English Education: The Kannada Context1

This paper looks at an article from Karnataka Nandini, a magazine published by Tirumalamba, in the early 19th century. Tirumalamba is the first woman novelist, critic, editor and publisher in Kannada. This article is an obituary by her on late Ambal Narasimmaiyengar who initiated education for women in Karnataka. It also documents interesting aspects about acceptance of and resistance to English. Through this article, the paper explores various components of English such as language in usage, in education and as a component of foreign culture that brings threat to the age-old practices of the Hindu religion.

Ambal Narasimmaiyengar was born in 1842. His parents had come to Mysore Samsthana from Tiruchanapalli. He was from a very poor family and his parents worked in a temple in Mysore. Ambal was not educated until he was seven. When he was eight, he went to his maternal uncles house in Coimbatore where he was assigned the job of grazing cattle. There, he learnt (to read and write) Tamil and a little bit of English. Ambal Narasimmaiyengar went to Kumbakonam with his uncle in 1857, stayed there until he was 18 years, and then came back to Mysore to live with his parents. His parents tried to get him a job at one of the temples in Mysore. When this turned out to be futile and the family ended up not having money even for food and clothing. Narasimmaiyengar realised, English is the only way to get over this poverty2 and put all his effort and passed matriculation and F.A. examinations.

As per The History of Karnataka Legislature, the first Mysore Representative Assembly was held in 1881. Since then the Members prominently expressed the craze for English Schools in several years.

Presentation at the UGC-DRS-SAP (Phase III) Seminar, English in India: Documents for its Study, English Department, University of Hyderabad, 29 March 2006.
2

Karnataka Nandini. Vol.3, issue 3, February 1920, p. 3

There was demand for English education at District and Taluk Headquarters and even in Hoblis.3 When Narasimmaiyengar was studying BA, he was also appointed as a First Assistant with a salary of Rs. 40 in Maharajas College. Sri Rangacharyalu the first Dewan of Mysore selected a group of students and invited Narasimmaiyengar home to teach them English. Dewan Rangacharyalu took oath that he would give his daughter in marriage to the student who would complete matriculation with a distinction. Krishnaswamaiyengar was the lucky student and married the second daughter of the Dewan. This almost sounds like the swayamvaras where the princess was given in marriage to the prince who exhibited his skill in archery or some such event that executed efficiency in warfare and was directly related to the act of sustaining power and executing control. English represented power and superiority.

In 1868, when His Highness Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar died, Sri Rangacharyalu was appointed as a controller in the palace. Sri Chamaraja Wodeyar the five years old adopted son and the heir of Krishnaraja Wodeyar succeeded the thrown. The British government had agreed to give the young Maharaja the advantage of European education and so prepare him for the responsibilities, which might be committed to him4. Sir James Gordon and Cornel Mallison were appointed as guardians to the Maharaja by the British government and the Diwan appointed Sri Jayaramaraya as a tutor to His Highness. Ambal Narasimmaiyengar was appointed as an assistant to the tutor.

Jayaramaraya the tutor was well versed in the vedas and shastras. In his lectures, he compared Hindu Dharma with the Christianity and other dharmas and expressed the problems of Christian Philosophy. Criticising him some of the Christian priests wrote articles in Athenium a magazine published from Madras. In response to this, Jayaramaraya wrote a series of articles that shook the Anglo-Indian community. Both, chief commissioner and the guardian to the Maharaja stated that he was an extremist, an ultra radical and an atheist and declared that under his training, the Maharaja might also

3 4

History of Legislature: The Mysore Representative Assembly Vol I (1881-1907). pp. 13-14 History of Legislature: The Mysore Representative Assembly Vol I (1881-1907). p. 206

turn out to be a non-believer and therefore he was detained from his job as a tutor and in his place, Narasimmaiyengar was appointed on promotion. Jayaramaraya went to Europe for a while. After his return, he started a newspaper named Cosmopolitan published from Madras and fearlessly wrote what ever he saw.

Article by Tirumalamba in Karnataka Nandini gives us information regarding Jayaramarayas lectures that called for criticism by the Christain Priests and his articles in response to their write up that appeared in Athenium.

Though the members of the Representative Assembly argued for the introduction of English education and English Schools, they were found repeatedly criticising the usage of English in courts and in administration. They were critical of the European and the native Members in the assembly speaking in English. Resistance to English and a demand for making Kannada the official language was always there.

In 1885 when the request to start English Schools at Taluk Headquarters was made, the then Diwan, Sri K. Sheshadri Iyer promised to consider the request but emphasised the need and importance of the study of the vernacular and Sanskrit. History of Karnataka Legislature documents, Sir Arakalgudu Venkaiah Chetty demanded that examinations should be conducted in vernacular also in addition to English.5

English was acceptable for the social emancipation. At the same time, strong resistance was shown to it whenever its dominance was felt or resistance in some way or the other was shown to the changes it brought in the conventional social setup. While noting the important changes brought by Ambal Narasimmaiyengar, Tirumalambas article also quotes from his last letter to the Maharaja requesting His Highness to restore Varnashramadharma, the age-old practice .

History of Legislature: The Mysore Representative Assembly Vol I (1881-1907). 207

Ambal Narasimmaiyengar who was instrumental in introducing education for women sent a letter to the Maharaja three days before his death. In this letter, he mentioned that the main duty of the Maharaja is to protect Varnadharma. He said that a real Brahmin would never think against the emancipation of Panchamas. Ramanujacharya was an ideal example, he said. He also mentioned that the social order gets disturbed if the Uttamas (the Brahmins) are seen as against the Panchamas (the lower castes). Due to the influence of education, urbanisation and travel facilities, things are gradually changing and therefore, matters like the caste system and other social practices should be left to the responsibility of people instead of government interfering into them6, he proposed.

In a way, it was easier to make Sanskrit education available for a few selected castes and conceal it from a number of other castes. This article in Karnataka Nandini proves; the availability of English through compulsory education system in the Mysore Presidency and through that, the availability of a hope towards social emancipation for lower-caste came as a threat to the Brahmins.

In a discussion regarding what kind of education should be given to women, Tirumalamba specifies, Both men and women need to understand that the education, which teaches to read, write, that which brings health, wealth and is useful in the day-to-day life are essential for both men and women. The education should preach knowledge that is useful even in salvation. The question here is, whether such an education should be a swadeshi one or a videshi one.7

She says it is essential for men to learn how to earn and support their family while women should learn how to maintain their family. This kind of education she says, restores the longstanding varnadharmashrama. The kind of education that supports the varnadharmashrama is seen precious as against the videshi education that leads to
6

Karnataka Nandini. Vol.3, issue 3, February 1920, p.7 ibid. pp 8-9.

disasters. Restrictions made for Atmahitaartha and Lokahitaartha i.e. the wellbeing of self and the others are neglected by men and women with videshi education, she says. Tirumalamba felt, due to videshi education many men were turning away from varnashramadharma. Some women also were seen doing the same. Attempt for varnasankara the mixing of the castes was a hazardous practise, and has to be stopped, she insists.

To conclude, English was appropriated with Christianity. It was seen as a practice that influenced the youth with wrong deeds and by then changed the age-old social order and thus played as an instrument to drive people away from the sacred Hindu tradition. English was seen as a component of foreign culture that brings threat to the age-old customs of the Hindu religion. English was also considered as knowledge, essential for emancipation and a tool to attain power. English is always seen as against the vernacular.