Madras Presidency RadioClub

Madras Presidency Radio Club

First Radio Transmitter in Madras.

If you visit the Government Museum in Chennai, you can see the first Radio Broadcasting transmitter which was beaming Radio waves for the first time in Madras, under the Call Sign 2GR, from July 31, 1924. It was Rao Bahadur C.V.Krishnaswami Chetty, an Electrical Engineer with Madras Corporation who formed Madras Presidency Radio Club (MPRC) with some of his Armature Radio Enthusiasts, and took the trouble of going to England to learn the technique of Radio Broadcasting, where Marconi and Co,had just started Broadcasting in 1922.
 
On his return to Madras Mr.Chetty and his friends in MPRC assembled a 40 W Medium Wave transmitter and got the permission to broadcast in Madras. H.E.Viscount Goschen, the then Governor of Madras Presidency who was also the Patron of MPRC, inaugurated transmission on July,31, 1924. Later it enhanced the broadcast to 200 W Transmitter, to broadcast 2.1/2 hrs programs in the evenings, and Proigrams in the mornings on Sundays. It is said the broadcasts of this transmitter had the reach upto Chittoor, Vizayanagaram, Vellore and ever upto Ceylon (Sri Lanka)! The MPRC ran the Radio till October 1927 from Holloway's Garden, Egmore and wound up their transmission activities due to financial difficulties. They presented this transmitter to Corporation of Madras , who in turn took three years to start regular broadcasting from April, 1, 1930 and continued the service till June 15, 1938. Then the Government owned All India Radio started their broadcasting from Madras on June 16, 1938 with their own Transmission equipment.

The Corporation of Madras decided to Present this first Radio Transmitter to the Madras Museum in 1939. Thus it had become a Museum piece.

M.R.JAMBUNATHAN - VEDIC SCHOLAR. (1896-1974)

Sri M.R.Jambunathan - Vedic Scholar

Sri M R Jambunathan

Bangalore Tamil Sangam has a library with good books in Tamil. I took  life membership of the Tamil Sangam, soon after my arrival at Bangalore fifty years ago.

I got the opportunity to read many good Tamil Books from there. Here only for the first time I saw the Tamil Translation of all four Vedas .Interestingly the copies of the books have been autographed by the author. 

These extraordinary translations were done by a Vedic Scholar Sri M.R.Jambunathan. This great person was born to vedic scholar  Manakkal Ramaswami Avadhani and Lakshmi Ammal in 1896. Though a scholar in Sanskrit,Hindi and English Sri Jambunathan loved his mother tongue Tamil. The result of it are his translations. 

After completing his studies in Civil Enginerering, Sri Jambunathan shifted to Mumbai (Bombay). He  served as Civil Engineer in Mumbai Municipal Corporation. As one who had spent most of his life at Mumbai, he started the first Municipal Tamil School there for the down trodden in 1924 in Dharavi. Attracted by the philosophy of liberal thoughts of Maharshi Swami Dhayananda Saraswathi for a Caste less Society he joined the Arya Samaj and translated the Hindi book "Sathyartha Prakash" Magnum opus  of the Swamiji into Tamil.

Rig Vedam in Tamil

Sri Jambunathan wanted to abolish untouchability from the society. He spent his entire life in the uplift of socially and economically deprived sections of ther society. This greatman had dedicated the Tamil translation of  "Sathpatha Brahmanam" of Yajur Veda at the holy feet of Harijans.He contended that Vedic truths are common for every one and they should reach the masses.  The result was his attempt to translate all the four Vedas into his mother tongueTamil. He spent his entire life for this purpose. Translations of Yajur, Sama and Athartvana Vedas were published during his life time He had spent thirty years for translating Rig Veda . But, the first part of Rig Veda Translation was released by his wife Smt Shanthi Jambunathan only after his demise.

Apart from Vedas, Sri Jambunathan had written many books on subjects of the Upasnishads, the Bahmanas, Yoga, teachings of Confucious and others in Tamil

Sri Jambunathan who passed away in 1974 had spent his entire life for translating Vedic Literature and upliftment of untouchables, has brought out 16 books in Tamil and 3 books in English during his life time. I am writing this with the desire to remember this great man who had done single handed the work that should have been done by an institution.

Due to muinificence of his daughter Smt Indira Anantharam Iyer and son in law his Tamil Translations were republished in 1991 and  are available in the following website of Arya Samaj:

http://www.vedicgranth.org/home/the-great-authors/mr-jambunathan/veda

The Constitution of India - Some interesting facts.

On the occasion of celebrating 67 Republic Day, let me present some interesting information about our original Constitution.

Preamble to Constitution

Original signed copies of the Constitution of our Country are hand written and each page illuminated by exquisite art work by artists under Acharya Nandalal Bose from Kala Bhavan, Shantiniketan. The original text and Art work of the Preamble was done by Beohar Ram Manohar Sinha.  It is said that the signed copies are kept in the safe vault of the Parliament Library in helium filled special cases.  Our Constitution of India is considered the longest hand written document of its kind in the world.


Shri Prem Behari Narain Raizada (Saxena) - (1901-1966)

This arduous task of writing 395 Articles and 12 Schedules was entrusted to Calligraphist Shri Prem Behari Naraian Raizada (Saxena) of Delhi. He comes from  a family of traditional Calligraphists specialised in Persian and English Calligraphy.  His grand father Master Ram Parshadji Saxena was a scholar in Persian and English, who taught Farsi (Persian) to British Government officials. His hand writing was a masterpiece of Calligraphy. Prem Behari's parants died when he was young, and he grewup under his grand father and uncle Mahashya Chatur Behari Narayan Saxena. Shri Prem Behari learnt Calligraphy from his grand father in the traditional way.

Shri Prem Behari Narain Raizada (Saxena)

While entrusting this important task of writing the Constitution to Shri Prem Behariji, it is said, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru asked him what he would like to charge as remuneration for the job.  Shri Prem Behari replied " Not a single penny I need, by the grace of God I have all things, and quite happy with my life. But I have one reservation, that on every page of Constitution I will write my name and on the last page I will write my name  along with my grand father's name". His request was granted and the Government of India allotted him a room in the Constitution House for this prestigious work.

Babu Rajendra Prasad with Prem Behariji

The writing of the Constitution in flowing italic style in the best Calligraphic tradition of our Country was completed by Shri Prem Behariji  in six months of hard work. He had used 254 pen holder "No.303" nibs for the job.  Shri Prem Behariji has used large and thick parchment paper of 16" by 12" size for his Calligraphy work. The decorative patterns embossed in Gold on the front and back covers of the leather bound volumes are said to be reminiscent of Ajanta Murals. The whole volume of 479 pages weighs 3.75 kg. Photolithographed Copies of the same were  made at the office of the Survey of India, Dehradun. Apart from the list of illustrations, the books do not contain detailed index.

Art work and illustrations.

Bull seal of Harappa

The  Art work and illustrations rendered in miniature style, twenty two in all, heads the Twenty two parts of the Constitution.  Each picture shown at the head of each Part of Constitution has its relevance and significance of the cultural History of the subcontinent, from the Mohenjadaro period to modern days. To begin with, Part I of the Constitution shows Zebu Bull seal of Harappa, representing Indus Valley Civilization. For Vedic period a scence from Gurukula, and Epic period, Sri Rama from Ramayana

Sri Rama, Sita and Lakshmana

and Gitopadesa from Mahabharata, there are incidents from the lives of Buddha and Mahavira follow in other Parts. Also scences from Ashoka, Vikramaditya, Mahabalipuram and historical figures of Akbar, Shivaji, Guru Gobind Singh, Rani Laxmibai and Tippoo Sultan are also shown in the drawings. The pictures of  Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji Subhash chandra Bose are the only representations of our Freedom movement. 

Nataraja of Chola period.

There is also picture of Art form  from Chola period master piece of Nataraja drawn in a line drawing. The last Part XXII carries scene of ocean the picture of  ancient sea faring vessels. 

Seafaring ships of Cholas

There are also few drawings of beautiful landscape of our Country included in the drawings. Borders of each page is embellished with beautiful decorative art work of Shantiniketan style. 

Last page 

The Constituent Assembly met in eleven sessions open to public for 165 days during the period of 2 years 11 months and 7 days and adopted the Constitution on November, 26, 1949. How ever in all the 284 members of Assembly signed the two hand written copies (one in English and the other in Hindi) only on January 24, 1950. There are 11 pages of these signatures which begins under the Eighth Schedule. First to sign was Jawaharlal Nehru and the last signature is that of Feroze Gandhi. Dr Rajendra Prasad President of the Constituent Assembly has signed  two signatures, one in English and other in Hindi. 

The Constitution of India came into force on January 26, 1950.

Jai Hind.

Thinking Aloud -"Ekam Sat Viprah Bahuda Vadanti."

Ekam Sat Viprah Bahuda Vadanti.
Apart from other relevant thoughts, a query was raised by a scholerly member in a Forum in which I am a member:

"Is Religion the biggest trick played upon us by the Universal Consciousness?"

This is what I wrote on the subject:

Wonderful thoughts to ponder over. Briefly I share my thoughts on this(It may not be in the same order in which you have expressed.) Religion is a collection of doctrines and people follow them. Spiritual aspirations are not confined to religious people alone. Some time or other these quires arise in our mind, and these can be solved by our mind alone. We cannot find the answer outside of us. The relationship between the creator and created is unique, All our queries originate from this only. If we could find an answer for them it is the "Sat, the unchanging Truth". It is like taste of sugar or spice. All the book knowledge cannot give us the taste, unless we experience them. Book knowledge contains the perception of some one else, not ours. 

“Truth is a pathless land”. Said Jiddu Krishnamuti and continued "Man cannot come to it through any organization, through any creed, through any dogma, priest or ritual, not through any philosophical knowledge or psychological technique. He has to find it through the mirror of relationship, through the understanding of the contents of his own mind, through observation and not through intellectual analysis or introspective dissection.".

Desire:

Desire is the main force which motivates  all activities in this world. Without desire nothing will act in this world.  "The basic urge, which impels man to act, is desire. Whether it is education, wealth, career, worldly pleasures or even the goal of liberation from bondage, it is the desire to achieve some end, which gives the impetus to human actions. So it becomes vital to understand when desire takes root in the human mind. According to the scriptures, desire sprouts in an individual even before birth; the embodied soul is fully aware that God is providing an opportunity to work out its Karma and hence desires to put an end to rebirth. But due to worldly affliction it forgets this goal the moment it is born and the desire instead becomes deflected to material gains."

It  (Kama) is one of the four purusharthas or objectives of  human birth (ie) Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.

Manusmrithi says in   Ch II .4. "Not a single act here appears ever to be done by a man free from desire; for whatever (man) does, it is (the result of) the impulse of desire". 

Interestingly if we think a bit, we will understand all the actions of living beings are directed towards only one purpose, to multiply its own specie . 

“Multiply, vary, let the strongest live and the weakest die.” ―(Charles Darwin)

   

Religious conversion.

   Paravar or Parathavar (பரதவர்) were one of the ancient seafaring warriors of Pandya kingdom    known as Bharatakula Kshatriars (பரதகுல சத்ரியர்).

Paravars were the first whole community in India to convert to Christianity in the mid 16th century.

The mass conversion of Paravars to Christianity took place during the period 1535-1538. The motive for this mass conversion was not entirely spiritual or religious, but a necessity for their survival at that period. Paravars were a privileged community of fisherman spread over the entire coast line of southern peninsula, specialised in pearl fishery. When the Arab fishermen came and took over the pearl fishery at the instance of local Hindu rulers, this community was exposed to the oppression of Muslim fishermen and Hindu rulers. To escape from the persecution Paravars could not find any solution except seeking the protection of the Portuguese. They sought the help of a local Malabari Christian covert named Joao da Cruz, who advised them to become Christians and seek the help of Portuguese, who would afford them naval support at sea and adequate protection to continue their trade.

Paravars found no other way except to accept his advise for their survival. Joao da Cruz did the liaison with the Portuguese and got their consent for the proposal. First twenty of their community leaders known as "Pattangattiyars" (பட்டங்கட்டியர்) were taken by Joao da Cruz to Cochin and got them baptized. In response the Portuguese sent their Naval squadron to Cape Comerin and released the Paravars from Muslim captivity. Interestingly the "Pattangattiyars" who were thus baptized took on the family name "da Cruz" because of Joao da Cruz, who helped them at the time of need. Since then it was a custom for the leaders of the community to be called as "da Cruz".

The Paravars apart from getting converted also had to pay 60,000 fanams to Portuguese as protection money. This was further used to induce more conversions. Miguel Vaz the Portuguese Vicar General visited the Paravars accompanied by four priests and administered baptism to about twenty thousand people. In a few years, the number rose to eighty thousand men, women, and children and the Christianity spread among these people,who were settled on the Malabar and Coramandel coast. The Paravars had the protection of the Portuguese fleet to follow their profession undisturbed.

It is admitted on all ccounts, that one of the greatest and most successful group conversion movements in India was that of the Paravars in the 16th century.

Curse of the King.

CURSE OF THE KING:

In this episode I wish to write about Karna, my favorite character in any epic that I have read. I base my writing on the original "Mahabharatham" translated from Sanskrit by Shri Kisri Mohan Ganguli published between 1883 and 1896.

This is taken from Shanti Parva of the Great Epic Srimath Mahabharatham. This I would consider  the most poignant scene in the great epic.

The war was over.  King Yuthishtira followed by his brothers and the grieving Kshatriya ladies who had lost their husbands and kins proceeded slowly to the mother Ganga to perform  last  rites to the departed souls in the form of Tharpanam (Oblations) as prescribed by scriptures. After completion of the ritual,Yuthishtra looked at his mother and told that he had complted his duty to the departed souls of all his relatives who had given up their lives in the battle. But he saw his mother shedding tears and tried to express some thing more.

Rajamatha Kunthi could not control her tears and turned to Sri Krishna in despair. Then Sri Krishna looked at Rajamatha  and nodded his head.   Rajamatha Kunthi told King Yuthishtra that there is one more Kshatriya soul for which he should perform Tharpanam, he was none other than Karna her first child and their elder brother.. She continued  telling the story in a feeble voice, about her first child Karna, whom when she was Princess Kunti got through by testing the boon bestowed on her by Sage Durvasa and how she hid the truth all these years.

Shocked by the sudden revelation Pandavas could not control their grief, but performed the oblations to the departed soul of their elder brother Karna.

However, King Yudhishthira, with tearful eyes and heart agitated by grief, said these words,

'In consequence of thyself having concealed thy counsels, this great affliction has overtaken me!' Possessed of great energy, the righteous king, then, in sorrow, cursed all the women of the world, saying, 'Henceforth no woman shall succeed in keeping a secret.' The king, then, recollecting his sons and grandsons and kinsmen and friends, became filled with anxiety and grief. Afflicted with sorrow, the intelligent king, resembling a fire covered with smoke, became overwhelmed with despair."

9 ity ukto dharmarajas tu matra ba?pakulek?a?a?
      uvaca vakya? dharmatma sokavyakula cetana?
  10 bhavatya gu?hamantratvat pi?ito 'smity uvaca tam
     sasapa ca mahateja? sarvaloke?u ca striya?
     na guhya? dharayi?yantity atidu?kha saman vita?                            
                                           MB: 12-6(  9 &10)

 

MAYA

Maya:
Here is my understanding of "Maya"
The word "Maya" literally means "that is not". All that we perceive and experience through our body, mind and intellect are not true (real). They are transient and fleeting manifestations of the world. There is a perceiver in us who or that is permanent, unchanging and true. We are endowed with all these at birth.
The physical World which we perceive through our senses is real as well as unreal. At the time of happening it looks real. But,the world which we experience is unreal because it is unstable, impermanent, transient and illusory and changing. We see the changes every second. So this changing world, which is not permanent is caused by Maya or illusion, not real, or the changeless.
Confusing indeed.

In Srimath Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 7 Paramahamsa Vijnana Yoga (Knowledge of Ultimate Truth)
Lord tries to explain Maya to Arjuna in the following words:

Ye chaiva saattvikaa bhaavaa raajasaastaamasaashcha ye;
Matta eveti taanviddhi na twaham teshu te mayi. (12)

Whatever being (and objects) that are pure, active and inert, know that they proceed from Me.
They are in Me, yet I am not in them.

Tribhirgunamayair bhaavairebhih sarvamidam jagat;
Mohitam naabhijaanaati maamebhyah paramavyayam.(13)

Deluded by these Natures (states or things) composed of the three qualities of Nature,
all this world does not know Me as distinct from them and immutable.

Daivee hyeshaa gunamayee mama maayaa duratyayaa;
Maameva ye prapadyante maayaametaam taranti te. (14)

Verily this divine illusion of Mine made up of the qualities (of Nature) is difficult to cross over;
those who take refuge in Me alone cross over this illusion.