CMRS 8

CMR Story…….  Chapter – 7…..    “The so called history club”  

 A quick glace at Chinnamanur.

In many ways, Nana felt grateful to Venki mama who seemed to have many faces.

 

First as a story telling uncle to Nana revealing the history behind their migration and then as a father-figure Venki mama took care of him and the family at Chinnamanur.

Next, he was a teacher who helped Nana learn things and take responsibilities.

He was a leader who supervised the development work in all the five villages.

He was also an ideal Guru to Nana guiding in decision-making at crucial points.

Nana’s first dilemma came when he had to choose a family deity for worship.

It was not only because Nana was the first head of the new cmr clan but also because it would be long before the priestly community came and they can not wait for it.

Mama explained that every new family chain should have a ‘kula deivam’ which is different from personnel god (Ishta deivam) or the village god (grama devathai).

Apart from this there can be ‘Ellai kaval devathai’ to protect the borders of villages.

So, it is a family deity by one’s own choice and Venki mama suggested that he may adapt what the local villagers have for their regular worship like, say, ammanai pattians.

His logic was that ‘God is one and the same and that the Hindus enjoy the freedom to give any number of names and forms to gods of their choice and worship.’

Nana being young had an open mind that was receptive to reason and logic.

He chose ‘Muthaia sami’ as family deity for his new cmr srivatsa clan.

This endeared him to the villagers who were the tillers and tenants for Nana’s lands.

Of late, venki mama had become a little mysterious, thought Nana after father’s demise.

He was away for weeks together and returned with herbal plants and seeds and with a

‘moolikai thottam’ around his house, he had become a ‘Siththa vaiththiyar.’

Nana could not guess the reason why some suruli malai siththars who rarely came out of their mountain forests came to their village to see only venki mama and stayed with him.

What Nana did not know nor could he have guessed was that venki mama knew more secrets than most, including his own father who made Nana his secret keeper.

“Some look insignificant to the outside world but are important and valuable to those who matter in the power centers and royal circles.

Such silent persons sit in dark and work for people in the lime light.”

Venki mama was perhaps one such person in that category.

 Now we will go back to the ship.

                                                                                                                                                                               

Alexander climbed down the ladder to join his guide Elphinstone.

They entered the cabin after signing the register. - Attendance was compulsory.

The room was near empty. – The two occupied corner seats at the rear.

When Alex wanted to know about the history club, Elphin started explaining.

You see, it is just a name for a forum that served different purposes.

For example, today they will be delivering the formal welcome speeches for new comers.

It will be followed by a briefing session to educate the new entrants about our company.

Otherwise, history club meetings are used for exchange of ideas and knowledge.

Every one wanted to share their experiences with others for mutual benefit.

It is also a sort of “Brain storm session” to discuss strategies in a given situation.

Generally speaking, we have to work as a team and face the challenges not only for the common goal in business but also for our own survival against competition / resistances.

As they were talking, new faces started appearing to take their seats in back rows.

Alex, you should focus on what the senior officers talk about but do not allow yourself to be influenced by their views, warned Elphinstone.

Then, lowering his voice to a whisper said,

“To me, the so called history club, in one sense, is a looter’s club, dominated by many of the armed guards of our company posing to be administrative military officers.”

Seeing the surprise look of Alexander, he added, I will explain later. - Saying this, Elphinstone stood up and walked to join the group that started filling up the front rows.

That was when the seniors made their entry, waving hands to the waiting crowd.

                                                                                                                          

        

George Proctor occupied the dais along with Col Fullarton and two other military men, whose names Alex learnt later as Major Campbell and Col Heron.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Major Campbell made a brief welcome speech and finished with an authoritative touch.

Friends, before you are inducted into serious business to become worthy partners in our common endeavor, it is important that you become knowledgeable in history.

After all, “Politics with out history has no root” said Sir J.R.Seely.

I would extend it to say that, “History without politics yields no fruit”.

We, the military officers create history but not good at telling about history.

So, I invite our civil friend Elphinstone to give you relevant details as necessary.

He is a scholar and belongs to London family of lords and nobles. So, he is the fit person to talk on history just like his mentor and guide Sir William Jones.

Elphinstone said that every one knew history but only in bits and pieces and that his job was to just to select pieces relevant to East India Company’s history so far.

The sum and substance of his briefing is as follows. : -

Ever since Vasco da Gama made his memorable voyage round the cape and landed in Calicut of Kerala coast in south India, a succession of European powers had been struggling for a commercial and political footing in India and the east.

The sea trade of India had previously been in the hands of the Red Sea Arabs.

Later Portuguese won it from Arabs in a series of sea fights and held Indian trade.

The 17^th century saw the Dutch settlements at the Cape of Good Hope.

They held Mauritius, had two establishments in Persia, twelve in India, six in Ceylon and all over East Indies, the Dutch had dotted their fortified stations.

The Dutch were too selfish that they excluded other traders of European nationality.

This forced Swedes, Danes, French and English in to hostile competition.

In the course of 18^th century English and French were in vigorous competition with the Dutch for trade and privileges through out India.

English established their head quarters at Madras, Bombay and Calcutta.

The French settlements were at Pondicherry and Chadernagore.

At first, all European powers came to India merely as traders.

The only establishment they attempted to build was warehouses.

However, the unsettled state of the country and the unscrupulous methods of their rivals, made it natural for them to fortify and arm their settlements.

In 1707, the last great Mughal emperor Aurangzep, died.

The anarchy that followed was to give both Britain and France, the opportunity – and the incentive – for their empire building ambitions during the enveloping chaos. - It also threatened their life and properties but the English were ready to defend and attack.

English settlements had been fortified and a degree of friendship existed between them and the men who seized power in the provinces of the empire.

The English had come as traders; then they became armed traders; soon they needed solders to defend their settlements; and, in course of time when the Mughal Empire disintegrated, “spheres of influence” became necessary if the company was to survive.

Slowly the rhythm of empire-building had imposed itself on the simplicities of trade.

In this respect, it was the French East India Company who showed the way first.

Unlike the English, the French company was strictly subordinate to its home government.

To it, in 1742, came a man of genius by name Duplex who discovered that native troops trained and led by European officers could defeat vastly superior number of the irregular cavalry of the Indian princes who fought with in themselves and with Delhi darbar.

The French under Duplex started providing opportunistic help to one or the other of the fighting side, there by proving the utility value of their small army.

This helped Duplex to increase his influence among small princes and get big favors.

It was only the force of circumstances and competition in business that force the British East India Company to follow the example of its French rival on the military front.

When the French company was becoming a dangerous enemy there came from England one Robert Clive who proved to be equal to Duplex and together they made history.

Friends,

I stop my summary at this point because the details of war for next ten years were too very complicated to give a short account.

At the same time it is important that you should know it in full.

I shall in our casual talk tell about them to the interested lot.

Regarding the later part, in 1773, the houses of parliament in England, long disturbed by the virtually uncontrolled and unauthorized empire building activities of our company, passed a regulating act for the proper governance of the occupied territories in India.

They appointed Warren Hastings as the Governor General of Bengal with supervisory authority over the other two presidencies of Madras and Bombay.

There was then the “Pitt’s India Bill” in the year 1784, setting up a board of control.

Recently, Lord Cornwallis, a new governor general, has taken in charge.

Before I finish let me tell you one thing. 

Robert Clive created history but he was then only a civil clerk at Madras office.

So, any one can contribute provided one has the will to perform and guts to take decisions at crucial junctures.

I want all of you remember this.  - Good luck.

                                         …………………………..

Next Issue:  Chapter 8.  -    “On Karnatic war and Madurai Siege.”