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Registered with the Reg. No. TN/CH(C)/374/12-14 Registrar of Newspapers Licenced to post without prepayment for India under R.N.I. 53640/91 Licence No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-506/12-14 Publication: 15th & 28th of every month Rs. 5 per copy (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS CHENNAI INSIDE • Short ‘N’ Snappy • From a Governor’s notebook • Medhurst, Elizabeth & Loveless • Madras Week Programmes • A gentle Book Man Vol. XXIII No. 9 MUSINGS August 16-31, 2013 Metro Rail’s impact – on churches... (By A Special Correspondent) unnelling for the Metro in stretch where this building identified heritage structures Tthe Broadway area recently stands and it is doubtful if it can along the routes that Metrorail resulted in two historic chur- withstand tunnel boring below will be taking. Why cannot the ches developing cracks. With its foundations, unless some HCC insist that Metrorail, to- these being certified as non- special efforts are taken to sup- gether with IIT, undertake a threatening to the structures, port it. But that is unlikely to study of each of the structures? work has progressed. Metrorail happen as Metrorail does not The effort must detail what are has also promised that it will re- have a publicly available policy the weak points in each and pair the buildings immediately. on what steps it takes to protect identify what steps need to be All this is to the good. But the heritage buildings before work taken to prevent any structural “Appa, I love the Rupee... like a good batsman, it is constantly week-long drama merely ex- begins in the vicinity. Beyond damage. The recommended improving on its previous scores!” posed the fact that heritage asking owners and users to stay safeguards can be put in place structures in the city do not away from the premises, it does before work begins. That way area, stout denial was the sole It is reliably learnt, in fact, that have any proactive protection little. It merely installs some vi- everyone would be happy. reaction. And whatever little several owners will be happy to as the following lines will show. bration monitors in the vicinity The current episode has, action has taken place in con- see their buildings fall conse- The first building to develop and by the time the readings are however, thrown up one posi- nection with the two churches quent to Metrorail work so that fissures was the Wesley Church. noted, the damage is done. tive development. This is the is entirely due to the strong in- they can redevelop their prop- The matter received due public- Steps for protection, if any, are first time that Metrorail has ac- volvement of the parishioners erties. That too is an under- ity in the press. The response taken only after cracks develop knowledged that cracks are due who have demonstrated a standable point of view. In a was predictable. It is reliably and there is a hue and cry. to its activities. Earlier, when strong sense of ownership and city where there are no rewards learnt that Metrorail was of the Even now it is not too late. similar incidents took place on pride in their heritage. Not all for holding on to heritage, what view that such cracks were only There cannot be more than 100 Mount Road and the Esplanade heritage structures are so lucky. else can be expected? to be expected. But with a sec- ond church, the Arcot Luther- an, too showing signs of stress, experts from the IIT had to be Why can’t temple tanks be called in. This was after the pa- rishioners of both shrines ex- pressing distress at what had put to good use? happened. The IIT certified the fissures were superficial and Metro promised to get them re- et another threatened wa- civic pride and a passion for Kapaliswarar tank. The rest are Tiruvanmiyur. The locals were paired. Matters have ended Yter crisis has receded a little. maintaining the surviving apologies. Those within temple delighted that the tank was re- there now. The Heritage Con- With copious inflows in the up- temple tanks have not yet precincts, such as the Madhava vived by external agencies but servation Committee of the per reaches of rivers that run come. As a consequence, these Perumal tank, are somewhat once this was done, they were CMDA, which is supposed to across the State, Chennai too water-bodies are merely gaping better off in terms of cleanliness quite happy to let it go to seed. be responsible for the protec- has cause for cheer. In the ab- holes in the earth. as compared to Chitra Kulam There was no sense of involve- tion of such historic structures, sence of an immediate crisis, A temple tank is not merely which has remained a glorified ment in what should have been was conspicuous by its silence. why can we not turn our atten- something that is used for ritu- puddle for decades. Even the a community project. Not even a line expressing con- tion to some long-term prepa- als. It plays an important role in Kapaliswarar tank, though it is Elsewhere in the city there cern could be elicited. To what ration? Why can’t the various maintaining the neighbourhood full of water, has had to be cor- are chronically water-starved purpose is such a body? temple tanks in the city be spots, such as George Town. It cleaned up and made ready to may come as a surprise to many What is being forgotten is G that Broadway is replete with receive the monsoon waters, as by A Special Correspondent that there are at least six major historic structures and there are and when the rains come to our water tanks attached to temples city? in George Town. Not one has at least 16 of them down the ecology. In hot weather spots doned off to prevent the water and as for the biggest, the principal thoroughfare. Among Chennai and its environs are such as Chennai, it cools the neighbourhood and visitors Kasi Viswanatha Swamy temple the listed ones, the Church Mis- blessed with several temple environment and provides fresh from dumping their garbage tank, also known as the Krish- sionary Society’s Parish Hall is tanks. Barring very few, most breeze. Above all, it recharges into it. But that it has survived nappa Naicken Tank, it has in a particularly enfeebled con- are mere cesspits and a shame the groundwater in the sur- itself is a miracle. It was only in been steadily destroyed over the dition. It has already required to a citizenry that is becoming roundings. With so many pluses the 1990s that a temple trustee years. What was a relatively shoring up of one wall using increasingly religious. Several going for it, why are temple had recommended that the clean water-body till the 1990s steel supports. An edifice that is have been filled up in the past tanks so neglected? space, then dry, be cemented is now moss-covered and more than a century in age, it and converted into bus termini Perhaps the best instance of over and put to use as a venue empty. In ancient Purasawal- belongs to the CSI’s Tucker’s and shopping complexes. this is Mylapore. It has no less for a laser show! A laudable at- kam, the Gangadheeswarar Church, which stands opposite. Though that concept has died than five temple tanks. But the tempt at tank restoration that Work is yet to begin on the out thanks to better awareness, only one with water is the ended in failure was the one at (Continued on page 8) CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS August 16-31, 2013 G A reader writes... Ballot-time in clubland y the time you read this, looks, heavy breathing and pro- angry women, brooding men Bthe greatest election that fuse sweating. After this and a resigned-to-their-fate set Medhurst, mankind has ever known will follows a litany against the of the elderly. Not a chair was be over. The Man from Madras competition in the field. Then in sight. There was no water Musings alludes to the battle the final shot: “But with your either. And as for ventilation for the ballot at one of those support I definitely will make – perish the thought. If this Elizabeth gentlemen’s clubs in the city. it.” By then another potential was the fate of the ‘adhaa- A hallowed home-away-from- vote has been espied and so off rables’, those who were doing home for over a century and he bounds, his figure not giving the ‘adhaaring’ were not much more, it has recently seen more the least indication of such better off. They had the latest and Loveless activity in the bar, by which agility. MMM is not certain cameras and laptops, it is true, MMM speaketh of the legal about the electoral verdict but as for the rest of the variety. Accusations of torts but these candidates will defi- amenities that go to make up am an Australian working on the loss and under the threat of and malfeasances hold court, nitely emerge fitter and more an ergonomic workplace, Ia biography of my ancestor, a court martial from the poten- not to forget soccage and svelte. there was none. A sole fan that the English missionary, Dr. tial revolt, George Martin ar- barratry in fief. But that is the Some have taken to swirled slowly distributed hot Walter Henry Medhurst, and way of all things in Madras- canvassing in such earnestness air.