He took Khadi to Wembley

Many will find it difficult to believe that in 1923 a Tamil play, Kadharin Vetri (Khadi’s success), was staged at the Wembley World Fair in London. Rather surprisingly, it was a play which highlighted the Indian freedom movement which was then gathering strength under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. The person who left his footprint in London was a Tamil playwright, ardent patriot, journalist, one of the founding fathers of Modern Tamil Theatre, Satha­vadhanam Te. Po. Krishna­swami Pavalar.

Even though he wore Western clothes, being always seen in a three-piece suit along with a laced pith turban, and was used to the comforts of a Western style of living, Pavalar, a resident of Chintadripettai, fought for freedom in his own way, using the medium of the stage.

One of those responsible for the renaissance of Tamil Theatre was Pammal Samban­dam Mudaliar, who gave a status to amateur theatre, with his Suguna Vilas Sabha. The sabha attracted the upper crust of Madras society, like lawyers, doctors, engineers, business magnates and highly placed government officials, all willing to join in the theatre movement. One of them was Pavalar, who played major roles in Sambandam Mudaliar’s successful plays, Manohara ... Sarangadhara ...

Pavalar was a brilliant Tamil scholar and had drunk deep of the ancient classics of his mother tongue. He had the unique capacity of composing a poem at the drop of a hat on any subject suggested to him.

In those days, there was an intellectual art form in which one person would hold centre­stage and be surrounded by a number of scholars and laymen, who would throw all sorts of questions, puzzles and challenges at him. He had to instantaneously give them answers. One person would be seated in a corner ringing a bell every now and then and, at the end of the session, the person would be asked to speak on as many questions as the number of times the bell rang! The person would then be bestowed the title ‘Satha­vadhani’ (one who could ­answer a hundred questions at the same time). Pavalar was one such rare achiever and was always referred to as ‘Sathava­dha­nam Krishnawami Pavalar.’

During his time many patriots burned imported clothes and swore to wear only handspun khadi. Based on this movement, Pavalar wrote the play Kadharin Vetri. It was staged in 1922 and proved a major success in all the Tamil-speaking parts of the Madras Presidency.

In the play, the lovers are united after many problems and in the post-wedding dinner sequence, real payasam was served to the people on stage at every show, with many asking for second and third servings! People seated in the front rows of the auditorium could inhale the aroma of the payasam! This sequence received standing ovations.

Palavar had his own drama troupe, Bala Manohara Sabha. It staged the hit play at the famous Royal Theatre (now sadly vanished) which was opposite Salt Cotaurs in the Park Town area. It was here that the legendary plays of the iconic S.G. Kittappa were staged and the amazing stagecraft of Kannaiah Naidu was seen.

Naidu stunned Madras theatre-goers by using a generator for electricity to illuminate the stage, at a time when only ­gaslights were used for lighting. It used to be said that many went to the theatre more to see the electric lights than to watch the plays!

Expectedly, the British Indian Government banned Kadharin Vetri, but, undaunted, Pavalar, who had considerable influence with the British officials thanks to his involvement with the Boy Scouts Movement, approached the then Governor, Lord Willing­don, with whom he was on friendly terms. He persuaded Willingdon to withdraw the ban order just before the plush curtain went up at Royal Theatre on opening day. From Royal Theatre in Madras to faraway Wembley in England, it was a success-drenched journey for Pavalar...

Socially conscious as he was, he wrote another play dealing with the problems of drinking, gambling, visiting women of questionable morals, and on the impact they had on married life. It was called Pathi Bhakthi and was produced by the Madurai Original Boys’ Company, one of the most famous Boys’ Companies of the day. The play proved a great success. It was later filmed (in 1936).

To highlight the dark side of horse racing, he wrote Governor’s Cup, which was also a success. The well-known writer-director A.T. Krishna­swami (ATK) announced a film based on the play, with R.S. Manohar as hero, but, sadly, the film did not progress beyond press ads.

Another play by Pavalar was Bombai Mail. The title was not the name of a train but the name of the hero who worked for the uplift of the poor, oppressed and depressed, and indulged in robbery to help the downtrodden. It was obviously inspired by Robin Hood. In Pavalar’s play, in the opening sequence, the hero jumps onto the stage carrying the Congress tricolour singing ‘Jai! Jai! Jai! Bharatha Manikodi Vaa­zhga’. The hero sang many songs high­lighting Mahatma Gan­dhi’s charka, Hindu-Muslim unity, and other such national themes. This play was filmed more than once.

Another play was Punjab Kesari (Lion of Punjab), in which the hero is mostly masked. Staged in 1938, it featured the well-known stage and screen actor of his day P. Kesavan who had played the lead role in Bombai Mail too.

Pavalar was also a journalist and, swimming against the current, he launched a Tamil maga­zine, Desabandhu, and a Tamil daily Indraiya Samacharam (Today’s News), which was sold at kaalana (the Indian rupee then comprised 64 kaalanas/192 dhambidis). During that period, businessmen were shy of advertising in Tamil publications but one young man who succeeded in getting ads for Pavalar’s publications was an aspiring journalist himself who would later create history as S.S. Vasan!

Pavalar was from the Chingleput District and be­long­ed to the Gramani community. He dedicated his life to the cause of Tamil and the fight for freedom. His brother, who also served the Tamil language famously, was the educationist Te. P. Meenakshisundaranar.
It is a matter of regret that today not many are aware of Krishnaswami Pavalar or his contribution to the Tamil language and the Indian freedom movement.

India is often referred to as the ‘land of festivals and fairs’. There are festivals for rain, spring, harvest and even to celebrate plants and animals. There are others that celebrate religious occasions. Thanks to the cultural diversity of our country, each of these festivals is celebrated in different ways in different States.

One thing common to all the festivals, however, is that they often have unintended and undesirable effects on the environment. Every festival these days brings one or more of the following undesirable consequences to the public of the area:

• Greater noise levels,
• Traffic congestion, and
• Waste accumulation.

In fact, Indian festivities have begun to contribute to the degradation of the natural environment.

Ganesh Chaturthi – the festival that celebrates the foremost God of the Hindu pantheon – kick starts the festive season in India. Several weeks prior to the festival, the mass production of the elephant God begins. Traditionally, these idols were made from mud and clay and were coloured using plant-based dyes. But in recent times huge idols are made using Plaster of Paris and are decorated using chemical paints. As a result, after their immersion, the idols take several months to dissolve and in the process release toxic heavy metals, including lead and cadmium, resulting in deterioration of the water­bodies.

To add to the problem, devotees often carelessly dump plastic flowers, thermacole accessories, etc. along with the idol, and these completely choke the water bodies. This causes the death of fish and other aquatic creatures.

Another serious impact that the festival has on the environment is, when gigantic idols of the Lord are taken for immersion in large processions, accompanied by drum beating and dancing, the processions not only increase the level of air and noise pollutions, but also cause massive traffic jams.

Each year, during the months of September-October, comes the festival of Dussera that celebrates the Mother Goddess in her many manifestations – as Durga (Goddess of Valour), Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth) and Saraswati (Goddess of Wisdom). In West Bengal, and by Bengalis across the globe, Dussera is celebrated as Durga Puja. Enormous pandals are erected to house beautiful images of Ma Durga. The puja culminates with the immersion of the idols of the Goddess in waterbodies and this has similar impacts as Ganesh visarjan.

Next comes the festival of Deepavali – the most important as well as the most polluting festival. Though the festival is supposed to bring light and happiness into our lives, the fire crackers pose serious health hazards. A comparative study of the pollution levels before and after the festivities indicates a steep increase in air and noise pollution levels. Air pollutants, such as sulphur, nitrous oxides and Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) released by the fire crackers, increase the incidence of respiratory ailments and allergies. In 2007, Chennai recorded a 64 per cent increase in the levels of RSPM on Deepavali day, ranging between 131 and 132 micrograms per cubic metre (Source: http://www.thehindu. com//2007/11//15/stories/200711156 0570400.htm).

The festival also generates enormous quantities of waste, including cardboard boxes that stored fire crackers, burnt scraps of paper, blistered flower-pots, chakras and rockets. In Chennai city alone, 600 tonnes of additional garbage was generated during the festival in 2007
(Source: http://www.hinduonnet.com/2007/11/10/stories/2007111059650300.htm).

Holi is yet another festival that turns into an environmental disaster almost every year (not to mention the deadly effect that it has on people’s skin). The colours of Holi in recent times have become metallic and fluorescent in nature, unlike earlier times when people used to play with natural colours. Studies point out that the dyes used in the present-day colours contain lead oxide, copper sulphate and aluminium bromide, among other chemicals (Source:http//www.toxicslink.org/). All these chemicals are toxic and can cause skin allergies, eye irritation and much more. When washed, these chemicals enter the groundwater and soil and, ultimately, the food chain. Also, on the eve of Holi, tonnes of firewood are burnt (to symbolise the burning of the demoness Holika), causing even more pollution.

Then, there are other festivals meant for the worship of the plants and animals. But rituals born of ignorance often tend to torture the objects of worship.

A typical example is the festival of Nagpanchami – a festival earmarked for the reverence of cobras and other snakes. Unfortunately, in present times, hundreds of cobras are captured by snake charmers during Nag­pan­cha­mi. The snakes are extracted from their burrows, their mouths stitched, their poison sacs punctured and their fangs broken. On the festival day, milk is fed to the snakes, resulting in ­severe diseases and allergic reactions. Although the snakes are set free after the festival, many are left behind dead or dying and mutilated.

The sport of Jallikattu (bull snaring) in Tamil Nadu during Mattu Pongal (cattle thanksgiving) is yet another example of cruelty shown towards ­animals in the name of tradition.

Festivals are occasions meant to bring us joy. Unfortunately, in recent times, the festivals bring with them many problems. The reasons?

Firstly, most of our festivals today have become ruthlessly commercialised (greeting cards, partying, etc.) and involve spending of a great deal of money, energy, as well as other resources.

Secondly, some of the age-old customs do not suit the present. For example, the first day of Pongal is celebrated as Bhogi. A major activity on this day is the burning of old items that are of not much use. In earlier days, the event was limited to the burning of farm waste, but nowadays people residing in cities burn plastics, rubber tyres and other non-biodegradable materials, causing widespread pollution. In fact, in January 2008, flights at Chennai airport were delayed by more than three hours due to the smog caused by Bhogi bonfires (Source: http//www.hindu. com//2008/01/15/stories/20080115 57810200.htm.)

While it is important that we continue celebrating festivals in order to keep our cultural identity, it is also time we re-think our ways of enjoying them and stop mindlessly destorying the environment in the name of rituals and religion. (Courtesy: Eco News, journal of C.P.R. ­Environmental Education Centre)

A book to understand today’s India

Imagining India: Ideas for the New Century
Nandan Nilekani (Penguin, Rs.699).

One of the most anticipated books in recent times, the one thing that strikes you most about this 500-page tome is the positive thought throughout. Truly one of India’s ambassadors, Nilekani is definitely qualified in every way to discuss a nation that is a melting pot of paradoxes.

There is honesty and simplicity in the way he tackles the various issues that have shaped the way the nation thinks today. Personally, the chapter titled ‘The Phoenix Tongue’, on the rise, fall and rise of the English language, was a gripping read. Nilekani discusses how the English language has come to stay in a nation which has more than 150 dialects and 22 official languages. If you have to make it big, you have to know English, is how the country thinks. How true!

The other thought-provoking chapter is ‘S is for Schools’. There is a little bit of despondency in Nilekani’s voice when he dissects the education system in India. But as the chapter ends, there is a ray of hope. For, “Across India… the demand for education is rising in a single voice.”

Every chapter is dealt with in a similar fashion, be it the ITisation of the banking sector (bankers were the most difficult to convince to switch to IT, recalls the author) or the caste battles that have often interfered with progress.

If you are looking for a book to read on a flight, this is not for you. But if you are a thinking citizen, who seriously believes insocial reform, Nilekani’s work is just right. Of course, like he writes, “It is impossible to frame a single picture of India; the reality of India depends on where you stand.” So, pick up this book. It will help you understand your country better.

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The tragic story of a Sikh Prince

The Exile
Navtaj Sarna (Penguin, Rs. 450).

The name Duleep Singh brings to mind one powerful image – the signing away of the Koh-i-noor diamond to the British. It’s that one deed bythe last Maharajah of Punjab for which he was never forgiven by his fellow countrymen. But did he have a choice? That’s what Sarna’s book is all about.

The biography is a retelling of this dashing young man’s turbulent life and times. The youngest of Maharajah Ranjit Singh’s acknowledged sons, Duleep was separated from his mother when the British annexed Punjab. Even more tragic was his conversion to Christianity. Sent to England at 16, he learnt to live there in a culture alien to him. But when he was ill-treated and he suddenly realised what he had left behind back home in India, he decided to act… like a rebel.

He became Sikh again and led a revolt, unsuc­cess­fully. He died an unhappy and lonely man in Paris.

Told through the voice of Duleep Singh, Sarna’s work takes a candid look at how Indian princes succumbed blindly to greed and were willing to go to any lengths to get their booty; it is also a chronicle of British imperialism. And, ­finally, it is the story of one of the most tragic figures of Sikh and Indian history.

Also on the shelves

Meeting Lives
Tulsi Badrinath (Niyogi Books, Rs. 395).

The debut novel from a dancer-banker-writer Meeting Lives is a story of a woman’s journey of self-discovery. Interwoven with Vedanta and high philosophy, the novel’s protagonist Aditi is daughter, friend, wife and mother. When she asks herself, ‘Who am I?’, her life takes a fresh turn.

The book, which made it to the 2007 Man Asian Literary Prize long-list, comes from a Chennai-based author. And that in itself is reason enough to give it a read.

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Heaven on Earth - The Universe of Kerala’s Guruvayur temple
Pepita Seth (Niyogi Books, Rs. 2,995).

This coffee table book takes the reader on a trip through the precincts of the 5000-year-old Guruvayur temple, the myth surrounding its idol, its his­tory and the rituals that have made it a unique place of ­worship.

Embellished with colourful photographs shot by Pepita Seth, the British-born photographer and perhaps the only foreigner to be allowed inside the temple, this book is a comprehensive documentation of one of the richest and pious places of worship in the world.

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The 24x7 Marriage
Vijay Nagaswami (Westland Books, Rs. 250)

There is no happily lived ever after … in real life. Marriages may be made in heaven, but it takes sustained effort on the part of both the partners to keep it working on terra firma, says well-known Chennai psychiatrist Dr. Vijay Nagaswami in this witty look at what makes a marriage work.

Sport: Cricket at Wellington
105th Regt. L.I. vs. Wellington and Coonoor

This match was played at Wellington on the 29th August, and was won (decided by the first innings) by the allies by 25 runs. The weather was glorious, though Phoebus being in great form made it somewhat hot for the fielders. A little before 12 noon the Captains of the respective elevens tossed for innings. Tillard cried tails and he lost, but the gallant 105th scorned to take any advantage of their opponents and most generously took the field. The representatives of the 105th were accordingly soon after seen moving towards the wickets, their gallant Captain showing the way.

Carroll and Altman opened the batting to the bowling of Humphrey and Way – 29 runs were scored before they were parted, but then “a change came o’er the spirit of the dream” and both their wickets fell in succession. The next comer had no LAW allowed him and retired with an unaccustomed duck’s egg. No great stand was made after this and the innings closed for 79, Byes carrying off the ledger with 23. To those however who are acquainted with the extremely playful character of the Wellington ground, this will not appear so very surprising.

After a very short interval, the allies were seen scattered about the ground. Tuckwell and Bowler commenced the batting and had put together 21 when the latter was caught off Tillard. Way then put in an appearance, but had quickly to make way for the next man Darvill, whose stay was equally brief, being clean bowled by Tillard who thus earned his new hat. Margary was the next on the list and made a single off the underhand bowling. In Tillard’s next over Tuckwell put his leg in the way of the ball and had to retire having scored 14; a single made by Koddell gave Margary a try at the Rounds. From the first ball he received he made a vicious drive straight back to the bowler who caught it not on the chest. The next ball however threw Margary’s stumps into wild disorder; no further stand was made and the innings closed for 54.

After tiffin Wellington and Coonoor began their 2nd innings, Captain Law and Fuller commencing the batting. The first wicket fell for 49 and the innings closed for 111, Captain Fuller heading the score with a well played 24. When stumps were drawn, the 105th had scored 40 and lost 3 wickets. The game was consequently decided by the 1st innings.

For the 105th Humphrey bowled remarkably steadily and well during the whole match. Score in full below:

Wellington and Coonoor
1st Innings

Private Allman, b Humphrey                       10
Corporal Carroll, b Way                                6
Captain Law, ct Bowler, b Way                    0
Private Harding, b Way                                  0
Lieutenant Woods, ct Bowler, b Way          6
Lieut. Weston, ct Darvill, b Humphrey        0
Lieut. Tillard, b b w b Humphrey                 6   
Malaly, Esq., ct Parry, b Humphrey             2
Captain Fuller, not out                                  6
Sergeant Ruff, b Way                                    8
Private Austin, b Way                                    1
Wides 9, byes 23, leg byes 2                      34
                      Total                                          79

                        2nd Innings
Private Allman, ct. Way, b. Darvill               4
Corporal Carroll, b Humphrey                   12
Captain Law, b b wkt b Humphrey            19                                       
Private Harding, b Humphrey                     3
Lieutenant Woods, b Hoddell                     3
Lieut. Weston, b Hoddell                             2
Lieut. Tillard, run out                                    21
Malaly, Esq., b Humphrey                           7
Captain Fuller, b Darvill                               24
Sergeant Ruff, b Hoddell                             0
Private Austin, not out                                   3
Wides 6, byes 7                                            13
                      Total                                          111

                        105th Regiment
                        1st Innings

Private Tuckwell, b b w b Tillard                 14
Private Bowler, ct Allman b Tillard                8   
Lieutenant Way, b Tillard                               0
Lieutenant Darvill, b Tillard                           0
Ensign Margary, b Tillard                               1
Private Hoddell, b Law                                   1
Private Tollington, ct Malaly b Tillard           6
Lieutenant Willins, b Law                              4
Private Humphrey, b Tillard                           2
Private Panock, ct a b Law                            0
Private Parry, not out                                      3
Wides 4, byes 10, leg byes 1                       15
                      Total                                          54
                        2nd Innings
Private Tuckwell, b Law                               12
Private Bowler, ct Law, b Tillard                    6
Lieutenant Darvill, not out                             1
Ensign Margary, b Law                                  5
Private Tollington, not out                              1
Wides 4, byes 10, leg byes 1                       15