C
CHANDRU1849
Guest
Nobel Laureate Sir C V Raman’s grand niece has written a book on Raman’s wife Lokasundari under the title “LADY LOKASUNDARI RAMAN – Reflections of Her Early Life and Times”. The book was reviewed under ‘Book Review’ column of The Hindu today.
Some excerpts
QUOTE
Lokasundari, born in Madurai, but raised in Madras by her sister Lakshmi and her ‘social activist’ husband Sivan, first sees Raman when he unconventionally comes home as a prospective groom. After ‘seeing’ Lokasundari, Raman writes to Sivan saying, “I am under the impression that your girl is in every respect, except that of personal attributes, infinitely superior to any other that I know of. I am almost but by no means perfectly certain that if I marry her, I shall be happy with her. In order that I may make up my mind upon this subject, it is necessary to have some slight degree of personal acquaintance with her.. seeing that I am prepared to disregard the conventional prejudice against intersectal marriage. I think you can permit this. A stay of a day or two at your house will suffice.”
Intersectal Wedding
Given that this was 1907, that ‘house stay’ did not happen, and the marriage too almost did not happen, since Lokasundari’s father objected to intersectal alliance. After the intervention of leading personalities the marriage took place on June 2. The Hindu dated June 6 carried the news item. “An intersectal marriage was celebrated yesterday at the Maharajah of Vizianagaram Girs’ School premises, Triplicane. The bridegroom C Venkataraman (C V Raman’s official name), MA, recently appointed in the enrolled list in the Finance Department of Govt. of India.. is of the Brahacharanam sect.:target: The bride belongs to the Vadama sect.:target: This marriage is of great importance from the social reformer’s point of view, as being the first of its kind. Raman was 19 and the bride 14.
In many ways, Raman comes through as both a traditionalist and a progressive man. When she opens her bank account he tears up the pass book saying he will provide for her till his last.
UNQUOTE
Anyone who has the opportunity of reading the book may enlighten us on the subject.
Some excerpts
QUOTE
Lokasundari, born in Madurai, but raised in Madras by her sister Lakshmi and her ‘social activist’ husband Sivan, first sees Raman when he unconventionally comes home as a prospective groom. After ‘seeing’ Lokasundari, Raman writes to Sivan saying, “I am under the impression that your girl is in every respect, except that of personal attributes, infinitely superior to any other that I know of. I am almost but by no means perfectly certain that if I marry her, I shall be happy with her. In order that I may make up my mind upon this subject, it is necessary to have some slight degree of personal acquaintance with her.. seeing that I am prepared to disregard the conventional prejudice against intersectal marriage. I think you can permit this. A stay of a day or two at your house will suffice.”
Intersectal Wedding
Given that this was 1907, that ‘house stay’ did not happen, and the marriage too almost did not happen, since Lokasundari’s father objected to intersectal alliance. After the intervention of leading personalities the marriage took place on June 2. The Hindu dated June 6 carried the news item. “An intersectal marriage was celebrated yesterday at the Maharajah of Vizianagaram Girs’ School premises, Triplicane. The bridegroom C Venkataraman (C V Raman’s official name), MA, recently appointed in the enrolled list in the Finance Department of Govt. of India.. is of the Brahacharanam sect.:target: The bride belongs to the Vadama sect.:target: This marriage is of great importance from the social reformer’s point of view, as being the first of its kind. Raman was 19 and the bride 14.
In many ways, Raman comes through as both a traditionalist and a progressive man. When she opens her bank account he tears up the pass book saying he will provide for her till his last.
UNQUOTE
Anyone who has the opportunity of reading the book may enlighten us on the subject.
