Latest news with #Sasibhooshan
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
A look back at Travancore's first Independence Day
On the morning of August 15, 1947, the rest of India erupted in celebration, marking the nation's long-fought freedom from colonial rule. But in Travancore the atmosphere was different. The streets were not filled with joyous processions. Instead, there was an unusual stillness, laced with anxiety. Three days before the historic day, dewan C P Ramaswami Iyer issued an order that the Indian Tricolour was not to be hoisted anywhere in Travancore. Only the flag bearing the conch shell emblem of the princely state would be permitted. 'Initially, the maharaja and dewan had taken the stand that Travancore could remain independent,' notes historian M G Sasibhooshan. 'Cochin had already decided to join the Indian Union, and there was a feeling that Travancore could not stand alone in such a situation. Yet, unlike other princely states, there were no official celebrations here.' Some, however, chose to defy the official silence. 'Individuals did celebrate. People hoisted the Tricolour at their homes. There was a sense of joy among the public that they were finally gaining the independence they had long awaited,' Sasibhooshan adds. 'Also, with independence approaching, the ban on processions was lifted. A government order was issued allowing public celebrations between August 14 and 17. Yet, it is true that the celebrations could not be held on a grand scale.' One memorable celebration took place on the YMCA premises. At 7.30am on August 15, 1947,Travancore State Congress President Pattom Thanu Pillai hoisted the national flag as a symbolic gesture of defiance. The political landscape shifted quickly in the months that followed. 'By September 1947, the decision to merge with the Indian Union was made. On September 4, the maharaja issued the order permitting responsible governance. Soon afterward, he released all political prisoners, including Mannathu Padmanabhan, Kumbalathu Sanku Pillai and Sankara Narayana Thampi,' says Sasibhooshan. 'By January 1948, the merger was complete. Travancore and Cochin were united, and maharaja Chithira Thirunal was appointed as the 'rajpramukh;, a role similar to today's governor. He continued in office until the formation of Kerala on November 1, 1956.'
New Indian Express
03-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Vizhinjam had strong Gujarat link in the distant past: Historian M G Sasibhooshan
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the commissioning of Vizhinjam International port on Friday japed that Gujarat might get upset seeing the Adani Group building a massive port here-something they have not done back home despite being engaged in port construction there for the past three decades. However, it seems the Prime Minister was oblivious to the fact that ancient Vizhinjam already had a strong Gujarati connection via Ay-vel dynasty, which ruled parts of South Kerala till 10th Century AD and had the port town as its administrative capital. According to Kerala Historian M G Sasibhooshan, the forefathers of Ays were Gujarati princes. He said two of the Ay rulers, Karunandatakkan and his son Vikramaditya Varaguna, paid special attention to Vizhinjam and the latter addressed himself as lord of Vizhinjam, revealing the strong attachment he had with the place. 'Vizhinjam was very dear to the Ay world,' he said. Gujarati merchants too frequented the harbour those days and as per experts, they played a major role in spreading civilisation to South India and Sri Lanka, Sasibhooshan added. 'There is a saying that history repeats itself. It's a coincidence that by partnering with Adani, history has repeated the connection it had with Gujarat a 1000 years ago,' Sasibhooshan said.
New Indian Express
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
MGS Narayanan was a relentless fighter: M G Sasibhooshan
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Remembering how would always encourage ideas but seldom endorse them, historian M G Sasibhooshan reminisced how MGS became a critic of precision. 'Often, his smile was the only response we got. But when he truly loved something, he would share his thoughts openly. That approval meant the world for me,' said Sasibhooshan. Speaking of his masterpiece Perumals of Kerala, Sasibhooshan said the work freed Kerala's medieval history from myths and misconceptions. 'His 1996 work Perumals of Kerala analysed both social and economic history along with political history. It is his masterpiece,' opined Sasibhooshan. He added that one of his most-cherished memories was when MGS asked him to massage his shoulders the last time he visited MGS at his home in Kozhikode. 'He was not someone who would ask such things. When he made that request, I knew he considered me as somebody special,' he added. Sasibooshan remembered how once, after he wrote an article, MGS not only praised it but also suggested that it should be turned into a book. 'That was precious for me. We share the same initials, so people used to call me 'Junior MGS' as if considering me as a successor,' said Sasibhooshan. Beyond his work as a historian, M G S Narayanan was a remarkable epigraphist and artist, said Sasibhooshan. 'He identified that Bhaskara Ravi Chakravarthi and Manu Kuladithyan were the same person, as well as that Godaradi and Vijayaragadevan were the same,' Sasibhooshan noted. Though MGS was known internationally for his work, serving as a visiting professor at prestigious universities such as Harvard, Oxford, and Moscow, he never compromised on his principles. Sasibhooshan also recalled M G S Narayanan's talent for art. 'In his younger days, he used to compete with Artist Namboodiri and even win. He was truly an all-rounder. He had a heart of gold, and his smile was one of the best I've ever seen. It is a huge loss,' concluded Sasibhooshan.
