By K. Vijaya Kumar, Former Jt. Director of Information & Publicity

The firebrand Gandhian who brought women into Satyagraha Movement

The recently held function on Yashodharamma Dasappa — Ondu Nenapu took my memory back over 60 years to remember this Gandhian and social reformer which Mysore cannot forget.

It was in 1968-69 when I was a graduate without any job, my mother who had contacts with Yashodhara Dasappa (fondly called Yashodharamma) made me to work with her (without any salary) as she needed some assistance in looking after the unit she was running for poor women to produce small axillary parts required for HMT and her Katsura Mahila Vidyalaya at Arasikere.

But what I learnt from her during those period is something which is registered in my memory even today.

Coming from a distinguished family, her father K.H. Ramaiah, who had earned a name for his work for weaker sections  and her husband H.C. Dasappa serving as Union Railway Minister, her son Tulasidas Dasappa as MP and later becoming a State Minister in Union Cabinet and one of her brothers K.R. Marideve Gowda serving as Registrar of Co-operative Society, all had imbibed the mind of serving the needy people.

It was my good fortune to have had contacts with Tulasidas till his last days.

I had occasions to accompany her for some of her programmes. She used to carry Mankutimmana Kagga of DVG in her bag and would quote from it to learn the life lessons. Of course, she would always impress the people to remember Gandhiji for his work and follow his preachings and not to forget him as true Indians.

In fact, she and H.C. Dasappa were the earliest from our State to come in close contacts with Gandhiji.

Once at a gathering of politicians, she quoted a favourite verse of DVG where he says: “When seeds from the earth sprouts it won’t make any noise; When fruits ripen on the tree it won’t play piped music; Sun and Moon who give light to the World won’t make even a bit of sound; whereas you man stitch your lips, Mankutimma.”

She impressed not to claim so much for whatever service you are rendering.

Since I was working without any salary, whenever I was still working at lunch or dinner time, she was insisting me to have food at her house saying that I should not be a burden to my parents.

Once when her husband as Union Minister of Railways was on a visit, it was dinner time and noticing I was still working she called me to join the couple for a plantain leaf dinner squatting with them. Introducing me to the Minister she recommended me for a job with him. I was sitting with all shyness with them. When he asked me ‘Yenaiah, Dehalige bartheeya,’  I was so perturbed to say anything and kept quiet. He told his wife, ‘Look this is what our Mysore boys’ courage!’

Thus ended my job aspiration. Even today, while passing through Yesho Vilas, their residence in V.V. Mohalla, my thoughts go back to my time spent there with this noble lady and pray for her soul. Whatever is written is so little compared to the work she churned out during her life which was so great.

We should thank her daughter-in-law Sarojamma Tulasidas and other Associations for organising the recent function in city in memory of Yashodhara Dasappa.

e-mail: kumarkv59@gmail.com

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By K. Vijaya Kumar, Former Jt. Director of Information & Publicity.

The 15-Day Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Brahma Kumaris Organisation of Mysore Sub Zone, organised at Maharaja College Grounds in city, which will conclude this evening, took my memory back to 50 years when Mysore Centre was started in 1966 by a young Brahma Kumari single-handedly in a modest way in a small first floor premises on Irwin Road. She is B.K. Lakshmi who had returned from Mount Abu after initiated and trained by the founder himself Brahma Baba.

Probably, it is his Blessings that gave strength to her to work vigorously to spread the Divine Spiritual message of BKs and as a first step devotees to undergo Raja Yoga with Meditation, which is the foundation for a healthy and stable mind.

Her tireless efforts over the last fifty years has seen how the Organisation has grown leaps and bounds in the Districts of Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagara, Hassan, Kodagu and also a few Centres of bordering Kerala — all now called Mysuru Sub Zone headed by Rajayogini B.K. Lakshmiji.

Remembering my late Mother

As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations at Maharaja’s Grounds, several programmes including an attractive Spiritual Exhibition is going on and I attended the programme for women titled “Women as Saviours of Culture,” I had to address the gathering as desired by Lakshmiji. That was the occasion when my late mother M. Susheelamma  was remembered in the programme as the earliest devotee and the support she gave by starting a Centre in her house on Bamboo Bazar main road. Senior Dadijis from Mount Abu used to visit this Centre.

I also remember those days with my mother who influenced me to visit Mount Abu with her and another recent visit with Lakshmiji to take part in the 100th Birthday Celebrations of Dadiji Janakiji. One must visit this Head Centre for a Divine Spiritual experience.

Let me now heartily greet Rajayogini Brahmakumari Lakshmiji for her 50 years of yemon service in Mysuru and wish the Organisation to spread its wings further under her guidance.

e-mail: kumarkv59@gmail.com

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By K. Vijaya Kumar, Former Jt. Director of Information & Publicity

The very first day of this new year 2017, Mysuru lost a distinguished personality Siddharthacharry (98). The city has become poorer in the death of this eminent scholar, educationist, an able diplomat of Nehru Era and a humanist.

Besides himself being a successful Ambassador serving the Nation abroad, his father-in-law B.T. Keshava Iyengar (who passed away in 1980 at the age of 92) was the Chief Secretary of Mysore State in late thirties, and his son S.M. Acharya served Karnataka as a sincere IAS Officer and retired. I knew him when he was the Director of Public Instruction and was impressed with his simplicity and practical approach to his work.

When I called on Andal S. Charry, wife of late V. Siddharthacharry, she along with her sister Garuda Iyengar recalled first about their father Keshava Iyengar and his distinguished career. Passing Mysore Civil Service Exam in 1910, he served the State in various capacities. The sad part of his early personal life was to lose both his wife and son on the same day when Plague broke out while he was serving in Shimoga as Assistant Commissioner. He was also Mysore DC in 1929 and was later sent to London by Maharaja as Trade Commissioner of Mysore. He had close contacts with Dewan Mirza and Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar. After retirement, he served as Director of Sarabhai Chemicals and later went to Rewa State, Central Province (MP), served as a Minister and finally settled down in Mysore.

Image Caption: Andal S. Charry and her sister Garuda Iyengar reminiscing about their father.

Andal and VS

The interesting part about Andal’s marriage (when she was just 14) as narrated by her: V. Siddharthacharry’s (VS) father Venkatacharry was serving as a Barrister in Malaysia. VS had joined Doon School in Dehradun as an English teacher. Andal’s father’s friend one Hariharan, who was the Conservator of Forests there, had seen VS, who was so religious and used to go to nearby Haridwar every week to bathe in River Ganga and worship. It was he who was instrumental for our marriage, recalls Andal.

Anecdotes of a diplomat’s wife

Andal shared a few interesting anecdotes from her memory. The first posting of VS was to China. When PM Nehru visited, he hosted a Dinner to Chinese PM Chou En Lai at the Indian Embassy. Chinese Officials were very fussy and suspicious (afraid of food poison) about the food being served to their PM. However, Chou En Lai enjoyed the tasty Indian food that was personally prepared by all the wives of Embassy staff.

Later, on another occasion, the Chinese PM was invited for a cocktail party at the residence of Indian Counsel in Shanghai. The PM, enjoying the beautiful view of the city from that lovely duplex house balcony, expressed a desire to have that house and allotted another residence to the Counsel General.

Image Caption: From the Album: V. Siddharthacharry and his wife Andal being greeted during his posting at Nigeria.

Namaste by British Queen

When VS was posted in London, Queen Elizabeth had invited Indian High Commissioner and families for a function at her Palace. VS had told his people accompanying him to greet the Queen with Namaste and not to shake hand. Andal recalls, the Queen reciprocated with Namaste to all of them.

My contacts with VS

I had the privilege of knowing VS from the time of his starting a Book Club at his residence Acharyashrama during 1979-80. He surprised me by visiting Vartha Bhavan and asking me to attend the Club meeting on every second Saturday evenings. Some enlightened persons used to assemble at the Club to discuss a book that they had read. I remember K.B. Ganapathy of SOM and a couple of former VCs of University of Mysore in the group. Current affairs were also discussed.

Siddharthacharry’s love for dogs was something worth mentioning. Once while playing with his pet dogs, he began to explain to me how Karma theory applies to his dogs and the ones on the street. It is their (stray dogs) Karma of the past he told me. He was a Bridge player and played it till his last days with his group.

Image Caption: Andal with her son S.M. Acharya and sister Garuda.

Full blessings only after hearty meal !

VS and his wife made it convenient to attend my son’s marriage with a Canadian bride at Dharmasthala choultry in Jayalakshmipuram in 1996. It was a Godhooli Lagna in the evening and we had arranged translation of marriage vows and verses from Sanskrit to English which was greatly appreciated by VS. While greeting the newly-wed couple, he even told the Canadian bride to remember the everlasting bondage in the Hindu marriage highlighted through the rituals held. When I requested him to have Dinner and then leave, he very humorously remarked —  ‘The couple will receive our full blessings only after a hearty meal by us!’ And went for dinner.

Mysuru misses VS for long. RIP.

e-mail: kumarkv59@gmail.com

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