Reviews

ENGLISH

The Promised Day is Come–By Shoghi Effendi, first printed in America in 1941. Published in India, by the Bahai assembly of Bombay 1942, (176 pages).

Out of Persia and Islam issued a new religion known as Bahai in the middle of the last century. Since then it has made astonishing progress even in western countries such as the United States of America. A younger Persian, Mirza Ali Muhammad, proclaimed in 1844 the coming of a New Prophet. He met his martyrdom after six years of cruel persecution. The message was taken up by Baha’u’llah who declared himself to be the promised Prophet. He spent the rest of his life in a Turkish prison. It is of him that Tolstoy wrote, "We spend our lives trying to unlock the mystery of the universe, but there was a Turkish prisoner, Baha’u’llah, in Akka Palestine, who had the key". Professor Browne, the famous Cambridge scholar in Persian, visited Baha’u’llah in prison and was greatly impressed with the wisdom and sincerity of the new Messenger. Lord Curzon bears testimony to the strength of the hold he had acquired in Persia. The ministry passed to Baha’u’llah’s son, Abdul Baha, who, released from prison in 1908, visited France, Germany, England, America and Egypt. He found gratifying response everywhere. His grandson Shoghi Effendi is the appointed first guardian of the Bahai Faith, by whom the present book, The Promised Day is Come is compiled.

The book recommends the principal features of the new religion the attention of the thoughtful. It contains copious extracts from proclamations and messages of Baha’u’llah, the Founder, to mankind in general and the princes and potentates of the world in particular. He had sent warning letters to the Sultan of Turkey, Napoleon III, Queen Victoria and others.

A keener consciousness of the unity of mankind, subordination of all lesser loyalties, tolerance of all existing faiths, a new stress on a practical programme for world unification such as an International Federal Government and a World Language are some of the special features of the Bahai Movement. Devotion even into martyrdom, Faith, Vision, Enthusiasm– these are prominent elements of religious renovation everywhere and these are truly radiated in the initiating personalities and activities of the new religion. The Bahai movement is a notable addition to the agencies awakening the nobler element in man.

M. A.VENKATA RAO.

Languages and the Linguistic Problem–by Dr. Suniti Kumar Chatterji M.A., D.Litt. Oxford Pamphlets on Indian Affairs No. 11 Price As. 4.

The multiplicity of languages in India has been over-advertised and the problems of the media of instruction, a common language for all-India purposes and its nature, and of scripts have been exercising the minds of politicians, administrators, scholars and educationists. In the absence of a self-government expressing the national will and bent upon carrying out measures to give that will a practical shape, endless academic discussions can be and are being carried on, and there is already a considerable body of literature on the subject. The pamphlet under review is a useful addition to that literature, distinguished as it is by brevity and scholarship.

Dr. Chatterji has put together valuable information on the history and growth of the different languages in India, particularly of Hindi and Urdu. There are not more than 15 literary languages in spite of the enormous number listed by linguistic surveys under languages and dialects. The author argues convincingly presenting the claims of "Hindi (Hindustani)" to be considered as the all-India language, as the representative modern Indian language’, ‘the natural lingua franca of 257 millions and the literary language of over 140 millions’, ‘the third great language in the world coming after northern Chinese and English.’ Says Chatterji: "One single army, one single system of higher Civil service and police, one all-India system of education, and one final authority in the shape of an all-India Parliament–these alone will be able to maintain and foster Indian unity. And here we have the need for an Indian language, which we must have for both utility and sentiment." So far the author is proceeding on safe and solid ground, the conclusions being based on hard and irrefutable facts. When, however, he takes up the question of the relative place of the provincial language, the lingua tranca ‘a simplified Hindi or Hindustani, written in a modified, Roman alphabet arranged like the Nagari alphabet’–‘made optional in the schools and colleges’, and English ‘which must remain the next important language’ after the mother tongue in Indian Education,’ he enters upon the region of opinion and personal predeliction. The author’s opinion that when the Congress "declared for ‘Hindustani’ as the national language of India (not Hindi or Urdu) which can be written in either script" it did so "in despair" is open to question, His own suggestion that for the "Pan-Indian Hindustani" "native Hindi elements failing we should not go to a foreign country for words which can be supplied by Sanskrit", "the door being open for all Arabic and Persian words relating specifically to Islamic religion and culture", ending with the admission that "the principle of laissez-faire after the Roman script has been adopted should finally settle the question of vocabulary" indeed betrays a mood of helplessness, and the author’s preference for a sanskritised speech. Regarding the adoption of the Latin script advocated by the author ‘to cut the gordian knot’, one might quote Pandit Jawaharlal who in his equally brief pamphlet on The Question of Language says: "I do not think there is the slightest chance of the Latin script replacing Devanagari or Urdu. There is the wall of sentiment, of course, strengthened even more by the fact that the Latin script is associated with our alien rulers. But there are more solid grounds also for its rejection. The scripts are essential parts of our literatures: without them we would be largely cut off from our old inheritance". In spite of the disclaimer of the Pandit that he is merely presenting the layman’s point of view and not that of an expert in education or languages, one feels that in regard to the linguistic problems confronting India, Panditji has covered the ground more comprehensively and with a surer touch.

We are indebted to the Oxford University press and to the distinguished author of this pamphlet for an admirable concise presentation of the many facts (and figures) bearing on the Indian languages, their growth and present position and for many stimulating suggestions regarding the question of an all-Indian language.

–KASYAPA

The Health of India–by Dr. J. B. Grant–(Oxford publications 1943, No. 12, As. 4. pages 32.)

In this pamphlet Dr. J. B. Grant of the Rockfeller foundation, now head of the all-India Institute of Hygiene, Calcutta, has sought to give an idea of "The Health of India." As educative or informative, the pamphlet cannot be deemed a success since it would be impossible to compress such a vast subject into so small compass; but as pointing out the shortcomings of the present system (a) where public Health systems in India have been hitch-hiked to obsolete methods which obtained in Great Britain a century ago, (b) where now a system of over balanced dyarchy prevails; (by too high a provincilisation and too little central control to be efficient, power being given to elected Ministers whose notions of Public Health are lopsided or primitive–Health being a transferred subject) by which local vested interests have brought health progress to near zero, the pamphlet has certainly succeeded.

One wishes greatly indeed that Dr. J. B. Grant was more familiar with Marxism as a method–as outlined by Engels and now developed by the English School headed by J. B. S. Haldane. We would perhaps then be told where we are heading regarding the Health of India, and point out the way where we should. Dr. Grant lacks also–not being destined to live always in this country–the historical representative; he would benefit by reading Pandit Jawaharlal’s Autobiography with special reference to the Pandit’s experiences in the Allahabad Municipality. Did not India have public health ideas before the advent of the English a century half ago? Would not better prospects for the health of India arise out of the ashes of the present global bonfire? The League of Nations Health Section (it is well known that India has been the largest, (or is it the only?) financial contributor to the League’s maintenance) with its branch in the East in Singapore (nee Shonan) was far too much concerned with collecting statistics of prevalent epidemics to enable the White Nations to quarantine ships from less advanced or less powerful nations, and too little with preventing such epidemics prevailing among these nations? Is it too much to expect a more representative International Health League to be formed which would consider the World Nations and not the White Nations only? Dr. Grant has given the Nelson touch and turned his blind eye to these aspects.

With some of the ideas as advanced by the pamphlet the reviewer is in complete agreement. "Limited funds do not make adequate and good service impossible provided the people want the service and are prepared to contribute work instead of money, and provided there are people with the knowledge to plan such a Service." Dr. Grant quotes Bernal, which is very apt as regards India. "It is probable that an overwhelming majority of diseases that occur through out the world are due directly or indirectly to the lack of primary necessities generally Food and many of the remainder to bad living conditions" (Italics mine). Other statements are: "India requires development of Health Education." "The unification of curative and preventive functions under a single administration is an essential and has become an axiom in public Health." (The reviewer agrees to its being so at the periphery, i.e., rural hospitals and sanitation, vide the systems working successfully in Denmark); "It was unwise to relinquish the Provincial Governments’ control over Local Bodies and it might be wise for Government to centralise the Welfare Services for a given period."

With reference to Medical Education, it is regrettable to note that Dr. Grant seems to Jay the fault on the human material, whereas it is the system that is wholly at fault. The prevalent system is based on the medical curricula in Great Britain with its various standards of medical education. Indians, except in recent times, have never been associated with codifying the medical faculties of the various Universities and Schools and the experiences of other nations apart from the English have never been drawn upon. A pertinent question is: – the Indian Medical service has existed for the past century and a half and has probably cost India over a hundred crores of Rupees; what has been the return either as research in tropical diseases or in preventive health measures; and yet Dr. Grant says: "Another reflection on the standard of University Medical Education is the relatively small amount of research of significance undertaken in comparing with University Medical Colleges in other countries." Whose is the fault?–one may well ask, Given a tolerable living wage (and not the brown man’s meal ticket), the Indian Medical man trained in Indian Medical faculties is well able to turn out "Research" when tools and opportunities are available. Lala Lajpat Rai’s criticism that India maintains the costliest Civil Service in the world should be directed to the Indian Medical Service as well, which is even costlier; the disparity of men with the same foreign and domestic qualifications–the I. M. S. drawing thousands of rupees and non I. M. S. seeking out a livelihood from doles of fees from Indians–is a monstrosity.

Nursing as a profession that never been attractive to the Indian woman as she is usually not wanted and treated with scant courtesy as opposed to the Anglo-Indian nursing woman. Difficulties of necessary education, pay, and above all, moral well-being have been the chief impediments. A mild measure brought by the Congress Ministry in Madras to protect nurses in a small way was violently protested against by the Anglo-Indian vested interests as protecting Brahmin Widows!

Industrial Hygiene has yet to be ushered into India both by the Government and the Medical faculties. The Government did not want to raise the bogey of better housing and labour conditions or wages compensation and thus lessen the income of the European tea-planter or mine owner till very recently. In a paper in the Royal Society of Medicine in 1933 it was stated that there were no cases of Silicosis in the Kolar Gold Fields and yet one year later X-ray pictures taken of workmen brought to light a number of cases.

Gandhiji’s exhortation of a change of heart is necessary for any reform on a broad national basis with an international outlook.

As a stimulant of thought Dr. Grant’s small brochure has done a most welcome task and it is hoped that he will, before he leaves the land, write a book on the various aspects of Public Health Education.

‘ENNE’

The poligars of Mysore and their Civilization–by P. B. Ramachandra Rao, with a foreword by Rajasevasakta Dewan Bahadur Dr. S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar; Demy 8vo. pp. 54, price not stated.

This is a reprint from the Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society and hardly comes up to the usual learned character of articles which should be published in that Journal. Under an ambitious title the writer presents amateurishly made-up accounts of the poligars of Hoskote, Chickballapur, Chitaldroog, Madhugiri, Tarikere and Gummanayakan palya. Most of the information is extracted from the Mysore Gazetteer in spite of a pretentious bibliography and teems with mis-statements of fact, inconsistencies and inept comments.

Let us hope that the writer will tap all available sources of information in his next attempt and present a well-knit account of the Ikkeri or Chitaldroog Nayaks, or anyone family of importance, which is bound to be of interest to all students of South Indian History.

K.K.

Nowrosjee Wadia College Miscellany–Poona, March 1943. Annual Subscription, Rs. 3

This is a well-got-up College Miscellany–with Marathi and Urdu sections–published twice a year. The issue before us includes interesting articles like ‘The World Predictions and the Pyramids of Gizeh’, ‘Whither Rupee’ and a symposium on novel-reading. We wish the Miscellany a prosperous career and hope it will continue to ‘give a fillip to the literary and journalistic talents’ of the students of the college.

KASYAPA

TELUGU

Ranganatha Ramayanam–(Published by Andhra Viswakala Parishat; Edited by–Sri Veturi Prabhakara Sastry. Foreword and Introduction by Dr. C. R. Reddi and Sri Pingali Lakshmikantam. Price Rs. 7–8–0.)

Ranganatha Ramayanam occupies a prominent place in Telugu Literature and enjoys great popularity in Andhra. If Nannaya was the first poet to translate Mahabharata, Kona Buddha Reddy was the first royal poet to render Ramayana into Telugu in the first half of the thirteenth century. In rendering these two classics into Telugu, Nannaya favoured the Margi Type of poetry while Kona Buddha adopted the Desi Type which was prevalent in the pre-Nannaya age. With a view to make his translation easily intelligible Kona Buddha chose the ‘Dwipada’ which is considered to be the ‘National Metre’ of the Andhras; and secured for his work universal popularity.

In spite of the fact that Kona Buddha in his introductory lines has proclaimed himself the author of this Ramayana dedicated to his father Vittalanatha, critics are divided in opinion as to its authorship. The title given to this book is responsible for this difference. If one class of critics maintain that Buddha Reddi was its author the other attribute it to Ranganatha who, they say, was the poet of Kona Buddha’s Court. The reasons adduced by the latter group are however not so convincing. Scrutinizing the contents of inscriptions and other contemporary facts; Andhra scholars have come to recognise Kona Buddha as the author of the Ramayana. All these details are well discussed in the critical introduction to the present edition, written by Sri Pingali Lakshmikantam, who has had the valuable help of Sri Mallampalli Somasekhara Sarma, the great research scholar, in performing this task.

Buddha Reddi’s poetic gifts Were of a very high order. His style is lucid, simple and graceful. By this rendering the literary appeal contained in Valmiki has been effectively brought home to the Andhras. But the work may be called an adaptation rather than a literary translation, owing to the deviations from the original adopted by him, among which the following may be noted: –

1. he has given an elaborate description of Sita Swayamvara
2. he has abridged the Sundara Kanda and enlarged the Yuddha Kanda
3. he has added the episode of Sulochana
4. the biographical sketch of Viswamitra found in the original does not receive equal prominence in the Telugu version.

Sri Veturi Prabhakara Sastry with his deep scholarship, accuracy in each and keen critical faculty (which are properly commended by C. R. Reddi in his foreword) has edited the text. The ‘Appendix’ giving other versions of certain passages and incidents is a valuable feature. The get-up and the printing are quite good. By bringing out this beautiful edition the authorities of the Viswakala Parishat have placed Andhras under a deep debt of gratitude.

K.S.J

KANNADA

Adhunika Russia, in Kannada–By Sjt. P. R. Ramaiya, B.Sc., Editor of the ‘Tainadu’ and Daily News; Crown 8vo. pp. 356. Price Re. l/8.

This is the first book in Kannada of any importance on the Russian Revolution, and contains 26 chapters of which chapters 1 to 6 give a brief account of the history of Russia prior to the Revolution, chapters 8 to 17 present the chief events of the Revolution till the Kerensky regime and chapters 18 to 26 ideal with later events including brief accounts of Marx and his philosophy, Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin and the N.E.P. The narrative is simple and clear. A brief summary of every chapter provided at the end is a helpful feature. The author deserves to be congratulated warmly on his lucidity and conciseness.

But the book suffers from two defects. The treatment of events smacks of partisanship. It is difficult, indeed, to be absolutely impartial in regard to modern Russia. The account given in the book does not give adequate space or importance to the colossal tragedies or brutalities which occurred during the course of the Revolution with the result that the final impression formed is that Mr. Ramaiya writes as an admirer and not as a Judge. However, there are only a few errors of fact in the book, such as the mention of the Cheka for the Gay payoo, in the later period.

The other defect is one of language. One wishes it had been carefully revised and more polished. That the author is fully conscious of it does not remove the defect, though it does credit to his modesty.

Another defect is in regard to the proper names. The rose may be undoubtedly and equally sweet by any other name but every one cannot have his own name for it. Proper names have to be rendered in recognised forms and according to some principles. The author has taken liberties with proper names just as the English did with Indian names, and has made the task of the next writer on Russia in Kannada needlessly difficult.

The paper and general get up should have been better for a book of such permanent value, but could not be perhaps managed under present conditions.

K. K.