Chander is a History Buff Episode 3

 

Chander is a History Buff Episode 3

In continuation of my series of sharing history from the antique books from shelf, this episode covers a book review and a pre independence political history behind it! I consider this book as a museum piece in my collections. The readers will agree with me, once they read the full content of this blog.

A brief note about the book:

Title: EIGHTEEN MONTHS IN INDIA   1936 – 1937 Being Further Essays and Writings

By JAWAHARLAL NEHRU  - Publisher : KITABISTAN,  17-a, Kamala Nehru Road, Allahabad & 20-21, Tooks Court, Cursitor Street, London, E.C.4

First Published in 1938, Printed at : Allahabad Law Journal Press, Allahabad, Printer: M.D.Pandey

Price : Not printed but an ink mark in the front page says Rs.2/2

Cloth bound in green colour contains 300 pages.

Before going to the special history of the book, let me review the book in brief.

In the PREFACE itself Jawaharlal Nehru starts with “ The title given to this collection of old essays and statements is apt to mislead. This book is not a history of the past eighteen months in India, nor is it the story of a tourist’s visit to India”.

In March 1936 JN returned from Europe and functioned as President of National Congress. In his own words he says. “This period has been an eventful one in the ever changing drama of Indian politics, and perforce I have had to play a prominent part in it. …New ideas have spread, new hopes have risen, new conflicts and difficulties have had to be faced, new problem require solution. A history of this period would be worthwhile.”

The Contents covers 44 essays by JN.  There are many interesting topics for us to read and learn the history and enjoy the language of JN. I wish to mention selective headings of the essays which pulled me to dwell into the subject.

First  essay starts with “ In a Train” and few others are: To my Friends and Critics, The New Offensive, Congress and Socialism, Reality, Students and Politics, A Message to Socialists, Fascism and Empire, The Arabs and Jews in Palestine, The Congress and Muslims, A Question of Manners, Bombing and Kindnapping on the Frontier, Salaries and Public Servants, The Question of Language and the closing essay, The Right Perspective.

This book is worth reading to understand the political history in India in that period as JN himself said. Readers may try out to grab a copy from internet sources.

Now I am coming to history of the book and not the content. This is more interesting for historians, antique book collectors. This book played a part of a freedom fighter from Madras , now Tamil Nadu. The freedom fighter is none other than our past Chief Minister of Madras , Shri.Kamaraja Nadar. He was imprisoned in Vellore Central Prison during August 1942 and this book was “Permitted “ by the Jail Authority to give to Kamaraja Nadar. The proof : Hand written in blue ink as : Permitted , Vellore Central Prison and initialed. In red ink it is written: Kamaraja Nadar  17.8.42 ( I don’t know whether it is Shri Kamaraj’s signature!) .

My further research to confirm the evidence found on the book, that is whether this book is actually given to Shri.Kamaraj, and how come this book comes to a pavement shop, where I bought for Rs.20, so many years before. To be frank, when I bought this book, neither myself nor the vendor do not know the value of the information and historical importance of the book!

Allow me to share the information I got from various websites and at last I found the information I presumed is true. Two links are given to claim my proof that this English book was given to Shri Kamaraj for reading in the Vellore Central Prison on 17.8.1942. Who brought the book for Shri Kamaraj is not known and it is an unknown history. Moreover Shri Kamaraj learned English from the fellow prisoners is evident in many clippings.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._Kamaraj

Quote:

….In 1942, Kamaraj attended the All-India Congress Committee in Bombay and returned to spread propaganda material for the Quit India Movement. The police issued orders to all the leaders who attended this Bombay session. Kamaraj did not want to be arrested before he took the message to all district and local leaders. finishing his work and sent a message to the local police that he was ready to be arrested. He was arrested in August 1942. He was under detention for three years and was released in June 1945. This was his last prison term. Kamaraj was imprisoned six times by the British for his pro-Independence activities, that added up to more than 3,000 days in jail.

 https://www.winentrance.com/general_knowledge/kamarajar.html

Quote:

“In this jail term he started reading books to enhance knowledge in various subjects. Kamraj also learned English from fellow prisoners.”

The above book is having an antique value with a great history of India and its freedom fighter Shri Kamar’s prison life.

Shri K.Kamaraj's association with our family in 1972. He was present to my elder sister's wedding on 26th June 1972, as he is so close to my brother-in-law's father, Shri N.R.M.Swamy(standing in the left extreame) an  Advocate and Ex.M.P of Congress party since 1952, the first Republic of India. 

Added to the above book, I would like to share another book “ INDIA AND THE WORLD” – Essays by Jawaharlal Nehru, published the year 1936 by George Allen & Unwin Ltd., Museum Street, London, printed in Great Britain by Unwin Brothers Ltd.,WOKING.

The 14 contents are: Presidential Address to the National Congress, 1929, Whither India 1933, Presidential Address to the National Congress, 1936, Prison-Land, 1934, The Mind of a Judge, 1935, Quetta, 1935, First Letter to Indira, The Last Letter to Indira, Mahatma Gandhi 1936, A Letter to an Englishman, India and the World, 1936, A Visit to England, 1936, The Way to Peace, 1936, Indian Problems, 1936.

Each one of the essay is unique in subject and the narration by JN is very good. Find a copy and get to know more of India and the World in that turbulent time, from JN’s own words.

A photo gallery of both the books are for your viewing pleasure.

Chander will meet the readers again through his next episode!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chander is A History Buff Episode 2

 

Chander is a History Buff – Episode 2 – An Antique Weekly Newspaper published by Mahatma Gandhi.

In my last episode I shared about an antique booklet on America and American in wartime, a series of pocket books published by U.S.A.Publishing company during second world war.

In this episode let me share a most precious bound book containing the 52 volumes of the original Weekly Newspaper “Harijan”, received every week by post at THE HINDUSTAN SCOUT ASSOCIATION, MADRAS PRESIDENCY, which was functioning in Mylapore, Madras. This information is based on the rubber stamp of the association and postal rubber stamp dated 5 Feb 1947. How this has comes to me is an interesting news. I got this book from a close friend, who knows about my antique book collection hobby as well my interest on Indian political history.

About the bound book:

HARIJAN - Vol:XI No.1 dated February 2, 1947 to Vol.XI No.52 dated January 25, 1948.

Printed and published by Jivanji Dahyabhai Desai, Navjivan Press, Kalupur, Ahmedabad.Editor – Pyarelal.

Sub.rates: Inland: One Year Rs.6; Six months Rs.3, Foreign: One Year Rs.8 or 14 Sh or $3.

In 1933 Gandhiji started publishing a weekly newspaper, Harijan, in English. Harijan, which means "People of God", and was also Gandhi's term for the untouchable caste - lasted until 1948.

The first issue appeared on the 11th of February 1933 from Poona with R. V. Shastri as the editor. ‘Harijan’  dealt with questions regarding untouchability and was carried out in the socio-religious approach.

The Harijan was later edited by Mahadev Desai in 1935 and had its headquarters in Poona and then later in Madras. In 1940, it was suspended during the Indian Satyagraha movement. It was later revived by the Navajivan Press in January 1942 but was banned later that year by the British Government in India. It was revived once again in February 1946. The editor at the time was Pyarelal and he continued till 1948. 

The main contributor for this HARIJAN weekly is M.K.Gandhi  and there were so many contributors. I wish to list out some popular persons who were with Gandhiji in the freedom struggle and compiled Gandhiji’s various letters and  reported on many live issues of that time connected to our freedom fight, lives of people, economic condition and other important subjects.

Few names are listed here: Pyarelal, J.C.Kumarappa, Vinoba, Sushila Nayyar, Maharaj of Ratlam, T.N.Bang, Valji Govindji Desai, Gulzarilal Nanda, Devendra Kumar Gupta, Radha Kumud,Mookerji, T.N.Vagadisan, Dev Prakash Nayyar, Dilip Kumar Roy, S.N.Agarval, Sarojini Naidu, Acharya Kripalani, N.K.Bose, Horace Alexander, Giriraj Kishore and so many others.

One of the issue contains a Map of Noakhali District of East Bengal, Gandhiji walked on foot , first walk ended on 4.2.1947 and second one ended on 25.2.1947.

Another special feature noticed in this weekly was,  a dictionary of English words with its translation into Hindustani ( Hindi and Urudu ), lastly published September 28, 1947 (Instalment XXIX).

A few important news captions, I wish to share here, from the collection of 52 editions. The topics are: Communal Murders ( Vol.XI No.1), A Woman’s Dilemma (27.1.47), Gandhiji on Trusteeship (2.2.47), Socialism (20.7.47), Who and Where is God? (22.6.47), Ahimsa Never Fails (1.1.48), Learn from the experience of others (6.4.47), The ‘CUE’ method for ‘Grow more food” (22.6.47), Give and Take (6.12.47), Cow Slaughter (7.10.47). There were so many letters written by M.K.Gandhi and from others to him. Gandhji’s walking tour was also covered in many issues.

The last edition dated 25.1.48 contains Gandhiji’s Post-Prayer Speeches on 15.1.48. Gandhiji spoke about ‘Death a Deliverance” – “All must die someday. No one could escape death. Then why be afraid of it? In fact death was a friend which brought deliverance from sufferings.”  It also contains Gandhiji’s breaking of the fast on 25.1.48 at Birla House at 12.45pm.Last Danger Signals by Dev Prakash Nayyar was the last news in the last edition.

What to say more about this rarest of the rare collection? Wish to read all the 52 issues, but I wonder whether I can do justice to my wish!

But for sure we learn many lessons from history through autobiographies of famous leaders around the world and from historians who brings life to them in their words. Let me share few pages of the weekly “Harijan” of 1947-1948.

I will bring more interesting episodes on history in antique books.

CHANDER IS A HISTORY BUFF!!!

 

Chander is a History Buff!

Why I call myself a history buff?

I have a strong and special interest in Family History, My birthplace History, Pre-independence Indian History, World History and in particular World War History!  I was a poor student in the subject of history in my school days and scored lowest marks in the school final! But how the interest in history came to me is not known. I am an ardent reader of books of all subjects and collect old books from pavement second-hand book shops for my personal library! This pandemic period gave me a big opportunity to dwell into my treasure of books, and I started to give a second reading of world war books, initially for the original wartime photos and later the complete stories!   I have a good collection of coffee table books on the same subject with real time photos, maps etc. The modern internet technology is a gateway to go back to the future and view many original footages of wartime.

In this first episode, I would like to share one of a rare book from my collections of World War Books!

First and foremost I wish to speak about a series of pocket books – “ U.S.A. A Portrait in Miniature of America and Americans in Wartime”, published by ”The U.S.A.Publishing Company” and printed in The U.S.A., during the First World War, in the time span of 1943 and 1944.

This collection of series contains 10 books , in a single bound, speaks a lot of America and Americans in Wartime. The cost of each poket series was Rs.3 Anna and sold by Higginbothams ( A stamp of ‘HIGGINBOTHAMS’ is found in a page). Some unknown history buff like me bought the series during the wartime, bounded it and after many years this book came to the pavement! I bought this for a small amount of rupees! ( you may guess!).

Let me share on various topics covered in each small booklet of about 65 pages. The front cover  looks great and the back cover has a message – ‘pass this on to a friend’.

In the one of the booklet opening page contains A Message from The President of The United States – Franklin D.Roosevelt and General D.Eisenhower, Commander in chief of Allied Forces in North Africa issued an Order of the Day, May 8,1943. The other interesting topics found are : Why Americans Fight, An Art Boom in Wartime, Music in America, Education in Overalls, Seeds for a Better World, Border without Boyonets ( U.S.A. and Canada), Brothers in Arms, Bomber Team –Story in photography, One World – as reported by a noted American, Wendell L.Willkie, on his trip by air around a world at war. He was a Republican presidential candidate in 1940, contested against President Roosevelt!

There are so many articles and stories of interest collected from various magazines of that time like: NY Times, Collier’s, Newsweek, Christian Science Monitor, Scientific American, Fortune, Saturday Evening Post, Science News Letters, Reader’s Digest, Coronet, Sea Power, This Week, Life, Science Digest, Survey Graphic, Common Ground, The Saturday Review of Literature and so many other magazines and journals. The Editors page appears in all the series. Most interesting pages for me is the Picture Essay covering about 25 plus photographs of the war in action, cities and towns during that period, lifestyles of people and many. About the invention of Penicillin, developed in 1929,an article says, it is an unparalleled weapon against death, historically one of the greatest accomplishments of scientific and medical research of 1940s. 

The photo gallery may inspire you to search for a copy, if at all available anywhere in the world, to own this antique rarest of the rare pocket books of American wartime history! History buffs may agree with me!

Before closing I wish to share that we all learn many lessons from the war. " A war hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself" - Joseph Campbell. War teaches us the value of the human spirit. We must try to avoid war by peaceful talks with the countries where conflicts  induces war. Our country is an example to win over foreign occupation by nonviolent methods advocated by Mahatma Gandhi and followed by the entire leaders of freedom and the countrymen. Life is so precious and the greed on other country's land, wealth, minerals and natural resources should be avoided and sharing of love between the people of countries at war will surely bring only peace and not war. 

Next episode of Chander is a History Buff  will be published soon…..

Love towards western music !

Love towards western music – a journey from 1960s’  

I could recall , when I started liking  western music !. In the year 1965 , when I was studying 9^th standard , we had a “ BUSH Baron “ transistor radio bought by my father.

In those time we used to pay license at Post offices  for this and also for a valve set radio “ GE “ make of 1950s’.  It  was a thrilling experience to listen western music in the early mornings at our Mylapore house terrace ; the radio Ceylon used to transmit half an hour instrumentals of good western music . In those days  “ Come September “ , “Shadows”  & “ Ventures “  and other instrumentals were so good to listen. I go to terrace for studies and by my side I used to keep the Transistor  in full volume. At that time an uncle , Mr.C.Ramanathan , Staff reporter of Indian express , lived in our house as a tenant . He is from Ceylon and talk on Jim Reeves songs . So the passion  on liking , loving and listening Western music inspired by him  started  and it never stopped till today… !!!!

I would like to share the great singers and musicians of my times in 1960s’ , 1970s’ , 1980s’ & 1990s’.  I am not much familiar with the later singers but keep listening the old timers for ever. Another information to share is I love opera and western classical and also eastern music. When my brother Ramesh gave me a good collections of his music cassettes of western & eastern when he came from USA for the first time. Beethoven’s symphony , Bach , Henry Mancini , Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake  albums were in the collection presented to me.

Off late when my friend Suresh Kuppuswamy and my brother joined with me in college days and they too love western and Hindi film songs . Another friend Gopal and Jaggu  (both are brothers ) who live in neighborhood were good friends of ours and  they had a good collection of LPs’ and EPs’ ( long Play and extended play records ) . Gopal was Suresh’s junior in School of Architecture and Jaggu is a furniture & interior designer. Some times we all go to their home and enjoy listening in their turntable cum amplifier. Then I started buying few LPs and later Jaggu gave some LPs’ which he cannot play in his new player. So I have decided to buy a record player and whenever I window shop at Music shops and see the price tags I simply walk out! It’s a matter of huge sum in those days to invest or spend for pleasure .

At last I bought a seconds , HMV1010 ( 10+10 watts  stereo speakers ) Record Player , in a discount offer @ Rs.1050 in a shop near Ajantha Hotel. Before that Suresh , whose father had a radio repair shop “ Maxwell Radio “ near Sri Karaneeswarar temple in Bazaar road, brought  a GRUNDIG Record Changer player to our terrace DEN to enjoy listening music and do a social service to the neighbours by blasting the Hindi pops of that time, at midnight !!! Some loved  it and some cursed us ! The famous filmy songs we played are – Kati Patang , Mili , Hum Kissi Se …, Yadon Ki Barat , Juli , Bobby , Jawani Diwani and others. Abba , Dona Summer , Samantha Fox , Neil Diamond , Bony M . Shadows  and many other western pops were in  our list.

When I started recalling the names of the singers and musicians , the list extended  to beyond 50 to my memory of today and may be many more , if I squeeze my mind. I wish to bringout the pics of the album covers of the famous singers here for our viewing pleasure and enjoy the richness of western music even today through youtube and other media ( as we are blessed with internet , a modern electronic media .

And on and on and on… the list goes ….

Try to listen of your favorite old songs and cherish the past music lives as immortal songs forever !

Now I listen Bhajan’s and chant Hare Krishna Maha Mantra daily. But  the liking of listening western music is still there for soft songs and not rocks !!!

I wish to talk on books in my next  blog !.