Memories

Memory of Brahmin-non Brahmin Kitchen.

"Outlook" dated 17-12-01 had one letter to editor by one R. Sidhartha in Chennai. It was in response to the feature article (26.11.01) by columnist Anita Pratap on the roles of the current Kanchi Swami on "Rebuilding Morals". It was a laudatory article on the activities of Kanchi Swami. The letter recalled the swami’s attitude towards women specifically those who are working and also about widows. The latter also mentioned about a controversy over separate hostels for Brahmins and non-brahmins. Self was utterly surprised to hear about this controversy after about 60 years. I recollect in the year 1941 when the then Madras Govt abolished separate kitchens in the Govt run Maharaja's College of Sanskrit and Tamil studies at Thiruvayaru, Tanjavoor. The Kanchi Swami (or is it Kunbhakonam Swami?) established a separate kitchen for Brahmin students and insisted upon the Brahmin students to boycott the Govt run facility. Not only separate kitchen was insisted upon but living outside the common hostel. Swami also insisted upon Brahmin students using Brahmin dress i.e. no shirts and also Brahmin hair style i.e. shaving the head on front and keeping knotted long hair at the back. The college was catering to very poor Brahmin and non-brahmin students to impart higher studies (degree courses) in these two languages. All the Brahmin students were in Sanskrit section and only non-brahmins entered Tamil courses. However a few non-brahmins from Kerala were in Sanskrit section. I remember a Kerala Christian as one of my class mates.

In 1942 Kanchi Swami (or is it Kunbhakonam swami?) stopped providing meals & accomodation to students who joined the college in 1941-42 season. I was one of the affected but continued to be in the college up to August 9, 1942. The Quit India movement disrupted all civil life specifically the schools and colleges. After leaving the college for good I have no idea as to the further developments in the college. Even today I have no idea whether the college exists today with same & or other facility. It is strange to hear about the same controversy stocked by the current Kanchi Swami who is said to be much modern.

K.N. Krishnan.