Hamlet in Monsoon

Friday, 7 June 2019

BENYAMIN'S REVIEW OF MY NOVEL

വീണ്ടെടുപ്പിൻറെ പാപസ്നാനങ്ങൾ

ബെന്യാമിൻ

രാമചന്ദ്രൻ എഴുതിയ ‘പാപസ്നാനം’ എന്ന നോവൽ നോവലിസ്റ്റ്കൂടിയായ ലേഖകൻ വായിക്കുന്നു. അസാമാന്യമായ കൈത്തഴക്കവും ചരിത്രബോധവും അന്വേഷണപാടവവും ഉള്ള ഒരാൾക്കുമാത്രം സാധ്യമാകുന്ന ഒരു നോവലാണിതെന്ന് വായനാ സാക്ഷ്യം.

ഈ സഹസ്രാബ്ദത്തിൻറെ തുടക്കകാലങ്ങളിൽ ചെറുകഥ വായനയിൽ സജീവമായിരുന്നവർ അത്രപെട്ടെന്ന് മറന്നുപോകാൻ ഇടയില്ലാത്ത ഒരു പേരാണ് രാമചന്ദ്രന്റേത് . ഈ കടവിലെ മുതല, കപ്പൽച്ചേതം, ഇതാണെെൻറ വേര്, അൽത്തൂസർ തുടങ്ങി ഒരുപിടി നല്ലകഥകളിലൂടെ നമ്മെ അദ്ഭുതപ്പെടുത്തിയ സർഗപ്രതിഭ. എന്നാൽ ഒരു അഭിമുഖത്തിൽ സ്വയം പ്രവചിച്ചതുപോലെ തന്നെ രാമചന്ദ്രൻ വളരെവേഗം കഥയെഴുത്തിൽനിന്ന് നിഷ്ക്രമിക്കുകയും നിശ്ശബ്ദതയിലേക്ക് കൂമ്പി അടയുകയും ചെയ്തു. അങ്ങനെ കുറച്ചുപേരുണ്ടല്ലോ നമ്മുടെ കഥാസാഹിത്യത്തിൽ. സുമിത്ര വർമ, എ. സഹദേവൻ, കെ.യു. ജോ

ണി, നളിനി ബേക്കൽ, കെ.എ. ശരച്ചന്ദ്രൻ, അക്കൂട്ടത്തിൽ ഒരാളായിരുന്നു

രാമചന്ദ്രനും.

എന്നാൽ, സർഗാത്മകത ഉള്ളിൽ തിളയ്ക്കുന്ന ഒരാൾക്ക് ഏറെക്കാലം അതിനെ അടക്കിജീവിക്കാനും ആവില്ല, ഒരു ദിവസം അത് സർവ മൂടികളെയും പൊളിച്ച് പുറത്തുവരുകതന്നെ ചെയ്യും എന്ന് രാമചന്ദ്രൻ ഇപ്പോൾ സ്വയം തെളിയിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. പതിനഞ്ചു വർഷങ്ങൾക്കു ശേഷം തൻറെ പ്രതിഭയുടെ തിളക്കം പ്രകടമാക്കിക്കൊണ്ട് ‘പാപസ്നാനം’ എന്ന നോവലുമായി രാമചന്ദ്രൻ സാഹിത്യലോകത്തേക്ക് മടങ്ങി വന്നിരിക്കുന്നു.

കൊച്ചി രാജകുടുംബാംഗമായിരുന്ന രാമവർമൻ എന്നൊരാൾ സ്നാനപ്പെട്ട്, യാക്കോബ് രാമവർമൻ എന്ന പേര് സ്വീകരിച്ച്, ക്രിസ്ത്യാനിയായ കഥ, ചരിത്രം ആഴത്തിൽ പഠിക്കുന്ന ചിലരെങ്കിലും നേരത്തേ കേട്ടിട്ടുണ്ടാവണം. ആ രാമവർമൻറെ ജീവിതത്തെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള ആഴത്തിലുള്ള അന്വേഷണമാണ് ‘പാപസ്നാനം’ എന്ന നോവൽ എന്ന് ഒറ്റവാക്കിൽ പറഞ്ഞു വെക്കാം.

1840 മുതൽ 42 വരെ ബെൽഗാമിലും 1842 മുതൽ 58 വരെ കണ്ണൂരിലും നടക്കുന്ന വിധത്തിൽ രണ്ടുഭാഗങ്ങളായി വേർതിരിച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന നോവൽ കൊച്ചി രാജവംശത്തിലെ അന്തർനാടകങ്ങൾ, സുവിശേഷപ്രചാരകരുടെ ഇന്ത്യയിലേക്കുള്ള കടന്നുവരവ്, മലങ്കര സഭയിലെ ആഭ്യന്തര സംഘർഷങ്ങൾ, തിരുവിതാം‌കൂറിൻറെ അധിനിവേശ ശ്രമങ്ങൾ, ഫ്രാൻസിസ് സേവ്യറുടെ ഗോവയിലെ മതദ്രോഹ വിചാരണ, കൊങ്കണികളുടെ പലായനം,കൊച്ചി രാജവംശത്തിനു മേൽ ഉഡുപ്പി സോദേമഠം സ്വാമിയാർക്ക് ഉണ്ടായിരുന്ന സ്വാധീനം, കുരുമുളക് കച്ചവടത്തിൽ ഈസ്റ്റ് ഇന്ത്യ കമ്പനിയുടെ ചതിവുകൾ. മെക്കാളെയ്ക്ക് എതിരെ നടന്ന പരാജയപ്പെട്ട കലാപശ്രമം എന്നിങ്ങനെ സാധാരണ ചരിത്രാന്വേഷകർ

ക്കുപോലും അപ്രാപ്യമായ പല ഇടങ്ങളിലേക്കും സസൂക്ഷ്മം കടന്നു ചെല്ലുന്നു. അങ്ങനെ നോവൽ പറഞ്ഞുകേട്ട ചരിത്രത്തിന് ഒരു പൊളിച്ചെഴുത്തായി മാറുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു.

ക്രിസ്തുമതത്തിനോടുള്ള അനുരാഗം എന്നതിനെക്കാൾ, രാജകുടുംബത്തിലെ അധികാരത്തർക്കങ്ങളും തിരസ്കാരങ്ങളും ഭിന്നിപ്പുമാണ് രാമവർമൻറെ സ്നാനത്തിൽ കലാശിച്ചതെന്ന് ഈ നോവൽ ചരിത്രരേഖകൾ സാക്ഷ്യപ്പെടുത്തി സമർഥിക്കുന്നു. വീരകേരളവർമൻറെ സപത്നി ആയിപത്തൊൻപത് വർഷക്കാലം ജീവിച്ച കുഞ്ഞിക്കാവിനെ, രാമവർമെൻറ അമ്മയെ, ഏഴു മക്കൾക്കൊപ്പം പത്ത് പ ഗോഡ മാത്രം ചെലവിനു കൊടുത്ത് (ഒരു പഗോഡ മൂന്നര രൂപ) വൈപ്പി നിലേക്ക് ആട്ടിപ്പായിച്ചത് പിൽക്കാലത്ത് രാമവർമന് വലിയ ആത്മസംഘർഷമായി മാറുന്നുണ്ട്. കൊട്ടാരത്തിലെ മേൽശാന്തി, പൂർണത്രയീശനു ചാർത്തേണ്ടുന്ന തിരുവാഭരണങ്ങളും വേറൊരു എമ്പ്രാന്തിരി വിഷ്ണുവിെൻറ സ്വർണ പ്രതിമ തന്നെയും മോഷ്ടിച്ചുകൊണ്ടു പോയതും അതേച്ചൊല്ലിയുള്ള രാമവർമൻറെ പ്രാർഥനകൾ ഒന്നും ഫലിക്കാതെ പോയതും ഒക്കെ പിന്നെ മതം‌മാറലിനു കാരണമാകുന്നുണ്ട്. അന്തശ്ഛിദ്രം, പടലപ്പിണക്കം, പാലിയത്തച്ചൻറെ കുതന്ത്രങ്ങൾ, മെക്കാളെ പ്രഭുവിനെതിരെ നടത്തിയ പരാജയപ്പെട്ടുപോയ കലാപശ്രമം, സമീപ രാജാക്കന്മാരിൽനിന്നുള്ള ആക്രമണങ്ങൾ, തിരുവിതാംകൂറിൻറെ അധിനിവേശ മോഹങ്ങൾ, ആഭ്യന്തര സംഘർഷങ്ങൾ എന്നിവ കൊണ്ടെല്ലാം ഉള്ളാലെ തകർന്നുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്ന ഒരു കൊച്ചി രാജവംശത്തെയാണ് നാം നോവലിൽ കണ്ടുമുട്ടുക. ശക്തൻ തമ്പുരാൻ തൃശൂരിലേക്ക് ആസ്ഥാനം മാറ്റുന്നതിലും പിന്നെതൃപ്പൂണിത്തുറയിലേക്ക് തന്നെ മടങ്ങിവരുന്നതിനും ഒക്കെ നാം മനസ്സിലാക്കിവച്ചിരുന്നതിനെക്കാൾ അധികം ഭീരുത്വവും അന്തർനാടകങ്ങളും ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു എന്ന് ചരിത്രരേഖകൾ തന്നെ ഉദ്ധരിച്ച് ഈ നോവൽ നമ്മോട് പറയുന്നു. ഒരുവിധത്തിൽ അതിൽനിന്നെല്ലാം ഉള്ള ഒരു ഒളിച്ചോട്ടം എന്ന നിലയിലാണ് യാക്കോബ് രാമവർമൻ ക്രിസ്തുമതത്തിലേക്ക് ചേക്കേറുന്നത്.

സമാന്തരമായി ഇന്ത്യയിലേക്കുള്ള ക്രിസ്ത്യൻ മിഷനറിമാരുടെ കടന്നു വരവും അവരുടെ ആധിപത്യമുറപ്പിക്കലും നമുക്ക് ഈ നോവലിൽ കാണാം. അതുകൊണ്ടു തന്നെ പിന്നീട് ചരിത്രത്തിൽ സ്ഥാനം പിടിച്ചിട്ടുള്ള റവ.ജോസഫ് ടെയ്ലർ, റവ. ചാൾസ് തിയോഫിലസ് ഇവാൾഡ്, റവ. ജോൺ ടക്കർ, റവ. തോമസ് നോർട്ടൻ, ബെഞ്ചമിൻ ബെയ്ലി, ഹെൻ‌റി ബേക്കർ, ഹെർമൻ ഗുണ്ടർട്ട്, പിന്നീട് സ്നാനം ഏറ്റ് ജോസഫ് ഫെൻ എന്ന പേരു സ്വീകരിച്ച ചന്തുമേനോൻ എന്നിവരെല്ലാം നോവലിൽ കഥാപാത്രങ്ങളായി വരുന്നുണ്ട്. അതിനിടയിലെ രസമുള്ള ഒരു നിരീക്ഷണം ഇങ്ങനെയാണ്: ചന്തു മേനോൻ കോട്ടയത്ത് തഹസിൽദാർ ആയിരിക്കുന്ന കാലത്താണ് ജൂതപണ്ഡിതനായ മോസസ് ഈശർപതി, തമിഴ് പണ്ഡിതനായ വൈദ്യനാഥയ്യർ എന്നിവർക്കൊപ്പം ചേർന്ന് ബൈബിൾ പരിഭാഷയിൽ സുപ്രധാന പങ്കുവഹിക്കുന്നത്. അതുകൊണ്ടാണ് ബൈബിളി ലെ അപ്പോസ്തോല പ്രവൃത്തികളിൽ(19:35) ടൗൺ ക്ലാർക്ക് എന്ന പദം പരിഭാഷപ്പെടുത്തിയപ്പോൾ അത് ‘പട്ടണമേനവൻ’ എന്നായി മാറിയത്! ചന്തു എന്ന മേനോന് ‘ക്ലാർക്കിനെ’ ‘മേനവൻ’ ആയി മാത്രമേ അക്കാലത്ത് പരിഭാഷപ്പെടുത്താൻ ആകുമായിരുന്നുള്ളൂ.

ഈ ചരിത്രങ്ങൾക്ക് സമാന്തരമായി മലങ്കര സുറിയാനി സഭയിൽ, മിഷനറിമാരുടെ കടന്നുവരവ് ഉണ്ടാക്കിയ അങ്കലാപ്പുകളും പടലപ്പിണക്കങ്ങളും പിന്നീട് എങ്ങനെ ഭിന്നിപ്പുകൾക്കും വേർപിരിയലുകൾക്കും കാരണമായി എന്നും അതിൽ തിരുവിതാംകൂർ, കൊച്ചി രാജവംശങ്ങൾ വഹിച്ച പങ്കും നോവൽ വിശദമാക്കുന്നുണ്ട്. അന്ത്യോഖ്യയിൽചെന്ന് പാത്രിയാർക്കീസിൽ നിന്ന് കൈവെപ്പ് സ്വീകരിച്ചാൽ മലങ്കരയിലെ മെത്രാൻ ആവാം എന്നു കരുതി പുറപ്പെടുന്ന പാലക്കുന്നത്ത് മാത്തനൊപ്പമാണ് രാമവർമൻ ബൽഗാമിൽ എത്തിപ്പെടുന്നത്. എന്നാൽ കണ്ണുദീനം പിടിപെട്ടതുകാരണം തുടർ യാത്രയിൽ നിന്ന് രാമവർമൻ ഒഴിവാക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. അങ്ങനെയാണ് രാമവർമൻ അവിടെ ചെന്നമേരിയുടെ തടവിൽ ആയിപ്പോകുന്നത്. ക്രിസ്തുമത വിശ്വാസത്തെ മനസ്സുകൊണ്ട് സ്വീകരിച്ച ഒരാൾക്ക് അത്തരം ബന്ധങ്ങൾ ഉള്ളിൽ നിറയ്ക്കുന്നത് പാപബോധമാണ്. അത് രാമവർമനെ വേട്ടയാടുകയും പിന്നെ ബൽഗാമിൽനിന്നുള്ള പലായനത്തിൽ അത് ചെന്നുകലാശിക്കുകയുംചെയ്യുന്നു. അങ്ങനെയാണ് രാമവർമൻ പിന്നീട് ഗുണ്ടർട്ടിെൻറ തലശ്ശേരിയിൽ അഭയംതേടുന്നത്.

കൊച്ചിയിൽ നിന്ന് അനന്തൻ എന്നു പേരായ ഒരു കൊങ്കണിയും ജോൺ എന്ന പേരിൽ ക്രിസ്തുമതത്തിലേക്ക് ചേക്കേറിയിരുന്നു . അവനായിരുന്നു കോൺസ്റ്റാൻറിൻ എന്ന പേരിൽ ക്രിസ്തുമതത്തിലേക്ക് വരാൻ രാമവർമനു പ്രേരകം. ജോൺ എന്ന അനന്തൻറെ ദുരൂഹമരണവും കഥയിലേക്ക് കടന്നുവരുന്നുണ്ട്. പിന്നീടാണ് രാമവർമൻ കോൺസ്റ്റാൻറിൻ എന്ന പേരുപേക്ഷിച്ച് യാക്കോബ് ആവുന്നത്.

ഇങ്ങനെ വിവിധ ചരിത്രങ്ങളുടെ കെട്ടുപിണയലുകളിലൂടെയും കൂടിക്കുഴയലിലൂടെയുമാണ് നോവൽ മുന്നേറുന്നത്. അത് പത്തൊൻപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ടിൻറെ കേരളചരിത്രത്തിലേക്ക് വീശുന്ന ഒരു പുതു വെളിച്ചമായി മാറുന്നു. അതിലൂടെ അധികാരത്തിെൻറ ഇടനാഴിയിലെ ജീർണിച്ച വായുവിൻറെ ഗന്ധം നമുക്ക് അനുഭവിക്കാൻ കഴിയുന്നു.

ഈ നോവലിൽ ചരിത്രമെത്ര, ഭാവന എത്ര എന്നു ചോദിച്ചാൽ നമുക്കത് വേർ തിരിച്ചെടുക്കാൻ പ്രയാസമായിരിക്കും. ചരിത്രം ഭാവനയ്ക്ക് വളമാകുന്ന ഉജ്ജ്വലമായ ഒരു പ്രതിഭാസം നമുക്കിതിൽ വായിച്ചറിയാൻ സാധിക്കും. അസാമാന്യമായ കൈത്തഴക്കവും ചരിത്രബോധവും അന്വേഷണപാടവവും ഉള്ള ഒരാൾക്കു മാത്രം സാധ്യമാകുന്നഒരു നോവലാണ് ‘പാപസ്നാനം’. രാമചന്ദ്രനിൽ അത് എത്ര അളവിലുണ്ടെന്ന് തൊട്ടറിയാൻ ഇത് വായിക്കുകയേ നിർവാഹമുള്ളൂ.

ഏറെക്കാലത്തെ നിശ്ശബ്ദതയ്ക്കു ശേഷം എഴുത്തിലേക്ക് മടങ്ങിവന്നവർ ആരും നമ്മെ നിരാശരാക്കിയിട്ടില്ല. എൻ. എസ്. മാധവൻ, കെ.യു. ജോണി, ജോൺ അയ്മനം. അക്കൂട്ടത്തിലേക്ക് നിശ്ചയമായും നമുക്ക് രാമചന്ദ്രൻറെ പേരും ചേർത്തു വെക്കാം. ഈ മടക്കം ഒരു മഹാപ്രവാഹമായി മാറട്ടെ എന്ന് ആഗ്രഹിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യാം.

പാപസ്നാനം

(നോവൽ)

രാമചന്ദ്രൻ

നാഷണൽ ബുക്ക് സ്റ്റാൾ

പേജ്: 175, വില: 170.00

92 മാധ്യമം ആഴ്ചപ്പതിപ്പ് 2017

Tuesday, 14 August 2018

A BASTARD CALLED RUBIN D'CRUZ

A Pimp Masquerades as a Marxist

People have invited my attention to a Face Book post,on me, by one Rubin D'Cruz.I had never heard of such a person,since I follow only the career of individuals with integrity or character.I could have ignored him considering him a small fry.But I thought I have to defend myself before history,since his post may be there,preserved on line,though FB may get closed in the near future.

My article in Madhyamam Daily

He has posted canards against me,at 9.24 pm,on 12 August,2018,and it was triggered by an article of mine that appeared in the edit page of the Madhyamam daily,the same day.I had written that article on poet S Ramesan,forced to quit the editorship of Grandalokam,the monthly literary journal of the Kerala State Library Council.He was asked to resign by the CPI(M) after the publication of an article by me,in the January issue of the magazine,which exposed the plagiarism of the soft porn editor,Swadesabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai,the bitterest enemy of the Scheduled castes and tribes in Kerala.Kerala Marxists,including EMS,had believed and recorded that Pillai was the first biographer of Karl Marx in India.I found that his biography of Marx was a true copy of a long essay on Marx written by Lala Hardayal,in the March,1912 issue of Modern Review,published and edited by Ramanand Chatterjee,from Kolkata.Pillai's biography appeared in Malayalam four months later,in August,1912.

Grndalokam,January issue

In the article in Grandalokam,I had said that leaving out Hardayal's rebuttals to Marx,Pillai had lifted the article as a whole,including the quotes.The Nair lobby in the CPI(M) was aghast,they campaigned against Ramesan,a dalit,and the party,in turn,asked him to quit.This happened in the Council meet of July 24 and the Times of India carried a story on 27 July,under the head line,Unhappy over article,CPM asks editor to quit.All hell broke loose,and all the regional papers and channels followed up.Kalakaumudi weekly wrote an excellent critique on the issue,asking the party to review its stance on Pillai.

Pillai had vehemently opposed the Travancore government decision in 1910 to give entry to the dalits in government schools,arguing,the higher castes are intellectually superior,echoing the nazist argument of Adolf Hitler on race.

In criticizing my articles,D'cruz has re echoed the sentiments of Hitler.I would have ignored his post,if it had not carried defamatory statements against me.

The introductory statement of him is this:Ramachandran was the notorious political reporter of Malayala Manorama(same ramachandran who was in the goat-teak-mangium case),he had been the infamous Editor of Mangalam.Finally he returned to his own fold and became Editor of Janmabhumi.

My reputation as a well informed,reputed journalist is intact;I will never lose it,since unlike Dcruz,integrity is an integral part of my character.Hence,Times of India has termed me as "veteran journalist" in their report.

Rubin D'Cruz

Now,who is D'cruz?

An unknown entity as one of the assistant editors in National Book Trust,just a graduate in Malayalam,he was brought by fellow latin catholics and ministers M A Baby and Thomas Issac as Director,Kerala State Institute of Children's Literature(KSICC),in 2006,flouting all norms.The pre requisites for a candidate to be appointed as Director are that he should have a B Ed degree and 14 years teaching experience in colleges.D'Cruz had only 14 years experience in NBT,and just a degree.Hence he was removed from the post by the UDF government in 2011,though MA Baby, during the last year of his tenure,had permanently absorbed him in state service.K C Joseph, the UDF Minister for Cultural affairs,had explained in the assembly that,D'Cruz had used his office for the campaign of certain LDF candidates.D Cruz's unfaithful adherence to CPI(M) to snatch financial benefits illegally had been questioned by the officers of the state government.Though D'Cruz had resigned from NBT,the UDF was lenient towards him,and the government wrote to the NBT to re instate him,considering his tenure as Director,a deputation period.If it was deputation,the exorbitant salary he received as Director,should be re paid,since a person on deputation is entitled only for the salary he was drawing in his organization.In 1957,when NV Krishba Warrier was appointed as Director,Kerala Language Institute,the officials in the Secretariat had recommended him the salary of a Deputy Secretary.When the file reached the Chief Minister EMS,he asked which post in Kerala has the highest salary."The Director of Medical Education",he was told.He wrote in the file,"give one rupee higher than the salary of the Medical Education Director,to the Language Institute Director".From then on Directors of such institutes get attractive salary,and hence the queue.
While with NBT,D'Cruz had sought a job with Malayalam Varika,of the New Indian Express group.S Jayachandran Nair,Editor,knew D'Cruz doesn't know the job,but agreed to the recommendation on a condition that D'Cruz should take a long leave from NBT.After getting the job,D'Cruz,without attending the office,flooded Jayachandran Nair with medical leave certificates.Nair called him to the office and warned him against receiving salary from two institutions.Thereafter,Nair asked D'Cruz to tender resignation.
D'Cruz has also the dubious distinction of snatching the condolence paper on the assassinated Indira Gandhi from the University College Principal and tearing it off into several pieces in front of a shocked audience.

S Ramesan

D'Cruz,whose name has a colonial tinge, has asked me whether I have become a dalit activist-I will never be an activist.I will be a writer and journalist,till my death.I definitely know D'Cruz had published a post against dalit academician,Meera Velayudhan,grand daughter of Dakshyani Velayudhan,who was a dalit member in the Constituent Assemly,with B R Ambedkar.He had to withdraw the post,after a call.As for my politics,I have written the history of the communist movement in Kerala and I have edited the EMS speeches in the legislative assembly.And if D'Cruz has any access to VS Achuthanandan,VS will tell him,my reports were instrumental in ousting K R Gouri Amma,K N Ravindra Nath and MM Lawrence.I still see those party actions as acts of vengeance. Acts of factionalism.

As for my brief stint in Janmabhumi-I am no more its Editor,I was there only for a few months-D'Cruz should ask Balachandran Chullikad,why the poet worked in the Congress daily,Veekshnam.Since both of us didn't have the legacy of pimping,we found it hard to make a livelihood.And for the insinuation contained in the goat-teak-mangium reference,I had won the Chief Editor's medal in Manorama,years after that exposure and I was there for 20 long years.I had busted the Goat-teak-mangium money chain racket in 1995,exposing those fraudulent companies,through a series of reports.
D'Cruz laments the non existent alliance with RSS and Jama Ath e Islami-instead he should be worried about the CPI(M)'s association with the SDPI.Most of the party's spokesmen in the channels are muslims,who have a SIMI back ground.

I sincerely hope NBT will take serious note of D'Cruz dilly dallying in nasty politics and moving forward with a slander campaign against me,containing defamatory remarks,totally unbecoming of a Central government employee.NBT is an institution fully owned and operated by the Central government,and D'Cruz's active participation in the programmes of the CPI(M) in the state of Kerala,blatantly violates the conduct rules of a Central government employee,which specifically prohibits an employee to take part in active political activities.He had strikingly participated in the crucial special convention of Pu Ka Sa,or,Purogamana Kala Sahithya Sangham ,the Progressive Writers Union,called by the CPI(M),on 12 August,2018 in Thiruvananthapuram,and had published an FB post on its deliberations,the next day.
D'Cruz,all along,was propped by the infamous journalist,Gouridasan Nair.
Now I leave the stage to Sajitha Madathil,who knows D'Cruz better.

Sunday, 11 March 2018

EMS AND WILHELM SCHMID

TWO MORE BOOKS RELEASED

Two books by me were released at the Krithi International fesival of Books and Authors in Kochi.The book,EMSINTE NIYAMA SABHA PRASANGANGAL 1957-1959 was released at the inaugural function by CPI(M)Polit Bureau member M A Baby.

The book is a compilation of the speeches delivered by EMS Namboodiripad in the legislative assembly as Chief Minister during the turbulent years of the first ever Communist government in Kerala.The book has been edited by me.In the fore word to the book,I have written on the democratic Communist governments starting from the one in Sanmarino in 1945 and the Kerala assembly of 1957.

EMS had given permission to me to compile and edit the book in 1995.

The book is published by SPCS and distributed by NBS.Pages 136.Price Rs130.

The second book is a translation of the best seller,WHAT WE GAIN AS WE GROW OLDER by German philosopher,Wilhelm Schmid.The book has sold 5 lakh copies so far.Mr Schmid attended the function and delivered a speech on Serenity.Wilhelm and his wife Astrid have invited me to Berlin.I briefed him on the similarities between his philosophy and Indian philosophy,especially,Upanishads.

In the session in which he attended,I asked him about the contemporary standing of Karl Marx in Germany.He said,"Zero".

In our private conversation,Mr Schmid elaborated on it and said Marx was worried only about Economy and not Ecology.

Ramachandran with Wilhelm Schmid

The book is about Gelassenheit,a German word with several connotations:Tranquility,equanimity,serenity,mellowness,laidbackness,placidity,relaxedness,coolness,calmness,impassability or unperturbedness.It is a state of mind that we attain after the age of sixty.I have used the Sanskrit word,Anandam for Gelassenheit.

Mr Schmid's philosophy is rooted in Art of Living,which Indians associate with Sri Sri Ravisankar.Mr Schmid told me,he had been using this expression from 1985 on wards,and he found the expression in Michel Foucault.

The translation by me has been published by SPCS and distributed by NBS.
Mr Schmid wondered why so many palaces are being built by people in Kerala.I told him I have always felt that a limit should be there in the building permit, to the total area.

Thursday, 21 December 2017

DISCUSSION ON MY BOOK ON 26th

SWADESABHIMANI BOOK RELEASE
My book exposing Swadesabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai will be released on December 26 at Changampuzha Park,Edapally,by noted critic M K Sanoo.The book will be received by Political Commentator Dr Sebastian Paul.Poet S Ramesan will preside over the function,organized by Changampuzha Library,Edapally.

PROGRAMMME:
Welcome
Prof T M Sankaran
President,Changampuzha Library
Book Release
Presided Over by
S Ramesan
Discussion
MEDIA AND MANUFACTURING FALSE IDOLS
Inauguration
M K Sanoo
Speech
Dr Sebastian Paul
Response
Ramachandran
Venue
Changampuzha Park,Edapally
December 26,2017,6.30 Pm
Please Attend.

Monday, 11 December 2017

MY BOOK ON SWADESABHIMANI IS OUT

SWADESABHIMANI EXPOSED

My book exposing Swadesabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai has been released.
There had been a group in Travancore,making Pillai a stalwart of renaissance in Kerala.It had a political content.
The book exposes the individual.A man without character or ethics.The book traces his life from the very beginning and describes his political ambitions thwarted by Dewan P Rajagopalachari and his subsequent fight with the Dewan and his ouster from Travancore.The book analyses the feudal mindset of Swadesabhimani-he had written editorials against dalits and the backwards.He extended his tirade against the backwards in the literary field too.The book reveals the special reverence the Ezhavas,especially the great poet Kumaran Asan had towards the Dewan,and how the politician Kumbalath Sanku Pillai used Swadesabhimani's memory to dislodge Pattam Thanu Pillai from power.Published by National Book Stall.Pages 104,Rs 100.

FOREWORD BY M K SANOO

Sunday, 10 September 2017

DISCUSSION ON MY NOVEL on 18th

PAPASNANAM DISCUSSION

MK SANOO,BANYAMIN,PAUL THELAKAT,TM ABRAHAM and MUSE MARY GEORGE speak on the novel.
I will respond to the discussion.
The discussion has been postponed to 18th,Monday.
Please attend.

Monday, 14 August 2017

BENYAMIN'S REVIEW

ACCOLADES FROM A NOVELIST

Novelist Benyamin has reviewed my novel,PAPASNANAM in the current issue of MADHYAMAM weekly.

He has pointed out that I had disappeared from creative writing 15 years ago.In fact,I had written two stories after that:VEYILIL NILKARUTHU in VAYANA edited by S Sunder Das and ITTAPRACHI in GRANTHALOKAM two months back.A book on the Communist history,NAKSHATHRAVUM CHUTTIKAYUM was published in between.

Two books are on the pipe line:RASHTREEYA CJ,political biography of C J Thomas and KLAVU PIDICHA KAPATYAM,an expose' of SWADESABHIMANI Ramakrishna Pillai,with a foreword by M K Sanoo.

Monday, 7 August 2017

MY FIRST NOVEL

PAPASNANAM
JACOB RAMAVARMANTE JEEVITHAVUM MARANAVUM

My debut novel,PAPASNANAM has been released.It tells the story of Rev.Jacob Ramavarma,son of Cochin King,who embraced Christianity in the 19th century.The novel is a spiritual journey through his life.He lived with Dr Herman Gundert in Tellicherry.
The novel has the missionary period as canvas.
It has been published by SPCS and distributed through NBS.
Pages 175.Price Rs 170.
Happy reading!

Monday, 13 February 2017

1616:WILLIAM KEELING IN CALICUT

Twelve year old boy in an English Factory

William Keeling was an amateur producer of Shakespeare's plays.Probably,he wanted to make money,when he led an East India Company expedition to India and the East.

Invested with the title of Commander-in Chief,he was keen to expand the activities of the Company.He sailed down the coast of India,in the ship,The Red Dragon,periodically exchanging fire with Portuguese ships.In March 1616,while off Cranganore,he was intercepted by an emissary of the Zamorin of Calicut.The Zamorin,who was preparing to attack the Portuguese Fort at Cranganore,offered to give the Company,trading rites at Calicut in exchange for assistance and an agreement was concluded.Keeling left behind four men and a 12 year old boy to establish a factory.

Red Dragon,Malacca,1602

They had a stock of trade goods-tin,lead,cloth and half a ton of an automatic gun captured from the Portuguese.They also had a stock of gun powder.One of the men was a gunner and he would show the Indians how to operate the small cannon Keeling had given to the Zamorin.

The factory,the first English factory on Malabar coast,didn't prosper.When Keeling sailed away,the Zamorin,disappointed with the amount of help he had received,failed to supply spices.A year later,when the fleet returned from the East,three of the men were taken away.A man and the boy were left behind to learn the language.The man soon died of dysentery,the boy,Edward Pearce,would,25 years later,start the Company's trade at Basra.

The Company had selected India as one of the destinations for its third expedition.Its main task was to collect spices from the eastern islands,but it was also instructed to investigate the market for English woollen goods in exchange for spices at Aden.It was also to assess the possibility of buying textiles in India to exchange for spices in the Far East.Its three ships left England on 12 March 1607.The Consent left early and caught the trade winds.The Dragon,captained by William Keeling,and the Hector,captained by William Hawkins,missed the wind and lost six months as they were blown to Brazil and then back to West Africa.There,while they waited for a good wind to round the Cape,Keeling's men gave performances of Hamlet and Richard II.In the Indian Ocean,the winds for Aden were unfavourable. It was decided that the Dragon should go directly to the East and the Hector go to India.

Keeling(1578-1620)had commanded the Susanna on the second Company voyage in 1604.During this his men were reduced to 14 and a ship from the fleet,had vanished.He discovered the Cocos(Keeling)Islands in 1609,as he was going home from Banda to England.

Red Dragon,used by the Company for five voyages to the East Indies,was originally,Scourge of Malice,a 38 gun ship,ordered by Goerge Clifford,3rd Earl of Cumberland.She was built and launched at Deptford dock yard in 1595.The description of the ship varies from 600 to 900 tons;it was named Scourge of Malice by Queen Elizabeth I.The Earl had built the ship to attack the Spanish Main,after Sir Francis Drake was defeated at San Juan in 1595.The Earl travelled in the ship's first voyage,till Plymouth,when he was recalled by the Queen.The fleet travelled forward,and its main mast was damaged in a violent storm.After repairs,it began a voyage as a flag ship of a fleet of 20 vessels,on 6 March 1598.The Earl wanted to capture Brazil.The fleet attacked the fort at San Juan and castle of El Morro,on 16 June.Though the fleet achieved honour for the country,the Earl made only about a tenth of the money he invested on the voyage.

East India Company bought the ship for 3700 pounds,though the Earl asked for 4000.Its first voyage under Company was on 13 February 1601,and the Commander was James Lancaster.It came upto Nicobar Islands.It captured a ship on a voyage from Santhome,Chennai,and looted its cargo of spices.The second voyage was on 25 March 1604 and the Commander,Sir Henry Middleton.It came to Surat in its 10th voyage,in September,1612.It secured trading rights at Surat.It was in the next voyage,begun on 23 February 1615,Keeling as Captain,it came to Calicut.Keeling's briefing was to restore Asian trading links.Keeling tried to smuggle his pregnant wife aboard the ship,but was not allowed.
On his return,King James I appointed Keeling a Groom of the Chamber and in C.1618,he was named Captain of Cowes Castle,on the Isle of Wight,where he died in 1620.

Keeling Island

A fragment of Keeling's diaries survives,which record the performances of Hamlet,off the coast of Sierra Leone,on 5 September 1607 and at Socrota,in 31 March,1608,and Richard II in Sierra Leone,30 September 1607.The fragment is suspected to be forgery.
The last voyage of the ship was in October 1619,commanded by Robert Bonner.It was attacked by a Dutch fleet at Secoo,and was taken or sunk.

The Hamlet performance in this ship is the first recorded performance of that play.

Read,FRANCOISE PYRARD IN CALICUT

Sunday, 12 February 2017

1607:FRANCOIS PYRARD IN CALICUT

The French Traveller was kidnapped in Calicut

Three accounts by French travellers,Francois Pyrard,Jean-Baptiste Tavernier and Abbe' Carre',describe how everything changed in Portuguese India,during the 17th century.Of the three,Pyrard was in India,from 1608 to 1610,and was in Kerala.

Not much is known about Pyrard's early life.He came from Laval in northern France.Some businessmen from there and from Saint-Malo decided to set up a company to follow the Dutch and the English to the East.Two ships were commissioned and young Pyrard left with them from Saint-Malo in 1601,possibly as a purser.Storms delayed the expedition and it took over a year to reach the Maldives.As Pyrard's ship approached the islands,the captain was ill below decks,the first and second mate were drunk and the watch was asleep.The ship struck a reef.It was 2 July,1602.40 of the crew managed to get ashore with some of the ship's silver.The Maldivians arrested them,beat them,confiscated their silver and refused them food so that they were reduced to eating grass and rats.Many of them died.12 escaped and stole a ship,which they managed to sail to Quilon,in Kerala.The Portuguese seized them and consigned them to the galleys after which they were never heard of again.

Pyrard learned the local language in the islands.Then he became friendly with the Sultan and lived comfortably for five years.In 1607,the islands were invaded by some Bengalis,looking for Pyrard's ship's cannon.They rescued him and his three surviving companions and took them to Chittagong.From there,the Frenchmen took a ship to Calicut,hoping to meet up with the Dutch.The people of Zamorin received them warmly since they were also enemies of the Portuguese.However,just outside Calicut,Pyrard and two of his companions were kidnapped by some Portuguese.They were taken as prisoners to Cochin,where they were incarcerated to a prison so crowded that it was impossible to sleep lying down.They were then sent by ship to Goa.On board,a cable snapped and Pyrard was badly injured.

Pyrard's itinerary

When Pyrard arrived in Goa in 1608,he was very ill and shackled in irons.The chains were removed but he was weak to walk.He was carried to the Royal Hospital.It was founded by Alfonso de Albuquerque,Governor of Goa,and been supported by kings and viceroys.It was under the supervision of the Jesuits and was governed by elaborate rules t only admitted European single men,mostly soldiers.There were 1500 beds and Pyrard was tucked into one.He was impressed.

There were Indian servants always present and a Portuguese superintendent visited every hour.For supper on first day,Pyrard had,a large fowl roasted,with some dessert served on Chinese porcelain.He thought he is in the finest hospital in the world:

Beautifully draped,and lacquered with red varnish;some are chequered and some gilded;the sacking is of cotton,and the pillows of white calico filled with cotton;the mattresses and coverlets are of silk or cotton,adorned with different patterns and colours,the sheets etc are of very fine white cotton.Then came a barber,who shaved all our hair off;then an attendant brought water and washed us all over,and gave us drawers,a white shirt,a cap,and slippers,and also placed beside us a fan and and an earthen ware bottle of water for drinking,and a camber-pt,besides a towel and hand kerchief,which were changed every three hours.

Pyrard statue in Laval,without face

Despite the luxury,the hospital had a terrible reputation for mortality.A recent despatch to the king had reported that at least 300 or 400 men between the ages of 18-30 died there every year.25000 soldiers alone died there in the 17th century!

Three weeks later,Pyrard felt better,but was persuaded to remain there,till his companions recovered.When discharged,he was re arrested,taken to the prison.There was a private room for Christians.A month later,he was able to get a message to as French Jesuit,who made a plea on his behalf to the Viceroy.The Viceroy had considered executing Pyrard since he had violated the law against the French by travelling to the Portuguese East.After a month,he and his companions were released.Having no money,Pyrard enlisted as a soldier.Over the next two years,he was mostly in Goa.He wrote a full account of his life in Goa.There were 5000 Portuguese soldiers in Goa.

There were female slaves whose attraction was that they could play musical instruments,embroider or make sweets or preserves.And others that were virgins,for they,deem it no sin to have intercourse with their slaves.

Pyrard's fellow soldiers either lived with a woman or shared a lodging with a few colleagues.Those who hared were often supported by married woman or widows.Despite their dubious origin,the soldiers put on great show of being gentlemen.The Indian were amazed when we told them these fellows were sons of porters,cobblers,drawers of water and other vile craftsmen.

Pyrard street in Laval,France

Pyrard seemed to be extremely interested in the habits of the women,though there is no personal information about his actions.The women took their ease in their smocks or bajus,which are more transparent and fine than the most delicate crape of these parts;so their skin shows beneath as clearly as if they had nothing on;more than that,they expose the bosom to such an extent that one can see quite down to the waist....the women at Goa are exceedingly lewd,so amorous and so addicted to fleshly pleasures,that when they find the smallest opportunity,they fail not to use it.

These women,he wrote,used their servants and slaves to make assignations,even drugging their husbands so as to take their plasure,without risk.The viceroys would take any pretty woman they wanted,if necessary first sending their husbands away on official expeditions.

In 1609,an edict came from the king to the viceroy commanding him to expel any Dutch,English or French,in case they were spies.Pyrard managed to get a free passage on carrack going to Brazil.He received farewell sums from the viceroy,arch bishop and the rich,but his pocket was picked and the purse stolen.His companions helped him out and finally,he sailed in February,1610.He arrived back in his home town of Lavel,nearly ten years after his departure.It is said,he took to drink.But he published an account of his sojourn.
The second volume of The Voyage of Francois Pyrard of Laval to the East Indies contains a chapter,titled,The History of Kunhali,the Great Malabar Corsair,on Kunhali Marakkar.It almost runs into 19 pages,and differs with the accounts of historian De Cout9,who spoke to Kunhali and his hench man,Chinale in the Goa jail;it also differs from the account of Faria y Souza.

I am giving a very abridged version here,of the chapter on Kunhali(names unchanged):
During the viceroyalty of Dom Antonia de Noronha(1571-73),Kunhali the elder(uncle of the great corsair)native of Kurichi,eyed,Puthupatanam.With the Zamorin's permission,he built a fortress,Marakkar Kotta there.Their original house was at Kollam.They moved to Thikkodi about 1525.
On the death of the uncle,nephew Mahomet Kunhali Marakkar succeeded.He seized a ship from China;assisted the Captain and soldiers of the Queen Olala and also the Melique at Chaul.
By the end of 1591,the Viceroy Mathias de Albuquerque decided to send two armadas-one under Andre Furtado de Mendoza against the Raja of Jaffna and the second under Alvaro de Abranches against Kunhali.While approaching Ceylon,Furtado defeated a fleet of Kunhali,under Cutimusa,nephew of Kunhali,in a battle at Karativu.Cutimuasa escaped.
Just before the arrival of Alvaro,Jesuit captive,Francisco da Costa represented to the Zamorin,the advantages of a Portuguese alliance for the suppression of Kunhali.Alvaro was communicated with.The Viceroy agreed and a treaty was signed.Zamorin laid the foundation for a Catholic church.
The grand son of Vasco da Gama,Francisco da Gama(31) arrived as Viceroy in Goa on 22 May 1597.He became unpopular.He appointed his brother Dom Luis da Gama (30)as Commander of the armada against Kunhali.Though there was wide spread discontent against the appointment,Luis left Goa on 13 November 1597 to capture Kunhali.In a meeting with Luis at Calicut,the Zamorin demanded 30,000 patacoes and Portuguese soldiers.The Portuguese found this inadmissible,and declared Zamorin,an enemy.Luis returned.Zamorin altered his mind.By the end of 1598,the Zamorin camped outside Kunhali's fort,with a large army.In December,Luis left Goa.He had 1500 men.Arch Bishop Menezes was also leaving Goa,for Malabar.At a council at Kottakal,in which the Archbishop was present,a vote was taken for the attack on Kunhali.Then the Archbishop returned to Cochin,restrained the Cochin Raja and send a few ships to Malabar.
The forces were ready for the attack on 3 March,1599.Luiz da Sylva was the commander.on the 4th,a meteor was found in the night sky,which the Portuguese took as a bad omen.The fire signal was shown at midnight,instead of the early hours.da Sylva was shot through the head;two more commanders fell.Gama withdrew his force to Cochin;da Sylva's body was interred at Kannur.
Against the wishes of Gama,Furtado was made Chief Captain of Malabar.He came in December.The allied commanders,including the Zamorin met on 16 at Kunhali's ancestral home.The entire force was ready by February,1600.The final onslaught was planned on 7 March.Negotiations went on and Kunhali surrendered on 16 March.
Last of all came Kunhali with a black kerchief on his head,and a sword in his hand with the point lowered.He was at that time,a man of fifty,of middle height,muscular and broad shouldered.He walked between three of his chief moors.One of these was Chinale,a Chinese who had been a servant of Malaka,and said to have been the captive of the Portuguese,taken as a boy from a fusta and afterwards brought to Kunhali.
According to Pyrard's account,Kunhali fell at Zamorin's feet,but Furtado advanced,seizing Kunhali,by the arm.
The rest is history.

Read,EDWARD BARLOW IN VALAPATTANAM

Saturday, 11 February 2017

1670:EDWARD BARLOW IN VALAPATTANAM

Cows were costlier in Kerala than children

Edward Barlow began writing a Journal,in captivity.He was held captive by a Dutch fleet in 1672,while he was working in the East India Company's merchant ship,The Experiment ,and taken to the Dutch stronghold of Batavia on Java.

He was confined there for a year,and to occupy his time,he began to draw and write up a journal of his voyages.Thereafter,he kept up his journal of his travels,until the end of his career.An extremely good draftsman,there are 127 coloured drawings in his manuscript,now at the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich.They are beautiful miniatures with accurate depictions of the ships portrayed,together with details of their armaments,rigging and flags.There are convincing action scenes with added vignettes of topography,fish,birds and animals.There are 55 pencilled outlines of ports and coast lines,in addition.The manuscript,has 225,000 words.The story of his first voyage for the Company -when he travelled to Mumbai,Surat,Goa and Malabar, is a graphic account of a seaman's life in the 17th century.

Journal of Barlow 1659-1703

From his Journal,we get details of his voyages to Valapattanam,Tanur,Ponnani, and Calicut.

Born near Manchester in 1642,Barlow grew up in a deprived house hold,according to Roy Moxham,who wrote,The Theft of India.His father was a poorly paid worker on the land and had six children.Barlow did odd jobs as a boy,on the land and in coal pits.This enabled him to buy clothes to replace the rags that had prevented him earlier from attending church.He left school at 13,after a rudimentary education,for an apprenticeship in the bleaching of textiles.Through a relative's friend,he gained a new apprenticeship,as chief master's mate of a Royal Navy ship,the Naseby.He was serving in it when it brought back Charles II at the Restoration.He worked on other war ships until 1662 and then moved to the merchant navy.He travelled to Portugal,Spain and Brazil.He swapped job between royal and merchant ships.

In 1672,on his second voyage for the Company,Barlow went to Java and Taiwan.He didn't know that war had been declared between England and the Dutch republic.Barlow's ship,The Experiment was intercepted by the Dutch and we got the Journal,as I said before.

Barlow made his first visit to the East as an ordinary sea man aboard the same ship.It was a 250 ton ship,with a crew of 60 and armed with 22 cannons,bound for India.It left England,together with two other Company ships in March 1670 and arrived at Bombay in September.There were some women on board ,who had come out to join their husbands in the Company's service.Several discovered that their husbands were already dead.

The ship took a few days to offload some of its cargo.Barlow noted that most of the people insider the fort were Indian Muslims or Portuguese-the Portuguese being paid he same as the English.He describes the strangely attired Indians outside the fort.

A week later,the ship discharged the rest of the cargo at Swally,near Surat.The shore was lined with the booths and tents of the local merchants.One of these merchants was engaged by each of the crew to purchase what they had brought to India and to sell them what they would carry home.

The ship then sailed to Goa.Barlow notes that although it had few commodities of its own,Goa's position and deep harbour made it a convenient place for trade.Since the Dutch had captured many of the Portuguese bases,there was little business.A laden ship went back to Portugal only every two or three years.

After leaving Goa,the ship continued down the coast to the Company's factory at Karwar,where it dropped off money and letters from England.Three days further south,it went up an estuary to the recently established Company base at Valapattanam.Some lead was off loaded for the Company to use in exchange for spices.Barlow bought some coconuts to take home to England as curios.He writes that the local people would not sell them cows,but that for a small sum,you may buy their children.One of the ship's men jumped into the water and disappeared ,presumed to have been taken by crocodiles.

From Valapattanam,the ship went south to Tanur and Ponnani to load the pepper that had been bought by the Company's factors.At first the Indians were wary of them,thinking they were Dutch-for there are few in all East India of the country people but are fearful of them and cannot abide or love any of them,having been so absurd and their goods taken from them in so many places.

The ship was hit by an unseasonable storm.Barlow,being superstitious and distrstful of foreign religions,imagined this was a result of the inhabitants offering up as sacrifice one of their sons or daughters to their God,the Devil,and that Hellish Fiend,being offended at something,caused him to raise such a horrible tempest.

Going back north,the ship called at Calicut a few scattering houses,being destroyed by wars.Prostitutes were available cheap.Barlow was more shocked to see both men and women,some of the women heavily pregnant,wearing only a loin cloth.They collected a Company factor who wanted to go to Valapattanam.They also took on board three Dutchmen who were deserters from the Dutch East India Company at Cochin.At Valapattanam,they dropped the factor off and took on board the man he was replacing to carry him up to Karwar.

On 15 January 1671,Barlow watched India,disappear from sight.

Between 1670 and 1703,Barlow made nine voyages to India and the East.He rose to be chief mate.He was disappointed at not being made the captain.In 1683 he had a fight with the captain at Sumatra.he was put ashore and had to work his passage back to England.In 1692,while in India,he had severely caned a sea man for insubordination.The man had subsequently died.On the ship's return to England,his widow engaged a lawyer.Some of the dead man's ship mates supported her and,to avoid going before the courts,Barlow had to give her a sum of 50 pounds,a huge sum then.

Barlow was married in 1678 to a maid servant of a friend in London.Two days after the marriage,he sailed for Jamaica.While he was away,his wife was caught in a house fire and miscarried.In 1695,their youngest child died of consumption.In 1705,Barlow was finally made the captain of an East Indiaman.Under his command,the Liampo left Portsmouth for the Red Sea.Before he left,Barlow made his will,leaving everything to his wife and children.Off the Mozambique coast,his ship was lost.Fortunately,his Journal was not on board.Hence this short note on him.

Please read,Life and Loves of Catherine Cooke in Kerala

Thursday, 14 January 2016

KESARI AWARD FOR RAMACHANDRAN

THE KESARI RASHTRA SEVA AWARD,2014,FOR TOTAL CONTRIBUTION TO JOURNALISM,WAS AWARDED TO ME ON 29,JANUARY,2016,AT HOTEL ALAKAPURI,KOZHIKODE,BY S RAMESAN NAIR,POET.IT CARRIED A CASH PRIZE OF RS 50,000,A CITATION AND A PLAQUE.THE JURY CONSISTED OF DR MGS NARAYANAN,M A KRISHNAN,LEELA MENON & P BALAKRISHNAN. THE UNI LINK TO THE STORY IS: http://www.uniindia.com/rama-chandran-biju-tharayil-selected-for-kesari-madhyama

Thursday, 26 November 2015

THE SEPOY MUTINY OF KERALA,1812

Colonel Munro Massacred 29 Indians in Quilon

It is now well known that it was not Jhansi Rani Lakshmi Bai(1823-1858),who revolted first against the British;it was Kitturu Rani Chennamma(1778-1829)of Karnataka,who declared war against them,in 1824,33 years before,Lakshmi Bai.When Chennamma's son died in 1824,she adopted Sivalingappa,as,heir.The East India Company refused to accept it,applying the doctrine of lapse,which was officially codified later,during 1848-1856,by Lord Dalhousie.The Company ordered his expulsion,but Chennamma defied.When the Governor of Bombay,Mountstuart Elphinstone turned down her letter,war broke out.Several people lost lives,including the Collector & Political Agent for Southern Mahratta Doab region,St John Thackeray, and John Munro,Sub Collector of Sholapur.Munro was the nephew of General Thomas Munro,Governor of Madras( 1820-1827),who was distantly related to Colonel John Munro, Resident of Travancore and Cochin,during 1810-1819.Nephew Munro was killed by a match lock ball,when he accompanied the storming party,against the orders of the Commissioner of Poona,W Chaplin.

Munro

Likewise,the first Sepoy mutiny in India,was not in 1857-a Sepoy mutiny happened,45 years before,in Kollam in Kerala.It was an uprising against the British,which was crushed,executing the 29 Indian soldiers,who revolted,by the Resident,John Munro.He implicated the ousted Dewan of Travancore,Ummini Thampi,and the imprisoned 'crown prince',Visakham Thirunal Kerala Varma,behind the conspiracy and sentenced them to death.Kerala Varma was the son of Princess Atham Thirunal of Mavelikara Arattukadavu Koyikkal palace.They originally were from the Chenga palace branch of Kolathunad,in Malabar.Maybe,the reason behind Munro relinquishing his Travancore job in 1814,is revealed in this(he remained an advisor,till 1819).

Here is the story from,History of Madras Army,Vol III,by Lt Col W J Wilson,published in 1883(in this ,Ummini Thampi is Womanah Tumby and,Kerala Varma,Pichy Rajah;pichy for Pazhassi,not the original Pazhassi Raja)):

On the night of the 24th May,1812,the existence of a conspiracy at Quilon,having for its object the destruction of the European officers and men of the Subsidiary Force in Travancore,was brought to the knowledge of Lieutenant and Adjutant Cox of 2nd battalion of 14th regiment by Jamedar Lyaloo of the same battalion,to whom it had been revealed by a private(sepoy)of his company.

The Subsidiary Force,at this time,under the Command of Colonel Hamilton Hall,was composed of a company of European artillery,the 2nd battalion of 9th regiment,2nd of 11th regiment,3rd of the 14th and 2nd of the 18th regiment of native infantry.

On the morning of 25th,Colonel Hall and his officers in command of battalions met at the residency and it was there arranged that a general parade of the troops should be ordered for that afternoon,and that the principal conspirators should then be seized;the Resident,Lt Col John Munro took steps for the apprehension of such inhabitants of the town and vicinity,as were bribed,to be implicated.

These measures were successfully carried out.Jamedar Shaik Hossain of the 14th together with 2 havildars and 22 men of that battalion,were called out of the ranks and placed in confinement,the troops behaving with perfect steadiness.
Womanah Tumby, ex Dewan of Travancore,an individual claiming to be the nephew and representative of the late Pichy Raja,and several religious mendicants(fakirs),were seized at the same time by Resident's people as being the chief instigators.

Jamedar Shaik Hossain,and private(sepoy),Salabut Khan of the 14th were tried in a summary manner by a board of officers,of which Major Fraser of 2nd battalion of 9th regiment was president.Both were convicted and sentenced to be blown from a gun,which sentence was carried into execution,on the evening of 28th May,at a general parade of the whole force.

Quilon ( Kollam) in 1800s

Two havildars,one naik and 26 privates(sepoys)of the 14th regiment,of whom 19 were Mohammedans,and 10 hindus were tried by ordinary court martial,and sentenced to death.Of these,two privates were pardoned.The rest either shot or hanged.The sentences being carried out into execution at Quilon,Cannanore,Seringapatam,Trichinoply,Vellore and St Thomas Mount,respectively.

Six native officers,and one havildar of the 18th regiment ,two Pardon of native officers of the 9th,and one native officer of the 14th were also sentenced to death,but it was subsequently discovered that they had been falsely accused,and they were consequently pardoned and released,full belief in their innocence being expressed by the Commander in Chief in general orders.

Nothing transpired to prove that the conspiracy tended beyond the 2nd battalion of the 14th regiment.The 2nd of the 11th(22nd M N I)was specially reported as having,"manifested distinguished attachment and discipline", through out.

The result of the enquiries made by the Resident,which occupied some time,led him to the conclusion that Womanah Tumby ,the pseudo Pychy Raja and jamedar Shaik Hossain of the 14th regiment had been the originators of the conspiracy.

The design was to confer the sovereignty of Travancore upon the Pychy Raja.The jamedar was promised the office of Dewan;but all this,in all probability,was really intended for Womanah Tumby.The pay for all sepoys as might join in the plot was to be raised to rupees 10 per mensem.

The Chief body of conspirators consisted of discharged sepoys,fakeers and disaffected natives of the province.The European officers were to have been attacked while at dinner,and the barracks set on fire at the same time,in order to distract attention,after which the public treasury was to have been given up to plunder.

On the 18th February(1813),jamedar Lyaloo of the 14th was promoted to be subedar,and presented with a palanquin,and and an allowance for bearers.He also received a gold medal and a donation of 1000 rupees.At his decease,his nearest heir was to be allowed a pension of 35 rupees per mensem.

Vencatram,the sepoy who had informed the jamedar of the plot,was pensioned on the pay odf a jamedar,and received a donation of 600 rupees.

Private Hoosain Khan,who had given information to Captaion Lyes of the same battalion on 24th May,in rather an incoherent manner,was pensioned on the pay of a havildar.

Womanah Tumby,and the Pichy Raja were tried by the court of Travancore Government.The former was sentenced to death,but this sentence was commuted to banishment ,and he was removed to Nellore.The Pychy Raja was banished to Chengelpet,but he was released from confinement,in 1815.

kollam fort

The Mutiny was planned to be executed on May 22,1812;a report appeared in the 1812 November issue of The Scots Magazine & Edinburgh Literary Miscellany,Volume 74,page 860;it reported that,just before the departure of the ship,Doris from India,intelligence reached of a dangerous mutiny in Travancore,in the form of a letter from an officer at Quilon to his friend at Madras.It was dated,May 30.Though the magazine says it was a letter,from the content,it appears that it was an intelligence report to the highest authority.Here is the 'letter':

We have had as state prisoners,a Dewan of Travancore,lstely for some misdemeanor deposed;also a man called Pyche Raja.These together by bribery had corrupted a native officer of the 14th regiment of Infantry,and they engaged him to bring into their plans the greatest part of the native troops of Quilon;in a great measure succeeded.The Raja,the prime instigator,proposed that when sufficient members of sepoys came into their views ,to attempt the murder of all the European officers.

The 18th regiment was to be reviewed on a certain day,and that every officer in the Cantonment,the Resident included,were to dine at our mess in the evening.The supporters were to fell upon us,when assembled and to strike off the head of every one.After that,they will be quiet till morning,on the appearance of which the drums were to beat to arms;and the three corps were to be thus disposed off:one was to march to southern lines;another to north;third to Arunghaut(Aralvaimozhi) pass,for the purpose of preventing the march of troops into the country.Several battalions to be raised,to possess Travancore.Lines were to be fired;If the officers left the mess,they intended to bayonet them.

This abominable and atrocious design was prevented only by the absence of one man,who had promised to make his appearance with 50 associates.

Two days after,a sepoy overheard why it was not accomplished.(postponed to)Next public party, on June 4. The Commanding officer was informed.

The Brigade was immediately ordered out;the native officer was called to the front,with about 30 sepoys,by name of 14th regiment.Immediately put on irons and sent to main guard.

The following morning,a board of officers held,few sepoys gave evidence.They didn't implicate anyone.The following morning,a fakir called out a great member by name,from the 14th native officers;live from the 18th,2 or 3 (battalion)from the 11th(regiment)and 9th.Implicated some of the Resident's peons,natives of the place and several officers' servants.Nearly all sepoys of 14th and several from other corps were engaged.The man in charge of public committee bribed;many others too.

Quilon was in great agitation and alarm.It was deemed necessary to make an immediate example of one or two of ring leaders.All implicated native officers were sent immediately to Trichinopoly,under guard of 50 of Resident's peons,all under charge of a 14th officer.The 14th(regiment)was asked to leave Quilon,with European officers,and march to the same place.But 12 hours is too much;so were asked to march day befoe yesterday(28th)itself.

The troops were ordered under arms,and formed a line at 5'0 clock.3 guns were advanced to the front of the line,about 100 paces from centre;also a gun from each flank,the same distance.The latter were loaded with grape shot,and pointed towards the battalion;as it was expected the sepoys would make some opposition to the severe measures in contemplation.Two of the guns in the centre were only loaded with powder.Two prisoners,the jamedars and a writer were brought forward,and without ceremony,were lashed each to the muzzle of a gun.The troops,upon seeing this,were still as death-not a murmur-no,not a breath was heard-and at this awful crisis,(Alex) Balmain,the Brigade Major,read over the sentence awarded to the prisoners by the board of officers that sat in the morning,and the Colonel gave the words-"READY,FIRE!".An involuntary shudder ran through the whole line,but nothing more.The Colonel then informed the troops why he was obliged to have recourse to this severe measure,and ordered the whole line to march round the bodies,and return to their barracks.(Balmain's marriage was in 1819 March 2,to Jane,third daughter of Forrest Dewar,at Edinburgh).

This eyewitness account reveals that the reporter was not one among the troops;he was a commander,who watched the reaction of the troops.Maybe,Colonel Hamilton Hall himself,reporting to the Commander in Chief at Madras.Hamilton Hall had entered the Company's service in 1781,rose to the rank of Lt Colonel in 1807.He died on 12 May,1827,as Lt General,and as Commander of the Southern Division at Trichinopoly.There is Hall's road in Chennai,stretching from Casamajor road to Egmore high road-Hall had lived in Egmore.

The informant,in a couple of accounts,is Iyaloo,or Jallo.Iyaloo is a name,heard among Telugu Naidus.

Residency,Kollam

The important part in these accounts,is terming,Kerala Varma of Mavelikara,as Pazhassi Raja,to invoke the memory of another rebellion,deliberately.He has been called the pseudo nephew of Pazhassi Raja.He never belonged to Pazhassi/Kottayam in Malabar;he was from the Chenga branch of Kolathunad(Chirakkal).He was very close to Ummini Thampi and the murdered King,Balarama Varma.Ummini Thampi is suspected to be the man behind the murder,which took place on November 7,1810,days after the arrival of Munro as Resident.Kerala Varma,who claimed the throne,was denied it by Munro.Reigning Queen of Attingal,Lakshmi Bai was given the crown.Munro removed Thampi,from the position of Dewan.Both had reason to revolt.At the same time,when the mutiny was being planned,both of them were under house arrest.So the key player in the episode,is the person who failed the mutiny by not appearing on the scene,with 5o associates.He was never caught.

If Kerala Varma and Thampi were involved directly,they could have been hanged.Instead,Munro,who presided over the appeal court which gave them death sentence,wrote to the Madras Governor to commute the sentence.Maybe,Samuel Thamby,Ummini Thampi's brother,who became a Christian in 1811,played a part.Samuel Thamby was deprived of his property,by Nairs,and his palace allowance was stopped.He disappeared,mysteriously.

That,Kerala Varma was released from captivity,in 1815,says a lot.

The 14th regiment which plotted the assassination of Munro,was predominantly a Muslim regiment,and the two muslims,Sheikh Hussain and Salabut Khan,by their names,are not keralites.The chances of Thampi and Varma,engaging them are remote.

Pazhassi Raja had died 7 years ago;but the Vellore mutiny was 6 years ago.

What was Vellore mutiny?Sir John Cradock,the Commander in Chief,ordered wearing a round hat;the new dress included a leather cockade.This was intended to replace the existing turban.This offended sensibilities of both the hindu and muslim sepoys.Tipu Sultan's several wives and children were housed in a palace inside the Vellore Fort,and the nikah of a daughter was fixed on 9 July,1806.The sepoys selected that day for the mutiny-200 Britishers were killed.It frightened British officers all over India;a number of officers became skittish,inclined to see rebellion every where.

For Munro,he had just escaped Madras mutiny,as Quarter Master General in 1909,inside the army,against him,after his recommendation to abolish the tent contract system.

Maybe,Munro and the Quilon British officers read too much into the Quilon mutiny.Munro was waiting to implicate Thampi and Varma,and he made a suitable script.

I shuddered when Hussain and Salabut were lashed to the muzzle of the gun.It would have affected,Munro more;hence,his exit from Travancore.

Thus,we learn the first sepoy mutiny was in Madras-1806.

Reference:The Pioneer Protestant Missionary in Travancore/C M Augur

See my Post,TAMBARAM AND MURDER OF KING BALARAMA VARMA