"I
cannot express my obligations to you Alasinga and all my
Ma dras friends for the most unselfish and heroic work you
did for me… for it is you young men who have done all…
I am only a figurehead" Thus wrote Swami Vivekanada
in 1893 from the United States in the full flush of his
victory in the World Parliament of Religions. The letter
was addressed to a humble teacher, a young man of 28, M.C.
Alasinga Perumal Iyengar, Headmaster of Pachaiyappa's High
School in Madras. There was every reason for the great
Swami to feel particularly happy about Alasinga, and (for
him to go to the Parliament) his devoted band of Madras
young men, for, as it happened, they were the main
inspiration of Religions and the first unstinted financial
supporters for the trip. FRIEND OP POOR How the Swami and
the teacher met is another example of how great things are
brought about by destiny with insignificant looking
events. Born of humble parents in Chickmagalore in Mysore
State in 1865, Alasinga had his education m Madras, first
in the Presidency College and then in the Christian
College under Dr. William Miller. Graduating in Science,
he took to law but did not complete it. He started life as
a teacher in a private school at Chidambaram. His
efficient record got him the Headmastership of the
Pachaiyapppa's High School in Madras in 1890. Almost to
the end of his short life, he held this post with
distinction and also earned a name as a friend of the
poor, He was literally an institution, and crowds besieged
him at hi" house to get all kinds of help, which he
gave without stint. He was a friend of the high and the
low, the rich and the poor the worldly-eminent and the
spiritually exalted. UNKNOWN MONK Towards the end of the
nineteenth century, a wave of spiritual revival was
spreading all over India, thanks to great saint like Sri.
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa who brought a fresh breath into
the stifling atmosphere of bigoted orthodoxy. But the
Ramkrishan Mission had not been founded; for that matter
not even Swami Vivekananda was known; he had not even
taken that name at the time, but was known by various
names at various places, the best known of them being
Swami Sacchidananda. In 1892 this young disciple of
Ramakrishna came to Madras, comparatively an unknown monk.
But his fame had reached some circles madras Prof. M.
Rangacharya and Prof. Sundararama Iyer, two scholars of
repute, then in Trivandrum, had met the Swami on his visit
to that city after his epoch-making visit to Cape
Kanyakumari and had been highly impressed by his erudition
and royal bearing. They had written to friends in Madras
and thus it happened that Alasinga Perumal came to hear of
the Swami. Ever since it was announced that a great
Parliament of Religions was to be held in Chicago in the
later part of 1893, Alasinga had been trying without
success to interest persons like Prop. Rangacharya to go
there to represent Hinduism. END OF QUEST Learning that
the well versed Swami mentioned by Prof. Rangacharya had
come to the city as the guest of a Bengali officer,
Alasinga was curious to meet him. At their very first
meeting, Alasinga instinctively felt that his quest was
over; he knew that he found his spiritual master and the
person he was seeking to go to the United States to
represent Hinduism, with the courage of conviction. He
posed the momentous question. "Why not go to Chicago,
Swami Ji?" The Swami did not readily agree; he had
thought of it earlier but had his own doubts. But
Alasinga's persistence succeeded. And the Swami instructed
his disciple to collect funds for his passage. He however
stipulated that the money should be collected mainly from
the people, the middle class. The young man of Madras led
by Alasinga rose to the occasion and collected within
three or four days a sum of three thousand rupees. The die
was cast, the Swami's passage to America was booked.
Alasinga went to Bombay personally to see off the Swami.
When the time of departure of the ship came, the Swami,
with tears in his eyes, warmly embraced Alasinga who then
prostrated himself at the feet of his Guru. Simple
Alasinga was hardly aware of the significance of the chain
of events he had so unostentatiously set in motion.
INTIMATE LETTERS From America, Swami Vivekananda, who had
become world renowned by now continued to write intimately
to Alasinga. The famous sentence, "What I want is
muscles of iron and nerves of steel, inside which dwells a
mind of the same material as that of which the thunderbolt
is made" occurs in one of the Swami's letters to
Alasinga in the "Complete works of Swami
Vivekananda" and in the book "Letters of Swami
Vivekananda" can be found number of letters from
Swami to Alasinga, dealing on various topics. It was at
Vivekananda's behest that Alasinga Perumal started
Brahmavadip, a serious journal of Vedanta. "If you
could start a magazine on Vedantic lines," wrote the
Swami from America in 1894, "it would further our
object. Be positive; do not criticize others. - Give your
message, teach what you have to teach, and stop there. The
Lord knows the rest". In September 1895. Alasinga
started the Brahmavidin with the assistance of other
'Madras Boys' like Dr. M. C. Nanjunda Row and G.
Venkataranga Rao. The first editorial said "To us
belongs the duty of placing before the world our ancient
vedantic ideal of life-an ideal true and so full of
promise to humanity even today if clothed in language
suited to the understanding of modern man" The
journal continued to serve the cause for nineteen years,
establishing a very high standard for its contents.
Professor Max Muller was so impressed with the editorial
of the paper that he suggested collecting and publishing
them in the book from under the title Brahmavadin Essays;
he even wrote at introduction for the work, but
unfortunately the book did not come out. Max Mullers
introduction, however, was published later on in
Brahmavadin after his death. JOURNAL FOR YOUTH Prabudha
Bharata, another journal of repute, was also started by
Alasinga Perumal, who felt that there was ned of less
erudite journal for the benefit youth containing our
ancient truths in story from. It was Alasinga who selected
B. R. Rajam Iyer as the first editor of the journal. Rajam
Iyer, the genius who had made name as a literary novelist
in Tamil, made as brilliant a mark writing in English on
Vedantic topics as his collected works "Rambles in
Vedanta" has proved by its sustained popularity to
this day. The Tamil Poet Subramaniya Bharati was friend of
Alasinga Perumal and the later had a hand in getting
Bharati fixed up as the editor of "Indian" the
nationalist weekly started in Madras in 1906. When
Alasinga passed away in 1909, at the early age of 44,
Bharati wrote a touching note in his weekly, which had by
then been shifted to Pondicherry. Bharati said it was not
an exaggeration to say that no good work was organized in
Madras without Alasinga Perumal having a leading role in
it". Bharati recalled how when he met Sister Nivedita
years ago and said there were no patriotic leaders to
guide the youth of Madras like himself, she readily
rejoined, Alasinga is there! If you have any doubts
regarding public affairs, have them cleared by him" A
poor man to the end-he spurned offers the sizable gifts by
well-meaning symapathisers-Alasinga is a constant reminder
of the strength of character of the great potential that
lies hidden in unselfish hearts. He was karma yogi to the
core. There can be no better tribute to Alasinga perumal's
memory as a fitting conclusion to this life-sketch than
the following description of him by Swami Vivekananda.
(When Swami Vivekananda reached Madras on his way to the
West for the second time, Alasinga traveled with the Swami
from Madras to Colombo on board the ship with the
intention of consulting the Swami about the Brahmavadin
and the Madras work.) "Alasinga, Editor, Brahmavadin,
who is a Mysore Brahmin of the Ramanuja sect, having a
fondness for "Rasam" (Pungent and sour dal
soup), with shaven head and forehead overspread with the
caste-mark of the Tengale sect, has brought with him with
great care, as his provision for the voyage. Two bundles
in one of which there is fried flattened rice, and in
another popped rice and fried peas, his idea is to live
upon these during the voyage to Ceylon, so that his caste
may remain intact. Alasinga had been to Ceylon once
before, at which his caste-people tried to put him in-to
trouble, without success. A Madrasi by birth, with his
head shaven so as to leave a tuft in the centre,
barefooted, and wearing the dhoti, he got into the first
class; he was strolling now and then on the deck and when
hungry, was chewing some of the popped rice and peas;
However, one rarely finds men like our Alasinga in this
world-one so unselfish, so hard working, and devoted to
his Guru, and such an obedient disciple is indeed very
rare on earth." "(…." Ours) (The complete
works of Swami Vivekananda, Vol. VII, PP. 315-16). – By
COL RS MANNAR
"I
cannot express my obligations to you Alasinga and all my
Ma dras friends for the most unselfish and heroic work you
did for me… for it is you young men who have done all…
I am only a figurehead" Thus wrote Swami Vivekanada
in 1893 from the United States in the full flush of his
victory in the World Parliament of Religions. The letter
was addressed to a humble teacher, a young man of 28, M.C.
Alasinga Perumal Iyengar, Headmaster of Pachaiyappa's High
School in Madras. There was every reason for the great
Swami to feel particularly happy about Alasinga, and (for
him to go to the Parliament) his devoted band of Madras
young men, for, as it happened, they were the main
inspiration of Religions and the first unstinted financial
supporters for the trip. FRIEND OP POOR How the Swami and
the teacher met is another example of how great things are
brought about by destiny with insignificant looking
events. Born of humble parents in Chickmagalore in Mysore
State in 1865, Alasinga had his education m Madras, first
in the Presidency College and then in the Christian
College under Dr. William Miller. Graduating in Science,
he took to law but did not complete it. He started life as
a teacher in a private school at Chidambaram. His
efficient record got him the Headmastership of the
Pachaiyapppa's High School in Madras in 1890. Almost to
the end of his short life, he held this post with
distinction and also earned a name as a friend of the
poor, He was literally an institution, and crowds besieged
him at hi" house to get all kinds of help, which he
gave without stint. He was a friend of the high and the
low, the rich and the poor the worldly-eminent and the
spiritually exalted. UNKNOWN MONK Towards the end of the
nineteenth century, a wave of spiritual revival was
spreading all over India, thanks to great saint like Sri.
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa who brought a fresh breath into
the stifling atmosphere of bigoted orthodoxy. But the
Ramkrishan Mission had not been founded; for that matter
not even Swami Vivekananda was known; he had not even
taken that name at the time, but was known by various
names at various places, the best known of them being
Swami Sacchidananda. In 1892 this young disciple of
Ramakrishna came to Madras, comparatively an unknown monk.
But his fame had reached some circles madras Prof. M.
Rangacharya and Prof. Sundararama Iyer, two scholars of
repute, then in Trivandrum, had met the Swami on his visit
to that city after his epoch-making visit to Cape
Kanyakumari and had been highly impressed by his erudition
and royal bearing. They had written to friends in Madras
and thus it happened that Alasinga Perumal came to hear of
the Swami. Ever since it was announced that a great
Parliament of Religions was to be held in Chicago in the
later part of 1893, Alasinga had been trying without
success to interest persons like Prop. Rangacharya to go
there to represent Hinduism. END OF QUEST Learning that
the well versed Swami mentioned by Prof. Rangacharya had
come to the city as the guest of a Bengali officer,
Alasinga was curious to meet him. At their very first
meeting, Alasinga instinctively felt that his quest was
over; he knew that he found his spiritual master and the
person he was seeking to go to the United States to
represent Hinduism, with the courage of conviction. He
posed the momentous question. "Why not go to Chicago,
Swami Ji?" The Swami did not readily agree; he had
thought of it earlier but had his own doubts. But
Alasinga's persistence succeeded. And the Swami instructed
his disciple to collect funds for his passage. He however
stipulated that the money should be collected mainly from
the people, the middle class. The young man of Madras led
by Alasinga rose to the occasion and collected within
three or four days a sum of three thousand rupees. The die
was cast, the Swami's passage to America was booked.
Alasinga went to Bombay personally to see off the Swami.
When the time of departure of the ship came, the Swami,
with tears in his eyes, warmly embraced Alasinga who then
prostrated himself at the feet of his Guru. Simple
Alasinga was hardly aware of the significance of the chain
of events he had so unostentatiously set in motion.
INTIMATE LETTERS From America, Swami Vivekananda, who had
become world renowned by now continued to write intimately
to Alasinga. The famous sentence, "What I want is
muscles of iron and nerves of steel, inside which dwells a
mind of the same material as that of which the thunderbolt
is made" occurs in one of the Swami's letters to
Alasinga in the "Complete works of Swami
Vivekananda" and in the book "Letters of Swami
Vivekananda" can be found number of letters from
Swami to Alasinga, dealing on various topics. It was at
Vivekananda's behest that Alasinga Perumal started
Brahmavadip, a serious journal of Vedanta. "If you
could start a magazine on Vedantic lines," wrote the
Swami from America in 1894, "it would further our
object. Be positive; do not criticize others. - Give your
message, teach what you have to teach, and stop there. The
Lord knows the rest". In September 1895. Alasinga
started the Brahmavidin with the assistance of other
'Madras Boys' like Dr. M. C. Nanjunda Row and G.
Venkataranga Rao. The first editorial said "To us
belongs the duty of placing before the world our ancient
vedantic ideal of life-an ideal true and so full of
promise to humanity even today if clothed in language
suited to the understanding of modern man" The
journal continued to serve the cause for nineteen years,
establishing a very high standard for its contents.
Professor Max Muller was so impressed with the editorial
of the paper that he suggested collecting and publishing
them in the book from under the title Brahmavadin Essays;
he even wrote at introduction for the work, but
unfortunately the book did not come out. Max Mullers
introduction, however, was published later on in
Brahmavadin after his death. JOURNAL FOR YOUTH Prabudha
Bharata, another journal of repute, was also started by
Alasinga Perumal, who felt that there was ned of less
erudite journal for the benefit youth containing our
ancient truths in story from. It was Alasinga who selected
B. R. Rajam Iyer as the first editor of the journal. Rajam
Iyer, the genius who had made name as a literary novelist
in Tamil, made as brilliant a mark writing in English on
Vedantic topics as his collected works "Rambles in
Vedanta" has proved by its sustained popularity to
this day. The Tamil Poet Subramaniya Bharati was friend of
Alasinga Perumal and the later had a hand in getting
Bharati fixed up as the editor of "Indian" the
nationalist weekly started in Madras in 1906. When
Alasinga passed away in 1909, at the early age of 44,
Bharati wrote a touching note in his weekly, which had by
then been shifted to Pondicherry. Bharati said it was not
an exaggeration to say that no good work was organized in
Madras without Alasinga Perumal having a leading role in
it". Bharati recalled how when he met Sister Nivedita
years ago and said there were no patriotic leaders to
guide the youth of Madras like himself, she readily
rejoined, Alasinga is there! If you have any doubts
regarding public affairs, have them cleared by him" A
poor man to the end-he spurned offers the sizable gifts by
well-meaning symapathisers-Alasinga is a constant reminder
of the strength of character of the great potential that
lies hidden in unselfish hearts. He was karma yogi to the
core. There can be no better tribute to Alasinga perumal's
memory as a fitting conclusion to this life-sketch than
the following description of him by Swami Vivekananda.
(When Swami Vivekananda reached Madras on his way to the
West for the second time, Alasinga traveled with the Swami
from Madras to Colombo on board the ship with the
intention of consulting the Swami about the Brahmavadin
and the Madras work.) "Alasinga, Editor, Brahmavadin,
who is a Mysore Brahmin of the Ramanuja sect, having a
fondness for "Rasam" (Pungent and sour dal
soup), with shaven head and forehead overspread with the
caste-mark of the Tengale sect, has brought with him with
great care, as his provision for the voyage. Two bundles
in one of which there is fried flattened rice, and in
another popped rice and fried peas, his idea is to live
upon these during the voyage to Ceylon, so that his caste
may remain intact. Alasinga had been to Ceylon once
before, at which his caste-people tried to put him in-to
trouble, without success. A Madrasi by birth, with his
head shaven so as to leave a tuft in the centre,
barefooted, and wearing the dhoti, he got into the first
class; he was strolling now and then on the deck and when
hungry, was chewing some of the popped rice and peas;
However, one rarely finds men like our Alasinga in this
world-one so unselfish, so hard working, and devoted to
his Guru, and such an obedient disciple is indeed very
rare on earth." "(…." Ours) (The complete
works of Swami Vivekananda, Vol. VII, PP. 315-16). – By
COL RS MANNAR