Jul96

JULY 1996

Editor's Notes

I have great pleasure to inform our Old Boys that St John's College reopened last month in Jaffna. I pray that God Almighty will prevent and protect the Students and Staff from any further interruptions from disturbances in the North. It is the wish of every 01d Boy of St John's to see that our College maintains its high standards and traditions, inspite of the prevailing situation in Jaffna.

In this issue we publish articles of Mr. SriBaloratnam on Vibrational Breath Therapy and one by Mrs. Varatha Gunaratnam. I have also included "Life's like that. Expect more of it in our next issue.

My sincere thank to Mano and Tulin for their help in the publication of this second issue of the Bulletin for 1996.

I will be happy to receive articles from our 01d Boys towards this bulletin.

 

P Devendran

Editor

HAPPY MEMORIES

Of all the treasures stored up in the Treasure Chest of our memories the most cherished are those of our childhood, those happy, carefree days when adulthood has not closed in on us. If we could dip into the box of memories, we could have some enchanted moments.

Simple are the pleasures of childhood and little things gave us joy. I have happy memories of my school days, of my teachers and principals, of friendships formed, of knowledge acquired, of fun and frolic, and of the Christian ideals set before us.

My association with StJohn's was only as a student attending classes ( next door as it were),in Chemistry and Latin. At that time m the 1 930's Chundikuli Girls College was in the same compound as StJohn's, with only a cadjan fence separating the two schools. A gate gave access to St John s when boarders went for joint services at St John' s Church or when girls had to go to the boys classrooms to attend classes in chemistry, Latin or physics. Chundikuli Girls' College had no facilities at that time for teaching these subjects, and St John s, as always, helpful to Chundikuli as to a younger sister, allowed girls who were keen on these subjects to attend classes with the boys at the Senior Cambridge Level. So about six or seven of us made use of this help to study chemistry. Mr T.M Mathai was our teacher for the two years of study required. He was a good teacher and most of us did well in the subject.

As for Latin, I was the only girl who was interested in that subject and had to go across ,to St John's. When the bell sounded for the Latin class, I would march from the gate to the class-room close by, looking neither to the right nor to the left and take the special seat that was reserved for me at the top of the class. At the end of the session, I would march back in the same manner. My generation of girls was never allowed to mix freely with the boys or even talk to them. I don't think the presence of boys distracted us as we were all keen on our studies. The Rev H Peto was my teacher in Latin and I felt his benign presence even in the class-room. He was a wonderful teacher and made the subject interesting. He combined his missionary dedication with his scholastic achievements and gave of his best in both fields, and took StJohn's to great heights of scholarship, good behaviour and fine Christian ideals.

I have indeed been privileged to be associated even in this very small way with such an illustrious school like St John's -- a school that has produced sons who shine like stars in every sphere of life.

VARATHA GUNARATNAM

Vibrational Breath Therapy

By

Sri Balaratnam

 

Albert Einstein reiterated the truth established by the Science of Yoga five thousand years ago when he declared, "...matter and energy are dual expressions of the same universal substance. That substance is a primal energy or vibration of which we are all composed".

All animate and inanimate objects in this universe are composed of this same fundamental unity of existence or cosmic energy or prana, vibrating at different frequencies. So are the body and mind. They are manifestations of energy or energy bodies vibrating at gross and subtle frequencies. They have been programmed and aligned to work harmoniously together, but: through factors sometimes within and often without our control, they become deprogrammed or mal-aligned resulting in disease.

After thirty years of study and experience of the science of yoga, the author now bases his work on what he believes to be the most powerful of disciplines - Vibrational Breath Therapy. It is based on classical scientific yogic breathing techniques and the three harmonising sounds "A-U-M", which expresses the full range of the human voice.

Breathing-in deep absorbs the energy in the air we breathe in to energise and harmonise the body and mind and breathing-out deep detoxifies the metabolic and toxic wastes in the body. The intoning of the three harmonising sounds attunes to cellular vibration, regenerates, rejuvenates and integrates both body and mind. In short they create the optimum conditions within the body-mind complex for the healing process to be activated.

When we realise that we breathe some 25,920 breaths per day at an average of 18 breaths per minute and we expel some 60% of metabolic and toxic waste from the body through exhalation in the form of carbon dioxide, the need to breathe in and out deep becomes significant. It is further reinforced by the knowledge that the yogic secret to good health and longevity was breathing deep, slow and rhythmically.

We are generally very poor breathers hardly taking in 20% of our lung capacity. We are therefore according to the late Dr Sw. Gitananda Giri, an authority on Pranayama (the science of breathing), only 20% healthy, 20% functionally efficient and 20% mentally active. We further not only do not breathe in deep but also do not breathe out deep resulting in respiratory acidosis and respiratory conditions and with its neglect circulatory acidosis and heart conditions.

Breathing at 60% and over of the lung capacity doing the complete yogic breath, absorbs energy directly, over and above the oxygen needed by the body. This in turn energises the body, activating circulation of blood and Iymph drainage. It also integrates the musculo-skeletal structure with the brain and nervous system. (Diagram 1)

Vibrational Breath Therapy

The intoning of "A-U-M" with the complete yogic breath, known as Pranawa Aum Pranayama, balances both hemispheres of the brain at the physical level, and at a deeper level integrates both body and mind. It also takes one through a wakeful, dream and deep sleep to a state of consciousness beyond conceptualisation - the causal or inner silence within us. This state of consciousness transcends both body and conscious mind, negates ego consciousness, renews, repairs and heals. (Diagram 1)

In a Vibrational Breath Therapy program a few basic/advanced practices are harmoniously blended with Pranawa Aum Pranayama in the treatment of a stress-related and immune system-deficient condition. The practices are selected taking into consideration the student-patient's life style, medical history, hereditary tendencies, physical, mental and emotional traumas experienced, present condition etc. It truly complements medical treatment and makes it holistic.

Vibrational Breath Therapy programs have succeeded in reversing the process of ill health in a range of serious conditions such as cancer, asthma, depression, anxiety neurosis and managing H. 1. V, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome and the like, better.

Pranawa Aum Pranayama is the main practice in a Vibrational Breath Therapy program. It not only addresses the following requisites for good health but also puts the responsibility to self-heal in the hands of the student-patient:

I end this short article with a quotation from the five thousand year old Chandogya Upanishad:

"What is done with knowledge, conviction and meditation will alone achieve maximum energy and efficiency."

Pranawa Aum Pranayama is a meditative and contemplative activity and deserves a scientific study of its potential.

Vibrational Breath Therapy and Pranawa Aum Pranayama truly Work!

"Life's like that"

When Rev. Selvaratnam was returning from India after a Christian conference in a ship, a child accidentally fell into the sea. There were young boys in the ship, but none of them volunteered to go down to save the child. Suddenly Rev Selva went down into the sea and saved the child. The Captain of the ship was so happy, he organised a dinner to felicitate him. At the dinner Captain of the ship thanked Rev. Selva for his brave achievement and wanted Rev. Selva to reply. Rev. Selva thanked the Captain to have honoured him, and at the end he said "If I could only catch that idiot who pushed me into the sea, I will teach him a lesson."

Tulin was doing some relief teaching at StJohn's soon after he finished his Exam. He had asked the students to say what they would ask God in their life, one student said " I would ask for a nice car" another said " I would ask for a big house" another said " I would ask for a Motor Cycle" and so on. Tulin said if I were to ask god, I would ask for wisdom. A student got up and said "Sir, we can understand every one will ask God for what they don't have. "

Mano and Ben were neighbours in Colombo. One day Ben's wife wanted to grind some rice, requested Ben to ask Mano for the grinder. Mano was upset over something and when Ben's servant came for the grinder he refused to oblige. He sent the servant back and told him to tell his master that "we cannot lend the grinder, but if he wants he could come over and grind it here". A few days later, there was heavy rains in Colombo and there was a leak on the roof of Mano's house. Mano sent his servant to get Ben's ladder. Ben was so angry he sent back the servant and told him to tell his master " if he wants let him come and climb here, we can't lend the ladder"

The holy lady on a bicycle

 An Appreciation
Extracted from Daily News of 5th of June 1996

 It was on the 4th of March 1996 that the longest serving CMS missionary in Sri Lanka, Muriel V.Hutchins, received her home call at Kilinochchi at the ripe old age of 98.

 The crowd at the funeral was vast in spite of the. situation in the area. Among the crowd were Church dignitaries of all denominations, leaders of other faiths, representatives of all organisations including the British High Commission and practically the entire public of the area. She was cremated according to her wishes and her ashes were scattered over the waters of the Iranaimadua Tank.

 Affectionately known 'Amah' (mother), 'Vellai Ammah" (white mother) and 'the holy lady on a bicycle', Miss Hutchins came to this country in 1927. She was born in Wales. After schooling, she went over to Oxford where she obtained the M.A. degree, followed by a teaching stint in a school at Stovebridge for three years. It is here that she seems to have joined the Anglican Church.

 Fed up with teaching Latin and History, she offered herself to the CMS to go out as a missionary to one of the outposts of the empire, where she could live with the poor and bring the Good News to them. When she arrived in Ceylon, her first assignment was as a teacher at Ladies' College, Colombo. The young lady who had visions of working with the poorest of the poor, now found herself again teaching English and Latin to upper class girls at Ladies'. This she could not accept and after a few months, decided to go the farthest end of the country, namely Jaffna, where she felt the could fulfil her dreams.

 Before moving, she went to South India to learn Tamil and spent an year to equip herself with the language of the people. Well versed in the language, she returned to Jaffna and was posted to Chundikuli Girls' College, where she was again asked to teach English and Latin. After a brief period at Chundikuli, she found her heart's desire, when she moved to Kopay, a village outside the town, and took over as Head of the Orphanage and the Tamil Girls' Boarding School.

 She had found her vocation. It was the year 1929 and I was five year old. MVH was my first school teacher and taught me in Tamil.

 In the late thirties, when the CMS Girls' and Boys' Schools were amalgamated as Christian College, Kopay, she was offered the post of Principal, as the most qualified person for the job. She declined saying that she had not come over to rule but to serve. She wanted a local to be Principal and accepted the vice-Principal's post. She served with great acceptance and distinction for many years.

 It has been said that she was also offered the Principalship of Chundikuli Girls' College, which she declined. She moved over for a brief period as Principal of the Women's Training College at Uduvil and from there as Vice Principal of the Tamil Teachers' Training College at Nallur. From here she retired in the year 1954 and returned to England.

 It is said that she was restless in England and CMS did not know how to use her talents, enthusiasm and zeal for service. She came back to Ceylon and founded Karuna Nilayam (KN) in Kilinochchi as a haven for orphans, un-wed mothers and physically disabled girls and women.From very small beginnings, she built it into an institution to house about one hundred girls.Young girls go to neighbouring schools and others are taught skills like sewing, choir work and other income generating pursuits. KN is spread over a vast extent of land donated by the government with all the facilities for residential care. At the entrance is St. Paul's Church, designed by Engineer Canagarajah in traditional Oriental architecture. All residents meet here daily for prayer and are joined by local parishioners for Sunday worship.

 Age did not permit her to run the place for the last twelve years, and a successor took over. But she continued to reside there in her simple abode. In the last five years, even that was not possible but she refused to move out, insisting on spending her last days there. Even when the entire place had to be evacuated once in 1987 and again in 1990, she went with everyone else, carried by the girls in her wheel chair. The girls looked after her with great love and affection, moving her around in the wheel chair. Her handsome CMS sterling pension of well over Rs. 15,000 per month was all ploughed into KN, which took care of her needs.

 Many things have been said and written about this unique English lady who became part of the Tamil life and culture and loved the simple life with the poor and unwanted members of society. She was one of the very few CMS missionaries who took pains to learn the language of the people. She was so fluent in Tamil and could even preach in the language, but always with an English accent.

 Unlike native Tamil speakers whose spoken language is very different from the written language, her spoken language was always grammatical, just like the written form. As late as 1988, when I spent a day at KN, she challenged me on Tamil grammar and I could not match her knowledge.

 She always went about all over Jaffna, on her push cycle, invariably singing a Tamil Lyric as she rode along. At the age of seventy she was seen carrying a bag of cement on her bicycle.

 I earned many enemies for not nominating them as Justices of Peace. In the case of MVH, it was after much persuasion that she accepted the nomination with great reluctance. A public meeting had been arranged to felicitate her, but MVH told her admirers very firmly 'No Tamashas', the meeting was cancelled and the notices printed for the occasion had to be quietly destroyed'.

 It is told that once she went around Kilinochchi on her bicycle looking for a JP to sign an affidavit for one of her girls. Only on her return, disappointed she could not find one, she was reminded that she herself was a J.P. Another story doing the rounds was that she slept on a mat when she went to the Maharagama Hospital for treatment. She set the record straight by a letter to the Ceylon Churchman Vol 77:1 ( 1981), where she says that the story probably originated from an incident, when she had gone to the Jaffna General Hospital for surgery and was told that no bed was available. She offered to sleep on the mat as many patients did. Seeing this, one lady who was uncomfortable on a high bed that she was not used to, offered her bed to MVH, which she gratefully accepted. When she went to the Maharagama hospital for treatment, she had stayed with friends.

Volumes will be written about this unique servant of Christ and it is difficult to recapture every important event of her over sixty years of service. But a few cannot be allowed to pass. She was a lover of Tamil music and Christian Lyrics many of which she translated into English. As a member of the Diocesan Council and the Standing Committee of the Diocese, she always spoke her mind without fear or favour, making very significant contributions to the subject under discussion. She also contributed profusely to the Ceylon Churchman.

For her services among the underprivileged in Sri Lanka, the British Government offered her the Order of the British Empire. She asked them how it could help Karuna Nilayam and the girls there... When told that it was just a high honour, she declined.

Although a teacher by profession, she was a missionary by calling. As an evangelist in the true sense, she drew many to Christ not so much by her preaching but by her simple and humble life of service to the lowly and the outcast. When the history of KN is written, the first twenty five years will be the life story of MVH. KN will never be the same without her and the only tribute we can pay her, is to find dedicated staff to run the place with the same devotion, love and affection as she did.

She never wanted a monument for herself and a stone monument would not have been fitting. She did not want her body or ashes to be buried in the KN premises, lest it become a monument or shrine in years to come. But KN will be the most appropriate and lasting monument for her service to her master and a shining example of love and care for us to emulate.

 'Spend and be spent in the Service of the Lord'

 (Dr E.S.Thevasagayam)

 

 The Rise and Fall of the Jaffna Public Library

 By V. S. Thurairajah

 Extracted from Daily News of 17th of July 1996

 It was on the night of June 1, 1981 that the Jaffna Public Library with its priceless collection of books and some rare manuscripts was turned to ashes. Half a century of toil and dedication by several individuals and institutions that built up the reservouirof knowledge, was to be the target of some vandals.

Would it be realised that the loss is not just to the North of Sri Lanka, but to the whole of Sri Lanka and the international community of learning?

It is heartening to see that our president is giving serious consideration to restore the library to the old glory as a symbol of learning and understanding between people.

At this time, it is relevant to study the history of this world renowned library.

In 1933, a well wisher named K. M. Chellappah, out of his desire to share knowledge with others was conducting a free library in his house. Appreciating the idea of Mr. Chellappah, some lovers of learning got together and formed a committee and met on June 9, 1934 to establish a Library.

Issac Thambiah, who was the High Court judge of Jaffna at that time, was elected chairman and K. M. Chellappah was elected secretary. Due to the effort of this committee, on August 1, 1934, a library was opened in a small rented room on Hospital Road, Jaffna, in front of the electrical station. At inception, this library had only 844 books and about 30 newspapers and magazines, yet it was patronised by all citizens, young and old, with yearning for knowledge.

The library grew a large number of books and more space was needed. In January 1935, it was shifted to a rented building on Main Street, Jaffna.

 In 1936, the present municipal building and Town Hall was built (it was razed to the ground). This library was shifted to a building near the Town Hall. At that time the membership fee was only Rs. 3/-. With this subscription, lending of books started.

The popularity of the library was such that there was a demand for a permanent building with all modern facilities. A conference was held under the chairmanship of the first Mayor of Jaffna Sam Sabapathy, to find ways and means of collecting funds to build a new library.

It was decided to conduct a carnival, music and dance recitals by Indian artistes, sale of lottery tickets etc., Large sums beyond the expectation of the organisers, was collected.

A library committee was formed in 1953, Rev. Fr. Long, who was the rector of St. Patrick's College at that time, was also a member in this committee (it should be noted here that Fr. Long died of a heart attack when he heard of the burning of the library). The contribution made by Fr. Long was so great that his statue was erected in front of the library by the public.

The library committee invited a leading specialist in library science, Prof S. R.Ranganathan from Delhi, to advise on the formation of the library to international standard. It also invited K. S. Narasimman, who was at that time the architect to the Madras government, an authority in Dravidian architecture. A master plan was drawn and the front wing was to be built as stage one and the rear wing to be built later as stage two. The foundation was laid for stage on March 29 1953, in the presence of several educationists and well wishers, not only from Jaffna, but from all over the island and from India.

The first stage of the building was completed and on October I 1, 1959, the building was ceremonially opened by the then Mayor of Jaffna, Alfred Duraiappah.

A children's section was opened on November 03, 1967. Asia Foundation donated books worth Rs. 9,500/-. At that time this amount was a large sum. An auditorium was opened in the first floor in 1971 for the purpose of holding lectures, seminars, literary and cultural performances.

Valuable books and centuries - old ola manuscripts were collected from the time of Mr. Chellappah in 1933. There were about 97,000 valuable books, old newspapers and magazines up to the torching of the library on June 01, 1981. Alas! all these rare collections were set on fire by some insane human beings.

The burnt building remained without repair as a monument to the vandalism of man. In 1981, the Municipality of Jaffna, under the leadership of the then Mayor, Rasa Viswanathan, obtained the advice of engineers to ascertain whether the building was structurally sound to renovate it. The engineers advised against the renovation as they were doubtful about the strength of the building. Then the Municipality decided to build stage two of the master plan.

The same year, l was appointed architect to design stage two of the building. It was decided to keep the same details of Dravidian architecture found in stage one. The estimated cost of the building at that time was about 11 million rupees.

The Jaffna Municipal Council decided to start a fund-raising and book collection campaign in Colombo. The mayor appointed a committee with myself as its chairman. The Colombo committee decided to organise a 'Jaffna Public Library Week" from May IS - 21, 1982 and a flag day on May 21, 1982. The press in Sri Lanka gave tremendous publicity to these events. On the first day, within an hour, a sum of Rs. 90,000/- was collected. Several businessmen, social service organisations, religious organisations and members of the public came in the hundreds and donated cash and books.

It was like a week of solemn devotion and dedication that people of all walks of life disregarding differences of caste, creed, community or religion converged on Saraswathy Hall, as in a pilgrimage to hand over their gifts for the restoration of the house of knowledge.

Thousands of books were collected and sent to Jaffna. With the funds collected the construction work on stage two commenced in June 1982. The building was nearing completion by June 1983, when the second calamity took place. The war broke out and this building received a severe beating by bullets, shells and bombs. What remains today is a structure with shell and bullet holes and blackened walls with the smoke of burnt books.

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