the 2nd octogenarian meet.

Encouraged by the great success of the tea [party event of senior Mylaporeans envisaged and hosted by Vasumathy and radha at the formers apartment on 13th June, another meet was organised by the same two enthusiastic persons .since they have been contacted by many senior citizens of age group 80+, who suggested more of the same meets and were appreciative of the novel idea of gathering of senior citizens .

The first meeting was a great sucess where a dozen senior citizens(males and females)participated and exchanged various humorous events and happeningsn in their olden days like Mylapore in the old times and there wasa senseof humour running amidst all that was said.

Sensing the eagerness of many seniorcitizens for such a gathering Vasumathy and Radh a arranged for a meeting of some seniors over a cup of tea on 9-8-09 at Radhas house in Murrays gate rdAlwarpet. About 8 octogenarians attended and the mood was set by the date which incidentally was August 8th quit India Movement.Most of those present were in their teens during the movement and thus went down memory lane almost 60years.

mrO.S.Venkatraman(85)who used to own an engineering factory said he was a student of PS school of 1940 batch and he was also 'Chikkas' student in Annamalai university.He recalled the days when THanni thurai was a canal where boatloads of salt used to be unloaded and the canal ran from thanni thurai to Marakkanam....Hay for the cattle or cows in the householods was bought from this market on the water way.He also fondly remembered the days when the great Kribanandavariar cooked tasty food and served it very affectionately.

Mrs Rajam Raghavan(80) was lost in thoughts of her early married life .In 1947 she was 15years old( been married for two years)and lived in Bombay where her husband was with the Free Press Indiawith Sadanand as the editor .She remembered that she hoisted the national flag in the press premises at the stroke of midnight 14th august 1947and the following day she hosted a lunch for her husbands colleagues in honour of the freedom won.she recalls that her guests were an assorted lot but with the same thought in their minds ...that of a free India.

Mr Ramanujam who served in the Defence department was stationed in Puneand remembered the curfew when Gandhi was shot and the feeling of personal loss that he felt at the time.

Every one very proudly mentioned the fact that they had either seen Gandhi at close quarters or from afar....but it sounded as though all of them had seen God.

Mr Shankara narayanan and his wife Vasantha were students in Pacahaippasa college in 1947(they studied from 44-48)and were attending a lectureBY mr Chengelvarayan( who became Mayor of Madras later on) .mr shankaranarayanann said 'OUR JOY KNEW NO BOUNDS'on hearing of independence.and his wife sang 'AADUVOME PAKLU PAADUVOME'AND AFTER THE 15TH AUGUST THEY HAD A MOCK PARLIAMENT IN THEIR COLLEGE.AND cHENGELVARAYANS FAMOUS LECTURE' wHAT IS iNDIA AND wHY IS IT SO?was very popular then.

mrs vasantha was happy to recall that she attended a few lectures by Gandhi at HINDI prachar sabah.she said they used to have oil bath, wear new clothes and distribute sweets like diwali on every 15th august,

They remembered the great Kp Sundarambal and SG.kittapa who sang patriotic songs in their dramas without fear

Most of those present said the rupee had so much more value then. when mr shankaranarayanan studied in Kumbakonam he paid all of 30rs for a months stay in th e hostel and Mr venkatraman said he travelled to singapore by ship from madra for 40rs.and a n acre of plot on the OMR road cost 100rs and there were no takrers then,....

A tamil lecturer( senior to sri UVE swaminathaayyar)was paid 5rs as monthly salary and he managed to save half a rupee then.

Many of themn have seen Mr Kuruchev, Mr Tito, .Nase, of course our own Nehrujiand the queen.

many of them seem to have travelled extensively to many parts of the world and one gentleman even remembered that he saw tamil inscriptions on the Great wall of China.Mrs saraswathi wife of Mr veeraraghavan dy commisioner tamil nadu police said they had travelled in tam,il nadu extensively and remembered the independence movement and said she sand all the patriotic songs and remembers that very few homes in chennai bouhght The Hindu and hence media could njot highlight the great incident like these times.

The fact remains that many more seniors in chennai have fond memories of their participation in the movement and would love to share their thoughts.This is a forum for all elder s to share thoer thoughts however trivial they may be .We propose to hold a meet at least once a month .

vasoo

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Vasoo

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