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Vol. XXVII No. 16 MUSINGS December 1-15, 2017 So indifferent to heritage Who will save the Madrasa-e-Azam? (By The Editor)

alaknuma Palace in India Muslim Educational Con- F Hyderabad is a splendidly ference was held in Madras and restored heritage structure. Its a request was made that the most distinctive feature is its Madrasa-e-Azam, founded in stairway – a pair of curving steps 1849 and functioning till then in front which, aerially, gave the at Chepauk, be given the prop- building the look of a scorpion. erty. The Government acquired Our city too had one and a Umdah Bagh from the Lodd much older building at that – family, who were kind enough the building presently known as to sell it at less than market the Madrasa-e-Azam and once rates on coming to know that it Umdah Bagh, a property of the was to be used for an educa- The Madrasa-e-Azam today (above) and (below) as it was in the 1980s. (Today’s photo: Shantanu Krishnan) Nawabs of Arcot. If the Gov- tional institution. The Mad- same compound was set up the ernment has its way, the build- rasa-e-Azam, then, came to be Government Mohammedan ing will soon make way for a housed in the original Umdah College in 1919, which ac- wedding hall. Bagh palace, which is now in a quired its handsome set of Located on Mount Road, serious state of disrepair. The buildings within the compound this is a historic property. In Diwan Khana of Firuz Hussain in 1934. The institution became 1816, Colah Singanna Chetty, Khan Bahadur, principal agent the Government Women’s Col- a dubash, owned it. The Arme- to the Begum, became the resi- lege after Independence and, nian millionaire Edward Samuel dence of the Principal of the subsequently came to include Moorat later bought it. Ghulam school. A mosque was built in Ghouse Khan, the last of the the campus in 1909. In the (Continued on page 2) titular nawabs, who died in 1855, subsequently acquired it. From him it passed on to Her Highness Azim Un Nissa Begum, nikah wife of the Social progress in TN needs speed-up Nawab. Though owned by her, the house was rented by the he Institute for Social sonal rights, freedom of choice ways. You could be a very good but baffling is the high score of principal wife of the Nawab, T Competitiveness, India, and inclusiveness. performer but low in rank be- 91.28 on water and sanitation Khair Un Nissa Begum and be- has published a Social Progress From the scores for 2016, it cause the class is made up of that does not tally with our ev- came the social epicentre of the Index for individual States and is seen that, generally, smaller excellent performers. One be- eryday observation and experi- Muslim aristocracy in Madras. for the country. , States have done well, record- ing only just above average ence. This was where luminaries such with an overall score of 65.34 ing good scores although their could shine in a class of medi- On Well Being, the State’s as Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, for Social Progress has done GDP size is smaller. Their scores ocrity. Looking at the absolute performance is 58.84, falling founder of the Aligarh Muslim much better than the country are as follows – Goa 63.39, score of 65.34, it is just above into the average category. Well University, and His Exalted score of 54.90. India itself ranks Being comprises environmental Highness Mir Mahbub Ali 98 out of 133 listed countries, quality, health issues like life G Khan Bahadur, the Nizam of which is not something to crow by A Special Correspondent expectancy, prevalence of respi- Hyderabad, stayed when they about. ratory infections, unsatisfactory visited Madras. The curving Social Progress is divided in level of enrolment in primary steps of Falaknuma could well the Study into three dimen- Himachal 65.39, Kerala 68.09, the “middle” category. So, we and secondary schools, school have been inspired by Umdah sions. The first dimension is Ba- Mizoram 62.89 and cannot rest on the distinction of drop-out rate and gender parity. Bagh, for the Prime Minister of sic Human Needs comprising Uttarakhand 64.23. Contrast being near the top in the coun- Greater attention in terms of Hyderabad, Sir Vicar Ul nutrition, water, sanitation, these with traditionally well ad- try. investment and raising institu- Umrah, who built the palace, shelter and personal safety. The ministered bigger States like Deeper analysis of the com- tional efficacies at the was also part of the Nizam’s en- second is Well Being Needs Maharashtra at 57.88, ponents of each of the three di- grassroots is necessary on these tourage. under which are included basic Karnataka at 59.72 and Tamil mensions of the Index provides fronts. In the late 19th Century, the education, access to informa- Nadu at 65.34. insight into what our State On Opportunities, we just property came to be owned by tion and communication, Within the country, Tamil needs to work on to improve its emerge out of the average cat- the Gujarati business family of health and pollution-free envi- Nadu tops the list, not taking social progress record. On Ba- egory at 60.92. The compo- Lodd Krishnadoss Bala- ronment. The third dimension smaller States into reckoning. sic Needs, we seem to be doing nents that offer scope for mukunddoss. In 1901, the All is Opportunity comprising per- Ranking is misleading in some very well with a score of 76.25, (Continued on page 2) CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS December 1-15, 2017 SO INDIFFERENT TO HERITAGE An evening at Museum ow, Chief, The Man from you at odd spots. And when (Continued from page 1) minister has announced that a NMadras Musings knows you get up to leave, they snap wedding hall will come up here. how touchy you are on matters Theatre back like an irate University Quaid-e-Milleth in its name, in The standard operating proce- concerning heritage and, so, don asked a particularly silly honour of Muhammad Ismail dure of the Government has let MMM inform you upfront specialist in case you did not question by a student. In case Sahib, leader of the Indian been followed in full – do noth- that he has nothing against the watch out which you Chief, you don’t move away in time, Union Muslim League. ing to preserve a heritage struc- Museum Theatre per se. It is had not, and twisted ankle after a part of your rear can actually Since then, the Madrasa-e- ture, wait for it to weaken/catch an excellent piece of architec- taking a tumble. be retained by the seat and Azam campus has all been fire/collapse, then announce ture and its round form makes MMM had barely seated later no doubt used for build- himself when he realised that steadily downhill. The Govern- demolition. it stand out. And it is one of ing the ’Varsity’s DNA bank. the few heritage buildings in in all the struggle to get in and The air-conditioning ment did precious little to pre- There is a small ray of hope. our city that has been pre- find his seat he had not both- system here too is of a time serve the property. The main The Nawab of Arcot has ap- served rather well. But what of ered to use the toilet. There period when cooling meant structure weakened over the pealed to be allowed to run the the amenities, Chief? Don’t being a few minutes before the lots of attendants with years and parts of it began col- school and take over the place. you think these could do with curtain rose, MMM decided to handheld fans. Apparently, or lapsing. Even then nothing was This being an institution for some improvement? go and relieve himself. He so MMM understands, the done. Then, a couple of years minorities, there may be some It was just the other day made his way to the door and original system designed for ago, the main wing came crash- mulling over the idea on the that MMM went to attend a wandered around the curved the hall no longer works and ing down. Still there was no ac- part of Government. Given the play at the place. Having corridor looking for signs that so they have several banks of tion. Now, for some reason, the school’s heritage, the Nawab driven up to the gate he was could direct him to the toilets. airconditioners that are stat- Having found none, MMM place is all in the news and a informed by a watchman that ioned at the rear of the halls. deserves a positive response. he ought to proceed to the asked a man who was clearly on Those who are unfortunate to right and park. When asked if the Museum payroll and sit near these are bound to be there was a specific place to looked as though he had been frozen to death, also, given the park in, the man simply waved around since its inauguration. noise these machines make Social progress in TN in a wide sweeping manner, He looked surprised that some- can hardly hear any of the needs speed-up thereby indicating that MMM one was actually asking for a speeches that are delivered

(Continued from page 1) toms-up participative approach SHORT ’N’ SNAPPY to project identification would improvement are in respect of ensure that government child labour, and access to schemes address community could park anywhere in the toilet and then deigned to here. Of course, on the three higher education, like technical needs and produce maximum vast and, may MMM add, direct MMM. You had to go occasions that MMM did institutes. impact. A pre-requisite for good rather ill-kept compound. down the steps, take a right, attend an event at this audito- In sum, health and educa- governance is also a mechanism MMM duly drove right and cross the portico and then rium, the speeches were so bad tion emerge as critical factors that provides for honest feed- found that there was really no plunge into what looked like a that he did consider the noisy for social progress and this is back on the effect of govern- earmarked parking space and place of eternal night and ACs to be something of a mental policies and actions on he could do so anywhere. He somewhere out there was a toi- blessing. corroborated by other studies as selected a suitable spot located let. MMM wondered if it was As for the toilets here, well. Funds assigned for health outcomes. Feedback published between two trees and, more really worth all the trouble. these too are of a sound vin- and education are good indica- at predictable periodicity also importantly, rather close to What if he slipped on some of tage. But hardly anyone uses tors of policy priority and can be serves the need for transpar- the gates. This was in case the the oatmeal and hurt himself? them. This is more because ascertained by comparing Bud- ency, accountability and citizen play was a complete frost and Nobody would notice till the the Uni’s auditorium is invari- get allocations for the years participation. MMM had to make a quick morning and then it may be too ably used only when some top- 2010-11 and 2017-18 as cited in Studies such as this one getaway. Too often in places late. MMM slunk back into the ranking VIP chooses to Budget Speeches. Health re- enable governments to look like this where parking spaces theatre. address lesser mortals. That lated issues were earmarked for back objectively on the impact are not demarcated clearly, means security and that in they have been able to create in you cannot leave until the end At the University turn means the unfortunate Rs. 7265 crore in 2010-11 and of the programme. Cars are audience has to be in place at Rs. 32,231 crore in 2017-18 re- terms of actual experience at bound to block your way. he Man from Madras least a few hours before the flecting a 4.44 times increase the recipients’ end. But, spe- There was no fear of this T Musings happened to re- actual event. And once seated, and, in terms of share of total cially focused outcome evalua- here for the driveway was just late this experience to a friend nobody is allowed to get up expenditure, it grew from ap- tion studies at regular intervals a few inches from MMM’s car who immediately replied that until the VIP comes, speaks proximately 9 per cent to 16 per should be commissioned; gov- and so nobody could really this was nothing compared to and leaves. Consequently, cent. Even allowing for inflation ernment should not wait for block MMM in case he de- the travails people experience people are afraid of even and corresponding reduction in surveys of external agencies cided to do a bolt. It was only at the University Centenary getting up to answer calls of Auditorium. MMM reflected real value, the increased impor- done in a larger context. Quan- after MMM had switched off nature. This, of course, is the headlights that he realised on this and had to agree with sometimes a blessing for given tance accorded to the health tified findings help to identify his friend. The Museum The- areas for increasing public in- that there were no lampposts the condition of the loos here, sector is indeed remarkable. On to guide MMM from car to atre at least has ample parking you may be better off not us- Education, the corresponding vestment and areas where in- theatre. Or, to be precise, no space. That is not something ing them, or even getting to numbers are Rs. 11,899 crore vestment has been adequate working lamppost. MMM had that the University campus can know them. and Rs. 30,762 crore, 2.6 times but not effective, calling for to get down and literally grope boast of. increase and share remaining strategy review. Besides being his way to the theatre. True, And as for the auditorium, Tailpiece constant at 15 per cent. able to prioritise public invest- the lights from the building did the less said the better. MMM Overall, the readjusted pri- ments, findings of such studies guide MMM, but they did not is not sure if you have ever he Man from Madras orities under the new Govern- help sectoral and geographical allow him to detect soft soil at been there, but in case you T Musings is aware that identification of projects for pri- various spots in the garden. In have, you are sure to agree with medicine is a science and, as is ment cannot be faulted. It is him. There is, firstly, the seat- well known, Alfred Nobel vate sector participation some places, the mud, to- time, therefore, for the Govern- gether with fallen leaves, had ing, which is most peculiar – thought so too. So too did ment to focus on improving the through CSR funding. Compa- formed a rather rich oatmeal rows in three different axes this pharmacy evidently, as project selection process to nies with CSR funds are on the like substance and that clung with a distant stage. The ar- can be seen from the picture ensure higher impact and effec- look out for “good” projects and to MMM’s shoes like glue. It rangement makes sure you below. tive implementation. A bot- reliable implementing agencies. was thus that MMM staggered have a better view of what is on and reached the theatre happening in rows op- proper. posite you than of the He was ushered in and only stage itself. Then you MADRAS MUSINGS then did it strike him that the have the seats which steps here are rather steep. were clearly made for a ON THE WEB And, so, MMM was doubly different era. They careful. As he walked towards have no idea about the To reach out to as many readers as possible who share our keen his seat he did notice that in requirement of modern interest in Madras that is Chennai, and in response to requests from some places there was a sharp posteriors and, rather many well-wishers – especially from outside Chennai and abroad drop of at least six inches bet- like academics who are who receive their postal copies very late – for an online edition. ween the chairs and the aisle. these days accused of Madras Musings is now on the web at www. madrasmusings.com A wrongly placed foot could inappropriate beha- turn you into a somersault viour, rather prone to pinch –MMM – THE EDITOR December 1-15, 2017 MADRAS MUSINGS 3

G Putting Chennai at risk ● A READER WRITES Shrinking wetlands, Really deserving felling trees of gratitude e Indians are generally a whining, cribbing, complaining Wlot. We complain about power cuts, bad roads, stagnant t is the network of blue and tal Panel on Climate Change water, dengue, traffic snarls, corruption. Well, the list is endless. G Chennai has lost Igreen that provides climate (IPCC-SREX) stated this for But we fail to see how the Government has taken care of our resilience to Chennai city – blue much of its climate the first time to policymakers. mental health and well-being, especially those of senior citizens. of its wetlands and green of its resilience due to the Since there are indications Medical journals say the brain cells do not degenerate if kept patches of vegetation. How- shrinking of its wet- of an increasing trend in EREs active, so your chance of getting senile dementia is much less. ever, this combination that had lands and forest over Chennai, the network of Now let me justify my heading. been protecting the city in the patches, which has wetlands and forests is impor- As a senior citizen I have to prove to the Government the past is today under stress. The drastically reduced the tant to provide resilience following – that I am not a cheat trying to evade tax, I have not city’s ability to soak up borrowed heavily from banks and am not trying to flee the coun- shrinking of blue and green has against such extreme weather try, I have not accumulated black money, l am paying my GST drastically reduced Chennai’s excess rainwater, events. These have been part of writes S. Gopikrishna dues regularly, and so on. Now all this keeps my brain active ability to deal with extreme the natural landscape over and agile. weather events. Warrier. which the city was built with Just as I was feeling complacent about my cerebral powers, Just 15 months after a rapid speed in recent decades. something happened that shook me out of my comfort zone. My massive flood in November-De- the green cover within the For a coastal city with an al- income from rents, interest from deposits, all cember 2015 battered the city, city. As the blue (of the electronically transferred, stopped altogether. Did I miss any most level gradient, wetlands new rule announced by our Prime Minister on the eve of his the residents suffered a serious wetlands and water bodies) and and forests serve as the points drought during the summer of green (vegetation cover) departure to China? All important announcements are made on from which water recharges the eve of his going abroad. Did he say that unless and until I 2017. Even while sporadic rains decreased in the past three de- into the aquifer. They act like proved the house was built with clean money the tenant need over the city since the onset of cades over the Chennai metro- sponges on the city floor. The not pay rent? Things took a turn for the worse next week. My the Southwest Monsoon in politan area, the red of built up four rivers that run from west to son’s salary was not credited too. June 2017 have given respite area increased. east across the city – Araniyar, It was left to a septuagenarian tenant of mine to solve the from the drought, residents fear “Under the resilience frame- Kosasthalaiyar, Cooum and mystery. He pointed out that the IFSC code of the Bank Branch that there could be flooding work, megacities are character- Adyar – serve as the drainage had been changed following the merger of the bank with SBI. with the Northeast Monsoon. ised as uncertain environ- channels for excess stormwater Neither the smaller bank nor SBI had informed the clients of Chennai, which receives up ments,” says Vencatesan. “We this fact. Well, to cut a long story short, we had to inform our to flow into the sea. This net- contacts of the new code. Some MNCs insisted on a new cheque to 60 per cent of its annual rain- do not know whether climate work is complemented by the fall from the Northeast book to prove our bonafides. All this took a lot of time, effort change is causing the uncer- Buckingham Canal, which runs and energy. north to south across the city, On a more serious note, the Government is contemplating and other smaller canals. merger of more banks for reasons best known to them. With the “The rivers and canals of brute majority it enjoys, it can put it through. If and when it happens, we senior citizens dependent on pensions and interest Chennai have a clear role as from deposits should not be caught unawares. You should be flood control channels,” says alert enough to inform the sources of your income about the Paul Appasamy, former Direc- change in the bank codes. tor of the Madras School of By force of habit I am attaching my Aadhar, Pan Card, KYC Economics. “The natural hy- documents in triplicate, my driving license, my GST number all drology of the city was forgot- duly attested. If, in case, you want to see the original, no prob- ten and haphazard construction lem I shall bring it to your office whenever you want. If you are and development was done on on leave when I come or have gone out for lunch and may not the banks of the waterways ob- come for the day again, no problem l shall come again the next day. structing their flow. This ampli- After all, the walk and climbing stairs would take care of my fied the flooding of end-2015.” physical well-being as well. With both my mental and physical The Pallikaranai marsh in the southern part of the city with streams draining There is an added obstruc- well-being taken care of, what more could l want. into it. (Photo by S. Gopikrishna Warrier.) tion to the flow of floodwater Prema Raman Monsoon expects this year’s tainty or whether our messing into the sea. Both the Cooum 88, Harrington Road rains to be at least average or up of the city’s environment is and Adyar have sand banks at Chetput, Chennai 600 031 better than that. With the city’s causing it.” their mouths. Construction of ability to deal with intense rains The development of the the sea wall for the Chennai decreasing, there are chances of maps is part of a process to un- Port in the northern part of the According to Vencatesan, two decades and have been los- waterlogging and floods. Even derstand Chennai’s landscape city has resulted in coastal ero- there were almost 50 water ing their ability to hold water by its very nature, the North- and environment, according to sion north of the structure and bodies that were linked to the when needed and control floods east Monsoon that brings rains her. There is inadequate data accretion south of it. Thus, over Pallikaranai marsh through a during heavy rains.” to Chennai is different to the and insufficient understanding recent decades, while the sea network of cascading channels. He feels that the Wetland Southwest Monsoon. The of the land use changes in the has eroded in north Chennai, Many of them have been built Conservation and Management Northeast Monsoon is mostly a city and where population den- swallowing fishing hamlets and over. The natural forests along Rules (2017), notified by the string of depressions or cy- sity is increasing. As a result, old temples, the Marina Beach their banks have also been re- Union Ministry of Environ- clones, which bring heavy rain there is lack of clarity on the has been growing in width. The moved. Radial roads that con- ment, Forests and Climate over a few days. The destruc- consequences of that change, very same process has been nect the Old Mahabalipuram Change on September 26, tion caused by the 130 km per especially with the ability to building sand banks, obstruct- Road with the Chennai-Trichy 2017, can help conserve the re- hour winds and rains of Cyclone deal with extreme weather ing the flow of the Cooum and highway have bisected the maining wetlands. “There are Vardah in December 2016 only events. “We don’t have the Adyar into the sea. Pallikaranai marsh along mul- two points of strength for the adds to the fear of citizens. detailed nuts and bolts under- It was the loss of the wet- tiple axes. Embankments were new rules. First, it gives powers “Unless the city’s landscape standing, and unless we have lands and forest patches that created across the marsh to to State governments to iden- is resilient, the people cannot be the data, our ability to deal with drastically reduced the city’s build these roads, thereby tify wetlands (which are not resilient,” says Jayshree Vencat- the situation is also not there,” ability to soak excess rainwater disturbing the natural flow dy- protected areas already) and de- esan, managing trustee of Care Vencatesan adds. and use it during the lean namics in the marsh. velop conservation and man- Earth Trust. “We are only There is evidence of increas- months. Since the opening of “The wetlands in Chennai agement plans and implement coping because there is no other ing frequency of extreme TIDEL Park in 2000, the city are like the arteries and veins of them. Two, it stresses the prin- choice. Each extreme weather rainfall events (EREs) not just has radiated out through a the city,” observes Ritesh ciple of wise use for these event hits us hard.” in Chennai but also across southern axis almost all the way Kumar, conservation prog- wetlands. Most of the wetlands Using historical geo-spatial India, even though their direct to Mamallapuram. This has ramme manager, Wetlands are not ‘no go’ areas, and they data, Care Earth Trust has de- link with climate change is still been at the expense of a net- International South Asia. can be conserved and managed veloped maps that show considered tenuous. The work of wetlands that ulti- “These have been under in a sustainable manner the relationship of water bodies 2012 special report on extreme mately drained into the tremendous stress from devel- through wise use.” to built-up area in the city and events by the Intergovernmen- Pallikaranai marsh. opment pressures in the past (Continued on page 6) 4 MADRAS MUSINGS December 1-15, 2017 December 1-15, 2017 MADRAS MUSINGS 5

a missionary in South India be- Home Government too was lobbied with for release of funds. But tween 1774 and 1789. Among matters moved slowly (“At present the progress of sanitary works in his many publications is the first CHARIVARI – 8 Madras is nil,” noted Miss Nightingale, which statement could well Doubting Thomas European grammar in Sanskrit be emblazoned in every Corporation office even now) and it was not (Sidharubam seu Grammatica until the 1870s when cholera swallowed the then Governor Lord n December 163 CE, a Chris- Although the oral tradition On his return voyage from Samscrdamica), published in The Ellis Hobart that drains finally came to Madras. Miss Nightingale lived to tian merchant from Edessa in concerning Thomas’s Indian China, Marco Polo visited rejoice at the commencement of the work but not so Ellis, who I Rome in 1790. passed away in 1877. In any case, his was unlike hers, a very mild Upper Mesopotamia (Iraq today) venture is strong, there is not a Mylapore in 1293 and stated In the church of Nossa Florence Nightingale personality and he was more used to getting his way through diplo- arrived in the port of Supattinam single written account in India. confidently that “the Body of Senhora da Luz can be seen the macy and not by aggression. Sanitation however remained Ellis’ pas- (possibly Sadras). Hearing that However, it is not wise to dismiss Messer St. Thomas, the Apostle Franciscan emblem: crossed sion and he filed many reports on the situation in Madras, several of the martyrdom of Thomas was to the oral traditions of the East as lies in the province of Maabaar arms over a crucifix. Over the influenced which still survive in the Corporation archives. be commemorated on December having no historical value. All at a certain little town having no lintel of the front door is the date The years left to him saw him rise to the top. On his return from 21st, the traditional date of the Syriac sources relating to the great population. Both Chris- 1516, suggesting that this is the home leave in 1867, he was made Chief Secretary to the Govern- Thomas’s martyrdom, the mer- year Roman (Western) Chris- ment of Madras. The Governor, Lord Napier and he formed a tight chant went to partake in the tianity came to the Coromandel team, pushing many reforms and ambitious building projects. He celebration of the Eucharist at Coast. In fact this is the year that became a short-term member of the Governor’s Executive Council the saint’s grave in Mylapore. G December 21st is the traditional date of the building we see was erected, in 1870 and was made a permanent one in 1872. While there he São Tomé, or San Thomé, would Thomas’s martyrdom. SIMEON MASCARENHAS, came into conflict with the dynamic Sir William Rose Robinson, a development over an earlier profiled earlier in this Charivari series. He was back in England in not be founded until the early who has spent time in the Portuguese Archives, place of worship that was minis- 1873 owing to ill-health and was persuaded to return to Madras in 16th Century. On his return to reviews the story of the Thomas who became the tered by Franciscan priests. In 1875. In 1877, he was made a member of the Indian Council in Edessa by an overland route, his Apostle of India. 1291, the Franciscan John of England and so went back, only to die a year later. He was just fifty- account of this experience stirred Montecorvino entered India and two. laity and clergy alike. remained at “the church of St While in Madras, Ellis took an abiding interest in the Madras Two years later the same mer- early Christians in India and the tians and Saracens also do hold Thomas”, where he baptised Literary Society, whose books he had once forgotten to return. He chant set out for South India arrival of Thomas contain cer- the Saint in great reverence.” about 100 people into the Ro- was a member of the editorial committee of the Madras Journal of with a bold plan. He sailed to man rite. Until this time, the Literature and Science that the MLS brought out. The poor in the tain points that emerge as a com- Franciscan priests ministered to Mylapore where, in the dead of mon pattern: from the Chera a small Christian community in Christians of Coromandel had city also knew of his charitable disposition and it was said of him night, he removed the relics and that he enjoyed nothing more than the spending of his money on country he moved to the Pandya what became Luz. Later, followed the Eastern rite. The those in need. conveyed them back to Edessa, realm, where he continued to Paulinus do San Bartolomeo only conclusion that can be arriving on July 3, 165 or 166 CE. AFTERWORD: When I began this series I had written that the preach the Gospel. He was killed (John Philip Wesdin) wrote that drawn is that there was a small Indian Charivari was brought from D’Acres Lane, Calcutta and In 1258, some of the relics were by a dart shot by an Embran, or “All Christians of the East, but significant community of wondered as to where that was. I had an email from S. Ganesh that sent to the church of St. Thomas Brahman, or accidentally by a Catholics and heretics like the Eastern Rite Christians in the it was a dead end off Waterloo Street in that city. In September this the Apostle in Abruzzo, Ortona, Govi who was out hunting. He Nestorians, Jacobites, Arme- area, with trading links to Persia year, I had the opportunity to do a heritage tour of in which Italy. was –buried SRIRAM in the ‘Little VMount nians, the Catholics of Bengal, and the Levant. The situation of Ganesh too participated, and I did get to see the street. It is just So goes one of the legends of of Mylapore’. From there angels Pegu, Siam, Ceylon, Malabar a Christian village on the out- opposite the Great Eastern Hotel’s main entrance. Waterloo Street Thomas. carried him to Uraha (Edessa). and Hindustan, come to make skirts of the ancient town of is now Nawab Siraj ud Dowlah Sarani. And guess what D’Acres Nobody really knows whose Mylapore is consistent with such Lane is? It is James Hickey Sarani! Yes, the same Hickey who None of the traditions report their devotions, and this alone is R.S. Ellis, MCS. relics lie beneath the São Tomé Thomas as having been martyred sufficient to confirm the ancient a conclusion. Hence the local brought out the Bengal Gazette, India’s first printed newspaper. basilica, or even if any relics do. The beautiful stained glass backdrop to the altar in San Thomé Basilica tells the ho is Ellis Road off Mount Road named after? The competi- Clearly someone in Kolkata has a sense of history. in Kerala. They all agree that this and universal tradition that St. name for Nossa Senhora da Luz: story of the Apostle of India, the Thomas who had doubted and found belief. Wtion is between two individuals – Francis Whyte Ellis of the Faith and tradition are one thing, happened in the Pandyan coun- Thomas died at Mylapore.” Kaatu Kovil, or ‘Church in the Madras School of Orientalism fame and Robert Staunton Ellis who – Sriram V. hard historical evidence quite try, the name of Mylapore occur- Paulinus was an Austrian forest’. These Eastern Rite Chris- man Rite under the influence of ther layer of loose earth, followed had a long and distinguished career in the Madras Civil Services. (Series concluded) another. ring without exception. Carmelite monk who worked as tians later subscribed to the Ro- the Franciscan missionaries. by a second layer of bricks that Given his love for Tamil, I sincerely hope it is the former, but then For six hundred years before appeared to be the bottom of the R.S. Ellis could well be the man. the coming of the Portuguese to grave. Breaking through the The last entry in the Indian Charivari concerning someone his father, he too became Malabar, there was a “perfect brick covering the excavators from Madras is on R.S. Ellis. His father, Sir Henry Ellis, was an blank in the history of Christian- found three spans of earth, and illegitimate son of the fourth Earl of Buckinghamshire and rose to a veena exponent and also LOST LANDMARKS OF CHENNAI composed songs. He also ity in Malabar,” according to under that a layer of extremely become a diplomat, serving in Persia, China, Brazil, Africa and K.C. Zachariah. On arrival in In- hard cement two spans thick. Brussels. His career, however, began with the East India Com- – SRIRAM V taught numerous dis- pany (EIC) where he served in Bengal as the Private Secretary to ciples. dia, the Portuguese found the Beneath the cement they found the President of the Board of Control. Perhaps following in his Gangadhara Sastri’s Thomas tradition commonly ac- two stone slabs bound together father’s footsteps, Robert Ellis too joined the EIC, becoming a part son Ganapathy Sastri (GG cepted everywhere in the South. but with no inscription. of the Madras Civil Services in 1844. He worked initially in Sastri) succeeded his fa- A report dating from 1517 says The following day work was and Tanjore and then went on home leave in 1848, A house called ther in turn. Born in 1876, that they were shown “a half-ru- resumed. The excavators much to the distress of the Madras Literary Society (MLS) from he inherited the family’s ined church at Mailapur” and reached the bottom of the brick which he had borrowed a couple of books and forgotten to return told that the apostle had been lining. Three or four more spans them. The money was duly extracted from him when he returned talents in law and music. Having studied at buried in a grave on the Gospel of loose earth were removed. and took charge as Assistant Collector of Customs, Madras. side of the altar: the right hand They were now at a depth of In 1854, Ellis was posted to the Central Provinces and, while Chintamani Maharaja’s College, Pudu- kottah, he later graduated side as viewed by the congrega- about 15 or 16 spans – roughly there, played an important role in keeping the area free of any he late Raghu Tagat, in a Chintamani was once home to meant for him. Taking up a post tion. On the opposite side, it was 12 feet or 3.6 metres. Here they trouble during the great Revolt. Much of this was due to the excel- from St. Joseph’s College, lent relations that Ellis had developed with the widowed Ranis of Twonderful series that he a hallowed family of Madras in Rajahmundry, he fell in love Trichy, and got his BL claimed, was the grave of a Chris- found a bed of sand, and of lime Nagpur. These women had every right to resent the British, mainly wrote for Madras Musings on the Presidency. The progenitor, with the veena and began train- from Law College, Ma- tian ‘king’ named Thomas which had crumbled into dust. on account of Dalhousie’s doctrine of lapse, which had prevented history of Edward Elliot’s Road Thiruvalangadu Appayya ing on it. He became a profes- dras. Enrolled in the Mudaliar. Finally they came upon what them from adopting an heir to the throne following the death of (Radhakrishnan Salai), re- Dikshitar, was the official San- sional artiste and travelled all Pudukottah Bar in 1900, In 1523, the Portuguese, ever might support the local claims: a the last ruler, Raghuji Bhonsle. But Ellis ensured that there was marked how most houses on the skrit pundit at the Tiruva- over South India giving concerts. he became, successively, fanatical about correct docu- skull, some ribs, then other no trouble and was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath thoroughfare had Sanskrit or vaduturai Mutt. His son, Sastri’s talents came to the mentation, ordered an investiga- bones, but far too few in number (CB). State Vakil and Public Tamil names – Manonidhi, Girija, Thiruvalangadu Tyagaraja notice of His Highness Briha- Prosecutor, Puisne Judge, tion into the claim that the grave to make up a whole skeleton. Ellis was of a delicate constitution and we see his career punc- Kamalalayam, Sudarshan, Su- Sastri, born in 1821, attained damba Dasa Ramachandra * and finally Chief Judge in The building that’s replaced Chintamani. was that of the apostle Thomas . There was also an earthenware tuated by several bouts of home leave. In 1858 he sailed for En- dharma, Nandana, Mandara, great proficiency in Sanskrit by Tondaiman of Pudukottah State Excavations were carried out on jar with a capacity of an ‘almude’ gland and when he returned to Madras in 1860 he was made Spe- Pudukottah. He was made Sadhana, Kaustubha, Srivatsa, the age of 18. His talents came and, more importantly, the pow- Dewan of the State in 1929 and a weekend in July. After digging – an obsolete Portuguese unit of cial Income Tax Commissioner, a hugely unpopular post. He had F.G. Natesa Iyer, who served later ‘reconverted’ to Hinduism Venkatam and Vinnagar. All of to the notice of Bhaskara- erful Dewan, Sir A. Seshiah retired from service in 1931. The through three spans (about nine measurement of about 16.54 to face protests from everyone from the Madras Chamber of Com- the South Indian Railway with at the instance of the merce downward. But the tax was implemented. A year later he these and more once graced this rajapuram Venkoba Sastri, who Sastry. The ruler became a dis- British Government conferred inches or 229 mm per span) of litres in the Lisbon standard – distinction but made a bigger Paramacharya of Kanchi! became Deputy Secretary and was appointed Special Sanitary road. Now there are hardly any was then a pundit in the service ciple of Tyagaraja Sastri for the the title of Rao Saheb on him in loose earth, four walls of a white- filled with red earth, at the foot left barring perhaps , the of the Sudder Courts. The latter and also appointed him mark for himself in the field of Tongues have since wagged Commissioner, a post he held till 1862 when he became the Ma- Girija veena 1929. GG Sastri built Chintamani washed brick grave were encoun- of the grave. From it stuck out a theatre, was a brother of GG about the initial conversion to dras Member on the Viceroy’s Executive Council. residence of the late Dr. S. got his daughter married to Chief Vakil, Pudukottah, on Edward Elliot’s Road. After tered. The bricks were about 15 thigh bone, and inside was the Sastri. He is credited with bring- Christianity and many theories In 1865, he again went on home leave. This is when Florence Radhakrishnan. Another, that Tyagaraja Sastri and also made entrusting him with legal reforms retirement from the post of ½ inches long, 8 inches wide and blade of a ‘Malabaric’ lance or ing K.B. Sundarambal to the abound. Nightingale got to know of him. That redoubtable lady had by partially survives is Chintamani. him an apprentice. In that in the kingdom. Sastri served Dewan he settled in that house 5 inches thick. These measures spear in the shape of an olive leaf. then put together the Indian Sanitary Report and among its chief notice of theatre-loving audi- Today, Chintamani is hardly There is very little of the house, capacity he mastered all the lan- Pudukottai well and when the and served on the Senate of the correspond to those of bricks This lance tip was perfectly pre- findings was that Madras was particularly susceptible to cholera ences and encouraging several noticed by passers by. But the but what there is, is impressive. guages necessary for the proceed- time came for his retirement, the University of Madras thereafter. found at the first century Yavana served and had in the shaft a chiefly because it lacked proper drains. She summoned Ellis to her It is an octagonal tower that ings of the Sudder Court – ruler was pleased to appoint the talents in classical music such as tower, earlier a light cream and (Greek or ‘foreigner’) site at piece of wood. home and then being charmed by his manners invited him to stay probably encloses the stairway, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Sastri’s second son, Gangadhara His son G. Tyagaraja Sastri M.S. Subbulakshmi and Palghat now a bright ochre, is plainly vis- Arikamedu near Pondicherry as a houseguest. He was sent to barracks, hospitals and other topped by a dome. The rest of the Kannada and Hindustani and, by Sastri, to the post. Tyagaraja graduated in law and practised Mani Iyer. The ‘F’ in his name is ible from the road. It serves as a institutions in London to see how drains were laid in that city. from the first century CE. Re- house has given way to a modern the age of 25, emerged as a wor- Sastri passed away in 1892. for a while before joining All In- believed to have been a Christian reminder of the glorious lineage moval of these bricks walls re- * Based on the report of Diogo Guided by Miss Nightingale, Ellis drafted several proposals on dia Radio where he rose to be- Fernandes in 1523. sanitary arrangements and other improvements for Madras. The two-storied building that is now thy successor to his father-in- Gangadhara Sastri continued the name. He was a practising Chris- that once called Chintamani its vealed a layer of bricks and mor- rented by a bank. law. But service in Court was not legal and musical traditions. Like come its Director General. tian for long and, many years home. tar two spans thick, then a fur- (Continued on page 6) 6 MADRAS MUSINGS December 1-15, 2017

K.P. Balaji (1926-76) died in an air crash in Bombay. From Kathakali in Kerala, he moved to Marg, that cultural journal in (Quizmaster V.V. Ramanan’s The culture Bombay. JoiningThe Illustrated Weekly of In- questions are from November 1st dia, he was with it from 1954 to 1961. He to 15th. Questions 11 to 20 relate then got into advertising with S.H. to Chennai and Tamil Nadu.) Benson’s and rose to be one of its Directors.His son, K.P. Karunakaran, 1. On November 15th, Google divide settled in Australia, put together a honoured Cornelia Sorabji with a collection of his writings and published doodle on her 151st birth anniver- owadays, it would seem if From the point of view of sary. What is her claim to fame? them as a commemoration of his Nyou are not outspokenly attendance, the English play father’s 40th death anniversary. Over 2. Name the Exchange Traded “for” something, you are taken suffers most – and this is some- Fund (ETF) launched by the Union the next few issues, we publish a few of Government that comprises 22 to be “against” it. The middle times a pity. The Night of the Balaji’s Madras-focused articles that stocks, including those of central path is pitfalls for the unwary. Iguana, staged recently by the appeared in The Illustrated Weekly in 1964-65. public sector enterprises, public Express admiration for English, Madras Players, definitely de- sector banks and its holdings under protagonists of Hindi exchange served a larger, if not a more re- TODAY’S ARTICLE IS ON the Specified Undertaking of Unit dark and meaningful looks. sponsive audience. In appeal, it THEATRE IN MADRAS. Trust of India (SUUTI)? Criticise Indian films, and was admittedly not in the same 3. In which Asian country did the promptly someone within hear- class as Server Sundaram, but, all dience. In choosing a Tennes- ation. Whatever advantage the Prime Minister inaugurate the ing dares you to declare that the same, you noted with regret see Williams play, particularly production gained from a set- Narendra Modi Resilient Rice Field soon after the film had been ex- ting remarkably close to the one Laboratory on November 13th? you are in favour of “Hollywood that, from the demure (and, vulgarity”. And so it goes. Sit- alas, so persuasive) programme- hibited in Madras, the producer visualised by the author, a great 4. Who are the new national singles perhaps revealed a rare measure deal of the impact was de- badminton champions? ting on a wall (if only because sellers, to the company execu- you happen to like the view on tive disporting himself in the of courage. It is certainly to his stroyed by, of all things, a 5. What is Tyrannomyrmex alii (or credit that, after the show, you strong, cross-wind from the sea, T. alii), discovered in the Periyar both sides) is a precarious occu- front row in a disarmingly infor- Tiger reserve and named after emi- pation, and there is always mal bush-shirt, local patronage came away with your respect for which distracted the audience nent myrmecologist Musthak Ali, a someone around hoping to pick for the play came almost exclu- that courage still intact. Com- and worse still, snatched away new species of? up the pieces when you fall. sively from what one might call petent (if not brilliant) acting, the words almost before the ac- 6. How did Umlingla Top in This instinctive desire to de- the “smart set”. No doubt their imaginative use of stage props tors had a chance to utter them. Ladakh make news recently? fine your loyalties and stick at loyalties are also fixed. Quite and lighting, and deft direction Even when the script did not 7. Which place of worship in Tamil any cost to your own side of the uncharitably, you felt that a set Iguana free from the limita- warrant it, the people on the Nadu recently became the first to fence is, I think, unfortunately good number of them came tions you normally associate stage seemed to be shouting at win the coveted UNESCO Asia- becoming more and more evi- there to like – but only to like – with “amateur” productions in one another. Pacific award for its cultural dent in cultural field. It is no ex- what they saw. The comments this country. Top acting And while the curtains heritage conservation programme honours go to Snehalata Reddy, in the Awards of Merit category? aggeration (however much you you overheard during the inter- flapped convincingly in the wish it were) that except for a val were “frank”, and occasion- whose sensitive rendering of the wind and the lights flashed omi- 8. The Union Ministry of Commu- role of Hannah won enthusias- nications has launched the Deen few uncommitted ones – and, of ally the present show was com- nously to simulate the storm Dayal SPARSH Yojana, a pan- course those who get free passes pared to the “one I saw in New tic praise from critic and layman outside, too often had you to India scholarship programme for – the audience at a Bharata York last time I was abroad.” alike. strain to catch the rumblings of schoolchildren to increase the Natyam is quite different from Not being in a position to verify I do not mean to imply that the “inner storm” which gives reach of which hobby and what the one you might encounter at this assessment (but otherwise Iguana was the most significant point and purpose to the Will- does SPARSH stand for? a Kathakali performance. The only too conscious of the draw- cultural event of the season. Its iams play. 9. Which Tamil Nadu art form was failings (apart from your own two are, by and large, mutually backs a producer here has nec- , according to some, recently accorded a GI Tag? reservations regarding indig- Iguana exclusive, if not antagonistic. essarily to face) you turned is one of the less successful plays 10. On November 15th, this enous talent) were obvious. To And the division is still wider away, a little sad that local ini- staged so far by the Madras Leonardo Da Vinci work became begin with, you felt that the when it is a question of, say, a tiative and talent had been Players. If that is indeed the the most expensive painting sold at choice of an open-air theatre an auction, going for a whopping Tamil drama, on the one hand, found wanting. case, the contention that this (situated almost on the sea- price of $450.3 million. Name it. and a local production of an En- But in actual fact, local tal- gifted and enterprising group shore) was not a particularly * * * glish play, on the other. Even ent did acquit itself rather well deserves greater attention gains happy one in this case. It some- 11. Which popular cinema theatre when there exists no problem of on that occasion – and that is weight. The Madras Players how put you “out of touch” with in the city was inaugurated on May language, a self-imposed barrier why, I think, the production present an aspect of the theatre, 23, 1970 with a screening of Shirley Williams, let you escape that seems to cut off any mutual in- would have proved of interest however limited or “alien”, Mclean’s Sweet Charity? terest or exchange of ideas. to a larger and more varied au- sense of being trapped in a situ- 12. For what contribution were which promises good entertain- fellow Asian cities Almaty and ment for the discerning, and Daegu in the news along with worthwhile lessons for many Chennai recently? producers of Indian plays I can 13. Actor Karthi’s latest action DOUBTING THOMAS think of. flick Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru will depict which meticulously- planned operation of the Tamil Nadu police in the recent past? (Continued from page 5) very closely with present-day agree that Christianity existed 14. Which 200-year old centre of Pulicat, not Mylapore. in India from between the third Shrinking education located at the junction of The orientation of the re- Nevertheless, at the end of and sixth centuries CE, the lan- Mount Road and Binny Road is to mains were north-south, an Is- the lengthy inquiry that fol- guage of worship then being be brought down and replaced with lamic tradition. Christians were lowed the excavation, it was Syriac. It is entirely possible wetlands, a modern building? traditionally buried in an east- concluded, on the basis of that the apostle Thomas came 15. The new Chandra Metromall at west position. Islam did not strong local tradition and the to India in the first century CE; Engineer Thottam, between Vala- felling trees saravakkam and Virugambakkam, reach the Coromandel Coast age of the bones, that the grave there is as yet no evidence has come up on the location of until at least the 7th Century was indeed that of Thomas the against this possibility. which theatre? CE. Apostle. However, the burial As with most matters of faith (Continued from page 3) 16. In 1933, P. Chokkalinga All the fragments of much- could just as easily be that of an and even history, due to a lack Mudhaliar built ten shops in a now decayed bone were gathered ancient Dravidian person of of convincing historical evi- The flood of end-2015, fol- chaotic locality and named the into a chest, and, with a few some note. dence, the question remains: lowed by Cyclone Vardah and ‘market’ after his native place. Although the ancient who or what lies under sanctu- the drought this summer, has Where was he from? other fragments that were un- church of the Thomas Chris- ary of the São Tomé basilica? given Chennai residents a sense 17. In 1852, Rev. Robert Carver earthed during the excavation, established two schools called the placed in a Chinese chest with tians is of immense significance Were the contents of that grave of what it would be like to live Mount Road Male and Female two silver locks. to Indians, the paucity of his- the remains of one of the many through a string of extreme Schools. What is present name for It was common knowledge torical and archaeological evi- Levantine traders who settled weather events. In some loca- the institution now? in the area that the site was at- dence cannot offer certainty. along the Coromandel Coast tions there has been civil soci- 18. All know that R. Natarajan tended by a Moor (Muslim), Much of what is believed re- 2000 years ago? Or a local ety action, supported by made the pioneering flick Keechaka and that pilgrims of all faiths mains conjectural. However, megalithic burial? Is there noth- organisations and governmen- Vadham. Who wrote the Tamil history can offer probability in ing beneath the altar of the tal institutions, to conserve and intertitles and the Hindi intertitles? came from ‘all over India’ to varying degrees. There is no Santhome Basilica? We are rejuvenate water bodies. Per- 19. Name the architect responsible pray at the site. The eminent for the Ice House and the DGP HQ, Portuguese historian Joao de clear written evidence that unlikely to ever know. Faith haps these could be the initial both on the beach road. Barros (1496-1570) places the Thomas, the Apostle, preached and tradition have blended to steps in the process to 20. What would you find where town of St. Thomas at 13o 32' in South India, the India of his the extent that nobody really strengthen Chennai’s climate once Serle’s Garden stood? north of the equator, which era encompassing a vast geo- cares to know the historical resilience where the network of (Answers on page 8) would make the site correspond graphical area. All scholars truth. blue and green holds the key. December 1-15, 2017 MADRAS MUSINGS 7

G A JOURNALIST WITH CANCER EMBARKS ON ... An exploration of India hen Tiziano Terzani, ac- and radiation at the Memorial not just a cure for his cancer but Wclaimed Italian journalist Sloan Kettering in New York, the answers to his larger ques- and writer, known for his exten- Terzani gets a reprieve. His can- tions about his condition. sive coverage of Asia for the Eu- cer is in remission and the doc- Terzani travels from Reiki prac- ropean press, is diagnosed with tors tell him that he needs to see titioners in Delhi to an cancer, he stops to consider his them only after a while. Terzani ayurvedic doctor in Kakinada, past life and how he should packs his bags and leaves for an to the hiving streets of Varanasi spend his future, if he has one. unlikely location for a man re- and the tranquillity of Bodh “I felt as if my whole life had covering from cancer – India. Gaya, and the serenity of been on a merry-go-round and “Those who love India will Dharmashala. Then Terzani re- turns to America for a check-up and, later, on a visit to San EXCERPT Francisco, meets Swami Dayananda Saraswathi, who Tiziano Terzani receives the blessings of a temple elephant. he Swami would come in through the northern entrance, was then in the U.S. Deeply in- Taccompanied by a young brahmachari who would walk spired by the Swami’s disserta- alongside him, shielding him from the sun with an open um- tions on the Vedas and Yoga, brella. The Swami would take off his sandals, mount the wooden Terzani sets out for the Swami’s EXCERPT platform, climb the three steps up to his podium, wrap the edge ashram in the Anaikatti Hills ndia may be a poor country, but it is also a country in which of his orange tunic over his head and sit down cross-legged be- near Coimbatore in Tamil hind a low table covered by a coloured throw. From under that Ithe people have fewer needs, fewer desires; this is why down, Nadu. it is also a happier country than many others. But not for long: tablecloth, in the course of a lesson, the Swami would produce “The location was beautiful, all kinds of good things with which to illustrate the points he globalization is bringing the rest of the world’s desires to India would make in his teaching, as all gurus have done for centuries around twenty miles from too, and eroding its contentment and its peace in the process. in their teaching of the Vedanta. He would take a clay dish and Coimbatore... On the way to The suspension system of the car - another old Hindustan explain how its existence depended on the existence of the clay. the ashram... I saw a man squat- Motors’ Ambassador - was on its last legs, and every now again Without clay the dish would not exist, just as creation would ting (on the pavement) in front it bounced over the holes in the road and threw me around in not exist without consciousness. He took out a crystal ball and a of two bamboo cages which the most terrible fashion. If I had had an attack of some kind or rose to illustrate the illusory nature of the rose’s colour when contained sparrows. He was my hernia had erupted, I imagined the young taxi driver drop- ping me off at one of the many hospitals or rest homes I saw seen through the ball; it is the same confusion created by the waiting for someone to buy self, when it attempts to distinguish between itself and what it along the roadside. None of them inspired a great deal of confi- them and set them free so as to dence: even the letters in their names, such as ‘Shakti Nursing perceives. He produced a rope with which to make the classic earn good karma. I bought all Vedantic comparison between the rope and a snake: to mistake Home’ or ‘Lord Krishna Hospital’ were falling off. And the a rope for a snake is exactly the same as to mistake the world of the birds he had and released treatments they were mostly for haemorrhoids and fistulas! the senses for the real world. It is confusion of our own making: them, delighting in their chir- In the end nothing major happened to me, and I was spared could the rope be mistaken for a snake if the snake did not exist? ruping and basking in the ap- the experience of being a genuine Anam, a Mr Nobody, in the proving comments of those middle of nowhere without the protection of my former iden- around me...“The outline of the tity. We arrived safe and sound in Kottakkal. The Arya Vaidva Anaikatti Hills could be seen in Sala was well known and everyone knew how to get there; it was the only hospital with an elephant parked in the courtyard. the distance – clear, blue and right from the start I had ridden know, they don’t know exactly majestic. There was a time the white horse. I had gone up why they love it. It’s dirty, poor, when the whole area had been In the ashram in Anaikatti, edged, but even so his mind was and down and round and round infected, sometimes thieving covered with dense forest and for the first time in his life, not convinced by all his teach- to my heart’s content, without and lying, frequently malodor- even to this day in the little Terzani deliberately loses his ings. There was still the hunger anyone to ask if I had a ticket. ous,” admits Terzani who had a to seek and find. “At the end of And, in fact, I hadn’t. All my home in Delhi. “Yet once you the three months, I felt like a life I had bummed a ride! Well, have met it, you can’t live with- G by Janaki Venkataraman spy who had infiltrated the now the ticket collector was out it... In India I had no need ranks of the enemy in order to coming through and I’d have to of any remedy to get back my try and learn its secrets...,” pay my dues. But with a bit of equilibrium... The remedy was woodland that remained, the sense of what he had been all his Terzani muses. Nevertheless luck I might just get...one more all around me, in every detail of taxi driver informed there are a life and willingly accepts ano- there is a hint of affection as he ride on the merry-go-round.” my surroundings.” primitive people who dress only nymity and silence as a way of recalls, “Someone asked the After being initially treated There follows Terzani’s long in leaves and have a king as life. Calling himself Anam (the Swami for a last piece of advice. with chemotherapy, surgery exploration of India in search of their leader...” nameless), he falls into the He didn’t disappoint them. soothing rhythm of life in the ‘Live a life in which you can ashram for the next three recognise yourselves!’” EXCERPT months – yoga practice, lectures Later, Terzani travelled to on Vedanta by Swami too, in coming to the ing a Martian who landed in brings light into the darkness Kerala and other places where I ashram, had ended up in a Florence in the time of Dante of ignorance. His orange Dayananda, meditation and ayurvedic cures were offered. different kind of India. It was and expected to understand it clothing recalls the colour of viewing the simple worship of Some years later, when his can- not the India tourists come to just by visiting the odd church the flame which burns in the the idol of Dakshinamurthy cer resurfaced and was found to take photos of, nor the one without studying the Bible. darkness, the force of fire (who, for some reason, Terzani be incurable, he retired to a re- usually described by journal- Now I felt I was coming closer which consumes matter. calls a goddess!). “In the treat in the Himalayas above ists. It was the seekers’ India, to the real heart of India in the This was the real India. My ashram... there was time to live Almora, where much of this the India of the great myths most typically Indian manner: guru was called Dayananda life paying attention to every book was written and where, which gave mankind the idea by going to live with a guru. Saraswati, and I was a mem- moment. We practised acting as Terzani died. of God and that of zero, as well Guru is a beautiful word, ber of the Arsha Vidya opposed to reacting, keeping as everything that lies in be- which unfortunately has lost a Gurukulam, literally the ‘fam- This is a book* written by a tween. I had lived in Delhi for lot of its meaning these days ily of the guru of true knowl- our minds alert and aware of dying man, whose sensitivity, years, but I had always moved through the way we have edge’, the knowledge which each movement.” (This in- humour and sheer courage, in political or cultural circles, abused it in the West, where comes from the rishis or the cluded deciding whether or not have much to teach the living. and always felt I was missing we speak of fashion, health seers. The location was beau- to kill a mosquito buzzing out on something. This was and even sex gurus. Gu in San- tiful, around twenty miles around his ear, instead of swat- doubtless because I had never skrit means ‘shadows’ and ru from Coimbatore, the capital ting it by reflex!) taken any serious notice of means ‘to put to flight, dispel’. city of the textile industry in Swami Dayananda was, per- * what is really Indian: the spiri- In other words, a ‘guru’ is one the state of Tamil Nadu. haps, the closest entity to a One More Ride on the Merry- tual dimension. It was like be- who dispels the shadows, who Guru that Terzani acknowl- Go-Round by Tiziano Terzani, Harper Element. 8 MADRAS MUSINGS December 1-15, 2017 The new hope from Chennai amkumar Ramanathan strokes are a blend of control ing Futures and Challengers. In R has a huge tradition to fol- and accuracy. Taking to the 2014 he won the Cambodian low and it must be said that he game at the early age of $10,000 ITF Futures title in has maintained it. The leading five, Ramkumar’s natural tal- Phnom Penh. Later that year he Indian player has generally ent combined with hard work won back-to-back Futures titles emerged from Tamil Nadu, as saw him make rapid progress in Turkey. A month later, he history has proved time and and he first attracted consider- underlined his ascendancy by again, and the 23-year-old able attention when as a 15- knocking out Yuki Bhambri in Chennai-born lad, despite the year-old he won the national the ATP Indore Open. In pressures of being in such a situ- junior (under-18) title in November the same year, he . ation, is the latest flag-bearer of Chennai in 2009. He then celebrated his 20th birthday by excellence from the made further headlines when he defeating in the career really took off this year. in straight sets 6-3, 6-2. He then State. Ramkumar is clearly the won the national title at final of the Gondwana Cup In April he reached his first progressed to the quarterfinals brightest prospect in the coun- Kolkata in early 2013. It was a $10,000 ITF Futures tourna- singles final at the Challengers where he lost to the much try and in September this year year later that he really caused ment at . Early in 2015 in Tallahassee (USA). In July higher ranked Marcos Bagh- he reached a career-high singles a sensation. First, he qualified he repeated his victory over he reached his second Chal- datis of Cyprus in a third set tie rank of 150 which he improved for the main draw of the lengers final at the Nielsen Pro break. In August, Ramkumar to 146 at the start of Novem- Chennai Open and, then, beat G by championship at Winnetka qualified for the first time for ber. The manner in which he is the leading player in the coun- Partab Ramchand (USA). the main draw of a Masters shaping, a place in the top 100 try, , in the But it was in between these 1000 tournament in the Cincin- during 2018 is well on the first round. two events that he enjoyed his nati Masters. He won his first Somdev Devvarman achieved cards. It was clear by now that a biggest moment on the pro cir- round match but lost in the sec- at the Chennai Open by defeat- Ramkumar is a tall and re- special talent had arrived on the cuit so far. In the Antalya Open ond round. It was this result ing India’s highest ranked markably fit right-hander and tennis horizon and over the in Turkey, Ramkumar pro- that propelled him to a then singles player again, this time in his game is power-packed. He next couple of years Ramkumar duced a major upset by defeat- career high rank of 150. the first round of the $50,000 has a brilliant serve and volley made steady progress around ing world No 8 and top seed The upward graph is likely to ATP Challenger Kolkata Open. game and his smooth ground the international circuit, play- Dominic Thiem in the second continue in 2018, given his In 2016 he reached the round. This was his first match growing confidence level, his quarterfinal of the Chennai against a top ten player. Ranked sublime playing skills and ideal Open. It was the first time that world no 222, Ramkumar won big match temperament. CHENNAI HERITAGE he reached the quarterfinals of No. 5, Bhattad Tower, 30, Westcott Road, Royapettah, Chennai 600 014 an ATP tour event. In October the same year he partnered I am already on your mailing list (Mailing List No...... ) / Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and I have just seen Madras Musings and would like to receive it Answers to Quiz hereafter. the pair reached the finals of the 1. She was the first Indian woman to practise law in India and England; 2. G I/We enclose cheque/demand draft/money order for Vietnam Open. BHARAT-22; 3. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Phil- Rs. 100 (Rupees One hundred) payable to CHENNAI HERITAGE, Ramkumar, who honed his skills at the Sanchez Casal ippines; 4. Saina Nehwal and H.S. Prannoy; 5. Ant; 6. The Border Roads MADRAS, as subscription to Madras Musings for the year Organisation recently constructed the world’s highest motorable road there, 2017-18. Academy in Barcelona for three 86 km long at a height of over 19,300 feet; 7. Srirangam Ranganathaswamy G As token of my support for the causes of heritage, environment years, made it clear very early in Temple; 8. Philately (stamp collecting) and ‘Scholarship for Promotion of Ap- and a better city that Madras Musings espouses, I send Chennai his career that he wanted to titude & Research in Stamps as a Hobby’; 9. Mamallapuram stone sculptures; Heritage an additional Rs...... represent India in the Davis 10. Salvator Mundi. (Rupees ...... ) Please keep/ Cup, the Olympics and the * * * put me on your mailing list. Asian Games. He has already 11. Devi; 12. These three were chosen for their music in the list of 64 cities performed admirably in the designated as UNESCO Creative Cities; 13. The tracking and takedown of Name : ...... criminals of the deadly Bawaria gang in UP for murders committed in Tamil . His other goal at the Address: ...... Nadu; 14. Government Madrasa-e-Azam School for Boys; 15. National The- time was to be a top 100 ranked atre; 16. Pondicherry; 17. Christ Church School; 18. Pammal Sambandam ...... player by the end of 2017. And Mudaliar and Devdas Gandhi respectively; 19. Col. J.J. Underwood; 20. The internationally Ramkumar’s upmarket housing development Kesavaperumal Puram, Greenways Road.

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