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Registered with the Reg. No. TN/CH(C)/374/12-14 Registrar of Newspapers Licenced to post without prepayment for under R.N.I. 53640/91 Licence No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-506/12-14 Rs. 5 per copy (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS INSIDE • Short ‘N’ Snappy • Tamil film success • Two pages of medical history • The T’Nagar gardens • Watching the soaps

Vol. XXII No. 21 MUSINGS February 16-28, 2013 A crawl to list heritage sites (By The Editor) he CMDA and its Heritage Conservation Committee have finally spoken on Theritage. Three years after the HCC was set up for the purpose of going into the list of 400-and-odd buildings that were ordered by the High Court of Madras to be listed under heritage status, it has announced that it is finalising a list of 70 buildings that may merit consideration for protection. Conservation and preservation are a long way off, as this list is now to go through a long process of public debate and may undergo changes. It is all too little and too late. There have been listings of heritage buildings in Madras, going back to the 1990s. INTACH, a body that is now, it would appear, persona non grata with the Govern- ment, had compiled the first listing and had submitted it with detailed documents to the Government. This was duly filed after vague promises. Much water has since then flown down the Cooum and the latest list was the one put together by the Justice Padmanabhan Committee in connection with large outdoor hoardings and had around 460 buildings. That list was the enumeration that Justice Prabha Sridevan used in her landmark judgement concerning Bharat Insurance Building as a consequence of which the HCC was formed. The Committee was given the mandate to go through the list, decide on whether gradings suggested by the Justice Padmana- bhan Committee were acceptable to it and then offer guidelines for protecting the “The Cupid thing is all so outdated. Why don’t you try adding her as your friend on Facebook!” buildings. However, the HCC had for reasons best known to itself set about making another list. At the end of three years, it has Now, a glass-fronted building now decided that 70 buildings may be worthy of protection. As to the methodology used for the in the heart of heritage! enumeration and what the con- siderations were for including a building in the list, the HCC is he poor old Fort! If there is maintained all along and deve- the Archaeological Survey of In this connection, it should silent. The contents of the list Tany heritage precinct that loped cracks within fifteen years India and the Heritage Conser- be pointed out that the Indian are yet to be made public but it is sure to have an identity crisis, of construction. It was then vation Committee of the National Trust for Arts and is understood that it comprises it is this one. First was the ding- given a facelift, with a frontage CMDA gave their approval for Cultural Heritage (INTACH), around 42 public buildings. dong battle on the location of that claimed to be Chola tradi- its restoration. The building, it Chennai Chapter, has observed This in a city that as per inde- the Assembly. Then came the tion for inspiration. A couple of is understood, has been labelled that the building had no place pendent lists has more than 400 attempt at getting it listed for years ago, the building once as an example of early modern in the heritage precinct that the heritage structures! World Heritage Status that again began showing signs of construction in the city and, Fort is and, therefore, ought to The story does not end here went nowhere. Now the latest weakness. At that time, with therefore, worthy of preserva- be demolished at once as it for heritage structures. The is that the Namakkal Kavingnar the new Secretariat on Mount tion. And this has been blessed completely dwarfs the most CMDA plans to follow a time- Maligai located in the Road supposedly becoming the by the ASI and the HCC, important structure of the State consuming process of public Fort, which is undergoing a – the Legislative consultation during which it Rs. 28 crore restoration, will Assembly. That observation plans to invite the owners of the have a glass front! Nothing G went unheeded. buildings and explain the heri- more incongruous can be by A Special Correspondent Now the latest is the glass tage value of the structures in imagined. front. It is learnt that the build- their possession. It will record In the first place, the build- ing will be airconditioned and their assent/objections, if any, ing ought to have never been apple of everyone’s eye, the neither of which, it is necessary given a full plate-glass exterior. and then forward its recommen- constructed within the Fort. It building was left as it was. to point out, has any jurisdic- Is airconditioning really neces- dations to the State Govern- was constructed around 35 It came into the limelight tion over the building. If the sary in a power-starved State? ment, which will then notify the years ago, at a time when aware- when Assembly and Secretariat ASI had gone by the rulebook, And has any thought been final list of buildings as having ness on matters concerning shifted back into the Fort. A such a building would have given as to how this will fit in heritage status. Given the way heritage was lower than what it high profile launch of the resto- never been allowed to be built with the centuries-old Fort that things have moved on heritage is now. Two notified buildings ration of this building was held inside the Fort and if the HCC surrounds this building? It thus far, all this is likely to take were demolished to make way and work got underway. A show did not behave like a hand- makes you wonder as to what forever. And, above all, there is for it and it stands, a sore thumb of consulting relevant depart- maiden of the CMDA, it ought justifications will be given for not even a mention of a sticking out in the Fort. ments and INTACH was made. to know that this building is not preserving this glass front as and Heritage Act, the creation of Constructed in the best PWD The Chola frontage, it is under- a heritage structure by any yard- when the building needs repairs (Continued on page 8) tradition, it was poorly stood, was the basis on which stick. again in future. CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS February 16-28, 2013 Tamil films The birds of Oz... – alive he Man from Madras T Musings couldn’t believe his eyes. The whole thing re- minded him of the nursery and kicking rhyme, which if you recollect went this way: t is only one of two Tamil movies to cross the Rs.100 crore mark. When Mary had a little lamb The Doctor was surprised IAnd it did in quicker time. I am talking about A.R. Murugadoss’ But when Old MacDonald had . a farm For sure, Sun Pictures made by Shankar stays the all- He couldn’t believe his eyes! time top grosser for both Tamil and films at ovcr Rs.375 MMM was more or less in crore against a budget of Rs.160 crore. Thuppakki was made on a the position of the doctor, for, slimmer budget because it was shot wholly in Chennai and walking in front of him, on a . Speaking of the success of Thuppakki, Murugadoss, who busy thoroughfare of this other incidentally is the first director to have any film cross the Rs.100 Eden, viz, our Madras that is ... now the emus of Madras crore mark with Ghajini in Hindi, said: “I am happy and I now look Chennai, was a pair of emus (Or are they Emi? But since the cheap and so trained them caught between the wheels, forward to Rs. 200 crore collections.” that reminds MMM of Equal to forage in garbage dumps, the pig spells economic disas- Thuppakki has a racy story that takes the hero, military intelli- Monthly Instalments and his which is precisely what the two ter. Apparently, any vehicle gence officer, , on a roller coaster ride in Mumbai while borrowings, MMM will refer to emus were doing. Shortly dashed against by a pig is prac- uncovering a terrorist plot and bringing the mastermind down. All them as emus). What these thereafter they also began tear- tically unsaleable according to this while on a holiday in Mumbai to get married. The film’s success flightless birds from what we so ing wall posters with their Chennai tradition. The thing has prompted Murugadoss to look for a sponsor to re-make the incorrectly call Down Under beaks and then chewing them may as well be gifted to the pig film in Hindi with as the hero. were doing here and how they up (the posters and not the for future use. MMM asked as Today, be it Hindi or Tamil, films get to know in four days flat came a-calling in the city (they beaks). The birds were evi- to what would happen if the whether they would make a killing, or break even or go down the could have hardly flown, and dently going local. Given their seller just kept silent about the height, they could easily reach attraction his vehicle had for tube. Shrewd marketing techniques coupled with additional out- walking all the way is out of question) were mysteries that the taller posters, the ones re- pigs. That would never do. It lays on advertising and promotion are the keys to ensure the pro- MMM was not equal to solv- served for the pater, mater, was the mandated duty of the ducer not only recoups his investment but also makes a good profit. ing. Had the Chief – who is for- frater, soror and the rest of our seller to inform the buyer that While Hindi movies have a pan-India appeal, Tamil films are ever buzzing off to Oz, coming rival ruling clans. Other ani- his vehicle was once in a rela- regional and appeal only to a limited audience. So if a Tamil film back and writing books, giving mals looked on with envy. tionship with a pig. In makes Rs.100 crore in the first four days of the week worldwide, it’s talks and being the Wizard for Chennai, the truth is still spo- an extraordinary achievement. all practical purposes – ken on occasion. * * * brought in a couple of eggs, SHORT ’N’ MMM’s favourite animal Let’s look at some of the top grossers of in the last watched them hatch and then story is not from Chennai but from Kolkata where he once two years. Barring Thuppakki and Enthiran, no Tamil film has turned them out on to the SNAPPY streets? When confronted, he lived. And MMM can assure breached the Rs.100 crore mark in collections. However, quite a denied it all hotly and asked you it is a true story and it was few have come close to it and made bumper profits. rather testily whether he had in all the papers when MMM the time to sit on eggs till they MMM decided to be cau- was a (cherubic) child. The tious and so photographed the camel from a touring circus G hatched. by T.N. Ashok Further enquiries revealed avian pair from a distance. He ran off one night and the that rearing emus is now the had read somewhere that the trainer got on to an elephant The biggest success was made by director Hari for in-thing in this land of ours. emu could be lethal with its to give it chase. This contin- Reliance Big Pictures and Studio Green. Against a modest invest- Everyone, from aged grand- legs. It was only much later ued for quite some distance till ment of Rs. 15 crore, it raked in a whopping Rs.65 crore. Only two mother to budding software that he realised that it was the the camel, tiring of it all, came other films – AVM Studios’ Ayan made by director .V. Anand, engineer with some surplus ostrich that was known for the to a halt beside a temple. The about diamond smuggling from Africa to India, and Sivaji Films’ cash, is investing in emu, some kick of death. elephant soon caught up but was so excited at seeing the starring Rajnikanth as a psychiatrist cracking a mys- on emi basis. Everyone short of the Chief and MMM that is. Animal Farm camel that it trumpeted. That tery about a woman who is possessed (Bhool Bulaiya in Hindi) – Though why the Chief is not stirred the camel like an egg made huge returns for the producers. While Ayan netted Rs.60 into it beats MMM, ‘coz he is nce inspired, The Man whisk and off it went once crore against an investment of Rs.15 crore, Chandramukhi made that taken up with anything O from Madras Musings is more, with the elephant and Rs.65 crore against an investment of Rs.25 crore, the only real Ozzie. But to get back to the unstoppable and the emus rider in hot pursuit. Traffic major cost being actor Rajnikanth’s fees. matter of the emu. Apparently, have encouraged him no end. came to a halt and most Some top grossers in Tamil invested heavily to get returns: emu (not to be confused with Do any of you readers, rather schools declared a holiday. ’s Dasavatharam earned Rs.94 crore against an the ostrich) grows fat (rather like Old MacDonald, realise The dromedary was eventually that we now have an addition investment of Rs.60 crore as it was shot in the USA. Red Giant’s like Indian software engineers) cornered by the tusker and and lays eggs (also like Indian to our animal family? So far in brought home, but the police (owned by DMK supremo Karunanidhi’s son Alagiri and grand- Chennai we have seen cows, th software engineers if you con- were not amused. Chennai is sons) Ezhaam Arivu (7 Sense) made by Murugadoss earned only sider the number of dud pigs, dogs, goats, horses and relatively a tame place but Rs.90 crore against a large investment of Rs. 80 crore, major costs softwares doing the rounds) the occasional elephant. Now MMM is quite hopeful that being accounted for by location shooting in and for most of their lives. Every we have the emu. The bird will the emu will stir matters up. besides actor Surya’s fees. Venkat Prabhu’s Mangatha, a masala part of the emu is marketable, no doubt add its droppings to movie that pandered to Ajit’s fans, made by Cloud 9 Movies, made so the cognoscenti inform what is already a rich mixture Cattle class of multifarious dungs, includ- Rs.68 crore against an investment of Rs.30 crore. Shankar’s MMM, everything from toe to hat if you recollect was a Anniyan, about a schizophrenic out to rid society of corruption, feather (unlike software engi- ing that of the human variety. And now motorists, who be- Tterm that once got a earned for Oscar Films Rs. 56 crore against an investment of Rs. 38 neers who may have toes but Minister, contemplating fresh not marketable ones and defi- long to the highest and most crore. And by M.R. Raja, also for Oscar Films, made evolved category among ani- matrimony, into considerable Rs.60 crore against an investment of Rs.45 crore. nitely not feathers anyway, acrimony But what The Man though several do feather their mals that survive on roads, can These films show that like , Kollywood has entered a begin working on how to in- from Madras Musings wishes nests rather well). There is an- to highlight is that cattle are new phase where shrewd marketing techniques and gimmicks other school of thought that corporate the emu into the ensure a film’s success at the box office. food chain. As to who will ulti- back on Chennai roads in claims that emu marketing is a quite large numbers. A very * * * scam of the first water and all mately consume whom is a matter of conjecture. Will the early Worship who is now be- For long, the film industry was not eligible for bank loans as it that you are left with are un- ing groomed for taking over as was not an organised industry. Overseas markets were not paid emi. emu teach the other animals a thing or two when it comes to hereditary head of his estab- developed. The multiplex and mall culture were absent. Only the Perhaps the owner of the lishment, rather as in a mon- two emus that MMM saw traffic management? Only time single theatre concept existed. Producers had to borrow at high will tell. astery, was dead against them. rates of interest from usurious money-lenders and sometimes from walking along was one of the But his successors have taken latter school and had aban- Talking about accidents in- dubious sources to finance their films. A film had to do 100 days at volving animals, MMM is in- a worshipful attitude as far as doned them to the roads of these animals are concerned, the box office to ensure investor returns. Chennai. What harm can a formed that while the dog is Until recently, the Hindi and the Tamil film industry also perhaps the most dangerous, leaving them undisturbed. The couple of extra vagrants do, emu has company. produced films only for local audiences and had to pack features could be his view. Or perhaps for it has a tendency to dart that attract audiences to the single theatres which usually had he was out to get them fat on forward suddenly and get – MMM (Continued on page 7) February 16-28, 2013 MADRAS MUSINGS 3

TheThe best of the greetings received for 2013 BERI origins

ith reference to the ar January February March April Wticle ‘The story of migra- tions eastwards” (MM, Febru- ary 1st), there are many names of mountains, rivers and places in Papua New Guinea that are akin to the Dravidian and San- skrit words. I have also found that people from two places in Africa bearing the name Beri have settled in countries in Eu- rope and Asia. In some places they have modified the names 26 Republic Day 14 Valentine’s Day 29 Good Friday 1 April Fool’s Day but with the root word Beri. There is a community called May June July August BERI (Chetty) in Tamil Nadu. They appear to have their com- munity name from the place of their origin. On searching the Web for the places having the name BERI, I have found ten places, one each in Bangladesh, Chad, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Serbia and Montenegro. But there is not a place in Tamil Nadu bearing 25 Buddha Poornima 16 Father’s Day 1 Doctor’s Day 15 Independence Day the name “BERI”. Further re- search is called for. September October November December S.N. Mahalingam P 64-A, Kalamegam Street Extn. SBI Colony II Street Kamarajapuram, Chennai 600 073 Editor’s Note: Beri Chetties are from Andhra, who settled in Tondaimandalam among other places. The power crisis t is no surprise to learn from 9 Vinayaka Chaturthi 2 Gandhi Jayanthi 3 Deepavali 25 Christmas the article in MM, February I G 1st, that the TNEB is burdened The best of the greetings we received wishing us a Happy New Year was the front page of a 2013 table calendar from Forum Art Gallery. – The Editor with accumulated losses of over Rs 50000 crore. But to say that the generating capacity is State had installed capacity of million units (MU) in 2000/01 MU, during the same period of Mylapore’s judges and 10,000 MW is not fully correct, 7,513 MW during 2000/01 and and 25,639 MU in 2010/11, and there are reports to say they lawyers, the following may be as it excludes over 7,000 MW this went up by a meagre 10,237 while the purchases of power bought them even at Rs 7 per noted: of wind and remewable energy MW by 2010/11, but what was from Central Government, etc. unit, while at the same time None of Alladi’s sons-in-law (RE). More importantly, the generated was only 25,147 rose from 16,617 MU to 49,351 buying wind power at Rs. 3.05 became a High Court judge. and selling it to consumers at Rs Umamaheswaram was his 4.99 per unit. brother-in-law, and he was Clive Hostel memories Talking in terms of MW appointed to the Madras High alone does not make sense as Court just before the formation . Siram’s lively notes (MM, January 16th ) 1943, a handsome two-storeyed building was what really matters is how many on the landmarks of Trichy brought to erected, which now presents such a horrendous of and then went V million units we can get per to the Andhra High Court in mind fond memories of my collegiate days there. facade. MW per year, as there is great I was one of the handful of fortunate hostellers, Please permit me also to add the following Guntur on its formation. amount of variation depending who was for two years successively allotted the information relating to the Christ Church, Krishnaswami Raosaheb was same room in Clive Hostel. We occupied the Trichy. It is certainly not the second oldest An- on the source of power and elevated block on the left, Teppakulam always glican Church, East of Suez. Following St.Mary’s other reasons. Here are some made Cabinet Secretary by in our sight and surrounded by the ambience of (1680) in Fort St. George, Chennai, St.Anne’s averages for the year 2010/11 Indira Gandhi in 1981 and con- all the hustle and bustle of the neighbourhood. Church at Kolkata was established in 1709. for Tamil Nadu. tinued in the post with Rajiv We were told that at one point of time the block When Siraj-Ud-Daula marched to Kolkata Thermal Power 6.42 MU/year Gandhi till February 1985 when was known as Pigeon’s Loft. against the British in 1756, he completely de- Thermal Power, he retired and went on to My taste for history made me seek the fol- stroyed it. What is at present called St.Thomas Central, become an Executive Director lowing information about Clive’s life from our Cathedral in Mumbai was consecrated in 1718. Purchases 6.83 MU/year of the World Bank. Warden, none other than the venerable Following the demolition of St.Anne’s in Hydro-Electric Fr.Thomas Sequeira. After his retirement as Kolkata, St.John’s Church in the Old Fort at Viswanatha Sastri was never Principal of Loyola College, he shifted to Kolkata was founded in 1760. Power 2.33 MU/year a judge of the Andhra High Trichy; he was also our Professor of English. Rev.Schwartz, unarguably the most distin- Windmill Power 1.48 MU/year Court. He retired from the According to the information gleaned from him, guished of the European missionaries in India, Solar Power Madras High Court at the age it was as early as in 1883 that some sort of hos- spent a total of 48 years here, without a single (estimated) 1.20/1.30 MU/year of 60 in 1951, two years before tel accommodation was organised at Clive’s. But furlough. He was the first one to introduce vac- The 2010/11 average for Andhra State was formed. it soon failed. A new attempt was made in 1893 cination against small-pox in India, in 1794. The Tamil Nadu is 2.5 MU/year. Bhaktavatsalam’s house was to cater only to the Brahmin students. Then government then followed suit. He passed away Obviously there are serious number 11 N. Mada Street and from 1898, the admission into the hostel was exactly 215 years ago (February13). He is also lapses and the economics has was well away from S. Rama- made open for all. The hostel was housed in the commemorated in St.Peter’s Church, not been worked out for de- old buildings which were part of a property (in addition to St.Mary’s, Madras). chandra Iyer’s residence. Next called The Colony. It was associated, of course, P.S: A representation of the Rock Fort is to cades. to Number 11 was the house of with Clive and his establishment. A separate be found on a memorial tablet to Maj.Stringer K. V. S. Krishna S. Muthiah Mudaliar who was a mess section for the students was Lawrence (Clive’s Commander) in Westminster [email protected] Justice Party Minister. opened in 1910. By 1913, most of the old build- Abbey, . ings were levelled to the ground and new rooms Rev. Philip K. Mulley For the record K. V. Ramanathan came up around the then “quadrangle”. By Anaihatti Road, Kotagiri - 643 217, The Nilgiris. egarding V. Sriram’s [email protected] R contribution to the subject 4 MADRAS MUSINGS February 16-28, 2013 February 16-28, 2013 MADRAS MUSINGS 5

Dr. S.M. Trasi. There was no X- Ray Department but there were First Indian doctor Dental and Venereal Disease Two pages of Medical History Departments. An additional block of 104 beds with a clinical school (Bryson School) attached with foreign degree to it was built at a cost of Rs 3,82,135 and opened by Gover- he name ‘Senjee Pulney though he suffered castigation by From kanji thotti hospital nor Lord Willingdon on TÃndy’ appears prominently his relatives for ‘crossing the 1.1.1924, followed by a new OP in the pages of 19th Century Ma- seas’, a taboo of the Hindus of Department at a cost of Rs dras medical history. I met one the time. According to Ravi, af- 2,05,180 opened by Lady to one of excellence Willingdon . of his descendants, Ravi Senji, ter serving the Madras Govern- in Madras a few months ago. ment, Ãndy returned to the UK A second nurses’ block to ac- Ravi shared many biographical unable to tolerate social rejec- he auto I’m travelling in is fact that voluntary contributions Ward was similarly met from a commodate 20 nurses was details of Pulney Ãndy (hereaf- tion in Madras, married an En- Trickety and falling apart, and had diminished and that funds donation from Governor Napier. opened on February 15, 1932. In ter, Ãndy). Ravi Senji is the fifth glishwoman, and died in the UK our travels into the dusty, con- for the Infirmary needed to be In 1882, the Raja of Viziana- August 1935, Capt. P. Krishna- generation descendant of a in September 1909. Ãndy had a gested and uneven north increased. It requested the grant garam defrayed the expenses for revived the proposal for Chennai roads make it even of a village for its permanent sup- bringing water from Red Hills to construction of a Septic Block. brother of Ãndy. According to son, Stephen Ãndy who, accord- Monegar Choultry. Ravi, one of their earlier ances- ing to Ravi, lived in Pondicherry, more bone-shaking. Karuppan, port. A suggestion was made to the hospitals. In the 1880s, the The plans/estimates were pre- tors served in the army of Raja of and a daughter. Ãndy was my ‘chauffeur’, affirms rather amalgamate the Monegar Rajah Sir Ramaswamy Mudaliar good fortune to possess – Sur- not begun then and if the build- pared by Consulting Architect Gingee (Senji, Senjee) and, in elected a Fellow of the Linnean emphatically, but quite disquiet- Choultry and Native Infirmary Lying-in Hospital was added, geon General William Banner- ing had not been pressed at a fe- Jacob Fernandez and Govern- recognition of a heroic deed, this Society, London, on June 20, ingly, “Stanley aspathirikka and the two were consolidated named after its donor. A sur- mann and Sir Alexander Car- verish pace during 1914, the ment sanctioned Rs.1,40,000 on ancestor was honoured with per- 1861, with the famous botanist poganum? Accidentinna naanga on November 1, 1809. geon, an apothecary and a super- dew, then Under Secretary.” Great War would certainly have January 22, 1937. The same year, mission to use Senji as a part of Dr. Senjee Pulney Ãndy. George Bentham chairing the angethan povom!” (Want to go The new institution was des- intendent were appointed by Two big factors favouring a stopped completely, if it had not Government “was pleased to to Stanley Hospital? For all acci- ignated ‘The Madras Infirmary 1889. sanction the construction of the the family’s name. This letter clarifies two proceedings. new hospital were the availability considerably hampered, the dent cases, we go there only!). and Native Poor Asylum’, and a In 1910, on reference through Hope Block of 112 beds and 2 Ãndy was born in Trichi- points: (1) that PA had qualified UStA have archived (in the of a large tract of land close by whole project. If it had not been Stanley is one of the oldest cen- surgeon “on salary of 80 pagodas the Surgeon General of the Gov- Operation Theatres at a cost of nopoly in 1831. He studied in in medicine in MMC before he ‘Cleghorn Papers’ file) seven let- for building purposes and, more for the students in the old bullet tres in India for medical treat- and palankeen allowance of 20 ernment of Madras, the Board Rs. 2½ lakh.” Madras Christian College (‘First proceeded to the UK, and (2) his ters from Ãndy (5 Noel Street, crucially, the existence on part of factory, I am pretty certain that ment and education, the seeds pagodas appointed”. At that of Directors transferred the Na- Four in-patient wards to ac- Examination in Arts’ class?), purpose of travelling there. Sev- Islington, London) to Cleghorn, it of what was the Auxiliary nothing like the present for it having been sown as early point, there was also “an Idiots tive Infirmary (with an endow- commodate 92 patients were not then in the Madras Medical Col- eral letters were thereafter ex- dated between November 21, Royapuram Medical School Royapuram Hospital could ever as 1797 by the East India Com- Asylum, a Lazaretto or Leper ment of Rs. 66,887-13-5 to the long afterwards constructed, lege (MMC), when Hugh Fran- changed between Ãndy and 1860, and February 5, 1861. In (1877), which trained compoun- have come into existence!” pany. Hospital, and a Foundling ward control of the Government. equipped and occupied. The cis Clarke Cleghorn was Profes- Gibson in the context of Ãndy’s the letter dated November 21, ders and sub-assistant surgeons. On December 19, 1913, Gov- With nearly 1300 beds for in- for the accommodation of pau- When the Government ac- Out-Patient Block was expanded sor of Botany and Materia Medica interest in appearing for the In- Ãndy describes how he had to Department of Surgical Gastro- In 1913, there were 250 or so ernor Pentland laid the founda- patient treatment, the hospital per children”. It was urged by the quired the Monegar Choultry with the construction of an addi- there. Cleghorn, a medical doc- dian Medical Service examina- ask for financial help from his enterology, the first in India to pupils in the school, which had tion stone for the Royapuram now has an out-patient atten- Board of Directors of Monegar site for the construction of what tional wing for an operation the- tor from Scotland, developed tion. This, however, never people in Madras: no help came perform a successful liver trans- minimal facilities (only two low Hospital and Medical School. dance of around 5000 patients a atre, ENT, medical, surgical and Forestry as a science in the Ma- materialised. forth except a threat that if he plant, is also the first among hos- power microscopes for teaching Costing Rs. 3,56,750, the new day, a unique 8-storey surgical pitals/hospital departments in dental departments and a dis- dras Presidency and elsewhere in ‘Medical News’ (in The Lan- does not preserve caste, they will and one with an oil immersion buildings were completed in complex equipped to perform up India to obtain the ISO 9001 cer- pensary. A separate maternity India. Cleghorn’s influence on cet, October 1860) lists “Pulney offer no help. In this letter, he G lens kept under lock and key for 1917. The first of them, the to 40 surgeries simultaneously, a by Shobha Menon hospital, the RSRM Lying-In Ãndy seems to have been im- Ãndy, Senjee, Madras” , along indicates his preference to work tification! Stanley Medical Col- the use of District Surgeons!). Pentland Block, was opened by separate paediatrics block with Hospital, was built close by at a mense. Between November 1860 with 35 others, as having quali- as a civil and not as a military lege is rated one among the top The old building which ac- Lord Pentland on July 17..1917, all specialities under one roof, cost of Rs. 20 lakh, and the and February 1861, Ãndy wrote fied for the MD of UStA. Ãndy surgeon on his return to India; he medical colleges in the country, commodated 51 beds for men and it provided beds for 72 men, and the RSRM Hospital at- women’s medical wards were lo- seven letters to Cleghorn. In his also qualified for Membership of seeks advice from Cleghorn on its Institute for Research and Re- Choultry “that the Charity be re- it decided to call the Govern- and 24 for women was inspected 72 women and 16 children. tached for obstetrics and cated there. A steam laundry at letter dated November 21, 1860, the Royal College of Surgeons of his work preference. His letter of habilitation of Hand and the De- lieved of charge of the surgeon’s ment Royapuram Hospital, a line by Governor Lord Carmichael in The first proposal for addi- he narrates that he arrived in December 15 is a polite reminder gynaecology care. Its Depart- partment of Plastic Surgery salary as the Infirmary had be- of buildings was built by Govern- January 1912 who condemned tional accommodation was sent a cost of Rs. 7.5 lakh was con- England at the end of May to Cleghorn seeking his response ment of Urology performs up to (IRRH & DPS), one of the best come the hospital for the entire ment to house the choultry in the whole place as being “thor- in 1919 for constructing Septic structed to get patients’ clothes G by A. Raman (1860?) and got his MD at the to his (PA) letter of November fifty kidney transplants a year. Its centres in South and Southeast population of Black Town and the neigbouring Rajah of oughly unsuitable, antiquated and Chronic Wards with 198 washed properly and as fre- University of St Andrew’s [email protected] 21, 1860. In the letter of Decem- Asia. really paid for what Government Venkatagiri compound. and not in keeping with the mod- beds. After a good deal of corre- quently as possible. By April 25, ([UStA], Scotland, in Septem- ber 18, he thanks Cleghorn for An early record notes that the itself provided in other locali- It has been recorded that “the ern requirements of a hospital” spondence, the Government 1939, Government had sanc- ber (1860-?). He lived during the England (MRCS) in 1861. He the reply; he states that his inter- Government Stanley Medical ties.” In July 1858, the request Superintendent of the Choultry and sanctioned in its place the sanctioned only a ground floor of tioned another Rs. 95,000 for a time in Islington, London. He was not a Fellow of the Royal view with Earl de Gray enabled From famine College and Hospital originated was accepted. Mr Coshan was indirectly re- construction of an up-to-date in- 52 beds at a cost of Rs. 1,55,000. first floor construction to meet qualified for his MD five months College of Surgeons of England, him to appear for the Diploma in as what was called the Native Various additions were made sponsible for the coming up of stitution. This led to Govern- But it did not go through for the increasingly enormous over- after his Medicinae Baccalaureus as mentioned in some docu- Surgery examination (MRCS to succour Infirmary. This was the result of to the Native Infirmary from the hospital in a way. His array ment sanctioning Rs, 3 lakh for many reasons, financial strin- crowding. Bed strength also rose et Chirurgiae Magister (MBCM) ments. On his return to India, examination). In that letter he Asst. Surgeon John Holen 1868. Four new wards with 40 of facts, and lucid representation construction of a medium hospi- gency being one of them. In from 462 to 724. from MMC. MBCM is the 19th Ãndy was appointed as the Su- also seeks Cleghorn’s help in se- n 1781, Madras experi- Underwood proposing in 1797 beds for female patients were of statistics formed the basis of tal with 135 beds and an up-to- 1921, the Nurses’ Quarters were Dr. N.S. Narasimhan recalls Century equivalent of MBBS, perintendent of Vaccination in curing a certificate of attendance I enced one of the worst fam- the creation of a hospital and dis- constructed. The Northcote statements that completely con- date operation theatre. constructed at a cost of Rs. in a souvenir the happy period of which was offered at MMC from Calicut, a specially created posi- (at MMC—?) for the Diploma in ines in its history, affecting pensary in the premises of the Wards, two model wards, for vinced authorities that a new Lt Col R. Bryson, FRCS (ap- 1,09,890 to accommodate 15 his service in the Royapuram tion as the Malabar region had one-third of the population. Monegar Choultry. When he of- Hospital and Medical School 1857. Between 1850 and 1857 Surgery examination in the UK. Black Town, the most densely males and females were fur- Hospital was indicated.” By a pointed as Surgeon in 1913, and staff nurses and 17 probationers. [1857 is the year of start of the the highest numbers of fatalities The letter of January 3, 1861 re- fered to construct the buildings nished at Rs. 1000 received from stroke of good fortune, affairs at later Superintendent of A surgical museum of instru- from 1919 to 1929. “Initially, the populated and poorest quarter OP Department consisted of the University of Madras] the degree due to pox diseases in the Ma- flects his distress because of the of the city, was most badly hit. himself on government-provided Sir Stafford Northcote, then Sec- this juncture “were in the hands Royapuram Medical School ments soon came up. Some great ‘Graduate of MMC’ was awarded dras Presidency. remarks (considered malicious In 1782, the Government of land and “pay rental not exceed- retary of State, as donation. The of two of the greatest administra- years later), recorded in the 1963 names of the period were Dr. old Black Town dispensary, with to those qualified. In the 17th- Ãndy published a booklet by Ãndy) of a Madras examiner, and St ing 100 pagodas a month”, the cost of furnishing the Napier tors Madras had ever had the souvenir, “If the foundations had Nayudu, Dr. A. L. Mudaliar, and the name changed to George 19th Centuries, UStA awarded titled The protective influence of whom he identifies as D.R. Th- Mary’s Church in the Fort Government agreed, provided Town Dispensary under the Cor- the MD to those who demon- vaccination, which is cited in ompson (an army surgeon sta- jointly launched what was the operational cost was met by poration. The wards consisted of strated sound medical know- Stanley Wolpert’s Encyclopedia of tioned in Royapuram). In this perhaps the first-ever donations. With the hospital the first block in front with a ledge and practice, on the basis India, but I could not see the letter, Ãndy asks Cleghorn organised charity in India in a taking shape by 1799, block of four small wards behind original article. However, I have small building rented by the Underwood was appointed Su- the first block and an OT. The of a reference letter from a per- whether he could write to Dr Famine Relief Committee son of high standing and on the verified his other two publica- Shaw (whom I could not iden- perintendent of the 80-bed Infir- second block was opened by the tions: (i) On the use of margosa just outside the walls of Black Raja of Panagal. Two chronic payment of a fee. The process tify)* to rectify the unfavourable Town. As part of relief opera- mary which was to be subject to was conducted by post. leaves in small-pox published in impression the Thompson re- tions, kanji (rice gruel) was inspection by the Medical Board. wards, one male and one female, In a letter to the Director the Madras Quarterly Journal of marks would have made. The let- served to people in a thotti Support was forthcoming have at present been absorbed in General of the Army Medical Medical Science (1867), and (ii) ter of February 1 announces his (vessel) – and so the name from distinguished persons, like ophthal beds. The Medical Department (G. R. Gibson), On branched palms in southern In- obtaining his MRCS, achieved ‘kanji thotti’ choultry or the Nawab of Arcot, and busi- School building was in the London, dated November 20, dia published in the Transactions through written and oral exami- resthouse. This rented house ness houses. The sick were present blood transfusion ser- 1860, Ãndy says: “I am a native of of the Linnean Society of London nations. In the same letter he later became the Monegar treated in three different estab- vice. The RSRM Hospital was in India, and received my medical (1869). seeks financial help from Choultry, believed to be lishments, a dispensary for out- the present X-Ray Department. * * * named after a village head- patients, half a dozen sheds for Staff consisted of an IMS Super- education at Madras Medical Col- Cleghorn. The letter of Febru- man, a manugakkaran lege. On the faith of existing regula- Ravi Senji told me that Ãndy, ary 5 thanks Cleghorn for the in-patients and special wards for intendent for School and Hospi- (‘monegar’), who ran a gruel tal, an RMO for RSRM and tions as to age and qualifications for before he left Madras for the UK, money sent and also for other centre there for the destitute. chronic cases. Within a month of admission into Her Majesty’s Ser- had promised his mother that he kindnesses. Many years later, when formal establishment, the Infir- RMO for RH, besides lecturers vice in India, I came to England for would remain a Hindu during his Stanley Hospital came into mary had nearly 90 inpatients. By for different subjects and assis- the express purpose of competing for stay overseas. According to Ravi * Editor’s Note: The first principal of being in the same campus, lo- the end of 1807, the Committee tants. This reorganised scheme a medical commission in Her Ãndy kept his promise to his Madras Medical College. cals called it the ‘kanji thotti of the Native Infirmary repre- Majesty’s Indian forces.” mother until her death, even (Continued on page 8) hospital’! sented to Government on the New female medical block, 1964. New nurses’ quarters, 1964. (Continued on page 6) 6 MADRAS MUSINGS February 16-28, 2013

NOSTALGIA

(Current Affairs questions are from the period January 16th to 31st. Questions 11 to 20 pertain to Chennai and Tamil Nadu.) Oh, for those gardens! 1. In an announcement that could affect India, China has approved ore power to all those who gardeners who kept pesky Our house in the 1980s was and during visit there every three new hydropower dams on Mrelentlessly fight for flower plucking kids at bay and still the rigid crisscrossed Deepavali I got experimenting which mighty river? preserving the great landmarks believed gardening was all squares. An exhaustive search with propagation, and though I 2. Who retained their Australian of Madras! May their tribe about copious watering and of several nurseries revealed never succeeded, I never lost Open singles crowns recently? increase, but in our fight to occasional lashings of cowdung that even the plants of my hope. 3. Who was the State Guest at the Republic Day parade in New Delhi? keep the big buildings let us not manure provided by the milk- childhood had dropped out of Later in the 1990s, Mother 4. Name the respected US-based forget the quiet residential man down the road. favour! One was a yellow flower visited Cottingley and fell for the independent think tank that has streets that also contribute to Among the 24 houses on plant that had long stems with new craze of raised beds, or un- opened its India centre for public the beauty of this city. road, our garden and our long leaves and the other one dulations as they were called. policy research, with the likes of With a 4-year-old to keep neighbour’s garden were repre- that had yellow flowers and We couldn’t afford the charges Mukesh Ambani of Reliance and occupied, I have begun walks sentative samples. Our neigh- bloomed in the afternoon. of ‘Black Rose’, a garden de- Kris Gopalakrishnan of Infosys bour’s home, built originally by Those were the days of leisure. signer of those days and did it supporting the initiative. around the streets of T Nagar – 5. Which popular playback singer routes I traversed as a child but an Iyer who had made a fortune Our maid worked only in our ourselves. At that time we in- declined the Padma Bhushan citing which I now find overwhelmed belonged to Krishnan Mama house and Vijaya had her own troduced Money plants and she deserves the Bharat Ratna? with a rampant apartment cul- from , an engineer by favourite in the garden – widdelia and they ensured that 6. Name the Pakistani-American ture, I am all for apartments. profession and a plant lover by kanakamaram (Crossandra) for in a few years every other plant terrorist sentenced to 35 years in After all, we live in a society habit. The façade was hidden by her hair and “December poo” was overrun! prison by an US court for his role in that seeks to be as inclusive as several trees and the porch was (Barleria) that set out its mauve, Every other garden in our the 26/11 attack on Mumbai. possible. But I do wish apart- entirely made of two massive or white flowers in winter. I got road went through similar life 7. Which State capital city became, bougainvillea creepers, each high marks in school for my cycles and many of the owners on January 18th, the latest to host ments had greater aesthetic ap- an ODI in India? peal and greenery. What I miss several inches thick. Under- Bryophyllum, a fleshy leaved exchanged plants freely, one of 8. As part of the first demonstra- the most about the apartments neath them were the plants of succulent that sprouted new them even willing to share cut- tion of laser communication with a are the gardens. Madras that have disappeared leaves whenever the leaves tings of the more than ten dif- satellite at the Moon, scientists Grandfather built our house faster than our built heritage – touched the ground. Our home ferent “table roses”. As I walk with NASA’s Lunar Reconnais- in 1950 and, being a thrifty man down our road today it is heart- sance Orbiter (LRO) beamed who came from humble begin- wrenching that many of those which iconic image to the space- houses have become completely craft from Earth? nings, the first photo of our G Pradeep Chakravarthy house shows a level piece of concrete floors with no space 9. The Canadian company ‘Re- for even weeds. Fortunately at search In Motion’ has decided to land in front. He would have recalls old T’Nagar rename itself after its most famous certainly spent no money on least one home in Nair Road brand. What name? luxuries like plants but grand- still has the old garden un- 10. Name the European queen who touched by the 1980 modifica- mother must have got her way the once ubiquitous, but now was screened by the other old recently announced that she is ab- and a few “useful plants” were tions. This one has a more con- dicating in favour of her son, Prince rare crotons! If plants re- favourite – the false Ashoka added. The porch had two jas- ventional border with a lawn – Willem-Alexander. sembled their owners, Krishnan (Polyalthia longifolia) – the Sri the old crab grass one and not mine creepers, the front garden Mama’s certainly did, each one Lankan Mast tree. The spe- * * * reflected the Art Deco love for the 1990s’ craze of Korean tall and lanky searching for the ciality of the garden was, of grass. Another house, in 11. Which dish, synonymous with straight lines and intersections, few rays of sunlight that pen- course, crotons. We had only compartmentalised into four Jagadambal Street, lies vacant British Madras, is said to have been etrated the thick cover of trees. seven varieties but they were waiting for a fairy to bring it ‘invented’ by Col. Kenney-Herbert squares. Each intersection had To the side was a jackfruit tree lovely. Their leaves varied in at the Madras Club in the 19th a gooseberry tree (“useful for back to life; at least, it has space Century? that bore fruit at its base, but shape – big, small, thin, wide for a garden to be revived. Oth- pickles”), a parijata (flowers for the piece de resistance was the and even twisted (the wiggly- 12. What academic distinction worship), a rare jackfruit type ers have a few of the plants that with regard to education in Madras massive mango tree at the back, wiggly plant of my childhood), survived because they were that had a small fruit that could possibly much older than the and their colours just as diverse. was Dr. Cadambi Minakshi the first be cooked rather than eaten next to the wall, the popular to achieve in 1936? house. Unforgettable was the Many happy summer after- Pisonia-Acalypha combination is ripe (this was so close to the swing made of thick coir and a noons were spent trying to dis- 13. Name the Dutch castle that was road that not once did we get a still there, and some surely raised at Pulicat in 1610 and is now piece of a coconut leaf base – if cern “paintings” from the planted in the 1970s. Every- in ruins. fruit, with walkers stealing there is one reason I love this blotches of the leaves. It is a them!) and then coconut trees where else is concrete and, 14. Name the legal luminary, the city and will live nowhere else, matter of regret that hardly any (always in odd numbers). Fi- maybe, the odd coconut tree – first Indian to become a Judge of a it is the memory of the swing, of the nurseries has even one infinitely uninteresting – but if High Court, who has a bridge near nally to the side was an enthusi- especially in the summer today. An uncle in Mylapore Central Station named after him. astically flourishing bush of the home is gone, then, what months! had more than 25 different ones use is a garden? 15. Which institution for treatment Manoranjitham – it flowered and rehabilitation was founded in rarely but the fleshy flowers had 1928 by Dr. David Jacob Aaron an intoxicating fragrance. The Chowry-Muthu? backyard was surrendered to a 16. Which First Lady of Madras has mango and a curry leaf tree and From kanji thotti to excellence had a nursing home and estate in several places where we unsuc- (Continued from page 5) with persistent patent ductus structed Maternity Hospital Madras, an aerodrome in New cessfully tried a champaka tree. Delhi, and an island in Kochi, arteriosus. The girl is known to with bed strength of 275 at a I don’t remember my grandpar- named after her among many other was due to the work of Maj. be doing well and is now mar- cost Rs.32 lakh in June 1956. ents, but these plants that things? Gen. E.W.C. Bradfield, IMS. ried and has children.” The 1963 souvenir records in- meant so much to them gave 17. Which famous American au- Between 1937 and 1939, the On the recommendation of crease in bed strength which me ideas of how they may have thor made this comment about the new clinics opened included the general inspection commis- “‘now has 840 sanctioned beds stately Madras High Court build- looked and the kind of person- those for venereal, leprosy, den- sion of the University of Ma- besides accommodating 100 ings: “…a telling structure, pleas- alities they had – all of these ant to see. It has a proper look, as if tal, ear, nose & throat, and oph- dras, a new addition to the more extra patients.” being fanciful imaginations re- thalmic, and separate clinics Stanley Medical College came it belonged to the country”? served for boring afternoons! 18. What is at present located at were organised for Departments in the form of the newly con- (To be continued) Gopal Bagh, Mount Road, the resi- Before we moved in, the of Medicine, Surgery, TB, Der- dence of the Maharajah of Bobbili house was rented out to a matology, Electro-Cardiogra- who was Prime Minister of Madras? Gujarati couple who smothered phy and Orthopaedics. In an MADRAS MUSINGS ON THE WEB 19. In the yesteryear comedy hit the garden with colocasia. It’s a early record, Dr. R. Madras To Pondicherry, who played pity we took all those out later Mahadevan, Professor of Op- To reach out to as many readers as possible who share the roles of driver and conductor of and missed out on making erative Surgery, notes, “As far our keen interest in Madras that is Chennai, and in re- the bus? Patra, that yummy dish! as known from published sponse to requests from many well-wishers – especially 20. Name the resident of Chennai In the 1980s, gardens in our records the first successful heart from outside Chennai and abroad who receive their postal who is the oldest Test cricketer operation in India was done in copies very late – for an online edition. Madras Musings is alive from . road of elegant art deco bunga- lows hadn’t changed much, all Stanley Hospital on November now on the web at www.madrasmusings.com – THE EDITOR (Answers on page 8) of them presided over by 10, 1948, on a girl of 11 years February 16-28, 2013 MADRAS MUSINGS 7 ‘Pop’ goes the soap bubbles he lines on the ‘numeric realised who poured the oil on He: Why? Trepresentation of time’ dart the staircase. She (sighing): Why don’t you try into place, indicating that it’s ‘se- He: Who? watching? It isn’t hard to follow. rial’ time....no, make that ‘maha- She: The wicked sister-in-law. He (picking up his book): Nah... episode-mega-serial’ time. Now, He: Why? not interested. Brief silence. you are aware you aren’t really She: Because she wanted the Another clash of cymbals.... expected to participate; merely eldest daughter-in-law to fall He: What are they saying? And comply with a tacit request that down the staircase. why are they calling this one “Isn’t watching a blank TV screen so much more energising than watching you stay quiet, keeping all, if any, He: Why? Vimla? the soaps?” Shyamala....and it’s the snide remarks to yourself, thank She (drawing a deep breath, and She: sudden-setback. He opens his ‘shhh’, albeit in a very respectful same girl. you very much. So you retire to a trying not to talk through her mouth; she raises her hand.... not way. (Upbringing is so hard to Because she doesn’t want He: Looks completely different. corner, laptop in place, ostensibly teeth): as a threat. Oh no – that would be shake off.) her to have the baby. She: Plastic surgery. to catch up with deadlines. totally in violation of her saptha- He: Why is she packing her He: Why not? He: What? Why? What hap- Things get off to a pretty quiet padhi-fied value systems, bless her. bags? start....well, almost. Given the Besides, inherently non-violent, She: She’s leaving her husband. mega-ness of the goings-on, the this particular palm was never an G He: Why? TV’s pretty noisy.... mostly weep- by Ranjitha Ashok actual menace, you recall, even in ing, voices at vehe-volume and She: So he can be happy with its maternal role....more an im- his former girlfriend. what sounds like about fifty-seven plied threat that certainly proved She: Because .... (she stops and pened? He: Does he want to be happy cymbals going off simultaneously effective in keeping you and your leans forward....things are hotting She (in one breath): Nothing with his former girlfriend? every now and then. But you sibling in line. No, this is a mere know what’s coming, and you up on the screen – accusations- happened. The regular actor She: Well, nobody asked him. ....revelations....and she doesn’t gesture. And since decades of wait. Within minutes, right on cue, asked for more money, there He: Then what sense does that want to miss the quarrelling...) saptha-padhi-fying have also he goes: Who is she and why is she was a quarrel, they replaced her, make? He: What are they saying? then pretended that there had taught him a few things, he senses shocked? And so it begins. the ‘tone’ of the gesture, and very She (sighing): It’s self-sacri- You settle in – this is going to be She (making a clicking sound): been a fire in the kitchen and Look what you did. I missed the her face was burnt, so she had wisely subsides. (Another ‘why?’ fice....it’s....oh, never mind...it fun. At first, she doesn’t answer. at this point may have sparked off doesn’t have to make sense. He (more persistent): Who is name. to have plastic surgery. He: Whose name? There is a small silence as his a distressing brawl.) Silence for a Will you please....I really want she? What did she just say? bit. Then, to listen.... Why the shock? She: The name of the guy in almost painfully logical, earth- He: What did he just say? He: To what? The constant She: That’s the youngest black whom the mother-in-law bound brain attempts to process She: Shakes her head, going crying, screeching, or that loud daughter-in-law and she’s just keeps meeting. this bit of neat scripting-around-a- music? She: I really can’t watch and narrate the story at the same TAMIL FILMS – ALIVE AND KICKING time. He: I haven’t said a word. (Continued from page 2) shows with popular TV serial actors to promote their films. Dabang Silence. and Talaash were promoted this way. Aamir Khan joined the CID seating capacity of 700 to 1000 with three tier ticketing including A few seconds later.... cast in Sony TV to solve a crime. a balcony. He: What’s for dinner? Any- A seemingly cumbersome way to make money, the producer Film makers also use social media such as Facebook or YouTube to promote their films as the younger generation is hooked to the way, I don’t think that former would sell the film outright to distributors who took the risk and girlfriend is a nice girl. bought space from exhibitors (owners of cinemas) to run a film Internet. Some present road shows for their films. The result, a film is well-hyped before its release. Since the multiplex concept has She looks at him, eyebrows and recover the costs. raised. All this has changed drastically and dramatically. With the ad- increased seat availability with multiple shows, most films break even or make stupendous profits in the first week of release, in- He (grinning): See? I do pay vent of private TV channels in the early 1990s, both Bollywood attention. and, in particular, Kollywood, run on single theatre concept, al- stead of waiting for the 100-day run to rake in the moolah from, It suddenly strikes you that most died. That was, until the smart operators woke up to use the say, 1000 theatres in India and an overseas audience in Europe and ‘loco parentis’ obviously has many same media to their advantage. Today, a Hindi or a Tamil film North America, West and South Asia which ensures that the cost meanings, and a giggle almost with an average budget of, say, Rs. 50 crore will spend at least of production is not only covered but a hefty margin of profit is also escapes you. Rs.15 crore on promotion. made. Today, a two-week run is enough for a film to successfully How is this done? In several ways: FM Radio channels run earn huge money for its makers. You quickly suppress it. promos of films and contests to popularise a film. TV channels run Another aspect of marketing is that the audio launch of the film They are still Mom and Dad, previews and promos for at least a one month run-up to build pub- much before its release and trailers of the film beamed on the 100 after all, your not-so-former lic popularity. More recently the Rs.100 crore club stars Salman odd channels day in and day out, rousing audience curiosity and ‘bosses’. They decided everything Khan and Aamir Khan appeared as part of the cast or did talk attendance in the first week for a houseful show. for you – when and what you ate, The multiplex culture has also led to a healthy trend of new when you slept; what you wore genre of films which were never experimented with earlier by the (“Sulk as much as you want. If I CHENNAI HERITAGE box office mandarins. The Tamil film industry can boast of new- say ‘too low’, then it’s too low. End No. 5, Bhattad Tower, 30, Westcott Road, comers like Murugadoss, Vetri Maran, Mishkin, K.V. Anand, Selva of discussion,”); where you went, Royapettah, Chennai 600 014 Raghavan, Bala and Venkat Prabhu who have tackled bold themes (“No means no....and I don’t care in their films. Murugadoss has made a name for himself as the king if Girl-I-Secretly-Wish-Wasn’t- I am already on your mailing list (Mailing List No...... ) / of box office. Mishkin has tackled bold themes in Yuddham Sei Your-Friend is going too....and no, I have just seen Madras Musings and would like to receive it hereafter. (Let’s Battle), and Mugamoodi (Masked hero capers). Gautam her elder brother going along G I/We enclose cheque/demand draft/money order for Rs. 100 (Rupees One hundred) Menon has perfected love story themes well with Vinnaithandi means nothing....I’ve seen that payable to CHENNAI HERITAGE, MADRAS, as subscription to Madras Musings for the Varuvaya, Neethane En Pon Vasantham and Minnale and Bala has particular elder brother....”); your year 2012-13. entered the psychotic world with Pithamagan and Naan Kadavul. progress (“You call this a report G As token of my support for the causes of heritage, environment and a better city that Venkat Prabhu has entertained audiences with thrillers such as card?”), and so on. They shaped Madras Musings espouses, I send Chennai Heritage an additional Saroja and Mangatha, one about a kidnapping and another about a your life – receding, albeit at tiny Rs...... heist by ex-cops and hoodlums of a truck loaded with dollars that (very tiny at times) paces, when (Rupees ...... ) Please keep / put me on your mailing list. come in for aiding cricket betting. you gradually began to take the Name : ...... The point is that new genres of films have succeeded because of sculpting tools into your own new marketing techniques or their true to life themes or on account hands.... Address: ...... of events. There is a thin line between art and commercial films Somewhere along the line, un- ...... these days as art films are turned into commercial success by mak- noticed, Time had obviously been ...... ers through the new avenues of promotion. playing its sly little games. You Economic reforms, multiplex cultures, growth of 18-40 age smile to yourself, keep your eyes on Note: Overseas postage Rs. 550/year extra. Cheques for overseas postage alone payable group audience, organised financing, satellite TV and burgeoning to M/s. Lokavani Southern Printers Pvt. Ltd. All other cheques to ‘Chennai Heritage’. your laptop....and wonder why DD/Cheque should be sent by Speed Post only. NRI audiences have bolstered an industry which many thought your throat hurts just a bit. was dying a few years ago. (Courtesy: Industrial Economist) 8 MADRAS MUSINGS February 16-28, 2013 Heritage buildings (Continued from page 1) ernment will have a fund for close to bodies of a similar na- heritage buildings and extend it ture in other countries. Private which was one of the mandates to owners who cannot afford to owners of heritage properties for the HCC. maintain their premises. These need to be roped in and made Till February 28: Forum Art Gal- These meaningfully magnificent If you are to go by newspaper are steps that are hardly likely to participate in its working. lery in association with Indian doodles were created over 16 reports, the Government does to enthuse any heritage prop- That will transform it from a Institue of Cartoonists presents years, and included 97 fantastic not plan to extend any financial erty owner to maintain the rule-bound slow-moving body R.K. Laxman’s Doodles, an exhi- sketches. Hundreds of people help to owners of heritage prop- structure in his/her possession. into a more dynamic one. Given bition of unpublished doodles of have seen them. Some have erties for conservation and res- The HCC needs to come out the way heritage buildings are the legendary cartoonist. called them meaningless, non- The legendary cartoonist, R.K. sense. Others felt that they have toration. The onus is entirely on with positive ways in which being demolished or allowed to Laxman, had a pet (nick) name. deep philosophical and artistic the property owners and they people can maintain heritage fall apart owing to plain neglect, He was called “Doodu” at home significance. Only ‘Doodu’ will be forbidden to demolish and that is not being done. it is unlikely that any of them as he used to doodle constantly. knows the real answer. (at the buildings or modify them in Peopled as it is by Govern- will be left standing by the time RKL drew lots of totally mean- Forum Art Gallery, Mon-Sat any way. Then there follows a ment representatives, the HCC the last steps to a notification ingless doodles over the years. 10.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.) line which states that the Gov- is not functioning in any way are taken. DakshinaChitra workshops For Adults: February 27-March 4: Ceramic Pottery: Glazes: Intensive March 2-3: Phad painting FIRST WITH A FOREIGN DEGREE For Children: February 23: Clay Modelling & Pottery (7-13 years) February 24: Photography (7-13 (Continued from page 4) Hindu converts to distance Edward Balfour of Madras), visit to England might be years) Perhaps due to the disillu- themselves from those of the from Simla on August 14, 1864. blessed to him – I afterwards To register call 98417 77779. For sionment caused by his Hindu socially marginalised families. This paragraph in the letter found him out in London & smoke-fired Pottery and Ceramic relatives, Ãndy embraced NCI lost speed in 1898 and dis- confirms details mentioned again in Madras – and we hear pottery - glazes - call 98841 Christianity. He was baptised at appeared after Ãndy’s death in above. that he appears to walk worthy 44693 or email kaveribharath@ the Basel Evangelical Mission- 1909. My dear Balfour of his calling and to set a bright gmail.com Some readers are likely to By this mail I send you the Re- example to his countrymen. He February 27-March 10: Group ary Society in Calicut on May show by Sunil Kumar, Naveen 3, 1863. After retiring from ser- know that Anandibai Joshi of port of the Basel Evangelical long ago repaid the money wch. Poona was the first Indian Missy. Society for 1863 – at p. was required to pay his gradu- Kumar, Baburaj from Kerala (at vice on September 12, 1886, DakshinaChitra). Ãndy worked to establish a new woman to get an MD – from the 45 you will see a notice of the ation fees at St Andrews. Christian movement, the Na- Women’s Medical College, baptism of Dr Pulny Ãndy – H. Cleghorn Philadelphia. She qualified in Inspector of Vaccination & tional Church of India (NCI), * * * Answers to Quiz which “would have a break with 1886, twenty-six years after formerly one of my pupils in the Western Christianity and its Ãndy’s MD. Striking similari- Madras Medical College – I Being an alumnus of Presi- 1. Brahmaputra; 2. Novak structure of missionary author- ties between the two emerge: recd. the intelligence a fortnight dency College, Madras, I know Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka, 3. similar to the social pain Ãndy ago – and it has filled my heart that a medal commemorating The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar ity in India”. Hugald Grafe in Wangchuck; 4. The Brookings In- the History of Christianity in endured in Madras, both with joy – Perhaps you remem- Ãndy, exists in the Botany Anandibai and Gopalrao Joshi ber my receiving several letters stitution; 5. S. Janaki; 6. David India:Tamilnadu in the nineteenth Department of the College. Headley; 7. Ranchi; 8. Mona Lisa; and twentieth centuries identifies (her husband) suffered censur- from him, when I was under Paulraj Dayanandan tells me 9. BlackBerry; 10. Queen Beatrix of Ãndy’s new movement as the ing from, and boycott by, their your roof in 1861. He was then that nothing worthwhile The . National Church of Madras. relatives and other Hindus on in London in pecuniary diffi- remembering Ãndy exists in * * * Nevertheless, Ãndy’s effort was her return to India. culties – his Hindoo relatives Madras Christian College, 11. Mulligatawny soup; 12. She to unify the various Christian Henry Noltie (Royal Botani- having cut off his allowance be- Ãndy’s alma mater. Dayanan- was the first woman to earn a doc- denominations in India; his vi- cal Garden of Edinburgh, cur- cause they were told that he dan was awarded the Pulney torate from the University of Ma- sion was to see that NCI would rently working on a volume on lived in lodgings in Smithfield Ãndy Medal by the University dras; 13. Castle Geldria; 14. T. remain rooted in Indian culture Hugh Cleghorn) alerted me to and they intimated that he cd. of Madras in 1967. Apart from Muthuswami Iyer; 15. Tambaram Sanatorium; 16. Marie Adelaide and symbolism. Unfortunately, a letter written by Cleghorn to not recover his caste on return these two medals celebrating John H Balfour (1808 – 1884) to Madras. After consulting Ãndy’s name in Madras, I Freeman-Thomas, Marchioness of NCI gained little support from Willingdon; 17. Mark Twain; 18. local Church leaders. One the Regius Keeper of the Royal you and Mr W. Elliot I sent wonder whether Madras Medi- Botanical Gardens of Edin- The MAS and Sundaram Motors strong criticism was that NCI him £5 – and wrote several cal College has anything to offices; 19. A. Karunanidhi and was an attempt by high caste burgh; (not to be confused with times expressing a hope that his remember Ãndy by. Nagesh; 20. C.D. Gopinath.

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