Musings on the Life & Times of Chinnaswamy Subramania Bharathi – 49 Narasimhan Vijayaraghavan

Musings on the Life & Times of Chinnaswamy Subramania Bharathi – 49
Narasimhan Vijayaraghavan

Chellamma was a simple housewife. A homemaker whose world revolved around her Bharathi and two daughters Thangamnal and Shakunthala. Her concerns were different. Than those of Bharathi. At all times in Pondy , four relatives from her ‘side’ and four from Bharathi’s ‘side’ were residing with them. And we also had the spectacle of 40-45 relatives/friends as if a Camp and ‘Bharathi Pattalam’ was part of it. To Bharathi, as Chellamma said, it mattered little or nothing that ‘they’ were relatives or friends or acquaintances or even strangers. ‘They’ were there. And he chatted with them all the time and there ‘was no dearth of topics to debate, discuss, delineate, dissect but never to decide’ said an innocent and gullible Chellamma.

It was a tough task for Chellamma to manage the household with so many stomachs to feed. Bharathi did not care. He did not know he had to . He never enquired. He took it for granted Chellamma would manage. But how? Already, Bharathi’s was a house under surveillance. Many friends and relatives, even those willing stayed off, except those housed in his residence. They avoided being seen in his company, for the fall outs were serious. However, there were still a few from Bharathi fan club who deified him, and who unfailingly came helping. At dead of night. Avoiding prying eyes with a bed sheet thrown over them. And looking differently and unrecognisable. Just to confirm on his wellness and help out, if need be. And they chatted, helped and left Bharathi in the wee hours around 03.00 am also, at times.

While Chellamma wondered, worried and planned to feed so many, Bharathi Pattalam debated on – “Whether Poonal/Cross threads were necessary to be worn? Or whether Yagnas were a waste of time and resources? And why the Swadeshis were not inspired by the Irish struggle when the reverse was true? And why the South and Tamilians in particular were not taking part in the freedom struggle bigly? And why despite the likes of Bharathi,V O Chidamabaranar, Va Ve Su Iyer, Vanchinathan and Subramania Siva were playing a stellar role in their all sacrificing and selfless ways, the ‘masses’ were shameless in servitude to the Britishers as if their daily bread alone mattered? It was said that Bharathi and Iyer wondered why 1857 Sepoy Mutiny did not gain the momentum and whether just our 30 crores in the numbers game could not go against just a few lakhs of the colonists? And why couldn’t it wouldn’t a crore of us with Milagai Powder a.k.a.gunpowder thrown in the eyes of the colonists not bring them down? And of course the Vedic and Upanishadic philosophies and teaching were on their lips all the time.

And to those who came calling to help out financially with resources, Bharathi would profusely thank them with his emotional rendition of many a verse and his two daughters were also compulsory audience which enthused him even more. Chellamma conceded that when Bharathi was in one of his ‘proverbial moods he acted out the parts. His characters were dramatised from the verses to keep his captive audience enthralled. He was an amazing poet. But an even better performer with them” asked Chellamma.

Bharathi never ate out. He was a home bird. At times or most times they ran out of food. Thanks to the benevolence of the chivalrous milkmaid they had a fill of milk at night ( the old lady who supplied milk always asked Chellamma to keep her dues in silence under wraps as Bharathi may get concerned) and went to bed not always on empty stomach but without solid food. Days were hard to pass. But for Bharathi ‘time flew’ he said and complained he had so much to accomplish and was time running short!

Bharathi was rich in thought. He never felt poor. And when Chellamma expressed that she was running short to feed so many, Bharathi mollified her. He insisted that she never said ‘ Arisi Illaiendru Sollathe- Don’t say – there was no rice- say ‘Agaram Igaram’-Arisi Illai-with grammatical allusion or poetic euphemism . Impossible to translate it beyond. Or at least yours truly is concededly incompetent to even attempt. But what a brilliant camouflage to play rich with grammar when terribly poor. No wonder there was but one Bharathi. And only one, there could ever be. Did we deserve him? Maybe Chellamma did. But us? Did we?

In fact, on one such ‘Agaram Igaram’ exchange day, a well wisher who happened to be present, directly asked Bharathi.’ Swami, just how is it your jeevanam ( daily bread) is taking place. I find that there are policemen as sleuths in uniform and out of it, on all sides of your house. Including some in the lanes leading up to the residence. And I gather that the effort is to scare of people from meeting you or more pertinently those helping you with financial and other variants. I understand that letters addressed to you are seized and money orders are not delivered. And to get brutally honest, I find that it has impacted the household and Chellamma Mami is struggling to make both ends meet even half way. Yet, I am stupefied to see you in good spirits ever , not worried, not angered and no slackness in your temperament. And you carry on as if all things are normal or near normal. How? How can you continue in this vein? It is a mystery I cannot fathom? “.

Bharathi calmly answered, “ Parasakthi is there to worry for me. All those around me are satellites. If Parasakthi takes care of me as the central planet, which she does , the reflected light is enough to keep the satellites alive. And I have a purpose in my life. I was not to fret, fume and worry over such pigles. I have a higher purpose. I am always told and reminded by Parasakthi. I was commanded by Parasakthi. Abs always under her care and continued command. And I just obey her. I do my duty. She takes care of the rest.If I fail in my duty, then it may be troublesome and worrisome. So long as I am disciplined on what I ought to do, what is there for me or the others to worry about. And I feel good and satisfied when I unfailingly do what I consider to be my duty. We eat with with the Keerthi blessed and bestowed me. Others around me, including you may feel anguished and concerned. That is foolhardiness. You are not blessed to think beyond the mundane. That is Bharat Mata’s tragedy. And you try your darnedest to influence us too. But Parasakthi is all too powerful. She has ring fenced the likes of me to let us carry on unimpaired. Her Keerthi feeds me and in magnificent abundance”.

Astounding and profound philosophical construct only Bharathi could come up without silence the naysayers . “ Any one else in his position would have felt under a seige. With daily bread in doubt and not knowing whether or where from the next meal was going to come from, creativity would have been least comforted to dance. Bharathi was made of different mettle. He was born with it. He could walk the beaches, when the house was on fire. Literally. Chellamma was fretting and fuming how to feed the family. Borrowing from neighbours even the basics. Running up debts with the landlord and milkmaid and provision stores’. This man was dreaming. Not day dreaming. Dreaming big for his Bharath Mata. And her children. How could he do it? Was he beyond the daily grinds? He had a family. Two lovely daughters he adored. Had an extended family to feed, fend and care for. Did it strike him that he may be disdainfully oblivious to his responsibilities? Did he not feel obliged? How could he carry on blissfully unaware or unconcerned? He was aware. ‘Agaram Igaram’ construct was always there. Then, how was he do different from the rest of us. Was he a GnanI? A realised soul?

So many questions and so many more. Chellamma had no answers. But I got a brilliant answer from one on mailing list.
Bharathi’s life had them. We shall go there when we go there.

( Author is practising advocate in the Madras High Court)

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