Madurai :

Railways played an important role much early in Madurai, though its significance for the city has diminished now. Pointing to its former pre-eminence, one important locality in the city is known as Karimedu. It was around here that the coal yard of the Madurai junction railway station existed when steam engines chugged along the tracks. The busy Mothilal Main Road, formerly Karimedu Main Road, and the eight-decade-old central fish market are parts of Karimedu locality.

Till the late 1960s, a vast area of Karimedu was used to store coal and dump spent coal. Several agents were involved in processing both types of coal. The former steam locomotive yard near Karimedu is presently the train maintenance yard.

While coal was used as fuel for the locomotives, spent coal was used as fertilisers and there was always demand for latter too, said G Gurusamy, a 66-year-old retired locomotive supervisor who worked in Madurai.

Recalling the days of steam engines and the significance of Karimedu coal yard, Gurusamy said: “Steam engines were real monsters and driving one required lot of skill and a sound physique. Most steam locomotive pilots were Anglo-Indians and Muslims because of their physical strength.”

Many elderly residents in Karimedu recalled that it was the outskirts of the city under the British. Old-timers here have something to tell about coal. “As children we used to collect spent coal and hand it over it to vendors,” an old man said.

Though collectively known as Karimedu, no street in the area bears this name except the fish market and the police station named after the locality. “The area from fish market to Bharathiar Road in Melaponnagarm was known as Karimedu. The Mothilal Main Road was once known as Karimedu Main Road,” said G Kalimuthu, a resident. V Stalin, another resident, said street names were changed post independence and almost all of them were named after national leaders. “One reason for this could be that these areas provided shelter and protection to Congress and Communist leaders who were wanted by the British authorities,” he said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / by J. Arockiaraj, TNN / February 09th, 2014

Palani :

Coins pertaining to the Pandya dynasty dating back to the 13th century AD have been found in the collection of a numismatist in Palani recently.

V Narayanamoorthy, an archaeologist from Palani in Dindigul district was told about the collection of one numismatist Sugumar Bose. When he had gone to review the collection he found a coin dating back to the 13th century AD and was of one of the Pandya kings Sundarapandian.

“Bose told me that he had had it in his collection for about six years now and it was discovered by a sand miner on the Shanmuganathi riverbed who had given it to him. He, howeve,r did not know the importance of this rare coin,” Narayanamoorthy said.

Narayanamoorthy also said that the coin had the royal emblem of the Pandya dynasty with two fish in a standing position and the weapon known as the ‘chendu’ in the middle. The bronze coin weighing 800 mg and measuring 15 mm in diameter had the name ‘Sundaran’ inscribed on it and the word had been split in two lines.

This was a region that was ruled by the Cholas as well as the Pandyas and also thrived as an important trade centre in the past, he said. What makes this coin unique is that it contained the name of the king in full form as ‘Sundaran’ whereas similar coins discovered in this region had the name mentioned only as ‘Su’ depicting the first letter of the name or ‘Sundar’ which was also an incomplete form, he said.

About six to seven Pandya kings with the name Sundarapandian are said to have ruled the dynasty during a period of about 75 years during the 13{+t}{+h} century and the one following it, so it is not known which king is mentioned here. “But, this rare coin would definitely throw more light into that history,” Narayanamoorthy said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / TNN / February 11th, 2014

Old buildings and by-lanes unveil their past to PARSHATHY J. NATH as she goes on a heritage walk

“I have never looked so carefully at these buildings before,” says Ramya Raghuram, a corporate employee as we wend our way around honking vehicles and bullock carts around Town Hall. She is not alone in this observation. All of us in the heritage tour, organised by the Indian National Trust for Art, Culture and Heritage and The Vanavarayar Foundation, are struck by the old buildings that crowd the lanes of Town Hall.

The walk, which begins at the Manikoondu bus stop, has its first halt at Victoria Town Hall, built in 1892. Epigraphist R. Jegadeesan, our guide, tells us a little about the history of the place. “It was built to commemorate Queen Victoria’s 50th year of reign. Similar buildings were commissioned in Tiruchi and Tirupur.”

In 1993, Jegadeesan said, there were talks of demolishing Town Hall because the building was damaged, but Commissioner Niranjan Martin sanctioned a sum of Rs. nine lakh to renovate the building while retaining its original structure.”

We stop before an old house. “This is the house where Kovai Tamil Sangam, a group of Tamil scholars, functioned from. Poets such as Subramaniya Mudaliyar wrote from here and newsletters on Kongunadu’s history were brought out,” says Jegadeesan.

Karuppu Gounder Street was named after a Telugu businessman. It is one of the many veedhis with Telugu and Kannada names. We learn that Coimbatore was home to Telugus and Kannadiga migrants in the 12th Century. Here, we halt in front of a cream-coloured Vishnu temple. “This temple stands on a site where there was a small temple built in the 17th Century temple during the reign of Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar. Here, the members of the Jetty community practised Silambattam,” says Jagadeesan.

Raja Veedhi is also known as the Thermutti Veedhi as the temple chariot halts here during festivals. “The street got its name from the chieftain, Maadhaian Raja. It was called Maadhaian Raja Veedhi; today, it has been shortened to Raja Veedhi,” says Jegadeesan.

A red brick building, built in 1862 used to be the collector’s bungalow. As we walk, a discussion springs up between Senthur Pandian, a history teacher from the Government Arts College, and some history students. “Kovai has been ruled by different South Indian dynasties such as the Cheras, Cholas and Pandiyas in the 11th Century. However, the history of Kongunadu before the 11th Century is largely undocumented,” says Senthur.

We come a full circle and end the walk at Manikoondu, now bathed in the glow of neon lights. Students huddle around Jegadeesan wanting to know more. “How did Oppanakkara street get its name?” “Oppanakkara Veedhi is so named because it was once a centre of Telugu tax collectors calledOppanaharu,” Jegadeesan answers.

The students are pleased. “We have read about these places in our text books but seeing them for real was fascinating,” says Silambarasan K, a Ph. D scholar in history. “I will not look at Town Hall the same way again.”

These heritage tours are important for students, says Senthur. “Since they have seen these places themselves, they will understand their city’s history better.”

STOP AND GO

Karuppu Gounder Street Named after a Telugu businessman

Oppanakkara Veedhi Was once a centre of Telugu tax collectors called Oppanaharu Febr

Victoria Town Hall Built in 1892 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s 50th year of reign

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Events / by Parshaty J Nath / Coimbatore – February 05th, 2014