Dr.Dinesh
Vedappan Solomen landed in Car Nicobar on 15th march, 1895. His house was in Madras. He was a teacher and lay missionary. He collected 12 boys at the beginning of whom, one was him( Richardson). No babies are allowed to be born in the house but mothers had to go to the birth houses down the seashore- near Birth house, there are Death house too.
Solomen gave the name John to each of these twelve and he added a different English name to each, there was John Bull, John Davison, John Robinson, John Richardson and so on. George whitehead came to live on the Island and with his help, the translation of the new testament was begun, just before the war we had got our first copies of the new testament in Nicobarese; they ordered all copies to be destroyed, but people loved their bibles too much to give them up. Some buried them in the ground and some hid them in the top of coconut tress. Nicobarese lived, in fear of devils and so keep evil things away at the burial grave, witch doctors would stand at the burial grave, witch doctors would stand by side waving magic leaves to keep the evil spirits from harming who did the burying; when a man died all his belongings were buried with him.
Vedappan Solomen’s first wife died in 1900. The first Christian to be entered in the soil of the Island, later his eldest son died in 1903. After the death of his first wife he re-married in 1904 in Madras by her; he had two children a boy and a girl. The son died when two years old. Mr. Solomen died in Rangoon while he was on his way to Madras. After his death Mrs. Solomen continued to run the school at Mus in Car Nicobar till her death in Port Blair hospital 1918, before Mr. Solomen died he left 128 converts on the Island.
Mr. Solomen died before the turn of the century. His work was carried on by his wife a trained teacher. Bishop of Rangoon visited Car Nicobar in 1904. He persuaded some parent to send their boys with him to Rangoon for education. Richardson was one of them he was sent to Mandalay. His reliability and eagerness attracted the attention of his teachers. He also learned to play football. He returned to his beloved Island after 5 years as catechist and a teacher, determined to preach the bible in his own language to his own people. He also taught them to play football.
By the beginning of World War-II the Christians numbered about 2000 out of a population of 60000. In 1941 one of John Richardson sons was killed in Rangoon in the first Japanese air raid. The Japanese occupied Car Nicobar in July 1942. John Richardson was summoned by the officer in charge. “We will stamp out Christianity said the Japanese officer, our noble emperor had taken over the charge over these Islands. The British will never return, Christians here have bibles; these must be given to us to be destroyed. Tell your people. Richardson’s reply was characteristic. “ I cannot tell my people to surrender their most treasured possession. He expected torture or death. The people buried their gospels or hid them on top of coco palms.
The Japanese called Edward Kutchet, a headman and told him that they were going to execute Richardson and planned to make him the Chief Captain. ‘If you touch Richardson said Kutchet the whole island will rise in revolt. There are 10000 of us. He alone holds us in check so be careful”. The arrogant Japanese General was so taken aback by this boldness that he did nothing further. Kutchet is the richest man on the Island. He even owned a Jeep. There was no permanent marriage. Woman would have four or five husbands one after another. In fact she is thought to be a sign of her beauty. So Ewdard Kutchet headman of Kakana was a Christian and had two wives one middle aged and other young. His brother had been the first to be killed by the Japanese and he wanted to build a church in memory of him. Bishop came and held a conference with Edward Kutchet & the leading Christians & John Richardson. Just before consecration stood up in the church with a paper in his hands and said, “ I have become a Christian I can only have one wife”. I will be faithful to Olive, I will provide for Mary Anne. We are all willing for this. Edward Kutchet could not write so he had to put his thumb mark on the paper & his two wives but their wives as well. Mary Anne the young one came back with him that same night to live in his home. She is now happily to have a husband of her own. This was a great victory and many people have followed the example.
• Worked in Car Nicobar Island in the post of Dental Surgeon at Government Civil Hospital (now known as BJR Hospital), Car Nicobar under Directorate of Health Services A & N Administration. e-mail: dineshdentalclinic@gmail.com
