AFVOA Newletter August 2020

Section 6 – eConnect Reviews CV 2 No. 02 / 2020 Page 194 of 237 3 Malfeasance to Munificence – the Yale Story (Meeting with Mr V Sriram) Wg Cdr C Ravishankar Genre: eConnect Review Straight from the Heart Series #4 sn’t variety the spice of life? While the AFVOA dabbled with contemporary theatre and music in the preceding weeks, both in the creative arts domain, the heterogenous interests of its learned members propelled it to look wider and cherry pick the history of Madras to take centre stage this week. Our Singara Chennai abounds in history, through the ages. Chennai announced the start of the Common Era (CE) with the most precious gifts of Sage Thiruvalluvar and his holy Thirukural to the world at large. Chennai was also the pinnacle of religious tolerance and openness when it accepted the presence and preaching by St Thomas shortly thereafter, who was one of the prime apostles of Jesus Christ. Mahabs as the millennials call it today, or Mamallapuram, the principal port then ( 7 C E) stands testimony to the glory of Pallavas and the flourishing trade with the far east. The rock cut temples of Mahabalipuram are world heritage sites today. That two of the principal quartet of the renowned saivaite nayanmars walked the earth here in Chennai is recorded history. Which Chennaite will not know the resurrection of Poompavai from ashes, within the precincts of the Kapaleeswarar temple by Thirugnana Sambandhar? (7 C E). Sundarar, who commanded the Lord to be his envoy for conveying love for his I