One of the milestones with Tamil numerals found at Adhanakottai near Pudukottai./ Special Arrangement / The Hindu
A milestone carrying Tamil and Roman numerals has been found at the Koozhiyan Viduthi village near Adhanakottai on Sunday.
A group of teachers from the Government High School in Gandarvakottai found the milestone and have informed the revenue authorities of Pudukottai.
The milestone gives the distance between Pudukottai and Adhanakottai as six miles in Tamil and Roman numerals. “This indicates that that the residents of the area, till a century ago, were fully aware of the Tamil numerals,” says A. Manikandan, one of the teachers who is also the district vice-president of Tamil Nadu Science Forum.
A Tamil scholar S. A rumugam, who coordinated the study, said that another milestone being preserved at the museum at the Thanjavur Palace referred to the distance up to Adhanakottai and Thanjavur in Tamil and Arab numerals.
Sangam era
M. Muthukumar and B. Rameshkumar, both teachers, said the ancient Sangam era was best noted for the use of Tamil numerals.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Tiruchirapalli / by M. Balaganessin / Pudokottai – April 21st, 2014
Governor-General William Bentinck’s trip to Bangalore, Mysore and Ooty in 1834 when he coordinated the attack on the ‘problematic’ raja of Coorg, Chikka Veerarajendra is well-documented in the book titled ‘Ootacamund-A History’, written by Sir Frederick Price in 1908.
Chikka Veerarajendra and the East India Company were at loggerheads since 1830.Governor General William Bentinck who was more interested in reforming India than in annexing new territories, had to deal with the Raja of Coorg who had dared the British by keeping in custody one of their emissaries, Kullapalli Karunakaran Menon.
A long sojourn
Lord William Bentinck set out from Calcutta on 3 February 1834, on board the Curacoa to Madras.He wanted a first-hand assessment of the situation in Coorg and for this purpose, the commander-in-chief Sir Robert O’Callaghan was in attendance.
The Governor General also had to deal with administrative issues concerning Mysore. The reason for him to visit Ooty for an extended stay was to improve his rather poor health.
Bentinck reached Madras on 15 February 1834 and set out for Bangalore via Vellore.
In Bangalore ,strategies on Coorg were finalised in consultations with Sir Robert O’Callaghan.
Lord Bentinck halted in Mysore and was put up at the precursor to Rajendra Vilas Palace atop Chamundi Hill, which was originally built by Robert H Cole, the earlier British resident at Mysore.
Bentinck set out for Ooty via Gundlepet, and it was while they were travelling on 15 March 1834, that war was declared on Coorg.
Lord Bentinck’s entourage reached Ooty on 22 March. At Ooty, the only suitable accommodation for the staff of the Governor-General and that of the Commander-in-Chief was “Sir William Rambold’s Large House”, which was a grand hotel built in 1832 by an influential British entrepreneur named William Rambold.However, Rambold soon ran into financial difficulties. The hotel was rented frequently by senior officers of the East India Company.It was in 1842 that Rambold’s Large House became the Ootacamund Club, or the Ooty Club.
During Lord Bentinck’s sojourn in Ooty, Lord Babington Macaulay arrived at the hill station on 25 June, 1834.
The Governor-General and Macaulay met each other for the first time at Rambold’s Large House.
Macaulay chose a small cottage nearby where he lived for several months to write the Indian Penal Code.
Governor-General Bentinck stayed in Ooty till end of September 1834.On his return journey, he again passed through Mysore and reached Bangalore on 9 October.
He sailed aboard the Curacao on 26 October from Madras and reached Calcutta on 14 November 1834.
Wild rumours
There are also records of Lord Dalhousie’s sojourn in Ooty from 7 March 1855 to 29 October 1855.
Dalhousie’s visit was primarily for health reasons. However, he was not too comfortable in Ooty and soon shifted to Kotagiri.
During Dalhousie’s stay in Nilgiris, one of his ADCs took permission to visit Coorg, where his brother was a coffee planter.
It was in 1852, that Dalhousie reluctantly gave permission to the Raja of Coorg to travel to England along with his daughter Gowramma.
The Aide-de-camp (ADC), on his return, narrated an amusing incident to his boss. Coorg being a rather remote province, news from the outside world took time to percolate.
Very often, wild rumours floated amongst the small but growing community of British planters. One such rumour was that the British and their allies had lost the Crimean War and that Queen Victoria and her family had fled to India!
However, Dalhousie who had a temporary telegraph line installed at Nilgiris had already received the news that the British and their allies had taken Sevastopol from the Russians.
On his journey back to Calcutta, Dalhousie stopped in Bangalore during early November 1855, and was the guest of Sir Mark Cubbon. Dalhousie narrated the Coorg rumour to the British officers and after inspecting the troops, he formally announced the fall of Sevastopol.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Spectrum / by CP Belliappa / April 2014 (28th)
The ramparts where dreamyeyed soldiers once sat and penned letters to their loved ones back home has become a feasting ground for crows fighting over leftovers. The crash of the waves is now drowned by the drone of traffic. The alleys once graced by the swish of silk gowns are now the turf of veshti-clad politicians and sober military men.
Recollections may differ, but most agree that walking within Fort St George often feels like turning to a new chapter in a history text book.
“There are buildings dating back to the 17th century and the more recent ones from the 1950s. All of them have a story,” said K R A Narasaiah, an ex-Navy personnel who stayed in the fort in 1959. Narasaiah, who is also a history enthusiast, recalls spending his nights in a big airy room, just north of the fort museum. “Life wasn’t easy as the water was salty and the mess food horrible. But I used to look forward to my evening walk. There was this eerie and exciting feeling while watching the silhouette of these historic buildings at dusk,” he said.
Stories abound in Fort St George, which now serves as one of the administrative headquarters for the legislative assembly of Tamil Nadu and houses a garrison of troops. Built in 1644 on a piece of land purchased by the East India Company from a Vijayanagar chieftain named Damerla Chennappa Nayaka, the fort (referred to as White Town) faced the sea and was a hub of merchant activity. Historians say modern-day Madras evolved from the villages that surrounded the fort, which was more than an epicentre for trade.
“With six metre high walls, the fort also withstood a number of assaults in the 18th century,” said Vakula Varadarajan, who conducts heritage walks.
Relics in the 18th century fort museum, which once housed Madras Bank, are vestiges of this history. Noted officers from the colonial period stoically look out of framed paintings that adorn the walls, mammoth chests that once ferried goods across the ocean lie sealed and coins that changed numerous hands lie behind glass cases.
“But, it is St Mary’s church that encapsulates the real history of the fort,” said Varadarajan. Built between 1678 and 1680, it is the oldest Anglican church in India. “The church teems with stories that lie interred in the tombstones or entered in the wedding and birth registers,” he said. Other buildings of importance are Admiralty House, where Clive once stayed, Old Government House and Banqueting Hall (now Rajaji Hall), grand arsenal and King’s Barracks.
However, like most heritage monuments in the city, the signs of decay are clear. Quite a few buildings within the fort’s precincts are a picture of neglect. But what ASI officials are more concerned about is the renovation of the more recent Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai close to St Mary’s church. “The state government asked us for permission to undertake repair works, but there are obvious signs that they are deviating. Construction work so close to protected structures will take a toll on them,” said an ASI official.
A member of the Heritage Conservation Committee under the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority said the renovation work was meeting all the norms. “The structure needed serious repairs and was posing a risk to the public. The project went through various committees before it got the go-ahead. Yes, safety of the heritage structures close by is a concern, but we’ll also have to keep public safety in mind,” said a member.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by Ekatha Ann John, TNN / April 18th, 2014
The wide Kazimar Street, which branches off from the busy TPK Road near Periyar Bus stand, is one of the oldest settlements of Muslims in Madurai. Historical legends state that Hazrat Kazi Syed Tajuddin came to Madurai from Oman in the 13th century and established the Kazimar Big Mosque on a land given to him by a Pandya monarch.
Till date, the descendants of Syed Tajuddin, who is believed to be a descendant of Prophet Mohammed, live on the Kazimar Street. They are hereditarily elected as the town kazis.
Syed Ahja Mueenudeen, the current town kazi, said that the Kazimar Big Mosque, which was constructed by Tajuddin as a thatched structure initially, was the first place of worship for Muslims in Madurai. The street has had Muslims settlement for over 700 years, he said. Thus, Islam arrived in Madurai even before Malik Kafur’s invasion of Madurai in the 14th century.
History professor R Venkataraman opines King Maravarman Sundarapandian might have been the contemporary of Tajuddin. Even before the advent of Islam, Arabs maintained trade links with South India, especially for the pearls Madurai Pandya Kingdom was famous for. “Sufis, Muslim saints, started coming to Tamil Nadu by 900 AD. The entry of Islam to the region was peaceful as Sufis conceived God as love,” he said.
The short-lived Madurai Sultanate and Islamic influence did have their impact on the city, especially on warfare and town planning. “Muslim rulers introduced arch construction they learnt from the Romans. It changed the style of architecture here in a significant way,” Venkataraman remarked.
The Big Mosque, which is an architectural attraction, accommodates Madurai Maqbara which is the dargah of sufi saints Hazrat Meer Ahamad Ibrahim, Hazrat Meer Amjad Ibrahim and Hazrat Syed Abdus Salaam Ibrahim Rahmatullahi Alaihim.
Syed Ali Hussaini, the renowned Chennai-based stunt artist, is originally from Kazimar Street. Recalling the legend of Tajuddin, he said: “It is believed that Tajuddin came from Arabia to Kerala and reached Madurai where he established a mosque. He became popular for divine healing powers. The Pandya king was irked with his fame, but Tajuddin cured the king himself when he suffered from a stomach ailment. The king gave away a land for mosque in gratitude,” he said. “Even today Tajuddin’s descendents, numbering more than 2,000, are annually given a customary nominal share of the income from the waqf lands originally donated by the king,” he added.
Till the 1980s, the residents of the street were engaged in rearing horses, rams, cocks and pigeons. “People were crazy about horses and many raised them. Rekla or bull cart race and pigeon racing were popular when I grew up in the area in the 1960s,” Hussaini recalled.
However, the face of the area has changed since then with many moving out for education and jobs, he said.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / by J. Arockiaraj, TNN / April 27th, 2014
M. Ganapathy and Chitra Ganapathy at Kadambavanam./ Photo: S. James / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
Chitra and M. Ganapathy’s resort Kadambavanam, near Madurai, has evolved into a hub of Tamil heritage
Projects do not drive the passion. It is the other way round where passions drive amazing projects. This is exactly what happened with architect M. Ganapathy and his cost accountant wife Chitra Ganapathy. They have given shape to a unique endogenous tourism model where people can experience traditional and true Tamil living.
Called Kadambavanam, the Temple of Tamil Traditions, the retreat is situated 22 kms from Madurai on the Natham Highway. It is a place where domestic and international tourists can soak in Tamil culture and the Tamil diaspora can reconnect with their roots. Kadambavanam, according to legend, once covered the entire Madura region before giving way to the ancient city of Madurai.
Chitra and Ganapathy come from conservative backgrounds and have a very traditional upbringing. Chitra’s father, Dr.Nambi Arooran, was the grandson of the great Tamil Scholar Maraimalai Adigal considered the ‘Father of the pure Tamil movement’. Her mother Dr.Sarada Nambi Arooran, is a renowned Tamil scholar too. Ganapathy’s maternal grandfather Shri.S.S. Subbiah Pillai was instrumental in consecrating “Pazha muthir solai”, the sixth holy abode of Lord Muruga in Madurai.
More than a decade ago Ganapathy bought 22 acres of land nestling between the Sirumalai and Alagarmalai range. It was a green carpet stretched to the horizon, scalloped by wild fields and hills and strangely calm. “I instantly knew I had to do something different here,” says Ganapathy. But at best the couple could only think of building a weekend retreat cottage for the family. But soon one thing led to another and ideas began to take shape in their heads.
Both Chitra and Ganapathy feel very strongly about the culturally rich Tamil heritage. So they thought they would do something to nourish that. “Initially we were hesitant,” says Chitra, “because neither of us is from the tourism industry and nor are we rich.” But despite the hurdles, they decided they would establish a kind of cultural prototype in Tamil Nadu.
Tourists rarely gain any insight into Tamil traditions when they come on a temple-hopping visit to the State, they say and people do not realise the value and privilege of being a Tamilian. For three years the couple toyed with the idea of how to revive, preserve and showcase Tamil culture.
Initially the small weekend cottage would be lent to friends. But then Ganapathy decided to build some more. Gradually, the idea of an ethnic resort was born and 15 cottages were built surrounded by mango, coconut, tamarind and 40 other varieties of trees.
While Ganapathy focussed on landscaping and designing the property, Chitra launched herself into marketing. “But the response was lukewarm,” she says. They spent lot of money attending travel marts and networking with travel agents but it did not fetch the desired results. “That is when we realised the need for some value-addition,” says Chitra. The idea of a cultural centre emerged because an important part of the Tamilian way of living is their performing arts. The couple thought of Kadambavanam as a place where forgotten traditions could be revitalised. Says Ganapathy, “This project was never meant to be commercial, What is important to us is to rediscover the treasures of our culture.”
Today, Kadambavanam serves up eco, rural, culinary and spiritual tourism, arts and crafts and native history and literature to its guests. “We are not here just for show. We have built an ambience that takes guests back in time,” says Ganapathy. “They hear lots of stories that generate interest in exploring further. It is an end-to-end package packed with lots of activities, stories and cultural programmes,” he adds.
Chitra and Ganapathy are also involving the local community in their social entrepreneurship model. “The feedback is good now,” they say, “We feel happy that we are being talked about in wider circles.”
What kadambavanam offers:
Visitors to Kadambavanam are welcomed at the entrance by a huge statue of the village guardian Lord Aiyanar riding a white horse. Every door step is decorated with kolam.
The cultural centre is a twin campus with a picturesque 500 seater auditorium, an elaborate temple complex, games pavilion, puppetry theatre and an ethnic Tamil kitchen. Regular cultural shows of classical and folk arts of Tamil Nadu are held in the evenings followed by a sumptuous Tamil ethnic dinner. The aesthetic architecture has a rustic charm stamped on it.
Dance and music programmes begin with the beating of the traditional murasu (an ancient drum used to call the attention of people to important announcements). There are different shows each day from Bharatanatyam to Carnatic music, Tamil martial arts, rustic puppetry shows, killijyotishyam and traditional games such as kittipul, pandi (hopscotch), golli gundu (marbles), and pallankuzhi.
Guests can do yoga and meditation, undertake village and nature walks, hill trekking and bicycle trips. Visit jasmine farms or stay put for cookery demos.
The ethnic resort has 15 air conditioned cottages that combine rustic charm with all modern comforts; ‘ Adisil’ ,a 120 seater semi-open, multi-level eatery at an elevation of 100 feet offers a fabulous view of the surroundings; Madhuvanam’ ,the bar ; ’Peravai’ , the banquet hall with a theatre style seating capacity of 110 persons ; ‘Sittravai’ , the board room with a seating capacity of 45 persons; ‘Vetaveli’ , the maidan that can host up to 2,000 guests; ‘Pulveli’ ,a scenic lawn that can cater to around 300 guests and; ‘Thadagam’, the State’s third largest swimming pool spread over 8,500 sq.ft.
Is catching up as a fancy destination for weddings, receptions and film shooting and also corporate meetings and school camps.
Future vision of Kadambavanam:
– Nature cure spa offering detox therapies and rejuvenation packages.
– Library with a large and good collection of books appealing to all age groups
– Audio visual hall for screening select Tamil movies
– Arts school offering ‘crash courses’ on classical and folk arts and crash courses in Tamil language.
– Crafts bazaar where artisans will make and sell their wares directly
– ‘Living museum’ showcasing many interesting aspects of a bygone lifestyle
– Fifteen more air conditioned cottages coming up
What they say:
“We based our project on statistics and are hopeful. If 60 per cent of FTAs come to Kadambavanam, it will ensure the project’s survival.” – Chitra
“People just don’t come and get inside the air conditioned comforts of a building here. Rather they hear stories, see beyond and understand.” – M. Ganapathy
source: http://www.thehindu.com / Th Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Soma Basu / Madurai – April 24th, 2014
Thousands of faithful from across the country gathered today at Shrine Basillica in Vailankanni, the 17th century Christian shrine in Nagapattinam district in connection with the ‘Palm Sunday’ procession, which marks the beginning of the week long Easter celebrations.
To mark the occasion, a colourful ‘Palm Sunday’ procession was taken out after special prayers with the priests and participants carrying crosses made of palm leaves.
Pilgrims from all over the state travelling for days on foot will visit the shrine and participate in many events taking place throughout the week.
source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> PTI Stories> National> News / Press Trust of India / Nagapattinam (TN) – April 13th, 2014
The place holds many firsts; first residence by the beach and the first women’s college in the city./ Photo: R. Ravindran / The Hindu
A century and still counting….Staff, students and alumni of Queen Mary’s College on what the city’s first college for women means to them
Most of the trees and buildings inside the Queen Mary’s College are familiar with each other. After all, they’ve shared that space, with enviable views of the Marina, for a century now. The place holds many firsts; first residence by the beach and the first women’s college in the city. Started in July 1914 by the Government of Madras, Queen Mary’s, in the founder-principal Dorothy De La Hey’s words, was “destined to have an influence on the future of Indian womanhood”. And it has lived with that mission, stepping from one year to the next with “commonsense and consideration”.
Colonel Francis Capper of the Madras Army built the first house on the Marina around 1800. The only other residence on the beachfront between the Fort and San Thome was the Chepauk Palace. When he left the country, the house became Capper Hotel, a vegetarian hotel run by an Indian family. In 1914, when the hotel fell on bad times, the Government rented out the house and opened its doors to 37 women students. It was then called Madras College for Women. The very next year, the building became the college’s official campus and hostel.
It is interesting to note here that one of the main advocates of the college was Sir P.S. Sivaswami Aiyer, who was then Member of the Governor’s executive council and in charge of education. The initial proposal for the college was seen as ‘unexceptionable’ and was about to be stalled because they could not fathom a need for such a place. But Aiyer, who was committed to women’s education, got the proposal through its initial phases.
In 1917, the college was renamed The Queen Mary’s College for Women. The founder-principal of the college, Dorothy de la Hey, served the longest tenure (1914-1936) and through the initial years, did most of the teaching. The campus soon began to grow, with three other buildings being designed the same way as Capper House. Pentland House was built in 1915, named after Governor Lord Pentland, Stone House in 1918 and Jeypore House in 1921. S. Muthiah writes that in the 1920s, two houses belonging to two High Court Justices and which had been built south of Capper House, were acquired.
Initially, the college had only offered courses in humanities with no facilities for science subjects. This was soon resolved by Aiyer and students from Queen Mary’s were sent to attend science classes in Presidency College. De la Hey wrote in the Diamond Jubilee Souvenir in 1974, “By the time I left, there were Physics and Chemistry laboratories.” In 1923, teaching of science subjects began and the jutkasthat carried the students to Presidency College were no longer necessary.
The college pioneered courses in Home Science, Household Arts and has a strong Geography department even today, thanks to the efforts of A.R. Irawathy, who served as the college’s principal between 1955 and 1970. This is rather fitting since Col. Capper was a geographer himself. It continues to have vocational courses in Functional English and Travel and Tourism Management. “We were the only college that offered the Home Science degree in the whole country. Since there was no Masters programme here, we had a teacher’s exchange programme with the University of Tennessee. Eight people went from India and five of us were from Madras. After we came back, we started the PG course in the subject,” says Nirmala Thiyagarajan, who has had a long association with the college as a student, teacher and principal. She hosted the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the college.
In 1987, Queen Mary’s was granted autonomy and presently has more than 3,000 students. A few years ago, Capper House was brought down and a new administrative block was constructed. Apart from this, the old-world charm of this college remains intact. “When the college was started, it catered to the elite in the city. Now, we cater across the spectrum to socially and economically backward people. That’s our real service,” she adds.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Anusha Parthasarthy / Chennai – April 11th, 2014
St. Lourdes Church at Perambur. / Photo: V. Ganesan / The Hindu
Hard on the heels of catching up with a second esplanade in Madras (Miscellany, April 14) , I’ve been told about another landmark in Madras that I had not heard of before. It is the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Perambur, a church replicating in form the famous basilica in Lourdes, France. It was designed, I am told, by a “Chevalier Davies, who designed the Catholic Centre in George Town”.
While the plans for building the Shrine date to the 1940s, the Perambur Church’s history goes back a long way before that. It was in 1879 that Fr. H.E. Hennessey from Vepery built a chapel in Perambur near where the Presentation Convent was later established. The next year he dedicated the chapel to ‘Our Lady of Lourdes’. It was to be 1935 when the sixth parish priest, Fr. Michael Murray, began to think of developing the chapel into something like the basilica at Lourdes. He launched a collection drive whose activities and fundraising visits — including collecting the cost of a brick or that of a bag of cement — got a tremendous response that continued through the early 1940s. That’s when the Archbishop of Madras, the Most Rev. Dr. Louis Mathias, invited ‘Chevalier Davies’ to design the shrine to resemble the one in France.
It was to be January 1951, however, before the Archbishop of Madras, Dr. Mathias, laid the foundation stone and February 22, 1953 when he consecrated the lower church of the Shrine. In March 1958, the foundation stone was laid for the upper church and, after another fundraising drive, the work was completed in 1960 and Archbishop Mathias, who had seen the work from conception to completion, was there to consecrate the upper church on February 11, 1960. Today, services are held in Tamil in one church and in English in the other. But in the early years, the congregation was mainly Anglo-Indian, drawn from two institutions which helped the chapel — and Perambur — to grow: The B&C Mills, which were established between 1877 and 1882, and the Railway Workshops established in 1895.
Apart from ‘discovering’ a replica of the Shrine in Lourdes in Madras, I was struck by the ‘Chevalier Davies’ connection. Was he the J.R. Davis of the then leading firm of Madras architects, Prynne, Abbott and Davis (note: no ‘e’)? If he was, he had a great record in Madras, being responsible for, among other buildings, the second Madras Club, in Branson Bagh (in front of which the late, lamented Sapphire Theatre multiplex came up after the Club moved to Adyar), and the Centenary Building of the University of Madras.
******
Questions to celebrate 50
The Association of Geography Teachers of India recently celebrated its Golden Jubilee year. The rather sparse attendance in the hall and the even sparser attendance of those who taught Geography — to judge by the hands raised to a specific question on this — demonstrated the sad state of the subject in our schools and universities. I have no doubt that the situation would have been no different if this had been a gathering of History teachers.
These few teachers, however, continue valiantly trying to keep geographical knowledge in the public eye. Led by Sushila Raghavan and Indu Narayanan they celebrated the occasion with a colourful book titled Geography — Here? There? Everywhere? that everyone interested in the nations of the world and every quizmaster and quizzer should posses.
For forty years, the Association has been conducting a Geography Talent Test for students of Classes VII to X. The questions of the last 15 years have been compiled in this commemoration volume.
Skimming through the book and looking for questions on Madras I found these (rephrased by me) accompanied by suitable maps:
– Plan a heritage tour of George Town marking the following sites and a route to take them all in: Armenian Church, General Post Office, YMCA, High Court-Law College campus, Burma Bazaar, Rajah Annamalai Hall, and Dare House.
– Ram wants to go to Fort St. George from the Tamil Nadu Tourism Office through Anna Salai. What are the two main statues he will pass by?
– In which direction will you travel if you go from Triplicane to Chintadripet?
– Where are these two industrial areas in Madras: Manali and Sembiam?
– Locate the Town Hall, King’s Barracks and the Grand Arsenal in the rough sketch map (alongside) of Fort St. George.
Receiving the first copy of the book was one of the founders of the Association, Visharda Hoon, who during a lifetime of principalships never once forgot that she was a Geography teacher first and last.
*****
When the postman knocked…
* Referring to Sudharma and its owner Sir P.S. Sivaswami Iyer (PSS) whom I had mentioned in (Miscellany, April 7), Viswanathan Venkataraman who grew up as a neighbour writes from the U.S. to say the grand property was sold to Krishnaswami Naidu, son-in-law of G. Raghavel Naidu, a leading timber merchant, and it was from them that Anatharamakrishnan of the Amalgamations group acquired the property. In the Naidu period, when a large joint family occupied the house, the children of the colony had free access to the gardens and tennis courts of Sudharma. But all that was out of bounds to them in Sir P S S’s time. He was a widower in his 90s at the time referred to by Venkataraman and would stroll around his garden every day accompanied by his Man Friday, Gopala Iyer, the only other occupant of the mansion. After he sold Sudharma, Sir PSS moved into a smaller house on the road opposite, then Sullivan’s Garden Road, located behind what was till recently the main Nilgiris store in Madras but which is now Waitrose London. Sir PSS passed away there.
* Recent references to philanthropist Chinnaswamy Rajam in the Press, after the release of a book about the founder of the Madras Institute of Technology, reminded him of another Rajam, writes A. Raman from New South Wales, Ramakrishna Venkata Rajam (RVR). Their paths might well have crossed, he adds. R.V. Rajam, Raman recalls, was a student of Charles Donovan (of leishmaniasis fame) at Madras Medical College and later made the Venereology Clinic at MMC a world-class institute. R.V. Rajam, who passed away just a few months short of his 100th birthday, was the first Indian Dean of Madras Medical College. RVR was also a successful general medicine practitioner whose protégé was K.S. Sanjivi who founded the Voluntary Health Services Hospital. Raman describes RVR, Sanjivi and B. Ramamurthi, the leading neurosurgeon of the day, as a “closed intellectual circle”.
* With the hotel industry in the doldrums — I can think of no other explanation for what is happening — well-known hotels are being — or are scheduled to be – pulled down. They include Dasaprakash, a legendary name, Breeze, a favourite of Sri Lankans for its authentic Sri Lankan cuisine, Aruna (which is mired in a legal dispute) and the Marriott even before it opened. Will others follow, wonders J. Francis. I wouldn’t be surprised at all, unless The New York Times’ listing of Madras as one of the Top 50 destinations of 2014 materialises into footfalls worthy of such a ranking. Another reader wants to know whether any of these hotels would come under the purview of the Heritage Conservation Committee. I don’t think any of them would, except perhaps Dasaprakash for its splendid art deco architecture. But in its case a listing would be too late — it’s already gone, thus setting the trend.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Society> Madras Miscellany / by S. Muthiah / Chennai – April 20th, 2014
(Left) Rock art found in Theni district depicts men celebrating, perhaps after a hunting expedition, and some deer. (Right) Art showing bulls, fowl and deer./ Photo: P. Balamurugan / The Hindu
The paintings were done by prehistoric man with white kaolin
Rock art showing bulls with humps and without humps, deer, line drawings of a human being and jungle fowl and men celebrating perhaps after a successful hunt or a cattle raid have been found in two rock shelters in Tamil Nadu. Prehistoric man did them with white kaolin.
While one group of paintings can be dated to the Iron Age (circa 1500 BCE to circa 500 BCE), the second one may belong to the early historic age (circa fifth century BCE to circa third century CE).
P. Balamurugan, research scholar, Department of History, Pondicherry University, discovered them in March. He found them on the right bank of the river Vaigai, near Arugaveli village, seven km east of Mayiladumparai, in the Kadamalaikundu region of Andipatti taluk, Theni district.
The two rock shelters are in different locations on a small hill, forming part of the Western Ghats.
K. Rajan, Professor of History, Pondicherry University, said the two rock shelters are called “Chitrakalpudavu” in Tamil. ‘Chitram’ means painting, ‘kal’ is rock and ‘pudavu’ means shelter, he explained.
On the ceiling and inner wall of one shelter are painted bulls with and without humps, a bull lying on the ground, deer and jungle fowl. They have been depicted in a circular manner around a human figure.
While the bulls have been fully painted with white pigment, the human being and the jungle fowl are line drawings.
Dr. Rajan estimated that this group of paintings belong to the Iron Age.
The paintings in the other shelter show men with upraised hands, as if they are celebrating after a victorious hunt or a cattle raid. Among the paintings here are a deer and an animal with a long tail.
This group of rock paintings could belong to the early historic period, he said.
An Iron Age habitation mound, littered with black and red ware, is situated at the foothill of this site, suggesting that these paintings could have been executed by a proto-historic community, Dr. Rajan says.
Rock paintings were found during a recent field work in a rock shelter, Kutiraikattiputavu, that is, a shelter where horses are tied.
There are more than 120 rock art sites in Tamil Nadu. depicting hunting scenes, various animals, birds and geometric designs.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> S&T> Science / by T. S. Subramanian / Chennai – April 11th, 2014
Vaidyanatha Iyer Road in Shenoy Nagar is named after a great son of Madurai – A Vaidyanatha Iyer (1890 – 1955). Other city landmarks that are named after Iyer are Mela Vaidyanathapuram near Thathaneri and Keezha Vaidyanathapuram near Mahaboobpalayam. His statue, which is installed near the Meenakshi Temple, recalls his leadership in securing the entry of dalits to the popular temple on July 8, 1939. This act earned the wrath of the orthodox Brahmins who excommunicated him from his community. Known popularly as Madurai Iyer, he worked tirelessly for the upliftment of dalits.
Though belonging to Thanjavur, the Iyer family moved to Madurai during his childhood. Iyer studied at the Sethupathi School in Madurai, and later in Madura College. After graduating in Law he started his own practice and soon rose to become one of the reputed lawyers of his time.
Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, Iyer participated in the Indian Freedom Movement and took up the cause of dalits. Mu Chidambara Bharathy (54), provincial Congress committee member and state convener of the OBC wing of Congress in Madurai, said Iyer and his wife Akilandammal worked in the slums on weekends. Over a period, they turned out to be the foremost champions of dalits in the city. Iyer organized the historical temple entry movement which is commemorated ever year here.
“As he led the dalits into Meenakshi temple, orthodox Brahmins locked the temple for three days. They installed “Balameenakshi’ (Infant Meenkshi) on Tamil Sangam Road and filed a court case against the temple entry. C Rajagopalachari, the premier of Madras Presidency, intervened and passed a special ordinance turning temple entries legal. “Rajaji’s special ordinance could be termed as an achievement of Iyer because the government led by him collapsed shortly and the temple entry bill would have not come up later,” Bharathy mentioned.
“When Iyer passed away in 1955, dalits thronged the funeral in large numbers and mourned his death more than others,” he remembered.
As MLA representing Melur from 1946 to 1951 he was popular, especially among dalits in the constituency. The Harijan Sevalaya in Shenoy Nagar came up during the joint efforts of Iyer, noted Gandhian N M R Subburaman, woman Congress leader Thayammal and the TVS Group. N Pandurangan, a 77-year-old Congress functionary residing in Shenoy Nagar, said the free hostel for dalit students benefitted many. Former Tamil Nadu Minister P Kakkan and former Melur MP Maruthiah were its inmates.
“When Shenoy Nagar was created in 1951, the streets there were named after Iyer and Kakkan. TVS Group used to operate buses on the wide streets there,” Pandurangan recalled. “Iyer was a simple man and stood for the cause of dalits till his last breath,” he noted.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / J. Arockiaraj -TNN / April 13th, 2014
