I was doubtful but today its confirmed; my grandfather was Protestant Christian. All these years we never really thought much about it, and my dad never once mentioned it to us either. My father had passed on more than 27 years ago and also because we all were very devout Hindus (Saivaites) from birth. It was taboo and utterly blasphemous to ask mother. So, I thought that I will never get an answer. But today my cousin Sham cleared my doubt. Thanks Sham.
My dad was cool, he never made a fuss about religion like my mother. He ate and drank at every occasion and heck, he didn't even care who we got married too. He always wanted me to be attentive at whatever I did and always keep the family close. I hope I am that, but what really intrigues me is the sacrifices my forefathers had to make to provide for me. The troubles they had to bare and the fight to keep the generations going. Considering M. Appiah had to leave his home in Arali, Jaffna and come to Malaya in the early nineteen hundreds. This was at the peak of the British Empire and in the middle of the Industrial Age.
He was English educated in Jaffna, then posted to the Malayan Railways and had a tumultuous career indeed. My father was the seventh of a family of thirteen and definitely not very pleased when describing his father. He mentioned that the racing horses in the turf club was more important than having food on the table. He had a tough life growing up because with all good English education came the gambling and alcoholism. There was no food or even room to sleep in the house. The family was large. The boys had to chip in and make ends meet and it was my grandmother that really kept the family together.
I know that we can be quick to judge, in-hind sight I have to say that I have much respect for M. Appiah. At that time, when Christians were on a crusade, with the vile intent of conversion plans and blasphemous teaching to denigrate Hinduism and to claim dominion over all wealth and education. How else can a man redeem his soul. Today, the truth about the concerted effort by many English Churches to collude and convert the Hindu is innumerable over 200 years of colonial rule. Case in point, Rev G.U. Pope translated the "Thiruvasagam" that was written by Saint Manikavagam in 1893, to understand the ethos of the Tamil people solely for the purpose of conversion. Translating was no easy task even for a native Tamil speaker. This effort was so malicious. The fervor to convert and to save so called the heathens was deplorable. The missionaries conducted it in such strict fashion, I am ashamed, and disgusted with the entire English systems and what it has to offer. I cant accept their reparation or any form of apology. Its too late. I can't imagine how tough it would have been for M Appiah.
He had to replace his mother tongue for a gravely shallow collection of alphabets, hardly much structure and in a language claiming pride in it's unstructuredness. Be ridiculed for not accepting Christ as the only God, all this tearing away at his values for the sake of getting ahead for his family. All our basic Hindu values were stripped away systematically; like having age limits for marriage and working in traditional farming and agrarian family businesses, slaughtering of Cows in public areas, destroying the ancient medicinal systems, replacing the land ownership from farmers to feudals ("JAMINDARS"). The most insulting, burning of the Hindu alter by the Protestants.
Today, I celebrate Xmas with a new fervor. For defeating the Christians after 2000 years for surviving their harsh and degenerating treatment of the past. I celebrate this Xmas as a mark of success to all Hindus and Appiah's alike, who have managed to keep their faith and continue to practice to this day and keep their heads high. I would like to call this My Anti(que) Xmas for I have now found new meaning that leads me to appreciate my forefathers. It is my will and hope that the future generations know and appreciate the past and learn that every generation did their best. We are not here to judge or be judged. But we are here thanks to them. Merry Xmas my Tata (M. Appiah).
My dad was cool, he never made a fuss about religion like my mother. He ate and drank at every occasion and heck, he didn't even care who we got married too. He always wanted me to be attentive at whatever I did and always keep the family close. I hope I am that, but what really intrigues me is the sacrifices my forefathers had to make to provide for me. The troubles they had to bare and the fight to keep the generations going. Considering M. Appiah had to leave his home in Arali, Jaffna and come to Malaya in the early nineteen hundreds. This was at the peak of the British Empire and in the middle of the Industrial Age.
He was English educated in Jaffna, then posted to the Malayan Railways and had a tumultuous career indeed. My father was the seventh of a family of thirteen and definitely not very pleased when describing his father. He mentioned that the racing horses in the turf club was more important than having food on the table. He had a tough life growing up because with all good English education came the gambling and alcoholism. There was no food or even room to sleep in the house. The family was large. The boys had to chip in and make ends meet and it was my grandmother that really kept the family together.
I know that we can be quick to judge, in-hind sight I have to say that I have much respect for M. Appiah. At that time, when Christians were on a crusade, with the vile intent of conversion plans and blasphemous teaching to denigrate Hinduism and to claim dominion over all wealth and education. How else can a man redeem his soul. Today, the truth about the concerted effort by many English Churches to collude and convert the Hindu is innumerable over 200 years of colonial rule. Case in point, Rev G.U. Pope translated the "Thiruvasagam" that was written by Saint Manikavagam in 1893, to understand the ethos of the Tamil people solely for the purpose of conversion. Translating was no easy task even for a native Tamil speaker. This effort was so malicious. The fervor to convert and to save so called the heathens was deplorable. The missionaries conducted it in such strict fashion, I am ashamed, and disgusted with the entire English systems and what it has to offer. I cant accept their reparation or any form of apology. Its too late. I can't imagine how tough it would have been for M Appiah.
He had to replace his mother tongue for a gravely shallow collection of alphabets, hardly much structure and in a language claiming pride in it's unstructuredness. Be ridiculed for not accepting Christ as the only God, all this tearing away at his values for the sake of getting ahead for his family. All our basic Hindu values were stripped away systematically; like having age limits for marriage and working in traditional farming and agrarian family businesses, slaughtering of Cows in public areas, destroying the ancient medicinal systems, replacing the land ownership from farmers to feudals ("JAMINDARS"). The most insulting, burning of the Hindu alter by the Protestants.
Today, I celebrate Xmas with a new fervor. For defeating the Christians after 2000 years for surviving their harsh and degenerating treatment of the past. I celebrate this Xmas as a mark of success to all Hindus and Appiah's alike, who have managed to keep their faith and continue to practice to this day and keep their heads high. I would like to call this My Anti(que) Xmas for I have now found new meaning that leads me to appreciate my forefathers. It is my will and hope that the future generations know and appreciate the past and learn that every generation did their best. We are not here to judge or be judged. But we are here thanks to them. Merry Xmas my Tata (M. Appiah).
