Tuesday, 5 April 2016

Former Assistant Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia Rt. Rev. Datuk.Dr. S. Batumalai, Ph.D,[U.K] and his Family . Part A

Intoroduction:  Former Assistant Bishop of the Anglican Diocese  in West Malaysia Rt Rev Ven. Dr. S Batumalai, M.Phil, Ph.D [ U.K] is one of the greatest Theologians in Asia , and  was a prolific Writer, original Thinker, Reader , Scholar ,etc,.. He has penned so many outstanding books on Theology specially on Asian Theology and Anglican Church history. He is a many faceted personality. His biography and unrelenting struggle for his principles and good convictions will be immensely useful to the readers, researchers and the younger generation in many ways.

                         Christ Church Malacca, Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia
               
Dr. S. Batumalai's Birth and Parents:   Long time ago during nineteen forties  , a hard working, smart and a flourishing young Tamil  man  from Southern Tamil Nadu by name  Mr. Sadayandy  was happily working as a successful Plantation Supervisor in the idyllic and colorful  Cluny  Estate near Slim River in Perak, West Malaysia , with his beautiful and smart wife Mrs. Ammakkannu Sadayandy  and  during those lovely period in 1946 a beautiful boy child was born to them ;and Mr. Sadayandy and   Mrs.Ammakkannu Sudalayandy christened their  boy son  with the name Batumalai.


Mr S. Batumalai's Early  School Education : As our Bishop Dr Batumalai happened to born in a cottage located among the tall rubber trees in the Cluny Estate , near Slim River, he did his Primary School education in the schools located in the Estate and at St. Paul's at Slim River. Even though Mr Sadayandy worked only as a Rubber Plantation Supervisor , he was a different man ; he thought and acted differently and distinctively.. He eagerly longed to give a better life to his son Batumalai and  so acted accordingly. As an independent thinker Mr Sadayandy thought that  the future of his beloved descendants lies in the town , Christianity and English education and so  he acted accordingly. Dr.S Batumalai  is one of the famous former students of the famous Anglo Chinese School [ACS ],at IPOH, Malaysia . The mind blowing theological Educational details  of Rev S Batunali  will be dealt with later
.
Mr Batumalai married Ms Elizabeth Ananthan Swamithason Palmer:  Rev S Batumalai married Ms Elizabeh Aanthan Swaamithason Palmer,  daughter of Mr Ananthan Swamithason Palmer . Mrs Elizabeth Batumali is a direct descendant of the great Christian Poet Mr John Palmer of Nagercoil , Kanyakumari District in Tamil Nadu. Mr.S. Batumali married Ms Elizabeth ,daughter of Mr. Ananthan Swamithason Palmer. In this context  it is appropriate to give some reference, in the larger interest of the readers,  about Mrs Elizabeth's family back ground. Mrs Elizabeth Sadayandy, hailed from one of the pioneer and illustrious Christian Families of Nagercoil , kanyakumarai Dist, Tamil Nadu [then  South Travancore] . .Mrs.Datin Elizabeth Sadayandy is one of the direct descendants of the great Tamil Christian  Poet , Mr John Palmer[ John Palmer was born at Mylaudy in 1812, near Nagercoil , in the then  Travancore State]. .Our great Christian Tamil Poet Mr John Palmer had written many famous and popular Tamil Christian Lyrics , and  in this context  I would like to cite a few songs as ready reference [1],Thevaathi Thevaa Thirumarai Aruzhiya ..,[2]karunahara Theva Eranki Intha, [3]Aa Vaarum  Naam Ellarum Koodi Mahil Kondaduvom [4]Beththalaiyil Piranthavarai Pottiththuthi Manama ,[5] Enna Paadu  Patteer Iya Ennai Retchikka ..,[6] Vaaraa Vinai Vanthaalum Choraatha Manama [7] Yesuva kirubasanapathiya Ketta Izhinjan Enai.... .[8] Aaritdahil Yahuvan Nan Aathri Iya.,etc, And these Tamil Christain  songs of John Palmer are being sung by Tamil Christians in  Tamil Churches  throughout  the world during worship.services. Apart from these popular Tamil Christian lyrics Mr John Palmer had written the following literary works[books] :- [1] Christhayanam  [2] Gnanapatha Keerththanam,  [3] Mesiya Vilasam, [4] Saththiya Vetha Chariththira keerthanai and [5] Perananthakummi..

Mrs  Datin Elizabeth Batumalai's genealogical link with the great Tamil Christian Poet Mr John Palmer :
Great Tamil Christian Poet Mr. John Palmer  begot Mr Retnam Palmer , and Mr Retnam Palmer begot Mr Ananthan Swamithason Palmer , and Mr Ananthan Swamithason Palmer  begot Mr William Thason Palmer and Ms.Elizabeth Ananthan  Swamithason Palmer. Ms Elizabeth Ananthan Swamithason Palmer married Rt Rev Dr S. Batumalai. Mr William Thasan Palmer begot Mr. Manohar Andrew Palmer and Ms Alice Rajamanohari . In this context it is good  to say something about the great Christian Tamil Poet John Palmer.  Mr John Palmer was working as  Native Assistant and Tamil tutor to the famous  English L.M.S. Missionary Rev Charles Mault in South Travancore . And  Bishop Caldwell the great Linguist and author of the epoch making book "THE COMPARATIVE GRAMMAR OF DRAVIDIAN LANGUAGES,"  married Rev Charles Mault's beloved daughter Ms. Eliza Mault, at Nagercoil Home Church, in 1844, during that period Mr John Palmer was working as Native Assistant to Rev. Charles Mault..

Part B will follow soon .
By P. BABU MANOHARAN, M.A, {Rights reserved. This Article will be enlarged, modified and corrected later , if needed ].





No comments:

Post a Comment