தமிழ்ப் பாரம்பரியம்
(Tamil Heritage Trust)
presents
HISTORY OF SOUTH INDIA DURING COLONIAL RULE
(AS GLEANED FROM INDIGENOUS LITERATURE)
by
Mr. KRA Narasiah
at 5.30pm on Saturday, March 1st, 2014
at Vinoba Hall, Thakkar Bapa Vidyalaya, T Nagar.
About the Topic:
The History of Colonial South India and Madras available
to us is mainly from the western writers’ notes and the records
meticulously maintained by the authority be it the Company or the Crown.
There are local Kavyas and folklore poetry that are available in good
number of the same period. However most of those writings lack in
clarity as the main purpose is lost in eulogizing the protagonists. Even
so, there are embedded in them the stories of the places and people
that are essentially true and convey the sense of historical writing.
Samuel Pepys (1633 – 1703) was a Member of
Parliament well known for having kept a diary from 1660 to 1669 which
was considered as the most honest eye witness of events and people. His
influence on the Admiralty was so much that though he had no maritime
experience he was appointed the Chief Secretary of the Admiralty under
Kings Charles II and James II. Anandaranga Pillai, Dubashi of Dupleix
Governor of Pondicherry, maintained diaries in Tamil and Telugu from
1736 to 1760 and C. S. Srinivasachari says Ananda Ranga Pillai was the
Samuel Pepys of French India. Thus the diaries of Pillai form the
important source of colonial history. Similarly, some Sanskrit kavyas
are available which have been introduced to the public by Dr. V.
Raghavan, like the Sarvadeva Vilasa and Champu kavyas. These Kavyas
tell us the story of the place and people of the colonial times which
are true records. This talk is mainly based on such indigenous sources.
About the Speaker:
Born
in Berhampur Orissa, Narasiah, a marine engineer by profession who has
spent 14 years at sea sailing, 10 of which in men-of-war and the rest in
merchantmen. He spent some time in Harland & Wolff shipyard in
Belfast while Vikrant, the first Aircraft Carrier of India was fitted
out and took over as its first flight deck Chief. While in Port service
his services were requisitioned by the Navy for Bangladesh Liberation.
After
sea service he joined the Port of Vizag as a marine Engineer and retire
as its Chief Mechanical Engineer. He was a consultant with the World
Bank for Cambodian Emergency Rehabilitation work from 1994 to 1996. .
He writes both in Tamil and English and is passionate about marine History.
RSVP:
A. Annamalai: Gandhi Study Centre - gandhicentre@gmail.com; 94441-83198
Badri Seshadri: Kizhakku-p-padippakam - badri@nhm.in; 98840-66566
S. Kannan: Bank of Baroda - 2498 5836
S. Swaminathan - sswami99@gmail.com; 2467 1501
R. Gopu, writergopu@yahoo.com, 98417-24641