எனது கதையும், கொஞ்சம் என் DE-ADDICTION-ம் ...

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எனது கதையும், 

கொஞ்சம் என் DE-ADDICTION-ம் ...

சென்ற மாதம் 27ம் தேதி கல்லூரி வளாகத்தினுள் எனக்குக் கிடைத்த ஒரு சோகமான அனுபவத்தை உங்களோடு பகிர்ந்து கொள்ளவே இந்தப் பதிவு. சற்றே இருந்த ஒரு உடல் நலக் குறைவால் – முழங்கால் வலி - உடனே உங்களோடு அதைப் பகிர்ந்து கொள்ள முடியாமல், இப்போது தான் அதைப் பற்றிச் சொல்லப் போகிறேன். சொல்லாமலே இருப்பதை விட காலம் தாழ்த்தியாவது சொல்ல நினைக்கிறேன்.

நான் அமெரிக்கன் கல்லூரியின் மாணவனல்ல. தியாகராஜர் கல்லூரியில் படிக்கும் போதே மதுரை மாணவர்களுக்கே உரித்தான ஏக்கம் மட்டும் இருந்தது. 1970ல் கல்லூரியில் demonstrator ஆக நுழைந்தேன் – ஓராண்டில் பதவி உயர்வு கிடைக்கும் என்ற அடிப்படையில். அடுத்த ஆண்டு துறைத் தலைவர் முயற்சித்தும் நடக்காது போயிற்று. அதன் பின் நடந்தவை
எல்லாமே ஏட்டிக்குப் போட்டியான “விளையாட்டுகள்” தான். எனக்குக் கிடைக்க வேண்டிய பதவி உயர்வு கிடைக்காது பல ஆண்டுகள் நழுவின. அதன் பின்னும், நம் கல்லூரி ஆசிரியர்களுக்கு வழக்கமாகக் கிடைக்கக் கூடிய எந்த ‘bones’ம் எனக்கு மட்டும் எப்போதும் எட்டாக் கனியாகவே இருந்தது.  ஓய்வு பெறும் காலம் வரையும் அது நீடித்தது.எனக்குப் பின் வந்தோரே முன் வந்தோராக, துறைத்தலைவராக இருக்கும் போது தான் நான் ஓய்வு பெற்றேன். எல்லாம் சில பெரிய மனிதர்களின் ‘ego problems’களால் நடந்த திருவிளையாடல்கள். சரி … அவைகளெல்லாம் போகட்டும் ...

   ஆனால் இந்தப் பின்னடைவுகள் எப்போதும் என்னை எங்கேயும் நிறுத்தவில்லை. கற்பித்தது பிடித்தது; கற்பது பிடித்தது. மாணவர்களை நேசித்தேன்; அதற்குப் பதிலாக, என் தகுதிகளையும் மீறி மாணவர்களால் மிகவும் நேசிக்கப்பட்டேன். கல்லூரியை மிக மிக நேசித்தேன். கல்லூரியின் கட்டிடங்கள், சாலைகள், முக்கு முடுக்குகள் என்று எல்லாவற்றையும் நேசித்தேன். நான் புகைப்படம் எடுக்காத ஒரு சிறு பகுதியும் கல்லூரியில் இருக்காது என்பது என் நேசத்திற்கு ஒரு சின்ன சாட்சி. என் வாழ்க்கையையே கல்லூரியோடு இயைந்த வாழ்க்கையாக ஆகிப் போய் விட்டது. வெகு நாள் ஆசைப்பட்டது போல் என் பிள்ளைகளின் திருமணங்களையும் பல சங்கடங்களின் ஊடே இக்கல்லூரியின் உள்ளேயே நடத்தினேன். என் சாவிற்குப் பின் கோவில் குளம் ஏதும் கொண்டு போக வேண்டாம்; ஒரு வேளை அதிகமாக நீங்கள் ஆசைப்பட்டால் கல்லூரிக் கோவிலுக்கு வேண்டுமானால் கொண்டு செல்லுங்கள் என்று குடும்பத்தினரிடம் ஒரு காலத்தில் சொல்லியுமுள்ளேன்.

ஓய்வு பெற்றதும் பல ஆசிரியர்கள் அதன் பின் கல்லூரி பக்கமே எட்டிப் பார்ப்பதும் கிடையாது. அதுவும் கல்லூரியில் இருக்கும் போது பல ‘bones’ பெற்ற பேராசிரியர்களும் இங்கு தலைநீட்டுவது என்பதே கூட கிடையாது. ஒரு வேளை அவர்கள் இதுவரை கல்லூரியோடு வைத்திருந்த தொடர்பு ஒரு விரும்பாத திருமண உறவு போல் இருந்து,  இப்போது ‘கழட்டி விட்ட பின்’ அப்பாடா ... என்று நிம்மதியாக ஓடிப் போய் விட்டார்களோ என்று கூட எனக்குத் தோன்றும்.  ஆனால் எனக்கு அப்படியில்லை. ஒய்வு பெற்ற பிறகும் அடிக்கடி கல்லூரி சென்று வந்தேன். வெளியூர் சென்று மீண்டும் மதுரைக்குள் நுழைந்ததும் அடுத்ததாகச் செய்வது அநேகமாக கல்லூரிக்கு வந்து சிறிது நேரம் வளாகக் காற்றை சுவாசிப்பதுவே வழக்கமாகிப் போனது. கல்லூரியோடு அப்படி ஒரு ADDICTION ஆகிப் போனது.

EFFORTS  ON  MY  DE-ADDICTION

பின் போராட்டங்கள் வெடித்தன. அப்போதும் அடிக்கடி கல்லூரி சென்று வந்தேன். போராளிகளோடு உடன் இருப்பதே ஒரு திருப்தியாக இருந்தது. இன்று வரை இணையத்தின் மூலம் கல்லூரி நிகழ்வுகளைத் தொடர்ந்து பரிமாறிக்கொண்டு வருகிறேன். (ஆனாலும் நான் பரிமாறியதை அதிகமாக நீங்கள் யாரும் வாசித்ததாகவும் தெரியவில்லை!) இச்சூழலில் கடந்த சில மாதங்களாக எனக்குக் கல்லூரிக்குச் செல்வதே ஒரு பெரிய adventureஆகப் போய் விட்டது. வாசலிலேயே நிறுத்தப்படுவது, அல்லது ஏதாவது வசவுகளைத் தாண்டிச் செல்வது என்றானது. இதிலிருந்து மீண்டு வரவேண்டுமென, கஷ்டப்பட்டு கல்லூரிக்குள் செல்லும் வழக்கத்தை விட முயற்சித்துக் கொண்டிருந்தேன். அதாவது,  DE-ADDICTION-க்குப் பழகிக் கொண்டு வந்தேன். ஆனால் அதற்குள் ...

டிசம்பர் 27-ம் தேதி 1980-83 ல் படித்த பழைய மாணவர்கள் சிலர் ஒன்று கூடுவதாகச் சொன்னார்கள். அடுத்த ஆண்டு முழு வகுப்பையும் வைத்து விழா நடத்த வேண்டும்; ஆகவே இந்த ஆண்டு சிலர் மட்டும் ஒன்று சேரப் போகிறோம் என்றார்கள்.மற்ற ஆசிரியர்கள் யாரையும் அடுத்த ஆண்டு அழைக்கிறோம்; இந்த ஆண்டு எங்களோடு நீங்கள் மட்டும் சேர்ந்து கொள்ளுங்கள் என்றார்கள். சரியென்றேன். ஆனால் கல்லூரிக்குள் நான் வருவது சிரமம் என்றேன். நாங்கள் உங்களுக்காக வெளியே காத்திருக்கிறோம் என்றார்கள். நான் வேண்டுமென்றே 15 நிமிடம் தாமதமாகச் சென்றேன். அதற்குள் எட்டு மாணவர்கள் கல்லூரி வாசலுக்குள் 10 மீட்டர் தூரத்தில் நின்று கொண்டிருந்தார்கள். இரு சக்கர வண்டியில், நான் உள்ளே நுழைந்தேன். வாயிற்காப்போர்கள் இருவர் என்னையும் உள்ளே விட்டு விட்டார்கள்! அதே பத்து மீட்டர் தூரத்தில் இருந்த மாணவர்களோடு பேசிக் கொண்டிருந்தேன். ஐந்து நிமிடங்கள் கூட ஆகியிருக்காது. வாயிற்காப்போர்கள் என்னிடம் வந்து தனியே அழைத்தார்கள். மிக மரியாதையாகப் பேசினார்கள். ”முதல்வரிடமிருந்து போன் வந்தது;  உங்களை உடனே வெளியே அனுப்பும்படி உத்தரவு வந்தது” என்றார்கள்.

ஓரளவு எதிர்பார்த்தது நடந்ததால் எனக்கு இதில் எந்த எதிர்ப்பு உணர்வும் வரவில்லை; அதோடு மாணவர்களின் மகிழ்ச்சியைக் கெடுக்கவும் விரும்பவில்லை. அவர்களே என்னென்னவோ சொல்லித்தான் உள்ளே சென்றிருக்கிறார்கள். அவர்களுக்குக் கல்லூரிக்குள் காலாற நடந்து வர ஆசை என்று அப்போது தான் சொல்லிக் கொண்டிருந்தார்கள். நான் அவர்களை நீங்கள் கல்லூரிக்குள் சுற்றி வாருங்கள்; நான் ‘பாதுகாப்பான’ பத்து மீட்டர் தூரத்தில் வெளியே நிற்கிறேன் என்றேன்.

 வந்திருந்த மாணவர்களுக்கு நம்ப முடியாத அதிர்ச்சி. வந்திருந்தவர்களில் இருவர் வக்கீல்கள். ஒரு வக்கீல் இந்த அநியாயத்திற்கு எதிர்த்து உள்ளே செல்வோம் என்றான். இன்னும் கொஞ்சம் கல்லூரி நிலைமை தெரிந்த வக்கீலின் கண்கள் நீர் கோத்து நின்றன. ’உங்களுக்கு இந்த நிலையா’ என்று சொன்னார்கள். ஆசுவாசப்படுத்தி அவர்களை உள்ளே அனுப்பி விட்டு வெளியே பத்து மீட்டர் தூரத்தில் அவர்களுக்காகக் காத்து நின்றேன்.

இதில் இன்னொரு வேடிக்கையும் நடந்துள்ளது. மாணவர்கள் வாசலிலிருந்து மெயின் ஹால் வரை செல்வதற்குள் இருவர் பைக்கில் வந்திருக்கிறார்கள். என் பெயரைச் சொல்லி, அவர் எங்கே என்று கேட்டிருக்கிறார்கள் – thorough checking !!! நான் வெளியே நிற்கிறேன் என்று சொன்னதும், திருப்தியாக திரும்பிக்கொண்டே – ‘ எங்கள் நம்பர் ஒன் எதிரி ‘ என்று அவர்களிடம் கத்திச் சொல்லிவிட்டுச் சென்றார்களாம். Thank you Dr.Christober.

பிறகு இன்னொரு ஆசிரியரிடம் அவர் ‘ அவர்தான் ப்ளாக்ல என்னை எதிர்த்து எழுதுறார்ல;  பிறகு அவருக்கு உள்ளே என்ன வேலை? ‘ என்று கோபமாகக் கேட்டாராம்.

photos by KUMAR

J.V., MY FRIEND

J.V.,  MY FRIEND

(08-11-1935  ------14-01-2014)

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D.SAMUEL LAWRENCE
                                                                            
                                                                             

 As I write this, several thoughts about Prof. J.Vasanthan criss-cross my mind; some of them coming to the surface yearning for expression. I don't know how far I would succeed in presenting these thoughts in a coherent form. But, let me try.

While I am sad that the icy hand of Death has snatched Prof. J.Vasanthan away from us  I am happy that I had the privilege of being one of his close friends.  I thank God for the gift of friendship with him because, in more than one way, it moulded my character, and broadened my outlook on life and the world. The indescribable bond that existed between him and me resulted in enriching and enlivening my life.

He was a simple, sincere and affectionate person. He may be called a non-conformist,  who lived in a world of his own,  far removed from the mundane, materialistic and Machiavellian world..He was never after popularity, publicity, position or power. The truth is that they came seeking him because of the many talents God had endowed him with.( Had he been interested he could have easily gone to some big city in India or abroad and become rich and  well-known. In fact, offers came to him but he was simply not interested in them). He loved teaching ;he loved Madurai; he loved the American College and he loved life. He was a great teacher, writer, artist, conversationalist and above all a fine human being.  

As a teacher, he won the hearts of many a student through his interesting and informative lectures, peppered with wit and humour- liberally sprinkled with interesting anecdotes and funny jokes. He had the extra-ordinary skill of presenting his ideas and thoughts  using simple but the most appropriate words and expressions. His drama, particularly Shakespeare classes, were eagerly looked forward to and enjoyed the most.  He was respected, loved and adored by the students for his scholarship, gentle manners and friendly nature.

He formed a theatre group called the Curtain Club and almost every year, he used to stage plays. His colleagues and friends happily involved themselves in the various aspects of  production and made them a grand success. He was a talented artist and his drawings and cartoons appeared in several magazines, including Filmfare, Star and Style and Caravan. His regular column 'Down Memory Lane' written in a simple style, brought before the mind's eye the various facets of life in Madurai and some interesting and inspiring personalities like the Rev. Frederick Jacob, former Vice-principal of the American College,  known for his noble principles and eccentricities. J.V. loved chidlren the most and enjoyed their company. His Jeyabalan Stories with his own illustrations, published in a children's magazine, Gokulam, earned for him several admirers among children.

More than anything else, he was a fine humanbeing. In spite of all the talents he had, he never suffered from inflated ego. Everyone felt at home in his company. He was above the narrow artificial distinctions like religion, caste, community etc. The  beautifully drawn pictures of Gods like Jesus Christ and  Ganapathy adorn the drawing or puja room of many of his friends. Reflecting his concern for the needy, he used to celebrate his birthday or wedding day with the inmates of some orphanage or old-age home. It may be mentioned here that his eyes were donated for organ transplantation.

It is remarkable that during the  last days of his life, true to his character, he bore the suffering with stoic resignation, never giving in to self-pity. In his passing away, I have lost a good friend.

FAREWELL TO OUR FRIEND VASANTHAN, A FELLOW TRAVELER

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  FAREWELL TO OUR FRIEND VASANTHAN, A FELLOW TRAVELER 

 O. George W. Berlin

 Seventy years ago, the French aviator, philosopher and poet Antoine de Saint Exupery, a participant in the WWII reconnaissance mission over France, disappeared suddenly and never came back. But we all remember him for his classic fable, The Little Prince. To him, we are all time travelers passing through different planets and dimensions. To this poet, time travel is the essence of all our lives as we all are the temporary inhabitants of this celestial abode. 

 Today, we mourn the loss of our dear friend and fellow traveler Vasanthan who has moved to another dimension. Vasanthan was my class mate during 1951-53 and later as a colleague in American College. He was an excellent teacher, a good artist, and a fabulous writer, famous for his subtle humor. In our lifetime, we meet so many thousands of lives but they do not leave much impact or impression. Only rarely you meet a few for a "cosmic millisecond" but they leave a lifetime of memories. Vasanthan was indeed one of these rare individuals. The loss of this dear friend really diminishes our lives as we are all part of the humanity. It is said: 

Death leaves a heartache 

No one can heal; 

Love leaves a memory 

No one can steal. 

 While the glories of our blood and state are only shadows, death lays its icy hands on all. Death is the only democratic institution where everyone is treated equal. One of the ways to comfort those who have lost a near and dear one is to remember the comforting words of Irish post, philosopher, and scholar John O'Donohue:

 We do not need to grieve for the dead, 

 Why should we grieve for them? 

 They are now in a place Where there is nor more shadow, 

 Darkness, loneliness, isolation, or pain; 

 They are home. 

 To the poet and philosopher Khalil Gibran, death is not an end, but a new beginning:

 When the Earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance. 

 When drinking from the river of silence, shall you begin to climb; 

 When you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb. 

 While we mourn for our dear friend Vasanthan, there is no perfect way of comforting the family who has lost a husband/father/grandfather. Only the Time will heal all wounds. Today, the world is a tad poorer, our lives a little lonelier, and hearts a bit sadder. About 27 years ago I read a poem that appeared in a Swedish Newspaper (Dagens Nyheter):

 The day you were born, everyone was smiling, you cried alone; 

 Make your life such that in the last hour, 

 When everyone is crying, but you have no more tear to shed; 

 Then you can calmly face Death, whenever it comes. 

 We will miss his friendship. Thank you very much for all the pleasant memories.

 Farewell, my dear friend and a fellow traveler.

 O. George W. Berlin, 
Professor of Epidemiology,
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health,
LOS ANGELES, CA, 90024, USA.

Jan 26, 2014

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“JV a great human being”

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S. ANNAMALAI

 

                                        Prof. Vasanthan

Memories of J. Vasanthan, a versatile personality, flooded the American College here on Friday when his friends, colleagues and students recalled their association with the late professor at a memorial meeting. Prof. Vasanthan, a fountain from which there was a perennial flow of creativity in different forms, passed away at a city hospital on Tuesday.

Prof. Vasanthan, JV for his admirers, wore different hats to perfection – as a teacher, writer, theatre personality, cartoonist, speaker and friend, even for his children. D. Samuel Lawrence, former Vice-Principal, American College, described his former colleague as a non-conformist who lived in a world of his own that was removed from the ordinary, mundane and materialistic world.

Though he had lucrative offers from all over the world, he chose to remain here as “he loved Madurai, loved teaching, loved the American College and loved life.”

Recalling the love and affection JV had for his students, Dr. Lawrence said that the students “loved, admired and adored him.” “Vasanthan never had an inflated ego or exaggerated self-importance.”

The Head of Department of Visual Communication, Prabhakaran, recalled how JV inspired even those who were not his direct students. N. Elango, Head, Department of English, hailed JV as the “father of the Curtain Club” that staged plays of Shakespeare and modern writers like J. B. Priestley and Agatha Christie. P. Nedumaran, former Head, of Department of English, referred to JV as a great human being who possessed equanimity of mind.

Born in Kovilpatti, Prof. Vasanthan, who passed away at the age of 77, came to study Intermediate in the American College in 1951 at the age of 15, where he also continued his graduate studies.

Later, he joined the Madras Christian College to begin a glorious teaching career as a Tutor of English. His illustrious students included Prakash Karat, general secretary, Communist Party of India (Marxist).

His love for Madurai brought him back to the American College, where he retired as Professor

.

VASANTHAN, MY FRIEND -- MANOHAR DEVADOSS

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http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/vasanthan-my-friend/article5606954.ece





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Vasanthan, my Friend

MANOHAR DEVADOSS 

  

On Vasanthan’s last birthday, I made my customary telephone call to wish him. His wife, Padmini came on the line. I asked her teasingly whether she was following the doctors’ advice and going on romantic walks with JV. Her answer saddened me. He cannot walk, she said because his foot had been amputated. I tried to cheer her up saying that when he was fitted with a prosthetic foot, she should dance with him. Alas, that was not to be.

In 1971, when I was in the USA, a fried Julian Smith kept talking about ‘Va-saan-ton’. I learnt that Vasanthan was a man of many talents and a person with a sense of humour. I met him in person when I returned to India and we became friends. I remember Vasanthan paying a tribute to my late wife, Mahema. He said, Mahe was a great beauty but he could not say the same about me! So I did a large watercolour of a butterfly (representing Mahe’s beautiful spirit), sitting gently on the arm of a teddy bear (representing me) and titled it ‘Beauty and the Beast’. But he ended the speech by quoting himself, “You may be going blind, Manohar Devadoss, but you have taught us all how to see.” Generous words, these.

Just last month we had a happy reunion at his home in Madurai. I played a Christmas song and a couple of nostalgic, Hindi film songs on my harmonica for him.

Before leaving I hugged him as he lay in bed. I did not realize it would be a final goodbye.

MANOHAR DEVADOSS

JV --- T.Saravanan

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/to-sir-with-love/article5606952.ece



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                                                               A SELF PORTRAIT BY JV
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  Some illustrations by Prof. J. Vasanthan that appeared in The Hindu MetroPlus.

T.SARAVANAN remembers J.Vasanthan, a remarkable man and a beloved teacher

“Many Tamils speak Tinglish which is a mixture of Tamil and English. A college mate of mine in the American College kept changing his speaking style periodically. If one day you find him mumbling monosyllabic words like "yup" and `nope' you can be sure he has just seen a Gary Cooper film. Sometimes he quoted some lines from the films like, "Tomorrow is another day"(Gone with the Wind) quite out of context and unnecessarily. But when he ran out of such lines and had to speak on his own he slid into Tinglish. One day, he got angry with someone, and shouted "That all won't walk here. I will see one hand." And he couldn't understand why we were laughing. He felt that speaking such `superior' English to us was like casting pearls before swine. Wonder how he wrote his English exams. He passed though.” – From the column Down Memory Lane by Prof. J. Vasanthan published in The Hindu MetroPlus May 20, 2006

Professor J. Vasanthan’s sense of humour ensured there was fun wherever he was. Fondly called JV by his students and friends, English professor’s classes were filled with drama and passion. We would be so enraptured by his narration that even the habitual absentees among us wouldn’t dream of missing his class.

I always made it a point to arrive well in time for his class. He tapped into my interest in drama and always chose me to enact scenes from Shakespeare’s plays for the class. It was to be Hamlet and I was to memorise Ophelia’s lines. But I was late to class that day. When I entered the classroom fearing his admonishment, JV exclaimed: “Here, I introduce my girl Ophelia, a rather ‘substantial’ Ophelia.” The comment on my size evoked instant laughter.

He never taught from the book, but recited every line with passion. Each class was a performance.

JV’s language was always crisp, clear and filled with wit. He had profound knowledge of Shakespeare. A lot of us thought he even resembled the bard.

He also introduced us to Alfred Hitchcock films such as Rope , Vertigo , North by Northwest andPsycho . He was an ardent lover of English movies, often taking train rides from Kovilpatti to Madurai just to watch movies in Regal Talkies.

He was very fond of Hollywood heroines like Greta Garbo and Katherine Hepburn and lavished praise on Savithiri and went on to call her the subtlest actress of her time.

He sensitised us to theatre through his Curtain Club in American College. He staged plays which have stood the test of time. The club emerged as one of the finest English theatre groups of that time in the State.

He was able to translate his thoughts into words and illustrations with equal felicity. His line drawings often conveyed more than words. He also mastered the art of caricature. The Hindu Metro Plus Madurai was privileged to have him as a guest writer from 2004 to 2008. He wrote the ‘Down Memory Lane’ column and often supplemented his words with his eye-catching drawings.

JV philanthropist often spent his birthday and wedding anniversary with orphans and the aged. His last contribution to the world was the donation of his eyes.

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DEATH OF A GOOD FRIEND & A GREAT PROFESSOR

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I met departed Prof. J.V. when he was in the hospital first time. After that I could neither meet him nor attend his cremation due to some little physical ailments I had then.  Wanted  so much to say about him in this blog very immediately but could not … Sorry JV.

‘gentleman’ – this word should be there whenever we want to say anything  about him. And what a subtle humour he had. Once some of us were sitting in the college canteen. All of a sudden it struck me that everyone around the table then had at least one heart attack but we were all of different versions..! Some were drinkers, some not; some smokers, some not; some ‘hardies’, and some ‘softies’ …  But we had that one thing common – one attack. I asked the group how come we are all different flocks and still had this thing common. Some silence. Then JV stood up and very casually said, ‘If you have a heart, you would get an attack’!  We dispersed to our departments with a good laugh.

He has donated his eyes and finally as per his wish was cremated. He sets a model. How nice it would be if I follow him in both. I should. Thank you, JV.

self portrayal of young JV playig chess 
in one of his articles

I insisted him to bring all his write-ups in different journals into a book. He did not take any interest. So I insisted and started a blog in his name - http://jvasanthan-penbrush.blogspot.in and published many of his articles published in the Hindu. 

It is my bouquet to his memory.

To visit JV’s blog,    JUST CLICK THIS ……….





thanks for the photos Reuben

DONATIO CONSTANTINI

                  

               DONATIO  CONSTANTINI

(Donation of Constantine)

Dr. Rajendra Pandian

Former Governing Council Member

Prof. J.V’s passing away is never easy. He was a great teacher, artist, director, colleague, conversationalist, human, and believer who asked the bishops to “save their souls”. Our homage to him!

The Christian church is regarded by its believers as the ‘body of Christ’. It is also referred to as the ‘bride of Christ’, ‘a house of prayer for all people’ and so on. However, Church fraudulence is a phenomenon that is not entirely new; in fact it has been something that many of us are numbingly used to. The Church, which in Greek means “the called out” or “the people called out of the world” has most often been excessively worldly and egregiously dishonest. One such milestone in the history of church duplicity is recorded as Donatio Constantini or the ‘Donation of Constantine’. It meant a “forged Roman imperial decree by which the Emperor Constantine-I supposedly transferred authority over Rome and the western part of the Roman Empire to the Pope.” Wikipedia reads: “Composed probably in the 8^th century…it was used in support of claims of political authority by the papacy”. But, thanks to Lorenzo Valla, it was proved in the 15^th century to be a mega fraud.

I know, I relate these things and repeat a few others often at the risk of boring the viewers—and perhaps myself too. But then, I think, I can’t help it since they are becoming increasingly relevant and more important than before. I hope any one can understand the claim that ‘The American College belongs to the CSI’ is a local, contemporary, and the CSI-DMR version of the aforesaid fraud. There are many in the CSI-DMR: both clergy and lay, who denounce this in private as outrageous and unchristian but feel helpless at present to do anything beyond praying for the restoration of the college. I think we can understand their situation and also thank them for their sympathies, prayers and the willingness to help the struggle in whatever way possible.             

The slow and sneaky ways of the church—like that of the proverbial camel occupying the tent—have obviously gathered pace in recent times. When the teachers involved in the struggle were taking classes under the trees (Dec 2010 to May 2012), the ‘son-in-law Principal’ printed on the admission prospectus that this college was a CSI institution. Then it somehow stopped when we all entered the class rooms. However, they keep on concocting patently ridiculous and false evidences as follows [and as you may already know] to project the American College like a diocesan institution.

Dr. Christober organized  a state level hockey tournament named after  his father-in-law and paraded  the present Bishop  and the CSI-Synod officials on stage as guests; held the Chemistry department’s centenary celebrations with some diocesan officials on the dais once again besides printing the Bishop’s name as a host in the invitation; placed a flex board at the Tamukkam grounds in the name of the American college [promptly bearing the stately image of the ‘captive’ Main Hall] alongside the ads of some CSI institutions welcoming people to the Madurai Book Fair; held ‘Dawn Praising’ led by the  Deputy Chairman of the CSI-DMR at 5 am in our chapel; reportedly convened a meeting last week with the tenants of the American College shopping complex to discuss a hike in the rent [which is nothing unusual] but in the company of [not only the Bursar but also] the diocesan treasurer and the legal adviser which is the most unusual and unacceptable; and to cap it all they are digging at the basement of the north-western corner of the Main Hall, a century old heritage building which is not very strong lately standing mainly on the strength of the inbuilt tie-rods. After I sent an email to the Principal [with copies to the Faculty Secretary and the Faculty Representative on the Governing Council] cautioning him against the safety-issues it involves, I am shocked furthermore to learn they are actually readying there an office with attached bath for the Bishop.

When are our bishops going to  reconcile themselves to the Ten Commandments and stop coveting what is not theirs but their neighbors’?

From where did these blessed people get this courage of late to aggress on the college so openly?

Donatio Constantini! Other reasons come only next to that! The signatories of the dubious local agreement were: Dr. Davamani Christober [the incumbent Principal whose legality has been as questionable as ever]; Dr. Chinnaraj Joseph [Former Principal]; Dr. Anbudurai [ P.G.Head of Botany]; Dr. Chelladurai [a fine gentleman not related to the American College] and The Most.Rev. Devakadasham [the then CSI Moderator, an ex-officio substitute of the Bishop of CSI-DMR, who in turn is an ex-officio President of the council]. Who of them, you please tell me, has the legal standing to document [even on a mere white sheet as this one] that this college belongs to the CSI? How come none of them knew it was so until the day before? If it was not so, how could they pen such a forgery?

[Why not I suggest these ‘righteous Christians’ arrange to donate their own assets first—movable and immovable—to the CSI before daring to give away the American College?!]

Dr. Anbudurai claimed in open meetings that the paper in question was a “trash” and he had signed it “under duress”. He also added that ours was neither a CSI college nor would it ever become one in future. Dr. Anbudurai and Dr. Chinnaraj Joseph argued—apologetically and unapologetically; remorsefully and remorselessly—that they did that only in order to settle the management staff issue. [When it was condemned in our general body meeting as a betrayal unbinding on the college or any of us, a senior professor likened it to selling one’s eyes to buy a painting.] It was no excuse at all to do something as pernicious to the college as this. Now, what is our response to the physical takeover of the college by the CSI with the Bishop’s office in the Main Hall?  Have we succeeded in our effort to help our management staff even by letting down the college? What help have we done to them who have not received their 18 month salary yet? Not only that. They have got their hard earned seniority criminally manipulated; been served relieving orders while anxiously sitting in the lobby to attend the interview for permanent positions; and openly told by some heads they have no future in this college and hence they can better leave?

Are we aware we cannot save individuals and their jobs without saving the college?

 When Dr. Chinnaraj Joseph is already retired and Dr. Anbudurai is retiring now, who would give what answer to those friends and old students who have extended their fullest and unconditional support to us hoping that we would save the American College? How could we presume we can just log in and log out assuming zero accountability for what we have done, if not for what we inherited? Let’s not pretend that the whole issue is about getting salary for the management staff. Allow me to repeat that the ultimate goal is to restore the college by re-establishing its legitimate Governing Council and not by telling the management staff and also ourselves that the [bogus] council has appointed a sub-committee that will look into things. I’m afraid we are actually helping them “seem” legal by dithering over taking their council head on.

Once we thought Bishop Asir was the problem, and while fighting him we were also waiting for his retirement hoping that the problem would end by then. He is no more but the issue has grown even more. The same we thought about the then Vice-Principal who is no more either. We thought the ‘son-in-law’ was the issue personified and now it’s widely speculated that he will have to step down very soon thanks to issues relating to his academic credentials and also the selection process. Will the crisis be over with his possible exit?

No—not yet!

Because, it has taken new and more complex dimensions in the mean time, as we all know, more due to betrayals and subversions among us; our own miscalculations; half-convictions and indecisiveness than any kind of invincibility attributable to the enemy. While leaving to the diocese the burden of proving that this is a CSI institution [as they propagate on a trial basis], I’m of the opinion that we need to take more concrete measures to retrieve the college from the illegal people. How come their council is convening again and again when it is available in black and white that the governmental inquiry into disputes relating to ‘the American College Society’ is not yet over? Don’t we—with a genuine Governing Council member to fight for the right cause—have more effective means of stopping this trespassing on the college?

The maxim goes: Where there’s a will there’s a way!                             

It’s time we saw the danger right in its eye and countered the false claim that this is a CSI college. No one needs to think they must be a member of the church to resist this robbery in broad day light. Not necessarily! Not at all! Particularly those elected representatives on the Senatus or the Governing Council need not and must not shy away from taking this issue frontally for untenable reasons as mentioned above—especially after getting the mandate of our faculty. We teachers, as a team, met with each faculty member in person; solicited their vote giving them a handbill that bore the slogan “Help us help the college”.  Having promised them that we would defend the college and represent the interests of the faculty, there can be no second opinion that our faculty representatives on the respective bodies are obligated to fight out the diocese. Better we recall the April 11, 2008 resolution on the MUTA floor “authorizing the faculty representatives on the Governing Council to fight against the perceived diocesanization of the college” alongside a similar resolution on the faculty floor, the very next day, that unanimously declared the actions of the Bishop “unhelpful”.

Following is the diary of events for a few days ahead:

The counterfeit governing council has its meeting on this 18^th.

The high court case [filed by Dr. David Amirtharajan] challenging Dr. Christober’s qualifications and selection as Principal comes up on 20^th.

Dr. Anbudurai is retiring this 29^th and we are yet to know whether he will get re-employment till May 31, which is his due.

Thanking the viewers for their patience to read this laborious and rather stultifying note, let me   close it with Niebuhr’s famous appeal called the “Serenity Prayer”:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,                                                    

The courage to change the things I can,

And the wisdom to know the difference.

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