Triveni Golden Jubilee

TRIVENI GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS

Report of the function in Madras on 5th March 1978

“The late Mr. K. Ramakotiswara Rau (the Founder-Editor of Triveni) was a man who contributed to Indian culture. Rabindranath Tagore, Ananda K. Coomaraswamy and Ramakotiswara Rau worked to the same end, each in his own way, all deriving inspiration from the same source,” observed Shrimati Rukmini Devi, President of Kalakshetra, presiding over the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Triveni in Madras on the evening of 5th March 1978.

In the course of her address, Shrimati Rukmini Devi said that India needed more people like Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau, who realised the great wealth of Indian culture. His journal, Triveni, was cherished for its genuineness and high quality. It was “true and substantial.” She hoped that it would celebrate its centenary also.

Referring to the present editor of Triveni, Mr. Bhavaraju Narasimha Rao, Shrimati Rukmini Devi felt that Ramakotiswara Rau was lucky in his successor. Only a dedicated man would attract another, she added.

The function held at the Srinivasa Sastri Hall in Luz, Mylapore, was well-attended. Among those present were: Messrs S. Narayanaswami, T. V. Viswanatha Aiyer, K. Sankara Menon, C. R. Pattabhi Raman. P. N. Appuswami, P. G. Sundararajan, S. Sivapatha Sundaram, M. Pattabhiram, B. S. R. Krishna, Dr. V. Raghavan, Dr K. C. Dasarathi and Dr. Purasu Balakrishnan. Miss Jeannine Harrault, a poet and journalist from Paris, who had contributed articles and poems to Triveni, and was then on a visit to India, also attended the function.

The proceedings started with an invocation in Sanskrit by Kumaris Madhavi and Malati. Three benedictory verses in Sanskrit, relating to Triveni, specially composed for the occasion, were written by Mr. V. H. Subrahmanya Sastri, retired Principal of the Sanskrit College, Madras.

Mr. T. S. Parthasarathy, Secretary, Golden Jubilee Committee, read the messages of greetings from Madame Sophia Wadia, Mr. K. P. S. Menon, Mr. N. Ragunatha Aiyer, Prof. M. Venkatarangaiya, Prof. Hiren Mukherjee, Prof. K. Viswanatham and others.

Mr. K. Chandrasekharan, Chairman of the Triveni Golden Jubilee Committee, and one of the oldest associates of Mr. K. Ramakotiswara Rau, in his introductory speech explained the purpose of the celebrations. He underlined the appropriateness of Shrimati Rukmini Devi presiding over the function, as she and Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau were kindred spirits in the world of culture.

Recounting the financial struggles and set-s of Triveni, Mr. Chandrasekharan stated that the journal was, however, never lacking in good contributors, who included eminent statesmen and distinguished men of letters. “A model of catholic editing” was a tribute paid to it by The Times Literary Supplement. Recalling Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s visit to Madras in 1937, he mentioned the reception and dinner given to him by the late Mr. S. Satyamurti at the Sri Venkateswara Students’ Hostel in Triplicane. Introduced to the Editor of the Triveni on the occasion, Mr. Nehru addressed him the question: “Will you accept a short article of mine in your journal?” ‘A Wayside Interlude’ was the name of the article which later was included in one of the collections of Pandit Jawaharlal’s writings.

Among those interested in the future of Triveni, said the speaker, was the Rt. Hon. V. S. Srinivasa Sastri, who felt that it was suitable for men of taste and judgment, means and leisure. Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau’s ideals were high and he spent everything belonging to him on his journal, said Mr. Chandrasekharan. But he was never disappointed, for he loved to see it maintain a high standard.

Continuing, the speaker recalled the visit of Poet Rabindranath Tagore to Madras in 1936, with his troupe from Shantiniketan to stage the play “Shaapmochan” at the Museum Theatre. Along with them came the famous painter Nandalal Bose, who held an exhibition of his paintings at the Congress House. Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau, who happened to see Bose’s painting ‘The Veena Player,’ done on yellow silk, at the exhibition, immediately purchased it, though he could hardly afford it, and used it for the frontispiece of the next issue of Triveni. This was but one of the many examples of his taste in the plastic arts, he said. This picture is now adorning the Madras Art Gallery, Egmore.

No doubt, Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau sometimes felt depressed, when the resources were running out and public response was not forthcoming in adequate measure. But he never gave up the struggle. Rajaji, who was impressed by the high standard maintained by the periodical and concerned by the expenditure it involved, suggested to the Editor: “Why not convert it into an annual?” But the suggestion was not taken seriously. The journal had many substantial achievements to its credit. It was a medium of understanding and friendship among all the Indian, especially South Indian, languages.

Describing Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau as “a nationalist of the first water,” the speaker referred to the occasion when he went to jail in the August Movement of 1942. But he was worried about the future of Triveni. Fortunately for him, he had some friends in Karnataka, especially two or three, Masti Venkatesa Iyengar, Nittoor Srinivasa Rau and K. Sampathgiri Rao, who came to his rescue and kept the journal alive. Around 1950 the responsibility of printing and publishing it was taken over by the present Editor, Mr. Bhavaraju Narasimha Rao, an incarnation of devotion and loyalty to Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau. In the words of Mahasweta in Bana’s “Kadambari”, Triveni was gently and affectionately tossed from one hand to another like a sweet-sounding lute. If the periodical had now crossed the fifty-year mark, half or three-fourths of the credit for it must go to Mr. Narasimha Rao, who had succeeded in making it regular, systematic, well-organised and businesslike. He had also expanded the review section, which was quite a desirable step.

In welcoming Shrimati Rukmini Devi to take the chair, Mr. Chandrasekharan pointed out how she had gracefully declined the presidentship of the Indian Republic but had agreed to preside over the Golden jubilee function because of her interest in Triveni.

Shrimati Rukmini Devi mentioned that she had just then returned from Udaipur. She had great regard for the late Mr. K. Ramakotiswara Rau, whom she described as one of the founders of Kalakshetra. The Journal was an extension of the Editor himself. She had never known a quieter, humbler and a more dedicated man than him. He was far from egoistic and was noticed not because of his publicity but because of the quality of his work.

Adverting to the common tendency to forget the great men of the past, Shrimati Rukmini Devi stated that Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau was luckily not forgotten. “Why do we forget people?,” she asked, adding, “We remember Gangotri, but forget the Ganga.” Gratitude was good for us and it was an important part of our culture.

While there was nothing new in what we say, Shrimati Rukmini Devi felt that we should say and do things in such a way that it would appear new. Even really good work was not appreciated straight away. The most remarkable thing about Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau was his insistence on quality inrunning the Triveni. The reward of service was happiness and Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau’s heart would have felt elated tosee his child well-remembered. On his work of cultural understanding, she observed that there were no linguistic boundaries in the world of culture. In conclusion, she assured her support to the cause of Triveni in grateful memory of a man who should be an example to all of us.

“The completion of fifty years by Triveni was a marvellous feat of endurance and survival, especially in the present atmosphere of infant mortality of serious cultural magazines,” said Prof. K. R. Srinivasa Iyengar (former President of the Sahitya Akademi). Triveni was a pure, healthy and invigorating force in our cultural milieu. The name itself was the result of a stroke of genius, as it could mean many things–the triple stream of Love, Wisdom and Power, symbolised by the lotus, the flame and the diamond; Bhakti, Jnana and Karma; Satyam, Sivam and Sundaram; past, present and future; or the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. The triple stream had continued to flow and might even overflow.

Recalling his own association with the journal, Prof. Srinivasa Iyengar said that his first contribution to Triveni was in 1930. It was a lengthy article, running to 20 pages on “Samuel Butler – the Sinister Prophet of Renaissance.”It was not clear if the term ‘Renaissance’ here was the result of cunning on the author’s part or a happy coincidence. Anyway, the article was published, followed by others after that. During the last 20 years his daughter had also joined the stream.

Discussing the role of periodicals in Indian journalism Prof. Iyengar described “Triveni as a remarkable periodical. Indian journalism was a by-product of the Western conquest and English education. The very first newspaper to be published in India was Hickey’s Gazette in 1780. Most of the Indian monthlies and other periodicals were modelled upon English periodicals like the Edinburgh Review, the Fortnightly Review, the Nineteenth Century and After, the Contemporary Review, The Adelphi, The Athenaeum, The Criterion, etc. Some of the universities brought out journals like the Calcutta Review. The Modern Review (from Calcutta), the Indian Review (from Madras), the Cosmopolitan, the Hindusthan Quarterly, The Everyman’s Review (of V. V. Srinivasa Iyengar from Madras), East and West (of B. M. Malabari from Bombay), The Hindusthan Review (of Dr Sachchidananda Sinha from Patna), The Twentieth Century (of Iswara Dutt from Allahabad) were all journals of a high standard, serious and substantial in content. Arya(1914-21), edited by Sri Aurobindo from Pondicherry, was in a class by itself. Most of them were now defunct and the few that had managed to survive now look jaded,” he said.

Continuing, Prof. Iyengar stressed the importance of survival, valuable in itself in the present climate which was murderous to serious journals. Unlike in the case of a daily newspaper, on which we could hardly spend ten or fifteen minutes, a monthly or quarterly must present material which could be read throughout themonth or the quarter. There was a difference between an article by a popular journalist like Kuldip Nayar or Ajit Bhattacharjea, competent as they were, and one by Sir P. S. Sivaswami Aiyer or Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru, who would put in a whole life’s experience of public life into their writing. It was for the Editor of a monthly or quarterly to bring out what was lasting. It was not easy to run serious journals as there was no market for them. The readers, more so the buyers, for them were few.

“Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau had not only ideals but a vision of India,” said Prof. Iyengar. He thought of India as a pluralistic society. Being a patriot rather than a Politician, he wanted a journal that would serve India’s pluralistic society adequately. Behind the apparent multiplicity he could infer a unity of inspiration, intention and achievement. He also wanted to focus attention on the national renaissance in the arts and letters. The Indian Renaissance started in the 19th century with the work of Raja Rain Mohun Roy. The spiritual renaissance, which found its expression in Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj and other movements, was also reflected in the arts and letters and in public life. It was necessary that we should understand one another.

Prof. Iyengar emphasised the fact that Ramakotiswara Rau was fastidious and would not compromise. He was happy to see that his successor, Mr. Bhavaraju Narasimha Rao, was keeping up the standard. Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau had his difficulties in realising his vision of India. But he managed to master and exceed them. The journal changed places and persons. But, despite the surface variations, the triple stream flowed on majestically. It was comforting to realise that Mylapore did not let the Editor down.

Recalling the old Triveni days, Prof. Iyengar said that during the years 1931-’33, a number of friends and enthusiasts of the journal used to meet regularly at the YMIA over a cup of coffee. They included Messrs K. S. Venkataramani, K. Chandrasekharan, M.Chalapathi Rau, Manjeri S. Isvaran, A. D. Mani, Lanka Sundaram and himself. The proofs of Venkataramani’s novel Kandan the Patriot were read by Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau, whom the author used to refer as its “midwife.” It first appeared as a short-story entitled “Collision” in Triveni and was later on serialised as a novel in the Swarajya. This group of friends was later discussed by Prof. Iyengar in an article entitled, “We were Seven.” It was a “lost” generation. The main thing was they stood by one another.

Concluding, Prof. Iyengar said that Triveni was not an office, but an institution, a nucleus of thought. He was glad that Mr. Bhavaraju Narasimha Rao had given the journal a regularity, steadiness and sumptuousness. The special numbers on Gandhi, Sri Aurobindo, The Mother, Viswanatha Satyanarayana and Dr Ananda Coomaraswamy were notable productions. A review must stimulate thought and there was no doubt that Triveni did that, he added.

Mr. Nittoor Srinivasa Rau (retired Chief justice of the Mysore High Court) traced his long association with Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau and Triveni. It was in 1924 that he came to Madras as a student of the Law College, where he was a contemporary of Mr. K. Chandrasekharan. He was a room-mate of the late Mr. M. S. Chalapathi at the Mohana Vilas in Royapettah. The first number of Triveni was a remarkable one. The office of the journal was first located in Broadway, next to that of Swarajya. The periodical represented a great cause.

During his periodical visits to Bangalore, said Mr. Srinivasa Rau, Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau acquired some good and reliable friends like Masti Venkatesa Iyengar, D.V. Gundappa, K. Sampathgiri Rao, D. R. Bendre and V. K. Gokak. The late V. Bhaskaran (of The Hindu)was already a friend of his. Sometimes he used to visit Mr. Suri Subrahmanyam (of Kolar Gold Fields) and stay as his guest for a change and rest. T. N. Shama Rao wrote an informative article on the progress of Kannada literature, he recalled.

During the Second World War, Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau was detained in the August 1942 Movement, when the journal found a hospitable haven in Bangalore. For a brief while it was shifted to Madras under the initiative of Mr. K Chandrasekharan, but soon found a more stable home in Machilipatnam. Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau suffered much in his later life for the cause of Triveni, added Mr. Srinivasa Rau.

Mr. A. Ranganathan, speaking on behalf of the younger generation of friends of Triveni, expressed the view that the ’Twenties of the present century represented a glorious period of intellectual achievement–Raman, Ramanujam and Saha in Science; Radhakrishnan in Philosophy; and Ananda K. Coomaraswamy in the interpretation of Indian art. It was in such a milieu that Triveni came into existence. Coming to the present day, he referred to the meritorious work of Mr. Bhavaraju Narasimha Rao, who was a man of taste and took great trouble about the special numbers. The journal had a role to play in influencing the quality of the mind, when all around was a wasteland, he added.

A Golden jubilee memento, in the form of a plaque, with the symbol of Triveni carved on it, was presented on behalf of the Committee by Shrimati Rukmini Devi to Mr. Bhavaraju Narasimha Rao.

Replying to the speeches of felicitation, Mr. Narasimha Rao (Editor of Triveni)felt that Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau was present amidst them in spirit on the occasion. For the survival of Triveni, he thought that the timely help of the family of Mr. V. Krishnaswami Aiyer, including the late Mr. K. Balasubrahmanya Aiyer, Mr. K. Chandrasekharan, Shrimati K. Savitri Ammal and Shrimati Saraswati Ammal was primarily responsible. They took Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau as a member of their own family. It was “Ashrama” (their family residence) that gave “Ashraya” (shelter) to Triveni. He also mentioned the names of other friends and well-wishers, including Jinarajadasa, Rajaji, C. P. Ramaswami Aiyer, P. V. Rajamannar, P. N. Appuswami, Prof. K. R. Srinivas Iyengar, S. Narayanaswami, D. Anjaneyulu and A. Ranganathan, among others.

The second chapter of the history of Triveni opened in Bangalore in 1942 and lasted till 1947, said Mr. Narasimha Rao. Mr. K. Chandrasekharan then used his good offices to bring it to Madras. It was then that Mr. S. Viswanathan published it as a monthly for a full year in 1948-’49.

Recalling his own association with Triveni, Mr. Narasimha Rao mentioned that it was in 1946 that he requested Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau to inaugurate his printing and publishing venture at Machilipatnam (Triveni Press and Triveni Publishers), naming them after Triveni out of his admiration for the journal and regard for its Editor. Formally inaugurating the institution, Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau said in conclusion: “I wish that ultimately the Triveni Press will print Triveni Quarterly and the Triveni Publishers will publish it.” His wish was duly fulfilled in course of time. It was some unseen power that goaded him (Mr. Narasimha Rao) to take up the responsibility of bringing it out. The first issue of the journal came out of the Triveni Press at Machilipatnam on 28 April, 1950.

Continuing, Mr. Narasimha Rao mentioned that the Silver Jubilee of Triveni was celebrated in 1954 in Bangalore and the Golden Jubilee in 1978 in Madras. It was all due to the tremendous goodwill built up by Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau. On seeing the first special number, which was on Mahatma Gandhi in 1969, Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau wrote to him. “I have been receiving copies of Triveni. I rejoice to find that you have made a superb job of it. The Gandhi Centenary Number is a particularly magnificent one in appearance as well as content. You have enlisted the goodwill and co-operation of all the leading literary men and publicists....In your case all my hopes have been fulfilled. In your hands the Triveni will reach the highest levels and be India’s topmost cultural journal. God bless you!”

Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau wrote this letter on 11th May, 1970 and he passed away after a week–on 19th May.

Mr. Narasimha Rao was grateful to the great soul for the confidence reposed in him. In conclusion, he thanked all the friends and well-wishers of Triveni for having kept it going all these decades.

Mr. T. S. Parthasarathy proposed a vote of thanks.

Messages have been received from the following:

Mr. Justice P. B. Gajendragadkar, Madame Sophia Wadia, Bombay; Mr. K. P. S. Menon, Ottapalem; Prof. M. Venkatarangaiya, Prof. Rayaprolu Subba Rao, Sri R. Prabhakara Rao, Sri Kodali Anjaneyulu, Mr. A. G. K. Murty, Dr S. S. Prabhakara Rao, Hyderabad; Dr B. Gopala Reddy, Nellore; Prof. K. Swaminathan, New Delhi; Sri C. R. Pattabhiraman, Madras; Sri Trivikrama Ramananda Bharati Swamiji, Courtallam; Dr R. S. Mugali, Sri N. Raghunathan, Bangalore; Sri L. V. B. Chowdary, Pedasanagallu; Sri Basudha Chakravarti, Sri Jatindra Mohan Ganguli, Calcutta; Sri M. Sivaprakasam, Sri C. Sitaramamurthy, Vijayawada; Prof. K. Viswanatham, Prof. L. S. R. Krishna Sastri, Dr K. V. S. Murti, Dr A. Prasanna Kumar, Messrs New Students Book Centre, Visakhapatnam; Dr A. Janakiram, Jaipur; Prof. G. V. L. N. Sharma, Sri E. Nageswara Rao, Warangal; Sri V. Umamaheswara Rao, Dr. C. Madhavasai, Sri G. Srinivasa Rao, Guntur; Dr G. Sriramamurty, Anakapalle; Sri Addepalli Nageswara Rao, Rajahmundry; Sri Ponnapalli Venkateswarlu, Narsapur; Sri Kotamraju, Kameswara Rao, Tenali; Dr Sankara Srirama Rao, Sri Majeti Krishna Rao, Eluru; Sri K. Siva Rama Sastri, Sri Vavilala Vasudeva Sastri, Dr A. N. Rao, Sri M. Satyanarayanamurti, Dr M. A. Padmanabha Rao, Sri P. Sitarama Rao, Sri S. S. Krishnaji, Machilipatnam.