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Colonel '''John Pennycuick''' <small>[[Order of the Star of India|CSI]]</small> (15 January 1841 – 9 March 1911) was a | Colonel '''John Pennycuick''' <small>[[Order of the Star of India|CSI]]</small> (15 January 1841 – 9 March 1911) was a British [[Army engineer]] and [[civil servant]] who served as a member of the [[Madras Legislative Council]] when parts of the Indian subcontinent were under [[Colonial rule]] of the British [[East India Company]]. He undertook several [[irrigation]] works which included the [[masonry dam]] of [[Mullaiperiyar Dam|Mullaperiyar]] on the [[Periyar River]]. | ||
== Early life == | == Early life == | ||
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[[Colonel]] Pennycuick decided to divert the west-flowing [[Periyar (river)]]'s culmination in the [[Arabian Sea]] towards the East so that it could irrigate hundreds of thousands of acres of dry land depending only on [[Vaigai river]]. | [[Colonel]] Pennycuick decided to divert the west-flowing [[Periyar (river)]]'s culmination in the [[Arabian Sea]] towards the East so that it could irrigate hundreds of thousands of acres of dry land depending only on [[Vaigai river]]. | ||
Though Pennycuick and other British Engineers went ahead with the construction, braving the nature's fury and the dangers of poisonous insects and wild animals, the construction works were disrupted by relentless rain. Large number of sand bags kept for the construction of the dam was destroyed due to severe flood. | Though Pennycuick and other British Engineers went ahead with the construction, braving the nature's fury and the dangers of poisonous insects and wild animals, the construction works were disrupted by relentless rain. Large number of sand bags kept for the construction of the dam was destroyed due to severe flood. Since he could not get adequate funds from the British government, Pennycuick went to [[England]] and sold his family property to mobilise money to fund the project. The dam was completed in 1895. | ||
The dam was inaugurated by [[Beilby Lawley, 3rd Baron Wenlock|Lord Wenlock]], the then Governor of the [[Madras Presidency]]. It resulted in irrigation of 223,000 acres in [[Theni]], [[Dindigul]], [[Madurai]], [[Sivaganga]] and [[Ramanathapuram]] districts. | The dam was inaugurated by [[Beilby Lawley, 3rd Baron Wenlock|Lord Wenlock]], the then Governor of the [[Madras Presidency]]. It resulted in irrigation of 223,000 acres in [[Theni]], [[Dindigul]], [[Madurai]], [[Sivaganga]] and [[Ramanathapuram]] districts. | ||
Pennycuick used [[Lime (material)|lime]] and [[ | Pennycuick used [[Lime (material)|lime]] and [[surkhi]] paste for construction, taking into consideration the gravitational force: this allows the dam to withstand tremors and remain strong. Pennycuick said: "I am going to be only once in this earthly world, hence I need to do some good deeds here. This deed should not be prorogue nor ignored since I am not going to be here again".<ref>'Kumudam' Tamil weekly magazine</ref> | ||
==Death== | ==Death== | ||
Pennycuick died in [[Camberley]], Surrey, on 9 March 1911. He is buried in the Churchyard of St. Peter's Church in Frimley. The grave has a substantial granite cross and plinth. In 2018 the grave was renovated and a large granite plaque was added in commemoration of his work on the Mullaiperiyar Dam. The plaque is from the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in recognition of the achievement. | Pennycuick died in [[Camberley]], Surrey, on 9 March 1911. He is buried in the Churchyard of St. Peter's Church in Frimley. The grave has a substantial granite cross and plinth. In 2018 the grave was renovated and a large granite plaque was added in commemoration of his work on the Mullaiperiyar Dam. The plaque is from the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in recognition of the achievement. | ||
== Family == | == Family == | ||
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* The people of Palarpatti in Theni district venerated the great man by preparing pongal in front of his statue on his birthday<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/article332802.ece|title = Pongal offered to Engineer}}</ref> | * The people of Palarpatti in Theni district venerated the great man by preparing pongal in front of his statue on his birthday<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/article332802.ece|title = Pongal offered to Engineer}}</ref> | ||
* Many of the farmer families of the Theni and [[Madurai district]]s still keep portraits of Pennycuick and worship him as a god. Villagers prostrate before his portrait, offer prayers, decorate with garlands and perform aarati to his photos which are usually kept in the hall or in puja room along with images of other gods.<ref name="thehindu.com"/> | * Many of the farmer families of the Theni and [[Madurai district]]s still keep portraits of Pennycuick and worship him as a god. Villagers prostrate before his portrait, offer prayers, decorate with garlands and perform aarati to his photos which are usually kept in the hall or in puja room along with images of other gods.<ref name="thehindu.com"/> | ||
*A white marble bust of Pennycuick was donated to his descendants by [[A. K. Viswanathan]] (Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai Police). This statue was unveiled at St Peter's Church in [[Frimley]] on 12 January 2019 by Indian High Commission Minister A. S. Rajan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/police-gift-pennycuick-bust-to-uk/articleshow/67564368.cms|title=Police gift Pennycuick bust to UK - Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=2019-02-23}}</ref> | *A white marble bust of Pennycuick was donated to his descendants by [[A. K. Viswanathan]] (Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai Police). This statue was unveiled at St Peter's Church in [[Frimley]] on 12 January 2019 by Indian High Commission Minister A. S. Rajan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/police-gift-pennycuick-bust-to-uk/articleshow/67564368.cms|title=Police gift Pennycuick bust to UK - Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=2019-02-23}}</ref> | ||