Each was allotted a part of the embankment. Many old people could not take up this work as they were helpless. There was an elderly woman by name Vanti who was eking out a living by selling eatables to the travellers. She was very old and could not do the manual hard work of repairing the embankment. So she thought of hiring men to do her part of the work on a fixed remuneration. But none came forward to work on her terms.

Being a great devotee of Lord Shiva, she appealed to him for help. Shiva took pity on her and came in the guise of a young labourer and began work. The king who came for inspection saw this young man was not working satisfactorily and beat him with a stick. With this, the basket full of earth fell on the embankment. And to the surprise of the king and others present there, the embankment work was complete in all respects. The woman Vanti was called to heaven and the young labourer vanished in the thin air. A divine voice admonished the king. The king realised his mistake. Immediately he went to the place where Manikkavachakar was meditating and requested him to come back and take up Ministership. But the Saint refused to accept the offer because the divine will had asked him to proceed to Chidambaram, the place of Nataraja aspect of Shiva.

On his way, he visited many Shiva temples at Tirukalukundram and others and finally reached Thiruvannamalai. He was inspired by devotees and composed Tiruvembavai and sang it in praise of the Lord. At Tirukalukundram he had another vision of the Lord.

At Chidambaram, he fell into a trance and sang several hymns in praise of Shiva. These songs contain three representations of Shiva namely; a form as in Nataraja, with and without form as in Linga and finally without form as in Akasha. The last is the Chidambara Rahasya (the secret of Chidambaram). The phrase Chidambara Rahasya is amongst us even today and it means that the form of the Lord cannot be known or understood. But Manikkavachakar understood that secret because he was a devoted soul. He lived in the outskirts of the town and practised meditation on Shiva. He used to go to the temple to see the image of Lord Shiva. Many hymns of Tiruvachakam were composed here.

There is another interesting story in this connection. The Buddhists from Ceylon came there and dragged him to a debate mainly to defeat him. But Manikkavachakar became victorious and all the Ceylonese monks became dumb. At the prayer of Manikkavachakar, the Ceylonese Princess was cured of her dumbness and the king of Ceylon embraced Shaivism. He became a disciple of Manikkavachakar.

Another miracle happened at this time. A Brahmin came to his abode and asked him to recite all his songs and he would be his scribe. At the end he wrote that this was recited by Manikkavachakar and copied by Ambalavan (Shiva of Chidambaram). This news spread far and wide and people began to assemble there to see the script. Manikkavachakar showed them that Lord Shiva of Chidambaram was his scribe; Not only he is my scribe, he is also the meaning and aim of my songs. Finally, he disappeared from this world.

But his works have made him immortal. His Tiruvachakam consists of 656 verses; Thirukovayar has 400 verses. Both these works contain the secrets of divinity and how to reach that stage of divinity. He sang in praise of Shiva and brought a revolution. Perhaps he is the one who gave the assurance that everyone can see divine by his good deeds without going into the rigour of orthodoxy. God himself will embrace such people. This is a great assurance indeed! That is why he was called Manikkavachakar, meaning his utterances were like precious rubies. Now, we have rubies in plenty but no Manikkavachakars!

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Sunday – January 10th, 2015

MADRAS MISCELLANY : A well-kept old age home

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, Science & Technologies

Kamini Dhandapani, on holiday here from the U.S., writes to tell me that on a nostalgic visit to the Monegar Choultry, she found it anything but run-down, in fact much of it looked spick and span. The nostalgia relates to the fact that her grandfather, a doctor, was the Superintendent in charge of the choultry for many years and that as children, she and her siblings spent a lot of time in the institution while visiting him every Sunday.

The main building of Monegar Choultry
The main building of Monegar Choultry

Monegar Choultry is probably the oldest organised charity in India; it certainly is in the South, what was once the Madras Presidency. Following the famine of 1781, the choultry was established in 1782 by a Committee comprising members of the Government and of the St. Mary’s-in-the-Fort congregation taking over a private gruel centre just outside the northern town wall. In 1808, the Government took over responsibility from the Committee and has ever since run the choultry.

The entrance of Monegar Choultry
The entrance of Monegar Choultry

Initially a poor-feeding centre, the choultry was developed as an old age home for the destitute, primarily for women, but later with accommodation for men. Today, it has around 60 residents, most of them women. And it is the women who virtually run the place, cooking and serving the food — Kamini says it is food of the quality and variety you would get at home — keeping the premises clean, and looking after the cubicles. Kamini’s picture of the dormitory reflects how well the premises are kept. I wonder how many other Government institutions are as well kept.

Inside Monegar Choultry
Inside Monegar Choultry

In 1799, Company Surgeon John Underwood established facilities in the choultry to treat the aged there and this soon grew into the ‘Native Infirmary’, the first formal Western medical facilities for Indians. Amalgamating it in 1809 with a younger Native Hospital in Purasawalkam, Monegar Choultry Hospital was developed by the Government to become the first organised hospital in North Madras for Indians. In 1909, the Government took over the facility and renamed it the Royapuram Hospital. In due course it was to become Stanley Medical College and Hospital.

When the Government established the Royapuram Hospital, the old age home moved into the adjoining premises by which came up the like-minded Rajah of Venkatagiri Choultry. Eighty years later, around 1990, many of the dilapidated old buildings of the Monegar Choultry were pulled down and today’s tidy campus developed. It is today an institution you can hardly find any fault with, says Kamini.

A visit to Grayshott

The other day, I called on friends at a rather handsome gated community named Ceebros Grayshott,which boasts of 110 apartments. When they asked me where the name came from, I remembered a developer once asking me what could be done to the house called Grayshott which was in the midst of a nearly three-acre property he planned to develop. I had suggested he make it a clubhouse for the development, particularly keeping in mind its history. He, however, sadly demolished it and another magnificent garden house vanished from the Madras heritage scene.

J.O. Robinson and Stanley Edwards
J.O. Robinson and Stanley Edwards

Once, the Grayshott property was part of a huge acreage called Bishop’s Gardens, the first and only building in the Gardens dating to 1817. At some point in time the gardens came into the hands of P. Venkatachellum, the famous condiment maker in the European market but better known in Madras for the 100 or so properties he owned in some of the best areas in town. In 1927, Venkatachellum’s son P.V. Subramaniam sold Bishop’s Gardens in a distress sale, to whom and how much being not traceable. What is known is that the property was parcelled out and sold to different buyers. John Oakshott Robinson, the Chairman of Spencer’s and possibly the first takeover king in India, bought nearly three acres during the division for Rs.14,750 and gifted it to his son-in-law and fellow director Stanley Edwards as a wedding present. Another large acreage with the original house — Bishop’s Gardens — in it, was bought for the philosopher-guru, Annie Besant’s messiah, J. Krishnamurthi, by some of his followers in 1934 and renamed Vasantha Vihar. It today serves as the Krishnamurthi Foundation’s Study Centre.

The neighbouring plot was named Grayshott when Edward and his wife built their mansion in it, the name deriving from the village where they had got married, her father having settled there. The 7,000 sq.ft. mansion Grayshott the Edwards’ built in art deco style was moved into in 1929/30 and remained their home till they left in 1957. Edwards was a racing man and also a very popular extrovert. The racing parties he held on racing weekends and others he held during the rest of the year were remembered as “memorable” by those who attended them. That is why I had suggested to the developer of the gated community that he retain it as a clubhouse where the residents’ association could hold more memorable parties. Neither happened.

When the Edwards’ left, Spencer’s took over the property for Rs.1,50,000 and successive managing directors occupied it — but without the flair of Edwards. When Spencer’s began to downsize operations in the 1990s and was trying to sell the property, the Income Tax Department bought it for Rs.191.8 million. What they sold it for I do not know, but how the property values had appreciated in 70 years!

When the postman knocked…

* Eagle-eyed N.S. Yogananda Rao, with an elephantine memory, takes me to task for repeating in Miscellany December 21, 2015 an item that appeared in The Hindu on December 25, 2011. He was referring to the letter to the Editor of The Hindu appealing to Srinivasa Ramanujan, who had run away from home, to return. Rao wonders whether it was an “oversight” or “mere repetition”. I would say neither.

Much of what appears in this column, which is based on factual information, and not being fiction or literary creativity, would have appeared somewhere else in the past, in The Hindu itself, perhaps in the columns of other newspapers, in journals and books. Someone might have come across a particular bit of information elsewhere but to most readers it would be ‘new-s’. As this bit of information was to me; I for one had not come across it till the Sreedharan biography was sent to me. And I’m sure that the information, even in ‘re-use’, would have been ‘new-s’ to many a reader of this column, particularly in the context of much else about Ramanujan being offered in it. I wonder whether Rao had come across the “attempted suicide” story before; I hadn’t.

* My little tale last week about playing fortune-teller reminded Dr. N Sreedharan that Khushwant Singh had confessed to the same experience some 30 years ago during a speech at IISc, Bangalore. Narrating what he did, when he was Editor of the Illustrated Weekly of India, whenever astrologer Bejan Daruwala’s forecasts did not reach him in time, Singh said that to avoid disappointing readers who looked forward to the column, he wrote the predictions himself. “I was quite familiar with the jargon,” he had added. And then related that there would often be Letters to the Editor after each week stating that the predictions in the last issue were better than usual!

* Did the British ride to the hounds in Madras was an e-mail query I received from a chronicler in Britain, E. Jameson. They certainly did, but for jackals and not foxes. And the hounds came out once a year in an East Indiaman and were kennelled not far from wherever the Madras / Adyar Clubs were located. There was a Madras Hunt which assembled at either of the Clubs and rode to the hounds south of St. Thomas’ Mount or in the west in the Koyambedu area. There are references to a Madras Hunting Society as early as 1776, which would make the Madras Hunt the oldest in the country. The sport seems to have died out soon after the Great War, in the 1920s. Work and Sport in the Old ICS by W.O. Horne (1928) paints some nice word pictures of the sport in Madras.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Madras Miscellany / by S. Muthiah / Chennai – January 09th, 2016

Documenting writer who propagated Bharati’s works

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All
Bharati's wife Chellamma (sitting third from left) and Thiruloga Seetharam (standing second from right).
Bharati’s wife Chellamma (sitting third from left) and Thiruloga Seetharam (standing second from right).

It offers glimpses of a school dropout who inspired a generation of writers.

Former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai, once described Thiruloga Seetharam as a poet, editor and Bharati scholar and another Athisaya Manithar of Akkirakaram (wonder man of Agraharam) . The DMK founder had earlier given the title to freedom fighter and writer Va. Ramasamy.

Now, a documentary on Seetharam explains how he used music as a form to propagate the songs of Subramania Bharati.

The documentary, Thiruloga Seetharam Enkira Aalumai , by writer Ravi Subramaniam offers glimpses into a life of a school dropout who later inspired a generation of writers. Seetharam would mono act the entire Panchali Sabatham.

Even though Va. Ramasamy, communist leader P. Jeevanandam, Thiruloga Seetharam and Jayakanthan popularised the songs of Bharati, Seetharam declared himself the adopted son of Bharati’s widow Chellamma.

“When he learnt Chellamma was not well, he immediately left his family to take care of her. He served her for three months. Lying on his lap, she breathed her last,” said T.N. Ramachandaran, a disciple of Seetharam and an expert on Sekkizhar, the author of Periyapuranam.

Seetharam was forced to work as a purohit to earn a livelihood after the death of his father.

He learnt Tamil and poetry from Andhakakavi Ramasamy Padayachi, a visually challenged scholar in Thondamanthurai in Tiruchi.

He had to read out literary works to his teacher and in the process learnt by heart thousands of poems.

As the editor of the literary magazine Sivaji, he encouraged young writers and Sujatha’s first short story appeared in the magazine.

Late Tamil writer T. Janakiraman once said three writers — Ku.Pa. Rajagopalan, Na. Pitchamurthy and Seetharam — whose mother tongue was Telugu made immense contribution to the development of modern Tamil literature. He also translated into Tamil, Nobel laureate Hermann Hesse’s Siddartha.

Though a nationalist, he maintained a close relationship with Bharathidasan and even mobilised funds to provide financial assistance.

He would render Bharathidasan’s Kudumba Vilakku set to music.

“I am yet to come across a person who could excel in poetry reading,” said writer Ashokamitran, who had attended Seetharam’s poetry reading sessions.

He always faced a financial crisis.

Once when Bharati’s daughter Thangamma Bharati asked him whether the situation had improved, Seetharam said, “Of course. Once I struggled for five rupees and ten rupees and now I am struggling for fifty and hundred,’” he quipped.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> City> Chennai / by B. Kolappan / Chennai – January 01st, 2015

Relics of a religion

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinion

Museums 

MuseumsCF10feb2016

The birth of Christianity in India has been traced to the arrival of St Thomas in Kerala in 52 AD, and the religion is said to have been strengthened by the arrival of St Francis Xavier in Goa in 1542. However, there are a few museums devoted to the history of Christianity — particularly its art relics — in the country.

Successful efforts to expand the museums of Christian art are ongoing in the states of Goa, Chennai and Kerala, perhaps because of the concentration of Christians there. Other relics can be found in other corners of the country as well. Let’s go on a trail of Christian art recorded in the country…

Goa

The first attempt to shape Christianity in Goa through art was made when, in the early 1560s, on the insistence of the Jesuit missionary (in India) João Nunes Barret, the picture of Jesus on the cross (with his mother and St John standing on either sides) was printed and distributed. By the end of 16th century, the preoccupation of the Christian populace with the image increased.

Many wooden idols were painted with coloured hard wax — in red, deep blue and green, and at times, with a golden design or piping on the robe.

While most of the ivory idols were painted gold, particularly on the borders, a section of ivory models were coloured deep red using vegetable dyes. Images of Jesus as the saviour of earth, holding it in his hand, were also found in Goa, besides those of crucifixion. The Goans also developed a special regard for Virgin Mary and, in order to get her protection from disasters, they decided to carry her picture on the ships voyaging to Portugal and back.

Asia’s first exclusive Museum of Christian Art was opened at Rachol seminary in the Salcete taluka of Goa on January 24, 1994. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation of Lisbon, Portugal, had provided funds for this museum, and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, New Delhi, provided the know-how. The museum was then moved to the annexe of the convent of Santa Monica, Old Goa.

The museum is a huge three-storeyed building of laterite that was originally lime-plastered, and later plastered with cement. Square in foundation, it comprises a large inner courtyard, around which are a verandah and numerous cells and halls.

The vaulted ceilings in some of the halls showcase finest murals that represent Christianity practised in the 17th and 18th centuries. The museum houses over 200 exhibits. Surprisingly, most of the artefacts are by Hindu artists.

According to one historian, “When idols and paintings of Christian saints became popular in the 16th and 17th centuries, newly converted Goans began to collect them. So there were not enough artists to meet the growing demand. Many Hindu artists saw a business opportunity and began producing these artworks for the market.”

Underground this oldest and largest nunnery in Asia is a wondrous basement, its ceiling covered with the most amazing frescoes. The Xavier Centre of Historical Research in Goa has also built a small museum that houses several representative items of Goan Christian art, plus palm-leaf manuscripts, medallions and a stone inscription.

Chennai

In Chennai, the sacred relics and images associated with St Thomas the Apostle are preserved in St Thomas Museum near the San Thome basilica. The small museum, started in 1985, comprises just two large halls.

The most important exhibit here is a portion of the finger of St Thomas that came in contact with Jesus Christ on Easter. This was gifted to India by the Vatican in 1952 while commemorating the 1,900th anniversary of the saint’s visit to India. According to Reverend Adaikalam, the identification of the exhibits was a task. All the treasures of Christianity had been assembled by Father Hosten, a Belgian priest of the Catholic Archdiocese, in the 1920s. It had involved meticulous research, as nearly 19 centuries had passed since the martyrdom of  St Thomas, and the Portuguese had taken away a number of important relics. But Father Hosten had persisted in his labour of love and there had been a photo exhibition of these treasures in one of the museums of Vatican city, in 1925.

In the Church of Our Lady of Expectations at St Thomas Mount, there is a painting of Madonna and child Jesus, said to be painted by St Luke, one of the 12 apostles.

Kochi

A colonial structure, the Indo-Portuguese Museum of Kochi, in Fort Kochi, is the epicentre of Indo-Portuguese Christian art heritage. The museum is divided into five sections, according to the nature of items displayed — altar, treasure, procession, civil life and cathedral.

The museum houses some artistic and architectural marvels that bear the mark of a strong Portuguese influence — a piece of altar made in teak wood (16th century) and an Indo-Portuguese monstrance (18-19th century), from the Church of Our Lady of Hope, Vypeen; a chasuble (19th century) from Bishop’s House and a processional cross, which is a combination of silver and wood (17th century), from the Santa Cruz cathedral, Fort Kochi. The Coat of Arms of the Franciscans is an exhibit that stands out. But the most important artefact on display at the museum is the altar of St Francis Church, an extant piece from the 16th century.

Kerala

George Menachery, Professor of Christian Art at the Pontifical Institute, Alwaye, is the editor of the Christian Encyclopedia and Church History Classics. He plans to set up a comprehensive Indian Christian Museum.

North India

At Fatehpur Sikri, near Agra, it is said that a section of a palace built by Mughal Emperor Akbar features frescoes depicting scenes from the Bible. But more lasting have been the biblical inscriptions on the archway of Buland Darwaza (the Gate of Victory), which stands at 176 feet.

The panel of kufic script reads, “Jesus, Son of Mary (on whom be peace) said: ‘The World is a Bridge, pass over it, but build no houses upon it. He who hopes for a day, may hope for eternity; but the World endures but an hour. Spend it in prayer, for the rest is unseen’.” In Agra, the Catholic church built during the reign of Akbar has marble statues representing Virgin Mary.

Mumbai got its first Catholic museum at St Pius College in Goregaon (E) in 2011. Called Archdiocesan Heritage Museum, it houses a collection of artefacts like manuscripts, religious objects, paintings, vestments, sculptures and liturgical books. An outstanding feature of the museum is the timeline painted on one of its walls, showing the stages of Christianity in the region from AD 6 onwards.

Indeed, these ecumenical musems have become sacred houses for our cultural heritage.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Sunday Herald – Art & Culture / by Anthony Kuriakose / Maharaja Features / December 20th, 2015

Tamil-Brahmi Inscription on Ancient Coin Links Indus Civilization to Sangam Age

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

Chennai  :

The Swastika extensively found in the Indus Valley Civilization and considered as auspicious in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, is found in a coin of famous Tamil king Adhiyaman, one of the seven chieftains known for charity.

The coin, which was found by R Krishnamurthy, a well known numismatist and Dinamalar Editor, also shows warriors with Greek style of headgear and writings in Brahmi and Tamil-Brahmi. The coin could show the Tamils’ link with the early Indus Valley and later Greek civilizations.

(Clockwise from top) The coin found by numismatist R Krishnamurthy; and the impression of the front and the back of the coin
(Clockwise from top) The coin found by numismatist R Krishnamurthy; and the impression of the front and the back of the coin

According to some historians, Adhiyaman is said to be from the Mazhava tribe, which ruled a territory in the Indus Valley between Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi rivers. The finding could show a link between the Indus Valley civilization and Tamils of Sangam age. Besides, the Swastika symbol, otherwise called gammadion cross, which was also used by the Nazis, could have originated in the Indus Valley, which is one of the ancient civilizations along with the Egyptian and Sumerian civilizations.

Explaining the coin, Krishnamurthy said: “The front side shows an elephant near a flag mast, while Swastika symbol is found on the top left. The name Adhiyaman is seen on the top of the elephant. On the back side, a river and two fishes are found. A horse and a soldier wielding a shield and sword-like weapon are seen. The soldier is wearing a headgear with Greek style hair decorations.” King Adhiyaman, referred in several poems of classical Tamil poetry of the Sangam age was the ruler of Thagadur, now known as Dharmapuri. His name is found in ancient Tamil poem collections of Purananooru, Agananooru, Kurunthogai and Natrinai.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service / November 30th, 2015

A slice of history: English author shows life in British era through family recipes

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinion

Chennai  :

A rich repository of the fascinating accounts of five generations of women, ‘A Grandmother’s Legacy’ by English author Jenny Mallin, is not only a recipe book but also a memoir of the life of Anglo-Indians during the British era.

While the origin of the book dates to 18th century Yorkshire in England, the Anglo-Indian aspect of the family history took root in erstwhile Madras where Benjamin Hardy, a foot soldier in the British army , landed in 1778. Now, more than two centuries later, Jenny Mallin, the great-great-great-great-grand-daughter of Benjamin and Frances, and the proud custodian of an 1844 recipe book, has shared her family secrets to the world.

Jenny worked as a producer on BBC News for seven years and then as a corporate travel buyer. “Losing my father in 2010 was the catalyst (to become an author). I realised I could lose my mother soon; time was ticking. Sometimes a doubt would creep in -‘Am I betraying these ladies?’ But I did not want the legacy to end with me,” says the 57-year-old who launched her book at the British Council Library on Friday. “I would read a recipe to my mother every day from the book, cook a dish, ask her opinion and make sure it tasted authentic. In three years, I re searched more than 500 recipes,” she says.

The desire to preserve the culinary heirloom for posterity began with 15-year-old Wilhelmina Sausman, a Vellore resident who married Joseph son of Benjamin and Frances in 1844. Since then, the book, which Jenny has now stored in a safety deposit box in a bank, had been passed on. “My mother Cynthia, who was born in Kolkata, had great imagination. In a small London kitchen, she would produce wonderful dishes, while listening to the radio.”

It wasn’t easy for Jenny to decipher some words and ingredients written down by her grandmothers. “I am a born researcher and I felt like Sherlock Holmes trying to put together a jigsaw puzzle,” says Jenny .

Each chapter in Jenny’s book celebrates the life of the five women who have inspired her in innumerable ways. Interspersed with their recipes are the interesting customs of that era. For instance, in Rawalpindi, her grandmother Irene was a governess to 16year-old Benazir Bhutto, who would grow up to be the prime minister of Pakistan.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Chennai / by Diana Ningthoujam, TNN / November 28th, 2015

Savante of Ancient Lore

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence
Lakshmi Ramaswamy
Lakshmi Ramaswamy

The unknown intrigues her as she skims through texts of a bygone era.

Dr Lakshmi Ramaswamy depicts these stories meticulously through theatre and dance, two art forms she has cherished since childhood. While performing, she effortlessly slips into the persona of a woman from the first century, expressing her feelings for her lover to a friend or that of a land-conquering warrior. Currently, the great Tamil epic—

Silappadikaram—is the subject of her imaginative scrutiny.

For the Chennai-based danseuse and researcher, ancient Tamil texts, especially those belonging to the Sangam Period, are enthralling beyond measure. “There is grace in its classicism and rhythm in its realism. Else, why then would it be called the Golden Age? They are vivid in human emotions and exceptionally particular about ethics. Everything is based on ethics, even raging a war had its own norms then,” she explains.

Way back in 1987 when Lakshmi, now a top-notch Doordarshan artiste, performed her first solo debut at a gathering of 7,000 people in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, dance to her was only a glittery affair. For more than a decade, she remained only a performer, far from the vicinity of the academics of dance.

Lakshmi, who holds a master’s degree in commerce, shifted to Chennai after marriage and enrolled for a master’s degree in Bharatanatyam at the University of Madras. She took up the task of interpreting the Koothanool, a rare Tamil text in which she did her doctorate. “And this was the beginning,” says the first Fulbright Fellow in Bharatanatyam.

Full-length productions based on her research works began with Natrinai, a collection of 400 songs of aham poetry (that which deals with the relationship of a man and a woman) followed by Ainkurunuru, which is still untouched by any other dancer. The response to these performances was encouraging and helped Lakshmi carve an inimitable niche for herself.

Supported by her guide and professor, Dr S Raghuraman, Lakshmi made productions such as Tirumalai Aandaver Kuravanji based on Kuravanji Literature, Purananuru from Sangam Age poetries, and many more. Currently, Lakshmi has received a senior fellowship from the Ministry of Culture to work on the great Tamil epic,

Silappadikaram, authored by Ilango Adigal in the second century.

The story of Kannagi, Kovalan and Madhavi is known to most. But according to the scholar, “there is much more that needs to be fathomed”. She believes the text is an encyclopedia for historians, musicians and dancers. “The text’s myriad layers are challenging and contain jaw-dropping information on both grammar and performance that were in vogue then,” she says. Lakshmi says that though Ilango was a Buddhist, the writer was tolerant towards all religions. “Religion in those days meant each of the landscapes being connected to a presiding deity,” she explains. “For example, Lord Muruga was the deity of the Kurinji or the mountain regions. The text mentions a wide variety of dances, including those done by soldiers and ghosts.”

While Lakshmi is proud of literature of the past, she equally appreciates meaningful contemporary work. However, working on such productions brings with it multiple challenges.

“The phase of interpreting is time-consuming with limited resources; managing funds for sets, costumes and lights is a separate ball game; platforms to showcase such productions are quite few and they too have budget constrictions,” she says. But that does not stop the determined artiste, whose cascading long hair and warm smile only add to her charming personality.

“My mission is to ignite the minds of my students. That is my bhakti towards my work and not merely lighting lamps,” says the teacher whose institution Sri Mudhraalaya is now 21 years old. Besides dance, theatre, history, theory, lighting, stage presentation and choreography are taught at her school.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Magazine / by Jagyaseni Chatterjee / October 24th, 2015

300-year-old tradition: Couples take marriage vow in the lap of nature

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence

Madurai  :

Keeping its 300-year-old tradition, Kambalathar community continues to conduct its marriage ceremonies in the village square by trying to keep close to nature.

Jayabalan, 25, son of Bangarusamy and Lingammal of Ezhuvanampatti near Battalagundu in Dindigul district, tied the knot with Sivasakthi, daughter of Ponram of Koduvilarpatti in this traditional manner. As per the tradition, elders of the village went into the forest and brought branches of some perennial trees such as milk tree (brosimum galactodendron). Two huts were made using these branches – one for the groom and other for the bride.

Priest Mookiah performed the marriage ceremony while the bride and groom remained at the huts. The marriage ceremony is performed in front of mud pots containing millets, jaggery and betel leaves. “These were things that our ancestors consumed as food and was given to the bride for prosperity,” he said.

A horse was then brought to the venue and groom mounted it and galloped around the bride’s hut before tying the ‘mangalsutra’ around the neck. Other ceremonies and rituals followed. People gathered at the venue sang songs glorifying their community’s culture and heritage.

These people believe that the ‘thali’ or ‘mangalsutra’ should never be kept down once the goldsmith makes it. A woman from the groom’s family wears it, till the day of the wedding, when he takes it from her and ties it to the bride.

S Siva Murugesan, a siddha doctor from Dindigul, says that the Kambalathar community hail from Bellary in Karnataka which was earlier under Andhra Pradesh. They still speak Telugu. “They were traditionally shepherds who roamed the Himalayas. They were fearless warriors a reason why Vijayanagar empire appointed them as soldiers and made them lead them,” he said. They were tribes that roamed the hills, so they carry out rituals that pertain to nature only.

They crossed the Tungabatra river led by Vijayanagar dynasty’s Viswanadha Naicker and came to conquer Madurai, which was under the rule of the Muslims and succeeded in their quest. The used the tantric method in war and believe only in natural forces.

Veerapandia Kattabomman, the chieftain from Palayamkottai who fought against the British belonged to this community. They were also made zamindars by the rulers for their loyalty.

A closed community, they were known for suppressing their women. It is in the last three decades that these women have ventured out of their homes and gone to pursue their education, he said. One such except was the new bride Sivasakthi who had completed her post-graduation.

K Samikannu an elderly person from the community says it is a must for all members of the community to conduct the initial marriage ceremony in this traditional manner.

“It is something that has been followed for the past 300 years. But the reception and feast can be conducted in a hotel or marriage hall,” he said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Madurai / by Padmini Sivarajah, TNN / October 30th, 2015

Political parties pay homage to Maruthu Pandiyar brothers

Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

Madurai  :

Members of political parties and state ministers paid homage to the Maruthu Pandiyar brothers during the Guru puja function held on Saturday in Thirupathur in Sivaganga district.

The two brothers, who are well-known for their relentless endeavour against the British rule were hanged in the fort of Thirupathur on October 24, 1801.

Every year political parties, members of various communities and public, observe their day of death as Guru puja.

Sivaganga district collector S Malarvizhi hoisted the flag at the memorial in Thirupathur on Saturday and garlanded the statues of the brothers. People who came in their own vehicles with passes obtained from respective police stations were allowed to enter the memorial. Police checked all the vehicles and told a few to take specific routes to reach the venue. Further, the movement of vehicles was monitored through checkposts, which were specially created for the purpose.

Members of the DMK, including district secretaries Sengai Maran and Manimuthu led by former Minister K R Periyakaruppan staged a protest, when the state government’s propaganda vehicle screened government programmes on its LCD screen near the venue. They said the police acted in favour of the members of the ruling party. Also, MDMK leader Vaiko paid a visit to the memorial.

A posse of six hundred police personnel led by the Sivaganga SP S Dorai and five deputy superintendent of police (DSP) were deployed for the event.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Madurai  / TNN / October 25th, 2015

Pollachi Railway Station turns 100

Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All
A file picture of the old Pollachi Railway Station and the meter gauge track.
A file picture of the old Pollachi Railway Station and the meter gauge track.

The station was inaugurated on October 15, 1915, when the nearly 40-km-long Podanur to Pollachi meter gauge line was inaugurated.

The Palakkad Division of Southern Railway on Thursday celebrated the centenary year of the Pollachi Railway Station. The station was inaugurated on October 15, 1915, when the nearly 40-km-long Podanur to Pollachi meter gauge line was inaugurated.

The line was extended to Dindigul on November 19, 1928. The Pollachi to Palakkad became operational from April 1, 1932. The importance of the station increased with the extended routes. This route was extensively used by pilgrims to Palani and Rameswaram and for trade (goods transport).

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by M.K.Ananth / Coimbatore – October 16th, 2015