User:Charles Christopher Raj

Dr.CHARLES CHRISTOPHER RAJ REMINISCENCES OF NATURAL DISASTERS, EPIDEMICS AND REMEDIES FROM THE FRENCH EPOCHS -- PONDICHERRY Dr. P. CHARLES CHRISTOPHER RAJ M.A., M.Phil. M.I.M., M.L.I.S.C., M.C.A., B.Ed., P.G.D.T.A., Ph.d., ASSISTANT PROFESSOR of HISTORY DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY KASTHURBA COLLEGE FOR WOMEN VILLIANUR, PUDUCHERRY 605 110 MOBILE: 9443723327        Email Id:ccraj18@gmail.com

Introduction Puducherry which was a small fishing village unknown to the  world   was created as the window of the French Culture by the advent of the French1. The very word Pondicherry is the corrupted nomenclature of the usage Pudicherry  which means a new hamlet2. The Union Territory of Pondicherry constituted out of the four erstwhile French establishments of Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam has the epoch, of chequered history for the bygone days of French had to set up remedial measures for the turmoil faced by the people because of the natural disasters and epidemics. The main witness for the turmoil and remedial services are well mentioned by the diarist Anandarangapillai3 edited by Rev. J. Frederick Price4 which takes back to the 17th and 18th century of Pondicherry reminiscences5. This paper tries to bring out the natural disasters and the epidemics faced by the population and the remedies taken by the French administrators.

1. Ravindran.V. Pudhuvaiyin Pazhamai, Chennai,2013, pp.22-30

2. Cyril   Antony    Francis,(ed.)Gazetteer    of    India, Union    Territory    of    Pondicherry, Vol.- I, Pondicherry,1982.

3. Anandarangapillai is known to the world as the author of the Diary he wrote between 1736 and 1761. Born in 1709 in the little known village of Perambur in the vicinity of Chennai - Pattinam(Madras), he rose to Chief Dubassi during the period of the French. The Diary published in twelve volumes which was accidentally discovered  by M. Gallois Montburn.

4. Rev. J. Fredrick Price was the key person behind the translation of the Diary of Anandarangapillai from Tamil to English, edited and published in twelve volumes covers the period from September 6th 1736 to January 12,1761.

5. Alalasundaram. R. The Colonial World of Ananda Ranga Pillai 1736-1761, Pondicherry,1998.p.3

Natural Disasters between 17th and 19th century

Pondicherry region natural disaster recorded from November 1681 when a cyclone crossed the Pondicherry coast-line which caused heavy floods and people went up-country lands to safeguards their lives. Similar severe cyclone was witnessed by the population on the night of 17th August 1687 which caused heavy toll. Small vessels anchored in the sea shore were damaged and lost. Bidding goodbye for the next 54 years where there are no records to be found about the natural disasters mentioned in the annals6. The next came the three hurricanes in row between 1745 and 1760. The first hurricane was in November 1745 which inflicted the greatest damage. The flood waters swept away the huts on the embankments. The town was flooded and the 2000 houses were damaged. The mango, coconut orchards and gardens were devastated. The water rose to a great height, many were drowned and lost7. The diarist writes, The disturbances in the weather in this instance was held to be due to the conjunction of three causes; viz., the day in question is Tuesday, and a new moon day and it was under the influence of the star Kettai, today however, at 4, a star of  the size of a pumpkin was seen to blaze, and fall in the north-western quarter of the sky. The citizens of the town who beheld it were at a loss to conceive what evil it forebode. People called it a comet and were much alarmed"8. The second was in October 1754 the places of Vandippalayam, Tiruppapuliyur, Koodalur etc., suffered heavy damage.   Karaikal was not much affected,  though many houses were collapsed  The next cyclone of 30th December 1760 brought harassment to the British troops led by Sir Eyre Coote anchored off Pondicherry.   Three vessels  were known to have carried 1100 Europeans were drowned two miles south of Pondicherry leaving behind seven survivors9.

6. Annales de Geographie,No.450,LXXXII e annee Mars-Avril 1973,pp.129-150 see also Cyril   Antony    Francis,(ed.)Gazetteer    of    India, Union    Territory    of    Pondicherry, Vol.- I, Pondicherry,1982.pp.531. 7. Yvonne Robert Gaebele:Une Parisienne aux Indes au XVIII e siècle,p.83. ; ibid. 8. Alalasundaram. R. The Colonial World of Ananda Ranga Pillai 1736-1761, Pondicherry,1998. pp.406, also in Frederick Rice(ed),The Diary of Ananda Ranga Pillai,vol.I.pp.292-293. 9. Martineau.R. Les cyclones a la cote Coromandel de 1681 a 1916 in Revue Historique de l'Inde francaise, Vol.I (1916-1917,pp.236-238,; Cyril Antony…,p.532

Cyclones visit to Pondicherry was frequent as the years between 1785 and 1971 can be called as Cyclonic era. The most ravaging cyclone was on 24th October 1842. This cyclone blew in two spells as the first was at 4 p.m and then at 6p.m.  Roof tops were blown. Trees of coconuts, mangoes and plantations were uproots and fallen. Portions of Central Jail and Grand Bazaar came down. The two weaving mills of Blin and Poulain suffered. Of the five ships anchored in Pondicherry three were wrecked and 82 men were reported lost. The total damage was estimated to 5,00,000 francs. The Government of France sanctioned a sum of 13,000 francs as relief funds. In 1874, floods in the Ponnaiyar disrupted the road transport between Pondicherry and Cuddalore. Pondicherry and Karaikal faced torrential rains and floods between 6th November 1884 and 19th December 188410. The inhabitants of the cities lost their lives and many houses were devastated posing an  empty city. The pip-lines bringing drinking water to the town from Muttirapalayam got damaged. A commission was set up to study the losses suffered in the places and huge amount was sanctioned as relief measures for the affected area by the Government of France. The loss estimated to 30,00,000 francs and the actual sanctioned was 10,44,000 francs. Another ferocious with high velocity cyclone visited the vicinity of French region on 22 November 1916. The victims of the cyclone were given immediate relief in the form of food, clothing and shelter. Many philanthropists came forward to help and from Mahe came a sum of Rs.37611. A severe cyclonic storm which formed in the Bay of Bengal crossed the coast between Kakinada and Machlipatnam on 7th November 1969, causing huge damage in Yanam region12. The Indian government showed concern over the newly merged region from the French and sanctioned a sum of Rs.1,19,000 for the damaged houses. Agriculturists were compensated a sum of Rs.45000 for cultivation13.

10. Cyril   Antony    Francis,(ed.)Gazetteer    of    India, Union    Territory    of    Pondicherry, Vol.- I, Pondicherry,1982.pp532-534.

11.V.V. Francis: Madras District Gazetters - South Arcot.; Techo - Economic Survey of     Pondicherry,1965.p.20.

12.Mouzon: Pondichery Etude de Geographie Humaine published in Acta Geographica Comptes rendus de la Societe de Geographie de Paris,No.19.Annee 1954.p.29;op.cit.,Cyril Antony .pp.535-536. 13.Puthuvai Seithigal,vol.10. No.4.May 1969.p.26. Droughts and Famines:

Pondicherry faced a devastating disaster through the threats of Famines and droughts though Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam were more secure from these threats.

The famines of 1687,1708,1717,1747 brought forth extreme shortage of food and people migrated to Tanjore for their livelihood. Francois Martin doesn't want the inhabitants to leave the place arranged to import of rice by boats. Private charities were helping the people14. Meanwhile Cholera epidemic also out broke in many places of Pondicherry. The Conseil Superieur of Pondicherry purchased rice at 50 pagodas per grace for distribution to its employees. Acute famine conditions reported that there was not even a single dog or cat left in the town all the creatures having been consumed by the hungry population. Rats were sold at Rs.2 each. Soldiers of the Company obliged to sell their possessions in order to fee themselves15.

Pondicherry continuous visit of cyclone made the French commercial entrepreneurs especially the administrator of Pondicherry Francois Martin constructed a hospital and Jacques Theodore Albers was the first chief hospital who was the father of Madame Dupleix. In the Southern border of Pondicherry a hospital was completed around 1738 and it also served as an orphanage for the abandoned children due to the cyclone. Governor Dumas brought the Convalescent Home and many number of allopathic doctors and surgeons were brought from native16. Indian were first trained as pharmacists and doctors. Ambou an Indian doctor excelled in the 18th century in the field of medicine with him Veerasamy who was raised to the rank of Lt. Colonel17.

14. Yvonne Robert Gaebele :op.cit., pp.68-69 15. Castonnet des Fosses:L'Inde Francaise avant Dupleix,p.155; Alalasundaram:op.cit.p.230. 16. Raja.P & Rita Nath Kesari,Glimpses of Pondicherry,Pondicherry,2005.pp.198. 17. Martineau.R. Les cyclones a la cote Coromandel de 1681 a 1916 in Revue Historique de l'Inde francaise, Vol.I (1916-1917,pp.239-240,; op.cit., Cyril Antony…,p.539

Earth tremors

Earth tremors were also rare guest to all the four regions for a report of an earth quake that shook the earth of Pondicherry on 16th June 1819 with mild intensity. Yanam had a mild earth quake in June 1969 but there was not much reported damage and no  seismological observation stations were there in the Territory18. Epidemics

The diarist mentions, Diseases killed more people than war19. Cholera, Small pox were the major diseases in French India. Medical practitioners, civilian commentators and ordinary people paid great attention in eradication. The Catholic population felt the diseases as kolainoi20. The Hindus thought that Goddess Kali was angry towards them and offered betel nuts, coconuts, fire sacrifices, flowers and performed rituals. Doctor Gravier records 205 soldiers lost their lives in Pondicherry. In Karaikal, 2519 persons were victims of Cholera21. The diseases triggered widespread fear and the French officials became aware of transcend racial and geographical barriers. Charles Dumaine, wrote in 1911 that: The prevailing of bad weather and threatening of disease throughout the year made deep impact on the minds of the ones living there and it is also not deniable that people who visit or return from Chandranagore are affected by one of the deadly diseases of the land22. Vaccination programme was started on 11th February 1879 by the French Indian administration. 600 francs was allotted for the propagation of vaccination and to take necessary measure to protect the population of the French region. 18.An Evaluation Report - Drought Relief Scheme,1969.p.11; Pierre La Maziere : Lally Tollendal,1931,p.168. 19.The Diary of Anandarangapillai,vol.IX:101-02; Journal official de l'Inde francaise,1900 20. Kolainoi,the word from the colloquial tamil meaning deadly disease which gives high death toll not knowing of any reasons. 21. Moreau de Joness,A.Rapport au Conseil Superieur de santé, sur la maladie pestilentielle, designee sous le nom de cholearmorbus de l'Inde et de Syrie.; Doctor Hullet,Hygiene des blancs, des mixtes et de Indiens a Pondichery. 22. Paramananda Mariadassou,1906,Moeurs medicales de l'Inde et leurs rapports avec la     medicine europeenne, Pondicherry.p.152-156. There were religious protest against the vaccination programme. A total of 27028 persons took vaccination in 1933, 21446 in 1934 and 43563 in 193523. Official reports of the French prove that though the vaccination programme was conducted on a major scale, three quarters of the Indians refused to take vaccination. The Hindus and Muslims rebelled against it, even they went to the extent that the French are to bring desperate equality of castes of the Brahmins and Sudras24.

However the French during their colonial regime provided precautionary measures as well as institutional practice for the control of epidemic diseases in the French region of Pondicherry. In spite of many hardships the Colonists not only administered the regions for commercial purposes but they tried their best to provide proper medical care to the people of Pondicherry. In the Memoirs of Chevalier de La Farelle, a traveller who came to Pondicherry had seen the medic-care given by the French to the inhabitants narrates in detail. Jeanne Vincens, whose father was the Chief Surgeon in Pondicherry toiled hard to rescue those who are ill when there are no allopathic medicine by the help of available herbs and plants with healing power25.

Paramananda Mariadassou studied in great detail the indigenous system of medicine in India. His works such Medicine Traditionelle de (Inde et Coutumes de l'Inde(1940) (Traditional Medicine and Customs of India) and Matiere Medicate Ayurvedique (Ayurvedic Subject). The diarist had great faith in the traditional Siddha system of medicine as he was given bhupathi or chinthamani for the relieve of cold26.

23.Proces verbaus du Conseil colonial de Pondichery,11 fevrier, 1879; Annuaire pour l'Inde Francaise,1900 24.Registre des deliberations du Conseil superieur de Sante de la Marine,1913, Depot des Archives d'Outre-Mer d' Aix-en-Provence, Aix-en-Provence,France. 25. Kalaimagal journal, A report of the relief work done article by V.V.S.Iyer, Nov-Dec,1916, Kalaimagal Kazhagam, pp.270-271. 26. Raja.P & Rita Nath Kesari,Glimpses of Pondicherry,Pondicherry,2005.pp.199-201.

New to the environment of Pondicherry, the French tried to develop a proper system of general health care and hygiene as  this instilled a lot of  confidence to the people on their administration. The French region by 1943 consisted of 19 doctors, 9 health officers and 133 para medical staff, which reached lofty heights in 1961 there were 123 physicians and surgeons in Allopathic,91 Ayurvedic physicians, 27 homeopathic physicians, five dentists, and 58 other physicians in the Territory27.

Conclusion

French who came for commercial purpose and colonial achievements to Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe, Yanam and Chandernagore learnt the environmental changes and left their footprints through many literary accounts about their exposure to natural disasters and epidemics. They had tried to enlighten the inhabitants about the reliefs from the turmoil of cyclone, storms, famines, droughts and epidemics. The population of the Pondicherry had great admiration to the French administrators who did yeomen services for all the round eradication of the disease and performed relief measures through their dedication brought an eye-opener in all walks of life of Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam regions and helped in effect the social changes the results of which witness today. The one time fishing hamlet had been converted as Medical hub for all the environmental calamities.

27.Puduvai Seithigal, vol.4.No.1.p.7.

REMINISCENCES OF NATURAL DISASTERS, EPIDEMICS AND REMEDIES FROM THE FRENCH EPOCHS -- PONDICHERRY Dr. P. CHARLES CHRISTOPHER RAJ M.A., M.Phil. M.I.M., M.L.I.S.C., M.C.A., B.Ed., P.G.D.T.A., Ph.d., ASSISTANT PROFESSOR of HISTORY DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY KASTHURBA COLLEGE FOR WOMEN VILLIANUR, PUDUCHERRY 605 110 MOBILE: 9443723327        Email Id:ccraj18@gmail.com

Abstract

The French regime occupied Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe, Yanam and Chandranagore for about two hundred and eighty years. Built them as commercial centres had to face many hardship due to the natural calamities. The epidemics often visited swayed the live of the people had to be eradicated. The French administrators took up the remedial and relief measures as a challenge in order to protect the inhabitants not only for their economic benefits but proved their sense of dedication towards service of mankind. The following article throws the glimpses about the natural disasters and epidemics faced in the French region as reminiscences and the measures inflicted for the well-being of the population.

Keywords: Kolainoi, vaccination, philanthropists,diarist,physicians.

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