Stones That Speak

Stones that speak GOWRI RAMNARAYAN A MARVEL OF MAHABALIPURAM: Shiva instructing his disciple Tandu who gave the name Tandava to the art. city of ponds and lakes’ A bridge with a view TOPICS arts, culture and entertainment culture (general) history After 32 years in IIT, Delhi, what inspired Professor S. Swaminathan to write about Mahabalipuram? Gowri Ramnarayan meets the engineer-turned-author How did a mechanical engineer turn into an expert in ancient monuments? How did Professor S. Swaminathan, after 32 years at IIT, Delhi produce a coffee table book on “Mahabalipuram: Unfinished Poetry in Stone” with photographs by Ashok Krishnaswamy? A casual trip to Ajanta in 1963 triggered a life-changing experience. Swaminathan realised that he had no background on the breathtaking wonders of the 29 caves. “Our monuments have become picnic spots. We have no understanding of heritage.” His anguish took positive shape when he devised a course in art and technology. “IIT is an export zone. The student’s mind is in the U.S., he knows Cincinnati, not Tiruchirapalli. But a 5,000-year-old heritage cannot be trivial! Where is identity without culture?” Five years of research on Ajanta resulted in a book with exhaustive details about every cave and fresco — location, layout, stylistic phases, politics, patronage, theme, composition, technique, pigment — even details about portrayal of women and methods of rendering limbs. He has documented Ajanta in sleeve notes that “you can enjoy sitting in the drawing room,” he laughs, admitting that “you” is really himself. Pulling out more unpublished sleeve notes and “books” he adds, “Until age 70 my name was printed only on the IIT prospectus. Now I find it on the cover of Mahabalipuram.” It was preceded by an elaborate source book and months of photography. “We’re planning a cheaper edition; the people I write for can’t buy a book for Rs. 2,500.” He continues reflectively, “I’m a loner, like doing things for myself. Nothing commercial. Whatever I find is on the public domain, on my website. Many download stuff when they travel to Ajanta or Nalanda or Sittannavasal”. The engineer in Swaminathan gravitates to the material and craft methods of the past. He probes into the growth and direction of thought in the community that shapes its art forms. “We look at the wrong end of the telescope. What we see in heritage sites is not art, but the outcome of extended meditation.” Studying a bewildering range of subjects from Tamil prosody to cartoons and Gandhian philosophy, Swaminathan is fascinated by Brahmi, the mother of all Indian and most south Asian scripts, and Grantha, developed by the Pallavas to write Sanskrit. “I dream,” said the retired professor when a man he met by chance asked, “What do you do?” He was probably thinking about cultural centre Sudarshanam, launched in hometown Pudukkottai. But the questioner, industrialist GRK Reddy, persisted in knowing more and Swaminathan found himself supported by Marg Swarnabhoomi to publish Mahabalipuram. “I’ve been given an office too, to work on any project I like.” A crucial interest is starting heritage clubs with location specific cultural study in village/district schools. The Taj Mahal is everywhere. What do we know of the greater marvels of Mahabalipuram?” asks Professor Swaminathan. “Every one of its motifs is singular, unique, no repetition. A lion with a Mahishasuramardhini carved on its stomach! Every ratham (chariot) is fashioned differently. The Arjuna Penance is the pinnacle of sculptural vision. Spare ornamentation and subtle details achieve superb classicism. Can you find a more accomplished emperor, Mahendra Pallava?” he wonders. His “Mahendra trail” of the visionary king titled Vichitrachitta, has become well-known. He has conducted courses in the old port for tourist guides, as also residence seminars involving eight hours spent daily in front of bas relief, monolith and cave. “Nowhere else do we find all three in one spot.” Swaminathan does not see himself as a scholar, but a rasika who wants to introduce what he enjoys to others. “I’m no author jumping from book to book. But I do want to write on the Kailasanatha temple, Kanchi.” No, he has not set specific goals for himself. “My greatest joy is that I have sensitised many students to the value of our heritage. Many write and say I have transformed their way of thinking. What more can I want?” The Book: Mahabalipuram: Unfinished poetry in Stone Beginning with the first cave temples excavated in south India (Mandagapattu) by Mahendra Pallava (590-630 CE), the book looks at the countless works of art scattered on the Mahabalipuram shore. To the breath stopping parade of cave shrine, bas relief, monolith and even regional flora, quaintness and riddles add spice — an inscription of a Saivite curse on a Vaishnava shrine, the mystery of the tiger cave, speculation on whether Arjuna or Bhagiratha is the central ascetic in the Great Penance… No jargon in the chatty ‘in’ style. The visual close-ups engender empathy and intimacy. What stands out is the writer’s and lensman’s eagerness to share their passion for the sweep of imagination and craft splendour in these Pallava marvels, as the author traces the legend, composition, and details on the walls. Turning the pages is to watch stone springing to life in this magnificent sculpture garden. The images of Mahendra Pallava, flanked by his queens, or cleverly representing himself and Lord Siva in the same figure at Lalitankura Pallavagriham (Rockfort, Tiruchi), establish an irresistible human interest in this saga of unnamed sthapatis who left by the rolling waves their exquisite odes to the gods, and to the human spirit. The Photographer A visual communications professor who works with some of the highest brands in India and overseas, a trainer in graphic art tools, photography, visual design and animation, Ashok Krishnaswamy was prompted by an associate’s query, “What have you done for society?” to document old temples as a quiet personal mission. As a young man Krishnaswami learnt photography at Mahabalipuram, with a cheap camera and scrounged film rolls. Despite the immense advances since then, the project posed its challenges. The Arjuna Penance bas relief had to be captured in multiple frames. Negotiating the narrow space at the Dharmaraja chariot was quite a task. The huge Govardhan panel in the Krishna mandapam? “I took each portion between the pillars and stitched them together.”

Teachers Day

Dr.S.Radhakrishnan By Geeta Padmanaban Courtesy: The Hindu September 5! An important day for all of us. It is the day set aside to remember our teachers. For the time they spent with us, for what they taught us and finally for what we are today. It is Teachers’ Day to commemorate a great teacher, philosopher and statesman – Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, whose birth anniversary falls on this day. Ask any adult. They may not remember what they learnt in school, but every one of them will tell you the name of the teacher they admired the most. They will tell you why they remember that teacher after all these years. Goes to show how much our teachers are part of our growing years! Our school life (with so much to study) is happy because of our teachers. You do have a teacher you think is special, right? “My favourite? My Science teacher,” said Naren, a Std. VIII student. “She is very strict, doesn’t spare anyone who misbehaves or comes without doing home-work. You miss home-work, you lose marks. You delay it, she won’t even accept it.” But the kids love her because she is fair to all. She allows time for students to chatter in the class. “She teaches the principles of science in a fun way,” he says. “She shows videos to explain scientific principles.” Once she made them do a children’s book about cells in a way that small children could understand. “I wrote about an adventure of a boy named Max who is whisked away by the amazing Professor Cellular in a small spaceship travelling through cells. On the way, he explains things like the mitochondria, nucleus and the golgi bodies.” Overall, a good teacher is strict and fun at the same time, knows how to get along with kids, has a vast knowledge of her subject, thinks of the quality of the students’ education first, gives students fair and just punishment for academic crime — forgetting home-work, misbehaving and chattering when you should be working, not respecting the rules of the school. Me? I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework. Teacher, Philosopher, Statesman Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s birthday (September 5, 1888), is celebrated as Teacher’s Day. He was born into a middle class family at Tirutani in Tamil Nadu state, a town in Madras Presidency, British India. Radhakrishnan went through most of his education on scholarships. He joined the Voorhee’s College in Vellore but switched to the Madras Christian College. He graduated with a Master’s degree in Philosophy from the Madras Christian College in 1906. In 1921, he was appointed as a professor in philosophy to occupy the King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science at the University of Calcutta. In 1929, Radhakrishnan was invited to take the post vacated by Principal J. Estlin Carpenter in Manchester College, Oxford. For his services to education, he was knighted by the British Government in 1931, but did not use the title in personal life preferring instead his academic title ‘Doctor’. He was the Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University from 1931 to 1936. In 1936, Radhakrishnan was named Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at the University of Oxford, and was elected a Fellow of All Souls College. In 1939, Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya invited him to become Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University. He continued as its Vice-Chancellor till January, 1948. When India became independent in 1947, Radhakrishnan represented India at UNESCO, and was later Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union, from 1949 to 1952. He was also elected to the Constituent Assembly of India. Radhakrishnan was elected as the first Vice President of India in 1952. He was elected as the second President of India (1962-1967). When he became President, some of his students and friends requested him to allow them to celebrate his birthday. He replied, “Instead of celebrating my birthday, it would be my proud privilege if September 5 is observed as Teachers’ Day.”