Sharada Bhushan - Indumati - my mother

My mother, Sharada Bhushan, daughter and eldest child of Muniswamy Naidu and Hymavathy Naidu of Chennai, traveled from south India, to Mumbai upon her marriage to Balapila Naga Bhushan. At the time of her first journey to Mumbai, she had never been to the great megapolis, did not know Hindi or Marathi, and had a smattering knowledge of English. She had studied M.A. in Telugu at the University of Madras, at Queen Marys College, and was later teaching Telugu at Stella Maris College.

She arrived at Mumbai, learnt the art of cooking food on a kerosene stove, and later using gas cylinders, did her house management for more than 15 years without a refrigerator, and for more than 20 years without a washing machine. She would wake up at 05.00 - 06.00 am everyday, take care of her needs, cook food for everyone - breakfast, lunch and dinner in one go - and leave home by 07.30 - 08.00 am to go to the Andhra Education Society High School and would return only around 7.00 pm.

She studied and learnt and mastered English, Hindi, Marathi, History and HR while at Mumbai. I studied Marathi along with her, getting the Pravin, Pravesh and Prabodh certificates in Marathi. She also completed her B.Ed and M.Ed degrees.

[To be continued...]

With my mother, Sharada Bhushan, sometime in 1963

My mother would sometimes speak of her early days in Mumbai... of her fear in traveling alone around and about in the big big city. She said that the fear lasted about a couple of months. Later, I remember, she would take me and my sister, even as kids in KG and primary school, and we would travel through suburban trains, buses, change over at different stations and bus stands, or sometimes we would travel by train, bus, train bus etc if we would go to Borivili to meet Rosy Aunty (Nagendra Babu's elder sister).

My parents, B. N. Bhushan and Sharada (Indumati) Bhushan, sometime in 1962

Narayanaswamy Naidu, Chinna Thayamma and some friends who made good in Trichy during 1905 to 1940

One contemporary friend or acquaintance of my paternal maternal great grandfather, Shri Narayanaswamy Naidu and my paternal maternal great grandmother, Chinna Thayamma, residents of 12 Mannar Pillai Street, Trichy during 1900 to 1950 at least, or perhaps 1960, was that they had some friends whose names are remembered by relatives to this date. My father, Balapila Naga Bhushan, used to speak of a well known sweetmeat merchant in Trichy, who began in Palakarai area around 1905 and later, (1908, it seems, as I found out from the net) and established a successful business. This was Shri B. Govindarajulu Naidu. My paternal grandfather, Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam, was born in Srivilliputhur in 1899, and was sent up to live in Chennai with his sisters, Balamma and Shanmughavalli sometime in 1910.

Shri Narayanaswamy Naidu and Chinna Thayamma were acquainted with Shri B. Govindarajulu Naidu, and my father remembers my grandfather speaking about him after he moved to Trichy upon marriage with Rambai, and resettled in the town.

I read from the internet pages from the well doing sweetmeat shop - BG NAIDU SWEETS - that the brand name is doing well and is a household name in Trichy and Pudukkottai districts. Began in 1908 by Hon. Shri B. Govindarajulu Naidu, the shop chain is a successful business firm now. Shri Govindarajulu Naidu came from a small hamlet, Iluppur, between Pudukottai and Viralimalai. He was followed by his son, Hon. Shri B. G. Bakthavatchalam. I remember my father speaking about Shri Bakthavatchalam on occasion, in reference to Trichy. They have dairy farms at Keelamullaikudi village, Trichy and a centralized industrial kitchen at Sangliandapuram, Trichy. Shri B. G. Bakthavatchalam and Smt. B. Santha Bakthavatchalam have been followed by his four sons - Mr. G. B. Balaji, Mr. B. Badrinath, Mr. B. Kedarnath and Mr. B. Amarnath. [From the information in their website - I was intrigued by the choice of names - Venkateswara and Shiva... remarkable and terrific. Much like Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam's choice of Krishna and Ram for his sons.]

Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam - my paternal grandfather - the history of the name

The name, Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam, is unique and with a glorious tradition to it. I want to write it here and present it to all my cousins and nephews and nieces, and those to come... for them to know and to be proud.

To speak about the name in this unique combination - Shyamala + Ranga + Bhashyam, one needs to invoke the words -

Srimathe Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikaya Namaha

Sri Ranganatha Divya Mani Padhukabhyam Namaha

The name is part of the guru parampara from Narayana himself (ie Vishnu) to Shri Ramanuja, aka Bhagavath Ramanuja, and this parampara is known also as the Sri Bhashya Parampara. There are many other names to the succession, and one of them also includes the terms Alavandar and Peria Nambi, which are quite significant and I shall explain in a different post. 

The initial names of the guru parampara are - 

(3 names deemed to be that of the gods)

Shri Narayana, Vishnu, Sri Vasudevan

Sri Mahalakshmi

Shri Vishvaksenar

Nammalvar

Sri Nathamuni

Sri Pundarikakshar or Uyyakondar

Sri Ramamisrar or Sri Manakkal Nimbi

Sri Alavandar

(of these, Sri Nathamuni and Sri Alavandar are also names in the family)

From this point - the Rahasyam of Sri Bhashyam begins as the Bhagavath Vishayam

And, most significantly, some branches of various families get to locations in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and even north to Haridwar and all the way back to Nepal and Tibet. But, these breaks are beyond any geneology, and return only when they become an entirely new group, language, gotra, caste or community. 

The line of names in the guru parampara continues -

Peria Nambi Peria Nambi

Sri Ramanujar

Prana tharthi haran Thirukurugai Pillan - or - Thiru Kurukai Pillan
RamAnuja Pillan Sri Vishnu Chithar - or - Vishnu chithar

RangarAja Pillan Nadadur Ammal - or - NadAdur Ammal

[all breaks go towards Kerala]

Appullar

Swamy Desika

Kumara Varadhachar

Brahma thanthrar

Gadika satham Ammal

AdhivannSatakopar

Sri Varadha VishnuvAchar [the name - Varada - is established]

MahaDaya Deesar

Ahobilam Desikachar [all breaks go towards south Andhra Pradesh]

Shashta Parankusamuni 

Srisaila Thatha Desikan 

Srisailam Srinivaschar

Vasthya Ramanujachar 

Paravasthu Venkatanathachar 

Velamur Ranganathachar 

Chithanna Veeraraghavachar - or - Srisaila Venkatachar

VelAmur Rangapathi Desikan 

Kalyanavaham Ranganathar 

Paduka sevaka Ramanujar

Gopalarya Maha Desikan

Vazhuthur Andavan

A distinct root gets established in the guru parampara at this moment at Srirangam, onwards - 

The root is also known as the Kalakshepa Parampara and is based at,  of all places, the most significant - also at Poundarikapuram Asramam - that is, the Ashrama of Pundarika, much much before the place of Pandharpur in Maharashtra becomes a significant pilgrimage location. 

Vazhuthur Andavan

PeriAsramam, srirangam Poundarikapuram Asramam,

Many other acharyas take the line forward from here...  And the guru parampara is now known as - Sribhashya or Bhagavat Vishaya Parampara - totally dedicated to the Srimad Bhagavad and gets to be firmly established exclusively as the Sri Bhashya Parampara

The primary acharya now, is - Thirukkurugai Piran Pillan

[Very significant in the sense that Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam's family + house name was Bala Pilavar or Balapila]

Thirukkurugai Piran Pillan aka Kurukesar was the second son of Periya Thirumalai Nambi, and therefore also rendered himself as the younger Piran Pillan aka Thirukkurugai Balapiran Pillan. Born in 1161 AD, within Poorvashada Nakshatram, in the month of Srimuka Aippasi, in the Shadamarshana Gothra. 

Thirukkurugai Piran Pillan was entrusted directly to the care of Sri Ramanuja and studied vedanta, divya prabandham and other sastras, and performed sidhantha pravachanam in Srirangam. He authored the Bhagavath Vishayam in 6000 padi. Sri Ramanuja decreed that this great work should be recognised as one of the important kalkshepa grantham. 

Sri Bhashyakarar was given the responsibility by Sri Ramanuja to appoint simhasanatipatis for the propagation of the Srimad Bhagavat. Seventy-four (74) simhasanatipatis were appointed. Of them, Thirukkurugai Piran Pillan was also one of them given the responsibility for the propagation of the Srimad Bhagavat. 

The line continued - 

Thirukkurugai Piran Pillai

Sri Vishnu Chithar (1106 to 1197 BC) - conducted pravachanam to vaishnavas in Srirangam. Authored Vyaakyana Grantham for Vishnu Puranam. 

Nadadur Ammal - Varada Desikar (1165-1275) - The name - Varada - becomes firmly entrenced in the guru parampara henceforth. 

This is indeed an amazing verse - 3  related family names are part of this - Varada, Bhushan and Bhashyam. My maternal great-grandfather was Varada, and my paternal grandfather was Bhashyam, while my father's name was Bhushan.

Vandheham varadharyam tham vathsabhi jana bhooshanam

Bhashyamrutha pradhanadyas sanjeevayathi mamapi

The guru parampara continues

Srimad Adivan Satakopajeer (b. 1379) - established the sacred Ahobila Mutt and was the first Acharya for more than sixty years, until 1458.

Sri Ranga Ramanujar - aka Upanishad Bhashyakkarar - in a very significant rendition says -

Yenopanishadham bhashyam ramanuja mathanugam

ramyam krutham prapadhye tham ranga ramanujam munim

Continuing -

Sri Ranganathaya - born to Swamy Desikan in 1317 AD. Was succeeded by his son and disciple -

Kumara Varadacharya - aka - Nainaracharya.

He set up an idol of his father at the Srirangam temple, and later, at the banks of the Venna River, at Thanjavur, he installed an image of his father in the temple of Neelamegha Perumal. 

Later,  he composed the Pillai Anthadhi - a poetic tribute to his father in 20 slokas. 

Continuing -

Thruteeya Parankusar

Vangipuram Srinivasar Muni - born at Thiruvallur

Srisailam Srinivasachar

Munivahana Swamy

Chandragiri Venkatacharya

Padukasevaka Ramanuja

Naidus of Srivilliputhur area during 1850 to 1925 - some notes

There were historical concentrations of Naidu populations in Tamil Nadu since the Vijayanagar and other empires that conquered lands from Andhra areas to Kerala-Tamil Nadu areas and vice versa, i.e., from South Tamil Nadu to Andhra-Karnataka areas. [Of course, that's a different post...]

Today, most Naidu families in south-south Tamil Nadu speak Telugu at home, in a local accent, but probably cannot read or write it fluently. They would definitely be much better at Tamil, and perhaps, Malayalam. English? Absolutely. Better than the English, most certainly!!!

During 1850 to 1925, the Naidu families would have been proficient in Telugu, following Andhra cuisine, customs and marrying into similar caste and communities, including very specific sub-caste groups. Today, it would be the larger community preferences.

The Naidus during 1850 to 1925 in these areas were known as 'Nayakkars' since they were similar to warrior clans of the local Naick (= Chief). Since the Telugu language that they spoke was known locally in south Tamil Nadu as "Vadugu", the Telugu-speaking community came to be known as 'Vadugars'. So, Vadugars were the larger community, while the Nayakkars were a sub-set. Within this sub-set, there would have been Kamma Naidus, Balija Naidus and other groups.

The southern most group of Nayakkars that probably knew each other would have been residents of today's Madurai, Ramanathapuram and Tirunelveli districts. They lived mostly in villages and specialised in the cultivation of cotton and chillies. The headman of the village was known as the 'Vooru Nayakkar' or 'Vooru Naicker'. Historically, the Naidus in this region have been recognised as economically backward classes and have benefited from the opportunities since Independence and have studied well and moved to wherever their fortunes and future took them.

There is a significant difference when you compare the communities while at Tirunelveli and Srivilliputhur and when they are in the Madras-Chengelpet-Thanjavur-Kumbakonam-Tiruchirapalli-Srirangam areas. In south-south Tamil Nadu, they retained the surname - 'Naidu', 'Naicker' or 'Nayakkar' - but, in the north-east Tamil Nadu areas, they took to be identifying themselves with a surname. They took on different 'house-names' to distinguish themselves within the community. Thus, my great grandfather was "Neela Meghala Shyamala Naidu", while my grandfather, settled in Trichy and later Madras, was "Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam". My father took on the name - Balapila Naga Bhushan, but uniquely, his younger brother, my uncle took on - Shantaram Naidu. This grouping of different names is what made me dig deeper and deeper into the region.

During 1850 to 1920s, the most prominent Naidu families in Srivilliputhur areas were the zamindars, i.e., the landlords - and they were - Pemmasani of the Kurivikulam Estate, and Ravella of the Illavarasanandanal Estate. The Pemmasani family also had the Naickerpatti Estate in Madurai, while the Bellam family owned the Seevalpatti Estate.

Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam's family [my paternal grandfather]

Neela Meghala Shyamala Naidu - spouse - Rukmini Devi, Residents at Srivilliputtur, Tamil Nadu
[My paternal paternal great grandfather and great grandmother]
Children: Balamma (f), Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam (m), Shanmughavalli (f)

Balamma - spouse - Vakalabharanam Naidu 
Residents of Mambalam in Madras. Vakalabharanam Naidu - resident and native of Madras.
Children: 1 son. Known usually as ACK Naidu - was Head Typist at the Railway Office in Madras. 
Name = Adumala Chinna Krishna Naidu. Adumala = House Name of Vakalabharanam Naidu.

Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam - spouse - Rambai / Kodai / Kodamma
Children: Balapila Naga Bhushan, Pramila Jairam Naidu, Shantaram Naidu
(House Name was probably - Balapilavar)

Shanmughavalli, Resident at Triplicane, Chennai (Madras) - spouse - Alagiri Singhari Naidu 
Children: Devaki Amma (f) [passed away at 18 years of age] - Jairam Naidu - spouse - Pramila Jairam Naidu

Note = Vakalabharanam Naidu's father was elder brother of Alagari Singhari Naidu's father. The two cousins married the two sisters - Balamma and Shanmughavalli. Their house name was = Adumala. Could also be pronounced as Yedumala, but perhaps it was Adumala - because ACK Naidu was never known as YCK Naidu.


Narayanaswamy Naidu - spouse - Thayamma, Residents at Srirangam / Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu
[My paternal maternal great grandfather and great grandmother]
Children: Alamelu (f), Nagamma (f), Radhamma (f), Rambai (Kodai - Kodamma) (f), Laxmibai (Laxmamma) (f), Govindaswamy Naidu (m), Rangaramanujula Naidu (m) - aka Naamala Naidu aka Rangarajulu Naidu, Narayanaswamy Naidu (m)

Narayanaswamy Naidu and Thayamma (second wife) - mother of all eight children - stayed at 12 Mannar Pillai Street, Tiruchirapalli. had property at Taranoor and Manikund near Tiruchi. Main income was probably from rental properties. First wife - deceased. Thayamma was reported to be a trusting and generous person. It is said that the lawyer who used to fight their legal battles on their properties became so rich that he purchased their horse carriage (victoria) that belonged to Narayanaswamy Naidu. They handed over different properties to each of their children while they continued to stay at 12 Mannar Pillai Street. 

Narayanaswamy Naidu had an unfortunate passing to the higher temple. He was accompanying the sacred chariot of Ranganathaswamy, the deity of Srirangam, through the town, and was smashing coconuts with his bare hands. A coconut chip pierced his hand, poisoned it, and the hand had to be sliced off. Later, the poison spread within and he passed away. At that time, Rambai and Laxmibai were 3 years old while Chinna Thayamma was only 25-26 years old.  

My paternal maternal great grandmother, Chinna Thayamma, as she was called (for, the first wife was also named Thayamma, and she was usually referred to as Pedda Thayamma), would go to Solanur, to take care of the cultivation and agricultural plots. She would usually go accompanied by Rangarajulu Naidu or Govindaswamy Naidu. 

Chinna Thayamma was adventurous, and she traveled around in India. She came up to Ooty and Nashik on tour and pilgrimage, with a group of friends and returned after visiting several places. She passed on to the higher temple when she was 60 years old, and a grandmother through all her children. 

(1) Alamelu - married Kodandarama Naidu. 
Son: Doranna

(2) Nagamma - married Subbaiah Naidu.

(3) Radhamma - married Chinnaraju aka Chinnaiah Naidu.

Daughter: Susheela

(4) Rambai - Kodai - Kodamma married Shyama Ranga Bhashyam Naidu
Her house address was - 
Shyamala Rambai (Kodai) Naidu, 12, Mannar Pillai Street, Tiruchirapalli 
[Opp. Gandhi Market, Mamkonda, Subramaniam Temple]

(5) Laxmibai aka Laxmamma - married Chinnaswamy Naidu aka VPC (?). Settled in Hyderabad.

Children: Sarojini, Shanta, Vasanta, Lalita and Sucharita

It is said that Laxmamma looked like her mother, Thayamma, who was exceedingly beautiful. 

Sucharita, Shanta, Vasantha and Lalitha

Four of Laxmamma's daughters. Priceless photograph.

With acknowledgement to my sister, Anita Pushpala - Anu.

Laxmibai was also known as - Laxmi Vadi. Her daughter, Sucharita (born February 28, 1939 in Tiruchirapalli, passed on to the higher temple on 11 February, 2013 at Zionsville, USA) married Subbarayulu Naidu and was known as Sucharita Kakanur Naidu. Sucharita's children - Biswajeet Naidu and Anita (Anu). 

Santha Devi, daughter of Shri Vadi P. Chinnaswamy Naidu and 

Laxmi Vadi (nee Laxmibai, twin sister of my paternal 

grandmother, Rambai) and her husband, 

Capt. G. D. Krishnan, IAMC. This is a 

commemorative photograph about their wedding, 

published in the local newspaper, The Hindu, in the 

Madras edition of those times. This photograph was in the 

collection of my paternal aunt, Pramila Jairam Naidu, 

my father's younger sister and daughtr of Rambai.

(6) Govindaswamy Naidu - 

Shaved his head bald, washed his own clothes, walked with an alsatian and rajapalayam hound, and tiger cub to the river, daily for his bath. 

Son: Vasu

(7) Rangaramanujula Naidu aka Naamala Naidu aka Rangarajulu Naidu - settled inside the Srirangam Temple Area, near Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu.
Children: Alavandar Naidu (m), Kannan aka Kannaiya (m), Suguna (f)  

Alavandar Naidu - married Susheela, daughter of Radhamma. Settled outside the precincts of the Srirangam Temple. Visited him in 1987, and he had visited us in Wadala, Mumbai on some occasions. Radhamma passed way. Alavandar Naidu remarried. One son. I have met him when he was in Primary School. 

Kannan aka Kannaiya - continued to stay inside the Srirangam Temple area. I visited his house and met the family and his daughter, with my parents in 1987. 

(8) Narayanaswamy Naidu. Good singer, diamond merchant.
Son: Gopal - good carnatic singer. [died in slipping down from a bus.]