Category Archives: About Chennai(Madras) / TamilNadu

Hidden tales of Chennai’s Harrington Road

About Chennai(Madras) / TamilNadu, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion

There is more to Harrington Road than restaurants, concrete buildings and bustling traffic. Writer Sudha Umashanker unveils some secrets.

MCC School

Chennai : 

It’s been 40 years since writer-storyteller Sudha Umashanker moved from her father’s house on Marshalls Road to Harrington Road. Recounting her early memories of the neighbourhood, she shared, “I vividly remember the beautiful, long road lined up with tall trees on both sides. Apart from Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School, Chetpet railway gate and a small departmental-cum-stationery store called Hansa, the area was almost empty, and dotted with a few bungalows and villas.”

Over the years, shopping complexes, supermarkets, apartments, restaurants and educational institutions have mushroomed in the locality. Even as the area’s landscape has drastically evolved, the long-time resident took Madras Month celebrations as an opportunity to trace the history of the neighbourhood’s landmarks, as part of a virtual walk for the Madras Literary Society.

So, how did the road derive its name from William Harrington, a civil servant from the 1770s to 1790s? “Late historian S Muthiah wrote in one of his columns that William Harrington was given ten acres south of the Spur Tank.”

The many treasures
Considered as one of the greenest localities in Chennai, Harrington Road houses many service organisations that continue to do remarkable community work to date. Little Sisters of the Poor is one such. “It was founded by Jeanne Jugan, a French nun. The organisation, started in France, is currently spread across 100 countries. They came to Harrington Road in the 1930s after receiving a three and a half-acre facility from a landlord. They have 100 inmates. Plenty of patrons are contributing to keep their work going,” she shared.

Harrington Road from Chetpet signal

A few metres down the lane is another well-known service organisation called The Madras Seva Sadan. It was a women’s service centre run by the Women’s India Association that had prominent female members such as Margret cousins, Annie Besant and Muthu Lakshmi Reddy. When the Margret cousins had to leave, they proposed that Pune Seva Sadan take over the organisation by offering Rs 750, but they refused to. Soon after, the organisation was bought by Mutha Subbarao for a princely sum of Rs 10,000. “He acquired the Shenstone Park building in 1928 and that’s when the organisation moved to Harrington Road. Along with wife Lady Andal, the couple rehabilitated many women and empowered them. Presently, there’s The Madras Seva Sadan Higher Secondary School, Lady Andal School, Sir Mutha Venkatasubbarao Concert Hall and a women’s hostel within the premises,” she noted.

With educational institutions on both sides of the road, it’s not without reason that the traffic is always bustling here. Then there’s  MCC Higher Secondary School, which dates back to the 1800s. The school owes its origins to the Church of Scotland and St Andrews Kirk. Chaplains James Laurie and Mathew Bowce came to the city and set up the first school in Rundalls Road, Vepery. Then came Chaplain Anderson, after which the school was moved to Armenian street, and Esplanade. Just when it was about to shut down due to poor performance, Revenant William Miller brought it back to fully functioning system.

“The school was earlier called Madras General Assembly School. William Miller got the help of the Wesleyan Service Ministry and Christian Service Ministry to fund the school and hence the present name. The school was moved to Chetpet, its current location, by the first Indian Headmaster called Kuruvila Jacob after purchasing the Napier Gardens in 1950. He put the school on solid footing from 1931 to 1962. There’s a statue of William Miller inside the school in Chetpet,” she narrated. Besides this, there’s also the Chinmaya Mission Primary School which was inaugurated in 1982 by Rukmini Devi Arundale. Further down the road is the Chinmaya Heritage Centre.

Largely a residential area, the neighbourhood has a few places of worship, too. A few buildings past the MCC school is the Mar Thoma Syrian Church. “This is the first parish outside Kerala. It was opened in 1936. Now, 650 families come here for worship. The church belongs to Chennai-Bangalore Diocese,” said Umashanker. There’s also a samadhi temple dedicated to saint Gangadhara Navalar, who was fond of the deity of Kapaleeshwar temple. The temple is said to have powerful vibrations.

Illustration by Srishti Prabhakar

Of people and places
They say it’s the people that make a place. One among the many reputed families that lived in the locality was that of social worker Ammu Swaminadhan’s. Married to renowned lawyer Subburam Swaminadhan, the couple had four children. Gilchrist Avenue, where they resided, gained its name from the Gilchrist scholarship their eldest son, lawyer Govind Swaminadhan, earned to pursue higher education.

The area was also home to some reputed people, who contributed to the city.’s development. One such respected figure was T Namberumal Chetty, a famous building contractor. “Theory goes that he owned many houses in the locality and all were occupied by his family members. There are over 30 houses of his, presently,” pointed out Umashanker. Another eminent person who lived in the locality was JH Tarapore, the co-founder of Tarapore and Co, a well-known construction company.

Closing the session, Umashanker touched upon an important landmark that used to be in place of present-day Prashanth Hospital. It was the Institute of Techno Economic Studies founded by celebrated economist B Natarajan. “ He studied the London passenger transport system which formed the blueprint for the state transport undertaking. This was one of his best contributions. We should never forget his name.”

The area has one of the most active residents association in the city — the Harrington Road Residents Association, who’ve been actively involved in the civic and infrastructural development. “Every place has a story to tell and we’re proud of our area. The road lives on, changing itself,” said Umashanker.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities>Chennai / by Vaishali Vijaykumar / Express News Service / August 11th, 2021

380th Madras Day: Anna Nagar through the ages

About Chennai(Madras) / TamilNadu, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

From a village settlement to the commercial and residential hub it is today, locals trace the history of their neighbourhood.

The twin arches that leads to Anna Nagar (File photo | Express)
The twin arches that leads to Anna Nagar (File photo | Express)

Chennai :

A scene from the 1971 film Rickshawkaran featuring the late actor-former chief minister of Tamil Nadu MG Ramachandran racing in a wagon on the roads of Anna Nagar is one that’s etched in the minds of Tamil film enthusiasts.

A closer look at the background, and one can spot the 51-year-old Anna Tower, one of the popular landmarks of Namma Chennai. While not much has changed about the magnificent edifice, the locality where it stands has seen exponential changes since its origin.

Since 2013, Nam Veedu, Nam Oor, Nam Kadhai, a social history group headed by architect-planner Thirupurasundari has been recording the evolution of Anna Nagar. As part of the Madras Week celebrations, the group curated a two-day exhibition featuring panels of the history and heritage of the neighbourhood, at Joy of Books.

Community initiative

“A few years ago, when preparations for Madras Day were in full swing, I noticed that no heritage events were being conducted in this part of the city. That’s when I decided to form this group to simply understand the locality. But, I didn’t want to constrain myself to just hosting walks or talks,” said Thirupurasundari, a resident of Shenoy Nagar.

The initiative spread like wildfire — thanks to community tabloids and the locality’s heritage crusaders. “When we began, we had a simple concept — to explore and document the history and heritage of the neighbourhood I was from. Six years later, it has grown and become a community initiative. There’s a sense of ownership among the residents about the area now,” she said.

A rural flavour

Before the 1950s, the village of Naduvakkarai had a truly rural flavour, with paddy fields and a serene river flowing nearby. Impressed by the true rural essence in the otherwise busy city as seen in Mount Road and Parrys, a few people settled down here to appreciate its silence and serenity, writes Thirupurasundari in a booklet released by the group in 2014.

People from other busy pockets of the city, including Mylapore and Triplicane, began migrating to Naduvakkarai in the 1940s and 50s. An illustrated depiction of this event by Akshayaa Selvaraj was on display. “When we interviewed the residents, some senior citizens even told us that they moved here because palm jaggery and first-class toddy were available here. Naduvakkarai had an abundance of palm trees,” said the architect.

Post-freedom rush

In the early 1960s, due to mushrooming of industrial pockets and rapid migration in the city, the housing board was formed to provide necessary housing facilities. In the wake, the West Madras Neighbourhood Scheme, which initiated subsidised development schemes and other structures was born. “The blueprint of contemporary Chennai was beginning to emerge. The idea of an integrated system of housing, meant for all classes possibly for the first time in the country, was initiated,” she said.

Guided through

Since the roads in Anna Nagar are designed based on matrix structure or similar to roads in developed countries in the western world, for many, hunting for the right lane and street is a task. Thirupurasundari said that between 1968 and the early 80s, Anna Nagar had guides who used to help people navigate. “These guides used to charge `1 or `2 and would guide you to whatever place you wanted to go to in the locality,” she said.

A historic fair

The 1968 Indian International Trade and Industries Fair, aimed to show India’s industrial development, changed the face of the neighbourhood. Brands like Voltas to Ovaltine had put up stalls as part of the fair. One of the main attractions was the Panchsheel tower (now called the Anna Tower) from which a panoramic view of the fair-site could be seen for a rupee or less.

After the fair’s success, more people were drawn towards the locality. “Interestingly, my amma and appa had attended the fair too. He was five and she was three years old. They both remember sitting in the Russian pavilion. This was the time when paper cups were emerging, and they both remember refusing to drink from a cup made of paper!” she said.

Interactive tour

We took a tour of the exhibition — from touch and feel exhibits depicting layouts of the State Housing Board’s West Madras Neighbourhood Scheme, panels of the 1968 Indian International Trade and Industries Fair, the evolution of Chandramoulishwarar temple, vintage images of the parabolic archway, screengrabs of film scenes that featured Anna Nagar, and other representational panels were on display. A drawing competition, quiz, storytelling session about Madras, display of household heritage items by Venkatraman Prabakaran and Sivagamasundari T, and early residents sharing anecdotes about the area were also part of the event.

“Talking to people who witnessed the stages of the neighbourhood’s development was essential. We have so far done 672 interviews of residents, senior citizens…they’ve all been kind and generous. Most of what you see here is a collation of all the information they gave us. From old photographs, maps and layouts of the area, they came forward to share whatever they know about Anna Nagar,” she shared.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Roshne Balasubramanian / Express News Service / August 22nd, 2019

Govt to build memorials, celebrate birth anniversaries of revolutionaries

About Chennai(Madras) / TamilNadu, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday announced establishment of memorials for many late leaders and that their birth anniversaries would be celebrated as State government functions.

Chennai :

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday announced establishment of memorials for many late leaders and that their birth anniversaries would be celebrated as State government functions.
Making a suo motu statement in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said a memorial and a library for poet Kavimani Desika Vinayagam Pillai would be built at Theroor in Kanyakumari at a total cost of `1 crore.

A memorial for King Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar would be established in Tiruchy district at a cost of `1 crore. Similarly, a memorial for late Dalit leader Rettaimalai Srinivasan would be established at Kozhiyalam near Madurantakam.

The Chief Minister also  said that the government would build memorials for VK Palaniswami Gounder, who was instrumental in implementing the Parambikkulam-Azhiyar dam project; Justice Party leader and former finance minister of the erstwhile Madras Presidency AT Panneerselvam; Ondiveeran, the commander-in-chief of King Pulithevan who fought against the British forces  in Tirunelveli; and a dome for Allala Ilaiya Nayakar at Jedarpalayam.

Palaniswami also announced that the birth anniversaries of Colonel John Pennycuick, Kongu chieftain Kalingarayan, freedom fighter Veeran Azhagumuthukon, Tamil scholar Ma Po Sivagnanam and former Assembly Speaker SP Aditanar would be celebrated by the governmen.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service / February 15th, 2019

200-year-old chapel commences bicentenary celebrations

About Chennai(Madras) / TamilNadu, Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinion

Purasawalkam is home to many heritage buildings and so it is not surprising that there is one celebrating its bicentenary year.

CSI Missionary Chapel located at Mookathal Street, Purasawalkam, is commemorating the bicentenary of its consecration. It was established on December 25, 1819 and is considered to be the oldest church in Purasawalkam and Vepery.

A commemoration tablet with a brief narrative on the history of the chapel was recently unveiled marking the year-long celebrations.

Several eminent persons from London Missionary Society shepherded the Missionary Chapel.

It was Anna Drew (wife of William Hoyles Drew, presbyter of Missionary Chapel) who started a small boarding school, ‘London Mission Female School’ for deserving children at Kellys. It is now known to be Bentinck Girls Higher Secondary School, Vepery.

I. Samuel Prabhakar, Presbyter and Chairman, CSI Missionary Chapel, recalled his childhood days when he was a member of the church. He considers serving at his mother Church as a rare opportunity and honour especially during its bicentenary year. Several social activities, including free medical camps, have been conducted through the church.

This year, the church’s medical team has started veterinary services.

The building has some additions. In 1957, a belfry was added and the rear portion of the church was extended to accommodate growing congregation in 1975. There are plans to renovate the church without making any structural changes. At present, nearly 450 families regularly worship at the church.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by K. Lakshmi / February 08th, 2019

Eighth edition of Muthiah’s Madras Rediscovered launched

About Chennai(Madras) / TamilNadu, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All

MuthiahCF11jan2019

A city called home: S Muthiah’s Madras Rediscovered, recently launched in its eighth edition, is a leisurely read of Chennai, its people, places and history

City chronicler S Muthiah ferrets out a copy of Madras Discovered, first published in 1981. The book’s dust jacket has turned sepia — some of the stories in it are old, laced with nostalgia and fraying at the edges, while others have passed into the realm of memory. And yet, the tome, once priced at Rs.10 for 172 small pages that has now grown to 600 larger pages with a new title, continues to be considered a seminal work on this gracious southern city.

Raised and educated abroad, Muthiah chose Madras as his home in the late 1960s. One of his first assignments at his new job at TTK Maps was to write the text to accompany a street guide to the city. “The book was published by East West Books and most of the material was discovered in the course of a search that was part of a bigger project. Some of it, such as the ‘Tales of Old and New Madras’, were published in Aside magazine,” says Muthiah. “What fascinated me as I continued to read about the city was that, in a sense, Madras was the first city of Empire. It was here that Robert Clive, Warren Hastings, Wellington and Elihu Yale started their careers; here that the foundations for the school of Engineering and Survey was laid.”

Although the current edition travels back eons to dwell briefly on the city’s Megalithic and early Tamil history, its forte lies in showcasing the years when it was Britain’s colonial outpost.

As Britain moved from commerce to conquest, its scarlet stains spreading across the world map, marking the extent of its Empire, the book closely follows the story, holding its own amidst the glut of literature that has been written on the political, commercial, social and cultural equations that Britain and India have shared.

“The early editions were references to the initial years of the British in India, but in the eighth edition, we travelled back and looked at the city before the European period. This was a nod to the fact that parts of the city, in some way, existed before the establishment of Fort St George,” he says.

With the keen eye of an observer and without descending into the tidal shifts of coloniser and the colonised, Muthiah captures vignettes of Madras in his inimitable old-fashioned, witty prose.“There are two levels to the book — the history of buildings in Madras, and the stories connected with them,” he adds, flipping through the book that alternates between places and anecdotes. “If you are interested in the city, you’d read the first part but if you love the stories of the people who made the city then ‘Once Upon a City’ is for you.”

So, the reader is handheld through the building of the Fort overlooking the Bay’s sludgy waters topped with white foamy chevrons, while also reading on the scandalous romance of Hastings and Marian (a German baroness) that began here and culminated in marriage in Calcutta. The action then moves to the club and press institutions of Mount Road, the founding of The Hindu as a major opposition paper in imperial times and its contribution to the Indian Independence movement, the sport this city plays, its seat of Theosophy, mercantile giants such as Binny and Parry, its Indo-Saracenic architecture, its educational and cultural institutions and its changing face.

“Whatever has been filed on the city — whether it be by historians such as Sriram V or Chithra Madhavan or by others — is vetted and added to subsequent editions. It is a continuous process and work for the next edition has already begun,” says 88-year-old Muthiah.

The book, interspersed with rare black-and-white photographs and colour maps, ends with a chronological history of Madras and an extensive bibliography. It is a remarkable effort to understand the weft of a modern metropolis as much as it is a love song to a city we know so well.

(Madras Rediscovered, published by Westland is priced at ₹799)

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Deepa Alexander / January 10th, 2019

‘Lineside’ expo documents locomotives of Madras

About Chennai(Madras) / TamilNadu, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Australian Consul General in Chennai Susan Grace at the exhibition. | Photo Credit: M. Karunakaran
Australian Consul General in Chennai Susan Grace at the exhibition. | Photo Credit: M. Karunakaran

Visitors can get a glimpse of the idyllic city of the 1960s

Imagine a steam locomotive chugging into Egmore station in 1965 or a Tata city bus zooming across the GST road in 1973 with a view of the Pallavaram Hill. Ian Manning’s collection of historic photographs document the rail and road services in Madras and its suburbs in the 1960s and these have been put up on display as a part of ‘Lineside’, a photo exhibition organised by the Australian Consulate in Chennai to mark Madras Week.

“I had initially visited Madras as a teenager and then returned in 1965 as an Economics teacher in the Madras Christian College, when I shot several of these photos. I travelled around Chennai on my bicycle to take a lot of photos between 1965 and 1969,” said Mr. Manning, an Australian, who said he was extremely passionate and fascinated about the railways.

He was in conversation with historian V. Sriram and ‘Poochi’ Venkat, who has worked on restoring and digitising his photographs over the last eight years. The exhibition, which will be on till September 6 at the Wandering Artist, R.A. Puram, has photos which document steam and electric locomotives set against the backdrop of many prominent buildings and landmarks of the city back then, as well as the idyllic cityscape.

“The photos reflect how life was back then – unhurried and calm. From Mr. Manning’s collection of nearly 1,200 photos, I have managed to curate and restore nearly 120 photos to perfection and we have more photos of the city which we are working on getting restored as well,” said Mr. Venkat.

A.K. Kathpal, Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer from the Southern Railways, was the chief guest. Susan Grace, Australian Consul General in Chennai, said that they were pleased to be learning more about the history and heritage of the city, as well as celebrate the contribution of Mr. Manning through his work.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Staff Reporter / Chennai – September 03rd, 2018

Chennai’s buildings with histories

About Chennai(Madras) / TamilNadu, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion

Heritage01CF30jun2018

It was only a few weeks ago (Miscellany, June 4) that I wrote of a building with a history, Dare Bungalow in the Pachaiyappa College campus, that was derelict and in need of restoration considering its history. Since then, I’ve heard of two other buildings, historic to me, that warrant attention too.

Curiously, the centenary of the oldest trade union in the country, the Madras Labour Union went unnoticed on April 27. Curious because not only does the Union still exist but also because it should have been an occasion —the birth of the trade union movement in India — that all other unions should have celebrated. But names like G Selvapathy Chetty, G Ramanujulu Naidu, BP Wadia and Thiru Vi Ka are forgotten for what they started. There has, however, long been a landmark memorial to this in the Selvapathy –Ramanujulu Buildingthat was inaugurated in 1931 as the headquarters of the MLU. Sadly, it is in a shambles today as found by an Indian heritage enthusiast from Germany, Dr K Subashini, who went looking for it in Perambur. How could such a historic building be allowed to have fallen into such a state? Sadder still are other such a buildings with historic backgrounds not on any Heritage List — or is that only for public structures?

Heritage02CF30jun2018

Also unlikely listed is another building in such shape. Gandhi Kannadasan sends me a picture of the state the erstwhile home of Harry Crowe Buck, founder of the first Physical Education School in Asia, is in today. In fact, that institution itself should be celebrating its centenary in 2020.

Buck is to all intents and purposes the ‘Father of Sport’ in India. He was responsible for the introduction of basketball and volleyball, the encouragement of boxing and the beginning of the Indian Olympic Games, now the National Games.

Buck, of whom I’ve written before (March 13, 2017), and Sir Dorabjee Tata were the force behind the founding of the All India Olympic Association in 1924 and Buck trained the first-ever Indian athletic team to an Olympic Games, held that same year in Paris.

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The YMCA school moved to its present site in Saidapet in 1928 and the ghost house of today was probably built about then as the Founder-Principal’s bungalow. In 1933 there came up Massey Hall, the College’s main building. Kannadasan tells me he is a regular walker in the grounds here (not all 65 acres of it!) and there was a time when the house was occupied by a member of the faculty. But why such occupancy stopped and the house Harry and ‘green-fingered’ Marie Buck so lovingly tended was allowed to fall into such disrepair he has no idea.

But here’s my challenge. Is there any heritage buff or heritage-interested organisation in the city willing to save the three houses, Dare Bungalow, Selvapathy–Ramanujulu Building and Harry Buck’s home, memorials to Indian Commerce, Labour, and Sport?

The chronicler of Madras that is Chennai tells stories of people, places, and events from the years gone by, and sometimes from today

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society> History & Culture / by S. Muthiah / June 25th, 2018

Madras, framed

About Chennai(Madras) / TamilNadu, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinion

Pavithra01CF15jun2018

Pavithra Srinivasan showcases the charm of the city’s heritage structures in her miniature sketches

Those set of stairs definitely belong to a palace. Wait a minute…is that at the Madras High Court? The ornate red-pink wall looks strangely familiar; we’ve seen it somewhere…it’s the Government Museum Complex! At Madras Miniatures, an art show by columnist, author, and translator Pavithra Srinivasan, the city’s heritage structures are given a whole new perspective. They are the result of Srinivasan’s travels through the city, specifically North Chennai . “That’s where everything happened,” she says, referring to how the city grew.

The exhibition features 61 of Srinivasan’s miniatures, most of them in black, done with micron pens. The author sketched them to be incorporated in a book on historical fiction for young adults that she’s working on. “I’m planning to bring it out soon,” she says, walking us around Madras Literary Society where the exhibtion is showing.

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Most of the heritage structures that Srinivasan has chosen are part of our everyday lives. The Agurchand Mansion on Anna Salai, Wallajah Mosque in Triplicane, the Central Railway Station, the Moore Market, statues of King George V and Thomas Munro… We drive past them regularly, but they take on a special quality in the framed form. Srinivasan is a lover of the city and it shows. She has also sketched scenes that are intrinsic to the Chennai landscape — a soan papdi seller on the Marina, a lady painting pots on Kodambakkam High Road, an ornate chariot used at weddings parked near Victoria Public Hall, a fisher woman grinning by baskets overflowing with dried fish. A sketch of a sample of zardozi work that Triplicane is famous for, also finds pride of place, along with newer structures such as the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital on Anna Salai, Broken Bridge, the compound wall of Stella Maris College on Cathedral Road which the students have painted in bright colours, and a view of the Chennai Harbour with its cranes and containers. Srinivasan has captioned her sketches with a little bit of information about the place.

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Srinivasan was a resident of Velachery and Valasaravakkam, and now lives a quiet life in a farm in Tiruvannamali. A change, she feels, has made her love for Chennai even stronger. For, we long for what is far away.

Madras Miniatures is on till June 16, 11 am to 4 pm (except Friday) at Madras Literary Society, College Road.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Akila Kannadasan / June 13th, 2018

Madras Inherited to unravel city’s architectural treasures

About Chennai(Madras) / TamilNadu, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion

One of the projects taken up by the Triple O Studio
One of the projects taken up by the Triple O Studio

Any mention of Chennai’s architectural marvels instantly brings to mind large, red public structures built in the Indo-Saracenic architectural style. But, there is more to the city’s architectural history in its residential areas.

Madras Inherited, an initiative of a group of architects and volunteers, aims to unravel these hidden architectural gems through heritage walks and document the fast disappearing residential structures in the city.

Spearheaded by Triple O Studio, an architectural firm, Madras Inherited will focus on small residential buildings across the city that have gone unnoticed unlike public heritage structures. While Chennai has some of the finest Indo-Saracenic structures, it is also a confluence of many intriguing architectural styles that the group will research and map through a series of walks.

Tahaer Zoyab, architect and co-founder of Madras Inherited, said a project to document the old houses of Mylapore came as an eye-opener to the vanishing heritage in the city. “The character of the interior lanes is fast changing and we wanted to share the stories with people before residential buildings disappear and also document the rich legacy,” he said.

The team has so far documented architectural designs of about 50 houses in Mylapore. “We have traces of Neoclassical, Gothic and Art Deco styles in structures across the city. We can still find traditional vernacular architecture in some of the Agraharam houses of Mylapore, Tiruvanmiyur and Triplicane,” he said.

Classic example

George Town, one of the older settlements in the city, presents a classic example of a confluence of different styles. Dare House in Parrys Corner, for instance, is designed in the Art Deco style in which there is an emphasis on vertical lines and the distinct design of a ‘sunburst jaali’ for ventilation, Mr. Zoyab pointed out.

Such intricate details imbibed in residential and private building architecture will be documented and shared with heritage enthusiasts in the city. Madras Inherited will focus on cultural tourism and heritage education and management through a series of interactive events like photo walks in historical areas. The initiative will be launched on June 16 with a walk through the lanes of Royapettah, where participants will get to decode the architectural history of the area. The walk that starts at 6.30 a.m. will cost adults Rs. 700 and students Rs. 450. Participants get to take home a bag of custom-made souvenirs, ranging from coasters to bookmarks.

The locality has a range of styles from Agraharam houses, traces of Gothic design and Islamic-style houses. The proceeds from these walks will be used to fund the mapping and documentation of city’s heritage structures. There are plans to expand to areas like Periamet, Vepery and George Town after September. For details on the walk, send an e-mail to mail@madrasinherited.in or contact +91-8939135048.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Tamil Nadu / by K. Lakshmi / Chennai – June 15th, 2018

Historians elated over return of icons

About Chennai(Madras) / TamilNadu, Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All, World Opinion

The idol of Raja Raja Chola-I
The idol of Raja Raja Chola-I

The homecoming of the ancient bronze icons of royal couple Raja Raja Chola I and his regal consort Lokamadevi is an incredible development and marks a watershed development in the sustained efforts to retrieve the priceless stolen treasure, according to art enthusiasts of Thanjavur. They say it is important to sustain the momentum and bring back as many stolen artefacts and idols and as early as possible.

“The return of the priceless icons of Raja Raja Chola I and Lokamadevi to Tamil Nadu is akin to consecrating the Sri Brihadeswarar temple afresh. I feel as if the emperor himself is returning home,” an elated Kudavayil Balasubramanian, Chola historian and epigraphist, told The Hindu on Wednesday.

The two bronze artefacts assume enormous socio-cultural and historical significance, as they are the only icons of the royal couple cast and stamped with the regal authority during the emperor’s own lifetime, said Dr. Balasubramanian, whose magnum opus Rajarajecharam is rich in scholarly research inputs.

Art enthusiasts and Chola historians are happy with the development and hope that the momentum that has gathered steam now would be sustained to retrieve more Thanjavur treasures that were lost. Dr. Balasubramanian’s role in identifying, recording and bringing back the two icons, spread over almost two decades, is acknowledged as ‘enormous.’

Ex-Minister’s petition

Tracing the background, sources at the Idol Wing said a petition by former Minister V.V. Swaminathan prompted the Madras High Court to direct the Idol Wing to look into the case of missing ancient bronze idols, especially that of Raja Raja Chola I and Lokamadevi, from the icon safe at the Thanjavur Big Temple.

After a through field study aided by inputs from experts in Chola history and iconography, it was found that the ancient bronze icons, donated to the Big Temple during the 29th regnal year of Emperor Raja Raja I, had “somehow been stolen” and finally found their way to the Calico Museum of Textiles and the Sarabhai Foundation Galleries, Ahmedabad.

The two were part of the 13 bronze statues donated then and there is no word yet on the status of the other 11 idols. However, a complaint filed with the police on March 2 here also states that several other ancient valuable icons dating to the period of Raja Raja Chola I have been stolen from the Big Temple vault.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Tamil Nadu / by L Renganathan / Thanjavur – May 31st, 2018