Kamat's Potpourri

AnthoBLOGy: Obituary V.R. Jayaraj

Mon, 7 Sep 2026 00:00:00 EST

It saddens me that my Facebook Wall and my blog has become an obituary column for my friends. Today, I am deeply saddened to share the passing of Venugopal Ramakrishnan Jayaraj ("Jay") of Bengaluru, Birmingham, Alabama, and later Ball Ground, Georgia.

I first met Jay when I was working at US Steel at the Fairfield Works, where he was a highly respected engineer and manager. I still miss the pre-9/11, blue-collar Americana of those days -- a time when people working around 2,000-degree molten steel could still be warm, funny, and deeply connected. On the shop floor, he was affectionately known as "Jay Jayaraj," a man respected by the people who worked alongside him.

Over the years, I had the privilege of socializing with Jay and his wonderful wife, Pushpa. Jay had met my parents in India, and when my mother visited us from India, they naturally became friends. Those connections across countries and generations were something special.

Of course, every friendship has its stories. Once, I invited Jay over for dinner and cooked catfish. I am a fast cook -- perhaps sometimes too fast -- and apparently the catfish needed a little more time! Thankfully, I had prepared many other dishes, so most guests survived the evening without noticing. Jay, however, really liked catfish. My wife still reminds me about that dinner, and for many years afterward, I jokingly wondered if I had permanently lost a friend because of my cooking.

Life took us in different directions. We moved away from Birmingham to North Georgia, and somehow twenty years passed.

Then last fall, I received a call from Jay: "I heard y'all moved to Cumming. We did too!" As we caught up and exchanged stories, we realized something remarkable -- we had actually been passing each other for days on the same trails while walking, saying hello to another Indian family, never realizing that after two decades we had crossed paths again.

That unexpected reunion made the loss even harder to accept.

Jay passed away today after complications following a fall last September. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Pushpa. They did not have children, and Jay was the anchor and pillar of his extended family.

Jay was a wonderful friend -- kind, respected, funny, and dependable. I am grateful that after twenty years apart, life gave us one more chapter together.

Rest in peace, my friend. You will be missed.

Amma's Column: Kumta Town in the 1930s

Sat, 23 Feb 2019 00:00:00 EST

Late Dr. R.M. Masurkar (1920-2004) was a practicing physician and leading citizen of Kumta town in North Kanara district. The district played a crucial role during civil Disobedience and Salt Satyagraha days. Though considered economically and socially backward-district its role in Freedom Struggle was extraordinary. Dr. Masurkar has left some vivid memories of Kumta, which was hub of political activities in 1920s and early 1930s. "Those were the days when peace and contentment prevailed form the rich to the half starved poverty stricken Society because ignorance is bliss. Struggle for one's livelihood was their only problem. There were other reasons also for that sort of mental attitude of the people then. It was the time when Britishers had joined together the multi-fragmented or fractured pieces of India ruled by whimsical or occasionally benevolent princes who often waged wars amongst themselves for their personal ambitions like the heroes in stunt pictures keeping the innocent and the peace loving-subjects in a state of perpetual panic and a sense of insecurity. It must be some time, in 1922 or 23 when I was a child of 3 or 4 years that the freedom movement had started gaining ground in out small town of Kumta with processions, shouting slogans like 'Hindu Muslim Bhai Bhai' and 'down with the British Raj'. My eldest brother Sadashivarao was an active congressman and my second eldest brother Dr. G.M. Masurkar was also a congress volunteer. Dr. G.M. Muasurkar was asked to leave the Gibb High School along with other participants by the Principal as per the orders of the Government, that those students who took part in the civil disobedience movement should be debarred from attending the School, lest the School, should loose the yearly Government grant.

The Shanteri Kamakshi temple situated in the heart of the town functioned, as a centre of freedom movement's circulatory system. Volunteers, propagandists and leaders were housed here. The deity seemed to infuse her spirit and inspiration in the congress workers. As a child, I remember having listened to some spirited talks of leaders in rap attention. I remember a big pyramid heaped of foreign clothes fashioned in western style like coats, pants, hats etc, turned into a bonfire surrounded by gaity of nationalist minded on-lookers. Our house was one of the guest houses for the itenarant workers who came ate and went away on their mission. My uncle Rao Sahib Ganaptrao Masurkar who had fought, earlier in this Gandhian movement against the Government, for redress of forest grievances also joined the movement spurning the title awarded to him. The kirtankar Shri Ram Pai had left a deep impression in me and I sang his two songs making jestures in accordance with the meaning of the words and stanzas. There was a packed audience and the faint memory appears to me like a dream as I recall the event. Ram Pai's kirtan was never dull or drab. It used to be full of funny anecdotes and sarcasm on the ordinances proclaimed by the Government one after another in succession to curb the National activities.

One thing I may say here that every individual had one aim in mind and that was to achieve freedom. People belonging to different strata in the society and people belonging to different vocations in life served the cause of freedom movement in their own way and capacity. If a buswala would see a congress worker, walking on the road to reach his destination some miles ahead, the driver would stop and pick him up and leave him where he wanted to alight. Likewise house-holders would feed the itinerant volunteers. Doctors would not only treat the sick volunteers free of charge but even keep them in their house and nurse them as they would do to their kith or kin." (Edited from Dr. Masurkar's article 'My Random Reminiscences,' published in Kanada Vritta- Diamond Jubilee issue 1982. 'Kanada Vritta' A weekly started in 1916 was the only newspaper, for several decades, published in the district from Kumta. It is still going strong at 91).

Aperture Photo Blog: Kharvis of Coastal Karnataka

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EST

Amma's Column

Fishermen throughout the world are known for adventures. Since they have to face rough weather on mid sea at times, all of a sudden, their presence of mind and boundless courage saves them from grave situations. Konkani fisher folk known as Kharvis who reside in Coastal districts of Karnataka are no exception. Since ancient times, they are exposed to unpredictable rough fury of nature. The adjoining land is also not as fertile as the plains. This rocky strip of land is inhabited by people of various fisher folk castes, who try to eke out a living are sandwiched between Sahyadri mountain range and the Arabian Sea. However the sea provided varied and plentiful fish, most part of the year. The Kharvi fisher-folk are a brave and god-fearing community who speak Konkani language. They used to be expert boat-builders as well. They built strong warships and mercantile ships which competed with Arab dhows.

Boats sailing on Sharavathi river

Karnataka state has three hundred and twenty three kilometers of sea-coast. Fisher-folk are divided between Kannada and Konkani speaking communities and they do not interact. In a caste-ridden country like India, each caste-people develop their own culture and leave behind a tradition of typical rituals and practices. Kharvi fishermen work on sea and in saline water. "Kshara" or salt in Sanskrit has a derivative word Khara in Indian languages. Hence the term Kharvi perhaps applied to fishermen who went fishing in salty water. Nowadays the nomenclature is wider. Since Khavis speak only Konkani language, there is every possibility that they escaped from Konkani state of Portuguese Goa, to avoid forcible conversion to Christianity in the sixteenth century. Kharvis are devout Hindus and worshipers of several deities. But interestingly they, mainly worship Durgamata or Sakti (Primeval power) who, as Goddess Almighty has precedence over all other gods! They also worship Siva husband of Shakti, their Son Ganapati and God Vishnu in his different incarnations.

Boats of different dimensions, tubs, varied types of nets, oars and bamboos form main tools of Kharvis.

Earlier nets to catch fish were woven from strong fibers obtained from barks of certain forest trees. These days nylon nets have come handy for them, who put in endless hours in weaving and mending. Similarly small boats sail to catch by hook, or hand-nets.

Nowadays technology has made room for mechanized boats launches and percins.

Rampani or Maribale the huge net required the service of a hundred people which hauled tons and tons of sardines and mackerels during the season. Trawlers, nowadays net in fish with the help of five or six people. Percin boats go far and deep in the sea and managed by twenty-twenty five members. Big boats haul in mixed fish which requires big team to sort out edible fish like Surma, mackerel, sardine, small shark, hook fish, Saundale, prawns and others. Other non-tasty fish goes as chicken-feed. Unedible varieties form good manure. "Kawan" are sheds to store dry-fish and beaches are used to sun-dry the huge quantities of fish.

Some fishermen are not lucky to have lions share of Rampani netting or trawler-catch. But they are happy to catch enough fish for evening dinner, oaring their way on quite-flowing Sharavati and sell in baskets on the shore.

Kamat`s Diaries

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

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Remembering K.L.Kamat
Meticulous diaries and letters have helped document the vast expanse of Kamat's research

Picking Slides for Kamat.com

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

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Remembering Kamat
Kamat explains the story behind a picture to Kim

K.L.Kamat's Father Laxman Kamat

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

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K.L.Kamat's 75th Birthday
Elder Kamat in his cloth shop

Kamat with Elders

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

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Kamat's 75th Birthday
Kamat (on extreme right) on his Wedding Day, Feb 23, 1966

Kamat after his Doctorate in 1965

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

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K. L. Kamat's 75th Birthday

A Father and his Child

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

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Kamat's 75th Birthday
K.L.Kamat with infant Vikas

The Kamat Brothers

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

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Kamat with Brothers
(from L to R) Gajanan, Tulasidas, Umesh, and Krishnanand -- a rare picture

The Kamat Couple

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

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The Kamat Couple
Krishnanand and Jyotsna Kamat

A Panel signed by the sculptor Maba

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EST

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Hoysala Period Sculpture

Browse Kamat Photo Archive

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EST