NATIONAL ARCHIVES AT PONDICHERRY :NEW INDIAN EXPRESS : 2005

NATIONAL ARCHIVES AT PONDICHERRY

  N.Nandhivarman

A foreigner in a coffee house chat says “ the National Archives at Pondicherry contains invaluable information mostly in French about the slave trade that flourished during the French colonial rule and it is highly pathetic that in spite of most Tamil scholars here know French as fluent as Tamil, yet they don’t consult Archives nor write about the dark pages of Pondicherry history”. When told this to Tamil scholars they asked, “Where is the National Archives?” This surprise is quite understandable because the National Archives Record Centre for South Zone, the only one of its kind for all Southern States remains inaccessible with bad narrow roads and in a remote unknown locality.

Pondicherry Governments in past had been vigilant enough to get projects for the Union Territory and National Archives of India Record Centre came into existence here because of an agreement reached between the Government of Pondicherry and Government of India from 1.07.1979. The valuable collections here are of immense value to historians.

French had a system called Archives Sous Verres, which literally means Archives between the glasses. Many records pertaining to the period 1701-1860 are placed in between the glasses and the edges sealed with band, and such records have earned the name as Archives between the glasses. “These documents are stray letters in French, Tamil, Telugu, Hindustani and mostly these are correspondences between Ananda Ranga Pillai and Sambhudas Sankardass, a merchant from Madras.” says P.Anandaraj, Assistant Director of Archives  Ananda Ranga Pillai’s Diaries have become prime source of information to history. And we are surprised to find that even his letters are a source of information to historical facts. Ananda Ranga Pillai was entrusted with the task of procuring the essential commodities for French India and because of this he was corresponding with many native rulers. From these letters the system of banking during 18 th century period could be understood. Govardan Das, Kasi Das Bukhanji and Vallabha Sundar are three names found in the diaries who were carrying out banking operations in Pondicherry. The reach of the Marwari entrepreneurship could be easily understood.  The Southern equals to the Marwari moneylenders were the Chettiars. Meluguri Chetty, Raya Tayyan and Guntur Balli Chetty were also in Pondicherry. The operations of these money lenders, money lent, interest collected etc are available in these letters and for one who want to study the economy of Pondicherry in 18 th century these are valuable source of information. Sambudas Sankaradas apart from acting as a trader for procuring various commodities for Ananda Ranga Pillai was also spying the British to help the French. He secretly reports the arrival of English ships from Basra at Madras Port and where they are heading for. He was also reporting the movement of Maratha armies in Deccan. Such espionage activities come to light through these letters. 

Another valuable treasure that remains in National archives is the Etat Civil, which is Civil Registry from 1676 to 1885. This we can say could not be found anywhere in India except Pondicherry. Mainly the Missionaries introduced the registering of births in 1676 then marriages also were registered from 1687. But the Dutch occupation of Pondicherry left an interregnum from1693 to 1699 when the work was suspended. The register only covered the French, the topas who are progenies of a mixed race and the converted Hindus. The ordinance of January 31, 1824 ordered registers to be opened for births deaths and marriages of natives at Pondicherry, Villianur, Bahour, Mahe and Yenam. This arrangement continued till 1855. On April 24 of 1880 the registration was made applicable to natives. All such records of this period are of immense help to many who would like to trace their ancestral roots.

  

The records of a unique legal system practiced by French between 1703-1889 called Tribunal de la Chaudrie will be of great interest to researchers of laws. Tribunal de la Chaudrie otherwise called Choultry Court introduced in 1724 is meant for deliverance of justice to native population according to their own laws and customs. This court was composed of a Chief Lieutenant, two assessors, two clerks one French and other local, an Indian huissier (Process Server) and four interpreters. The Tribunal was presided by the first Councillor of Conseil Superior. From the archival records a legal history for nearly 86 years is available. Severe penalties were imposed by these choultry courts like mutilation of ears, slavery in the islands of Bourbon (Island of Reunion) and Isle de France (Mauritius), fines, confiscations, whipping and banishment from territory. Well even now the places where these Choultry Courts functioned bear the suffix Chavadi like Pillaichavadi, Mudaliarchavadi, Ellapillai chavadi etc. People who now live in these places are not aware of a legal system that earned their places the suffix chavadi, said a Tamil Scholar N.M.Tamizhmani.

  Apart from records of French rule many valuable palm manuscripts are preserved at the National Archives Pondicherry. The Naadi sastra of Tirumoolar, The Grammar Yaperungalam, Thathuva Kattalai, Pattinathar Madal, Vaithya Sastram, Agasthiar Nooru, and Nadantha Saram are some of the rare manuscripts preserved here.

J.B.P.More a social scientist from France who recently visited the National Archives said the old records must be digitalized and brought out in CD form. It should be made online available for downloads to researchers from other parts of the globe. In these days one cannot expect scholars to come all the way from France or elsewhere to stay for weeks here. If digitalization and CD ROMs solve the burden of copying records  and are available for sale, it will go a long way in bringing to light the hidden information which throw more light on history.

Courtesy: New Indian Express: weekend  20 th August   2005