Gandhi - The phenomenon

Gandhi has always had a great influence on me, right from childhood, but it comes as no surprise as the Indian school curriculum made everyone of us feel proud of the Indian struggle for independence and the man behind it; His simplicity appealed to me the most;

I remember reading his auto-biography in my school days, that I had borrowed from my uncle.A true practitioner of Gandhi-ism himself,my uncle was elated to lend me the book. Not to forget the 1st prize, I got in a fancy dress competition in my first grade depicting Gandhi-ji . . . And the high school history books did the rest.

As the world goes by, I took science and maths in my further studies leaving behind my passions - History and Literature; Nature loves cycles and about 8-10 years after, I turn back to live my passions, only after becoming financially independent.

Porbandhar was the first place, that I had visited related to Gandhi's life.I am recollecting my memories of that trip, way back in mid 2005 .

Our journey to Porbandhar, Gandhi's birthplace and an old port town in the western coastline of the Kutch penisula, started from Dwarka in a mini van( Note that buses do not run for short distances in this part of the world).We travelled under scorching summer heat along an Utopian desertic coast -line.It was dry horizon to horizon,deserted from people and vegetation leaving alone some xerophytes and the exaggeratedly dressed Kathiyawadi populace.It was a nice ride, although --yeah, we reached Porbhandar.

The images of Porbandhar were not so appealing - It was desertic, dry, dusty, filthy with congested market places, old buildings that had not seen a white-wash for years together, an unused tram track and it seemed devoid of any development, at least 15-20 years behind mainland India.We headed straight to Kirti mandir (the birth place of Gandhi).

It was just a 10 min walk from the so called bus station.We were asking for the way all along,just as if we were visiting our friend's house and not a tourist place.We reached a chowkdi where an old Gandhi statue still stands amid surrounded by fruit vendors-just a right turn will lead you to Gandhi's house.The street was very much congested and narrow,everything else is as such.

Porbhandar today













On the contrary, the memorial was very clean , maintained by the ASI.The place was de-peopled at that mid-hour of the day; I remember one of my friends remarking that it was deserted even on the 2nd of Oct, Gandhi's birth anniversary.The old house, where Gandhi was born in 1869 has been renovated and extended to today's "Kirti Mandir".The birth place and the rooms of the house are maintained as they were...its a three storied house. It was truly astonishing to accept the fact that a boy born into a rich family in one of the isolated regions of India had become such a powerful personality, widely acclaimed in world history.The memorial has a rich museum and a book house selling "Gandhi-ism". Kasturbha Gandhi's house is just a few yards behind Gandhi's house."
I had read an article in "The Hindu" where-in the author travels to Sabarmati ashram in Ahmadabad.That was years ago when I was in college; Thanks to 'The Hindu Archives', I could get the link pretty easily http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mag/2004/03/14/stories/
2004031400200700.htm

I longed to go there since. . .It was last Saturday, that I got a chance to feel the simplicity of the life, this great man has lived;This had been the place where he has transformed from a man to a Mahatma.

The ashram faces the Sabarmati river with the prayer grounds in front. The cottage, where Gandhi lived from 1919 to 1932 is called 'Hridayagunj' and is maintained as such for years. Time has not invaded much into the serenity of the place. This makes one feel the spirituality and peace of the ashram. The only distrubing fact is the pollution of the Sabarmati river overlooking the ashram.

Despite the cottages,the ashram has some newly built structures housing a museum, a library and some rare photographs. Life was not stand-still in the ashram,it was neither frozen in time - there were a bunch of kids playing cricket, bullying over the sand, making noises outrightly disturbing some young budding artists, who were hand-sketching the ashram, sitting in front of them.
The visitors to the ashram were quite a mixed bunch to one's astonishment. There were many foreigners, some history students, a class of kinder-garden school children, a handful of Gandhians clad in khadi and it would be unjust, not to mention a lover couple who had sneaked into the ashram to spend some quality(?) time in peace.

Sabharmati Ashram Today

Chettinad Architecture

Edited from an anonymous internet source.

Chettinad houses are a real piece of Workmanship and a feast to your eyes. Massive structures to visit that cover an approx. land area of about 10000 - 25000 sq. feet. These houses in Chettinad happened to be built say about 100yrs back and still many stand erect. In those days the houses were made of Lime, Sand and Egg Yoke. Now the most interesting fact is that, to built these houses the eggs were imported from Rangoon (Burma). Also the wood used for construction i.e. Teak was all imported from Burma and also from Srilanka. Now coming to the import of these Teak wood, there is a fascinating story of how they were imported from there. In those days the Roadway was not so developed and from Burma to Chettinad is quite a long distance to travel. So these wood logs were tied on to the Merchant Ships coming to India and made to float to their destination. On reaching the shore, Chettinad being not far from the seashore, it was easy for them to transport these lumbers to the respective villages. Chettinad houses are signs of successful joint families that existed in olden days. Each house in Chettinad is made of Mugappu, Valavu, Irandankatu, Moonakatu, Thotham. Now as you walk through a Chettinad Vidu you will first find Mugappu, the entrance to the house, I think we could call it the Reception. Then comes the Valavu, the living area of the house. In the Valavu generally there are four Platforms that are called as Pattalai, each at four corners of the Valavu. These Pattalai act as the living halls of each family. Along with the Pattallai, Valavu is made up of numerous Irattai Vidu. These Irattai Vidu are rooms used by each family to keep their belongings and etc. Irattaividu got its name so because Irattai in Tamil means Two and Vidu means House and as its name means it is made of two rooms connected by a single door. Then as you walk through the Valavu using the Nadai (Corridor) you will reach Irandankatu. Irandankatu is used for dining purpose and have store rooms in them for storing all kitchenware. Further down if you walk you will find yourself in a typical Chettinad kitchen. This region of the house is called as Moonakatu. All the cooking in the house is done here. And walking a little more will lead you to the Garden known as Thotham in tamil. Thotham is essentially used for little bit of gardening, tying the cow in the house and then for Bathing. Apart from the ground floor the Chettinad houses also have a first floor to add to its massive construction. These first floors are also made of rooms meant for Storage.

Chidambaram

In the process of rediscovering myself, I have found an interesting thing that I connect more with the places where I have spent my life, than with anything else. In plain language, my mind gets attached more with the places (locations) and the culture of the general public than with any person or belonging; This inner self, I presume has led me to travel more, explore places, learn new languages and cherish the moments spent in observing the people who are complete strangers.
But Chidambaram is much different; Its my birth place, it is there I have spent my childhood, adolescence and early manhood.The town, given its location and the presence of a large residential university has a rare blend of a spectrum of entirely different cultures in absolute amalgamation.

It has been more than five years since I moved out of Chidambaram; So, what does Chidambaram mean to me, now

-The so-called 'Home town'
-A 'must visit' twice a year
-New buildings and widened roads that are so alien to me
-Renovated / Relocated / Demolished landmarks (Courtesy: The NEW Over-bridge)
-Mistaken identities (Courtesy: My look-alike younger brother)
-Reminiscents of my school and college life
-Migrated friends
-family updates (new baby born to my mother's cousin's sister etc,.)

Then, what do I really do at home

-Read (This time it was Ponniyin Selvan-Part IV)
-Sleep for hours together
-Enjoy home-made food
-Bed coffee luxuries
-Watch TV . . . all those untiring Tamil channels
-Murthy Cafe parottas
-play with my doggie, Robin
-and some photography

Definitely, I would call it a BREAK, a real BREAK from this Home-Office-Home routine in Baroda;

Kulipirai . . .

The visit to Kulipirai, my native place in Pudukottai district, Tamil nadu was quite refreshing; It as after 3 years, that I was there and this time the occasion was the 'kumbhabhishekam' of a local Shiva temple.

A welcome break from the daily chores, ate some great chettinadu food, slept day and night, scorching heat and of course had a great time with my camera;

Some clicks of my ancestral house, loved playing with light and shadows - thanks to my new found metering skills ...

Matilda . . .

MATILDA

by: Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953)

WHO TOLD LIES, AND WAS BURNED TO DEATH

ATILDA told such Dreadful Lies,

It made one Gasp and Stretch one's Eyes;

Her Aunt, who, from her Earliest Youth,

Had kept a Strict Regard for Truth,

Attempted to Believe Matilda:

The effort very nearly killed her,

And would have done so, had not She

Discovered this Infirmity.

For once, towards the Close of Day,

Matilda, growing tired of play,

And finding she was left alone,

Went tiptoe to the Telephone

And summoned the Immediate Aid

Of London's Noble Fire-Brigade.

Within an hour the Gallant Band

Were pouring in on every hand,

From Putney, Hackney Downs, and Bow.

With Courage high and Hearts a-glow,

They galloped, roaring through the Town,

'Matilda's House is Burning Down!'

Inspired by British Cheers and Loud

Proceeding from the Frenzied Crowd,

They ran their ladders through a score

Of windows on the Ball Room Floor;

And took Peculiar Pains to Souse

The Pictures up and down the House,

Until Matilda's Aunt succeeded

In showing them they were not needed;

And even then she had to pay

To get the Men to go away!

It happened that a few Weeks later

Her Aunt was off to the Theatre

To see that Interesting Play

The Second Mrs. Tanqueray.

She had refused to take her Niece

To hear this Entertaining Piece:

A Deprivation Just and Wise

To Punish her for Telling Lies.

That Night a Fire did break out--

You should have heard Matilda Shout!

You should have heard her Scream and Bawl,

And throw the window up and call

To People passing in the Street--

(The rapidly increasing Heat

Encouraging her to obtain

Their confidence) -- but all in vain!

For every time she shouted 'Fire!'

They only answered 'Little Liar!'

And therefore when her Aunt returned,

Matilda, and the House, were Burned.

"Matilda" is reprinted from Cautionary Tales. Hilaire Belloc. 1907.

Nobody hated Matilda, they indeed pitied her . . . . One of my favourite childhood poems ......remembering vaguely that it was in our sixth grade English textbook; but I never forgot Matilda ! ! !

Nagz
31/Aug/2007