Remembering the first Hindu woman, a widow, who 100 years ago this year received the BA degree at the Univ of Madras.
A long blog for sure but worth the time - Read on patiently.
In order to appreciate the extraordinary achievements of this extraordinary woman, first you have to visualise the background of conservative and orthodox customs of the Brahmins in Madras in those days. Widows, often child-widows, led the most pitiable lives in houses where they were treated as unpaid servants and outcasts. Their heads were shorn of hair and they wore always the white saris (9 yards)even though they were children. Forbidden to attend all festivals and forced to subsist on one plain meal a day.
It was in this milieu that a girl was born in 1886 to RV Subramania Iyer, a professor in Teachers' College, Saidapettai, Chennai. The girl's mother, Visalakshi and her child-widowed Chitty Valambal were learned and instilled in the child all that was the best in Indian culture.
The child named Subbulakshmi was married when she was just nine. And widowed within 2 years, when she was 11 !! Her parents and chitti hid their own grief and protected the child. They decided to educate her first at the home and later in school. They didn't care or bother about the cruel opposition of relatives.
For the child's sake they moved to a house opposite the only girls' school in Madras those days. It was in Egmore. Father had to travel to Saidapet and it was immensely difficult - those days. He was prepared to all sacrifices for his childsake.
Soon Subbulakshmi passed Matric with honours in every subject. then she joined Presentation Convent in Black Town (now George Town) to pass her F.A. (called later as Intermediate). She won two gold medals. Next she joined Presidency College (on the Marina) for higher studies. Here she had to bear the teasing and tormenting male students.
She passed B.A. in 1911 with First Class, outshining all the male students. She had made history as her name appeared in all newspapers as the first Hindu woman, and a widow at that, to pass the B.A. exam. Imagine, not in 2011 but a hundred years ago, in 1911 !!
The remarkable saga of Subbulakshmi continued - though many states offered her high salaries, she was determined to teach in her old school at Egmore. By now, she was affectionately called by her students and all as SISTER. She studied for and passed the L.T. exam also.
From her days in the Presentation Convent, Sister's ambition had been to save other child-widows from cruel fate. Even before she qualified, she took a child-widow into her household and started teaching her. Soon three more child-widows were persuaded by her parents to join their household. At that time there was a new British Inspectress of Girls' Schools, Miss Lynch. She happened to meet Sister and her parents. Miss Lynch was so kind and helpful. With her help Sister was able to open a Widows' Home in Egmore with six child-widows under Sister's care.
Her Chitty Valambal who cooked and cared for them was to be a tower of strength to Sister during her next 20 years of selfless sacrifice. What a noble woman, that Chiity was! Extremely remarkable.
Miss Lynch then coaxed the Madras Govt to take over the Widows' Home and to open a new School for Girls at Triplicane. Sister was made the Headmistress of the training section. Where to house the widows? As luck would have it, the Ice House was offered for sale and Miss Lynch got the Govt's sanction to purchase this. Sister, Chitty and thirty widows settled there. The girls were true students of Sister.
Soon the strength grew to more than 100 widows. Most of them passed their SSLC and trained as teachers and nurses. Many passed higher education and became lectureres, headmistresses and inspectresses of Schools. A few became doctors and auditors.
In every corner of South India you could meet Sister's old students, in turn, spreading her gospel and helping their unfortunate sisters to become educated and self-supporting.
Madras Presidency gave Sister the highest award of kaiser-i-Hind gold Medal in 1921. After the World War I, the Govt restricted the number of widows joining the Ice House. But more and more were waiting. So, Sister started the Sarada Home and Sarada Vidyalaya in 1912. This Home grew too big for the Ladies' Union to manage.
Sister approached Ramakrishna Mission, Mylapore who gladly agreed to her suggestion, on the understanding that she would continue to supervise as Secretary for the rest of her life. Sister started Sarada Ladies Club and Reading Room in Mylapore and Kala Nilayam for older girls and married women to study for SSLC privately. She also opened schools for fisherfolk in Madras and Cuddalore !!
She took a leading part in the activities of Annie Besant and Mrs Cousins. She became a MLC in Rajaji's time. She was awarded Padma Shri.
But, people felt Sister deserved greater recognition. Regardless of awards and recognitions, Sister continued her service to the poor and helpless women to the day of her death on December 20, 1969.
*** adapted from an article in Madras Musings dated Apr 1-15, 2011. When I read this, tears welled in my eyes and were rolling down. What a selfless, noble human being ! Sister, her parents, and her Chitty are all indeed divine. Please spare a thought for such noble souls.
Rajappa
8:30 PM
11-04-2011
On 12 March 2016, five years after writing this blog, I read the book "சேவைக்கு ஒரு சகோதரி” (அநுத்தமா) (alliance publications) - What noble souls -Sister's father Subramania Iyer, mother Visalakshi, chitty Valambal ... wonderful persons. And Sister Subbulakshmi ? No words to describe this magnificent lady.
A long blog for sure but worth the time - Read on patiently.
In order to appreciate the extraordinary achievements of this extraordinary woman, first you have to visualise the background of conservative and orthodox customs of the Brahmins in Madras in those days. Widows, often child-widows, led the most pitiable lives in houses where they were treated as unpaid servants and outcasts. Their heads were shorn of hair and they wore always the white saris (9 yards)even though they were children. Forbidden to attend all festivals and forced to subsist on one plain meal a day.
It was in this milieu that a girl was born in 1886 to RV Subramania Iyer, a professor in Teachers' College, Saidapettai, Chennai. The girl's mother, Visalakshi and her child-widowed Chitty Valambal were learned and instilled in the child all that was the best in Indian culture.
The child named Subbulakshmi was married when she was just nine. And widowed within 2 years, when she was 11 !! Her parents and chitti hid their own grief and protected the child. They decided to educate her first at the home and later in school. They didn't care or bother about the cruel opposition of relatives.
For the child's sake they moved to a house opposite the only girls' school in Madras those days. It was in Egmore. Father had to travel to Saidapet and it was immensely difficult - those days. He was prepared to all sacrifices for his childsake.
Soon Subbulakshmi passed Matric with honours in every subject. then she joined Presentation Convent in Black Town (now George Town) to pass her F.A. (called later as Intermediate). She won two gold medals. Next she joined Presidency College (on the Marina) for higher studies. Here she had to bear the teasing and tormenting male students.
She passed B.A. in 1911 with First Class, outshining all the male students. She had made history as her name appeared in all newspapers as the first Hindu woman, and a widow at that, to pass the B.A. exam. Imagine, not in 2011 but a hundred years ago, in 1911 !!
The remarkable saga of Subbulakshmi continued - though many states offered her high salaries, she was determined to teach in her old school at Egmore. By now, she was affectionately called by her students and all as SISTER. She studied for and passed the L.T. exam also.
From her days in the Presentation Convent, Sister's ambition had been to save other child-widows from cruel fate. Even before she qualified, she took a child-widow into her household and started teaching her. Soon three more child-widows were persuaded by her parents to join their household. At that time there was a new British Inspectress of Girls' Schools, Miss Lynch. She happened to meet Sister and her parents. Miss Lynch was so kind and helpful. With her help Sister was able to open a Widows' Home in Egmore with six child-widows under Sister's care.
Her Chitty Valambal who cooked and cared for them was to be a tower of strength to Sister during her next 20 years of selfless sacrifice. What a noble woman, that Chiity was! Extremely remarkable.
Miss Lynch then coaxed the Madras Govt to take over the Widows' Home and to open a new School for Girls at Triplicane. Sister was made the Headmistress of the training section. Where to house the widows? As luck would have it, the Ice House was offered for sale and Miss Lynch got the Govt's sanction to purchase this. Sister, Chitty and thirty widows settled there. The girls were true students of Sister.
Soon the strength grew to more than 100 widows. Most of them passed their SSLC and trained as teachers and nurses. Many passed higher education and became lectureres, headmistresses and inspectresses of Schools. A few became doctors and auditors.
In every corner of South India you could meet Sister's old students, in turn, spreading her gospel and helping their unfortunate sisters to become educated and self-supporting.
Madras Presidency gave Sister the highest award of kaiser-i-Hind gold Medal in 1921. After the World War I, the Govt restricted the number of widows joining the Ice House. But more and more were waiting. So, Sister started the Sarada Home and Sarada Vidyalaya in 1912. This Home grew too big for the Ladies' Union to manage.
Sister approached Ramakrishna Mission, Mylapore who gladly agreed to her suggestion, on the understanding that she would continue to supervise as Secretary for the rest of her life. Sister started Sarada Ladies Club and Reading Room in Mylapore and Kala Nilayam for older girls and married women to study for SSLC privately. She also opened schools for fisherfolk in Madras and Cuddalore !!
She took a leading part in the activities of Annie Besant and Mrs Cousins. She became a MLC in Rajaji's time. She was awarded Padma Shri.
But, people felt Sister deserved greater recognition. Regardless of awards and recognitions, Sister continued her service to the poor and helpless women to the day of her death on December 20, 1969.
*** adapted from an article in Madras Musings dated Apr 1-15, 2011. When I read this, tears welled in my eyes and were rolling down. What a selfless, noble human being ! Sister, her parents, and her Chitty are all indeed divine. Please spare a thought for such noble souls.
Rajappa
8:30 PM
11-04-2011
On 12 March 2016, five years after writing this blog, I read the book "சேவைக்கு ஒரு சகோதரி” (அநுத்தமா) (alliance publications) - What noble souls -Sister's father Subramania Iyer, mother Visalakshi, chitty Valambal ... wonderful persons. And Sister Subbulakshmi ? No words to describe this magnificent lady.
Comments
Post a Comment