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A life lived less ordinary

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Philanthropist V Damodar faced vicissitudes bravely and came out trumps on his terms

Sharjah, 1975: From a settlement with small palm-frond ‘arish’ houses hugging the creeks, the region, no more than a village-like city, was slowly moving towards development. That is when V Damodar landed there. In the 11 years he worked there, Damodar saw the Emirate grow into a centre of culture and industry, a growth in which he had a significant role.

“The Indian population, mostly Malayalis, in Sharjah was hardly 20,000. Only one restaurant there dished out Indian fare, which forced many like me to go to Dubai for lunch every Friday. There were just a few tarred roads and a couple of multi-storied buildings. I had to make adjustments to cope after having relocated from Bombay, a huge city even then,” says Damodar, who rose from humble beginnings to become the vice-president of GGP Group of Companies, one of the major business groups in the UAE.

This was a roller-coaster phase in Damodar’s life – along with success, fame and fortune, he slid down the road to desperation, forcing him to leave the Emirate, destroyed but not defeated.

Like his autobiography titled Fortitude, thoughts flow, unbroken, when Damodar talks. Shorn of political correctness and hypocrisy he allows memories to tumble. “Writing about my life was something I had not dreamed of. If it were planned I would have kept a diary. It was impulsive, the contents purely based on memories, and available records like photographs. There’s no attempt to edit my thoughts,” says Damodar, whose signal contributions include founding the Sharjah Indian School and Indian Association Sharjah.

As Finance Manager of the company, Damodar had to oversee numerous capital projects in keeping with the developments in Sharjah. “Almost simultaneously we were working on the construction of a modern airport and over a dozen high-rise buildings to be called Rolla Square. We had new divisions within the company and our Sheikh, who was the brother of the Ruler, was building a 11-storey tower for himself. Our organisation was also growing, diversifying into transport, aluminium, carpentry and also a travel agency, Sharjah National Travel and Tourist Agency (SNTTA). And all of them prospered.”

Founding the Indian Association Sharjah in April 1979 as a service organisation for the welfare of the community especially in Sharjah and establishing the Sharjah Indian School remain Damodar’s enduring contributions to the Indians in particular and the Emirate in general.

For the people

“We started the school on September 3, 1979 with 346 students and had classes from nursery to the fifth standard. We upgraded it to eighth standard the next year. In four years time the first batch wrote the public examination successfully. We constructed our own building on the land provided to us by the Ruler. The school has progressed steadily and presently has about 15,000 students. The Indian Association Sharjah, as a community organisation, owns and manages the school.”

Getting Air India to commence operations to and from Sharjah in 1981 was possible only through Damodar’s persistence. “It began when I was snubbed by the then regional director of Air India who termed my idea as ‘ridiculous’. I decided to pursue it. Meeting Ravindra Varma, then Minister of Labour and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of India, was the turning point. I managed to convince him to visit Sharjah and took the Minister and his entourage to the airport and met the Director General of Civil Aviation. I also showed him the correspondence I had with the Air India Chairman. The Minister returned to Delhi and did not forget his promise. And soon things fell in place and in March 1981 the first Air India flight landed in Sharjah. It was an unexpected but gratifying moment.”

These were ‘happy moments’ in a life that was punctuated by long phases of struggle and gloom. Like some passages in the book where the prose becomes intimate, Damodar’s eyes well-up, his voice breaks, when he speaks of his life’s struggles.

Damodar relives past events with insightful intent. His writing appears like a soul-cleansing exercise.

“Looking back at my life, it sometimes appears unbelievable considering where I began. Kaipuram, in Palakkad district, was an extremely undeveloped village. I had to walk nearly 15 kilometres every day to school. Childhood was a mix of fun and the constant worry of trying to meet basic needs. Perhaps this made me responsible even as a child encouraging me to do odd jobs to supplement the family’s income. Though I completed my Secondary School Leaving Certificate exam with high marks I could not continue my education.”

After a short stint at a typewriting and shorthand institute, Damodar left for Bombay looking for a job. “When I left home in 1960 the whole world was open before me. And it opened unexpectedly. Bombay shaped my career. I found a job as a typist with a meagre salary, studied part-time, took a diploma in secretarial practice, gained a university degree, Associateship from the Corporation of Secretaries, London and Fellowship from Institute of Company Secretaries of India.”

Joining Nagpal Ambadi Petro-Chem Refining Limited as Company Secretary, Damodar worked from its inception to public issue of share capital and arranging of institutional financing. He then moved on to another major group before moving to Sharjah.

Hard times

“In Sharjah I knew that I was surrounded by people who were envious of my growth. The Sheikh himself had warned me many times that ‘my own people,’ the same people I had employed nurtured, had approached him with complaints against me. A Palestinian/Jordanian and a Pakistani also joined them. They managed to sway the Sheikh’s opinions. When I realised that he seemed to have lost confidence in me , I resigned. I was vice-president of the group but left without getting a penny as the Sheikh refused to settle my accounts.”

Undeterred, but having decided not to work as an employee for anyone again, Damodar set up businesses in the UAE, India, Botswana and Zimbabwe. “The soft drinks company in India collapsed owing to misappropriations. In Botswana, I was part of a business but had to quit owing to ethical differences. I founded the Afroworld Group that grew into five active member companies; started a similar venture in Zimbabwe but had to leave, disillusioned and disgusted, owing to politically motivated difficulties. Right through I was let down by people I considered close to me.”

Damodar is now settled in Coimbatore, where he lives with wife Thankam. Their son Sumod who is the chief of Afroworld Group in Botswana, is an avid cricketer and administrator. He played for Botswana, holds various administrative posts with Botswana Cricket Association and Africa Cricket Association. Last year Sumod was elected to the Chief Executive Committee of the International Cricket Council.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Books / by K. Pradeep / March 19th, 2018

Bid to conserve British-era bridge gains momentum

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Architects, people’s representatives keen on converting Venduruthy Bridge into open space

The proposal to conserve the 80-year-old Venduruthy Bridge built by the British as a heritage structure is set to gain momentum, with people’s representatives and the Indian Institute of Architects (IIA) expressing keenness to take it ahead.

The bridge, which was opened to traffic in 1938, provided the crucial connectivity between the city and Willingdon Island till the Public Works Department (PWD) built a parallel bridge in 2011. Its build quality is evident from the fact that it survived the impact of two collisions by a dredger deployed by Cochin Port Trust.

According to K.V. Thomas, MP, a plan to conserve the bridge and hew out a walkway with kiosks/eateries was under the consideration of the previous UDF government. “I submitted memoranda to the State and Central governments, seeking speedy initiation of conservation measures so that the unused bridge is developed as a tourism spot,” said Mr. Thomas, who ushered in a slew of innovative schemes during his tenure as State Tourism Minister.

Meanwhile, an IIA office-bearer said that the organisation was focused on taking ahead the bridge’s conservation along with offering expertise in developing tourism in Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, and Thripunithura. A detailed study has to be done on the conservation of the structure and its conversion into an open space, since it is in the vicinity of sensitive establishments like the Naval Base and Cochin Shipyard, he added.

Architect S. Gopakumar, who is also the president of Better Kochi Response Group (BKRG), said that the NGO had suggested opening up the heritage structure during evenings for setting up a ‘flea market’ which abound in Goa and Brazil.

He cited the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the Brooklyn Bridge in New York as examples of heritage structures which draw crowds. “We need to conserve and respect our heritage. Imaginative ideas like opening kiosks in containers can be thought of,” Mr. Gopakumar said. The corporation is willing to pursue the project if bodies like the IIA come up with concrete proposals, said Shiny Mathew, chairperson of the town planning standing committee.

“The civic council can pass a resolution, following which it can be taken up with the State government. On its part, the PWD too must approve the project since the bridge was being maintained by them,” she said.

A proposal to convert the Old Mattancherry Bridge into a heritage structure was shelved after it was decided to permit two/three-wheelers and light vehicles to use the facility.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by John L. Paul / March 26th, 2018

Discovering the sacred feminine

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Men dressed up as women offer prayers as part of the Chamayavilakku festival at Kottankulangara Devi Temple in Kollam on Sunday.

Chamayavilakku ritual at Kottankulangara Sri Bhagavathy Temple held

Thousands of devotees thronged Kottankulangara Sri Bhagavathy Temple here on Sunday, the concluding day of the famed Chamayavilakku festival.

As part of the unique temple ritual, men dolled up as women offer prayers to the presiding deity, holding traditional lamps with five wicks. The ritual conducted in two days have identical procedures going on till midnight on both the days. “This year, we have been witnessing a huge rush of devotees since Chamayavilakku falls on Saturday and Sunday,” said a temple official.

On Saturday

Even before Saturday, the temple premises came alive with a string of studios and green rooms to transform the male devotees into damsels.

There were also stalls offering every accessory on hire including wigs and lamps for the participants. Though a local festival, hundreds of men from various parts turned up at the temple, cross-dressing to seek the blessings of the goddess.

As part of the festival, devotees stand in long lines from temple gate to Kunjalummoodu holding the lamp for the ceremonial arrival of deity (Ezhunnallathu), which happens around 2 a.m. It was the devotees of Chavara and Puthukkad karas who jointly hosted the festival on Saturday, and on Sunday, it was the turn of Kulangara Bhagam and Kottakkakam.

Legend

According to the temple legend, a bunch of cowherds tried to break a coconut by hitting it on a stone, which suddenly started bleeding.

It was found by astrologers that the stone contained divine energy of Vanadurga and the locals were instructed to build a temple around it.

It is believed that the first poojas of the temple were conducted by the cowboys wearing the clothes of women, which eventually led to the unusual custom.

Transgenders

Chamayavilakku is also a much-anticipated event for the members of transgender community, as it offers them an opportunity to celebrate their real identity. During the past few years, there has been a steady inflow of trans persons not just from Kerala, but all parts of the country.

Celebrity make-up artist Renju Renjimar says the community members wait for the festival all the year.

“I have been attending the festival for last 23 years. Earlier, it was our only chance to stroll openly as women and even now we are very happy and excited to be part of it. I am a hardcore devotee of the goddess and follow all customs associated with the ritual without any fail.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Staff Reporter / Kollam – March 26th, 2018

Dravidian language family is 4,500 years old: study

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The Dravidian language family’s four largest languages — Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu — have literary traditions spanning centuries, of which Tamil reaches back the furthest, researchers said.

The Dravidian language  family, consisting of 80 varieties spoken by nearly 220 million people across southern and central India, originated about 4,500 years ago, a study has found.

This estimate is based on new linguistic analyses by an international team, including researchers from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Germany, and the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun.

The researchers used data collected first-hand from native speakers representing all previously reported Dravidian subgroups. The findings, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, match with earlier linguistic and archaeological studies.

South Asia, reaching from Afghanistan in the west and Bangladesh in the east, is home to at least six hundred languages belonging to six large language families, including Dravidian, Indo-European and Sino-Tibetan.

The Dravidian language family, consisting of about 80 language varieties (both languages and dialects) is today spoken by about 220 million people, mostly in southern and central India, and surrounding countries.

The Dravidian language family’s four largest languages — Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu — have literary traditions spanning centuries, of which Tamil reaches back the furthest, researchers said.

Along with Sanskrit ,  Tamil is one of the world’s classical languages, but unlike Sanskrit, there is continuity between its classical and modern forms documented in inscriptions, poems, and secular and religious texts and songs, they said.

“The study of the Dravidian languages is crucial for understanding prehistory in Eurasia, as they played a significant role in influencing other language groups,” said Annemarie Verkerk of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.

Neither the geographical origin of the Dravidian language nor its exact dispersal through time is known with certainty.

The consensus of the research community is that the Dravidians are natives of the Indian subcontinent and were present prior to the arrival of the Indo-Aryans (Indo-European speakers) in India around 3,500 years ago.

Researchers said that it is likely that the Dravidian languages were much more widespread to the west in the past than they are today.

In order to examine questions about when and where the Dravidian languages developed, they made a detailed investigation of the historical relationships of 20 Dravidian varieties.

Study author Vishnupriya Kolipakam of the Wildlife Institute of India collected contemporary first-hand data from native speakers of a diverse sample of Dravidian languages, representing all the previously reported subgroups of Dravidian.

The researchers used advanced statistical methods to infer the age and sub-grouping of the Dravidian language family at about 4,000-4,500 years old.

This estimate, while in line with suggestions from previous linguistic studies, is a more robust result because it was found consistently in the majority of the different statistical models of evolution tested in this study.

This age also matches well with inferences from archaeology,  which have previously placed the diversification of Dravidian into North, Central, and South branches at exactly this age, coinciding with the beginnings of cultural developments evident in the archaeological record.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Science / by PTI / Berlin – March 21st, 2018

Now, Sing Thyagaraja Kritis in Malayalam

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Retired principal translates 101 compositions of the saint-poet

The Telugu compositions of Sri Thyagaraja have reached God’s Own Country and are available to music connoisseurs in “His own language”.

This was made possible by the efforts of Latha Varma, retired Principal of Madurai-based Sri Sadguru Sangeetha Vidyalayam College of Music and Research Centre. Quite surprisingly, Tamil acted as the bridge in translating the Telugu compositions into Malayalam.

Ms. Varma, who belongs to the royal family of Ernakulam, joined the famed college in Madurai when she was 24 and retired a couple of years ago. As Malayalam is her mother tongue and she gained proficiency in Tamil with her prolonged stay in Madurai, she decided to go the extra mile to learn Telugu literature too. And she did master it with élan through a certificate and diploma course from Madurai Kamaraj University.

Though Thyagaraja kritis are sung world over by people of all languages, many are do not know Telugu and as such miss out on its literary beauty. The mellifluous note and rhythm come in for appreciation, but the ‘Bhava’ (substance) more often than not gets lost. It is this void that the musicologist wanted to fill, at least in Malayalam.

She hand-picked 101 most popular compositions of the saint-poet and gave a word-by-word translation (Prathipadartham) and also a gist (Thathparyam) of each verse. As senior Telugu professor T.S. Giriprakash Rao translated the Telugu verses into Tamil, she picked them up for translation into Malayalam.

An academician, performer cum researcher, Ms. Varma spoke to The Hindu on the sidelines of a seminar on “Group kritis of different vaggeyakaras,”organised by Sri Padmavathi Mahila Viswa Vidyalayam’s (SPMVV) Department of Music and Fine Arts, where she was the key-note speaker.

The translation work, which she calls her “pet project”, lasted for two years. “The copies are now available at the Maharaja’s College for Women and Kerala University, both in Thiruvananthapuram, and the Chittur College in Palakkad. I will soon present some [copies] to the Maharaja’s College in Ernakulam,” Ms. Varma said.

Ms. Varma was felicitated by SPMVV Rector V. Uma, Dean (Social sciences) D.B. Krishnakumari, seminar coordinator K. Saraswathi Vasudev and academic Dwaram Lakshmi on the occasion.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by A.D. Rangarajan / Tirupati – March 21st, 2018

Wayanad farmers preserving 62 native rice varieties: Survey

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Kozhikode :

As rice biodiversity continues to shrink in the state, the result of the first grassroot-level survey conducted in Wayanad  comes as a silver lining.

The survey, covering 23 panchayats and three municipalities in the district, was conducted to ascertain the traditional rice varieties preserved by farmers. It has found that farmers, including tribal cultivators, have managed to cultivate and preserve 62 traditional rice varieties, including rare and endangered varieties.

The survey was conducted from February 20- 26 by the state agriculture department and Kerala Agriculture University  (KAU) with participation of 43 students from the College of Agriculture, Padannakkad.

The survey has also been able to collect some important facts about the native rice varieties like duration of crop, unique features, geographic location, yield, nutritional value, size and colour of the varieties and seed, and climate-change and pest resistance qualities of the varieties. The information along with the contact details of the farmers have also been compiled into a directory.

P Rajendran, associate director of research at the regional agriculture research station (RARS) of KAU at Ambalavayal said that detailed information about the 62 rice varieties were collected by meeting the farmers directly.

“The fact that the farmers of the district have managed to preserve such a significant number of indigenous rice landraces despite facing several odds is commendable. The value of silent food biodiversity conservation undertaken by them is invaluable and they should be honoured for their service apart from providing financial and technical incentives,” he added.

Among the indigenous Wayanadan varieties, many of which are rare and confined to small pockets in the district, are ayiram kana, edavaka, onamottan, karimbalan, kumkumashali, kurumbali, peruvazha, vethandam, karutha njavara etc,.

Many traditional rice varieties of Wayanad are highly resilient against climatechange and are stress-tolerant apart from having aromatic and medicinal properties.

The district used to have highly-diverse rice varieties numbering around 105.

Deputy director of agriculture, Rani S K said that a detailed genetic-level study on the rice varieties of Wayanad should be conducted for a varietal evaluation.

The government has already announced a special agriculture zone for floriculture and speciality rice in Wayanad and various schemes are under implementation for helping farmers preserve the native rice varieties.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Kozhikode News / by K.R. Rajeev / TNN / March 19th, 2018

‘Fish Cemetery’ bags Swachh Bharat award

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The Fish Cemetery, an art installation set up by the CMFRI in Fort Kochi to create public awareness on plastic litter.

Art installation by CMFRI to create awareness on coastal pollution

The Fish Cemetery, an art installation set up by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) last year to create awareness on coastal pollution, has won national recognition with the CMFRI bagging the Swachh Bharat Award.

The director of CMFRI, A. Gopalakrishnan, received the award from Radha Mohan Singh, Union Minister for Agriculture, said a press release here.

The institute received second prize at the national level among the institutes functioning under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation (ISSWC) in Dehradun got the first prize in the category, the press release added.

The award is in recognition of the CMFRI’s attempt to create awareness among the public about the dangers of plastic litter in marine ecosystem by setting up the art installation of fish cemetery on Fort Kochi beach last year.

Set up in an area of more than 2,500 sq.ft. with a height of 13 feet, the installation consisted of giant fish like structures that reminded the dangers of plastic pollution on marine and coastal waterbodies.

The ‘Fish Cemetery’ was used to warn the public of the dangers of dumping plastic in the sea and other waterbodies.

The CMFRI has also launched cleanliness drive on the premises of major fishing harbours and beaches across the country by ensuring public participation.

Besides the Kochi centre, the cleanliness drive was carried out by all regional research centres of the CMFRI located in various parts of the country such as Veraval, Mumbai, Karwar, Visakhapatnam, Mandapam, Tuticorin, Chennai, Mangaluru, Kozhikode and Vizhinjam.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Special Correspondent / Kochi – March 13th, 2018

The sidelined goddess of Botany

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The first Indian woman botanist, E K Janaki Ammal, ought to be more widely known for her huge contributions to science. But she remains unknown within the country and outside academic circles and even our textbooks have failed to teach our children about her glorious scientific history

: Just a fortnight before the International Women’s Day, the John Innes Centre in Norfolk, UK, announced a new scholarship for post-graduate students from developing countries in honour of an Indian woman botanist. Under the scheme, 88 applicants who wish to study plant and microbial sciences can apply in commemoration of the distinguished work and contributions of Dr.E.K.Janaki Ammal who was an international alumni of the leading research and training centre between 1940 and 1945.

A heart warming gesture from an institution abroad, but may be India should have done something similar for the country’s first home grown woman scientist, who went overseas and returned accomplished breaking every caste and gender barrier through her work.

Just take a moment to think where we would be without the inventions of this brilliant mind.

Janaki Ammal in younger days | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement 

After laborious crossbreedings in the laboratory of Sugarcane Breeding Institute in Coimbatore in the 1930s, she created the indigenous variety of sweetened sugarcane that we consume today. Till then India was producing sugarcane in abundance and yet importing as they were not as sweet as the ones grown in the Far East.

During the World War II bombings in the 1940s, she continued her phenomenal research into chromosomes of thousands of species of flowering plants at the John Innes Horticultural Institute, Norfolk, where she worked with some of the best names in cytology, genetics and botany . While working on the gorgeous Magnolia, she co-authored The Chromosome Atlas of Cultivated Plants with renowned biologist CD Darlington.

The magnolia saplings she planted on the Battleston Hill in Wisley continue to bloom every Spring and one of the pure white blooms is named after her, the Magnolia kobus Janaki Ammal and apparently only few nurseries in Europe have the variety today.

At a time when most Indian women did not even attend school, she received scholarship and obtained her MS from University of Michigan in 1925 and later returned as the first Indian Oriental Barbour Fellow. She remains one of the few Asian women to be conferred honorary doctorate (DSc. honoris causa) by her alma mater in 1931. There she discovered a new variety of brinjal that exhibited triploidy instead of the normal diploid, where there are two sets of chromosomes in the cells.

The flower Magnolia Kobus Janaki Ammal | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

At the insistence of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, she returned to India in the 1950s and restructured the Botanical Society of India travelling to several remote areas of the country in search of the plant lore of the indigenous people and scouting for medicinal plants in her home State, Kerala.

A fascinating figure of the early 20th Century she was. E.K.Janaki Ammal lived a life which perhaps very few women of her time could dream of. The distinguished geneticist, cytologist, global plant geographer studied about ecology and biodiversity too and did not fear to take on the Government as an ardent environmental activist. She played an important role in the protests against the building of a hydro-power dam in Kerala’s Silent Valley in the 1970s. She made a mark with her paper on “Man’s Role in Changing the Face of the Earth” at an international symposium in Princeton in 1955 and two decades later, she was awarded the Padmashri in 1977.

With a profile like hers, Janaki Ammal never got into spotlight. If anything she fought her status as a single woman from a caste considered backward and problems with male mentorship in her field. But she proved through her work that Science knows no caste, gender or social boundaries.

Yet for her extraordinary journey from small town Thalassery to the finest institutions across the world, there is no archive related to her in India. Her papers are available only in hard copy at the Bodleian Library in Oxford, according to Vinita Damodaran, who teaches South Asian History at University of Sussex and has also published a well researched paper on “Gender, race and science in twentieth century India: E.K.Janaki Ammal and the history of science.”

Luckily, the Nikari series of talks held under the banner of ‘Manarkeni’, a Tamil research journal, brings to light the works of lesser known women in different fields. In the previous years, the focus was on women in literature and history. This year it chose science and brought the story of Janaki Ammal to the fore.

The talk delivered by S Krishnaswamy, former professor at the School of Biotechnology, Madurai Kamaraj University, highlighted various stages of Janaki’s career both in India and overseas. “Her career shows that scientists must speak their mind with social consciousness even if it means going against the policies of the government. In today’s context, it becomes necessary to bring achievers like her to the forefront,” he asserts.

Janaki Ammal must have conquered her fears and broke the glass ceiling for a rewarding career in science. “She wanted to be known only through her work. Let her work be known to all successive generations, who have much better opportunities” says Krishnaswamy.

An inspiring role model, Janaki Ammal passed away in 1984 at the age of 87 at Maduravoyal near Chennai, while working in the field laboratory of the Centre for Advanced Study in Botany, Univerity of Madras. She perhaps did not receive the acclaim she deserved but devoted herself to research, opening up a universe of possibilities. Let our children not be bereft of that knowledge. It is worth knowing and remembering leaders in science like Janaki Ammal.

 source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society / by Soma Basu / Madurai – March 09th, 2018

A Lady Hamlyn touch

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The over 300-year-old former residence of the Cochin Maharaja, Chittoor Kottaram, opens after specialised restoration

Lady Helen Hamlyn uses the French word douceur, meaning pleasantness, to describe the essence of Chittoor Kottaram, a former residence of the Cochin Royal Family. At the helm of the eponymous Helen Hamlyn Trust (HHT), the 84-year-old is the force behind the palace’s recent restoration.

Having acquired an insight into the complex and intricate art of preservation from years of engaging in conservation of heritage, in different parts of the world, she says, “I treat every building like a person.”

In its over 300 years of existence Chittoor Kottaram, now, after restoration, wears its charm once again, with a feel of the times when the Cochin Raja graced it, coming down to attend the functions at the adjacent Krishna temple.

Beyond the padippura, the formal entrance, its majestic grandeur looms. Seated on the refurbished verandah, facing the serene backwaters, Lady Hamlyn relishes the quietness that envelops its two storeys. It is a reason she chose to associate with it, having fallen in love with its very private ambiance.

“Chittoor is perfect; it is a retreat,” she says, talking animatedly about the completion of her latest project.

“The important thing in restoration is that you take up a piece of heritage and restore it without destroying its essence,” she says.

Latha Raman Jaigopal whose firm had carried out major restoration works on the structure in 2005 at the behest of the owner from the royal family, Suresh Namboothiri, was engaged to do so again by Lady Hamlyn. Of the first restoration, Latha says that it was merely strengthening of the structure. This time, it was about taking it back to its original condition. Latha adds, “Lady Hamlyn took it back to the original flavour a little more.” For instance, she modernised the pond, converting it into a pool, but kept to the old and used material like laterite stone. It covers the concrete base making it both functional and antique.

The only distinct change introduced was in widening of the veranda that now serves as a lounging space and in the construction of a waterfront gazebo, using natural materials. The final touches underway are sprucing up the private boat and changing remaining furnishing.

It was 30 years ago that Lady Hamlyn first visited Kerala with her husband, the publishing tycoon, Paul Hamlyn. In those early years the couple tried, in vain, to associate with the restoration of the Bolgatty Palace, but the efforts got mired in government procedures. The restoration of a few properties and old warehouses in Fort Kochi too met the same fate. Disheartened, she engaged herself with other heritage projects. In Khajuraho, which comes under the ASI, she cleared the ‘bunds’ and was instrumental in the shifting of a bus stop that hurt the heritage property. “World Heritage Sites by law have 500 metres of protection. Khajuraho had nothing of it then,” she recalls.

Reviving 100 fountains

Prior to her efforts here she fought a two-year battle with the Government of Goa over the restoration of the 16th Century Reis Magos Fort, that eventually resulted in the amendment of an archaic law that now permits reuse of a restored structure.

“When I get involved in restoration it is always for reuse, so that the structure can fulfil its role and be a part of the culture of the land.”

Before this, her collaborations with the Maharajah of Jodhpur to restore the Nagaur fort in Central Rajasthan brought about not only its glorious revival but also made it the much sought-after venue for the World Sufi Festival, now in its 11th year. She co-founded the event that brings droves of tourists to its doorstep.

Alongside, she revived the residences of old queens, small private dilapidated properties, suggesting they be converted to “nice little hotels,” and added modern amenities to the renovated structures.

Akbari Mahal, known for its water gardens that were introduced for the first time by Akbar, was undertaken by Lady Hamlyn for restoration. She brought back to life all 100 rusted and disused fountains, in period style.

“When I finish a project, it has to look as it looked when it was built. That nobody has touched it.”

Hence what has come to be Lady Hamlyn’s touch or trademark is one of sensitive reclamation, of no extra value addition and of using materials that were used in the initial construction.

The personalised restoration of Chittoor Kottaram has given back to it, its temporarily missing character, accentuated its stillness, heightened its stateliness and beauty. Lady Hamlyn’s labour of love is clearly evident in the decor of the three bedrooms, living area, wooden stairway, verandah, common area, office and spa, dressed in art—Pichwais, wooden cages, Bengali hand-embroidered hangings, furniture—from her personal collection. It will now be used by her and by guests who seek a private and majestic getaway.

“The thing about Kochi is its extraordinary history of people from different lands settling down here. That has made it what it is,” she says, adding that it has been a privilege to contribute in a small way to preserve the heritage of India which is unique to the world.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society> History & Culture / by Priyadershini S / March 03rd, 2018

A long journey from Thalassery to the Swiss Parliament

Leaders, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, World Opinion

Nik Gugger, who was sworn in as member of Nationalrat in Bern, still cherishes his Kerala connection

His is a journey from Thalassery to the Swiss Parliament and he still maintains his connection with the town where he grew up till he was four.

Nik Gugger was sworn in as member of Nationalrat (Swiss Parliament) in Bern around 7.30 p.m. Indian time on Monday. The 47-year-old father of three children has been elected to Swiss Parliament as a candidate of the EVP (Evangelical Party in Switzerland). An Indian by birth, he was adopted by a Swiss couple and he still cherishes his association with people and institutions at Thalassery. Though he was born at the Basel Mission Hospital at Udupi, he had grown up as an orphan in what is now the Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF) campus at Illikkunnu at Thalassery till his adoption by his Swiss parents. The NTTF itself is a symbol of the Indo-Swiss cooperation aimed at promoting technical education among the youth of this country.

Likely to visit Thalassery

“I am proud to be in between the two cultures, the Swiss and Indian culture,” Mr. Gugger told The Hindu over the phone. Recalling his association with the late Murkot Ramunni and the Gundert Foundation School the latter had founded, he said he would probably visit Thalassery in March next year when the 70th anniversary of Indo-Swiss friendship would be celebrated. Mr. Gugger started his political career as a councillor in the town parliament of Winterthur, the sixth biggest town in Switzerland, and as a member in the Cantonal Council. He is one of the youngest members in Swiss Parliament. He recalls that his foster father was an experienced social worker who had played an important role in shaping him as a social worker. His social work had given him an opportunity to work in Colombia as a youth worker. He studied at the Center for Agogics in Basel, the University of Amsterdam and also at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences.

Helped in fund-raising

“I still keep in touch with Mr. Gugger,” said Raghunatha Kurup, a native of Thalassery, who had retired from the NTTF. Mr. Gugger was part of the delegates from the Volkart Foundation, Switzerland, who had visited the Gundert Foundation School at Thalalssery in 2006, he recalled. Mr. Gugger had also helped the school by collecting funds for it, he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Mohamed Nazeer / Kannur – November 27th, 2017