Musings of the Life & Times of Chinnaswamy Subramania Bharathi Narasimhan Vijayaraghavan 29

Musings of the Life & Times of Chinnaswamy Subramania Bharathi
Narasimhan Vijayaraghavan
29

It was on June 17,1911, that Vanchinathan ex Collector Ashe. And then committed suicide. While others wept for Vanchinathan, Bharati condemned the assassination of Ashe : “An outrage to the Hindu religion. For the murdered had his wife by the side.”

The police came to arrest Bharathi on suspicion of sedition, after the Ashe assassination, with a warrant against the Editor of the Swadesamitran magazine. But Bharathi was officially Assistant Editor, though he wrote fierce anti-British editorials, so the editor the police arrested was Mandyam Srinivasachar, also the publisher.

Bharathi had fled to Puduchery, which was held by the French (and so out of British jurisdictin) in 1908 on the advice of his friends. He stayed there until 1918 and this was the most productive period of his literary life, said K R S Narasiah. Bharathi wrote letters in English to The Hindu newspaper, published out of Madras, which printed several of them.

Bharathi was not a blind Patriot but a ‘prudent nationalist’ says Narasiah. The difference is that a blind patriot is an ideologue who supports his country, right or wrong, but a nationalist is someone who wants to build a nation, and shape its thoughts and culture, and is not afraid to voice his opinion even if its unpopular.

One of Bharathi’s letters to the Hindu published during the First world war, said: “We criticize England in peacetime but stand by her in trouble. We are lovers of Humanity.” Coming from the mighty pen of Bharathi, ‘it was jarring’ said many a contemporaneous commentator. Bharathi was not displeased at the reaction or response as he said, “ I play by my conscience. Feelings and emotions matter. But they must be tempered by reason and logic”.

We had left Chellamma worried over Bharathi carrying on m, all alone in Pondicherry. She later gathered that the host Kuppuswamy Ayyangar was being ‘warned of dire consequences for entertaining Bharathi as a guest”. He was told that it was if the French forces were hands of on those exiled in their terrain. There were multiple occasions when French administration was obliging the British in not only supplying information on those exiled and their activities but beyond as well. The French were not beyond ‘creating heat in the kitchens of the exiled and their hosts l to compel and precipitate the departure of the exiled ”.

In line with such modus operandi, a ‘captain’ from the French security forces accosted Kuppuswamy Ayyangar and made ‘rude enquiries’. Ayyangar was not politically inclined and ‘confined himself to roti,kapada aur makaan ( food clothes and shelter)”, wrote an author. The visit from the captain became talk of the town and Ayyangar was mortified. He confronted Bharathi and told him in so many words, “ Ayyarwal, I obliged my friend Kuvalai. But I did not bargain for what me and my family are facing. We lead a quiet and obscure life, just above hand to mouth. The visit from the Captain has shattered our peace. Even if it may be embarrassing, I have no option than to request you to look elsewhere for a stay.”.

Though Pondy provided a calming influence to Bharathi and sent word to those on the look out to choose it as place for exile, his early days were as if on a minefield . India and other leaders became aware and when Aurobindo Ghosh moved in, it was a huge and transformational development. But, we are not done with Kuppuswamy Ayyangar yet.

The ‘captain’ even called Ayyangar to the police station and asked, “ What do you know about Bharathi that we may need to know. Why do you disrupt your peaceful existence? We may have nothing against you except as a host of that runaway poet. Bharathi is a sworn enemy or even a proclaimed offender of the British. His continued stay in your home may be harmful to you”.

Chellammal noted that Bharathi never ignored such issues. He took them seriously,? if it harmed the interests of ‘others’ than himself and his family. “ He squirmed like a worn. But within minutes he spoke to himself as he was wont to. Dey Bharathi, Are you a coward? Stand up and be man enough to face the consequences of your abiding love for the land. You need to pay a price, whatever. And as was his habit, he would angrily spit at his cowardice to get over it”.

Bharathi swallowed his pride and said, “ Ayyangar, please apologise. I am new to this place. I know nobody. Even you were introduced. I understand your predicament. You have no obligation to undergo the torture for my sake. Please give me a couple of days. I will search for an alternate accomadate and to move on.

Chellamma sarcastically suggested that it was this mental state of confusion and anxiety that may have seeded in Bharathi to write
in his Kuyil Pattu- Naalondru Povatharkku Naan Patta Padanaithum – Thalam Padumo Thari Padumo Yaar Paduvaar. “Chellamma literally taunts and mocks that a poet as he who wrote fearless words as “Acchamillai Acchamillai” was expressing his worries and concerns”, as a critic put it. Chellamma said, “ Bharathi did not get angry with Kuppuswamy Ayyangar. He understood his fears. An ordinary man suddenly being called to the police station and a Captain coming home to threaten, must have been too much to him to face.”

Chellamma recalls vividly what Bharathi told her as running through his mind.” For one who bravely spread the message of ‘Fearless Freedom’ in Madras Presidency, it was shaming that there was no one to host him for a while. Had he become an orphan and Bharat Mata and Parasakthi must be heartless to see their beloved son being shredded into bits and pieces not knowing where to hide and reside. Two days came and went and the frequency of summons to Ayyangar to meet the Captain increased. Though Ayyangar said no word, his facial contortions and body language were not subtle. They were straight and simple. The message was clear and obvious. Ayyangar would love to see the back of Bharathi in double quick time. And Bharathi sat, sat and thought, while sitting on the ‘Thinnai’ of the house most of the waking hours.”

Chellamma was grateful that though they faced multiple occasions in distress and dismay, when things turned hopeless, somehow a Good Samaritan emerged in their lives to lead light. It seemed to her that she started to anticipate bad things to get worse fast and early, so that the man on the whitehorse could come calling earlier.

As if on cue, Kuvalai Kroshnanschariar appeared before Bharathi. They spoke long hours. Bharathi was not grieving or complaining. But Kuvalai knew his Bharathi. He could sense his anguish and disappointment in causing nuisance to strangers as Kuppuswamy Ayyangar, a good man who merely chose to host him. Kuvalai was not sitting idle. He went straight and met Sri Sundaresa Ayyar, a bolder host with lots of contacts and connections. A place was identified and Bharathi moved in early to his own relief, above all others’.

Chellamma alludes to Kannan songs strung together by Bharathiyar – Kannan as Servant- Engiontho Vanthaan Idaichathi Naan Endraa- to this Bharathi experience in Pondicherry.

எங்கிருந்தோ..வந்தான்

எங்கிருந்தோ..வந்தான்
இடை ஜாதி நான் என்றான்

எங்கிருந்தோ..வந்தான்
இடை ஜாதி நான் என்றான்
இங்கிவனை யான் பெறவே
என்ன தவம் செய்து விட்டேன்
இங்கிவனை யான் பெறவே
என்ன தவம் செய்து விட்டேன் கண்ணன்

He came from nowhere
I belong to the cowherd community
What pray luck I had
To have him as my servant

எங்கிருந்தோ..வந்தான்

சொன்னபடி கேட்பான்
துணிமணிகள் காத்திருப்பான்
சின்ன குழைந்தைக்கு
சிங்கார பாட்டிசைப்பான்

He did as I asked
Took care of clothes
He sang mellifluous lullaby to
small children

கண்ணை இமையிரண்டும்
காப்பதுபோல்
என் குடும்பம் வண்ணமுற காக்கின்றான்
வாய் முணுத்தல் கண்டறியேன் கண்ணன்

As eyelashes care for the eyes
Kannan took care of my family
And never once I heard him complain or murmur

எங்கிருந்தோ..வந்தான்
இடை ஜாதி நான் என்றான்
இங்கிவனை யான் பெறவே
என்ன தவம் செய்து விட்டேன்

எங்கிருந்தோ..வந்தான்

பற்று மிகுந்த வரப் பார்க்கின்றான்
கண்ணனால் பெற்று வரும் நன்மையெல்லாம்
பேசி முடியாது

Lovingly took card and I know
no words to express our gratitude

நண்பனாய் மந்திரியாய்
நல்லாசிரியனுமாய்

As a friend, a minister
And a noble teacher

யதா யதாய தர்மஸ்ய
க்ழானிர் பவதி பாரத
அப்க்ரித்தானம் அதர்மர்ஷ்ய
ததாத்மானம் ஸ்ருஜாம்யஹம்

பண்பிலே தெய்வமாய்
God in culture

பார்வையிலே சேவகனாய் ரங்கன்
Servant at Sight

எங்கிருந்தோ வந்தான் ரங்கன் ரங்கன்
இங்கிவனை யான் பெறவே
என்ன தவம் செய்துவிட்டேன்

எங்கிருந்தோ எங்கிருந்தோ ரங்கன்
எங்கிருந்தோ வந்தான் ரங்கன் ரங்கன்
எங்கிருந்தோ வந்தான் ரங்கன் ரங்கன்
ரங்கா ரங்கா ரங்கா ரங்கா

Where ever he came from
Ranga Ranga Ranga Ranga

To assume that Chellamma was a ‘simpleton’ has Bharathi fondly called her would be a folly. She was smart and read her Bharathi in poems, prose and in life.

( Author is practising advocate in the Madras High Court)

You may also like...