Madras and Chennai-A numerological coincidence

Dear Friends:-
When I wrote in my blog as Madras and Chennai i failed to see the Numerological significence in both the names till 'Pistha' commented about ot.Thanks' Pistha'.
It is likr this 'Madras' has 6 letters which vibrates with( 15) the nnumber you derive both under Chaldean system and Pythagorean Pyramid system. The starting letter 'm'has 4 as its number in both the systems.
Now 'Chennai' has 7 letters andgets a 25(2+5=7) as its number under both systems wjile the letter'C' isassigned no 3 in both systems as the starting letter.

What does it all mean?A prosperous and art loving Madras( no:6 Venus) and a
loosing Chennai,No:7 ruled by neptune.The only saving grace is the No 3 which stands for Jupiter who gives strong leadership, in political,religious and soccial domains.
Best wishes
Partha krish

Greening chennai

The chlorophyll in the plants have taken the center stage at Madras (Chennai). Never before have people awakened to the fact that Chennai is fast becoming a concrete jungle as it is now. The absence of greenery as seen in aerial photos reveal a barren Chennai, though here and there there are a few patches of green primarily consisting of shrubs, crotons, small flower plants and Cactii. No serious effort to grow for publicity and public consumption.

The main culprits are:
1) Real Estate Developers - they cause the maximum catastrophe while shedding a few crocodile tears in terms of their "magnanimity" to plant a few ornamental plants (like the one in our apartment community)
2) Road-laying organisations - they are merciless in felling even young trees, planted only a few years ago if it interferes with their plans
3) Schools, colleges, universities and other educational organisations
4) Sports bodies who would prefer the whole city to be filled by playgrounds encouraged by a few advocates who want Indians to bag the maximum gold medals in the Olympics
5) Lastly, of course vandals

Amidst this chaotic scenario, good news has come out in the form of an NGO called CSS (Chennai Social Service), who volunteer to home deliver a sapling free of cost if a person sends them an SMS <GREEN> to 9894062532. I received an email about this service and it contains a dozen names of saplings of trees suitable to be grown in gardens, vacant spaces in flats, children's play areas etc. Seizing this opportunity, I immediately informed the Secretary of our Home Owners Association for further action. What a laudable effort!

With best wishes,
Partha Krish

Law - Funny and Slow

Dear Friends:

I received a thunderbolt today. After 25 years of waiting and losing all hopes, the law has taken its own time to inform me to lodge a complaint against an erstwhile corporate body which collected funds from investors for teak plantations.

In the early eighties, the growing of teak plantations was popular. They promised a higher share from the 13th year when the trees matured. Of course it was all scientific with site inspections, saplings, operations etc. but due to mismanagement everything disappeared into thin air. All of our efforts to get the money back failed.

Now after more than 25 years the Economic Offenses wing of the city police has asked for written complaints with original documents to be filed in 2 weeks. I am still wondering about the slow but sure reach of the long arm of the law. Anyway I am glad many seniors would welcome this, but the only snag is that most of us invested in our children's name and many of them are abroad. It requires a lot of paperwork like Power of Attorney, authorisation, receipts etc. Anyway our thanks are due to the Economic Offenses wing of the city police.

With best wishes,
Partha Krish

Temples and Thefts

Dear Friends:

While writing about Chennai, I had mentioned about the greed of people in going in for shortcut methods to make money.

One such interesting, yet novel method of removing the top bronze caps ('Kalasams') of temple 'Gopurams' and 'Vimanams' had come to the notice of the public, through a reality show of a TV channel and has now been confirmed by the Deputy Supt. of Police, Kanchipuram, who has nabbed one set of thugs and is investigating further.

The modus operandi seems to be that, a set of people join together, conspire and approach those who want to make a fast buck and put a proposal that they remove these bronze caps ('Kalasams') from temples as they contain 'Iridium' which is very costly in the foreign market, fetching even a crore of rupees for 3 points and several lakhs for 1 to 2 points (a reference to the presence of Iridium).

At first, they show that these 'Kalasams' (stolen) have a lot of magnetic power and to prove it, they drop the 'Kalasams' in a box containing some magnets and a concealed battery wherein when the 2 ends of the 'Kalasams' touch the terminals of battery, they glow. Then they are taken out and raw rice is placed near the 'Kalasams'. These are already sprinkled with iron dust and hence are immediately drawn towards the Kalasam.

Then a proposal is made that an expert team will arrive from Mumbai to assess the potentiality and radioactivity of the Iridium and then they will pay an advance and balance after floating in the foreign market. Meanwhile the victims will be asked to pay a few lakhs for the 'Scientists' to come from Bombay or Nasik, consultation fees to them, commission for those contacting the beneficiaries etc.

The whole thing is done in a strictly confidential manner as the sponsors point out to the illegality of this transaction. Everything is done only through mobile phones and spam emails. It all looks and sounds like a detective-thriller type cinema, but it is happening not only in Tamilnadu but in Kerala too. There is a big network of fraud, deceit and illegality. Yet many people have fallen into the trap. Already valuable ornaments, gold plates, wooden carvings and idols of antique nature are being stolen everyday and in some cases also ending in the murder of watchmen.

All these again clearly show that:
1) People are losing their moral values, and
2) There should be more strict enforcement of Law and Order

With best wishes,
Partha krish

Madras and Chennai

Dear Friends:

What is the difference between Madras and Chennai?

It seems to be so simple to answer, but an indepth analysis would show there has been so much of transformation in character and content that today's Chennai (short for ChennaPatnam) looks vastly different.

I am not discussing the appearance, buildings, roads, monuments, nomenclatures etc. but the existence of an alarmingly increased negativism in people, crimes and shortcut methods to prosperity. Yesterday when I was enthusiastically describing the avenues of talent search amongst the young, in a corner of my mind a thought was disturbing that there is a darker side too.

I just happened to read this bit in a newspaper - "I have travelled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such is the wealth I have seen in this country." This was the impression of Lord Macaulay expressed in British Parliament where he proposed to change the entire educational system in India to make it subservient to 'English' and British. I am spell bound at his remarks and happier to think we were so good, prosperous, knowledgeable and virtually had no crime.

But how is it today? Not a day passes off without a mention in the media about dacoity, chain snatching and murder for gain. The info in media is only 1/30th of the petitions and complaints received in the Police Commissioner's offices, police stations etc. Some attribute all these to rapid urbanisation. Many sleepy villages that were calm and serene and never had a crime record, have suddenly bloomed into satellite towns thanks to the real estate boom, with a lot of higher middle class people preferring such peripheral towns for their spacious bungalows, instead of flats in the city. An argument can be made the since infrastructural facilities have not kept pace with these towns which are far away from the city's gaze, there is poor enforcement of law and order and thus the crime gangs find them a profitable haven. Whatever be the reason, there is no denying the fact that each day the crime rate is increasing in and around Chennai and it all boils down to two things:
1) There is inadequate enforcement of law and order due to various reasons
2) The attitude of the people at large who refuse to see realities but behave selfishly is on the rise.

All the best,
Partha Krish

Centuries Four and Chennai Young

Dear Friends:

It is all happening in Chennai which has successfully completed 370 years on August 22nd. In its new avatar, it has seen several changes and upheavals, but yet has maintained its cosmopolitan character, preserving the age old culture and tradition and adopting new scientific and technological blitz, yet with a quiet and serene society that has fine tastes in the fine arts. The city has been celebrating it in several ways for a fortnight and there is no dearth of interesting programmes, celebrations, parties etc. but what is amazing is the way the younger generation has taken to it. Already, starting with music programmes on Sunday at Nageswara Rao park, to keen competition in quiz programmes, games, athletics etc., the young have been exhibiting their talents in various ways.

Now the completion of 370 years has given a fillip to many of them who all took to it as a fish takes to water. What an ocean of talents, scientific fervour, technological leanings! I am so happy that the future custodians of power and administration and who hold the future of this country in their hands, promise a great deal to us, with bubbling enthusiasm and desire.

Let us thank all those parents, grand parents, teachers, tutors, trainers, motivators, sponsors and others for channelising the energies of youngsters in a positive way.

With best wishes,
Partha Krish

Freedom at Midnight and Freedom Fighters - Part 3

Dear Friends and Well-wishers, greetings to all of you. Venkat has commented that while the erstwhile freedom fighters shed their blood, many enjoy the fruits today and that they must remember them. The catch is in the last part of the sentence. It does not serve them right to remember, since it will not help them to perpetuate either the family or the caste to seize power.

Now coming back to our hero Sri A. Rangaswami Iyengar, Kasthuri Ranga Iyengar, the proprietor of 'The Hindu', had no prior knowledge of journalism as he was an advocate (he was the father of K. Gopalan and K. Srinivasan printer-publisher and editor respectively) and so he sought his nephew's assistance. Our hero equally unaware of journalistic nuances, gave up his practice, took the job seriously, improved its financial health and made the paper popular by stating facts and confirmed news only, besides doing a masterly analysis of political and economic issues.

At this time, G. Subramaniya Iyer, who was the owner of the Tamil daily 'Swadesa Mithran', wanted to sell the paper as he was old and weak. Though a vernacular paper it had a nationalistic outlook and a patriotic fervour. Iyengar took over in Aug. 1915 and became its editor for several years. He published several books on state economics, politics, good governance etc.

His journalistic pursuits took him to national levels by attending meetings on 'Montague-Chelmsford Reforms', Rowlatt Act, non-cooperation campaign etc. A large-hearted man, his home which was a home for many freedom stalwarts, was always buzzling with activity. His munificence was already well known, but Subramanya Bharathi (fondly known as 'Bharatiyar'), a proud patriot, who would never extend his arms for charity, frequented Iyengar's house in Mowbray's Road (now T.T.K. Road), Alwarpet, Chennai and was very much fond of Iyengar and his views. Iyengar helped him join the editorial board of 'SwadesaMithran' and when Bharatiyar had to live in Pondicherry (a French settlement) to avoid arrest by the British, Iyengar sent him monthly Rs. 100/-, a princely sum in those days.

The loss of his elder son Srninivasan, frequent travels, mind-boggling editorials and social commitments all added to his ill-health and he breathed his last in Feb. 1934. He was also a great connoisseur of Carnatic music and the then Music Academy, which was a fledgling, due to lack of patronage, was revived by him and greatly contributed to the annual 'Sadas' - an event which is popular even today.

Coming back to our first paragraph, every society, nation or individual considers 'Gratitude' as a virtue. Thiruvalluvar, the great Tamil poet, says there is no salvation to anybody who is not grateful to those who do good to them. If that is so, what about our own nation which boasts of a long and hoary tradition and culture? The powers that be, the society or organisations need not necessarily assist their family with doles, but should they not be honoured? Should not invitations sent to them for National and Independence day functions?

We are awarding 'Padma Vibushan', 'Padma Bhushan' and 'Padma Sri' to actors, playback singers, sportsmen, politicians etc. who are all professionals who practised their profession only to earn for themselves and their kith and kin. I am sorry to say this but my voice tells me an ungrateful nation will perish more quickly due to its ingratitude than from a deluge that may take centuries to come.

With best wishes,
Partha Krish

Freedom at Midnight and Freedom Fighters - Part 2

Dear Friends and Well-wishers,

In my previous blog I had promised to write about one of the unsung and unwept freedom fighters - Late Sri A. Rangaswami Iyengar. A cursory look at his biography by Mr. Parthasarathi, formerly of Hindu, makes it look like the modern Forbes list of famous men and women. His achievements are astounding. Let me be brief.

Sri Rangaswami Iyengar was born in a village in Thanjavur Dist. in a middle class agricultural family. In July 1877, he got his F.A. from Coimbatore College and later obtained his degree from Presidency College, Madras. Due to family circumstances, he worked as a clerk in the revenue dept., but his spirit rebelled. He resigned his job and with the help of his maternal uncle and others, joined the Law College, Madras and came out with flying colours. Later he became famous in a case at Tanjore and had a lucrative practice, though he was requested to come to Madras, to assist his maternal uncle Sri Kasturi Ranga Iyengar, an advocate who later purchased the newspaper 'The Hindu'.

Meanwhile he got elected to the 'Central Assembly' from Tanjore Dist., a forerunner to our present parliament and an honour so rare during the Brititish rule. He was scholarly, analytical and was a good writer. He took over the reigns of 'The Hindu' and wrote several masterpiece articles on Economics and Politics.

He was the first South Indian who opposed the building of 'Kannambadi Dam' in Mysore (also Visweswarayya dam known as 'KrishnaRajaSagar Dam'). Due to his masterly analysis in 'The Hindu', the Madras Govt. who initially gave permission to build, later referred it to an adjudicator and again to the Secretary of State, wherein unfortunately the case of Madras was lost and even today it has been responsible for not only the woes and ills of Thanjavur Dt., but also generated animosity and rancour among the people of Karnataka and Tamilnadu.

(To be continued)
All the best to all of you,
Partha Krish.

Freedom at Night and Freedom Fighters - Part 1

It is now an established fact that in the course of over 50 years we have forgotten the many heroes of the 'Freedom Fight'. Not only that, we have also denied them and their kin the due recognition and the financial assistance to which they are entitled. Recently the High Court took to task a District Collector for denying the 'Freedom Fighters Pension' to an octogenarian for several years on some minor technical details related to his date of birth. He had been knocking at the doors of the administration, politicians and NGOs but to no avail.

This is not the first or just one of a few cases that have come up. Scores of even nonagenarians are yet to get their meagre pension. The ills and woes of their kith and kin [survivors] are much worse. They are still making journeys to the offices concerned.

While it is so with lesser mortals, those who held positions in party and in government and who had contributed their might by family sacrifices, debates, appearing in courts for those charged with sedition, running newspapers for Indian National Congress, arranging meetings of leaders like Mahatma Gandhi etc. have been totally forgotten and even their names obliterated from records, celebrations and memoirs.

One such fact has come to my notice, almost surprisingly. During our sojourn in the US, we had met a scholarly octogenarian couple - Narasimhan and RangaMani, who reside in Bethesda, Maryland and who regularly conduct a 'Study Club' called 'Montgomery Study Circle' in Potomac, Maryland. Last week he sent me a book published by 'Bhavan's Publications' - Mumbai, titled 'A. Rangaswamy Iyengar - Forgotten Freedom Fighter remembered'. The author is M.S. Parthasarathy, a journalist. I was clean bowled by the achievements and sacrifices of Sri Rangaswami Iyengar. What a great man!

I shall detail his magnificence, munificence, legal acumen, scholarly analysis of Economics, journalistic pursuit as a owner and Editor of 'Swadesha Mitran' (a Tamil daily then) in my next blog.

All the best to all of you,
Partha Krish.