Natukottai Chettiars in their peak, funded 80% of the agrarian & trading economy in Burma. This banking community had excellent working relationship with the British and the "trust" British had on Chettiars was unbeatable.
According to Sean Turnell, the first Chettiar is expected to have landed in Burma in 1826. In the middle of 19th century, Chettiars were almost distributed from south to north on the banks of the fertile Irrawaddy river. They funded not just agriculture in the south, but also the trade in the north with their smart, fool-proof 'Agent system'. Chettiars solved the classic 'Principal-Agent' dilemma and created a "Convergent Organization" - way back in 1800s.
Ramanathan Aiya says "Apovellam maasa maasam pothu koottam nadakum. Yaravathu vazhi maari poana, periyavanga kandichi solluvanga. Athuku Chettiargalum kattu pattu nadapanga. Ipo ellarum thaan dhan periyavan nu nenapule, yarum yarukumae kattu padrathu ila. Athunaala dhan kai pazhagra pazhakkamae ilama poiduchu, kattu paadum illama poiduchu"
Trust & community building were their only success mantra. Chettiars were smart at leadership grooming (kai pazhaguvathu), economic analysis (Nagara koottams usually start with discussing the economic scenario), remote business management (principal-agent set-up where agents were micro-entrepreneur and had complete autonomy on who to lend), crowd fund sourcing (mudhal panam from family), mortgage lending, loans on produce, liquidity management (Cash & gold were their focus. Chettiars in 1800s and 1900s did not have the intention of land grabbing while they believed in mortgage), accounting, frugality to maintain lower cost of operations, opportunity seizing and the list goes on. Chettiars operated on lower interest rates (nadappu vatti which was decided in the nagarakoottams every month) which fuelled the economic growth. Organization, processes, systems and interest rates that Chettiars had was a Research paper that was published in Macquerie University by Sean Turnell. Sean Turnell quotes Chakravarthy on the interest rates Chettiars operated on in 1929.
God-fearing community
God was a part of everything that Chettiars did. Lord Murugan went along with them, wherever they went - be it Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore or Vietnam. There is a say "Chetty kappalukku Senthuran thunai" which literally means Thiruchendur Murugan will save Chettiar's ship.
Chettiars together in Myanmar established "Natukkottai Chettiars Association, Burma" to fuel community building. "The Rangoon Natukottai Chettiars Temples & Charities Managing Society" was established in 1935 for governing the temples and charitable acts. Chettiars built a total of 55 temples in Burma. Ramanathan Aiya enthusiastically displayed an array of documents from his alamari. He preserved them preciously. They were truly precious records of the glorious history.
<Image of 55 temples>
Documentation available at 'Aaru Arai' shows that Aaru Arai and Pasumanthan were built in 1860s. Ramanathan Aiya shows us documents which elaborates that a mammoth 'Madam' was built in Pasumanthan complex. This madam was meant to be utilized for Karthigai every month and Thaipusam. I did visit 6 out of the 55 temples. I shall elaborate on the current status of these temples in my upcoming blog.
This document, which I guess should have been an initiative taken in 1960s - is more of a summary on the glorious history. They have mentions of another big madam in "Kambai" and in Chennai (to facilitate transit accommodation for Chettiars departing to Rangoon from Chennai). Until 1935, Aaru arai, Pasumanthan, Kambai were maintained by "Sa. A family". Only in 1935, the Managing society was established and maintenance and management was passed on. Funds for the same was derived from the 'magamais' during Thaipusam every year.
Document also elaborates that besides the Chetty temples, Chettiars also donated to Siddhi Vinayagar temple, Sri Kaliamman temple, Samarasa Samajam. Until 1965, Chettiars were part of the Trustees in these non-Chetty Hindu temples too.
There we mentions of the World War damages on Pasumanthan. Deity was safeguarded at the madam. Post renovation, Deity was brought back to the temple complex and Kumbabishekam was done on 20/01/1964.
You will be surprised that Chettiars had a slot reserved in the Cabinet. Hon. AM.M. Vellayan Chettiar (Middle brother of Murugappa Group) was the last to hold that position before being assassinated in 1946 in the Minister's building where Aung San was assassinated.
As a Nagarathar, I have been to Kasi (Varanasi), stayed in the Chathiram and witnessed the elections which are no less than the State Legislative or Lok Sabha elections. Promises of Free shirts, Free trips to Varanasi, Free transport, Free accommodation, Campaining for not less than a year (I know an uncle who started campaigning immediately after the elections as he decided to contest the elections in the following year) - all this keeps me wondering! I can understand MPs, MLAs doing this, there is return on investment (ROI) but why would you want to manage a Chathiram?
Unlike today, Kasi Nattukottai Nagarachathiram managing society was run silently from Shwe Bon Than Street. Chettiars in Burma did have a say in everything everywhere.
Thats too much of Banking, Finance and Management in a few hours, coupled with the spread of Hinduism/Saivism across the region.
My next blog will be on the fall of Chettiars. Stay tuned!
#aaruarai #ammvellayan #murugappa #chettiars #burma #glory #pasumanthan #temple #hinduism #entrepreneur #microentrepreneur #crowdsourcing #leadership #grooming #interestrates
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