INDIA INKLINGS Vol. II, No. 5.
15, March 1931.
Madras, India
WEATHER: Tropical. The sun is now north of the equator and it feels like it. The daily maximum in the shade is 90 - 91, but the maximum in the sun is not recorded - it is a scorching sun. There is a gentle breeze at present, a pleasant breeze, which we are told will grow to a most annoying and persistent wind during April. The nights are around 75 as a minimum - not at all bad. There has been 0.05 in. rain since Jan. 1st, according to the official report.
COLLEGE NOTES. The examination season is on. Class II begins the university examinations March 16th. The Staff engaged in teaching Natural Science hopes that their students know more than they appear to; the History section is described as serious and solid. The B.A. examinations begin March 23rd. The Natural Science Staff feels more hopeful about that group, but feels that the type of examination is so uncertain that the undeserving may pass while really good students may get only a 3rd class.
College Sports Day was held March 14th. There was a Treasure Hunt for the Staff and one for the Students; Miss Jemima James won the former and Class IV the latter.
Miss James, assisted by Miss Stokey, escorted the 26 students in Botany from Class I through the Botanical Garden on March 13th, between the hours of 2:50 and 4:15. They were acutely interested only in shade plants, the deeper the shade the more interesting the plants.
EXCURSIONS. The Botany excursion to Thirukalikundram and Mahabalipuram for the B.A. students occurred the week-end of Jan 23-25. That is almost ancient history but it occurred after the last number of I.I. There were 11 students escorted by Miss Stokey and Miss James, but Miss James returned Jan. 24th. The party entrained at Chetpat station after securing "student concessions" at half fare, with an incredible amount of "Saman". "Saman" includes "baggage" and anything else which you carry; e.g. water coojahs, canteens, pails, bed-rolls, plant presses, baskets of food, tiffin baskets, and even a pan of hot rice which was being carried for the evening meal at Thirukalikundram. The party climbed the hill at Th. Saturday morning and collected until exhaustion overcame most of the party. Then they sat in the shade to wait for the feeding of the sacred kites at 12, while four of the energetic members of the party went back to the Traveller's Bungalow to get water, plantains, and other refreshments. They brought "tender coconut" to the Staff - a kind attention which was much appreciated. The kites appeared about 10, but the Brahmin priests who do the feeding do not encourage them to come early and they had to wait until mealtime. What is the use of being a god if you have to wait two hours for your food? We were told by the priests that they do not come if there is a sinner present. We felt that our virtues had been properly certified.
The party progressed to Mahabalipuram (Seven Pagodas) on Jan. 24, by bus, which had been secured after lengthy bargaining by the Tamils, at a very good rate. The bus was late so the cookign squad made a pail of coffee which was taken on the bus, to have ready for "tea" on arrival. The road has not been repaired since the destructive cyclone of November except to clear away the part of fallen trees that covered the road. As the bus leaped along the road at 35-40 miles an hour the coffee grew visibly less - it was visibly less when we arrived at Mahabalipuram. That is one of the choicest spots in South India - a beautiful stretch of rock coast, with remains of small temples and rock carvings. The Traveller's Bungalow is a good one with a cook and corps of servants, also new china because the Governor was there last year.
At Thirukalikundram the botanical collections were from the scrub jungle - epine [sic] jungle would be a better name; at Mahabalipuram they were from the strand, from small ponds and ditches, and from paddy fields. This part of the world has nothing to compare with Mt. Toby for collecting; no place is really good. The climate is too arid, and the rain is too much concentrated in a short monsoon period.
The Natural Science Association had a picnic at Elliott's Beach on Feb. 28th. The W.C.C. staff also had one that night. How can one go to two picnics at the same time? Reward given for best answer.
Miss McDougall took Miss Hume and Miss Stokey to the Lady Willingdon Leper Settlement at Chingleput, March 5th, leaving Madras at 2:45 and returning at 8:15 - a very pleasant drive of 35 miles. Lepers are sufficiently numerous in India so that they are not taken as seriously as in America, and for that reason will continue to be numerous. We had tea with Dr. Sutherland (the Director) and Mrs. Sutherland, and then were taken over the settlement by Miss Campbell, a nurse. There are 585 in the settlement but when the water connections are made they will be able to take in 300 more to take the places of those who will be put in the division for "burnt-out" cases - cases too far gone to yield to treatment. We asked about the cures and were told that they were not yet sure of cures, but they had discharged 70 cases last year as "arrested" or "symptom-free." They said that good food and living in sanitary conditions are great help in the cure. We did not see any of the worst cases but did see many cases in which the fingers were shrinking and the face was scared. [sic] Most of them are in cottages for four. There are separate sections for men, women, and children, and for different grades of leprosy. Most of them have flower gardens. They have light work - 2 hours a day - for those who are able to work; they have games and cinemas. It looks as if they had much more entertainment than in most Indian villages. There were 8 or 10 sitting at the gate begging for admission; there are always more applications than places. They give out-patient treatment to patients living in Chingleput, but they prefer, for the most part, to live in the settlemen. We have sent down two cases from Shammedan's Gardens - one of the centers for social work. The Editor called on one case last Sunday; he was sent down yesterday.
SOCIAL NOTES. Various members of the W.C.C. Staff attended the "At Home" given by the Governor and Lady Beatrix Stanley at the Government House at Guindy on March 6th. It was very entertaining, especially the costumes. The Editor found the men's costumes more entertaining than the ladies' because of the unusual combinations. The Indian ladies wore gorgeous saris, heavy with gold; some wore sandals and some were bare-foot. The European ladies wore afternoon dresses of all lengths and all degree of transparency. Even at 5 and 5:30 the sun made many costumes much too transparent for perfect propriety. The men - they wore everything except saris, European dresses, or skins. The European men wore tall gray hats, spats, and carried canes; to an American eye they looked like stage costumes or caricatures. The Indian men had infinite variety; straight European costume including spats; European suits, with white, white and gold, gold, or magenta turbans and often with spats. We asked why wear spats in the tropics and Miss Hume said "to protect from mosquitoes," It seems probablethat the reason is not as good as that. Some wore gold caps and colored or gold and white scarves over a European costume; some had a proper coat but the fine white dramed cloth of the Indian costume in place of trousers. Then there were Mohammedans in fezes, long coats and trousers; Roman Catholic priests in white robes and all sorts of sahhes. [sic] Jewellery is not limited to ladies but the higher class men do not wear as much as lower classes. The whole performance was so diverting that the Editor never took time to have refreshments, having been fortified with a good tea before leaving college. The body guard of Their Excellencies was gorgeous in scarlet and striped sahes [sic], boots and spurs. So were the prasols [sic] held over their chairs on which they never sat.