MADURAI: Shrimant Babaji Rajah Bhonsle Chattrapathi, Head of the Maratha Royal Family of Thanjavur, along with Dr. TS Chandrasekar, a leading gastroenterologist, unveiled a book titled ‘The Story of the Sourashtras’ in Madurai on Sunday.
While addressing the gathering, chief guest Rajah Bhonsle said, “Authors had a tough task to collect and document the history of their community, its societal contributions, and took the initiative to record and document these aspects, resulting in the creation of this historical book. They had no pre-existing resources and had to work from scratch. This book serves as a foundation for future research on the community.”
Dr. TS Chandrasekar, the guest of honour, said, “The authors travelled across the country for research and documented this work. Pre-1940s, the Sourashtra community was at its peak, and over time, the collective contribution to the community began to decline. The younger generations must reconnect with their roots.”
Anitha Rajarajan, the author, said, “My journey began three years ago when I was invited to curate a traditional Sourashtra lunch and create a short video about my community’s history for a group of tourists. The film was well-received, but I sensed that there was so much more left to tell.”
