Institutions are no  Roses 

Opened in 1985 by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the Nehru Science Centre in Worli, Mumbai was created as living memorial to India’s first Prime Minister , Jawaharlal  Nehru. It is  a fantastic Museum offering   a wide variety of interactive exhibits, including a planetarium, 3 D shows  and hands -on experiment covering topics like  physics, astronomy and the human body. It is one of the major tourist attractions  for  Indian and foreign visitors to Mumbai. On holidays, children  throng  to see the marvels of science and technology hands on.

Names are profoundly important for both individuals and institutions. In the case of institutions, the name is often the touchpoint with the public. It tells a story about its identity and purpose. A carefully chosen name can communicate the core values, and mission so as to attract the right type of customers. Nehru’s deep and lifelong interest in science was crucial for him since he believed that it was the only way to modernize India and eradicate poverty. He was instrumental in establishing a chain of scientific research establishments, some of which are world renowned like ,for example,  the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Mumbai.

Judged by these standards, the name of the Worli science museum as Nehru Science Centre is very appropriate. However,   the headline of a news  item in today’s The Indian Express reads ”Nehru’s name goes missing from Worli Science Centre Metro station “. The report under this headline includes the  photograph of a sign board reading Science Centre Metro Station .  This  has caused considerable  consternation among people who lived in  Nehru’s life time and were  influenced by his core values of democracy and scientific temper

It may be according to a government’s policy to rename  the monumental buildings, institutions, public gardens etc., The raison d’etre for such change  is to erase  names associated with colonial  he past and other foreign rulers . It  appears that the opinion of the public who for ages have known and identified them with their original names was  not important .

 In this context, I wish to share my experience regarding an attempted  change of name of a religious centre in Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu.  As many would know,  Kanchipuram is one of the Mutts established by Adi Shankarachrya . Its premises is located on a road and over a period of time has come to be called Matam Road by  residents , devotees,  and others  like taxi,  autorickshaw drivers, etc., Any one arriving  at Railway/ Bus Stations, to visit the Kanchi Sankaracharya has only to say Matam for his destination and he would be dropped there.

I paid a visit to Kanchipuram   in 2003 to have the darshan of Sri Jayendra Saraswati , who then was  of the reigning  Swamigal of the Matam. In my pre-retirement job was in an organization linked to government operated bus transport undertakings.  I was known to many of their managers , including Shri. Killi Valaven, Bus Depot Manager in Kanchipuram, who enjoyed the privilege as an important local official like the SP, the Collector etc.  Thanks to him,  I had  an easy  personal audience with the Seer.

The Seer asked me  if  I knew a particular incident in Killivalavan’s   official life which was immensely appreciated by one and all. He then narrated about the political pressure exerted on Killivalavan directing him  that the destination boards on the buses operating from Railway  and Bus stations should not be lettered as Sankara  Matam as it denotes a place of importance of only a particular religion. Killivalavan stood firm that he would not in his life change it  from  Sankara Matam , which alone is known to all devotees  coming from far and near to Kanchipuram and  that if a change is made , public will be  put to great inconvenience  coming  to  see the Sankarcharya in his abode.

Today,  many changes  have been made to  institutions, public  buildings, roads and avenues, with new names . The public who too  are stakeholders have had no chance to be taken into confidence. .  

 Places and institutions are  not roses .  The famous Shakesperean quote  “What’s in a name? That which we call  a rose/ by any other name would  smell as sweet” does not hold good.

 

 ”