If
you are still wondering still on what it is – remember the Vijayakanth, Revathi
starrer ‘Vaidhegi Kaathirundhaal’ that hit the screens in 1984. The film directed by R. Sundarrajan was a hit liked for
the comedy of Goundamani and Senthil. Gaundamani as ‘All in all Azhaguraja’ was a
small time mechanic supplying sundry items including petromax lights. As he
explains how it provides light, Senthil would touch and spoil the mantle –
meantime a rare customer would come asking for light – the dialog ‘petromax lightethaan venduma’
? [you require only petromax light] became much repeated one !!
all in all azhaguraja
Way back in 1866, master
plumber Albert Graetz together with the distributor Emil Ehrich, founded the
"Lampen-Fabrik Erich and Graetz OHG" (Erich and Graetz Lamp Factory,
Unlimited), on Dresdener St. in Berlin. Albert Graetz felt compelled to end the
"dark times" of what he referred to as "Rueboelfunzein"
(vegetable oil lamps), through the introduction of improved lamp designs. Graetz
then designed a pressure lamp, working with vaporized paraffin. Around the year
1916, the lantern and its name started to travel around the world. The design was such a success that it still
is being used to this day. The name Petromax has become synonymous with
paraffin pressure lamps in many countries ~ it is actually a registered
‘trademark’ that was registered in Nov. 1920. Following Germany's surrender at
the end of World War One, the company's foreign factories were lost, and the
Ehrich and Graetz Company had to fight for economic survival.
Times of India of
10th Jan 2012 reported of the arrest of two men trying to sell a
petromax light for Rs 2 crore, calling it a 400-year-old antique. K Anbalagan,
59, and R Palanisamy, 50, both hailing from Vridhachalam in Cuddalore district,
claimed that the that the light was manufactured by the East India Company in
1600.
Anbalagan and
Palanisamy were caught when they tried to sell the light to two policemen who
posed as buyers. They claimed the light was made of an alloy of iridium that is
used in the manufacture of satellites. They also said that the light had
special powers and to prove their claim, they sprinkled some rice around it.
When the grains of rice were drawn towards the light, the two men said their
claim had been proved. However, the 'buyers' were not convinced and hauled
Anbalagan and Palanisamy in. The scientific answer for the 'rice pulling' claim
is that the grains, which have hydrocarbons, are drawn by the light. The gang
members told police that the antique light had developed its rice-pulling power
over the years.
They claimed that
it was valued at more than 50 crore in the international market. Police are now
checking with officials of the archeology department and the forensic wing on
the authenticity of the seized light. There are also doubts on whether it is a
original manufactured by East India Company.
They are not alone,
in May 2014, The Hindu had reported of
the arrest of 5 people in Kollam attempting to sell a petromax light. A year
before there was another incident in Kumbakonam. At Kollam they had tried to
sell the lamp for Rs.25 crore through a broker to a British national camping in
Bangalore. The State police had received information that a Kollam-based racket
dealing in such rice pullers were active in the State. There are some study
reports which claim that metal wares with traces of iridium develop rice
pulling power when hit by lightning. There are also some studies which show
that the East India Company had minted coins and made other metal ware with
traces of iridium in 1616 with the advice of some Indian sages to keep the
inauspicious effects of a solar eclipse that year at bay. Their identities were
given as Prince and Salim from Kollam and Jayaraj, Jose Jackson, and
Senkuthavan from Tirunelveli.
Now
tell – do you require a petromax light only ? பெட்ரோமாக்ஸ்
விளக்கேதான் வேணுமா ?!?!
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar
13th Jan 2015.
