As Europe celebrates the 200th anniversary of the battle of Waterloo, which changed the history of the continent, the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu too has found a reason to mark the occasion. Fifteen years before leading the British troops against Napoleon in 1815, the hero of Waterloo, Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, described by Queen Victoria as ‘the greatest man England ever produced’, was on the borders of Nilgiris fighting the Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja of Wayanad. Details of this lesser known battle have been documented by the Nilgiri Documentation Centre (NDC).
As the governor of Mysore, after the death of Tipu Sultan in 1799, Wellesley had to personally intervene to put down resistance from local chieftains, including Pazhassi Raja, who were believed to have been promised material support by Napoleon himself. Within a year, Kerala Varma was wandering the jungles of Wynad to stay free and was finally captured in 1805, historical records available with the NDC confirm. NDC director Dharmalingam Venugopal says, “Though the Nilgiris is situated in a remote part of South India, its history is intertwined with national and international history”.
“Though Wellesley never visited the Nilgiris uplands, he had advocated establishing a sanatorium on the hills for British troops as recommended by John Sullivan in 1832,” adds Venugopal. According to him, Col John Ouchterlony chose the site of present day Wellington town for the sanatorium and a close associate of Wellesley, the Marques of Tweeddale, started work on a military barracks in 1851. After the death of Wellesley in 1852, the Marques suggested naming the military barracks after Wellesley. However, it was his successor, governor Sir Charles Trevelyan, who named the place Wellington in 1860. Historians too confirm the Nilgiris link to the Battle of Waterloo. Noted historian Narasiah says Wellesley fought Tipu in 1799.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by Shanta Thiagarajan, TNN / June 23rd, 2015
A team of persons found a stone inscription established during Pandya King Sundarapandian at Sampalanayakkanpatti village near Palani on Thursday
An archeology team found the historical stone at sambalanayakanpatti near palani on Thursday – Express Photo
Based on the information, Narayanamurthy, an archeologist, and Thatchinamurthy, Director to MK university evening college and professors Kannimuthu, Rajavarman and Manivannan, visited Sampalanayakkanpatti village.
They found a stone inscription belongs to 1256 AD and it is believed, it was established by Sithra Mezhi Periya Nattar traders group. The stone inscription has possessed a trisul, plough and a musical instrument on top of the stone which indicated the traders group.
An archeology team found the historical stone at sambalanayakanpatti near palani on Thursday – Express Photo
The 18 traders group of 18 country (places) ( 18 kooda Vanigar Kuzhu) erected Desa Vinayagar temple after donating Oru Panam (one rupee) from each group, at Vaigavur Nadu (country) located near Periya Odai Kulam.
They mentioned, the money should be utilized to perform poojas and other things at the temple. It should be performed till the Moon and Sun are here. The Sithra Mezhi Nattar traders group was familiar between 11 AD and 13 AD.
It had possessed the rights to conduct local panchayat and to erect stone inscription equal to King. However, the Lord Pillair temple is not here at present.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service / June 25th, 2015
A group of archaeologists from Palani have discovered five dolmenoid cists, probably belonging to the megalithic period, in a tribal village in Dindigul district.
According to V Narayanamoorthy, an archaeologist, who stumbled upon these ancient structures at Kummalamarthupatti in the Western Ghats on Saturday, only two of the five dolmens found in the area were intact. Just the remains of the other three can be seen.
One of them is four feet high while the other one is six-and-a-half feet high. The capstone of the taller dolmen has a diameter of about 10m. The stones were found in a site about 582m above sea level, inside a thick forest. Tribal people who come to the spot seem to use it as a resting spot.
Narayanamoorthy said the capstone might weigh around two tonnes. It has an 8-cm diameter circle in the middle, which was drawn in red ink. The centre of the circle is marked with a red point.
He said dolmens pertaining to the Sangam period discovered in this region were usually found facing north. “But these dolmens were placed haphazardly, which prove that they belong to the pre-sangam era and are about 3,000 years old,” he said. Pottery chips found at the site had nailmark cuttings, which also pertains to that period.
T L Subash Chandira Bose, an archeo-symbolist, said the sign on the dolmen signified that the person buried under it had lived a full life and attained the ‘mukthi’ state according to Hindu beliefs. “Just a single circle with one middle dot is very significant. Explaining its importance will be a lecture on its own,” he said.
“This larger circle with a dot at the centre signifies what we call ‘parathuvam,’ that is, attaining eternity without rebirth. To my knowledge, this is the first time that this sign has been found in this part of Tamil Nadu. Usually, there would be two or more circles under the capstones,” he said.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / by Padmini Sivarajah, TNN / June 27th, 2015
The 104th death anniversary of veteran freedom fighter R Vanchinathan was observed at his birthplace Sengottai in Tirunelveli district and at Vanchi Maniyachchi Junction railway station in Tuticorin district, where he shot a British official dead before killing himself.
Vanchinathan, son of a forest officer, killed Robert William D’ Escourt Ashe, the British-government appointed Tirunelveli collector, at Maniyachchi before shooting himself dead.
“Several factors forced Vanchinathan to open fire on Ashe. Ashe took measures to curb Swadeshi movements in Tirunelveli. Besides, he ordered that Indians should not take bath in the Courtallam falls for two hours in the morning when the English were bathing,” said writer Ilasai Manian while speaking at a function held Vanchi Maniyachchi Junction.
Manian reiterated his demand for setting up a memorial at Vanchi Maniyachchi. “It is sad that the state government has not come forward to conduct the anniversary of Vanchinathan,” he said.
Tuticorin collector M Ravi garlanded Vanchi’s photo that was temporarily placed on a platform at the railway station.
Meanwhile, municipal chairman A Mohanakrishnan and commissioner P Ponnambalam garlanded Vanchi’s statue at Vanchi Manimandapam in Sengottai.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by L. Saravanan, TNN / June 17th, 2015
Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Friday inaugurated a memorial of freedom fighter Veerapandiya Kattabomman in Kayathar in Tuticorin district.
The memorial that costs 1.2 crore was opened through video conferencing from Secretariat, an official release said. In 2013, Jayalalithaa announced that the state government would build a memorial for the patriot who was hanged by the British.
She also inaugurated a memorial of freedom fighter Sankaralingam in Virudhunagar district.
Sangaralingam died while staging a hunger strike to rename Madras Presidency into Tamil Nadu. The memorial cost 1.2 crore
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / TNN / June 20th, 2015
S Vasanthi, deputy superintendent, Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department, inspecting the site on Wednesday | P Justine
Tirunelveli :
A sleepy village now, Ukkirankottai in the district was a bustling centre of trade and commerce till the reign of the Pandiyas. The ongoing excavations here has thrown new light on human settlement and trade during the period.
Remnants of ancient temples besides tiles, terracotta figurines, decorated pot shards, Chinese pots, beads and bangles have been found so far at the place located between Azhagiya Pandiyapuram and Alankulam.
Briefing the media about the excavation, going on for more than 10 days, S Vasanthi, Deputy Superintendent of Archeology said, “The site was selected on the basis of available historical records such as stone and copper inscriptions which establish the early and later Pandiya connections to Ukkirankottai. Besides, there were also remains of a Pandiya fort and temples. Hence, our present excavation focuses on the human settlement, trade and cultural materials of the Pandiya rule.”
Pandiyan era objects, including a terracotta sculpture (middle) found in Ukkirankottai
The excavations are being carried out at five places in the farmlands. “The team has identified the remains of a temple of early Pandiyas. We are not able to identify the deity. Based on the architectural design of the basement and other remains such as tower, we assume that it belongs to early Pandiya rule, but renovated later,” she said. Elaborating on other materials unearthed from the trenches, J Ranjith, Excavation director, said “We have so far unearthed ammikal (grinding stone), pot shards, bangles, beads, tiles, roofs, iron logs and terracotta sculptures belonging to early Pandiyas. At the same time, we have also identified Chinese pots belonging to later Pandiya rule – 13th to 16th century. This reveals the trade links of Ukkirankottai.”
“While the wheel made pots are fine products, hand made pots are decorated with either coir or nail impressions,” he added.
Stressing the historical and political importance of this place during the Pandiya rule, former senior Epigraphist V Vedhachalam told Express that Ukkirankottai was an important military base for the early Pandiya kings (from 600 AD to 1000 AD). Ukkirankottai was earlier called as Karagiri or Karakondapuram. During 9th century, a military leader named Ukkiran resisted Pandiya supremacy following which Paranthaka Veeranarayanan invaded Karakondapuram and defeated Ukkiran, he pointed out.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service / June 18th, 2015
A jamun tree more than 250 years old and a 200-year-old fig tree have been identified in Salem district. They were identified during a research study conducted by retired IFS officer V Sundararaju recently. After retiring from the service, he took on the post of president, Society for Conservation of Nature (SOFCON), Trichy.
According to him, he identified the age of the trees based on the aesthetic, botanical, horticultural, ecological, social, cultural and historical values. “The main criteria for considering a tree as heritage tree are its size, form, shape, age, colour and rarity,” said Sundararaju.
The largest fig tree is found on the western foothills of Yercaud on the river bank of Sarabanga in Denishpet forest range of Salem district. “Its girth is measured at 7.94m and is 28m in height. The wood is not durable, but is said to last well under water and good for well frames. The figs are edible but are usually found with insects,” he said.
The team of researchers also found a jamun tree with a girth of 8.52m and a height of 22m. They found the tree in Kadukkamarathur, a tribal village of Yercaud hills. The researchers calculated its age to be more than 250 years. “There are several jamun trees in Yercaud hills but this tree is the largest of them all. Fortunately, it has managed to escape the axe of wood choppers,” he said.
Sundararaju said that both trees could be classified as heritage trees. These kinds of trees are generally large individual trees with unique value which is considered irreplaceable. These trees take decades and centuries to mature.
“We have many interesting trees across the state. But, no systematic study has been undertaken to identify and prepare a catalogue of these giant trees. Besides the study, awareness programmes must be conducted for villagers, school and college students. Committees must be formed to protect these sacred heritage trees,” he said.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / by V. Senthil Kumaran, TNN / June 19th, 2015
Journalist Vincent D’souza and historian S Muthiah | R Bavithraganesh
Chennai :
The city will witness a tribute to its heritage and culture at the annual week-long ‘Madras Week’ beginning on August 16.
Expectation has soared this time following last year’s success of the event, which had almost 200 and odd groups.
Programmes like group-walks with special focus on food, photography, history etc were a hit in the previous edition which drew in a swarm of people taking renewed interest in the city. This time, the idea is to encourage a localised approach, by helping organise area-wise activities. For example, the Fort St George trip last time was conducted by Heritage Club of schools taking students to the oldest landmark (375 years) from where the city came to grow. “We would even like to have a Kutthupaatu event. It is such a Madras thing isn’t it,” says Vincent D’Souza, one of the key organisers of Madras Week.
“There is an upsurge of citizen-driven programmes of late. This Madras Week is an unique movement to celebrate them” says S R Madhu of Rotary Club (Madras South), member of the Madras Week team. Whether it’s a walk to identify 70 types of trees or a gallery show, the essence of Madras Week is ultimately to bring realisation on the cultural value of this city.
Founded by historian S Muthiah, the board of Madras Week, comprises journalists, members of Indian National Trust for Art and Heritage (INTACH) and the Rotary Club of Madras.
The web page www.madrasweek.in is the official platform for all updates and an updated version of the Madras Week app is also in the pipeline. Simultaneously, those interested in planning group activities or events to celebrate or experience Madras, could write to editor@madrasmusings.com and themadrasday@gmail.com and they would serve as the networking platform and the go-to people for anyone with an idea.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service / June 16th, 2015
Many have written about Mamallapuram, but no one account is final when it comes to the ancient port town of the Pallavas. Arguments on its architecture, inscriptions and style still rage on. On the famous ‘Arjuna’s Penance’ in Mamallapuram, heritage expert R Gopu mentions Chicago-based art historian Michael D Rabe’s view that the great piece of art also means ‘the descent of the Ganges’. “If you look at it closely you will know there are a number of events based on various themes. That’s why scholars like Rabe say it is both ‘Arjuna’s Penance’ and ‘the descent of the Ganges’,” said Gopu, a software engineer.
From being a remote village with monuments buried under the sand to its revelation as a gallery of Pallava art, launching an era of historical fiction in Tamil and still concealing mysteries, the history of Mamallapuram’s rediscovery is as fascinating as the history of its construction, said Gopu on Saturday. He was speaking on ‘2000 years of Mamallapuram’ as part of Tamil Heritage Trust’s monthly lecture in the city.
The speech was, in fact, a journey in search of the history of the port town before it became kingdom of the Pallavas. “Ancient manuscripts like ‘Periplus’ (a 1st century AD document that lists the ports and coastal landmarks) talk about this port town. Astronomer Claudius Ptolemy (140 AD) also mentioned it in his work. Many ancient records also show it was a flourishing port town. So Mamallapuram was a great town even before the Pallavas,” he said.
Gopu used British surveyor general Colin Mackenzie’s maps and sketches to show how the port town was rediscovered by experts, poets and artists. “The map that Mackenzie prepared can even beat our satellite map today. It’s so clear and made creatively to suit the port town. We can say it was a satellite map during the time when there were no satellites,” he said. Veteran landscape painter Thomas Daniell’s sketches of Mamallapuram, during the time he toured India in 1784, still provide an old world charm of the port town. “The paintings of Daniell show some towers and landscape which are not seen today. It gives a clear idea of the old structures and towers. So it’s through these artists, scholars and poets, we should look at Mamallapuram. If not, the picture of this great historic town will be incomplete,” said Gopu.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / TNN /June 07th, 2015
Vintage Treasures: the car collection at Gedee Car Museum Photo: S. Siva Saravanan / The Hindu
G.D. Naidu’s love for automobiles is well documented at the Gedee Car Museum in the city.
So, this is how it feels to sit in Hitler’s favourite car. The bug-shaped vehicle has four seats. It is a so small that I have to duck my head while stepping out of the car. Yet, it is cosy and warm and just right for a family to enjoy a drive. At the GeDee Car Museum, the Volkswagen Beetle occupies pride of place. It is said the Fuhrer loved this car and urged his people to buy it as an investment. Called “the car at the price of a motorcycle”, it cost around Rs.850, those days. At the newly opened museum set up by G.D. Naidu Charities, I am tempted to hop into all the cars (there are 55 of them) – Chevrolet, Rolls Royce, Mercedes Benz, Porsche from the collection of the renowned industrialist G.D. Naidu. Some of them are Hollywood stars! For instance, the Love Bug has featured in almost six movies! The collection also includes rugged-looking vans of Fordson and Thames which were used as ice cream vehicles and carrier vans.
Vintage Treasures: the car collection at Gedee Car Museum Photo: S. Siva Saravanan / The Hindu
Automobile history unfolds before you as you walk down the curving hallway. There are interesting bits of information and stories wherever you turn like how Tutankhamun used the wheel in ancient Egypt. There are also pictures of steam engines and electric cars that were in vogue in Victorian England. “We are planning to extend the space. There are also workshops for restoration inside this campus,” explains Prem Saravanakumar, the museum guide.
Vintage Treasures: the car collection at Gedee Car Museum Photo: S. Siva Saravanan / The Hindu
Each car has a story to tell and is linked to world history. For instance the Bubble Car of the 50s and 60s was designed for the common man to commute during World War II in Europe. It can seat only the driver and a passenger. There are no doors on the side and the windshield of the car doubles up as the exit. These micro cars were manufactured for cheap transport for the locals.
Vintage Treasures: the car collection at Gedee Car Museum Photo: S. Siva Saravanan / The Hindu
The Rolls Royces tell a love story. The bonnet ornament has a lady leaning forward with her arms outstretched behind her. The emblem is called the “Spirit of Ecstasy”. The billowing robes of the lady stream past her like wings. According to legend, the bonnet ornament commemorated a secret love affair of John Montague, a pioneer of the automobile movement and Eleanor, the model for the emblem.
Vintage Treasures: the car collection at Gedee Car Museum Photo: S. Siva Saravanan / The Hindu
There is also a tribute to the good old ambassador. Cartoon strips show how the car has become indispensable to the Indian way of life. Caricatures show the car being used to bear the bride and groom at their wedding, hang out laundry and so on. Of course, it is also the status symbol for politicians and gangsters. Don’t miss the luxurious black limousine. “You can even host birthday parties here,” says Saravanakumar in all earnestness. I realise he is not exaggerating when I peep inside.
Vintage Treasures: the car collection at Gedee Car Museum Photo: S. Siva Saravanan / The Hindu
Inside there is a fridge, shining glassware, a television set and a phone for the passenger to talk to the chauffeur! At the end of the hall, a young man on a bike surveys you from a black and white photograph. G.D. Naidu looks happy riding a Rudge Multi, a vintage bike made in 1912. Saravanakumar tells me why he looks so happy in the photo.
Vintage Treasures: the Rudge Multi used by G.D. Naidu Photo: S. Siva Saravanan / The Hindu
While working in his father’s farm, G.D saw a British officer zipping past him in what he thought as a ‘strange looking vehicle having two wheels creating a funny noise’. It was love at first sight. He tracked down the officer, helped him clean the vehicle and service it. He vowed to save up enough money to buy a similar bike for himself some day. He did not have to wait long as the officer was so taken with his passion that he sold it to him for Rs. 300. There are other black and white photographs of G.D. Naidu taking classes, holding workshops and shaking hands with other automobile tycoons. The museum is indeed a tribute to this man of humble beginnings, who emerged to become one of the biggest automobile entrepreneurs in the world.
(The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is closed on Mondays. The fee is Rs.50. For details, call 0422-2222548.)
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Parshathy J. Nath / June 11th, 2015
