Inauguration of RSN Memorial Library and Indological Research Institute at Chennai

Inauguration of RSN Memorial Library and Indological Research Institute at Chennai

How the Library was thought about: As explained in the earlier blog, Sri R.S.Narayanaswamy and I used to discuss about setting up library with the collection of rare and old books. With his demise, then, I discussed with Dr N. Ravichandran searching for space. One day he called me informing that the Vishva Hindu Vidya Kendra has constructed a new building and they were ready to provide space for the library, so that we could arrange our books there for the purpose. In fact, I was seriously thinking and even about to construct a metallic roofing shed on the third floor of my house to have the library and also use the space for monthly meetings, seminars etc. I fixed it in Google also. Then, I decided to move all my valuable collection there, as he suggested. So I went there discussed with Sri Vedantamji and Dr N. Ravichandran and decided to move books there.

How much the books suffered due to nature-made and man-made calamities: I started moving my books with steel racks in  July 2022 and went on till September 2022. At weekends and holidays, I went there and sorted them out subject-wise and arranged in the racks. As I knew each and every book, I could recognize and place them accordingly. Again, there were several books torn, wrappers missing, even books found in piecemeal.. for me, it was the third calamity, as I had faced earlier twice in 2015 floods and the Vardha cyclone in 2016 with the loss of one-third of books. In 2o15, my house was submerged in the floods and waters entered the house destroying almost all household things. The room that I constructed backside, above five feet from the road gave me shelter for my books and my books for six days, when there was no current. This is happening for the third time. Anyway, I sat there, going through such pages, wrappers and torn-books trying to match with each other. For example, the DED was in such a bad condition that took one day to put together with all the pages. Then, about the inauguration……it was getting postponed…….Then, in 2023, it was perhaps finalized. 

Memorial Library and Indology Research Institute: Dr Subramaniansamy inaugurated the RSN Memorial Library and Indology Research Institute at the second floor of Sri Vedanta Bhavan, Vishva Hindu Vidya Kendra, T. Nagar on 28th at 4:00 PM at Ramanujam Street, T. Nagar. He was the Former Indian Institute of Technology Professor of Mathematical Economics and Harvard University Economics School. Also, Dr. Sudha Seshayan, former Vice-Chancellor of Dr M.G.R., Medical University. Ms Chandralekha, ex-IAS, T.R. Ramesh, Advocate, Temple Worshipers Society President participated. Dr. Sathyamurthy, founder of REACH Foundation, was supposed to come, but did not.

The organizing team of the function: The coordination committee for the event included Vishva Hindu Vidya Kendra President Vedantam G, Madras University Department of Ancient History and Archeology Visiting faculty K.V. Ramakrishna Rao, Vishva Hindu Vidya Kendra General Secretary Girija Seshatri, Dr K. Venkatesan, Assistant Professor, Department of History, University of Chennai, Dr P. Ramesh, Lecturer, Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, UCAL, Fuel System Manufacturing Consultant Dr. Ravichandran were also present. Of course, there have been many who helped us at different levels. I cannot forget Sri Ramasubbu, who has been helping me.

What the spears spoke- as per the media:

• Dr Sudha Seshyyan explained the importance of Indology and Indological studies in the present day. She also explained as to how the textual references could be used for the Indological research.
• Ms Chandralekha IAS (retd.,) explained her own experience of reading history and Indology to pass the Civil Services and also explained how the ancient texts should be decoded with the scientific background.
• Dr. Ravichandran spoke about “RSN, the Memorial Library,” specifically “RS Narayanasamy”.
• K.V. Ramakrishna Rao, Visiting Professor, Department of Archaeology, highlighted the importance of “Institute of Research in Indology” and “Indology”.
• Finally, Dr Subramanian Swamy pointed out how the reading of law would be useful to everybody. Particularly, girls and women should read law to understand their position. He emphasized that all students should learn law so that they could realize their position, wherever they work.

The special feature of this library is that about 50-60 years of English-Tamil dailies and magazines have been cut out, sorted subject-wise and pasted on separate newspaper-sized papers, arranged according to pound usage.

What is Indology?: Indology has been the study of “India”[1], but not the 1947-India that is “Bharath.” It is the systematic study of India in all aspects of arts, sciences and technology from the prehistoric to modern periods. As the Indic culture, tradition, heritage and civilization were spread, registered and found recorded in many parts of the ancient world, it was understood accordingly by the Western or European experts during the 17^th to 20^th and perhaps in 21^st century also.

Indology connotation from Germany to Dutch to India now: The term Indology (in German, Indologie) is often associated with German scholarship, and is used more commonly in departmental titles in German and continental European universities than in the anglophone academy. In the Netherlands, the term Indologie was used to designate the study of Indian history and culture in preparation for colonial service in the Dutch East Indies. But, now Indians are not at all reading about “India” properly, because of regionalism, linguistic and other parochialism.

Indian, Asian, South Asian studies – how nomenclature changes: However, the focused study on India has been interpreted as nation-oriented, nationalist, nationalistic and so on[2] and thus, “Asia” concept introduced. Thus, now, it is also known as South Asian studies, that is the academic study of the history and cultures, languages, and literature of the Indian subcontinent, and as such is a subset of Asian studies. That Columbus could discover an “India” in the west proves the existence of “India” in the Americas. Many scholars have pointed out the connection between the Aztec-Maya-Inca civilizations with that of India and SEA. Even Rabindranath Tagore[3] has written about “Greater India” and promoting such society.

Classical Indology based on the Indic literature: Classical Indology majorly includes the linguistic studies of Sanskrit literature, Pāli and Tamil literature, as well as study of Dharmic religions (like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, etc.), thus, Indology has no boundaries, even in the “Asian” context. Just 100 yeas back, Indians and non-Indians were moving in all directions without any passports and visas. The India that included Tibet, Burma, Gandhara, Sind, and other areas were slowly separated by the Colonial rulers for administrative convenience.

Modern Indology has widened scope like Indian Ocean Studies: In the context of Maritime history, under water archaeology and marine engineering, Indian Ocean played a crucial role always. Every ship and boat that came to India had to sail through Indian Ocean to reach India. Now, Indians cannot imagine that the Ocean could be named after their country or nation. Thus, it is clear India was influencing others for many centuries in many aspects. Thus, Indology covers not only ancient, medieval, but also modern periods.

Indology may have to face other ideological studies: Indology has to face and embrace the following:

• Subaltern school, Local, Oral and Feminist histories [mostly misinterpreting Indic tradition, culture, heritage and civilization].
• Trends In Indian historiography: History From Below
• Indian judiciary, judgments and impact on society [living in relation, same sex marriage, breaking of joint family system etc].
• Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization [changes in the taxation system, goods and services affecting the traditional industries].
•  Genetic studies [DNA, R1a, biometrics etc.,] –aiding and abetting “Aryan-Davidian” dichotomy and race theories [pseudo-scientific]
• Peasant Movements to Urban naxals [targeting to divide Indian society]
•  Working-class Movements, Tribal Movements [targeting to divide Indian society]
• Histories of Caste, Tribes and Genders [misinterpretation of Varna, caste, Jati, Kula, gothra, ethnicity, denomination etc.]

K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

29-10-2023

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[1] There were “India-intra-gangem” and “India-extra-gangem” of the Greeks and two Indias located by the European cartographers – one proper India and another away from India in the east i.e, Southeast Asia, also known as “Greater India”.

[2]  Even certain historians have been dubbed as “nationalist or nationalistic” historians, equating with “right,” as opposed to the “left.” Thus, Jadunath Sircar, K. A. Nalikanta Sastry etc., would come under this category. https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/44466/1/Unit-20.pdf

[3] Greater India was first published in 1921.The essays in the volume are authorized translation of papers read by the author in connection with the swadeshi movement in Bengal, circa 1905-1910. The contents include ‘Our Swadeshi Samaj’ (Swadeshi Samaj), ‘The Way to get it Done’ (Saphaltar sadupay), ‘The Nationalist Party’ (Sabhapatior Abhibhashan, Pabna Sammilani, in part) and ‘East and West in Greater India’ (Purva o Pachim).

RSN Memorial Library and Indological Research Institute

RSN Memorial Library and Indological Research Institute

Why do some persons collect books?: Perhaps, every man reads books, keeps books and many store books continuously with him. Yes, when a man reads one book and likes it very much, he wants to have it with him. In the same way, he likes the second, the third and so on, he likes, he loves and considers as valuable. After reading many books, when he comes to know the facts, reality and truth, he could find out the differences also. The more he reads about one subject, he comes to know, the more he is ignorant about the subject. Yes, knowledge is infinite, but the human mind is limited. The pursuit continues.

How books continue to live with the book collector?: When such books continue to live with him for years together, he remembers every line, paragraph, page;

• book, where and how he purchased it,
• that one could not buy immediately as he did not have enough money, but purchased later and added to his collection,
• for buying books and storing how sometimes he got objection from the parents, friends, room-mates and even from his wife – would be a normal experience.

Thus, he may be branded or dubbed as a bibliophile, book mania, worm of books and so on.

The book collector has to face many objections and opposition: He would not allow any book to be torn; damaged by insects and eaten away by white ants /termites. There would be fight between him and his wife for storing huge books occupying room, rooms and house. Sometimes, wife may sell them off secretly to wastepaper buyer. The wastepaper buyer tempts to add something with the newspapers to round off, so that it would weigh exactly ten kgs. Thus, she would bring one or two books and put in the scales to get adjusted. Besides, there would be by heavy rains, cyclones, floods and thereby his house is suffered with all natural climatic calamities. After rains, floods recede away, the moisture would be there and it produces insects and white ants that start attacking books.

to be inaugurated on 28-10-2023

Books not returned by friends: But with all these problems, that book collector goes on living with more and more books. Many times, he would be fooled and cheated by his friends also, as some of the take books from him but do not return. Thus, the book collector would start noting down in his diary, the names with books list would increase, but, never all books noted are returned. Many times, the book borrowers would reply, “I have already returned, you check up.” As bibliophiles, there are kleptomaniacs specialized in book stealing. Particularly, with rare books, it happens regularly.

Indological Research Institute….

What would happen to the book collection, after the book collector?: Thus, he lives with his family now with sons and daughters with the hope that they would or might carry on his hobby, venture or project with commitment, but, mostly, they would not be interesting. They may read some books of their choice and keep quite. The book collector grows with age and books. Saving the books from others, termites and floods, what to do with them – question arises? “What would happen to my valuable collection after me?” He would have spent more than Rs. 20 to Rs. 30 lakhs during the last 50 years. For steel racks, periodical cleaning and maintenance he would have spent many more lakhs for the same period. However, now, money is not matter, but the books have to be preserved and protected so that some others might use them.

William Jones, Max Mueller, Hermann Jacobi, Heinrich Zimmer, George Thibaut, Gutava Oppert

News cuttings and books in our Research Institute…

All book collector or displayers are not interested in books: The collection books for a cause, principle and ideology has been different from that of other collection of books. A devotee too has a large collection books on Vedas, Itihasas, Puranas and related literature, but, he is concerned about bakti, devotion, God and God related divine activities. A new advocate, consultant or even politician too fills up the book shelves behind with books.  He is not interested in the history, chronology, archaeology and other aspects of those subjects. But, our friend book collector is.

Racks containing books in our Institute….

Books destroyed to suppress the past, even the recent past: Moreover, there have been groups of people that buy old, rare and other books and destroys, because, they want to destroy the past, even, the recent past. We know how many libraries were, were burnt during the last 3500 years at many places. Even though, the Alexandrian library is talked about, there had been many-many Universities, Gurukulas and Patasalas, where the attached libraries had also been attacked, burned and razed down completely in India. Therefore, the preservation of the old and rare books is necessitated.

Even childish habit may convert to book collection: At earlier years, I started collecting books perhaps with “Ambulimama” (also known as Chandamama) and then converting serials like Ramayana, Mahabharata etc., into bound volumes. This created interest in buying and colleting Puranas. Of course, I learned such practice from my uncle. Book reading practice continued with book collection. When I was studying 9^th standard, I completed reading of Ponniyin Selvan, Kadalpura, Yavanari etc. One Rajagopalan, old book seller of the Station Road, West Mambalam used to provide me many books.

Thus created the library and research institute: The “RSN Memorial Library and Indological Research Institute” has been started with the collection of books, 60-years newspaper cuttings, booklets, pamphlets and other materials of S/Sri R.S. Narayanaswamy, Dr S. Kalyanaraman, K. V. Ramakrishna Rao and others. It is to be inaugurated by Dr Subramanian Swamy on October 28^th, Saturday, 2023 4.00 pm at Sri Vedanta Bhavanam, T. Nagar, Chennai, 600017 and Sponsored by the Vishva Hindu Vidya Kendra. Whoever is in Chennai, is invited to attend the function and who are away, kindly bless from your place.

K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

26-10-2023