Sports in the blood

This 1888 testimonial of my great grandfather K.Mylar Rao (he spelt as Malhari Rao earlier) says that he had a good physique and was an ardent cricketer in his college days. He was good at Bridge (cards) and played some tennis also in his later years. He was a life member of Cosmopolitan Club and Mysore Sports Club, Mysore after he retired from service in 1926.

Surely he must have had a good physique as I am told he took regular strolls and used the dumb bells to maintain his body and health. He must have been a supreme example of a healthy mind in a healthy body - he was an avid reader too which the big library suggests.

My grandfather K.M.Subba Rao was even better. He was a much renown sportsman esp. in his heydays and even till the end, aside from his profession as a respected, renown (and honest, I must proudly add) lawyer and a distinguished citizen of Mysore.

H.H. The Maharaja of Mysore, Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar hands over the cup to Subba Rao for Golf at the Mysore Sports Club's tournament, about 1966, at the MSC grounds as Farrokh Irani looks on.


Probably this picture was taken in 1952 at the Cosmopolitan Club during a Tennis tournament. His good friend BS Dattatri is to his right, extreme left.

Madras Christian College Cricket Team, Winners of Inter-Collegiate Cricket Shield, 1918.

Subba Rao is the non-striker at the far end in this picture, probably of the early 1950s or thereabouts, playing in a Lawyers tournament [most likely]. The ground is the "Ovals" [now the Athletic Ground opposite Crawford Hall]. In the background is the Maharaja's / Yuvaraja's College Buildings and the Oriental Research Institute.


This must be a picture of the early 1930s. One of the few where both KM Subba Rao and his father K Mylar Rao are in together [see marked arrows]. Also together in this are HH Krishnarajendra Wadiyar IV, HE Kanteerava Narasa Raja Wadiyar (The Yuvaraja of Mysore) and a young Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar and Sir Mirza Ismail. The building is of the Mysore Sports Club. Probably this is a group of elite Mysoreans who are sports-lovers. Mylar Rao was also a keen sportsman skilled in Cricket in his younger days, Tennis and Bridge. Mysore Sports Club was formed later. The building is still there but a facade has come up.

Below is a letter from Prof. J.G.Tait to K.M.Subba Rao. Tait was his teacher in the Presidency College, Madras. Tait remembers his student with great affection and shares his feelings like a friend. He remembers a few other names also so vividly even after many years after his retirement. It shows how that bondage between the teacher and pupil was in those days. Subba Rao and Tait exchanged letters even after Tait went back to England in the early 1920s after his retirement. Apart from Subba Rao's all-round talent Tait in this letter remembers a cricket match:

[ Page 4 and 1 here] - click to enlarge and read

[ Page 2 and 3 here] - click to enlarge and read

On the left side, which is page 2 of the letter, Tait vividly remembers one of Subba Rao's famous bowling spells where he had turned the match in one over by taking "four of their best wickets". It was for Presidency College (in 1920) against Madras Christian College. He also feels sorry when he came to know about the accident Subba Rao sustained and had to stop playing cricket [it might have happened a few months or a couple of years before 1926]. He used to describe the incident to us, showing his little finger that had broken while taking a catch. That little finger can be seen in one of the pictures I am with him [in one of my other posts].

Notable is J.G.Tait, his teacher, seated centre in the picture below.

Presidency College Athletic Association -Cricket & Hockey, Madras, 1919-1920.

Presidency College Football Team, Madras, 1919-20

Medals and Trophies in the showcase.

Left Picture - of 1920s; Right Picture - 1952.

Grandfather KM Subba Rao with his treasured trophies won in many sports: Athletics, Badminton, Billiards, Bridge, Cricket, Football, Golf, Hockey and mainly Tennis. What a list!

I am told by Capt. P.Alasingachar (P.A.Char), who was a schoolmate of my father K.S. Ramachandra Rao that he too was very talented in Football but his poor eyesight curbed it greatly. My father was fond of telling that once his nose was struck from one side by a football and turned it to that side, but another blow from the other side a few years later almost straightened it. But I have seen him play Table Tennis with great skill as he used his spin to great effect and Bridge in which he was quite an exponent.

Ramachandra Rao is seen in the above picture, top row in his father's Mysore Sports Club Blazer. He represented his Institute in Bridge, 1976.

So much of my forefathers.

In the above picture, I walk off after a memorable bowling spell (the captions tells most) that won our CSIR team the final match at Nagpur, 2001.

When sports is in the blood, we will not be discouraged at home. Sports gives us so much in terms of joy and friends and develops a personality while it teaches life through its successes and failures, importance of hard work, discipline, etc. Sports makes us as people! It teaches many lessons, if only they are pursued in true spirits.

My own tryst with Cricket has been put together in my blog separately. I have tried my hand in sprints, long jump and tennis and it was only then I realized how hard it is to be proficient in more than one sport and that is where the greatness of my grandfather is to be admired.

B.S CHANDRASEKHAR, nephew of Subba Rao. Each time Chandra took a 'five-for', he used to congratulate him by writing a letter.

Sports in the blood is quite a fortunate thing to be blessed with!

Old testimonial returns to where it originated

Just out of curiosity, I happened to google-search if "The Hindu Theological High School, Madras" still existed. My great grandfather K.Mylar Rao was a teacher in that school when it was started in 1889 (to 1891). There were two papers (pictured above) that he had got from the Head Master in 1891 when he left that job on the lookout for a better one. On the left is a certificate (notice the 'Aum' on top of it) written in beautiful script and on the right is a letter (read the language!) accepting his resignation.

I do not know the circumstances when he changed the spelling in his name from Malhari Rao to Mylar Rao.

To my surprise and utter delight, the search took me to the school's website. Immediately, I thought why not I return those two papers to the school because it had such a long history.

I learnt that the school was founded by Sri P.Sivasankara Pandiyaji . I reckoned that his original signature in the two papers might be of some interest to the school authorities now. My e-mail through the 'contact us' button on the website to the school offering the two documents (pictures were attached) was promptly answered by the present head master in a most enthusiastic tone. The school was really interested. The beautiful signature of the founder Sri Pandiyaji himself reveals much of his character. It came as no surprise that my forefather who having worked with such a great man, had risen to such heights.

Here is a brief on the school - The Hindu, 2006.

After a couple of e-mail exchanges the two original papers in reasonably good condition, were packed and dispatched to the school. Mylar Rao had procured them for a purpose at that time and since that purpose had been well served, they went back to where it originated, 118 years later, after I developed serious curiosity and those two papers developed history over all those years. It gave me immense pleasure in sending them back. The head master expressed his happiness in his message but before that, he had already dispatched me a school dairy and brochure as compliments.

The reputation of the school is recorded here in these messages. (click).

These were among the bunch of testimonials Mylar Rao collected in 1891 to support his endeavours. Around the same time, he had collected one from Marimallappa's School, Mysore, where he was a teacher before he went to Madras and from Central College, Bangalore where he did his B.A in English and Mathematics in 1888. He had put up the thread-tag himself to this bunch, in all likelihood in 1891 itself. I could have thrown them off any day because they were all faded old papers, but no. The language in them appealed to me, reflecting on the quality of education that was imparted at that time.


Now I had to cut the thread-tag away for good reason.

The Mysore of yore

Pictured above is the Mysore Palace, 1930. I used to bicycle on that road as a thoroughfare to Ashoka Road in the late 70s.
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I'M A MYSOREAN!

In one of his articles in the local daily, STAR OF MYSORE [some years back], Mr.T.S.Nagaraj, wrote a few things, most beautifully: "Don't ever underestimate the Mysorean, who generally appears contemplative and self-effacing. You will take some time to realize his wit and wisdom, which unfolds slowly and unobtrusively - majjigeyolagina benneyanthe - like butter emerges from buttermilk. There is an unintended artistic expression by the people even in seemingly ordinary matters.

"To the Mysorean, coffee is booze. He is very particular about its quality. The test of good coffee is that the guest sitting in the hall should savour its elevating aroma from the kitchen, ahead of the housewife walking up to him with a cupful. Talking about cofee is also a convenient opening gambit for most casual chats, don't be amused if instead of saying 'good evening' to you when you meet an acquaintance on the road, he says "coffee aayithe?", meaning "have you had your coffee?". It does not matter even if you have just had your dinner!"

[Mr.Nagaraj is the brother of the world-famous photo-journalist, TS Satyan.]

Mysore street in 1906

Look at the traffic policeman 'in control' of traffic in this 1915 photo of "Hardinge Circle".

We are looking at the spot near that building where there is a fountain. This Elgin fountain was shifted to "fountain circle" when the statue of Krishnarajendra Wadiyar was built in its place. The part of Lansdowne Building seen here has given way to Devaraj Urs Road.

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My mind runs a bit on 14.12.2007:

Just as we find ourselves grumbling about this and that, late Prof. HSK brings out many points and locations and compares it with the past. (Reproduced below) I have to agree that Mysore WAS a livable city, not IS. The Commissioner can do wonders only if the public, at the individual level can cooperate with him. But then, with our "who cares" attitude, the efforts will make no impression. When are we beginning to think that spitting on the road, easing ourselves to compound walls, throwing rubbish into the open areas, lighting matches to plastic and other harmful waste, mixing kerosene to petrol, dirtying the public places, taking dogs for 'excretory walks', leaving cattle to the streets to graze, honking of automobile horns, cutting avenue trees, drilling holes in the earth for water....... is bad for the city's health from every angle? Mainly it could be the utter careless and selfish attitudes of the public and also the influence of many villages in Mysore's vicinity, the reasons thwarting healthy progress.

If a genuinely strong rule is enforced in public interest, that is thwarted by the one with a vested interest through a phone call, or even a visit to the Commissioner!! With such interferences, the city will be like a bull in the mill.

Mysore IS now just a name no longer synonymous of its old and famous tags. It's just growing, growing fast, into just another modern city with more problems than peace, thanks to various negating factors that seem to have been eating up all the goodies Mysore is renown for.

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Here's HSK's article:


LET US MAKE MYSORE A LIVABLE CITY
[Star of Mysore, 14.12.2007]
"HSK's Moving Finger"

Some time ago I read an interesting report in the newspapers. It said that Mysore is one of the most livable cities of India !

The question is — 'Is it? or will it become one?'

Mysore is not a livable city today. Anyone who says so will be under an illusion. It was, once upon a time, a livable city and also a lovable city. It was during the days of the Maharajas.

If Bangalore was deemed to be a commercial and industrial city, Mysore was considered as a cultural city. One of the greatest cultural pageants of the city was the Dasara. The city which was a sleeping beauty would suddenly wake up to the beating of drums and the tingling sou-nd of bells tied to the necks of majestic elephants.

Dasara crowd

It was not the practice then to bring the elephants (tamed, of course) from the forest and hurriedly parade them in the streets to get them accustomed to the din and buzzle of the city and the Dasara crowds. 'Ane Karuhatti' or the 'Abode of elephants' was on the spot where the JSS institutions today stand. The building on the Shivarathri Rajendra Circle was Hasuvina Karuhatti or the place where the Palace cows were kept. There was a separate accommodation for horses.

Dasara durbar was a beautiful function which even Gods would love to witness. The procession was a feast for the eyes. All that pomp and pageantry have disappeared and today Dasara is a pale and lifeless imitation of those celebrations.

Soon after Dasara the representative Assembly of the State was being held at Jaganmohan Palace. The University convocation would follow. In addition to these, a number of celebrations, social and religious, were attracting huge crowds.

The powers that be did not fail to attend to civic amenities. The water supply system as well as the underground drainage was ideal. It is said that when rains failed and the city had to face the ordeal of water shortage, the Kukkarahalli tank, which is now a part of the Mysore University, was constructed. It was a beautiful lake then and far more expansive than it is today. Many daring swimmers were swimming in the tank from one shore to the other shore at the opposite end and return swimming. Today the tank is half dead and half alive.

Another beautiful lake was Doddakere — the spot where the exhibition is being held now. In those days — just about seven decades back — the waters of the tank extended from the front gate of the Palace fort to almost the foot of the Chamundi Hill. The space between Doddakere and the hill was occupied by another tank called Gobbalikere. The Doddakere was dried up because of the fear of Malaria. The smaller tank also almost perished. In those days the illuminated Palace and Chamundi Hill would be reflected on the placid waters of the tank. It was so beautiful that many drama companies of those days had the main curtain of the theatre painted with that scene.

The Karanjikere, as the name itself suggests was another beautiful water body. The Karanji tank also was facing the threat of extinction. Thank God ! It is revived. The Dali Avenue Thandi Sadak was a beautiful road by the side of the Karanji tank. It was like a tunnel, covered by creepers grown on either side of the road. It looked like a very long pendal from one end of the road to the other end. Alas, it is today encroached by the Zoo. The public who used to walk along the cool grove in the evening are deprived of that pleasure. It looks rather drab in the Zoo.

Drab environment

Lalitha Mahal Palace today looks very pale. All its majesty is lost because of the drab environment around it. The Lalithadri on the Chamundi Hill is only a name today. Our poet Kuvempu has written a beautiful poem eulogising it. Nobody seems to be interested in reviving it.

The Rajendra Vilas Palace on the top of the Chamundi Hill was later converted into a hotel. It lost all its glory. At the Central Hall of the Palace, huge mirrors of the size of the walls were erected close to the walls on all the four sides and if you happened to enter it upwards, you would be flabbergasted by the innumerable images (infinity) of yours reflected by the mirrors on all the four sides. Perhaps those mirrors are no longer there !

The roads of the city were broad (from the standard of those days) with footpaths on both sides. They were well maintained. The dome lights adorned the roads and at night they looked like myriad stars descended to earth to praise the glory of the city.

The parks have shrunk. They are filthy. In the evenings, the citizens used to flock them for recreation. The Palace Band (later the Government band) used to play songs once a week in the evening. The band stand and garage were two beautiful constructions. They are gone.

Ideal road

The Mirza Road was an ideal road which served as a rendezvous for evening strolls. But alas! It looks today like a beautiful damsel cruelly raped and bruised by a bastard. The Hardinge Circle with a thrilling fountain surrounded by ornamental flower plants is today drab and lifeless, with vehicles ceaselessly plying along the labyrinth of roads.

The Krishnarajendra Circle, which is said to be built like the Connaught Circle of Delhi, is a poor imitation. The planners had no aesthetic sense. The erstwhile circle with a fountain called Elgin Fountain, and a statue erected on a high pedestal and greenery all round was one of the most beautiful spots of the city.

The city is full of filth and dust. Eateries have encroached every available spaces, especially footpaths. The customers throw away the papers and render the whole area quite dirty. Sweeping the roads at least once a week is a rarity. Building construction is going on unabated and the small water bodies are occupied by buildings, causing the drying up of the source of underground water. Who cares ? The several tanks surrounding the city are slowly dying.

Natural environment is disappearing. Pollution levels are high. The Chamundi Hill also may disappear some day. The city fathers fail to plan for the next 25 years or more. They are thoughtless.

Can you revive the city to its previous pristine beauty and make it a real livable city, Mr. Manivannan ?

- HSK

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(The Thandi Sadak in the zoo he mentions above can be seen in the Kannada film Miss Leelavathi)

Photo studios and old photographs

(Internet image)

Owning a camera was big deal up to the 1970s. There was no camera in our home until 1970. Agfa's Clik III came in the mid 70s. Our family had toured Jog falls and Gokarna in 1969. For this trip a maternal uncle offered his box camera, an Ansco Pioneer (which was something like this) which was given to him by a friend. It could use a coated paper film roll that took twelve exposures per roll!! Film was '120' type. Imagine today how we click our digital cameras in thousands!! That film paper was red on the outside and black on the coated side and while winding we had to set the number carefully in the little red window. We could record some memorable scenes of the trip with this humble camera. I remember we bought one more roll in Gokarna because all the 12 in the first roll was done with. On our trip to Bombay (now Mumbai) the same year, that camera did not travel with us. So memories of that (first long trip by train) are not in albums!

On the left is Ansco camera. (See this link with some description)

On the right is an Agfa given by a friend (never used, just showcased).

Our first camera, the type one had to hold in front of the tummy and look down at it's wide viewfinder lens, was bought in 1970 for Rs.100/- (a substantial sum in that time) as a family gift to take pictures for my Upanayanam (sacred thread ceremony). On that day, 3 rolls of 12 exposures each were finished with all the excitement. In the absence of flash bulbs, all lights in our hall were put on. The ceremony was at home. While my cousin clicked, others were holding table lamps trying to 'spotlight' on the area of 'action'. What a circus it was, amidst a sea of people witnessing the Upanayanam in the largish hall. My cousin had tested a roll before the event and results seemed good.

After the event, the rolls were 'washed'. Everyone was waiting to see the pictures. Lo and behold! All exposures were washed out, much to our disappointment! All the light that was lit was just insufficient for that camera! But, an uncle who was a 'foreign returned', had taken one shot with his camera that had a flash bulb. This is the only one that stays on for record and much treasured! All efforts from my cousin unfortunately turned out to be 'empty photography'! But my own experience three decades later was even emptier! Read about it!

This is my uncle's only picture to tell the story of that day! 30th April, 1970.

I remember my late cousin 1n 1970, trying to photograph my mother's Rangoli art she did on Varamahalakshmi Vrata. When I got older I got a few opportunities to load the roll and shoot some just for fun. But that was very short-lived. By early 80s its film became unavailable and this was cornered and I gave it to a friend. Now I am unable to recall its brand name.

People had a fancy to get photographed or to record events but not everyone possessed a camera (even for that matter, wrist watches, radios, scooters or cars!). Camera and photography were expensive affairs. Some of those who could afford, did some photography and a few of them developed pictures in their own homes for fun and hobby. Our good old tenant by name Gopinath who lived upstairs was having a camera because photography was his passion. He used to work at KR Mills when it was at its zenith. It was because of him many of our pictures in our album can show how people looked like in the late 1950s and 60s. I still cherish them.

Photo studios were in vogue since 1930s or so. Long later I came to know of Star Studio near Woodland Theatre, which had a great reputation for its sharp group pictures. My only visit there was around 1980s when our cricket team picture was arranged. But I have very vague memories of visiting Raj & Bros. (opposite Raghulal & Co, druggists) off Sayyaji Rao Road, when I was very young. I can remember a small round object (which was the lens) mounted on what looked like a wooden partition with those light bulbs behind ground glass sheets that diffused light and on either side of that lens. I was asked to stay still, smile and look at the lens! (The camera was hidden behind the 'partition'! Then the photographer would choose the right moment to turn a lever (at the right speed) that worked the camera shutter. Many are here in this web album (click)

As a young kid, it was a weird feeling when I was made to sit on a tall wooden desk in front of that 'partition'. With crying kids it required patience on the part of the photographer and those who accompanied the kid to calm it down. At times, they would beg the kid to smile and wooden toys were given so that a good shot could be taken.

Observe the wooden toy elephant and train here.

Many of our pictures in our album has the embossing of Raj & Bros. Most of the people in those days knew my grandfather as he was quite renown. So I think the owner of the studio knew him as well because my grandfather's very old office was in nearby Gandhi Square and also perhaps he specialized in children's stills. It appears that one of my pictures was prominently displayed at the studio among the samples which gave great pride to my grandmother, mother and aunt.

These are pictures (click to enlarge) of my father and maternal aunt taken most likely in the very early 1940s. Observe the artistic pencil-signature of "Raj Bros, Mysore City" and embossed address on my aunt's picture, which perhaps is of a slightly later time.

Raj & Bros. seemed to be great patriots of the Nation. Small complimentary pictures of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi and our beloved Mysore Maharaja (Jayachamaraja Wadiyar) were distributed to the public to show his love for the city and country (probably also to advertise). They adorn our vintage album. Raj & Bros. were "photographers by appointment to the Maharaja of Mysore". Royal recognition and a great privilege!

His Highness Jayachamaraja Wadiyar

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, when he was the Prime Minister of India

Mahatma Gandhi

After many decades, I was at this studio and it still exists in the same old building (looked ill maintained for what reason I know not) with the same old furniture though I did not see that 'partition' with lights and camera - but an assistant was working at a computer in a corner. I saw some very old pictures of hindi film heroines and of course the Mysore Maharajas. As I came out and looked up at the board, it read in Kannada "digital studio"!

Raj & Bros. Studio

Those black and white pictures seem to last forever and those that Raj & Bros. have taken, give us cherishing moments with those wonderfully beautiful images on matt paper.

Procuring "35mm" cameras (film width) that took 36 exposures either in black & white or colour was something great! A great jump from the old paper film type. In the centre is a Russian camera my friend 'threw it to me'. I repaired a small flaw and used it until I got the Canon automatic. Both are now at rest because the invasion of the digital camera has brought out a little shutterbug in me.

We no longer talk about selective photography with merely a dozen photos per roll, but in hundreds and thousands in Gigabytes!

The B&Ws are the ones that are going to stay for posterity!

DASARA NOSTALGIA

In our schools, September mid-term examinations were scheduled (even now, in fact) in such a way that the short vacation (much awaited) following them always coincided with the Dasara festivities - Navaratri. 'Dasara Holidays' was a wonderful period in those days in the 1960s and 70s and I try to recount those times.

The excitement and participation of people in the festivities is something one cannot imagine these days. It came from within oneself and not through lighted up streets and circles or publicity loudspeakers! The Mysore Maharaja (Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar) was very revered by one and all and the Royal Family was respected. People's zeal and excitement were genuine. They looked forward to the ten day festival with all eagerness. Dasara of yore was quite something and before the 60s, perhaps even better.

On the home front, preparations would begin with the orderly arrangement of traditional dolls, toys and other little things for show on temporary platforms in our homes. We children were the most excited lot. We would make mini parks, zoos or mountains using little dolls and Binaca’s mini plastic animals as part of the doll show. Many enthusiastic children in small groups would visit houses asking “reee, bombe koorsideera?” (is there a doll show?) This custom of visiting the neighbourhood and farther to have a look at the doll show, sing a song and get that day’s “bombe bagina” (special snacks) is almost forgotten today, dominated by the influence of the telly, etc. Now, when the telly gets more attention than the guest and with the why-bother attitude, many neighbours remain strangers, thus defeating the idea of the social visit, i.e., to promote good relationships.

Children would gladly keep all their books for the Saraswathi Pooja and get busy cleaning their tricycles and bicycles for Ayudya Pooja.

It was such a thrill when my grandfather used to show tickets for the Dasara Procession which we eagerly looked forward to witness. I think they were 5-rupee tickets, chairs were under the pandal and a decent, disciplined crowd to be with. Of course, there were some light lathi charges from the Police guarding the spectators when they misbehaved. We used to be there under the pandal near KR Circle well before the 21-gun royal salute, which signaled the start of the procession from the Palace.

The public never feared the cloudburst that is nearly guaranteed on Vijayadashami day, as if by arrangement. A special something drew thousands from all over. I can project in my mind’s eye the Majestic troops, meaningful tableux, melodious bands, two ‘tall’ men walking on stilts, decorated camels, horses, cows and elephants. Then there was the perambulating horse carrying Commander Bijli (probably my grandfather knew him), checking that all was well when the procession went on and host of other beautiful items like the silver chariot made the procession, which went to Bannimantap and returned in the night via Ashoka Road. But the tailpiece of the procession was the highlight. The Maharaja and the Prince, Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar sat on the delightful Ambari Elephant carrying the 80kg. Golden howdah.

It was the most thrilling sight to behold in itself. (The young Raja can be seen in the above old picture from a recent newspaper). What was even more enthralling was when His Highness spotted my grandfather by his prominent white hair, among the crowd with a special ‘namaskara’ and that little bow meant for his friend elderly friend. The Highness used to play tennis in the 1940s and 50s with my grandfather, who was a well-known personality in the city, esp. in the sports circles.

Some people from the public would offer flowers to the Maharaja. An assistant would collect the flowers in a special vessel to which a stick was attached and pass them up to the Maharaja who would receive and acknowledge with a little nod and folded hands to the person that offered. It was a grand sight. The Maharaja’s personality itself was so royal too.

(In this album picture, the His Highness Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar is seen presenting a trophy to my grandfather at Mysore Sports Club in the 1960s)

Translating that unique enjoyment of witnessing the procession is a hard task. When the Govt. abolished the titles and privy purse in 1972 or so, the original tang of Dasara was dissolved, forever. People could not think of a Dasara Procession without the Highness in the Howdah. It upset the sentiments of Mysoreans very much so much so that many (including me) stopped witnessing the procession henceforth. It was considered a farce. A picture of Goddess Chamundeshwari (Mysore’s Royal deity) then occupied the Highness’ place in it. Since that time onwards (the Maharaja alao died in 1974) Dasara has sadly, become secular, gaudy and too cheap-looking, completely lacking that magnificent Royal touch. That pure charm is now only a sweet memory. Such ambience will never be paralled, however colourful they make the Dasaras of today. Just as I wrote, there was our today's (21.9.2009) paper saying:
The boundary gates of the Palace were open in those days and we could go through any of them for short cuts, freely. Of course, they were still the days of ‘pedestrianism’ and bicycling. All gates except one were closed since the 80s due to security reasons.

This is a picture from 1930, of the illuminated Palace which had since seen many 'face lifts'.

In the Palace on all the nine days during the Dasara, the Maharaja used to sit on the throne at sharp 7 p.m for durbar. At the very instant of his sitting, the entire palace’s 80,000-bulb illumination was switched on. It was the grandest sight for anyone to behold. They were days when climate was according to Nature and rains never failed to fill the dams and so power generation was no problem. Imagine 80,000 40-watt (were they 60 w?) bulbs glowing! The glare of the illuminated palace could be seen many a mile away. Compare the illumination with the present day 25 watt ones. Just dull. Power problem!

This is a recent picture of the 25-watt era. Just visualize the brightness with 40-watt ones! How beautiful it would be!

The spirit of Dasara after Vijayadashami and the Procession was sustained for two more months by way of another attraction, the Dasara Exhibition. (That is my separate blogpost). It was then beside the Mysore Medical College and that special splendour with its perfect location. Pictured below.

The beautiful waterfall seen from the entrance-passage is so vivid in my memory and particularly one visit that was most memorable.

The same building as it was in 1958 (from a Mysore guide).

In the ‘Ladies Section’, my grandmother’s crafts used to win prizes, since 1931. Picture of the certificate of that year:Some years, even the opposite Jeevannarayana Katte grounds would become an additional venue.

The religious significance of Dasara must not be forgotten.

Here is a good place to feel some of the Royal Splendour of Mysore.

A link to Vikram Sampath's Splendour of Royal Mysore.

The song “Mysooru dasara eshtondu sundara, chellide nageya panneeraa, ellellu nageya panneeraa…” sung by P.B.Sreenivos in the Kannada film 'Karulina Kare' glorifies Mysore Dasara. You can listen to it here.

Fascination for the Radio

The sound from the radio has always fascinated me. My earliest memories recall a Made-in-England 8-band Bush radio, a gift from a family friend, from the famed Paints dealer on Ashoka Road, Salar Masood & Sons. Almost fifty years later it remains a working model. It has undergone minor repairs and sat in my father's friend Adam Khan's Silicon Electronics for two years unattended. Vacuum tubes have been replaced but I have seen to it that it still functions. Sound from it is so different and deep. Connected to it was a 10-feet long copper-wire mesh antenna near the ceiling that also helped support cobwebs! There was a special wall shelf out of reach of children on which this was placed in the living room and was operated only by the elders.

The radio was on every morning and evening, without fail. All India Radio, Bangalore was the most tuned in station even though Mysore was where the first radio broadcast was made in India in 1936. The first broadcast was unofficially made in 1927 itself. Besides, “Vividh Bharthi” was tuned on Shortwave for its transmission of Hindi film songs. Its “Binaca Geet mala” every Wednesday was a great hit, due to its presentation by Amin Sayani whose voice still echoes! Hotels became famous not because of its preparations, but people flocked due to the presence of a radio there. Not every home had a radio in the 1950s or 60s. Ceylon (Sri Lanka) Broadcasting Corporation also was famous for its broadcast of hindi songs at convenient times. Here is a picture of the hotel, Meenakshi Bhavan, which was famous for Binaca Geet Mala!! Meenakshi Bhavan as it is today, in Krishnamurthypurm.
I must add here that my father who did his Diploma in Sound Engineering in one of the earliest batches at the Technical Institute in Bangalore in 1949, worked at the Radio Station for a short period after his passing the diploma. He later worked as a sound recordist with distinction in the film industry in Bombay between 1951 and 1957 under a few reputed companies before he had to return to Mysore. While there, he has recorded many songs of films and one particular film he used to mention was "Phakheezah" in particular and he used to narrate how Lata Mangeshkar rehearsed before a recording. See picture of my father at a radio studio in the early 50s.


Programmes of AIR Bangalore that were much sought after were “pakshinota” (bird’s eye view of the programmes for the week every Sunday morning), Pradesha Samachara (Area news), Kannada news and Chitrageete (film songs). But the one that attracted most was the Sunday afternoon show of “sound track” of Kannada films: members of family would sit close to the radio (with volume blaring!) to listen. None would dare talk in the middle!

What Live telecasts of cricket matches of today were Ball-by-ball commentaries of Cricket Test Matches of bygone days. When any team toured India, radios did extra hours. Also for Davis Cup Tennis and Ranji Trophy cricket matches. Radio was a great source for entertainment and information to everyone at home, besides the newspaper, “Taayinaadu”. The Hindu was also widely circulated, but we subscribed that kannada paper.

People would curiously inquire, as part of conversation, which radio their home had, if they had one at all. The next question was which brand and how many bands it had! More the bands, more the envy! Radio owners were looked at with awe, much like those who owned wrist watches or even cars or scooters. Those were such days.

The late 1960s saw the advent of the transistor radio. It had the greatest advantage of portability and it required no cumbersome external antenna. That was much to our amazement. It had become a great fashion, at least to some, to show off their ownership of transistors. They would keep them in shoulder bags, play with a loud volume as they went walking or on their bicycles. The main idea was to get noticed, not to listen to programmes! To accompany the Bush, our first transistor was a National Panasonic 3-band. After our 4-day taxi-tour in 1969, we saw the car driver Ganesh using one to pass off time at leisure and he was ready to sell that imported set from Japan after our return! He sold us for Rs.800/-, a substantial sum of those days. It served us for a long time and gave us great joy until I gifted it off to a friend who is using now.

The 1970s saw me explore the depths of Shortwave bands esp. on the Bush radio. One Shankar came with the information in 1973 that his father had tuned in to the BBC on the 31-metre band and was listening to live cricket commentary of the Test Match between West Indies and England. That opened the door to a world of its own – the hobby of “Shortwave listening and DX-ing”. More on it later.

I came home, located the 31-metre band on the Bush, patiently turned the analog needle as slowly as I could, because I found so many different stations crammed between one another so closely! I later came to know that just 5 kHz separated them. I finally ‘caught’ what I was looking for - cricket commentary from the BBC! It was an excitement I can never forget. Though commentaries were aired before but they were relays from AIR Bangalore on Medium Wave, which was 'nothing special'. It was a ‘turning point’, in every sense! That was also when I learnt what those numbers meant on that analog dial.

I did enjoy the commentary, learnt so much from it – language and also the game itself, by persistent listening. There were some very renown commentators behind the microphone like John Arlott, Alan McGilvray, Fred Trueman, Christopher Martin-Jenkins, Lindsay Hassett, Bill Lawry and so on. Their voices are taped from the 2-in-1.

2-in-1, the radio cum tape-recorder was the next step that happened, thanks to one HM Srinivas, a late colleague and music lover. He helped me buy my first 2-in-1 with stereo speakers in 1986. Even till 1987, the telecommunications dept. was collecting a nominal fee (Rs.15/- per annum) for every radio set bought and we had to pay it at any Post Office (the govt. stopped it later).

Coming back to the hobby of listening to Shortwave bands, I learnt that they had hundreds of broadcasting stations at any given time. Signals came from all corners of the globe. I came to know how climate and the earth’s ionosphere and even sun spots aided or disrupted shortwave broadcast over esp. over long distances. In the late 70s, I had begun spending lots of time searching for something new. Mostly I used to hear languages I never heard and with some experience, I came to identify some of the foreign languages as well. Many foreign stations broadcast English programmes also at set times every day. It sounded interesting to hear them. By then, BBC and Radio Australia had become familiar for their cricket transmissions. I was now ready to explore other stations on the air. I was to know that this new hobby was known as “DX-ing” (meant searching for stations from unknown distances).

One fine night, closely sandwiched between two others, a station was heard, though not clearly. I was delighted when the announcement went as “Radio Korea”. Link to Radio Korea
They also announced the address for listeners to write back which I soon did mentioning some information about the time, frequency of broadcast and content. After some days, much to my glee, I got a reply from them, ‘verifying’ what I wrote. It was called as a “QSL” card. A couple of years later I could record my voice (comments on the station) and send the cassette to Radio Korea which they broadcast as part of a contest. It had won a prize. Listening to my own voice on the air was hair-raising at that time!

I had by then been appointed by them as one of five 'official monitors' in India. This signaled the beginning of a new era for me in this hobby, post 1980-81. We were sent coupons to cover postage that we incurred to send reports of their broadcasts and program contents on a regular basis. It was a great feeling!

After some years, I had collected some 200 cards from 55 different stations. I came to know later that it was a great fancy among listeners and that there were other giants who were experienced listeners that counted them in thousands! There was one TK Soundararajan in Thanjavur whom I met at his home once. We discussed Radio! I now came to know that there is even a QSL card museum


In 1986, I came across Mr.Vasudev Parikh in Bombay who was also an ‘official monitor’ for Radio Korea. I met in his home following exchange of letters, only to learn that he had been born in 1920; that he was one giant in the hobby with a listening experience dating to the 1930s! Radio clubs are still in existence in various parts of the country and this man was also a respected member of one or two, because he had the rare privilege of monitoring a few other radio stations like BBC, Voice of Germany, Voice of America, etc. I too got a chance to monitor the BBC for a short while that helped me realize my dream!

The dream was a ‘digital radio’. I had seen it with Mr.Parikh and upon his suggestion, I was able to buy one in Madras with the help of another radio-enthusiast, Harsha. It is a Sony 7600D. Tuning was easy now, no knob-turning – but all digital. I used to get program schedules from a few stations and I knew which frequency had to be fed directly into it.

Many friends are brought together by this wonderful hobby, Harsha is one. He is more of a HAM now. I have no idea of Mr.Parikh as we seem to have lost contact. When he was active, he seldom missed sending a greeting card on my birthday.

Radio stations used to send out to its listeners complimentary gifts like pennants, posters, stickers, cards key-chains, t-shirts, pens, and whatnot to sustain audience interest. We felt great displaying them. It was a great pleasure to take part in various contests esp. in Radio Korea, which awarded many little gift prizes for the winners. Probably judging my enthusiasm, they retained me as its monitor for 16 years on the trot. It had become common for my local friends to inquire me how I was doing with the hobby, esp. at Radio Korea. Such was the interest.

Mid 90s saw another phase when the Idiot Box began to dominate through Cable Network and the radio audience gradually made their shift. It happened in many countries and a drastic reduction in audience was noticed. Technology too was progressing with the advent of World Wide Web and many stations saw no point in their radio broadcasting. So some of the big ones stopped broadcasting and went on line with the Internet. The whole scenario changed. But a few stations have remained in the old ways.

A friend’s family was visiting us in the 1990s. The young boy asked in great awe what that gadget was – I had switched on my Bush Radio to show them the ‘antique’ was still working! We had to explain what a radio was!

Soon after we entered the 21st century, people thought that the radio would be pushed to unheeded corners. But no, FM Radio seems to have revived the radio though not in the same variety in shortwaves. In my opinion it is more of a nuisance because it is available on mobile phones and cars and everywhere in such an "impressive" manner that people have stopped "listening to the beautiful world of silence". Satellite radio is also available for those who have the real inclination for quality of sound and listening pleasure in their homes.

A person in Bangalore, Mr. Prakash has a hobby of ‘collecting’ radios. He has a fleet of 800 of them! See photo.

The greatest advantage with the radio compared to its fierce competitor, the Idiot Box, is that while it is on, people can do other things while just lending an ear and you can carry it around too, wherever you want. Thanks to Marconi. Radio is here to stay on. One day our Bush radio may become obsolete, but the Radio will never be.

Take a look at this guide.
This is a beginner's guide to SW listening.
And another.

Maddy''s Ramblings blog has this to say, picturesquely described. (Listen to AIR's signature tune in the little widget in the blog) It brings me old memories too.

(Radios pictured at the beginning:
Bush EBS 51, National Panasonic, Philips 2-in-1, Sony 7600D and Sangean.)

DESTINY IN SOMEONE’S HANDS

My work group in office had a leader who was famous for his strictness, loyalty to duty, work efficiency and punctuality. But he had that nasty habit of giving pin pricks to his subordinates and carrying false tales to his Boss, who unfortunately had a “bronze ear” for such things. Others knew it, but were helpless. There were also others in his vicious circle that gave him nice, colourful stories. That system worked much like the press reporters, the sub-editor and the editor.

In the initial stages when I was placed in his group, he would expect me to feed information about others, which was not my cup of tea. From the outset, I had felt it was not proper of me to add salt and inform him untruth, which he seemed to dislike, because I had answered in a strong no! I later got to know his intentions, which were malicious. I could not react because I was a raw junior at that time. It went on for a few years and I was always given a raw deal in most of the day to day affairs, which was not profitable to him or the office. But he seemed to be getting kicks doing that, to his newest victim.

Allegation after allegation for trivial matters began to make me tense. Knowing me and my abilities, my colleagues knew he was having a hand in this mischief and were sympathetic, because his mischief was too well known. His role was indirect but that counted to the Boss. The tension that had built up all those years finally exploded one afternoon at another normal official matter which was handled arrogantly by the department head, The Boss. It was again clearly another piece of harassment. I decided enough was enough. Beware the fury of the patient man – so goes a proverb and was in demonstration. So there and then, my frustration found vent through a loud voice, which was shocking to others, and bang-slamming the door I left the room. It was an "un-me", because there was an enemy in envy!

I was to make an official tour the next day and he was to clear the formality with just a signature, which he did not do. Instead, he threw the paper! But then I knew he was amidst a certain period where a hectic schedule had made him tense too.

So I decided to ask a couple of senior colleagues for suggestion. One that normally I turned to, was on leave and my next choice too was away. A third senior was available. I explained my plight and he suggested me to leave a note on his table and leave for tour. Just one sentence he wrote. It was a bold and daring one which no junior was thought to have courage to do, leave alone seniors. But I did. I left the note on the Boss’ table and left.

I felt at being taken to a dead end and the only way out was to retaliate with boldness, unthinkable of me. It was a come-what-may situation. I had to put a “period” to all that and I thought it was the right time and that too by such a daring method. I left after duly explaining the matter to the head of administration and returned after a week.

The Boss was fuming hot, expectedly. That little note had kindled the fire in him: the tenor was such! Memorandum after memorandum followed, filled with flimsy allegations, trying to ‘build up a file’. To each one I replied with facts without hesitation (another senior colleague from another dept. helped me). The office issued another, stating that my explanations were not satisfactory, again as expected.

Probably by my bold and straight replies, the Boss and our group leader saw that I was too hot to handle. They probably felt that guilt. But mental tenseness continued. One night I went to the home of my first choice colleague who was on leave that eventful day, to ease my tension by discussing. He did give me the idea of a discussion with the Boss, it was actually he that mattered, not the pin-pricking group leader. But then I felt it would be in vain. For, he was the stubborn-stiff-neck type, strict in office, not easily approachable, but had the hidden quality of a kind man. I found an advantage there, because he too was a victim of “that man’s” antics many years before and now he was displaying “bronze ears” (by then he had replaced the other bronze-eared Boss). I decided to play on that and demanded an explanation for his “behaviour”. I also told him that I knew he was a kind man and asked why he was doing such things to me. I had also the daring to tell him on his face that nobody liked his overall behaviour! He just listened. He let out the cat when I reminded his own suffering earlier under “that man” and asked if he was bronze-eared too. He said nodding, “yes”! Imagine a subordinate asking his Boss all that!

That hour-long discussion in his chamber changed things on both sides. I had wanted a change in groups to get away from the wicked clutches of “that man”, which happened soon, much to my delight. I was relieved of pin pricks and was giving more attention to the new job in a more relaxed and efficient manner.

Gradually, probably having realized his official image (!) by my ‘outburst’, the Boss also changed his style of functioning, for good, which all of us got to notice. By the time he retired, he was such a mellowed person who was thanking people for trivial things. This he never did in his 'hey days',. That man, the group leader who too retired before the Boss remained the same.

Had my first choice, who is a soft person, attended office that day, I probably would have continued to get pin pricks and a solution to that problem would have delayed! Was it destiny that led me to a more daring person for suggestion, I know not. Whatever, now long later, I recollect this period with a sense of satisfaction. Attitudes, environs, reactions and responses are all different in 'private offices' where the boss can 'fire' the employee, but this was in a place too different from that. Hence all such.

Could destiny rest in someone's hands? Can you say no?