"The priests of St. Paul’s Church have been trying for the last fifty years to pull down the Vedapuri Iswaran temple; former Governors said that this was the country of the Tamils, that they would earn dishonour if they interfered with the temple, that the merchants would cease to come here, and that the town would decay; they even set aside the king’s order to demolish the temple; and their glory shone like the sun. ... Before M. Dupleix was made Governor, and when he was only a Councillor, all the Europeans and some Tamils used to say that if he became Governor, he would destroy the Iswaran temple. The saying has come to pass. ... has taken advantage of this time of war to accomplish his longstanding object and demolish the temple. ... I cannot describe the boundless joy of the St. Paul’s priests, the Tamil and pariha converts, Madame Dupleix and M. Dupleix. In their delight, they will surely enter the temple, and will not depart, without breaking and trampling under foot the idols and destroying all they can. ... Then Father Coeurdoux of Karikal came with a great hammer, kicked the lingam, broke it with his hammer, and ordered the Coffrees and the Europeans to break the images of Vishnu and the other gods. Madame went and told the priest that he might break the idols as he pleased. He answered that she had accomplished what had been impossible for fifty years, that she must be one of those Mahatmas who established this religion in old days, and that he would publish her fame throughout the world. ... I can neither write nor describe what abominations were done in the temple... All the Tamils think that the end of the world has come. ... The wise men will say that the glory of an image is as short-lived as human happiness. The temple was destined to remain glorious till now, but now has fallen."
React to this quote
More by Ananda Ranga Pillai
See allResonant Thoughts
"Isn't the use by America and some Western governments of their fire against others in the world including, or in the forefront of whom are the Arabs and the Muslims, one of the most important reasons …"
"The Chinese said of themselves several thousand years ago: "China is a sea that salts all the waters that flow into it." There's another Chinese saying about their country which is much more modern—it…"
Explore Further
Related Quotes
"Psychoanalysis is like music lessons, for 5 years you do not notice any progress and suddenly you can play …"
— Woody Allen"Perhaps the novel evolved in order to deal with man's growing awareness that behind the facade of social or…"
— Ralph Ellison"I advance no exaggerated or fanciful claim for Vegetarianism. It is not, as some have asserted, a "panacea"…"
— Henry Stephens Salt"I've got more important things to think about. I've got a yogurt to finish by today, the expiry date is tod…"
— Gordon Strachan"Our future is still ahead of us."
— Jimmy Quillen"May the Christmastide bear you to the highest level of your desires, and the ebbing year leave you stranded…"
— John Kendrick Bangs
