Fallen but not forgotten- Remembering WW-I Martyrs

Armed Forces have a credo- 'Our soldiers/sailors/airmen may have fallen but they are not forgotten'. We honour our fallen heroes and pay them tributes year after year. 
World War-I was no different. Tens of thousands of soldiers lost their lives. When the War ended in 1919, it was decided to observe a Remembrance Day on 11th November every year. It is also known as the Armistice Day. 

This is an exclusive guest story on Remembrance Day-2017 for Ghumakkad's blog. Credits for this story are as follows:
Story: Trixie Asirvatham

Story facts courtesy Irene Swasbrook, London, and pictures courtesy Reginald Solomon, Bangalore.   Used with permission.
Photo credits:   Vijay Alphonse, Bangalore.  Used with permission

Photo and video credits:  Sam Elisha, Bangalore.  Used with 
permission
Trixie's words:

On November 19^th 2017, we observed Remembrance Day at our church, St. John’s Church Bangalore, in remembrance of Armistice Day.  At a solemn and colorful ceremony, led by our Presbyters, Rev G Wilson and Rev V Prabhakar, we honoured all the brave people from the armed forces who laid down their lives in World War 1 - both British and Indian forces.  

St. John's Church, consecrated in 1858, is named after St. John the Evangelist.  It is the fourth oldest Protestant Church in Bangalore.  It is a CSI church but was once a garrison church built by the British army for the use of the troops stationed in Bangalore.  

As Armistice Day marked the end of hostilities of World War-1, the Armed Forces traditionally play an important role in the Remembrance Day  service. The army band from the neighbouring Pioneer Corps Training Centre played at the ceremony, officers laid wreaths, officers read out the Bible passages, officers including my husband Rajan took the offertory bags around, and so on.

Two veterans from the Indian Navy and Indian Army and a serving lady doctor from the Indian Air Force laid wreaths at our church altar.  There were candles in three colors  (red, white, purple) to symbolise sacrifice, peace (comes from protection)  and  nobility/valour+spirituality) which were then lighted by the three officers.

It was good for sleepy St. John's to wake to the rousing sound of the military band from the PCTC playing percussion, wind and brass instruments, with old favourite battle hymns like Onward Christian Soldiers, Rock of Ages, The Battle Hymn of the Republic -  a  patriotic marching song,  Eternal Father, Strong to Save – a song about God’s protection on the waters, His peace and calm in the midst of raging storm and tempest, Lead Kindly Light - Gandhiji’s favourite hymn,  and others.

We listened to a gripping sermon by a fiery visiting  pastor, Rev. Emmanuel Nehemiah, who spoke about a borderless peaceful world and a borderless church and visualised the ideal world as portrayed in the last book of the Bible in Revelation when the lion would lie down with the lamb and a little child would lead them. 

At the end of the service, a lone bagpiper played Amazing Grace and led the slow march of the pastors, the wreath-bearing officers, the band, the choir and the rest of the congregation in a solemn procession to the Cenotaph (war memorial) outside the church where there was a short, touching service in memory of those who laid down their lives in the World War.   Some of their names are engraved on the Cenotaph. 

St. John's Church is the only Indian Church with a war memorial within the  church premises.  The Cenotaph is a simple structure with a cross, outside the church building but within its walls. 

Remembering the Fallen-but-not-forgotten

Remembrance Day Wreath Bearers

From left to right:  Flt Lt Radhika H. Umale from the Indian Air Force, Cmde P.R. Franklin veteran of the Indian Navy and Col B.G. Cariappa, veteran of the Indian Army at St. John's Church, Bangalore.

Each of the three officers bearing wreaths solemnly slow-marched around the Cenotaph, saluted and laid their wreaths one by one. There were two retired officers (one was Cmde Franklin, our neighbour) and one serving lady doctor in Air Force uniform whom many girls from our church were interested in meeting later! 

The band played “Abide with me”, with the congregation joining in.  It was a short, moving service and then the band   played the Last Post.  I remember this tune so well, resounding in the hills, from my childhood Dehra Dun days living in an Army cantonment.

After we observed two minutes of respectful silence, the  band played the Rouse. Then the National Anthem, with everyone standing to attention.  Then the band marched out and we all dispersed. 

A personal quest linked to the Cenotaph
 

Irene Swasbrook from UK was happy to hear that people who died in war, like her grandfather whose name is on the cenotaph, were being regularly honoured every year in a ceremony on Remembrance Day even  to this day.  In June this year she had made a trip from London to Bangalore in a quest to find the graves of her loved ones in St. John’s Cemetery, Kalpalli.  Here Irene (3rd from left) is seen with her husband Richard (extreme right), her hostess in Bangalore Mary (2nd from left) and Reginald Solomon (1st from left) of St. John’s Church who helped her in her search and also to find the etched name of her grandfather on the Cenotaph in St. John’s church. It is heartwarming to note the emotional connection that the memorial has for people like Irene whose forbears are mentioned there.

Irene says: “Harry Darwin Thorpe is my grandfather –  whose name is on the cenotaph in St. John’s Church -  my mother’s father and also the father of Ewart Fitzgerald Thorpe whose  ashes are scattered in the same grave where David, my brother’s ashes were scattered in July of this year.   My grandmother Lucy Thorpe also attended St. John’s Church for many many years, right up to the time she passed away. “

While at Kalpalli Cemetery, Irene also located the graves of her paternal great-grandfather Major General Robert Griffith Lewis of the Madras Staff Corps and of his wife Lucy.  Irene estimates that Lewis had come to India in 1854 from Dorking in the county of Surrey, England and probable date of death was 30^th Dec,1888.
Postscript: In fact St John's Church Cemetery at Kalpally Bangalore has been visited by many descendants who come hunting for their ancestors. Readers may browse the story 'Blow a Lament' published in the Business Standard.
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Hope you enjoyed browsing the story. If it brought you goose bumps, the fallen heroes would have blessed you.

Thanks Trixie for all the inputs and for your superb story.

War Memorials exist in major military formations and stations where wreaths are laid by visiting dignitaries. Wreaths are also laid on the Raising Day of a Unit. India Gate in Delhi is one such memorial where wreaths are laid by the Prime Minister of India on Republic Day (26th January) and by the three Service Chiefs on Army Day (15th January), Navy Day (4th December),  Air Force Day (8th October) and Vijay Diwas (15th December) every year. Ghumakkad had visited Belgaum recently which has a Hall of Valour honouring its brave soldiers.

We end with a quote from one of the young fallen officers Capt Vikram Batra who was awarded  Param Vir Chakra posthumously, the highest gallantry award during war time in India.

Thanks for browsing. Your feedback is welcome, as always.

      -   Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 19th Dec 2017

Munnar the charm of Kerala

______________ Munnar: The Charm of Kerala ______________ 

In this travelogue, we take you to Munnar-- a hill station hidden till 1790s from rest of India. Munnar was developed during the British rule primarily for growing tea. It has the right climate-- cool and moist which suits tea plants. Located 130 kms east of Kochi, it is a 4-hour drive through busy roads in Kerala.

Asirvathams (Rajan and Trixie from Bangalore) and Bhargavas (Harsh and Neeta from Secunderabad) drove to Munnar in a hired Maruti Ertiga in March 2014. This picture story written by Trixie, is a personal account of the journey.

Close to Kochi airport is a victory tower erected in honour of Adi Shankaracharya. An imposing structure towering above the coconut trees. The suggestion to visit the monument was given by Tuhin Choudhary, an avid traveller himself.

High noon sun was pretty hot while we waited outside the airport for Rajan and Trixie to arrive from Bangalore. We spotted a sugarcane juice kiosk. The owner had migrated from Bihar.

Our drives up and down the hills were enlivened by photo stops for picturesque waterfalls and magnificent bridges.

India has variety in the way shops are named. For example a hardware store selling floor tiles in Kerala calls it a 'Tiles Park'. See the picture taken while following a tiles delivery van.

Another observation we made was on different architecture for churches. 

Padani (juice  tapped from the palmyra palm tree) served in palm leaf cups and nongu  - 3  fleshy fruits  in thin white jackets, scooped from the purple-colored whole fruit of the palmyra palm (a first for Neeta). 

At Valara waterfall viewpoint, we had the delicious fresh pineapple sliced and served in paper cups with salt and masala.  

We also saw two motor cyclists who had driven all the way up.

At Munnar, we soaked in the atmosphere of the High Range Club, redolent of the British times - wooden  interiors and bay windows; charming Ladies' room with mirrors, curtains and diwans; cute Kids Room with giraffes and lions painted on the walls; a piano that Neeta and I could play on; a welcoming dining room and very comfortable, spacious rooms overlooking the gardens with gorgeous flowers. See the pictures below.

The flower bed in front of our cottages-- riot of colour.

High Range Society also runs schools in Munnar.

Harsh's postcscript: Talking of flowers, the garden in High Range Club is a treat to the eye. You can spend hours admiring the beauty of each flower. Initially I thought of inserting few collages of the flowers like the one below:

But I couldn't resist the individual flowers in single frames which are simply stunning. Isn't it?

 

 

 

Hope it wasn't an overdose of flowers! If it was, please pardon my exuberance with my lens.

Trixie's story continues. Harsh and Rajan played their game of golf in a course all to themselves. Please carry your IGU card to avail a discounted green fee of Rs 50/- against the normal Rs 500/-

Neeta was prompt to organise some lime juice for all of us and Harsh managed to add fresh fruit to the breakfast menu and salad to the dinner menu!  

We walked through a spice garden with its own spice products outlet, with a tour guide taking us in a jeep and telling us which spice was which.  Harsh took plenty of pictures in a green field of rice with a well beside it, which had an old-fashioned cane basket. 


It had just rained when we visited the spice garden. Rain drops were still perched like pearls on rice leaves. Picture below tells its own story.

We saw two Kerala cultural performances in rustic theatres.  The first was  a Kathakali dance.  Before the actual performance, one of the dancers completed his elaborate makeup on stage. 

This was the demon getting dressed up! See his full make up in pictures below.

Thereafter, another dancer demonstrated the different mudras (hand gestures) and facial expressions while a narrator explained their meanings. 



This was followed by an actual Kathakali dance performance where a demon pretends to be a beautiful lady but shows her true form when repeatedly repulsed by a king.  The demon lady's loud shrieks from the back of the hall (when she changes into her demon form) got the heads of the audience turning.   

The king and the demon clash in a bitter fight where the demon is demolished.


A note for fellow travellers: For both these performances, please book your tickets in advance during the holiday season.

We then went to an arena where we saw a performance of Kalaripayattu, said to be "the mother of all martial arts".  Among the world's oldest fighting systems, Kalaripayattu is in existence from at least the  12th century AD.   The name literally means a space/school (kalari) of exercises/fighting (payattu). Some of its stances and techniques can be seen in judo and kung fu. 

Before beginning the performance,  the performers first worship the deities - Ganapathi, and the snake god;  the gurus, the Puttara or altar with diyas to the gods who support the power and concentration of the students; the weapons; the soil on which the performers practice; and the competitors.  To enter a kalari, one should step in with the right leg, touch the ground with the right hand and then touch the forehead (and chest). In this way, respect is paid to the soil on which practice takes place, and students express their dedication to the space and the training itself. 

We watched young boys exhibiting their flexibility, agility and concentration using weapons - swords, daggers, axes and sticks; athletic leaps and kicks; wrestling, self-defence and other martial art techniques. Some also swung two rods with flaming ends, in an intricate series of spell-binding movements. Another art was " flying like a bird" through one, then two, then three rings of fire - performed successfully as we held our collective breath.  

Kalaripayattu training is completed by a unique healing system closely related to ayurveda. It includes, among other things, massages that heal and make the body flexible, and teachings about marmas – vital points of the human body.

More about Kalaripayattu at http://www.studiokalari.art.pl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=66&Itemid=62&lang=en

Although we have seen a tea factory before, our visit to the Kanan Devan Cooperative Limited (KDCL) tea factory was an eye opener.  We first entered a tea museum, where early machinery used by the British in Munnar was displayed, along with old photographs of the planters and their wives at social gatherings; heavy machinery being hauled up a hill by horse-drawn vehicles, and so on.  We were inclined to skip the video - but it turned out to be a well produced documentary of the entire region - the High Range hills and their transformation into tea plantations; the arrival of the Mudumals  - literally the "Back People" from Tamil Nadu (so called because they used to carry their children and belongings on their backs).  They were knowledgeable about the hills, the ecosystem and animals in the area and were a source of information to the British as they surveyed the land and mapped the area, planted tea, built houses and later established a tea factory.  

A cup of tea has universal appeal. But what William Gladstone said about tea caught our eye. See the picture below.

After the British left India, the Tatas took over the factory.  They also set up Srishti,a social enterprise to create training employment for women in garment-making and tie-dyeing, and to provide education for children with special needs.  During a time of economic depression, the  Tatas exited the plantations, but they continue running Srishti.  

 Tatas then offered shares to the employees who created a new entity, the Kanan Devan Cooperative Limited (KDCL) which has been successfully kept going ever since, growing and processing tea. The Vision statement displayed in the Tea Museum says it all.

Before our tour of the Tea Factory, we were given a thorough briefing by an extremely knowledgeable and articulate young man about the qualities, types and grades of tea, the process by which it is made in the factory,  its medicinal benefits and how it should be made for serving at home - never boiled with milk and sugar (as is usually done in India). Green tea should not be drunk on an empty stomach.  Is tea a plant, a shrub or a tree?  Much to our surprise,  we were told it's a tree - which is trimmed periodically and then cut to the almost the roots once in a few years.  There are tea trees that are 250 years old in Munnar and 400 years old in China! 


During our tour of the factory,  we saw how fresh tea leaves are processed in machines - tea is cut, torn and cured or 'crush-tear-curl' (CTC), and graded into different qualities depending on the quality of leaf and the length of leaf (long-leaf tea is lightest, with best flavour, tea dust is  strongest).  Tea leaves from the top of the plant stems are hand-picked and sorted to be made into white, green and black teas. Tea leaves from lower down the plant stems are of lower quality and stronger and are picked with shears - the leaves fall into the baskets of the pickers. 

After our visit to the tea factory we picked up a few packs of tea at the company outlet.

There are many spots with tea gardens in the background which offer the tourists a photo-op. Trixie and Rajan first.

Followed by Neeta and Harsh.

Munnar also has few other tourist spots like the Mattupatty Dam and Echo Point. Pictures during our drives.

We relished Gujarati thali during lunch at Puroihit Restaurant which had also been recommended to us by Tuhin Choudhary. Food at The High Range Club was delicious.

Pallivasal waterfalls during monsoon visit are a must-see. We saw only a trickle in March. See the dried grass/moss on the rock faces. It has seen many accidents despite warning board erected by village Panchayat.

We met some school children from a local high school. When asked about their ambition in life, three of them wanted to become footballers. Yes, football continues to be a popular sport in Kerala.

At a windy view point, we saw these woolen caps-cum-mufflers being sold. Talk of 'Promotion' and 'Place'-- the 4 Ps of marketing!

We had a lovely relaxing time in the green hills of Munnar, amid the tea and spice gardens, the flowers and the waterfalls.  

"Harsh you were lucky to see the mist in the early morning - we weren't able to get up", quipped Trixie. To experience the magic of a misty morning in Munnar, see the next story.

 Hope you enjoyed this travelogue to Munnar in Kerala, India.
Your comments/experiences/pictures of previous visits are welcome.

Bye till the next part on Misty Mornings and Bird Life of Munnar.

    - Harsh the Gumakkad with inputs from Trixie/ 30th May 2014

______________________ End of Munnar Part-1 _______________________