Jewish synagogue-vantage of a Past?

Jewish Synagogue: Kochi and its historical monuments

Fort Kochi, the place not far away from the city of Kochi can ideally be termed as a cultural melting pot of Kerala. This small geographical entity is perhaps unique in the world due to its cultural representations. Be it for people from other parts of India or those from far off lands like those in the Middle-East and Europe, Fort Kochi at various stages of time in the past welcomed them all to settle down and lead a life in harmony with the native folks. Visitors to Kochi would invariably be treated to many a cultural representation. They all have left their marks in the form of traders, asylum seekers, rulers and those who came to spread their religious faiths. As you walk down from the main Anavathil Road toward boat jetty which will take a cruise in the Vembanad Lake, a landmark monumental one that rose from the cultural traits and religious beliefs of a community that came to Kochi seeking asylum. The Jews of Kochi, who fled their homeland - Israel during the Diaspora embraced Kochi as their real home. A short walk from Mattancherry bus stand or from the boat jetty nearby would take you to the Jewish Synagogue, situated at one end of the Jew Street in the Jew Town enclave of Mattancherry in Kochi. This synagogue was built in 1568 by the Malabar Yehudans or Cochin Jewish community. It was built close to the Mattancherry Palace Temple on the land gifted by King Rama Varma, a former ruler of Kochi. The Mattancherry Palace Temple and the Mattancherry synagogue share a common wall. This synagogue at Mattancherry is the oldest one in the Commonwealth of Nations. As one approaches the synagogue on Jew Street, its white facade begins to appear very prominently. A clock tower can also be seen, towering over and close to the facade. This was built in 1760 by Ezekiel Rahabi an affluent Jewish businessman. Of the four faces of the clock, the one facing the maharaja's palace showed the time in Malayalam. And among the other three, the face with etchings in Roman numerals was meant for the traders. Of the remaining two faces of the clock, one had writings in Hebrew while the other remains blank. Stepping inside the Synagogue, one's eyes would easily go to the glass chandeliers and blue willow-patterned Chinese floor tiles. The chandeliers are of Belgian origin. Also of interest are the Scrolls of the Law housed here and the several gold crowns received as gifts and the brass-railed pulpit. And for some exclusive pieces from history, the synagogue also houses the copper plates of privileges given to Joseph Rabban, the earliest known Cochin Jew, dating from the 10th century, written in Tamil, by the ruler of the Malabar Coast. And as one surveys the interior of this synagogue, the hundreds of 18th century, Chinese hand-painted porcelain tiles laid on the floor stand out. There is an oriental rug, which was a gift from Haile Selassie, the last Ethiopian Emperor. There is also a tablet from the earlier synagogue in Kochangadi in Kochi (built in 1344), which is placed on the outer wall of this synagogue. The inscriptions on it state that the structure was built in the year 5105 (as per the Hebrew Calendar) as an abode for the spirit of God. These days, walking on the Jew Street in Kochi, one can still find the busy spice market, which once had a sizable number of Jewish people engaged in spice trade. Nowadays, one would also come across curio shops run by those from Kashmir; selling mostly wood carvings, oil lamps, spice boxes, snake boats and books on Indian subjects. Most of the Jewish settlers here have now left for their homeland - Israel. In and around the Jewish Synagogue and on the Jew Street, one would come across travellers from different parts of the globe and of all age groups, curiously checking out the vestiges of a culture that was once very much part of the native population. And the presence of the Jewish community in Mattancherry is vindicated by the nearby Jewish Cemetery, which has tombstones written both in Malayalam and Hebrew.

I have walked past these famed monuments many times during my college days. After many years in the wilderliness, on my return to Kochi, I used to walk across Jew Town to Boat jetty to catch the boat to Wellingdon Island, where I served for nearly 3 years in the late 80s.

India's economic growth, Europe's envy

Some countries are out of the woods. Early signs of economic recovery from crisis have been predicted. International Monetary Fund has made periodic forecasts of economic growth, both for the global economy as well as individual nations, which tend to maintain the slow yet upbeat growth showing robust optimism. The world Economy is expected to make a turnaround with an anticipated growth of 4.6% in 2010. Periodically, IMF has been maintaining that the growth for 2010 was indicated as 2.5% (in June 2009), raised it to 3.9% (in January 2010), 4.2% (in April 2010) and 4.6% (end June 2010). Economic growth continues to be uneven. Gone are the days when the world economic growth witnessed fast recovery, the so called ‘V’ shaped recoveries. Today, at best, we can term it as double dip ‘M’ recovery. One emerging outcome of the crisis triggered economy is that China and India are leading the recovery, when the advance economies are trailing. The problem of correcting this looming imbalance remains. The lack of congruence in the objectives of the rich and developed economies is due to the inborn traits of the economy of these two distinct economies.

A severe debt crisis in certain European countries is blowing hot and cold. A sovereign default by Greece will have serious far-reaching negative consequences for the global financial sector, since European and American banks hold a high proportion of bonds issued by Greece. One of the advanced economies United Kingdom is on a fast track fiscal consolidation programme.

One of the outcomes of the economic meltdown and its subsequent easing is that India has emerged unscathed, even though a few showers of the impact were felt here and there. Indian Banks performed well during the economic holocaust. Exports were not commendable but not bad. Market recovery was both good and bad. Even agriculture growth which we had written off proved our economists wrong and posted a positive growth though in decimals. IMF has improved India’s economic growth rate to 9.4% up from 8.8% made in April. Even though the most optimistic economist in India predicts that the growth may be overall 8.5%, RBI and Planning Commission are prepared to mark up their figures. Tax collections have been buoyant, manufacturing sector is on a V shaped growth Overall growth has been on predicted lines. Inflation continues to be a cause of worry, and infrastructure growth continues to be below mark which is adding to transaction costs.

With Rupee more stable against the Dollar, show that it has gained maturity and the time for Rupee Convertibility in the Capital markets. We should get offensive if we need to break new grounds in the world economy. Optimistic pessimism is better tackled by being confident. The time is ripe now to grow out of the mindset of caution to aggressive postures. Markets won’t wait. We need to overpower markets with our prowess.

Religion, Personal beliefs, and Law

Religious faith and beliefs are fundamental. It is a belief that is fundamental to a man. It is a personal belief and that too a sacred right of one. One has a right to profess one’s religion and the doctrines laid by it. The Constitutional layers, the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary should give paramount importance to the faith of the individual and should not do anything directly or inadvertently that even remotely hurt the sentiments of that individual. In recent times, various controversies emerge, where unintentionally, the religious faiths is dragged hurting the sentiments of the believers. .
There was recently a case against street meetings organized by various political parties where the roads were used by the audience while the speakers used to address them from the peripheral of the road. There are permanent sheds constructed outside the Corporation office, where many public meetings of protest are held. In front of the Secretariat in the capital also, there are regular satyagrahas organized by different political parties and different protesting people against something they find irritating according to their subjective arguments.
The division bench of the High court held that street meetings at junctions or roadsides, pavements which obstructed the freedom of other people to make use of the same places for moving as unlawful and held that such meetings need to be banned. When the government filed a revision petition against curbs on roadside public meetings, the Court made a passing reference to the Attukal Pongala festival of the temple held on the roads on the capital city. The court went on to remark that it would be best if the roads are left free and the assembly of women, as part of the festival, takes place in various stadia in the Capital city.
The famed Pongala festival of the temple held February-March every year witnesses thousands of women line up along roads in the capital city and prepare an offering of cooked rice for the presiding deity, believed to be an incarnation of Kannaki, the central character of the Tamil epic "Silappathikaaram". This temple is dedicated to Attukal Bhagavathy. The ritual of cooking the offering starts when the chief priest lights a pot of fire brought from the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. The fire is then passed on to the devotees, who sit on the roadside and their kiln is lit. The offering is prepared using rice, jaggery and coconut and is cooked in three to four hours’ time. It is only when the priest, around 3 p.m., starts spraying sacred water from the temple on the cooked rice that the women devotees pack up their offerings and begin their return journey. This event recorded in the Guinness Book of World record for the largest number of people converging for a temple event (1.5 million women). If all the stadium in Kerala are used, the sanctity of the festival, that the priest lights the first fire and passes on the pyre, so that it passes on to the last person, and it is part of a religious ritual that people participate in, would be lost.

There are street processions prevalent amongst religious communities. Among the Brahmin caste, there is a procession on the eve of marriage known as ‘mapillaazappu’, when the bride groom accompanied by kinsmen of the bride and bridegroom go to the family temple of the bride and then come back to the Kalyana mandap. It is a procession of people, and if it is interpreted as obstructing traffic, hence cannot be held, is against the spirit of unconceived legal right conferred. Any body can walk through a road, so as to cause no disturbance to the right of the other.

When Pope Paul II came to Mumbai, he held a prayer meeting on the Byculla beach, but the disciples occupied the whole roads abutting the beach, bringing the traffic to the halt for nearly two hours. (In 1962). When Queen Elizabeth visited Chennai in 1960, the Mount Road was blocked for three hours. Can Police block the road for hours just as s security measure for a dignitary?

There are temple festivals, when caparisoned elephants and a sea of humanity participate. One such example is the Trichur Pooram. When the prime Minister recently visited Kanpur, road restrictions prevented an ordinary citizen to carry his injured boy to the nearby hospital. He had to take circuitous Road resulting in half an hour delay and the death of the boy. Can Police block the entire road citing security reasons, and prevent people from taking the road during emergency.

A funeral procession, if it is not allowed, affects the sentiment of the family. MGR’s funeral procession had millions of people, and it blocked the entire Mount Road stretch upto Beach from cathedral Road, for more than 24 hours. If a particular stretch of Road, if used by some for years together, becomes a road, as the Law of adverse possession apply.

The Courts are trustees to uphold the dignity of the constitution. Uphold the law, protect righteous against tyranny, oppression, suppression. Each act has to be viewed in different contexts, and no law can be uniformally applied to all events. No straight jacket law is available in any law books, cited cases in All India Reporter, or in the Indian Constitution. We have to obey Law, abide by Law and practice Law according to Rule of Law. Differences in circumstances would alter the judicial prouncements. But every citizen of India should take care to see that he does not hurt the sentiment of another.
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Sweet Vendor and Multiplex in small towns?

The Government is the strong view that a re-orientation of the Policy framework was the need of the hour and enhanced foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi brand retail would transform the rural economy and generate massive employment and opportunities for both the rural and urban youth. The Government feels that there would be no loss of jobs or displacement of small vendors. Instead, it would give a big thrust to the rural economy and Small Township where infrastructure would come up and value addition would take place. This would also help the farmers to get remunerative price. The focus would be flow of investment into cold storage chains, agro processing, food processing, which would reduce post-harvest losses which stood at an alarming 35-40%. Back-end investments will be given priority.

The retail sector accounted for over 7% of the total workforce, with around 30 million people depending on it.

What is causing alarm is the revised National Policy that promised small traders on the roadside and mobile vendors in the urban centers better access to space and an end to harassment by civic authorities is just limping. Only a handful of Cities had take follow-up action, even though the Policy was announced.. This apathy towards street vendors is in sharp contrast to the enthusiasm shown for the organized segment, which constitutes hardly 5% of the retail trade. More than 10 million people across Indian cities earn their livelihood through street vending, which is easy to enter and needs meager capital. Despite its useful role, street vending is yet to be legally recognized, often branded by every lawful agency as ‘encroachment’. This makes the vendors vulnerable to frequent eviction and exploitation by the law enforcers. In order to protect them, the Policy recommended a registration system for vendors and demarcating of city spaces for vending, apart from setting up of town committees with vendor participation. These suggestions, when acted upon, would put all vending activity on a protective and regulatory legal framework. The Association for Vendors have pointed out that more than a lakh applications for licences remain unprocessed since 2007.

Indian Government should take a leaf out of Surakarta City in Indonesia have co-opted street vendors in urban development. The local government there worked with the vendors, ear-marked new places for trading, issued trade free permits and provided tax exemption for the first six months. Soft loans and trining were also arranged to help them improve their business. Bhubaneswar has created 52 exclusive vending zones near the existing areas frequented by the vendors. More than 2,000 vendors have been rehabilitated in these markets without much relocation and loss of earnings. Such progressive measures can be easily adopted by other cities and scaled up where necessary. The Street vendors are a valuable part of the city life and the state must ensure that they are extended assistance to progress. Government of India, when they conceptualized the MSME Act 2006, forgot that retail trade plays an important role in the Village economy. Their trust for mini, micro manufacture, has made them forget that Market potential Value which determines the aggregate purchasing power in the rural level can be ploughed back into the rural economy by establishing outlets to circulate the money within the rural area. In order to do that, the Government should assess Market potential Indicators which is a measure of per capita purchasing power of the rural area.
Our Government is more concerned about focusing on rural areas by bringing in big chains and malls with huge capital, which could destroy the rural economy. The wholesalers dress themselves as Retailers would devour the Rural markets. These wholesalers in the grab of retailers with brands would not only destroy the country’s basic micro, small and medium industries in the food segment, but also devour all the small vendors who live on the business generated by street vending.

The problem with our Planners and Policy makers is that they conceive and conceptualize policies without having an idea of the rudiments of concept of economics of the rural area. People who make Pappads and Pickles, and sell from door to door will vanish when branded pickles and pappads, factory made, will be dumped in the rural markets.

If our Department of Industrial Policy and promotion (DIPP) do little more homework, they would find out that the present FDI in India is around $ 46 billion while the outgo is around $ 13 billion. If the government could take care of the remittance portfolio of non resident Indian which is today $ 40 billion for which our Banks provide a pittance by way of interest rate, our Country can use the money of our own citizens to grow. The falling banks, and withdrawal of Dollar securities, and a slump in investments, and economic disaster of America, has it given Indian Government any lesson? For God's sake, don't forget Gandhiji's words, "Indian economy is rural economy". Don't destroy it.

Tribute to great Mohammed Rafi

Rafi, heart & soul of Hindi music.

Mohammed Rafi was one of the tallest playback singers who dominated like colossus the Hindi music world. He was elitist among the singers. The melody was mellifluous, voice dignified, his vocal range variety was measureless.

Suhani raat dhal chuki in ‘Dulari’ song made Mohammed Rafi a household name (in the 1940). In Baiju Bawra, his rendering of the song ‘O Duniya Ke Rakhewala’ raising his voice made him an immortal singer.

There have been many music Directors under whom Rafi performed and out-classed his performance one over the other. Naushad, C Ramachandra, S D Burman, Shanker-Jaikishen, Salil Chowdhury, Madan Mohan, R D Burman, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Kalyanji-Anandji, and many more. He sang duets with outstanding and versatile musicians like Lata, Asha,

Rafi sang a number for music director Salil Choudhury for the picture ‘Maya’, “Tasveer Teri dil mein” which made a towering impression on the audience.

For top order heroes of the Hindi cinema like Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Guru Dutt, Shammi Kapoor, Manoj Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar, and even Rajesh Khanna, Rafi had used his voice and sang exceptionally well with excellent ability and resounding success. He has immortalized many songs like Aye chand jise, Na mukhda mor ke and Tujhe dekha for Uttam Kumar in ‘Choti Si Mulakat’. His best number was for Ambitah Bachan, ‘Teri bindya re’ and ‘Dard e dil’ for Rishi Kapoor. He sang a song in ‘Inkar’ (music director Rakesh Roshan)’Dil ki kali’ (in 1978). Rafi’s other effective songs included, Tere naam ka diwana, Gulabi aankhen, Yeh duniya yeh mehafil and Tum jo mil gaye ho.

App yogi agar humse milthe raha, dekiya ek din pyar ho jayaga, tumse acha kon he, meri mahaboob, Teri pyari pyari soorat ko, mere samnavala kidki ma ek chand ka thukada rahatha hai.., appuka haseena roopama aaj naya noor hai, Yaad na jaye beete dino ki, were sung by him with finesse and élan.

Rafi’s 30 th death anniversary comes on July 31. Yet, the songs sung by Mohammed Rafi, are sung and resung by today’s generation with reverence. He is an immortal icon.

Development should be even, dogmatic,and not political?

Development should be even, if Economic vulnerability be achieved..

Somebody with an Economic touch wrote the Chief Minister Shri V S Achuthanandan’s speech which he made before the elite National Development Council which was presided over by the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, his council of Ministers, Dr Montek Singh Aluwaliah, Dy Chairman, Planning Commission, with Chief Ministers from all the States attending the same.

Kerala Chief Minister’s speech contained two important grouses. One, Central sponsored Schemes, were altered mid-way, or the financing pattern (Centre-state share in allocation) was tinkered in such a way, or the Schemes were downgraded, so that the number of beneficiaries were lowered. Sometimes, these Central Schemes devised did not have a state flavour, as some states had peculiar geography and some of the Central schemes were obsolete in different States. For example, increasing literacy among the population, Kerala had already attained cent percent in most of the districts with the cumulative average standing at 90.86 as against all-India average of 64.84. Infant mortality rate was 14 male (against 61 all-India), 10 female (against 37 all India) and average 13 male/female (against 55 all India). As far as the banking sector in Kerala was concerned, as against 53,000 banks functioning all over India, Kerala accounted for 2,249 bank branches. While deposits to the order of 70,886 Cr was accounted for by these branches while the advances stood at Rs 47,326 Cr.Moreover, healthy flow of NRI remittances which touched a peak of US $ 20 billion. Kerala, with feeble Commerce Ministry's help posted 100% growth in 2008-9, and achieved 9.4% growth in the first half when all the other states pulled out negative growth figures. The Commerce Ministry gave olive branches to Tamilnadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra. This was stated in the Economic Review(2009-10). But support?

The second grouse exposed by the Chief Minister related to barriers placed by the various agencies of the Central government by refusing clearance for projects of interest to the State sector. Central clearance was taking an inordinate delay. He cited the specific example of Vizhinjam deep water international transshipment container terminal which required no central funding. The Kochi metro project is in deep slumber. The Railway coach factory announced at Alleppey is not even in the preliminary state. The Bharathapuzha Basin Authority could have been conceived which would have helped the people to increase their consumption of per capita water for drinking, if water flow to the sea could be arrested with appropriate planning. We have silent Valley, Thekkadi Forest Reserve. The Fort Kochi beach which was one of the best tourist attractions has become invisible due to coastal erosion. The place where Vasco da Gama landed at Koppal should have been taken over by the Archiological Department and made a national monument. The cenotaph is private property uncared, unvisited at the side of the Koppal beach. Has the Central Government done anything to protect the first trade emporium of India at Kodungallur? The first Church in India built by St Thomas the Apostle in AD 52, the first mosque built at the instance of Malik Ibn Dinar, one of the disciples of Prophet Muhammad (the Second mosque in the world after Medina in Saudi Arabia), and a temple steeped in history and accounted for in Ramayana, Mahabharata, Akannanuru, SILAPATHIKARAM, in the poems of Pathanjali and Kartheyanan, are all here. AncientMuziris (Muchiri) has been a centre of trade, Greeks, Romans, (Yavanas), Jews, Arabs, regularly visited the place. Pliny the Elder, Periplus of the Erythrean Sea, give vivid details of the place which commanded a place on the trade route. Gold coins of Tiberius, Nero were found (Pattanam) in a place around 10 kms from Kodungallur.

As regards power capacity, there is a huge mismatch between peak demand and supply. Kerala’s total power production capacity is 2657.24MW having a consumer base of 1 Cr. Hydroelectric projects contribute 2087.23 MW of Power while NTPC contributes 570.016 MW to the state’s grid. Peak load capacity is 2800 MW. Brhamapura (106.6MW), Kozhikode (128 MW) diesel based power units, Kanzhikode Wind farm produces 2.025 MW. The rest is accounted by Kayamkulam thermal Power station. The state is yet to crystallize its policy of trifurcation of the Electricity Board as envisaged by the Centre. Distribution losses have been a major worry, apart from efficiency, load factor, and collection of arrears. The transmission and distribution losses need lot of correction, meticulous plan. But political will to crack down on power theft and defaulters in payment of arrears is lacking. The state needs to look at renewable and other non conventional sources of energy. Kerala is energy hungry state. If it has to attract crucial industries, the State needs to stay ahead of demand and keep building a surplus capacity. Chronic deficit on the power front would deter investment in the State.

It is a pity that Central investment in Kerala is hardly 2.44% of Rs 7.83 lakh Crore which means, Rs 19,144 Cr is invested in Kerala by the Central Government. This investment translates to job creation of 35,000 people.

Chief Minister’s outburst that the Central Government was bleeding the state white, by thrusting central plans, and the load of ratio of investment on the one hand, and on the another denying and delaying permission for state based schemes, where central investments are not critical.

As a person, who knew the dynamics of getting a plan approved at the Central level, and the passage of time in takes to cut the bureaucratic red tape, a state, which contributes to the literacy, well being of its people, fetches huge foreign remittance which no state does, yet to treat it in a cavalier manner is most unjust. Shri Vijay Kelkar could have done some justice to the state through the 13th Finance Commission. Pranab Mukherjee could have looked at some of the state impediments to growth, Kamalnath, who boasts of having conceived 7000 Km of laying National Highways could have cast his eyes on Kerala Roads, the Agriculture Minister could have looked at Kerala’s pitiable status in regard to rice, wheat availability and the sinking Coconut oil industry, the Power Ministry could have approved some plans for Kerala. What is the use of planning Commission when they cannot distribute money prudently providing cushion to backward states instead of helping states on political considerations. A Pity?

American Pipe Dream?

American pipe dream…

I was the Regional Secretary of Indo-American Chamber of Commerce at Chennai. When I took over, the bi-national Chamber was in a very bad shape, house in 73, TTK Road, in an old dilapidated house. In the same road at Door no 70, there was a cassette lending store, where a tall slim man used to stand among two or three of his friends. That man was none other than Prabhudeva, the Indian version of Michel Jackson.

I tried to revive the Organization, slowly. I created a Kerala branch. I can proudly say that in Kerala, Indo American Chamber of Commerce was the first bi-national Chamber that was set up here. It had around 80 members at the start. In around a period of lustrum, I added around 800 members who became members of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, and this Chamber, became one of the most respected Chambers of Commerce representing the interest of the bi-national trade. Trade delegations were in plenty. Top officials from the United States administration were often visitors. Mr Ron Brown, Commerce Secretary (equivalent to Indian Commerce Minister) came with a delegation of around 110 CEOs to Bangalore. Most of the software companies, or companies which went for service agreements with the software companies in the United States, hard ware companies which entered into collaborations, were in that Trade delegation. I co-ordinated with the team. Subsequently, a delegation of 80 CEOs representing Overseas Private Investment Corporation also came to South India. The Secretary of Board of Trade, who was the author of the best selling book on marketing, also came and met me, and tragically he died in the World Trade Centre collapse, ten years later.

People from the Export Import bank of India also visited Chennai. All these arrivals visited in a positive gain for the Industry. The Chairman of Stanley Tools, world leaders in the Too; segment accounting for 40% of world trade, failed to get an appointment with the highest bureaucracy of the Government, though his Company was looking out for an appropriate opening in India. The Governor of Massuchettus, who was the Republican nominee to oppose President Clinton in 1995, did lot of investments to Bangalore/Hyderabad.

The bilateral trade between India and the United States went up by leaps and bounds. During my tenure with the IACC, I could boast of compiling two mammoth Directories, over-seeing many trade delegations, hosting many speakers on behalf of USIS, and through public donation built a huge mansion as office for Indo American in the heart of the City.

Once a senior level officer from the Secretary of State office came to South India. Primarily, he wanted to visit Kochi-Trivandrum-Bangalore-Hyderabad-Chennai and meet exporters, importers, machinery buyers, government bureaucrats, bank representatives, etc. Sight seeing also was arranged synchronizing with these visits. We visited Srirangapattana at the outskirts of Mysore. The top dignitary, Chief Visa Counsel, USIS representative, was part of the American team. A cenotaph indicated the place where the Mysore Tiger was shot in 1799. Very near to that spot, there was a big screen in which Lord Cornwallis, the Viceroy of India, being gifted with two boys of Tipu as hostages, was picturised. This high diplomat was a Master in History, he had told me. I just asked him, whether he was aware of the resemblance of Lord Cornwallis in Indian as well as American histories. The diplomat was unable to guess. I finally told him that Lord Cornwallis was the captain of the English army which was defeated by George Washington in the Battle of York. The same Lord Cornwallis, succeeded in India by defeating the mighty tiger, and he laid a policy known as ‘temporary settlement’. He failed in the American soil, while in India, he succeeded. The diplomat was very happy with my revelation, that subsequently, he sent me a medallion made of 24 carat gold.

When I demitted my office as Regional Secretary, the Counsel General came personally to attend my farewell function and gave me a gold coin.

The Americans were very friendly, treated me with high esteem, and were generous. It was largely due to their assistance, that the Silicon City emerged in Bangalore, and subsequently in Hyderabad. The second Consulate in southern India was set up in Hyderabad, and inaugurated by President Bush Jr. From South India, the highest number of ethnic population in America came from Andhra Pradesh.

Want statesman, not politician?

Fewer Statesmen and more Politicians…

India has been given to plurity. Adult franchise made all the citizens of India, masters of the Country. When independence came to India, India was divided into India and Pakistan. Pakistan demanded that with the division of the Country, India no longer existed and it should be renamed. But the statesmen of that time argued that India was divided into two portions. Pakistan was eked out of India. Therefore, there is no need to rename India, as most of the part that was India stood, even after partition. This was accepted by the United Nations, and India retained the name ‘India’ and ‘Pakistan’ was made a new member. (Last Days of British Raj by Leonard Morsley)

India began its independent innings with Congress Party, Communist Party, and later on Socialist Party, DMK, AIDMK, PSP, SSP, BJP, Communist (Left), Communist(Right), Janata Dal, PMK, Akali Dal, National Congress, PDP, etc came into being. After 1967, it was the Regional parties who governed the different States like Left ruled Kerala, DMK was voted to power in Tamilnadu, Telugu Desam came to power in Andhra, Janata Dal reigned Karnataka, RJD was in command in Bihar, Marxist led front ruled West Bengal, Assam Gana parishad was elected to power in Assam, BJP ruled Madhya Pradesh, NCP-Congress combine in Maharashtra, Goa Go manta Party in Goa, etc. There were NDA coalition rule in Delhi, UPA rule in Delhi, but all along, there were politicians, and politicians, who became Ministers, took India through development, created projects, conceived infrastructure, brought in revolutionary changes in Education. They ruled India but never reigned.

During the pre-independent days, we had giant statesmen like Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajaji, Pandit Pant, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Malaviya, Ram manohar Lohia, Indira Gandhi, Annadurai, Jyoti Basu, Ramakrishna Hegde, B C Roy, E M S, AK Gopalan, and the like. But with the demise of all these, there have been popular leaders who were mistaken for statesmen. They had the gift of the gab, and through thick innings in political parties, became Ministers, Governors, etc. Most of the members of Parliament keep quiet when important subjects are being raised. It is a pity, that at times when fiery debates are called for, raising voices, unruly behaviour and pandemonium substitute for calm debate, debating skills, subject orientation. It is a sad sight to see Parliament not functioning and adjourned due to chaos. If those who govern and those who act as watch dogs, don’t adhere to discipline and protocol, how could they advice people to be disciplined?

Parochial thinking?

Parochial thinking...

There is no case in point that after Mahajan Commission after hearing all parties, witnessing the disputed areas, taking a holistic picture of the ground realities, decided to allot the states abutting Maharashtra-Karnataka, Maharashtra-Andhra and Kerala-Karnataka areas to one state or the other. The Award was a comprehensive document with well researched documentary reasons and complied with all legal formalities. Notably in the border areas, there is likelihood of people speaking the language of the State which is adjoining. Carving out states on linguistic basis was one of the blunders of makers of modern India.

The States that were carved out should have territorial affinity, administrative feasibility and economic viability. Each of the States should produce revenue and must be self sufficient. The administrative apparatus should be able to reach out to the border areas, and there must not be any restriction of the minority in the boarder areas, if they are speaking another language. With these qualifications, the State Reorganization Act 1956 carved out new states by merging smaller states like Travancore-Cochin-Malabar and by ceding some areas from the Madras Presidency to Kerala, Karnataka was enlarged and boundaries were redfined, Andhra’s map was created, and Bombay was bi-furicated to Bombay and Gujarat by Bombay Re-organization Act, 1960.

In the Act, there is a mechanism for adjudication, in case, different states had different perspectives about the areas delineated or added. These adjustments were part of the consensus between the parties in a give and take spirit of arbitration. If two states, by mutual consent, agreed for some alterations, this clause could be used to rectify the consensus arrived.

Maharashtra filed a suit in 2004 asking for transfer of Marathi speaking areas of Belgium which was live-case pending in the Supreme Court. The State has challenged certain provisions of the State Re-organization Act, 1956 and the Bombay Re-organization Act, 1960. Further during the tendency of the case, the state amended the petition arguing that the disputed Mrathi speaking areas of the pre-independence province of Bombay should have continued with the erstwhile state of Bombay, and then with Maharashtra, on the basis of principles of reorganization of States Reorganization Commission adopted. The State held that the transfer of Mrathi speaking areas to Karnataka was contrary to the basic principle of State re-organization and amounted to an arbitrary and unreasonable exercise of power under Article 3 of the Constitution of India. The fundamental premise underlying Article 3 are the linguistic and cultural homogeneity and the wishes of the people of the area affected by re-organization. Maharashtra blamed the Central Government for bifurcating the two States without adopting a scientific and rational approach. There has been discrimination as violation of Article 21 in so far as the rights of the inhabitants of the disputed area are a flagration of the constitutional duty of the Union Government. The Central Government through an affidavit before the highest Court of the land has termed it as incorrect the contention stated by the State of Maharashtra.

There are also contentious issues at the disputed Babli site in the Andhra-Maharashtra areas. Maharashtra also claimed Karwar and some of Konkan areas, as it had a dominant Marathi people speaking. MES had a foot hold in these regions. Karnataka is clamouring for Kasargode/Manjeshwar areas which are Kannada speaking areas in the Kerala-Karnataka border. Tamilnadu has been making an issue of the Mullapariyar issue, at the same time arguing in different voice for the Cauvery waters. All public properties belong to the Indians. We should face the problems in a give and take manner, instead of unnecessarily clashing over for nothing.

The Country has politicians. But it has very few Statesmen. What the country require today, are Statesmen who could think in the larger context of India, and uniform growth spread so that all people enjoy the Country’s wealth.

The states are carved out for easy administration and theory of convenience. All the States of India constitute the Union. When people are able to traverse, carry on their occupation, get education at state’s expense, why language should be made an issue, and in the name of statehood, merger of areas, and demerger of areas, valuable government property should be destroyed? The Politicians cause all problems in this country, and they should not cause divisions on the basis of caste, creed, religion, language, which are highly personal. It should not be glued to political thinking. Only by right actions, our Country can improve.

The rich and old Roman architecture?

Rome was not built in a day, so goes a saying. All Roads led to Rome. Rome was an eternal City. Pax Romana meant peace throughout the Roman kingdom. The seat of ancient culture. The glory of Greece, the grandeur of Rome, the splendour of Italy, the Wonder that is India, is how, the greatness of the past cities and countries are recaptured by historical personalities. Rome’s precarious architectural birthright is crumbling?

The country is bidding for 2020 Olympics. It would be an occasion to update Italy’s capital. Contemporary architecture now promises to be the new engine and symbol of a new creative identity for Rome that, if development is done right for a change, would complement the City’s hoary and glorious past.

What has the polity contributed to the up-keep of the City’s marvels? A nation whose identity and fiscal survival rests on it now devotes 0.21% of its budget, and this percentage has been dropping, which is about one-fifth of the percentage that French devotes, to theatre, films, exhibitions, music and museums, not to mention the upkeep of all those thousands of historical sites for which there is no master conservation Plan. The City that has a swanky 3.7 million inhabitants and growing, almost everybody outside the historic Rome, where its past is crumbling?

How to balance the old with the new? It’s a familiar quandary. A highway built by Mussolini, if both ends could be architecturally connected, the one side an immense Congress Centre (designed by Massimiliano Fuksas), retain the Luigi Pigorini Museum of Prehistory and Ethnography, a 1930 glory of limestone, stained glass, light and air, epitomizing the modernizing aspirations of an early day, while on the other side, new apartment blocks are to be built.

Antiquarian Domus Aureau, the Golden Villa that Nero built near the Colosseum, a vaulted gallery collapsed. Most of the frescoes are threatened. After this, some chunks fell off the Colosseum. The true Rome, with its imperial past, giant refreshing architectural marvels, is part of history, and the peripheral city that can come up can hardly be called Greater Rome. New Rome, Old Rome, and whatever name it is called, has a duty cast on its city rulers to maintaining the city’s prized but crumbling archaeological sites. Rome is eternal. But somebody has to keep it that way.

Enatur mahanu bhavaru

Prof A Sreedhara Menon, one of the greatest writers on Kerala History, is no more. He joins the league of Kesari Balakrishna Pillai, K A Neelakanta Shastri, L K Anantha Krishna Iyer, and other Historians in having written exhaustively on Kerala History. The origin of the birth of the Malayalam year which is called ‘Kollavarsham’, the advent of Sankara advita philosophy and his journey from Kalady in Angamali, a remote village in Ernakulam district to the four corners of India to set up Sankara maths to devote exclusively to the advita philosophy, the Marumakkathayam, a unique martilinear of chronology, only practiced in Kerala, the important role of freedom fighter of Kerala and their inspiration on the younger ones, the Edakal Cave and its engravings which throw light on pre-historic Kerala, have been sketched beautifully by Sridhar Sir.

To those of the younger generation of History enthusiasts, the books on Kerala History penned by Shri Sridhara Menon were invaluable sources of information. Sangam literature and the works of Neelakanta Shastri etc dwelled more on Pandya and Chola, and Pallava dynasties and histories around them, while little was known of the Cheras. Even though Silapathikaram and padattipattu, and other immortal classical works do draw accurate description of the glory of the Chera dynasty, most of the historians of contemporary times dismiss them as fables of the potentates created by the Court poets who do not have any nose for history.

Shri Sridhara Menon has written many historical books, the first one in 1956 on Indian History. He was the Editor of Kerala Gazetteers and invaluable stamp of authority is visible in the pages of the Gazetteers. A Survey of Kerala History published in 1967 was adopted as an authentic history book for teaching Kerala history in the graduate courses. The Journal of Kerala History and the ‘Journal of the Kerala studies’ were his contributions. Sreedharan Master must have written around 25 books covering the various facets of Kerala History. A private publisher published his book, “History of the freedom movement in Kerala”, from which Thakazhi and Keshavdev have heavily borrowed characters for writing their novels on Kerala historical movement.

There may be many in Kerala, who underplay the contribution of Sir C P Ramaswamy Iyer’s contribution as last Diwan of Travancore to the growth of Travancore. Temple Entry proclamation, Radio Station, nomination of freedom fighters to the Assembly, Wellingdon Water supply, widow remarriage, Schools and Colleges, Music college, honouing of vidwans, Swati Thirunal Music College, popularizing Ravi Varma paintings, art gallery, are some of the greatest contributions of Sir C P. It is also worthy of emulation that he did not execute an agreement of lease to provide water to Tamilnadu from Mullaperiyar dam, which was done by an elected government in Kerala, after 30 years of his departure.

Kerala as a classical language and its excellence, Raja Ravi Varma’s contribution as Leonardo-de-Vinci of India, Swati Thirunals music compositions, Kath kali, a dance form unique to Kerala, the great philosophy of Sankara, that life and death is a cycle, as expressed through ‘Bhajagovindam’ song, and the first Jnanapeeda award was won by Poet Snakara Kurup, are some of the events that made great impact on Indian History. The Queen of the Arabian Sea, the Kochi Port itself is a great story of navigation. From early immortal times, Kerala’s ‘Muziris’ had commercial transactions the world over, and a fact forgotten is that Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, came to Muziris even when the world was unaware of these religions. Prof Sreedhara menon, has depicted these eras in his historical traetise about Kerala, rather wonderfully.

Some of his admirers like me, who were enriched by knowledge and wisdom imparted to us by the great Historians, bemoan his death as a great loss to humanity.

When anybody or everybody is conferred DLitt, it is a pity, the Universities in Kerala never thought of honouring a man, who devoted himself for developing the History department of Kerala University.

May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Childhood remembrances

Aham Asmi bhoo…..

In the 19th century, much before the dawn of independence, Palaghat was part of the Madras presidency directly ruled by the Governor of Madras from Fort St George. Palam means bridge and ghat means the ghat section. When you cross the mountainous trek at Walayar, you come down to Palaghat. Coimbatore was the Manchester of India, as the gentle breeze from the Blue Mountains hit the place. It was a cotton grower’s paradise, and also known as ‘Lancashire of the East’. The Collectorate adjoining to the Coimbatore Station was somewhere near the heart of the City, while the market was in the Double Cross Road. The flower bazaar was also close to this market, and as you enter the Road, there is wide fragrance. R S Puram was a well planned suburb. In RS Puram, there was the East Sambandam Road. At the end of the East Sambadam Road on the west was our ancestral house known as ‘Parvathi Nivas’ constructed by my grandfather Palaghat Ganapati Ananthasubramania Iyer. My grand father had two boys and six girls. My mother was the eldest and the house; I suppose is named after her.

It was the period of early marriages. My mother got married at the age of 18. She came to Kochin during war time, when because of the natural harbour, there were continous black-outs. And she knew few alphabets in Malayalam. One day, a vendor came calling ‘kadal vazhakka’ (fish). Being a poor vegetarian, my mother was shocked when he put the basket carrying fishes on the ground from his head. Like that she made a couple of mistakes. But stupidity always gives way to understanding after bad experiences.

When a boy is born, there is a ‘namakaran’ ceremony. The practice in the Brahmin house-holds is the first boy is named after his grandfather; he will also be given a ‘chellaperu’ (pet name), so that when all and sundry call him by the grandfather’s name, it should not hurt him. When the appropriate age comes, two or three, he is taken to Guruvayoor and given ‘annapravasham’. A thulabaram will also be performed in front of the Lord Guruvayoorappan. The first shave of the head is performed by the customary ambattan (hair dresser). After giving him ‘dakshinna’ only, he performs the feat. During navaratri, after Sarswathi pooja, the ashan used to make us write, a, ah, e, ee, u, uu, etc (Malayalam alphabet) on the sand which is spread over his rough portion of his thatched shedl. He is also given dakshina. He is called ashan (teacher). During our childhood, these people left a lasting impression in our minds. When the girl attains the age of puberty, she becomes ‘periyavazhal’ and there is all round celebration. The boy when he attains the age of 14, is made to wear the sacred thread which is called ‘upanayanam’ which is held in pomp and glory. Part of the upanayana celebration, include begging biksha, “ma ma bhiksham dehi…”(this teaches the young boy to be modest, and life would also mean that you would have to be modest to climb the ladder of success). The mother and father, along with the Vaidyar, cover the boy with pattu (silk) uttarayam, and the Vaidyar utters, “ombu, ombava, odhuam sudha, Om maha, Om janaha: othumsathyam, thatsaravaranyam, bragodevasya demahi, diyo-yo-na-projothayathu, Om apa: jyotisarah: amritham brahmo, boorbovasyaroom….” The Maha Gayatri is a part of this mantra, which has to be chanted 108 times in the morning and 64 times in the evening. The Thalai aviniyavattam is considered to be the most significant in the life of a Brahmin.

There are number of celebrations that Brahmins celebrate in Kerala. Of course, Pongal, attu pongal, mattu pongal, is a celebration of gaiety in the Tamil Brahmins’ psyche. Thiruvathira is a celebration for the ladies. Sastaprathi in Cochin is a great event, which all Brahmins in Cochin look forward to. It is a feast, having pachadi, thoran, koottu, avizhayal, one sweet item, olan, kazhlan, chips, four type pickles, pappad, paruppu, sambar, rasam, two types of payasam, mooru/thiru. Chakkathooran is one of the specialties of the sasthaprathi. Thekkamadam sasathaprathi is followed by Parur, Ernakulam, and Palaghat feasts. Parur sasthaprathi was conducted in a best manner, and the vivid portrayal of the event is recaptured beautifully by Malayattur Ramakrishnan, an IAS officer and a great writer whose novels have been made into movies.

Diwali and Vishnu is also celebrated. Vishnu is Kerala’s cultural festival, while Diwali came to Kochin because of the formidable presence of Gujaratis. Onam is a national festval, celebrated by the entire Keralities, without any difference in caste, creed, religion.

Muslims celebrate their important festivals with religious fervour when Christian festivals are held with great cherish.

The talapalli of the Pazhayannur Bhagavati temple, the sivalli of the Pallurthy Devi temple, the annual celebrations of the TD temple, are all events which attract elephants, sivalli, para (elephant respected by pouring of paddy before it is crushed to rice). The Devis in all their splendours give a divine touch to Mattancherri.

We spent our childhood there. We grew up. We finished our College education. The girls were betrothed and given away in marriage. The time came, when we had to live our splendid Kochin to greener pastures. Like all families, aging parents do accompany their elder son after his marriage. In some families, adjustment gives way to peace in some others irritation becomes larger as the women cannot get along. But parents are not show pieces who can be shunted from one place to another. They should be given the pride of place. In the earlier age, the parents ruled the roost, because the eldest male was the Karnavar, and his writ ran. But the nuclear families, break up of the Joint family system has caused quiet a distrust. Old people refuse to change. Youngsters want freedom and change. There is a generation gap between the old and the new. Conventional wisdom gets drenched in theory of convenience. Tradition gives way to modernity. A new samskar

Every day, after the sandhyavandanam, we used to chant, abivadatheya, angirasa, barahaspathya, bradwaja, thiryarishiya, bharadwaja gotra, ashilayana sutra, rigshada aszyayi, ramanatha sharma ahim asmi bhoo…. And fall at the feet of our parents. . I am dedicating myself to your service that is what I am saying. Precept and practice is a yard long!

Today, these land marks, which were vestiges in one’s childhood frame, are no more. The colonies are also not there. The old families and familiar faces have left Kochin. They are no more there. The temples stand. A new generation lives there. Aham asmi bhoo….

What is aham asmi bhoo....

When I saw a small boy, may be 12, I was initiated into the Brahmacharyam, and upanayam was performed. Our grandfather who was all in all, a leading lawyer, a man of many parts, having well known clinetele, used to decide what was good for our family. Accordingly, he called Manikka Vaidyar from Vadekkemadam in New Road, and looked at my horoscope, and decided upon the 'upanayanam' date. Manikka Vaidyar, who was our family priest, announced that May 21,1964 was the appropriate date matching with my dhanu Rasi and Kataka lagnam. With the green flag from my grandfather, the function was held in a grand fashion. During the upanayam, you are taught to introduce yourself, before your elders, "abhivadeya.... and fall at the feet of theelders by saying the sanskrit words, aham (I) asmi (earth) boo..(respect). I surrender everything to earth.

Some of my autobiographical incidents are culled out and narrated here.

Please Read, and send in your comments.