Jairam Naidu - my father's brother-in-law

Jairam Naidu, my father's brother-in-law, was an entirely larger than life personality. Jovial, genial, happy and excellent in living his life for the day. He never seemed to think about a tomorrow, and yet, managed a large family. Lived at Nanganallur, when I met up with him in 1978 and thereafter, and I enjoyed watching how his house grew from a thatch roof small house, to firmer designs. He had his sorrows and troubles, and I remember always that he never shared his problems with my father and my uncle, Shantaram Naidu, who loved him genuinely.

Money was hard to come by, in those days, and Jairam Naidu, treasured every effort of his. He traveled from Nanganallur through the city to Ennore Foundries, and was to be known by it. He found his second son-in-law, chronologically, the first - Chandramohan. Later, Balaji Naidu, my cousin, got Jairam Naidu's job at Ennore Foundries and has been working there ever since.

Jairam Naidu was son of Shanmughavalli and Alagiri Singhari Naidu. He had a sibling, Devaki Amma, who passed away at the young age of 18 years. Jairam Naidu married Pramila, daughter of Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam and Rambai.

Shanmughavalli and Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam were siblings, and children of Neela Meghala Shyamala Naidu and Rukmini Devi, residents of Srivilliputtur. Shanmughavalli was married to and settled in Chennai.

Jairam Naidu at Ennore Foundries, Chennai

On the day of his retirement from Ennore Foundries

Neela Meghala Shyamala Naidu - My paternal great grandfather

Sometime in 2009, I came to know that my paternal paternal great grandfather was Neela Meghala Shyamala Naidu, born in Srivilliputhur, married to Rukmini Devi, father of Balamma, Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam and Shanmughavalli, grandfather to twelve children.

The name - Neela Meghala Shyamala - is tremendously awesome. It is the name given to Panduranga, the aspect of Krishna, the dark one, as compared to blissfully beautiful dusk clouds.

The name originated with Vaishnava traditions in appreciation of Vishnu's Varaha Avatar, and the possibility that Lakshmi would never have been away from his side, and therefore there would be a  Lakshmi Varaha Avatar. Therefore, Vishnu's Varaha Avatar would always be as beautiful as the rain-laden clouds at dusk. That is indeed a splendid name to live up to.

Swami Desikan in the Dasavathara Slokam salutes Vishnu's Varaha Avataram and describes the Lord coming out of the ocean, but holding Lakshmi firmly on his giant tusk. This rendition is based out of Srivilliputhur, and therefore the name is apt. Andal (Bhumi Devi) salutes Vishnu for the gift of the Varaha Charama Slokam - Naacchiyar Thirumozhi - 11.8 - wherein she says that Sri Ranganatha who took the form of the Varaha avatar and blessed us with the knowledge is completely perfect. Andal renders that she cannot wish away the image of the form of Varaha Avatar, even if she tried her best.

Later, Nammalvar visualised Vishnu as a veritable Blue Mountain, accompanied by two crescent moons (in describing the tusks of Varaha), and holding Lakshmi Devi on one of them and emerging from the ocean. He uses the words - sammuthitho neela ivachal-lo mahan... 

At that moment, he uses only the first word - neela

Later, Muthuswami Dikshitar renders Nammalvar's composition in the Sri Lakshmi Varaham Krithi, in Abhogi Raagam, and salutes the Varaha Avatar as that of Sriman Narayana. He explains that since Lakshmi never leaves the side of Vishnu in any avatar, she would have to be included in the slokam. Therefore, he sings about the presence of a Lakshmi Varaha Sthalam on the banks of the Tambara Bharani River, and recognises Narayana as Sritha Jana Subha Pratham and renders unto him, his appearance - as Neela Megha Jaya Shyamala gathiram, Neela Bhudhevi Sthuthi Paathiram.

There is a verse that is in dedication to Shri Krishna -
Neela megha shyamala roopa gopala, nithyananda swarupa krishna gopala
deva deva devaki baala gopala, vasudeva vaarija nethra gopala... 

and another one in dedication to Shri Rama -
Shri Raama Neela Megha Shyama, Kodandarama...

With all this dedication to Shri Krishna and Shri Rama in various aspects, it was no surprise for Shri Neela Meghala Shyamala Naidu's son, Shri Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam to name his sons after Shri Krishna and Shri Ram...

Daya Krishna, Navaneetha Krishna, Venkata Krishna, Murali Krishna
Kaushala Ram and Shanta Ram

And, by the most amazing coincidence, when my nephew was to be named in the 21st century, 200 years after my great grand father, without being aware, and unknowingly, my brother chose him to be named as Neel...

Finally, is the wonderful rendition to Panduranga, as Neela Megha Shyamala in the movie, Pandurangudu...

Adumala Vakulabharanam Naidu - a relative I did not know about...

Adumala Vakulabharanam Naidu was a relative that I did not know about at all, until today, ie 15 February 2013. He was spouse of Balamma, eldest child and daughter of Shri Neela Meghala Shyamala Naidu, my paternal paternal great grandfather and Rukmini Devi, my paternal paternal great grandmother, residents of Srivilliputhur, south south Tamil Nadu during 1850 to 1920. Balamma was the elder sister of my paternal grand father, Shri Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam.

I did not know about Balamma's family, and never knew that she and her sister, Shanmughavalli, had married two cousin brothers, Adumala Vakulabharanam Naidu, and Adumala Alagari Singhari Naidu of Madras. Since the two sisters were married at Madras, the family moved out of Srivilliputhur to Madras. Later, my paternal grandfather was married to Rambai (aka Kodamma) of 12 Mannar Pillai Street, Trichy, sometime in 1915-1920.

Adumala Vakulabharanam Naidu was the son of the elder brother, while Adumala Alagari Singhari Naidu was the son of the younger brother.

Vakulabharanam - wow! what a name... made everything spin on its tip. There are variants. One could be - Vakalabharanam while the other variant could be Vakulabharanam.

Vakulabharanam is a classical Carnatic raga. This raga is the fourteenth Melakarta Raaga in the 72 Melakarta Raagas of Carnatic music. It is also sometimes called the Dhativasantabhairavi or the Vativasantabhairavi in Carnatic music.

The sudden mention of the name just blew me away, when I heard it from my paternal aunt, Pramila Jairam Naidu, who was spouse of Jairam Naidu, son of Algari Singhari Naidu.

The other variant - Vakalabharanam - that does not seem possible, is a surname that occurs rarely. Except, there is a twist in the story for this variant - The surname seems to occur only in the Srikakulam-to-Visakhapatnam area of north north Andhra Pradesh.

So you see... why the name takes my breath away... you have here, Shri Neela Meghala Shyamala Naidu and Rukmini Devi, of south south Tamil Nadu, wanting to marry off their two daughters, Balamma and Shanmugavalli, and did they find a matrimonial alliance with male siblings in a family of Balija Naidus of Madras, except they may have been getting a genetic root mix up with a family that has ties in north north Andhra Pradesh. What a span! What a panorama! Amazing.

Srivilliputhur Temple - 1860s

From the British Library stock photographs. Several web pages and blogs have uploaded these photographs and they are also easily available on flicker. Am not aware of the copyright on these photographs.

These photographs of the Srivilliputhur temple are of 1860 thereabouts, when my paternal paternal great grandfather, Shri Neela Meghala Shyamala Naidu and great grandmother, Rukmini Devi, would have been resident in the town.

This is the Madurai Nayak's Palace near Srivilliputhur, about 500 years ago. The Madurai Nayaks are Naidus who came from Andhra Pradesh and conquered these places and ruled in this region. This could be the reason for the many well-settled Telugu-speaking Naidu families in deep deep south Tamil Nadu. Remember, 1600 was the birth-year of the East India Company, and 1630s-60s was when Chatrapati Shivaji takes over the Deccan, and thereafter Rajaram comes to Tanjore (- modern day Thanjavur). To this day, there are well-settled Marathi speaking families and trustees of several small and medium sized old Vaishnava temples. The Western Ghats are behind the Palace, and the ranges are thought to be Pallilichan, and the route to the ancient Kattalagar Kovil (= Temple).

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.]