K.Thangamuthu, Chairman of Sadhaya Vizha Committee,(Sitting center) and Babaji Rajah Bhonsle, Senior Prince,(Second from left) at the 1028th Sadhaya Vizha (Coronation day) of King Raja Raja Cholan, in Thanjavur on Sunday. / Photo:B. Velankanni Raj / The Hindu
The life of King Raja Raja Cholan and the history of Thanjavur district should be documented for the benefit of future generations, said District Collector N.Subbaiyan here on Sunday.
Inaugurating the 1028 Sadhaya Vizha(Coronation Day) of King Raja Raja Cholan, who built the Big Temple in Thanjavur, Mr.Subbaiyan said kings of yesteryears had recorded their history in the form of epigraphs and there was a need to document them now.
The Big Temple spoke volumes about the architectural skill, spirituality, and humanism of King Raja Raja Cholan. The temple remained the centre of administration and evidences in the form of epigraphs are available on the reforms initiated by the king in land administration and conduct of elections.
K.Thangamuthu, chairman, Sadhaya Vizha Committee, Babaji Rajah Bhonsle, Senior Prince and Hereditary Trustee of Palace Devasthanam, G.Dharmarajan, Superintendent of Police, Thanjavur district, participated.
A seminar on Raja Raja Cholan followed the inauguration. V.Latha, assistant professor of Sculpture, P.Jayakumar, Professor of Epigraphy, K.P.Nallasivam, assistant professor of Philosophy, M.Bhavani, assistant professor of Epigraphy, all from Tamil University, and K.Menaka, Assistant Professor, Department of History, AVC College, Mayiladuthurai, spoke on the various aspects of the king’s administration.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Tiruchirapalli / by Special Correspondent / Thanjavur, November 11th, 2013
Ten months after Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announced a memorial for Chola King Karikalan, who built the Grand Anicut (kallanai), the 14-ft statue of the king on his elephant is ready for installation.
The bronze statue weighs between two and three tonnes. The image for the memorial was provided by the State government, and created by Chennai-based sculptor Kishore Nagappa.
In January this year, Ms. Jayalalithaa, while inaugurating a memorial for Colonel John Pennycuick, the British engineer who built the century-old Mullaperiyar Dam, said a similar memorial would be created for the ancient Tamil king near the Grand Anicut.
“The bronze statue depicts the king astride an elephant and pointing to the kallanai. The height of the elephant is 8 ft and the king sitting on it adds another 6 ft,” said Mr. Nagappa, whose father Jayaram Nagappa created the statues of Veerama Munivar and former Chief Minister Kamaraj on the Marina, and Swami Vivekananda at Vivekananda Illam. Mr. Nagappa used ‘sandwich moulding,’ a process that is normally employed to create larger-than-life statues. “First, we create a clay model and this is transferred to a plaster of Paris mould. Then, we create a sandwich model by laying wax in between the two layers of moulds. After allowing the mould to dry, we heat it to melt the wax and draw it out. This process leaves a cavity inside the mould,” he said.
Finally, the important process of pouring the molten bronze into the cavity begins. After allowing it to cool, the statue is chiselled to perfection. Mr. Nagappa said normally big statues are made in segments and welded together.
Nagappa
“While bronze images of Gods are solid pieces, statues are made with hollow insides. Handling and putting up a solid 14-ft statue will be a Himalayan task,” he said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Tamil Nadu / by B. Kolappan / Chennai – November 10th, 2013
In the din of flamboyant film posters, a flex board installed along the busy Kamarajar Salai in Madurai fails to catch the attention of speeding motorists. But for a few, who stop over to have a glance, the board, brings an instant smile. Written in bold are the words “Hedde Jomai” (idiot son-in-law), the title of a made-in-Madurai Saurashtrian movie.
Far away from the glamour and grandeur of Kollywood – the multi-crore Tamil filmdom – a niche film industry is in its nascent stage at Madurai. Saurashtrians in the temple city who had migrated to Madurai from Gujarat three centuries back have begun making films in their mother tongue to keep their language alive and entertain the 3 lakh strong Saurashtrian people here.
So far, half-a-dozen films – family dramas, comedy, devotional and even a romance flick – have been made on a shoestring budget. The filmmakers point out that Saurashtrian language films are not even made in their native Gujarat. “We want to keep alive our identity. Though our people watch Tamil films, we always have a longing to watch a film in our mother tongue,” says V K Neelarao, director of ‘Hedde Jomai’.
The filmmakers utilise available equipment like cameras and flashguns used by professional videographers. Shooting is widely done in Madurai, while some chose to travel to places like Yercaud for outdoor shootings. The budgets are limited to less than Rs 10 lakh.
“For Hedde Jomai, besides story, screenplay, dialogues and direction, I have also penned the lyrics. The film revolves around women empowerment,” says Neelarao, a former journalist with a vernacular magazine. The film was entirely financed by his businessman son V K N Kasiviswanathan. Reluctant to reveal the budget, Neelarao, however, says that he is not after profits.
S R Ramlal, who has made two films ‘Simmasanam’ and ‘Hamsadhvani’, says that his films are mostly funded by the crowds. “None of our technicians or actors demand payment. In fact, they would also pool in money for the production,” he claims. Most of the crew and artistes are Saurashtrians, but for few exceptions,” Ramlal says. In Hedde Jomai, but for the female lead from Kerala, all are Saurashtrians from Madurai.
The films are exhibited in community halls during the association meetings and family get-togethers for an entry fee. CDs of the films sell like hotcakes in Madurai. The films are also screened in local cable channels.
K B Sivakumar, a cameraman who also dons the hat of an editor says that the content of Saurashtrian films are completely different from mainstream Tamil films. “We are not influenced by Tamil films. There will not be any resemblance,” he says.
A yarn trader, J P Appan Raj says that he went popular overnight among the Saurashrta community after he played the lead role in a film. “Everyone on the street kept gazing at me,” says Raj, who got inspired by thespian Sivaji Ganesan.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / by V. Mayilvaganan, TNN / November 11th, 2013
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday inaugurated a memorial for Colonel John Pennycuick, the British engineer who built the century-old Mullaperiyar Dam to solve the drought situation in the Vaigai delta region in the 19th century.
The memorial has a bronze statue of Pennycuick, and has been constructed amid the scenic Western Ghats at Lower Camp here at a cost of Rs 1.25 crore. The dam is said to have been completed in 1895.
Tamil Nadu and Kerala are locked in a bitter row over the 118-year-old dam, with the latter wanting to replace it with a new one citing safety reasons while Tamil Nadu has held that the dam is strong. A case is on before Supreme Court.
During the simmering row with Kerala over the safety of the dam last year, Jayalalithaa had announced constructing the memorial for the Britisher over 2500 sq.ft.
She had then said people had placed a demand for constructing a memorial for Pennycuick to show their gratitude since the dam had been functioning well.
Jayalalithaa expressed confidence of a favourable verdict from the apex court in the wake of its appointed empowered committee vouching for the safety of the dam.
“In its report (the committee) has clearly said that the dam is safe and the storage level could be increased to 142 ft (from 136 ft) and then on upto 152 ft after taking up necessary works. I believe Supreme Court will rule in favour of Tamil Nadu based on this report,” she said in her address.
The Chief Minister noted that Pennycuick had sold his property back in England for completion of the project amid lot of difficulties including stoppage of funds from then British administration and natural calamities.
She also announced naming the upcoming Bus Stand at Theni after the British colonel.
Jayalalithaa refuted DMK chief M Karunanidhi’s charge that her government had not taken up maintenance of the 133 ft tall Thirvuvalluvar statue at Kanyakumari, saying chemical coating was given in 2004 and 2008.
The foundation stone for the statue of the Tamil saint-poet was laid by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai in the presence of then chief minister M G Ramachandran in 1979 and even during her rule in 1991-96 Rs 1.28 crore were released for various works connected with it. Karunanidhi cannot claim
entire credit for erecting the statue, Jayalalithaa said.
She also announced constructing a memorial for legendary Tamil king Karikal Chola for building the 2000 year-old ‘Kallanai’ (dam) over Kollidam river,which is still strong. She described the dam as an “engineering marvel.”
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Politics / DC / January 15th, 2013
An eight-foot-high bronze statue of Karikala Cholan, seated on an elephant, which was made at a studio here, is all set to be installed in Thanjavur district.
Following chief minister J. Jayalalithaa’s announcement, the government took up the task of making the statue to perpetuate the memory of the king who built the Kallanai dam for irrigation in the Cauvery delta region.
Jayalalithaa had announced the statue for the king while inaugurating in January this year the memorial of John Pennycuick who built the Mullaiperiyar dam.
“The 2,000-year old Kallanai dam which stands stronger than many other dams in the state was built by the Tamil king, and hence, his statue is being readied to stand majestically at his memorial near the dam,” said Kishore. J. Nagappa, who sculpted the statue.
“It took us around three months to finish the statue,” Nagappa said.
“The statue has been so designed that it can stand the test of time and remain a subject to be talked about. Hence, it is meticulously done,” he added.
The memorial will be constructed at a cost of Rs 2.10 crore along the banks of the Cauvery on an area of 4,090 sq ft.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC / November 10th, 2013
An early photograph of Dr. A.Mathuram with his wife Jane and children. / Photo by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
The story of Dr. Ayyathurai Mathuram, one of Tiruchi’s most notable medical practitioners
On the Puthur junction leading on to Pattabhiraman Road in Tiruchi stands a gilded statue, impervious to the chaotic traffic below. The likeness is that of Dr. Ayyathurai Mathuram, one of the city’s notable medical practitioners, and was inaugurated by the then Chief Minister of Madras, K.Kamaraj, in 1956.
Behind the statue stretches out a compound of residences and commercial buildings, broadly known by the name of the first structure there — Guru Medical Hall. And with it, the story of the Mathuram family that is woven into the city’s reputation as a regional healthcare hub, with generations of the clan practising both allopathic and Ayurvedic medicine here until today.
Walking us through the rich legacy is Dr. Bapu Isaac Mathuram, one of Dr. Ayyathurai’s grandsons, who stays in what is known as the ‘Centenary Building’, built in 1977 to mark the 100th birth anniversary of Dr. A.Mathuram.
A professor of biochemistry at the CSI College of Dental Sciences and Research, Madurai, Dr Bapu also finds himself to be a keeper of memories, particularly those related to his illustrious ancestors.
His residence is also unique for another reason — its two upper floors serve as the manufacturing unit of the popular Ayurvedic preparations patented by Dr. A. Mathuram — Guru Thailam (ointment) and Guru Pal Podi (toothpowder).
Family of physicians
As we sit listening to Dr. Bapu recounting the chronology of the Mathuram physicians down the ages in a room lined with a mix of antique and modern furniture and knick-knacks, the broad outlines of a different era begin to take shape.
“My great-grandfather Dr. Samuel Mathuram is the one who decreed ‘Mathuram’ (honey/nectar in Sanskrit) should be the family name, though we don’t know exactly why. He was a Christian missionary doctor who served in many places throughout southern India for 46 years,” says Dr. Bapu.
Dr. Samuel was also the recipient of the formulae of his grandfather Nallamuthu Visuvasam’s natural remedies. Visuvasam was a well-respected physician from Tirunelveli who had formulated his medicines based on his interactions with Hindu ascetics in the early 19th century.
Inspiration
Dr Samuel’s son Ayyathurai was born in 1877 in Irungalur near Tiruchi. After the death of his first wife (after the birth of another son), Dr. Samuel moved to Nazareth near Tuticorin.
Ayyathurai was a precocious child, according to family accounts, and says Dr. Bapu, “even though he had already done an LMP (Licentiate Medical Practitioner) degree, considered a high qualification at that time, he decided to switch over to proper medical studies after getting inspired by the words on the page of a pulpit Bible while praying in church, which he felt urged him to go and minister the sick and serve the poor.”
He completed his studies at the Prince of Wales Medical School, Thanjavur, in 1900 and served in the government for five years before deciding to strike out on his own. Starting his practice in Virudhunagar, he moved to Viswanaikanpettai (near modern-day Tennur), in Tiruchi, choosing two adjacent houses to function as his clinic and residence.
Medical mission
Unlike other doctors of the period who were rejecting native cures in favour of Western medicine, Dr. A. Mathuram promoted Ayurvedic therapies. The most common ailments at the time were anaemia and malaria, cures for which people thronged the doctor’s clinic.
“Dr. A. Mathuram wanted to give people medicines that were reasonably priced, and used natural ingredients,” says Dr. Bapu. “My grandmother Jane used to grind them in the right proportion,” he adds.
“Inspired by a song with the words ‘Guru Marunthu, Maru Marunthu’ playing next door, Dr. A. Mathuram decided to name his company Guru Medicine,” he adds, with Guru indicative of Jesus Christ, whose image is also part of the product logo.
By the early 1900s, Dr. A.Mathuram’s formulations were selling well in Burma, Malaya and Sri Lanka. Among the more famous of these were Guru Santhana Sornam (to treat female infertility), Guru Ague Mixture (malaria), Guru Soga Sanjeevni (anaemia), Guru Vallara Legyam (skin disease), Malabar Koonthal Thailam (for hair growth) and Manorama Hair Oil (anti-dandruff).
The British honours of ‘Rao Bahadur’ and ‘Rao Sahib’ were conferred on Dr. A. Mathuram as his medical career flourished.
Legacy
Always of a spiritual bent of mind, Dr. Ayyathurai gifted away large tracts of his land holdings in Tiruchi for public use. Some of the family’s properties such as the Ettupattai Bungalow (octagonal in shape) and Guru Medical Hall, have become popular place markers in the Puthur locality.
Seven children were born to the Mathurams, four sons and three daughters, most of who went on to serve as medical practitioners.
“My grandfather had a penchant for naming his children after famous world personalities,” reveals Dr. Bapu with a smile when he lists the cosmopolitan names of Dr. A. Mathuram’s sons.
The eldest, born in 1904, was Dr. Edward Paul, who joined his father in the Guru Medicine enterprise in 1930 after completing his medical studies. Later on, he was also active in politics, serving as Member of Legislative Assembly and Member of Parliament.
The second son, Dr. Naoroji Mathuram also joined the family firm in 1935. The third, Mr. George Rothschild, served in the army and upon retirement, joined the judicial service and went on to become District Judge.
Dr. Bannerji Mathuram (Dr. Bapu’s father), completed his medical studies in Madras Medical College and joined the government service. He retired as District Medical Officer (DMO) after serving in Cuddalore (formerly South Arcot) and Salem in the late 1960s.
Subsequent generations have shown a similar affinity for medicine, with Dr. Samuel Ayyathurai, Dr. Bapu, Dr. Ann Duraisami and Dr. Joseph Mathuram all distinguishing themselves in their chosen field, followed by younger family members today.
Heritage home
Among the vestiges of Dr. A. Mathuram’s estate is a 10,000 square feet bungalow in the Guru Medical Hall compound that retains some of the original furnishings, including four sturdy Burmese teak pillars that support the central hall, and ceramic tiles embedded into the walls, made of local red soil. Built in the 1920s, the high-ceilinged bungalow served as a district courthouse for a while, and also had an emergency underground bunker that has since been closed. “My grandfather also maintained a zoo here, the only one in Tiruchi,” Dr.Bapu says with some pride.
The much-storied life of the medical pioneer came to an end in 1944.
At the bungalow, as Dr. Bapu’s wife Joy coaxes a tune out of the Steinbeck piano that originally belonged to Dr. A. Mathuram, a small gathering of family members breaks into a hymn of thanksgiving. It adds a sweet note to round off the story of the Mathurams.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review> History & Culture / by Nahla Nainar / Tiruchi – November 08th, 2013
It is a compilation of the Kongu Region’s evolution, primarily Coimbatore, Erode and Tirupur districts.
Similar to the Kansas cyclopedia or the more recent Salem cyclopedia, it lists entries on various personalities, localities, monuments, landmarks, events and historical findings from Coimbatore and surrounding areas that shaped the evolution of a rural landscape into a bustling industrial hub. For CR Elangovan, a former employee of a private educational institution in Coimbatore and a self proclaimed historical chronicler of the region, the 250 page book with more than 1000 entries has been the realisation of countless trips, discussions and persuasions since 2013.
“I have collected around 15,000 photographs and have met numerous people to prepare this manuscript. I could say that I have travelled across the entire region on my motorcycle to collect the photographs and information listed in this book,” said CR Elangovan, author of Coimbatore cyclopedia.
Aptly titled as Coimbatore cyclopedia ( encyclopedia), the hardbound book was initially planned as Kongu cyclopedia but the idea was dropped since a Salem cyclopedia had already been published by B Rajannan, another historian and librarian. The Coimbatore cyclopedia includes entries about eminent personalities from the region, temples, cave inscriptions and even prominent towns and villages in the region. Koniamman Temple, major mosques, forgotten freedom fighters, local chieftains and prominent industrialists and entrepreneurs all find mention in the compilation.
“There might have been some omissions and a few grammatical errors in this edition but it will be identified and rectified. I have been helped and supported by numerous people from the city without which this would not have been possible,” Elangovan added that the book also mentions the first pump set manufactured in Coimbatore, the first eye clinic started in Town Hall in 1928 and interesting tit bits about the region ranging from the final resting place of Hugo Wood, a British forest officer who propagated teak cultivation in Top Slip and was buried in the forests as per his final wish. The traditional customs and religious rituals of almost all communities residing in Coimbatore are also mentioned in the book.
“The Salem cyclopedia was done on a wider scale with the support of government and research institutions. It took almost nine years for them to complete the research and bring out the manuscript. It was published in 1992,” Elangovan said.
Elangovan resides at RS Puram here in the city and is presently working as a full time author and historian. He has already written two books on the history of Coimbatore and Siruvani river. K Subramanian, Former Assistant Editor of Tamil Encyclopedia along with prominent industrialists and philanthropists from the city were present at the function.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / by Binoy Valsan, TNN / November 06th, 2013
Most residents of Chennai hardly know about the existence of the Royapuram railway station, north of George Town. The station is now in the news because of a proposal to demolish it. The Royapuram railway station is one of the oldest stations in India and the oldest in South India. Almost immediately after the establishment of the country’s first railway line linking Bombay with Thana in April, 1853, the British wanted a railway station for Madras. The choice of the present location for the Royapuram station was its proximity to Fort St. George and George Town that was then emerging as a prominent residential-cum-commercial hub of the city.
The Royapuram station initially linked the city of Madras with Wallajah Road in Arcot. Designed by William Tracey, the station was formally inaugurated by the Governor of Madras. Originally surrounded by a beautiful garden, the station represents the quasi-Classical style of architecture of the Late Renaissance period.
The most attractive feature is the quadrangular porch with its fluted Corinthian columns. Till the construction of the Chennai Central railway station in 1873, the Royapuram station was the main rail terminus for the city. In its initial years, the latter station served as the venue where the top British dignitaries including the Viceroy and st July, 1856 by Lord members of the royal family were formally received on their arrival in the city.
Historically and architecturally, the Royapuram station is comparable to the more famous Grand Central Station in New York city, and the Paddington Station in London. But unlike, the other heritage stations, Royapuram has not been put to optimum use in recent decades.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Lifestyle> Travel / DC / Dr. S. Suresh / July 03rd, 2013
Tribal children from Wayanad got their first experience of a train ride when they travelled from Nilgiris to Chennai on Thursday to give cultural performances in front of academics and biodiversity authorities at a national conference on Forest, Livelihood and Tribal Development.
The conference, organized by the department of social work at Madras Christian College in Tambaram here saw researchers, academics and students from 15 states, including the northeast, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, discuss issues impacting tribals in different parts of the country.
Speaking on the Tribal Rights Act and its Implementation on Forest Dwellers, former Tamil Nadu principal chief conservator of forests C K Sreedharan said that if the concerned machinery expected to implement the Act did not believe in it, then the whole thing was bound to be a failure. “After a policy decision is made, the officials in charge of implementing it should accept the decision. Tribals need a lot of support from everybody. A lot depends on the sincerity and commitment of civic servants and local implementation organizations,” he added.
Responding to a question from the audience after his talk, Sreedharan said there were no loopholes in the Forest Rights Act 2006 but a lot had been denied to the tribals for a number of years.
Conference coordinator D Prince Annadurai said that the tribal population in India was at the receiving end because of several big corporate projects and that there was an increasing need to bring them to the limelight to provide intervention so that they could reap the benefits of development and to learn from their practices and ways. It was not an attempt to change their lifestyle overnight, he said.
Peter Ronald, project manager of the Nilgiris Wayanad Tribal Welfare Society, said that the trip gave the children, representing Paniya and Kaatunayaka communities of Wayanad, exposure to the world outside their communities. “After seeing the college, one of the children told me that he wants to study in MCC after he finishes school. That’s the kind of experience we want to give these children,” he said.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai> Tribals / M. Ramya, TNN / October 03rd, 2013
There are few free online resources for users in Tamil. The biggest is Tamil Wikipedia, and its volunteers want to make more knowledge free and accessible to all./ File Photo / The Hindu
Tamil Wikipedia volunteers offer to help State’s top universities digitise scholarly works
A group of volunteers who contribute regularly to the free online Tamil Wikipedia are lobbying with the State’s top universities to digitise volumes of Tamil encyclopaedia to make accessible valuable content under open knowledge networks.
“There are various Tamil development agencies and universities that get funded to produce scholarly works in encyclopaedias,” says A. Ravishankar, an active volunteer of Chennai’s network of contributors to Tamil Wikipedia.
“These were initiatives started in the 1960s. So mostly they don’t have digital versions and are not accessible unless you buy the book. There are also many works that are out of print. We are looking to digitise these under open knowledge networks,” he says.
Unlike in Western languages, there are few free online resources for users in Tamil. The biggest free resource is the online encyclopaedia Tamil Wikipedia that recently celebrated its 10 anniversary in the city. It has over 55,000 articles written and edited by over 900 contributors, in an age group ranging from 11 to 77 years.
The transferring of such scholarly works online, under licences such as ‘creative commons’ or other ‘copyleft’ (opposite of copyright) agreements have already started around the world and in India. Recently, the University of Goa released its encyclopaedia in Konkani under the creative commons licence that allows for everyone to share information with proper crediting.
In 2008, Malayalam encyclopaedia ‘Sarvavijnjakosam’ was released under GFDL (GNU Free Documentation Licence) on the website mal.sarva.gov.in.
The task of digitising Tamil encyclopaedias would be labour-intensive even more than cost-intensive, and is an area where the Tamil Wikipedia network can pitch in, volunteers say. “There are no good OCR (optical character readers) for Tamil. So the work will have to be manual, and each of the articles will have to be physically typed. If we take up the work, we can save the universities a lot of money and also open up vast reams of knowledge for the common good,” Ravishankar adds.
The Tamil Wikipedia network has asked its volunteers to spread the message at all possible venues to free up knowledge. “You cannot lock up knowledge in books any more,” Ravishankar says. “It is time to free it for the world to read.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Karthik Subramanian / Chennai – November 04th, 2013
