Maharajadhiraja Dr. Kameshwar Singh Interview to India Post After 1934 Earthquake

Maharajadhiraja Dr. Kameshwar singh concern for Darbhanga & Mithila as a whole reflected after the Bihar Earthquake on 15th Jannuary, 1934. He was one of the earliest and highest contributors to the Relief fund. His interview which he gave to the representative of the National Call of Delhi in March 1934, is as follows- " I was walking on the verandah when I noticed that the chandeliers in my Darbhanga House , 1, Middleton Street ,Calcutta, were swinging violently and the doors were creaking. My first impression was that those were due to vibration caused by the moving of heavy vehicles on the Chowringy Road. But in an instant, we could detect that it was not so. It was an earthquake. I hurried downstairs through the soiral staircase at the back of the house and become anxious for my brother who was sleeping on his sick-bed.To my greatest relief he came out soon and the other members of my family and suite were outside the danger zone. We were rocked for some time- not more than 8 minutes and everything was normal, again. The building got minor cracks, but was not unsafe. Little did I realize at that time that any calamity of the nature that had befallen Bihar would occur. In about two hours the news was brought to me that Jamalpur had suffered very badly. But there was no news from Darbhanga.The next morning we got a bit of news from Purnia, but still Darbhanga was silent . We thought, no news was good news. But on the third day of the happening , we learnt from the newspapers the gruesome tale that the airman had reported to the press about Muzaffarpur. That made me intensly anxious about Darbhanga.On the one hand , I chartered an aeroplane to fly over the place and get me all the news and on the other, I put myself in touch with the Government House, Patna, and calcutta, by telephone. The aeroplane unfortunately met with a slight accident  and the information I got by phone was too meager to give me any mental relief.

The duration  of my agony was thus prolonged . At  last on the fifth day of the occurrence came my brother – in – law from Darbhanga and gave me a harrowing account of the devastations caused by the earthquake in  North Bihar. Fortunately , the  members of my family who were there had a providential escape. I hurried to Darbhanga partly by the railway and partly by car. I could not believe my eyes when I saw the changes brought about  in afew minutes by one of Nature’s freaks . The river beds had gone up , the bridges had collapsed or had become very much in undulated, rich fields had been filled with sand , grounds had been broken up into pieces by gigantic cracks , and the surface of eart had changed beyond recognition. Darbhanga presented a ghastly spectacle . Along with numerous others I had become completely homeless and suffered considerable losses I various ways.People come to condole with me. But I thought there was hardly a person who did not deserve all the condolence and sympathy which a human heart could offer to another. The monetary value of the losses may vary according to one’s belongings but the proportion of loss which the bulk of the population suffered cannot easily be distinguished . It was clearly demonstrated that public calamity is a mighty leveler. But  that was hardly an occasion to lose courage . On the other hand , Courage,determination and optimism were in great demand.  I was led to think that the calamity was a blessing in disguise if we could make the best use of the situation.So , I decided to take members of the family , who were in Darbhanga , to Calcutta till such time as I could provide a temporary shelter for them and return there immediately to plan out the future . My officers and staff, it must be said to their credit. were doing all that was humanly possible for them to give temprory relief to the sufferers; and they had my unqualified sanction for the measures they were adopting for the same.
I cannot but mention here , in passing, with feelings of gratitude, the humanitarian services rendered by individuals, the Government and various relief organizations  that mitigated the sufferings of the people by distributing housing materials, clothes, money, etc.I am aware of the inadequacy and insufficiency of the resources, but the spirit behind all the relief measures was so noble that it cannot fail to draw our admiration . The individious distinction between classes and communities was forgotten and officials and non- officials alike were deeply animated with the spirit of philanthropy."

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आज शिझक दिवस के अवसर पर डा .सर्वपल्ली राधाकृष्णन को याद करते है और नमन . दरभंगा और राधाकृष्णन का गहरा तलूक रहा है .सितम्बर १ ९ ३ ९ को दरभंगा के डा . कामेश्वर सिंह ने मालवीय जी महराज द्वारा बनारस हिन्दू विश्वविद्यालय के कुलपति पद से सेवानिर्वती पर स . राधाकृष्णन को कुलपति पद पर नियुक्त करने का प्रस्ताव दिया और राधाकृष्णन कुलपति बने बनारस से लोटने के बाद उन्होंने कामेश्वर सिंह को १ ० अक्टूबर को अपने मद्रास का पता ३ ० ,Edward Eliot Road ,Mylapor , Madras के बारे में सूचित किये ,२ ४ अक्टूबर को कामेश्वर सिंह ने उन्हें दरभंगा में अपने सुबिधानुसार एक व्याख्यान के लिए आमंत्रित किया जिसे उन्होंने स्वीकार किया था उन्हें 9th Nov. को पटना में Hindu University के Convocation adress के लिए पटना आना स्वीकार करते हुए उन्होंने ९ तारीख को इ .आइ .रेलवे मेल से बॉम्बे से पटना आने के सम्बन्ध में पत्र लिखते हुए और दरभंगा आने की स्वीकृति दी थी कामेश्वर सिंह ने लिखा की दरभंगा के बड़ी संख्या में लोग आपको सुनना चाहते हैं l

A SCHEME OF INDIAN STATES

This scheme was elaborated by Sir Walter Lawrence at a meeting of the Royal Institue, London. He believe that this is the only way towards that distant dreamland of an India holding its own in the civilised world. He expressed that we cannot keep that vast Continent, with its 315 millions of people, for ever in pupilage and present curriculum is leading not to sane,strong manhood,but rather to wild outbreak of youth in school.We have worked on too large  a scale and our scaffolding is too big for the house. The huge medley of races, of religions which is contained in a British Province is too large for the grasp of ordinary citizens and in the new Indian States we should have some chance of homogeneity, some chance of common action, some hope of indigenous growth and life. And I look forward to the United States of India, bound by ties of love and gratitude to the great Nation which served to guide them aright. I look forward to those States playing a great and wonderful part in the destinies of mankind.  I can see an India whose writers, poets, statesmen and soldiers will have a reputation throughout the world, loyal to the British Empire and grateful to the old and generous school which taught them to play the game.

I would turn the whole of British India into Indian States. This cannot be done in a day nor in a year but it can be done gradually. A few years ago the British Government created a new Indian State when His Highness the Maharaja of Benares was created a ruling Chief. All over India there are great persons like the Maharaja of Beneres.

Maharajadhiraja Dr. Kameshwar Singh Speech at the time of Presentatipon of Mace for Council of State.

                  GOLDEN MACE FOR COUNCIL OF STATE

Hon'ble Maharajadhiraja Sir Kameshwara Singh,K.C.I.E., of Darbhanga, member of the Council
of State generously gifted a Gold Mace  made by the Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co.,London (they were  responsible for the Maces now in use in the House of Commons of  the Dominion of Canada and the House of Representatives of New Zealand) on Monday the 3rd April,1939 ,This golden Mace is an exact copy of the silver gilt Mace used in the House of Lords which is placed on the table before the Chair of the Lord Chancellor in the House of Lords. It is worthy to mention here that in England Mace were introduced by Richards I. In the House of Commons the Mace is said to have been introduced in 1649. In the House of Lords there are two Maces, the earliest dating from the reign of William III. The Council of State stands in the same position as the House of Lords.
Presentation of a Mace to the Council of State as a token of his high regard for the House.  Mace add to the dignity of the House as being the Second Legislature in the British Empire..Mace is a majestic emblem of power and authority.The Mace was orginally a weapon of offence capable to braking through the strongest armour .It was an emblem of the rights and prerogatives of the House.To those who were struggling for freedom the Mace signified much more than the power and prestige of the House . Mace symbolise the true spirit of democracy.It was an emblem of the supermacy of right over might.
Mace had been collected by Imperial Airways from the Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Company and despactched by the Air Mail leaving 17th August,1938 to Sir Kameshwar Singh at the Palace, Darbhanga. The Mace had been insured for a sum of 375 ponds, to cover all risks including war,strikes and malicious damage .

 The Maharaja of Darbhanga in making the presentation said;- " Mr. President,  I beg . in all humility to request you to accept this Mace for the Council of State as a token of my high esteem for the House and yourself, its first non-official President. The House of Darbhanga has been represented in this House ever since it has been established and I can claim that I have been familiar with its atmosphere for much longer period than since it has been my privilege to have a seat in this House. It has already earned its reputation for sobriety and soundness, and notwithstanding its limitations has amply justified its existence. Now that second chambers have been established in several provinces the character,dignity and conduct of this House are bound to influence them and I am sure it will leave a rich legacy to its successors when the federal part of the constitution comes into operation. Whatever the critics may say , federalism and bicameralism go together, and if we dispassionately look at the second chambers functioning throughout the world we will notice that no State, irrespective of its form and government, whether federal or unitary, monarchical or republican, presidential or parliamentary,constitutionally flexible or constitutionally rigid ,is willing to dispense with second chamber. Each country has evolved it to suit its own conditions. Federated India will do the same and I trust that in doing so it will look back upon the high tradition by this House with pleasure and pride. 

"The Mace is the symbol of authority and I always felt that this outward mark of power, dignity and respect for procedure should be present in the oldest second chamber in this country. I therefore heartily welcome the proposal which you made to me in March last about presenting one to this House.. It is again largely due to the valuable help and guidance I have received from you that I am able to perform this ceremony today. You were kind enough not only to obtain the permission of His Excellency the Viceroy for the presentation of this Mace and through His Excellency that of  His Imperial Majesty The King- Emperor for getting it made after the Mace used in the House of Lords, but also to take a keen interest in getting it perfectly made.For all this I am deeply beholden to you. But  , if I may say so, apart from these, what may be called personal consideration, I have found in you a President who has played a very important part in maintaining, nay raising, the respect for the House in the hearts of all concerned and has earned for himself a name for impartiality, justice and courtesy. I am therefore particularly happy to ind you here to accept it.

" On an occasion like this I feel that I shall be failing in my duty if I do not express my heartfelt gratitude to His Imperial Majesty and His Excellency for the favours shown by them, and to Sir Howard d'Egville, the distinguished Secretary of the Empire Parliamentary Association, London, for supervising the making of the Mace and assisting the makers in getting access to St. Stephen's.

" In praying that this humble gift of mine be accepted I hope that it will receive the same respect which Maces in other Houses of Parliament receive."

                                      -" The Statesman,"Delhi,Tuesday, 5th April, 1939.