Vengamamba

The poet who lived life on her own terms

7th August 2022 was the 205th death anniversary (vardanthi) of Tarigonda Vengamamba as per the Hindu calendar, commemorated simultaneously at Tirumala, Tirupati and at her birthplace Tarigonda. Remembrance of a person after centuries is only for a select few - either for those who have left behind a legacy of having done good, or for their notoriety.

Vengamamba is of the first category.

Vengamamba’s life (20 April 1730 – 21 August 1817) was one of personal hardship and deep devotion to her chosen deity Venkateswara, which took the form of worship at temples, offering free food to pilgrims and composing operas and songs that are still performed today. Vengamamba’s life is celebrated even now for her literary output and the life of devotion that she led. She wrote poetry in the Dwipada Kavyam style, as well as operas to be performed in Yakshagana. 

Tarigonda Vengamamba

India Post, Government of India, 

GODL-India <https://data.gov.in/sites/default/files/Gazette_Notification_OGDL.pdf>, 

via Wikimedia Commons

Her early years - an indication of things to come

Vengamamba was a much longed-for daughter born to her parents after six sons. She was named Venkamma since she was a prayer answered by Lord Venkateswara of Tirupathi in Chittoor district of Telangana.

Even as a child she would spend long hours in prayer and contemplation at her village temple. She was unusual for her age, sitting apart immersed in composing verse instead of playing with friends.

Such uncommon behaviour in one so young, and the fact that she thought of Lord Venkateswara as her husband led the villagers to call her ‘mad’. These attitudes were unfortunately only early indicators of how she would be viewed throughout her life - with unfairness and persecution. 

Her father realised that his daughter’s precocious talent for writing and composing needed nurturing so he approached the renowned philosopher Subramanya Desika to be her guru. The teacher was thrilled to have such rare talent to mentor, and took up her education in right earnest. As her education intensified and her writing talent was honed her fame spread quickly. 

It was now time as per custom for Vengamamba to be married, but her beauty and intelligence drove away many suitors. When she did get married at an early age her young husband died soon after. 

This was a huge tragedy for any young woman of the time and, usually, Vengamamba would have had to adopt the dress and customs deemed fit for widows. She however absolutely did not agree to conform and to dress as a widow in plain clothes, without jewellery and the other accoutrements of a traditional married woman. 

In her mind she was much married…..to God. 

As she continue to dress and behave as a married woman, societal opposition to her only grew.

Education, education, education - her escape from a limited life

Vengamamba learnt Yoga from her guru Subramanya Shastri, and became proficient in it. Even while she was still living in Tarigonda, and with the encouragement of her guru, Vengamamba composed poetry and Yakshagana. Her first composition was Tarigonda Nrusimha Satakam. Following this she wrote these works for Yakshagana -  Narasimha Vilasa Katha, Siva Natakam and Balakrishna Natakam - and Rajayogamrutha Saram, a Dwipada Kavyam.

All through she continued to face the ire and jealousy of the local priest. Finally, unable to tolerate the priest’s behaviour, she left Tarigonda at the age of 20 and moved to Tirupathi. 

The lone traveller

Her journey to Tirupati as a lone young woman could not have been easy in those days. There were no facilities for travellers en route. She travelled nearly 100 kilometers on the  journey, crossing dense forests and climbing the hill of an elevation of more than 950 meters to finally reach the temple of Venkateswara.

This is the journey that must have brought home to her the difficulties faced by travellers and pilgrims all the time. It gave her a perspective on how to reduce this hardship in a practical manner by offering free food to devotees. 

At the time she reached the temple her compositions had preceded her and had made her famous. She was welcomed by the temple authorities, and also by the family of the famed composer Annamacharya.

Taking a stand against oppression

Some time later, an incident in Tirumala forced her to leave for Tumburakona in the Seshachalam hills, a little more than 250 kms away. There she observed penance for six years in a cave now named Tarigonda Vengamamba Gavi and also composed many of her Yakshagana operas. 

Over time the priests at Tirumala realised their folly and invited Vengamamba back. The practice now of ‘Muthyala Harathi’, aarati with pearls, as the last ritual of the day during Ekantha Seva at Tirumala dates back to this time. During this daily Seva Vengamamba was given the privilege of reciting her verses before the Lord.   

Her seva for devotees continues today

Vengamamba pioneered the idea of distributing free food at the Srivari temple at Tirumala which was situated amidst dense forest at the time. She made food and water available there every year for 10 days during the festival of Sri Narasimha Jayanthi.  

Today unlimited and free food is available for pilgrims on all days  at the Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba Anna Prasadam Centre near the Tirumala main temple. Such has been the impact of Vengamamba’s social work centuries later.

Vengamamba continued to write and compose kavya (poetry) and Yakshagana (opera) on themes from the Puranas. Her most famous opera is Venkatachalam Mahatyam which consists of nearly 2000 poems. 

About Yakshagana

Although now Yakshagana is popularly known in South Karnataka, the art form has had a long history in Telugu, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil speaking areas.

Yakshagana is a performance art that includes music, dance and drama. It has particular costumes, usually explores themes from the Puranas (The Ramayana and The Mahabharata) and is wholly based on the Natya Shastra, the ancient treatise on performance arts written by Bharata in about the 2nd century BC.

Yakshagana has been a prevalent art form since the times of the Satavahanas (100 BCE to 2nd CE). While many other theatre arts modified and evolved to be today’s classical arts, Yakshagana retained its popular touch and rural flavour. It has remained accessible to the common person although rooted in the same origin as all Indian performance art forms. 

In Telugu speaking lands where Vengamamba lived, Yakshagana took inspiration from Telugu literature and current events. As such, Telugu Yakshagana is considered to be a treasure trove on history, culture and society. It took wing during the medieval period Bhakthi Movement and formed a way for even the poor and uneducated to take part and perform this art form. Chindu Yakshaganam, a form performed in Telangana has always been open to women performers, which has not been the case with Yakshagana from other places. 

Yakshagana formed a channel for people to vent against feudal and oppressive rulers down the ages with the choice of themes readily available in the Puranas.

In such a milieu, Vengamamba’s operas were also an important resource for not just people’s entertainment but also for spiritual solace and secular knowledge. 

Venkamamba’s works

Vengamamba’s works are poetry and Yakshagana operas. Some of her compositions are Srikrishna Manjari, Rukmini Kalyanam, Gopika Natakam, Jalakreeda Vilasam, Vashishtha Ramayanam and Ashtaanga Rajayogasaaram among several more. 

For all her achievements, Vengamamba always played down her work. She claimed she was untaught and unworthy of composing great poetry. 

Venkamamba’s legacy today

Her devotion to Venkateswara at Tirupati is acknowledged and celebrated to this day. During the nightly Ekantha Seva for the Lord her name is included as a devotee during the service. Her descendant continues to contribute towards this service in her beloved temple. 

The TTD (Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanam) has begun to encourage and popularize Vengamamba’s works by sponsoring the training and the performance of her Yakshagana compositions. The compositions were fading away due to not being discussed and researched among experts nor being performed for the general audience. This move by the TTD is a much-needed effort to keep Vengamamba’s works alive and relevant. 

References -

https://www.tirumalahills.org/2021/08/matrusri-tarigonda-vengamamba-tarigonda.html

 Indian Women on Venus

Here's something interesting I had not been aware of previously - many features on the planet Venus are named for women. 

This in itself is not surprising, and is really quite apt. Venus is, after all, the Roman goddess associated with love, beauty, prosperity and victory. She was a very popular deity in the Roman pantheon.  

Venusian features are named after women achievers from all over the world, both mythological and real. This convention was begun by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

The only exceptions to this are features which were named before the convention began.

The naming convention

The features named on Venus include chasms, craters, mountains, plains, valleys, and other natural elements. 

Large craters are named for real women from the world over, smaller ones have generic female names. 

Chasms and high plains are named after goddesses from Aztec, Roman and Mayan civilizations among others.

The India Connection

Deepa is a small crater on Venus with a generic popular name for Indian girls.  

Indian women who have had features on Venus named after them are Jerusha Jhirad, Anandi Gopal Joshi and Pandita Ramabai Medhavi.

Jerusha Jhirad  1891-1984. Among the first gynaecologists in India. The Venusian crater is Jhirad.

Anandi Gopal Joshi  1865-1887. First female physician in India. The crater on Venus is Joshee.

Anandi Gopal Joshi
Dall, Caroline Wells Healey, 1822-1912, 
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Anandi Joshi was the first Indian woman to obtain a medical degree. She received it from Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania (WMCP), which is now called Drexel University College of Medicine. She graduated with high honours but succumbed to tuberculosis at the age of 21 without having had the chance to practice medicine. She made tremendous personal sacrifices to overcome gender prejudice to study abroad.

Pandita Ramabai Medhavi  1858-1922. The crater named after her is Medhavi.

Pandita Ramabai was a social reformer who stood against child marriage, the caste system and for women’s education. She was among the 10 women delegates to the fifth Indian National Congress annual session of 1889. She was a passionate advocate for women teachers and women doctors, which had a positive impact on allowing women in medical education.

Pandita Ramabai
India Post, Government of India, GODL-India
<https://data.gov.in/sites/default/files/Gazette_Notification_OGDL.pdf>, 
via Wikimedia Commons

She received the coveted title of Pandita at the age of just 20. She spoke out against the societal ills of ill-treatment of widows. 

Ramabai travelled to Britain in 1883 to study Medicine, but could not continue due to progressive deafness. She however proudly attended the graduation ceremony of Anandi Gopal Joshi at Women’s Medical College, Pennsylvania. 

Pandita Ramabai was proficient in 7 languages and wrote poetry. She founded the Arya Mahila Samaj to ‘empower and educate women to lead a dignified life’. Ramabai translated the Bible into Marathi from Hebrew and Greek.

Ka Phan Nonglait - Freedom fighter from Meghalaya

 Ka Phan Nonglait

Freedom fighter from the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya

Background 

In 1826 the British had control over the Brahmaputra valley in Asom (Assam). Earlier they had captured the Surma valley in Bengal. Now they wanted to connect the two, only possible through the Khasi Hills in Meghalaya which had a very conducive climate for a sanatorium where the sick could recuperate. The road would also save travel time. 

The British approached one of the chiefs in the Khasi Hills, U Tirot Sing, to facilitate road construction through his territory. He was assured complete control over the area so that trade could flourish there. He was also interested in regaining the dooars or passes in the Himalayan foothills in exchange for the permission.

After the road construction began, a rival chief objected to U Tirot Sing’s claim over the dooars, confident that the British would support his claim. Instead he was confronted by British sepoys. 

When news came to U Tirot Sing that the British were amassing troops in Asom, the Khasi Council convened and ordered the British to leave Nongkhlaw. When this was not done the Khasi attacked on 4 April 1829. 

Two British officers were killed in this operation and the British immediately retalitated against the Khasi.

The Anglo-Khasi War lasted for 4 years. The Khasi lacked modern firearms and fought with bows, arrows and swords. When it became obvious these were no match for British firearms, the Khasi resorted to guerilla warfare and were undefeated for 4 years.

Phan Nonglait Falls, Nongrmai, Meghalaya

(Arijitabani, Wikimapia)

Ka Phan Nonglait’s exploits

When British soldiers started to move out of Moirang village and headed for Nongkhlaw, Phan Nonglait set a trap for them with the help of soldiers of Tirot Sing at Langatlehrim. Due to the heat it was but natural that the British soldiers would rest near a milky-white waterfall on the route. This cascade is named Phan Nonglait Falls today. Phan Nonglait made the soldiers of Tirot Sing wait in the shadows nearby.

She made arrangements to provide the British soldiers who rested at the waterfall with cooling drinks to catch them unawares. As they relaxed in the cool environs of the falls Phan Nonglait had her people quietly take away all the weapons of the British soldiers and throw them into a rock hole in the waterfall. Unable to retrieve their weapons the British soldiers could not put up a fight against U Tirot Sing’s men and were easily captured.

The desire for freedom

When the Khasi were facing overwhelming odds with imbalance in technology with the arms they used, they used their native knowledge of local areas and a desire for freedom to keep up the fight for four long years.

Today a park in Shillong has been renamed Phan Nonglait Park in honour of the first Khasi woman who revolted against the British. 

Ref.

https://www.sentinelassam.com/news/phan-nonglait-the-first-khasi-freedom-fighter/

Veena Dhanammal 

Her music transcended all barriers

Veena Dhanammal, also known as Dhanam (1867-1938) is considered the most influential musician of the early 20th century.  Dhanam played the Saraswati Veena to her own exacting standards and set the benchmark for her style - of a melody of alluring, unhurried notes, for proficiency in her artform and for her conduct as a performing artist.

She was a household name in her heydays, much respected for her art and had a career that lasted almost sixty years which is remarkable by all standards. Her’s was a lyrical style of playing known for its simplicity, not of a flashy display of virtuosity. The song forms called pada and javali that she specialised in were also part of dance performances. Dhanammal was able to express the essence of the raga in a succinct and subtle manner, without being too vigorous or fast.

Dhanammal was born in Chennai (earlier, Madras). Her main source of inspiration, and the one who took her musical education in hand, was her grandmother Kamakshi Ammal. She ensured that Dhanam learnt from the best teachers and did not lack for anything that helped in taking her musical education forward.

Veenai Dhanammal, India Post 2010

Dhanammal and her milieu

George Town in Chennai where Dhanam chose to live was buzzing with musicians, scholars and patrons in the late 19th century. Her house saw three generations of artistes in her family live and practice their art for which they became justly famous. Her renowned weekly concerts were also held here. 

Chennai itself was seeing an increase in the number of sabhas and performance spaces for music and Harikatha sessions at this time. Harikatha is a composite art form composed of storytelling, poetry, music, drama, dance, and philosophy. Rich merchants built temples and employed musicians and dancers to perform there. Live bands and orchestras played in public spaces and on special occasions. The Madras of Dhanam’s time was a very happening place. 

And then there were the devadasis who lent colour and energy to the city. These proficient dancers and singers were known for their repertoire of dance and music, their learning and prowess on stage. Pre-eminent among them was Veena Dhanammal. She commanded clout and respect in this large group of artistes. 

Musical lineage for generations

Dhanam’s music was the authentic classical tradition that had evolved over the centuries. So much so that even as she carried forward the legacy of five generations of her ancestors who were musicians and artistes, she ensured the heritage was preserved and enhanced to the same high standards by her descendants. 

Dhanam’s earliest known ancestor is Papammal who lived in the 18th century. Her daughter Rukmini had a daughter named Thanjavur Kamakshi who was famous as a musician at the court. After the British annexed Thanjavur in 1856 Kamakshiammal moved to Chennai. She was Dhanammal’s grandmother, and a student of Subbaraya Shastri a son and student of the great Shyama Shastri - one of the pre-eminent composer trinity of Carnatic music which includes Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar. Dhanam’s mother Sundarambal, in turn, learnt music from Annaswamy Shastri, Subbaraya Shastri’s son.

The house in George Town was where Dhanam’s grandchildren took their first steps in music and dance - T Brinda and T Mukta the eminent Carnatic vocalists, T Balasaraswati in Bharata Natyam, Abhiramasundari the violinist, T Shankaran the writer, scholar and historian, T Vishwanathan with the flute and T Ranganathan with the mridangam. By all accounts the thirst for the arts continues in the current generation too.

It is indeed very rare for several generations of one family to reach the pinnacle of the art form they practise. Dhanam’s family has shown that such mastery is possible with proper nurturing, the proper atmosphere to imbibe and by learning with good teachers. As the matriarch of the family, Dhanam ensured that the treasure left with her by her foremothers found its moorings with the generations ahead.

Dhanam’s musical inheritance

Dhanam learnt to play the Veena from the age of ten. She took to the veena instead of dance on the suggestion of her uncle. She also sang for her sister Rupavati’s dance performances and performed with her grandmother Kamakshi.

Dhanam inherited a rich legacy of vast learning, including Shyama Shastry’s compositions, from her grandmother and mother. Her first vocal music teacher was her grandmother and later Shatanur Panchanada Iyer who taught her the entire corpus of Tyagaraja’s compositions. His guru in turn was a direct disciple of Muthuswamy Dikshitar so Dhanam received those works too into her repertoire. As a result of these influences her style of music represented all these three important composers. 

Then she became a student of the blind singer Baladas who was an expert on the compositions of Kshetrayya known as padam. Dhanam helped preserve and transmit the tradition of padam through her own concerts and the dance and music of her descendants. Dhanam’s repertoire also included original compositions that contemporary composers wished her to play to perpetuate their work, and their interpretations of classics.

Dhanam the teacher

Dhanam taught music to all her four daughters and it was a proper guru-shishya relationship with no leniency. They were expected to pay her for the classes as soon as they started earning to inculcate the habit of proper preparation for each class, to respect the learning and not to waste the resources of finance and time. It encouraged professionalism and maintained the standard for the arts in the family. Dhanam’s four daughters would sometimes perform in duos as the ‘Dhanam Sisters’. 

One student from outside the family Dhanam taught passionately was her favourite pupil, Saravanam. Listening to both of them play the Veena together has been described as ‘a profound experience’ by family members. The bond they shared was unique. When Saravanam tragically died in childbirth, Dhanam did not accept another student for a long time.

Dhanam the musician

Dhanam was demanding about the atmosphere in the room as she prepared to play. Absolute silence was necessary as was perfect tuning or shruti. She would never start without these in place.

With the traditional reliance on memory and not written notations, Dhanam’s routine of training and daily practice was exacting. As a result, she knew not only her music inside out but also the subtleties associated with performing each composition such that she was able to play it at will, even after a great lapse of time. Later in life she became blind but Dhanam was always well prepared for her weekly concerts at home having a repertoire of over one thousand compositions.

Dhanam was fluent and able to understand the subtleties of poetry in six languages - Tamil, Telugu, Sanskrit, Kannada, Marathi and Hindi.

She regularly performed for the raja of Vizianagaram at his palace and at private performances for the Gaikwad of Baroda, the Maharajas of Travancore and Mysore and the musical giants of the era.

Learning  to cope with change 

Technology

Dhanam’s career was ending when recording devices such as the gramophone began to be first used in India in the early 20th century. Hence there are not many samples of her performances and veena recitals for us today. We instead have the written accounts of her contemporary musicians, and reviews by knowledgeable members of the audience. For a majority of Dhanam’s musical career the equipment for sound at concerts and the output was still rudimentary. 

Given the technology at the time Dhanam believed the veena was an instrument for chamber music. Also that a veena recital did not require any accompaniments.

Society

Dhanammal’s style and lineage are important elements of the changes that Carnatic music was undergoing in the early part of the 20th century. She was at the cusp where the old order was yielding to the new - audience tastes were evolving, the devadasi system that was Dhanam’s milieu was fading away and artistes had to look for patronage from non-traditional avenues, not royal courts nor the wealthy connoisseur or rasika.  

Thus Dhanam performed privately in concerts in the homes of Chennai’s elite and mercantile classes apart from public concerts in sabha or halls. It is believed that in 1895 Dhanammal was the first female musician to perform in a public hall in Madras.

Dhanam the person

Dhanammal’s love of life and sense of humour is the stuff of legend. She is remembered for her uncompromising stance on her music, her love for betel leaf and her wit. Her aristocratic lifestyle and her refined manner of interacting with visitors set her apart. She used the best of perfumes and clothes, was a connoisseur of the best fruits of the season.

Dhanam was famed for her Friday evening concerts amidst Jasmine plants at her home in Ramakrishna Chetty Street in Chennai. Ustad Abdul Karim Khan of the Kirana gharana was one in the audience whenever he was in Chennai. Dhanam would sing as she played the veena. The audience was a mix of vidwans, connoisseurs, people completely new to music and others who just happened to stop by. Dhanam played for two hours, and each week the songs were different. 

Her requirement from the audience was absolute pindrop silence all through the programme, and the patience to sit until the end. Even the slightest noise from outside would make her stop the concert, so her street was cordoned off to tradesmen, and neighbours learnt to ensure no kitchen noises during the time. Members of her audience would rather miss the last train at 8 pm from her area and be ready for the inconvenience, than leave the concert midway and incur Dhanam’s displeasure.  

The room on the first floor of her house seated about 15-20 people and would be packed each week. Dhanam had unfortunately become quite impoverished in her old age due to heavy spending, and was virtually blind in the later years of her life, but the concerts continued. 

She was always open to teaching whoever wished to learn - and her list of such visitors is filled with legendary names from the spheres of Carnatic and Hindustani music - Bangalore Nagarathnamma, Gauhar Jan, and many more.  

Dhanam’s last public performance, sponsored by the Madras Music Academy was on 28 December, 1937. Dhanammal died on 15 October 1938. Even as she lay dying she told her family that her one regret at the moment was of parting with her beloved veena.

As distinguished novelist and journalist R Krishnamurthy, also more famously known as Kalki, said ‘The name Dhanam means ‘auspicious’ and ‘wealth’. There are two different types of wealth: first, the wealth of learning; second, material wealth. Dhanammal has none of the second but all of the first. She is an aged blind lady, there’s a quaver in her voice. But true musicians still go to her house in Georgetown.’ - Ananda Vikatan, August 20, 1933.

References:

1. Veena Dhanammal - The Making of a Legend by Lakshmi Subramanian

2. http://www.madrasmusings.com/vol-29-no-18/lost-landmark-of-chennai/

3. Legacy of Veena Dhanammal - In conversation with Ritha Rajan, www.sahapedia.org 

4. Unfinished Gestures - Devadasis, Memory and Modernity in South India, Davesh Soneji

5. Balasaraswati: Her Art and Life, Douglas M.Knight Jr.

Jerusha Jhirad

A doctor with laser focus on maternal health

The career path of Jerusha Jhirad (1891-1984) in obstetrics and gynaecology is a clear indication of how early influences in one’s life affect the choices one makes in later years, often subconsciously. This is the story of a physician and a pioneer of maternal health in India who forged her way at a time when deaths due to preventable causes were appallingly high. 

Jerusha Jhirad

Many firsts to her credit

Jerusha was the first recipient of a Government of India scholarship to study medicine in England. Dr. Jhirad was the first Indian to serve as Medical Officer at The Cama and Albless Hospitals for Women and Children, Mumbai from 1928 to 1947, the previous incumbents had only been British. 

Early life

Jerusha Jhirad was from the minuscule community of Bene Israel Jews in India. She was born in Shivamogga, Karnataka in 1890 in a family of six children. Her father managed his father-in-law’s coffee estate and Jerusha’s early idyllic childhood was spent there amidst nature.

She was homeschooled with her siblings by her parents but was soon on her way for higher classes to a boarding school in Pune, Huzurpaga School for Girls.

 

At home, in the meanwhile, disaster struck in the form of the insect called ‘Planter’s Pest’ that decimated the coffee estate, which had to be abandoned. Jerusha’s family moved, with her father finding employment in the Railways and her mother and siblings living in Pune. 

The silver lining in the dark cloud hovering over the family was that Jerusha’s grandfather sponsored her education while she was at school. But soon she won enough scholarships to pay her own way through her education. Jerusha’s single-minded aim ensured she was motivated to excel at school, at Grant Medical College in Mumbai and her medical studies in England.  

As a child Jerusha had vowed to herself to work as an obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Cama Hospital at Mumbai where her older sister’s life had been saved, even as her newborn twins had died. Cama Hospital for Women was also entirely staffed by women. 

Another incident that impacted Jerusha was when her brother-in-law’s sister bled to death after childbirth, because of a lack of female doctors. The patient’s mother would not admit the male doctor into the room and he could only verbally instruct the midwife and the nurse from another room, which was inadequate care. This episode brought home to Jerusha the vital need for female obstetricians and gynaecologists.

Stellar academic record and work experience

Jerusha graduated from Grant Medical College in 1912. Her superb academic record ensured she won a majority of the prizes at college that year. Jerusha had now become the first woman from the Bene-Israel community to become a doctor.

After graduation Jerusha set up private practice in Mumbai since Resident positions were not open for women. In her rented rooms her first patients were Arab women. As her practice grew because of her medical skills, so did her confidence.  

 

Her aim was to get an MD degree from London but the qualification for that was that she had to be a Medical Officer. Also scholarships for MD was only available for male students. A Tata loan scholarship for MD at the London School of Medicine for Women came to her rescue. Six months into the programme she got a scholarship from the Bombay government of 200 pounds per annum for five years, as a special case.

Jerusha was in London studying medicine as World War I raged. Due to the war there was a shortage of doctors, who had signed up and were at the war front. This opened up rare work opportunities for qualified female doctors, even if they were Indian. Jerusha worked as obstetric assistant and house surgeon at hospitals in England, gaining experience. She could now apply for MD since the condition of at least 6 months residential post could now be fulfilled.

Wider outreach than only medical help

Upon graduating she returned to India in 1920 and was felicitated by a group of Bene-Israel women for her accomplishments. 

Many of these women were living largely isolated lives in the restrictive confines of a traditional family structure with their in-laws, without avenues to explore their personalities and talents. Jerusha created a Stree Mandal, women’s association. It became a venue for informal meetings, lighthearted entertainment, daily afternoon classes of cooking, languages, needlework which led to employment opportunities for many of the women who had not studied further due to marriage or poverty. Stree Mandal was open to all women.

Unexpected stumbling block

Now she was back in India with an MD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology from the University of London, a first for an Indian woman. Jerusha applied at the one hospital in which she had always aspired to work - Cama Hospital - but was rejected. They did not hire Indians. 

Undeterred at being rejected for her nationality in her own country inspite of all her qualifications and work experience Jerusha worked at other hospitals in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru. At Bengaluru she developed services for pregnant women, trained nurses and midwives. Some wealthy patients donated for a labour room and an operation theatre. Some even volunteered to work with mothers and babies. 

Jerusha reapplied at Cama Hospital in 1925. This time, her stellar reputation at work saw her being accepted. Three years later she was Medical Officer at Cama Hospital. Medical officers are senior physicians who manage all aspects related to patient care within their departments.  

Her life’s work - at Cama Hospital and elsewhere

Dr. Jhirad was at Cama for nearly 20 years. In addition to her regular duties at the hospital, Jerusha was deeply involved in improving medical facilities in slums to lower infant mortality. In 1937 and 1938 she published a study on maternal mortality in Mumbai. She had lived through the daily experiences of a young female medical student, so Jerusha was instrumental in improving hostel facilities for them so they would be encouraged to pursue their medical studies in Mumbai. She was among the first in India to insist upon international safety regulations in hospitals here.

Dr. Jhirad advocated for training traditional midwives and dais in modern medicine for the safety of the mother and child. These women were an asset in rural areas where medical facilities were non-existent. She was against blindly following the practices of western medicine and felt methods had to be evolved to accommodate Indian ways.

On her 80th birthday, a post-graduate library was established at Cama in her name. This was befitting since she had always been particular about doctors and nurses at Cama being up to date with the latest medical information. She had also persuaded the government to give grants for subscriptions to journals and books.

 

In 1934 Dr. Jhirad provided medical assistance during the earthquake in Bihar which was among the worst in Indian history. Of the magnitude of 8.0 on the Richter Scale it flattened entire towns in Bihar and Nepal. She was contacted by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, later President of India, to help women in purdah. Dr. Jhirad and her team spent a month in Bihar.

Dr. Jhirad was fond of teaching so held special classes on weekday evenings and the weekends. She was on the medical faculty of the universities of Mumbai, Vadodara and Pune. She was an examiner for MBBS and MD exams at Mumbai, Chennai and Pune universities. 

Even after retirement, and living with her sister Leah in Dahisar in Mumbai, Dr. Jhirad continued to consult a few days in a week. Her concerns and work for maternal health, childcare centres, maternity leave, rescue homes and child aid societies continued unabated.

Dr. Jhirad’s published on topics close to her heart - maternal mortality, obstetrics, gynaecology and careers in medicine for Indian women.

Dr. Jerusha Jhirad's contemporaries mentioned that high standards of professional work, tact, sympathy, administrative ability and surgical skill were her hallmarks.

Much-deserved recognition

Dr. Jerusha Jhirad was founding member and elected president of Bombay Obstetric and Gynaecological Society, president of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI), and from 1947 to 1957 president of the Association of Medical Women in India (AMWI). In 1947, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. In 1950 she presided at the 6th All India Obstetric and Gynaecological Congress, held in Chennai. 

She was awarded Padma Shri (civilian award of the Republic of India) for her services to society and MBE (a British honour given by their monarch for a particular achievement).

Interests apart from medicine

Dr. Jhirad was a pioneer of Progressive Judaism in India, having learnt about it when she was in England. This was Judaism adapted to modern times in which women could participate more than in traditional Judaism. She founded a religious congregation and a reform synogogue with her sister Leah in Mumbai, and organised activities for Jewish teenagers. 

Dr Jhirad passed away at the grand old age of 93 in 1984 after a lifetime of breaking barriers of race and gender, and creating a path for young Indian women doctors after her.

And here’s something unique befitting a pioneer such as Dr. Jerusha Jhirad. The International Astronomical Union, the worldwide union of astronomers names astronomical bodies after women who have made significant contributions in their fields. Venus now has a crater 50 kilometers wide named Jhirad.

Ref:

1. Women Scientists in India: Lives, Struggles and Achievements - Anjana Chattopadhyay

2. Fabulous Female Physicians - Sharon L. Krish

3. Unstoppable - Gayathri Ponvannan

4. https://nbtindia.gov.in/writereaddata/freebooks/pdf/Women.pdf

5. Ramanna M. A pioneer of maternal health: Jerusha Jhirad, 1890–1983. Natl Med J India 2019;32:243-246