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Jyotsna Kamat Ph.D. lives in Bangalore.
 | Saturday, August 09, 2008 | |
The Ishavasya Upanishad The Ishavasya UpanishadIt is usually believed that essence of Hinduism as revealed in theVedas lies in the Upanishads. There are more than a hundred Upanishads. All these deal with knowledge regarding Brahman or Brahmvidya. Sage Shankaracharya wrote commentary on the ten most important Upanishads. These are Isha or Ishavsya, Kena, Katha, Prashna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Taittiriya, Chhandogya Aitareya and Brihadaranyaka. Study of these ten Upanishads was part of basic education in ancient Indian spiritual lore and many learned people wrote commentaries on them besides the three Acharyas, to support their school of thought. Ishavasya is the smallest among these Upanishads, consisting of only 18 verses. But due to archaic language and cryptic phrases it is a difficult piece. The real meaning gets elusive. But it throws light on nature of God, duty of average individuals in this world and the virtues one has to cultivate till the end, towards realization of God The very first verse (or mantra to the pious people) declares that the whole world belongs to God. All that exists in the world is covered by God. There is nothing which an individual can call his or her own. Hence do not aspire for other's money, the Upanishad says. Money here means worldly belongings or personal attachments. “Do your duties (Karma) without any attachment and live for a hundred years. Such a life makes you free of all external and impure traits," says the second verse. The ignorant ones go on repeating external rituals, which lead them only towards further darkness. Self realization being the motto of all Upanishads some spiritual traits are to be developed by those who aim to attain it. The main discipline is detachment. One has to do all work without attachment. This discipline is called Karmayoga. Fruit of all our activities are to be surrendered at the feet of God. Next comes freedom from hatred. The ideal of a spiritual aspirant should be to remain unaffected by attachment or hatred. He must have compassion towards one and all. This is possible only when a person sees the Self in all people and all people in the Self. When the wise man perceives all is not distinct from his own Self, he would not hate any one, and the mind gets purified through detachment and self surrender. The Atman (Self) within, begins to shine, by and by. God is the great purifier, self resplendent, formless, and untainted by evil. Lokamanya Tilak advocated Karmayoga (selfless action) earliest traits of which before Bhagavadgita are found in this Upanishad. Mahatma Gandhi was very fond of this Upanishad and the first verse formed part of his daily evening prayer. Actually the Upanishad includes a prayer in the end that, this mortal body must turn into ashes, doing one’s duties, all the while and concentrating on God (here he is in the form of Agni) only. Masti Venkatesh Iyengar (1891-1986) the great short story writer has written a beautiful story Mantrodaya on the life of a sage who worked hard using his hands, poured his love and affection on all living creatures and spoke very little all his life. His last utterances on the day he completed one hundred years, poured out in the form of mantras of Ishopanishad as depicted by Masti. | ||
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| Saturday, July 26, 2008 | |
Gandhiji on Functioning of Democracy Elections are over in Karnataka. New government was sworn in. The slight change predicted in my earlier article in this column entitled, "Election Galore in Karnataka-2008" dated 11th May 2008 Sunday is that the hung assembly is temporarily averted as one party has won with hair-thin majority. It is worthwhile to recollect reflections of the Father of the Nation, on functioning of democracy. His thoughts expressed over 70 years ago are as relevant as ever.
THE TRUEST test of democracy is in the ability of anyone to act as he likes, so long as he does not injure the life or property of any one else. THE WISE policy is to enact as little class legislation as possible. A constitution under which laws are modified or repealed every now and then cannot be said to be stable or well organized. PEOPLE are generally unaware that Governments often deliberately violate their own laws. In face of emergency there is no time for undertaking fresh legislation. Governments therefore break the laws and do what they please. Afterwards they either enact new laws or make the people forget their breach of the law. STATES amenable to public opinion get out of awkward positions by appointing a commission which conducts only a nominal inquiry, as its recommendations are a foregone conclusion. THE DEMOCRACY of my conception is wholly inconsistent with the use of physical force for enforcing its will. DEMOCRACY cannot be evolved by forcible methods. The spirit of democracy cannot be imposed from without. It has to come from within. DEMOCRACY must in essence mean the art and science of mobilizing the entire physical, economic and spiritual resources of all the various sections of the people in the service of the common good of all. A BORN democrat is a born disciplinarian. Democracy comes naturally to him who is habituated normally to yield willing obedience to all laws, human or divine…. A democrat must be utterly selfless. He must think and dream not in terms of self or party but only of democracy. LIBERTY and democracy become unholy when their hands are dyed red with innocent blood. POWER resides in the people and it is entrusted for the time being to those whom they may choose as their representatives. Parliaments have not power or even existence independently of the people. DEMOCRACY will break under the strain of apron strings. It can exist only on trust. PARLIAMENTRARY democracy is not immune to corruption, as you who remember Tammany Hall and the Mayor of Chicago should know. MY NOTION of democracy is that under it the weakest should have the same opportunity as the strongest. ANY secrecy hinders the real spirit of democracy.
Edited excerpts from the book, "Wit And Wisdom of Gandhi" -by Homer A. Jack. The Perennial Press Bombay India 1961. | ||
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IT IS A superstition and an ungodly thing to believe that an act of a majority binds a minority. Many examples can be given in which acts of majorities will be found to have been wrong, and those of minorities to have been right. All reforms owe their origin to the initiation of minorities in opposition to majorities.
| Thursday, July 17, 2008 | |
Mandalay Days of Tilak It is well known that Lokmanya Tilak was sentenced to six years of solitary confinement and sent to Mandalay jail in present day Myanmar on 1898. Tilak could have hardly written about himself about the difficult time he spent in the dreary jail.One Kulkarni, a Marathi speaking person, also a prisoner, was asked to cook food for Tilak and he stayed in Mandalay for two years. Kulkarni has left reminiscences of the great leader.
Tilak was an early-riser. After morning ablutions, and meditation for an hour, he started writing his commentary on Bhagavadgita which is now famous as Gitarahasya (Mystery of Gita) after having tea. 9 A.M was time for bath. Part of the kitchen formed bathroom. A prisoner used to give him shave once a week. But the instruments used were rough and unhygienic. Tilak was diabetic and not to take any risk, he complained to the jail superintendent. A regular barber came whose payment was made by Tilak. It was so high that it seems Tilak exclaimed that even princes (Indian) do not spend so much on a shave. Summer used to be swelteringly hot and Tilak took bath twice a day. A Burmese prisoner washed his clothes. Puja ritual and recitation of Gayatrimantra followed and he used to apply pinch of ash on his forehead. Meals followed. He used to walk in his room for a short while. Studies were resumed. At 1.30 PM he took lime-juice. If hungry he ate fruit or drank milk. This was the hour of 'chat' with Cook Kulkarni. Tilak used to tell stories of Tukaram, Jnanadev, Ramdas, Krishna and Shivaji in addition to Ramayana and Mahabharata to Kulkarni. At 5 PM he had evening meals and at 6 PM the room was locked. He thus had to spend 12 hours in that small room without ventilation. After two years his diabetes was worse and Tilak became weak. Medicines prescribed had no effect. He himself introduced barley in his diet in place of rice. He was permitted wheat, pulses, milk and ghee. He reduced intake of sugar. He was fond of raw plantain bhaji, sour curd and at times ate puris of barley. He could not stand extreme hot climate of Mandalay and there were blisters on his body. His petition for change to Andaman prison was turned down by the British. "All right, it appears to be God’s wish that I should die in prison" Tilak exclaimed. Tilak was allowed an interview with outsiders once in three months. He was permitted to write a letter and receive one from his family members. Every word he wrote was checked. The Jailor once asked him to rewrite. Tilak was angry but only sighed and said "Servility hurts in a hundred ways". Once cook Kulkarni forgot to put salt in the curry. The mistake was found only when the cook sat to eat after serving Tilak. Later he was very apologetic. But Tilak just laughed and said. "I never noticed that there was no salt; it would hardly matter! No need to be apologetic". Tilak's cook was released much earlier and went back to Pune. He informed Tilak's family members about his routine. He was there to greet the Lokamnya after his release and return. Tilak asked Kulkarni to stay with him and he gratefully accepted. "I was a convict. But my sins were washed in the holy Ganga of a saint's company, and my life is fulfilled." Kulkarni has written. | ||
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| Friday, June 27, 2008 | |
Market day at Dharwad Mrs. Kamala Dongerkery (1909-1992) was a connoisseur of fine arts, music and literature. She was married at a tender age of 9 years to Prof. Sunder. N. Dongerkery a distinguished educationist who later rose to become Vice Chancellor and Rector. Kamala was a self taught and widely traveled person. She wrote books on Indian embroidery, toys and sarees. In her autobiography, "On the wings of time" (Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Bombay 1968), she gives vivid description of childhood memories and vignettes of her life of varied interests.Here is her description of weekly shanty( Sante) or Market day at Dharwad town, which almost continued in the same way till about 40 years ago.
Tuesday was important in Dharwad. From early morning cartloads of village produce trickled into the town. There was a great deal of excitement all round. The schools, officers and courts were scheduled for the morning hours. The women in the houses worked out their weekly requirements. The butter-woman came to the door with black earthen pots full of butter. To keep it cool she spread castor leaves over the butter before covering it with an earthen lid. She spread a buttery aroma about her. Even her clothes and hair smelt of fresh butter. She took out balls of butter from the pots and weighed them with care, as if they were gold, spreading them over the same castor leaves. She thus saved a little butter over the weight of the leaves. The quiet lanes of the bazaar were soon transformed into department stores, where you could buy anything from a buffalo to a biscuit, fresh vegetable, seasonal fruit, grain and groceries and what not. The cattle market was an interesting sight. Hefty buffaloes, jealous of their offspring, with sweet, day-old slimy calves, well-built cows with loaded udders chewing the cud on end, some alert, others unmindful of the bargaining, or the prospect of changing owners, and yet others lost in reverie only to be awakened by a flitting fly which they would sweep off in a moment with a swish of their tails. At dusk the village women turned homewards, tilting their baskets on their heads to balance their gait, with loads of weekly requirements, or with a few jingling rupees enfolded in a cloth wallet tucked firmly in one of the cups of their kubsa (blouse), or tied in a knot at their waists, to carry them through the week. As they hurried home the frills of their saris swayed to and fro on their left ankle, and they poured forth to their companions homely tales of love, adventure of woe. Occasionally, one could hear the smack of their lips over a jilebi bought at the santi or weekly bazar. As evening drew near, the stragglers converged into convoys, keeping pace with the bullock-carts that lazily wended their way home by the flickering lights of hurricane lamps suspended to the chassis.
See Also: Dharwad | ||
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| Friday, June 20, 2008 | |
Basti Pundalika Shenoy Basti Pundalika Shenoy (1903-1991)Basti Pundalika Shenoy was born in a poor Goud Saraswat family on August 05,1903. He studied up to III standard in Kannada and compelled later to work as an assistant to a tailor in sewing buttons. Then he became a full-fledged tailor. But he kept up his reading habit after working hours. Listening to Gandhi's lectures, he was drawn to India's freedom struggle at a very young and was jailed for his prominent role in local Satyagraha. During his prison days he studied and practiced the Hindi language learning from fellow prisoners. After his release, he specialized in Hindi, appeared for examinations and qualified as a teacher. He became a Hindi Teacher in Bantwal High-school and in addition also worked as a librarian. He had a flair for languages, and taught himself dialects of Hindi, English, Marathi, Bengali, and Gujarathi languages. His primary schooling was in Kannada and mother tongue wasKonkani. He also studied Sanskrit and Pali. Thus he was master of ten Indian languages! In 1952, Madras Government's ruling came that minimum qualification for high-school teachers should be S.S.L.C. (Secondary School Leaving Certificate Examination) even for teachers with higher qualifications in languages. Thus Shenoy appeared for his school final examination at the age of 50. South Kanara district was part of Madras Presidency at the time. He was a temperamental person, and after a tiff with the school management, he quit the job and started preparing writing ink and French Polish on a small scale to maintain himself and his family. Now he could find more time for his writing and research. He purchased a number of books from his meager income. He used to takeout abundant notes. He was the first person to establish that the Konkani Language is older than Marathi and never was its dialect. He wrote a book on comparative study of both languages in Kannada which was followed by a history of the Saraswat Community. He also tried to establish evolution of Brahmi Script from Indus script. "Brahmi Lipi Mattu Sindhu Samskriti" (Brahmi script and Sindhu Valley civilization), and study of Rigveda from historical perspective are, his other important works. He was a staunch follower of Gandhiji's teachings, which included propagation of Hindi, Khadi, upliftment of Harijans (Dalits) and fight against the caste system. He practiced, wrote, spoke, what he felt. His love of Konkani was limitless. Those were the days when Marathi protagonists had tried to establish that Konkani was not an independent language. It was a dialect of Marathi, they said. Shenoy took cudgel against them with his pen. Due to religious and Political compunctions Konkani people remained divided over centuries, in differently ruled regions and they had no united voice. He wrote a series of articles in "Saraswat" a weekly brought out by late V.S. Kudva from Mangalore. He wrote history of Konkani language and a monograph on Swastika. He breathed his last at his daughter Sumati Subraya Bhat's house in Mangalore on March 16, 1991. He was a free soul. He did not ask anybody for monetary help for his study or research and published some books on his own. His huge personal library consisting of valuable volumes is worth a fortune. Some of his books are posthumously published. A compilation of Konkani words in spoken Konkani of Karnataka (Konkani Shabda Sangraha) is one. His comparative study of Konkani and Marathi languages is a very interesting one. He has given more than hundred words from "Jnaneswari" which are in vogue in present day Konkani. Scholars call the language of Jnaneswari as old Marathi. Pundlik Shenoy has come to the conclusion that Saint Jananeswar wrote his famous commentary on the Bhagawad-gita in the language familiar to him, which was akin to Konkani. | ||
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| Tuesday, June 17, 2008 | |
The Mythic Society The Mythic Society (Founded 1909)For students and researchers, of ancient Indian history and culture, the Mythic Society library situated on Nripatunga Road, in the heart of city of Bangalore is a loving place. Its library houses 40,000 books old and new. Religion, philosophy, language, literature, Indology, archeology, epigraphy, sociology and many other topics. Its magnificent Daly Memorial Hall has witnessed several incidents of my life, sad and sweet. This is the spot where rich tributes were paid to late Dr. C. Sivaramamurti, Dr. G.S. Dikshit, my husband Dr. K.L. Kamat. It is the place, where I had occasion to listen to scholarly speeches of the learned as also spirited discussions. I have presented papers more than half a dozen times on social history and felt elated when I was felicitated along with four other ladies for contributing to original research in history and culture, some years ago. It has the some respect in the city as the Royal Asiatic Society had in Mumbai and Calcutta in bygone days. The society was founded by European scholars and residents of Bangalore in 1909. The aim of the society was to encourage study of history, ethnology and religions in Southern India. Its first president was the first director of the Indian Institute of Science as well, which was founded in the same year. Father Tabard, a Frenchman and the Parish priest of St. Patrick's Church became the second president and served for long. The Maharajas of Mysore and some Dewans were patrons. The members used to meet atl east once a month and some one amongst them delivered a talk and discussion followed. To start with, only 17 members were there. Within a year, its membership rose to 176. The building and library came into existence in 1917, on the site provided by the then Dewan of Mysore, M. Vishveshraya. Main donation came from the Resident Hugh Daly who also showed keen interest in the activities of the society. Hence his name is given to the hall. Prof. S. Krishnaswamy Iyengar, the distinguishes historian who was pioneer in bringing out South India’s contribution was the only Indian member. Many scholars from India and abroad sent their donations including Ashutosh Mukherji. Daly Memorial Hall has historical portraits of famous historians and presidents who were closely associated with the Mythic Society, on all its walls. The high ceiling and strong imposing pillars represent the steady Indian culture along with the love and respect of its members, through years. Dr. M.K.L.N. Shastry an engineer and teacher by profession and great lover of art by volition is the present president of Mythic Society. The Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society (QJMS) was started at about the same time. Old issues of this journal contain invaluable articles on Indology, religion, philosophy of great scholars of those times and Karnataka in particular. Dr.Suryanath Kamath, the distinguished historian is its present editor for more than quarter of a century now. There are publications brought out by the society on rare topics like Time in Indian Art, Mythology and Culture, Date of Mahabharata etc. The society has hosted several seminars of national level and has conducted Diploma in Indology. The year long centenary celebrations of Mythic Society started on May 4, 2008. Several seminars and speeches are arranged true to the original spirit of the society. | ||
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| Saturday, June 14, 2008 | |
The Story of Tara Among the women of Ramayana, depicted by sage Valmiki, Tara enjoys a unique place by her conviction, intelligence, presence of mind and courage.The Kishkindha Kanda of Ramayana, (Chapters 33 and 35) provide glimpses of a strong woman who rose to the occasion, to face a crisis, where her husband Sugreeva failed. Tara was the wife of Vali, the valorous chief of the Vanaras. In one of the campaigns Vali was absent for a long time and was supposed to be dead. His brother Sugreeva married Tara as per the custom of their clan. But when Vali returned, Tara switched back her loyalty to Vali. Vali also took Ruma, Sugreeva's wife Ruma in vengeance, after defeating him. In the famous incident of Vali-Sugreeva combat Vali finally was killed by Rama. Before that, Tara had pressed Vali to return Ruma back to Vali and not to kill Sugreeva. Vali agreed finally to her wish, that he would only defeat and not kill his brother. Tara was courageous and present at the battle field where the brothers fought. She rebuked the monkeys, who started fleeing after Vali's fall and rallied forth. During his last moment Vali advised Sugreeva to consult Tara on all important occasions. "Tara's advice never goes without effect", he said. After Vali's death, Tara requested Rama to send her to her husband's place with the same arrow which killed him. Rama consoled her and said, "Wives of heroes never sink into despair." © K.L.Kamat She now became queen of Sugreeva again. Forgetting his promise to help Rama in his search of Sita, King Sugreeva indulged in all types of pleasures, for a prolonged period. This apathy annoyed Rama and he expressed his displeasure to Laksmana. In great anger, Laksmana rushed to Kishkindha, to remind Sugreeva of his broken promise. Sugreeva was engaged in orgies and quite tipsy when news reached him that Lakshmana had arrived as Rama's emissary and in full anger. He was frightened and in no position to face him feeling guilty. He could think only of Tara to get over the humiliating situation. He sent her to face the fretting and fuming Lakshmana. Tara rose to the occasion. She came out to receive Lakshman gracefully and with kind and polished words she was able to convince that her husband had not forgotten his promise. The conversation between Lakshman and Tara forms an interesting event in Ramayana. She told him that Sugreeva was not ungrateful. Neither was he cunning or heartless. Having suffered untold miseries for a long time, he was now absorbed in small pleasures. It behooved noble Rama to forgive bodily weaknesses. She told about the steps her husband had taken to mobilize his army to assist Rama in fighting Ravana. She discreetly suggested that wily Ravana was also in need of Sugreeva's help. She reminded that even a great Sage like (Viswamitra) engaged in bodily pleasures and temporarily forgot his duties. She tried to convince Lakshmana that seeing his furious mood, the wives Sugreeva will be terribly upset and reminded again of the gory incident from which they had just come out. K.L.Kamat Lakshman cooled down. Now Tara went and briefed Sugreeva to be prepared to receive Lakshman courteously and talk tactfully. She herself led Lakshman to Sugreeva and everything ended on a happy note. He actually apologized for the harsh language used in condemning Sugreeva over a broken promise. In the age when women were supposed to have lost all individuality, Tara stands out for independent views and tactful behavior. Both her husbands were convinced about her ability and relied on her. Incidentally it throws light that the curse of widowhood did not exist in certain clans of he period and women could remarry. They had some sort of socio-e | ||
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| Tuesday, June 10, 2008 | |
The Story of Garuda Vikas has compiled a fascinating array of pictures depicting Garuda in Indian Art, and prompted me to write about the mighty bird.
The Story of Garuda According to the Hindu Puranas, Garuda is son of sage Kashyapa and Vinata. His elder brother is Aruna, the charioteer of Sun god Surya. Vinata and her sister Kadru once saw the heavenly horse Uchhaisravas grazing near the seashore. Vinata said it was a pure white horse. Kadru insisted that its tail was black. They went on arguing. Kadru suggested that they come next day and check again. Whosoever's version was incorrect she will become slave of the other. Finding that her observation was incorrect, Kadru with her son Karkota's help, painted Uchhaishrava's tail black. Poor Vinata became her slave. When Garuda also as son of slave had to serve Kadru and her sons, who were serpents, he was very much annoyed. He approached Kadru and asked how he and his mother could be liberated. She told him that the only way was to bring nectar from the land of gods. With the blessings of his father, Garuda set off for the land of gods. After reaching that world, Garuda fought the guards who kept a vigil on the pot of nectar (Amrita) and crossed all hurdles of various weapons. Lord Indra also came to recover the drink of immortality. Garuda faced him fearlessly. Pleased at his valor, Indra allowed him to take the Amritakalasha (pot of nectar) but warned that the serpents should not have access to it. He also blessed him that he will have the diet of serpents. Garuda flew back and placed the nectar-pot before Kadru, and who wanted her progeny to become immortal. She ordered them to have a bath before having a drink of Amrita. When the reptiles left for bath, Indra appeared and carried away the pot back to heaven. When the serpents returned there was no nectar. They tried to lick the drops fallen on grass. All their tongues were split! Thereafter Garuda flew to freedom with his mother and later became the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. Garuda (Indian Eagle) is not seen eating carrion, (like vultures) and is supposed to be a clean bird. Known for speed it flies very high in the sky. It became a symbol of courage, faithfulness and unflinching duty. There are many sacred places named after Garuda. Suparna (having pretty wings) is the other popular name of this mighty bird.
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| Sunday, June 08, 2008 | |
Major General -- W.H. Sleeman Major General Sir W.H. Sleeman on Public Spirit of IndiansMajor General Sir W.H. Sleeman (1788-1856) who spent 47 years in India had a brilliant record of eliminating thugs, a criminal tribe who were a great menace. He was fond of India and its rich culture. His book, Rambles and Recollections, provides glimpses of society of mid 19th century-North India. Here is his reply to his compatriots who criticized that India lacks public spirit. While sitting at my tent door looking upstairs beautiful sheet of water and upon all the noble works around me, I thought of the charge, so often made against the people of this fine land of the total want of public spirit among them, by those who have spent their Indian days in the busy courts of law and still more by the busy commercial establishments of our great metropolis.
If by the term public spirit be meant a disposition on the part of individuals to sacrifice their own enjoyments, or their own means of enjoyment for their common good, there is perhaps no people in the world among whom it abounds so much as among the people of India. To live in the grateful recollections of their countrymen for benefits conferred upon them in great works of ornament and utility is the study of every Hindoo of rank and property. Such works tend, in his opinion, not only to spread and perpetuate his name in this world, but through the good wishes and prayers of those who are benefited by them, to secure the favour of the deity in the next. (world) According to their notions, every drop of rain water or dew that falls to the ground from the green leaf of a fruit tree, planted by them for the common good, proves a refreshing draught for their souls in the next. When no descendant remains to pour the funeral libation in their name, the water from the trees they have planted for the common good, proves a refreshing draught for their souls in the next. The water from the trees they have planted for the public good is destined to supply its place. Everything judiciously laid out to promote the happiness of their fellow creatures, will in the next world, be repaid to them tenfold by the deity. In marching over the country in the hot season, we every morning find our tents pitched on the green ward amid beautiful groves of fruit trees, with wells of pukkha (brick or stone) masonry, built at great expense and containing the most delicious water, but how few of us ever dream of asking at whose cost the trees that afford us and our followers, such agreeable shade, were planted, or the wells that afford us such copious streams of fine water in the midst of dry arid plains were formed? We go on enjoying all the advantages which arise from the noble public spirit that animates the people of India to benevolent exertions. Without once calling in question the truth of the assertion of our metropolitan friends, that “the people of India have no public spirit!
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| Friday, June 06, 2008 | |
Jamila Brijbhushan In the early 1970s, when I was doing my doctorate in social history of medieval Karnataka, I wanted to include a chapter on the dress and ornaments, which idea was endorsed by my research guide, (Late) Prof. G.S. Dikshit. I had gone at that time through Jamila Brijbhushan's book on Indian Jewelry which was profusely illustrated. That book provided guidelines to my husband. He prepared hundreds of line drawings based on photographs he clicked from numerous temples of Karnataka which were later included in my book.© K.L.Kamat Presently I am writing a biography of Kamaladevi Chattopadhya in Konkani and had occasion to go through Jamila Brijbhushan's book on her. She has done full justice to Kamaladevi's many splendorous life. Meanwhile I came to know that the writer was also quite versatile. Jamila Brijbhushan (1918-1990) Jamila was born in a prosperous Muslim Zamindar family of Uttar Pradesh. She studied in Christian convents and later went to Lucknow University. There she fell in love with Brijbhushan and they got married in 1942 much against the will of elders of both the families. But stronger opposition came from society. Hindu-Muslim tensions were high in North India at the time. The young couple were forced to flee from place to place, at times into hiding to avoid attempts on their life. Finally they settled in Delhi. Brijbhushan got a job as a librarian. Jamila had frail health. But she continued writing on varied subjects like costumes, textiles, embroidery, metal ware and miniatures. She has also written a book on status of Muslim women in purdha and out of it. Muslim women in medieval times were great achievers, right from the days of Prophet Muhammad. There were women in business, good number of judges, poets, and played active role in political and religious affairs. Jamila toured Europe and America with her husband and lived there for many years. She made a master copy of the language newspapers and journals of South East Asian countries for the Library of Congress (D.C) as also Rockefeller foundation. Her last book was on Razia Sultan, the great queen of India who ruled briefly. (1236-1240) It is a posthumous publication. She developed tubercular encephalitis and meningitis and later Parkinson's Disease which compelled long hospitalization. She died on October 6th 1990. The Brijbhushans had two daughters. Jamila's style is lucid but at the same time she has eye for details. After going through several works on Kamaladevi I find that she has laid correct stress on important points of Kamaladevi's outstanding service in different fields. It is rare that the writer and the written persons are themselves great achievers. See Also: | ||
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