Hi All, After visiting Venketesh's house for collecting the few Shuddhanandha Bharati authored books from Venketesh (some 7 books), naan then kuditha nari madhiri ayiteyn. Venketesh told me to visit his house at Devakottai and also gave his father's numbers to me. Last Saturday (12th May) I called up his father and visited his anchestoral house. I tink the whole of warren road is made to one single house (for comparison for Chennai members), typical Chettinadu house, with Athur tiles, Burma teak et al. Amazing and it is not surprising that most rooms are just kept closed and could not be maintained. (Room ? size of 50 ft x 100 ft, do anyone call it as a room?) I was lucky enough to get most of 1940/41 edition of some 20 more books of Shuddhanandha Bharati from here. After that a simple but sumptous meals followed. Later when I had a chat with his father, the philonthropic activities of him and his family members came to the fore after my persisting request. Venketesh's father Ramakrishnan and most members of his clan are identifying poor bright girl children and areeducating them and are sponsoring them for their fees, stay etc. One girl is doing her second year medicals in Madurai Medical College. Being a ex- reporter of JV, AV, I could not resist myself promising his father that I would make another trip to interview those girls sotht more such children while reading their story would continue education despite all odds.
Beyond Kavi Yogi Shuddhanandha Bharati's books I also got the following:
Translation of Gandhiji's "If I were a minister" published in 194 by Ilakkiya Pannai Manimekalai Kadhai Surukkam by U.Ve.Sa (1941) Subramania Bharati Saritham by Aakoor Anandhachari (1936) Olive Shreiner (Woman author from S.Africa) The thirst for truth (in Tamil translated by Arunachalam - Sathiya Vetkai) Arasiyal Vimochanam By Rajaji (not Vimarsanam, Vimochanam!) Guru Govind Singh (in Tamil) by Va.Ve.Su Iyer
and to top it, while coming back to Sivagangai (I attended Uma's daughter's Natyanjali dance for Shuddhanandha Bharati's songs the day before), I had a chat with the raja family of Sivaganga fromwhom I got the book "Seermigu Sivagangai Cheemai" authored by Dr.SS.Kamaal which contains the entire history of Rajas of Sivagangai, the MAruthu brothers, about Rani Velu NAchiyar (South Indian Jansi Rani) and also about all the temples that comeunder the samasthanam, the anna chatram that comes under the samasthanam, the villages donated for each temple, the translation of copper plates, stone inscriptions found within the Sivagangai Cheemai (line by line transaltion) etc. A well researched book, funded by the current Rajah family itself for documentation for future generation!
Interesting to note the following Chola temple names:
1) Sholapuram -(where Shuddhanandha Bharati Samadhi also lies) me and SPS have seen this temple - Shiva named as Arulmozhinadha Swami 2) Karikala Choleeswarar Alayam -Nattarasan Kottai 3) Choleeswarar Temple - ArazhikOttai (fort dont read as kottai- seed :) 4) Thirumalai nadha swami Temple at a place called Thirumalai! 5) Thiribuvana Chakra varthi alayam -Unjanai-Devakottai (Pandyas also had that name Thiribuvana Chakravarthi- meaning I hope all of you know) 6) Rajendra Chooleswara Temple - Ilayangudi
More reasons for us to visit again. Pudukkottai, Pillayarpatti etc are all closest to Sivagangai. No wonder more trips will follow by me :)