With Madras Corporation taking charge by 1866, the Madras Zoo as it was called, became the country’s first public zoo to be formed.
A century and 61 years ago, Edward Balfour, the director of the two-year-old Government Museum at Egmore was struggling to come up with ways to attract more visitors to its premises. It was then that he conceived the idea of showcasing a collection of living animals as an adjunct to the museum. The first few animals to be exhibited — a leopard, a tiger and an orangutan — proved to be a tremendous draw, leaving visitors fascinated. A couple of years later, with the generous donations of the Nawab of Carnatic, a menagerie was established in 1855. Six years later, the facility was compelled to relocate People’s Park (Georgetown) in August 1861. Edward Thurston, the then superintendant, is said to have been plagued by complaints from neighbours who were thoroughly mortified by the roars of the wild beasts housed in the Museum campus.
With Madras Corporation taking charge by 1866, the Madras Zoo as it was called, became the country’s first public zoo to be formed. Boasting of an exotic range of animals and birds, the zoo was considered to be in the league of the best including the London Zoo.
However, with the imminent threat of the Japanese bombing the city in the Second World War, the zoo faced a turbulent time. Apart from managing the exodus of panic-stricken people, authorities had to contend with the animals in the zoo, should the city be under siege.
Mayor V. Chakkarai Chetti and Commissioner C. Pulla Reddi ordered for arrangements to transport the wild animals to safer regions. The Railways were roped in to cart the animals in sealed cages on a priority basis. Mysore zoo and Erode were some of the few shelters which were willing to temporarily care for the animals. However, despite the best efforts of authorities, many dangerous species and poisonous reptiles had to be put down.
After the war, the zoo invested heavily in expansion and fresh improvements to overcome its losses. And it did. By 1975, due to the lack of space and increasing pollution, the zoo moved outside the city limits and was named Arignar Anna Zoological Park, or Vandalur zoo as we now know it.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Chennai / Nitya Menon / Chennai – July 31st, 2014
Tambaram Sanatorium hospital was opened in 1928. This photograph was taken in 1936. Photo: The Hindu Archives / The Hindu
It is a little-known fact that the southern suburb of Tambaram is older than Madras itself.
A few centuries before East India Company acquired a small patch of land, now known as Chennai, there were several pockets in its vicinity which flourished, Tambaram being among them.
Chennai’s expansion, fuelled by the establishment of premier institutions and the creation of a railway hub, has bolstered Tambaram’s status as an important nerve centre in the immediate vicinity of the city’s limits.
1931 first electrified metre gauge train service in the country ran in the country ran between Tambaram and Chennai beach
1937 Madras Christian College, in its 100th year, moved to East Tambaram from George Town
1954 Indian Air Force Station, a premier training institution, was set up
DID YOU KNOW!Tambaram finds mention as ‘Taamapuram’ in temple inscriptions, notably the one Dating back to the 13th century, on the walls around the sanctum sanctorum at Marundeeswarar temple in Tirukachur village near Chengalpattu
A number of pockets around Tambaram have managed to retain their old charm, with life moving at an idyllic pace in sheer contrast to the outside world.
Chennai’s expansion, fuelled by the establishment of premier institutions and the creation of a railway hub, has bolstered Tambaram’s status as an important nerve centre in the immediate vicinity of the city’s limits. Photo: The Hindu Archives
“There were only lush green fields all over Tambaram. Living close to the Indian Air Force station, we used to get unlimited pleasure at the sight of aircrafts taking off. We were even allowed to go close to the runway when we were children,” recalls K. Loganathan (55), whose family has lived in Selaiyur for three generations.
For A. Suresh, the best part of his childhood was spending time with friends in the massive vacant spaces of Railway Colony.
“Our generation was very fortunate to be able to get a close look at steam engines. The railway staff was friendly and showed us how the engine worked. We used to play hide and seek in the long rows of goods wagons in the yard,” he says.
Tambaram has had its share of scare factor too. “The area known as ‘maan thoppu’ (mango grove) was much feared, and all the children in its vicinity were told to be home before sunset,” says E. Chandrashekar, another resident.
“Tambaram has its own rightful place in history,” says Johnson Wesley, a teacher, who predicts the suburb will continue to play a pivotal role in the city’s future too.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / K. Manikandan / Chennai – July 30th, 2014
Adithya Sivasankar and G. Prashanthi from Sri Akilandeswari Vidyalaya, Trichy, won the zonal final held in the city / Photo: M. Srinath / The Hindu
Sixty-five teams participated in the INTACH quiz, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the trust
Which is the area in the city that served as the horse stable for the Nawab of Carnatic? Which Indian island speaks Dhivehi, a language typically spoken in the Maldives?
If these questions leave you flummoxed, you may be surprised at the confidence with which teenagers of classes VII to X, participating in the Chennai Round of the INTACH India Heritage Quiz 2014, shot back answers without so much as batting an eyelid.
Held at Asian College of Journalism, the quiz series commemorated the 30 anniversary of INTACH or the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage.
Sujatha Shankar, convenor, INTACH Chennai Chapter, said, “As a society we tend to take our heritage for granted. We hope by such efforts the next generation takes ownership and gets involved in protecting what is ours.”
The quiz itself saw 65 teams of two each participating from over 20 schools across the city. The team of Arjun Pant and Sachin Vinaayak from Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Annanagar, went on to the zonal finals. Here, they met their counterparts from Pondicherry, Ooty, Kodaikanal, Salem, Madurai, Trichy and Coimbatore.
The winners of the zonal final were Adithya Sivasankar and G. Prashanthi from Sri Akilandeswari Vidyalaya, Trichy. The girls will soon be on national television representing the southern zone in the national semi-finals and finals to be held in Delhi.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / Staff Reporter / Chennai – July 18th, 2014
In-house canteens are an integral part of the campus. Photo: M. Karunakaran / The Hindu
From idli-vadai-pongal to vempampoo rasam and filter coffee, Chennai’s canteens have it all
Legend has it that the strike in Binny Mills in 1921 started over food. Led by V. Kalyanasundaram, it lasted six months, but was suppressed when the management tactically split workers into two groups, using canteen hierarchy. But the struggle didn’t go waste: It spawned the first workers’ union and the employee canteen got established on firm ground.
Today, every departmental canteen in Chennai has history added to its menu. “The 250-year-old College of Engineering, Guindy, gave south Indian industry its basic structure, which included the workers’ canteen,” says painter Srinivasan N., analysing the canteen concept. “In manpower-rich manufacturing, subsidised food is seen as a way to keep workers happy. Whether autonomous (IIT, DD, Anna University, Chennai Port Trust), Government-controlled (Ordnance Factory, Ripon building, ONGC, Southern Railway) or private (TAFE, Hyundai, Leyland), in-house canteens are an integral part of the campus. Now, brain-powered IT industries have switched to food courts,” he remarks.
Whether brick and mortar or chrome and steel, canteens here are a no-frills service. You check the prices of the standardized menu on the blackboard, buy coupons and accordingly collect food at the counter. Hot, soft idlis, crispy vadas, and thin dosais along with ‘meals’ are a staple.
Have you been to any of these?
AIR
The canteen opened on December 1, 1974 and shifted to the separate tower block in 1984. The shift at AIR starts at 6 a.m. and at 8 the staff is assembled in the canteen. Newsreaders are the first to choose from idli, puri, dosa or pongal and get their fill of tea or coffee. You can come back for bajji, vadai and bonda till noon, and after that you can go for a lunch thali that consists of rice, sambar, rasam, two vegetables, buttermilk, pickle and appalam for Rs 20. Peckish at 4 p.m.? Try out the kara sevai, butter murukku and the bajji.
While the pathway and the hall need sprucing up, nothing can dim the thrill of being in a place where Chennai’s luminaries broke bondas. “L.K. Advani came here in the 80s and had special coffee,” says Dr. Selva Peter, Deputy Director/Hony. Secretary of the canteen, listing out the celebrity visitors: Kannadasan, T.M. Soundararajan, P.B. Srinivas, L.R. Easwari, Sivaji Ganesan, Ilayaraja, Vairamuthu among others.
During the two years of the Isai Saaral programme, all popular Carnatic and Hindustani singers were treated to snacks, Selva Peter says.
Although the canteen staff number has dwindled, the cooks still serve “guests” from the Police Commissionerate nearby, Bank of India, Santhome branch and the Crime Records Bureau. At the All-India staff training workshop, out-of-state participants wanted to know which hotel the food was from. Not surprisingly, Sankaran, head cook since 1974, was quickly re-appointed when he retired.
Doordarshan
I join Dr. Balaramani, Asst. Director/Hony. Canteen Secretary for a special thali lunch that included bright orange jalebis and sweet mango pieces. “We make sure our guests visit the canteen and we ask them to try a meal. It costs no more than Rs. 44 (lunch is Rs. 25),” he says. Post-recording, artistes, accompanists and theatre assistants head straight to the canteen. “Only the fussiest stars leave without tasting the day’s fare,” he says.
Starting small in 1975, the canteen went departmental in 1980. “Our canteen is exclusively for the 500 plus staff, resource persons, AIR FM transmitter engineers on the premises, home guards and the TN Women Police on guard duty,” Balaramani says. The canteen specialises in dosai varieties, on Tuesdays you get idli-vadai-pongal-upma, Thursdays are for puri-masala and keerai vadai. At 1 p.m. you can choose from the lunch thali and variety rice, at 3 p.m. it is bajji, dosai, tea/coffee and kesari.
The Doordarshan dining hall too has been graced by a galaxy of cinema and theatre artistes. Helpers have served actors Vivek and Nasser, Vairamuthu, Kutti Padmini, Kathadi Ramamurthy, Delhi Ganesh, R.S. Manohar, Nagesh and G.V. Prakash. The canteen is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., five days a week, but was open for 18 hours on election counting day.
“This canteen is more than a mother to us,” says Sethu Madavan, who joined in 1986. “Today, a canteen employee’s children are engineers. We enter the hall with a prayer that the day’s work should go smoothly,” he says.
AGS Office
Annapurani of AGS office, they call their canteen of more than 50 years, in a nod to their women-dominated workforce. Homely food goes to all the offices in the complex, and if you are here, you can’t leave without sipping their coffee. Even though the canteen went from co-operative to departmental, conventional to steam cooking, plantain leaves to plates, the aroma of coffee is a constant, say officials. While vadais are permanent, major breakfast foods are on a weekly rotational basis. Lunch is served in a thali, but if you fancy tiffin, that is available too. One item you don’t want to miss is the rasam say insiders. Also, plan your visit — Monday for pongal and Friday for the famed rice upma-vathakozhambu combo.
Close to 400 officials pile in for breakfast and lunch. For the single, married-with-kids and long-distance commuters, the canteen is a boon – the food is good and the rates are low. Curd rice is rated high, as is the neer-moru. You can also pick from chappathi or mixed rice varieties. Food combos have add-ons like sweets and coffee.
A meal costs Rs. 15, coffee is Rs. 5 per cup. The canteen maintains quality by buying provisions from its co-operative store in the complex. Cleanliness is religion — steam cookers hiss, mechanical scrubbers clean up plates, a machine kneads dough, huge exhausts keep the spot smoke-free and an RO plant provides water.
If the sitting area gleams, the counter looks like it’s from a popular fast-food joint. Everything smells class, and most AGs are patrons.
The canteen prepares and supplies snacks for office functions, higher officials’ visits and farewell treats to save on office budgets. During Deepavali, the kitchen prepares 1.5 MT of mixture and nearly one MT of sweets, so make sure you order the special mixture and boondhi laddu. “The office canteen is an extension of our kitchen,” say employees. For me, its best feature is its proximity to the parking area.
Anna University
As students, parents and guardians gather anxiously at Anna University grounds during admission season, the one place that keeps them smiling all day is the “main” canteen. The food is cheap – Rs. 16 for a full thali and Rs. 4 for coffee, apart from the sweets and ice-cream which are on offer all year round.
While the campus is 250 years old, the canteen has its own history. Generations of students have succumbed to its gastronomical charms.
“My mentor Ravi and I would bunk classes, sit under the aalamaram opposite the CEG canteen and order bread omelette. Whenever I was asked which branch of engineering I was in, I’d say canteen branch,” said Crazy Mohan. Bread omelette was his son’s favourite too, at AU.
“People from the Cancer Institute and Science City take parcels of the healthy, non-spicy food,” said Registrar Dr. Ganesh, reminding me that the canteen bans soft drinks and preservatives. “The pav bhaji is very good here, have it with fresh fruit juice,” recommends Srinivasan.
“Prices are affordable, and the food is prepared with clean, modern kitchen equipment. An RO plant and a bio-waste-disposal system are part of this century-old canteen.”
The herbal food canteen at Chennai Corporation Campus. Photo : A. Muralitharan / The Hindu
Ripon Building
The canteen menu of South Indian delicacies at the Ripon Building were upgraded with a herbal touch in 2012. To ward off seasonal sniffles, it serves nilambu kashayam and sukku coffee; its vepampoo(neem) rasam is guaranteed to cure stomach trouble, thoothuvalai soup should help you breathe easy in cold weather.
In an effort to promote millets, the canteen serves varagu, saamai, thinai and kuthiraivali rice varieties. These can be washed down with herbal tea, herbal soups, juices and ginger buttermilk. The kollu (horsegram) rasam helps reduce weight, so eat away at this historic canteen.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Featurer> MetroPlus / Geeta Padmanabhan / Chennai – July 17th, 2014
Santha Sheela Nair, retired IAS officer and vice president of Tamil Nadu Planning Commission, lighting the first lamp at the Chozeeshwarar temple in Gangaikonda Cholapuram on Friday | express
Jayankondam :
People of Gangaikonda Cholapuram and its surrounding villages took pride in celebrating the crowning millennium year of King Rajendra Chola.
Thousands of people, including women and children, thronged the Chozeeshwarar Temple on Friday evening and a huge rally started from Maaligai Medu, the village where remains of the king’s palace were excavated.
Three elephants walked in front of the rally in memory of the king whose skills on the battle field was well known. The elephants were followed by folk artistes, who caught the eye of people as the rally passed by. Slogans praising the king were raised all along the rally.
Writers Balakumaran, Kulothungan and Kudavayil Balasubramaniyan, who wrote books on the king and the temple, Santha Sheela Nair, vice-president of Tamil Nadu Planning Commission, P Senthil Kumar, commissioner of disciplinary proceedings, Nagercoil, K Dhanavel, IAS officer (retd) and Porko, former vice-chancellor of Madras University were taken on a chariot-like vehicle.
The writers were later honoured for their contributions to Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
Meanwhile, in Thanjavur, a torch relay commenced at Thanjavur Big Temple. The rally was flagged off by Collector Dr N Subbaiyan, in the presence of writer Balakumaran, who lit the torch. The torch was escorted through Thanjavur city by 1,000 volunteers on motorcycles.
From Palliagraharam, around 100 volunteers on bikes escorted 20 torch bearers, who took turns in taking the torch to Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
The torch was used to light up 1,000 lamps around the temple in Gangaikonda Cholapuram. The Thanjavur chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) made arrangements for the torch rally. The team of torch bearers later joined the rally.
A huge crowd welcomed the rally when it reached the temple. Around 6.30 pm, Santha Sheela Nair lit the first lamp at the temple, after which a thousand small lamps were lit by women, marking the millennial year of the king’s coronation.
Ramu (75) of Thottikulam village, said, “I haven’t seen such a joyful festival before. When I was young I heard a lot about King Rajendra Chola and this temple. Only now am I seeing how the people are celebrating the king. The joy of people here gives me the feeling that the king is alive and in our midst.” Later, a grand symposium was held on the temple and writers and historians spoke about King Rajendra Chola’s achievements in various fields.
(With inputs from TNIE Thanjavur correspondent)
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by K. Ezhilarasan – ENS / July 26th, 2014
Late King Rajendra Chola was on Saturday remembered not just for his skills in battlefield but also for tackling drought.
“The lakes, especially those built by Rajendra Chola 1,000 years ago still help us in tackling water problems,” said Porko, former vice-chancellor of Madras University, recalling his contributions at a grand symposium held at Gangaikonda Cholapuram on Friday night marking the millennial year of the crowning of the Chola king.
Writer Balakumaran said children should be taught the history of Tamil Nadu so that they will understand the importance of personalities like Rajendra Chola. “Every Tamilian should know the history of the Chola kings. I appreciate the people of Gangaikonda Cholapuram and the surrounding villages for organising this celebration,” he said. He also requested the State government to build a memorial for Rajendra Chola at Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
M Rasendhran, commissioner of agricultural department, praised Rajendra Chola for his skills on the battlefield.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service / July 27th, 2014
Fourteen Jain rock beds dating back to the 5th century AD have been excavated inside three caverns on top of a hill in Vellore district.
The beds were found on the Bhairavamalai in Latheri on the Vellore-Gudiyattam road when Jeeva Kumar, a Jain priest, was on a study tour in search of abandoned and neglected Jain sites in Tamil Nadu. “It was difficult to climb the hill because the rock steps to the caverns were almost lost over the years. Recently, the locals have built a temple near the caverns. They have also built a flight of 1300 steps for the new temple. Unfortunately, there is no passage to these caverns that house the ancient rock beds,” says S Jeeva Kumar, who has excavated a number of Jain sites in various parts of Tamil Nadu.
The hill is situated in a small village called Kukkara Palli and scholars say the word ‘palli’ has a strong association with Jainism.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / M. T. Saju, TNN / July 21st, 2014
Participants at the India Heritage Quiz 2014 at Asian College of Journalism | Albin Mathew
Chennai :
Did you know that Mysore Pak was created by Kakasura Madappa? Several other quiz questions such as these were thrown at students from classes seven to nine from across the State at the INTACH India Heritage Quiz 2014.
The nation-wide contest was organised by The Indian National Trust for Art and Culture Heritage (INTACH) as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations, in collaboration with Xpress Minds Edutainment. It tested the students’ knowledge of Indian culture and heritage.
On Thursday, the Tamil Nadu zonal final was conducted at the Asian College of Journalism, Taramani, for students of nine schools. They were among the 150 students who were shortlisted from 40 schools in Puducherry, Ooty, Kodaikanal, Salem, Madurai, Tiruchy, Coimbatore and Chennai.
The winner, an all-girls team comprising Adithya Sivasankar and G Prashanthi from Sri Akilandeswari Vidyalaya, Tiruchy, was selected to participate in the National finals to be held in New Delhi.
Sarayu S from INTACH, said that quiz contests like these were designed to give the right exposure and motivate students to know about heritage.
“Heritage is more about the way we think. We all need to ponder along the lines of what our workplace or home would have been before. This gives a whole new perspective, and would interest kids. When they are tuned to think this way, conducting quizzes will further help them to be on track,” she said.
The organisation has also created heritage clubs in schools, where periodic activities such as presentations and role plays are conducted to enhance the students’ knowledge.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service / July 19th, 2014
With a rusty trunk in hand and a plethora of instructions in mind, Anna Jacob boarded SS Franconia from Bombay to Liverpool to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. “It was 1947. There were 3,500 passengers on board, and most of them were Britons returning home,” says Jacob, 67 years later.
The journey lasted three weeks. “There was a badminton court, a swimming pool, a live band. Many of them were upbeat as they all were returning home at last,” says Jacob, her face breaking into a wrinkled smile.
Jacob, who will turn 100 this month-end, was among the first batch of students who completed the higher grade nursing course from Christian Medical College, Vellore, in 1936. In the city to attend the centenary celebration of Women’s Christian College, where she did an intermediate course in 1946, she recounts her days with Dr Ida Scudder, founder of CMC, and Vera Pitman, her nursing tutor.
Jacob, fondly called Annamma by her family and friends, surprises people with her sharp memory. “I still remember the day Miss Pitman came to our school in Tiruvalla, Kerala,” she recalls. “She was really tall and graceful, but what drew people to her was her passion for what she did — nursing. Fifteen minutes into her talk on the need for dedicated nurses in the country, I had already made up my mind to join her team in Vellore.”
Her family members were aghast as “Nursing was looked down at that time. No woman from a good family would get into the profession.” When I broke the news to my family that I was moving to Vellore, they were aghast. News spread fast and my father received condolence letters,” said Jacob, who was the third among five sisters. Undeterred, she went on to be among the first batch of nine students under Pitman. “It was the best move I made in my life,” says Jacob.
After completing her course three years later, Jacob moved on to work in Delhi, before she got a scholarship in 1947 to do a bachelor’s in Canada. “A month later, I saw myself on board SS Franconia and later made my way from Liverpool to Montreal,” she said. She returned to Vellore two years later, where she was made the Nursing Superintendent. She worked there from 1949 to 1974.
Pitman continued mentoring her through letters from London. “She said it was up to me to now to pass on what I was taught. And that’s what I did and continue doing,” says Jacob, who stays on her own in Vellore and continues mentoring young nurses.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by Ekatha Ann John, TNN / July 20th, 2014
As houses and empty plots give way to shops and office complexes, the rich history behind the name of Arokiasamy Road seems to getting buried deeper by the day. Extending from Thadagam Road in the west till Sri Shanmugam Road, Arockiasamy Road is practically filled with landmarks either side.
It’s a favourite with young people in R S Puram because the burial ground is used as a playground by cricket and football lovers. The corporation’s Ammini Amma Girls High School, government Tamil Isai Kalloori, R S Puram Ladies Club and Purandara Dasar Hall, which is a favourite for functions, ot this street.
Historians say the road was named in the 1940s or 1950s as a minor tribute to a great man. “We have information that runs into pages about the man who played a significant role in making Coimbatore the city it is today,” said historian Perur K Jayaraman.
M Arokiasamy, born in 1857, began his career as a sub-registrar with the government. His grandfather had served as a minister in the erstwhile Thanjavur kingdom. Arokiasamy studied law and became a prominent advocate in the city and a member of the Coimbatore Bar Council. He began his career as a lawyer with British company Boison and Mills. “During his tenure as a lawyer he bought a lot of property all over the city and did a lot of social service,” says Jayaraman.
He became a municipal councillor in 1888, vice-chairman of the council between 1896 and 1899 and Coimbatore municipal chairman in 1913 and remained in the post till 1916. In 1912, he was awarded the Rao Bahadur title coronation medal by the British government. “Not many people know that a lot of prominent buildings and institutions owe their legacy to this gentleman,” says Jayaraman.
Arokiasamy was the secretary of the construction committee of Victoria Town Hall, out of which the corporation functions today. He was responsible for building the coronation memorial at Chidambaram Park. “He was the one who built the Indian Christian Students Hostel in 1925,” he says. He was also instrumental in setting up many Christian education institutions like CSI Boys High School, St Francis Convent and London Boys Mission School.
source: http://www,timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / TNN / July 21st, 2014
