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• Short ‘N’ Snappy • ‘Avvai’ TKS in Madras MADRAS • Manohar recalls Madurai • The Roman gold coins • Disappointing the fans

Vol. XVII No. 21 MUSINGS February 16-29, 2008 DoIs VPHwe really to get need a new to develop

“Let me make it very clear right in a new city? the beginning... if you use any abusive word that is not there in this ‘Abuse Manual’, you will be penalised!” (By The Editor) Mind your language t’s just possible that we don’t the city in the CMA is 1005 he Vehicle-Users’ Asso- Ireally understand such tech- sq.km. in extent. ‘T ciation In Support of nical matters like urban devel- The 2001 Census stated that Free, Frank Speech’ (their opment and town planning. We the City’s population was 4.3 theme song is a slightly re- would, therefore, welcome it if million, up 0.5 million from the worked version of Words) is some kind soul in officialdom 1991 Census. up in arms. will explain to us why there is a The CMA – the area be- Their press statement declares, desperate need to develop an yond the city – had a population “It’s hard enough to handle entirely new city beyond the This is what new multistoreyed construction does to Mount Road with its (Continued on page 4) traffic, without having to Chennai Metropolitan Area gracious old buildings. mentally run through a long list of ‘accepted’ abuse in the (CMA) and reaching as far as event of traffic provocation.” . Especially when Meanwhile, our animal co- the CMA has more than double existers are fed up, and want the area of 500 sq.km. proposed From Mount Road us humans to just leave them for New Chennai, an over 1000 out of our silly (unsavoury?) sq.km. area that’s been crying brawls. for development for years. “Why can’t you use your own Just as it is possible that we kind for comparisons?” they to Mall Road? really don’t understand such grumble. technical matters as urban plan- We’re a people “rich in lan- ning, it’s quite possible that we guages”. he central business district Beginning from the other Rain Tree Hotel. An of- And we can be rude in all of don’t understand numbers. Per- haps that same kind soul from Tof Madras that is Chennai end, the old Vel Studio prop- fice complex by the same them, including local dia- is fast changing shape and pro- erty, later belonging to Campa builder is coming up at a lects, variations in accents, officialdom will explain the fol- and even in pitch. lowing numbers we present and file. Despite the continuing Cola, has been acquired by ITC neighbouring site. Saundarya We embrace the power of lan- tell us why the inferences we pressure caused by traffic and Limited and it is reported that Nursery, which was across the guage with fervour, and con- make from them might be the demand for parking space, the largest five star hotel in the road, has made way for a retail frontation is seen as an excit- wrong. the road continues to be a ma- city is coming up on the site. and office complex being put up ing opportunity for imagina- Chennai City (the area jor draw with more and more Close by is TPL House of Tamil by the Prestige Group of Banga- tive expression. within Corporation limits) has corporate houses, hotels and re- Nadu Petro Products which is lore. This is one of the last But, now, confusion abounds. an area of 172 sq.km. Beyond tail outlets buying up property stretches, just ahead of the Who decides what you can say, this is an urban agglomeration, in the area. junction at Sir Theyagaraya and when, and to whom? the Chennai Metropolitan Area A recent report in a city- l by A Special Road, where Mount Road is still Apparently, geography plays a based financial daily claims that bottleneck-free. That feature huge role in this process. of 1177 sq.km. In the event the Correspondent City is also considered part of “due to traffic congestion, park- will obviously not last long. Responsible social sensitivity is ing constraints and the conse- The Abbotsbury property a must, certainly. the CMA, then the area beyond quent shift in focus to new cor- which morphed into a half-built But is political correctness up for sale. At the old Halda slithering towards paranoia? ridors, Mount Road lost its at- premises, long lying vacant, hotel developed by the Balaji Besides, how many “What not tractiveness as a premier shop- is putting up its Distillery group and which was to” manuals can you study in ping hub.” That status, the re- corporate office. A part of this supposed to be managed by The a day? port says, “is all set to be re- parcel of land, which belonged Oberois as the Magunta Oberoi Even playgrounds are witness- gained with scores of mega to TVS, has changed hands and had remained that way for over ing tension. Youngsters say shopping malls, office com- a star hotel is coming up there. a decade now. It has recently that they are expected to re- plexes and star hotels dotting Another hotel is said to be com- been taken over by the Hyatt member too much already in the skyline.” How these devel- ing up where the old Concorde Group and will be revived un- the name of education... and opments are going to offset the Motors showroom used to be, der the name of Grand Hyatt. now this! traffic congestion and parking just off Mount Road, where Raj Just opposite is the Courtyard Life in the 21st Century seems constraints is anybody’s guess. Marriot which was once to be all about learn, unlearn Bhavan Road intersects with and re-learn... But if the paper is to be be- the turning to . Srilekha International. That’s a head(ache)y stuff. lieved, just about anybody and A little further down Mount everybody is pitching camp on Road, close to , Ranjitha Ashok Mount Road. Ceebros is constructing yet an- (Continued on page 6)

CMYK 2 February 16-29, 2008 A library romance led to ‘Showing’ foreigners our City he Man from Madras were pavements, their heights T Musings was requested by were such that no elderly per- social activism a friend to take two Englishmen son could possibly climb on to and their wives around the city. them. MMM had no comments MMM drew up an ambitious to offer by way of explanation. ttending the 10th Interna- plan of taking them all the way Ational Women’s Suffrage from San Thomé to Fort St. Murphy’s Law Alliance Conference in Paris in George. But the guests were 1926 from Madras was Rukmini late and, so, a part of the tour he Man from Madras Lakshmipathi. She was to go on had to be scrapped. When T Musings heartily dislikes to make a name as a freedom MMM and friends set off from Mondays, for it is usually on fighter and a social activist. Mount Road and made their that day when things go wrong. So on coming in to office, Rukmini was born on De- way to the Fort, it was, conse- quently, well past sunset. It MMM was not surprised to find cember 6, 1892 to an orthodox was then that MMM realised that all the telephones in the Vaishnav Brahmin couple, the uphill task in front of him. building had gone dead. The Srinivasarao and Chudamani. For, standing in the parking lot reasons for the breakdown They were of Andhra origin, in front of the Fort, MMM were quite intriguing. but lived in Madras. The great could only gesticulate at a The phone cables are laid Veena Dhanammal taught clump of trees beyond which all below the ground and the road Rukmini music, and her father was darkness. above them was not long ago arranged for her to learn Latin The Fort, not being floodlit, re-laid. During the recent mon- soon, the newly laid road had under a tutor known as could have been any building. Rukmini Lakshmipathi. The only structure that was naturally come apart, exposing Thambi. clearly visible was Namakkal the soft soil below. Even as this Lakshmipathi was born in George Town (5:00 pm to Kavingnar Maligai, the new of- deepened into a chasm and re-

Madhavaram to an orthodox 7:00 pm). fice block, which is not a build- mained that way through most Andhra Smartha couple He used to cycle from clinic ing worth talking about. Of of December, the telephones V Achanta Sriramayya and Jana- to clinic and to visit patients. course, the visitors noticed it miraculously worked. kamma on March 3, 1880. Right opposite his dispensary standing out like a sore thumb While studying in Raja- in there was a library, and wanted to know how such mundhry, he married ‘Vignyana Chandrika Mandali’, a building was built in the Fort SHORT Seethamma in 1895 and shifted where he chanced to meet precincts. MMM then took ’N’ to Madras to join Madras Chris- Rukmini who was at the time them past the War Memorial, studying in for her ma- which was once again shrouded SNAPPY tian College. In 1900, he got a in darkness. Palace is anyway hidden and so it could not be pointed out. Next came Then, in January, road The ceremonious stone l Another in the occasional series on the early Senate House, about which works were initiated. These announces that the lamp-post continued in desultory fashion feminists of Madras by K.R.A. NARASIAH MMM gave quite a build-up. was inaugurated by a leader of On coming to the site, MMM for over a month. Last week, a a party (see picture). When found that this building too was huge road roller was brought footpath space is anyway at a in complete darkness. Presum- which was driven over the premium, why should this use- job in Madras Census office, but triculation. The meeting blos- ably the University was not chasm and promptly sank in, less piece of everyday informa- he wished to continue his stud- somed into love and ended in keen on showing off what an thereby crushing all the cables tion be allowed to remain? ies. Before long, he resigned his marriage on December 3, 1911, earlier regime had achieved. So below. The telephone lines MMM does not know job and returned to Raja- despite much opposition be- there was nothing to be seen went on the blink till the road whether to laugh or to cry. mundhry to join B.A. class. cause he belonged to a Saiva there either. roller was pulled out and the When his mother took ill, the sect and she was a Vaishnava. Fortunately for MMM, the repair work was done. MMM thinks that it is Welcome banners family shifted to Madras for Encouraged by the husband, Ice House and the DGP Com- Murphy’s Law which has it that he vinyl banners that medical assistance. When she Rukmini joined Presidency Col- plex were floodlit and so it was possible to narrate their story. whatever can go wrong will in- T have come to replace the died, Lakshmipathi returned to lege where the greats like evitably do so. This was a clas- old hoardings apparently cost Rajamundhry to finish his B.A. Srinivasa Sastri, Radhakrishnan But Queen Mary’s College was a disappointment. With that sic example. only Rs. 7 a sq. ft. So it has be- Meanwhile, he had applied for and Kandukuri Veerasalingam the tour came to an end. come the trend to have anyone a medical seat and got a call as were teaching. After complet- MMM does not know what Thai Madam and everyone coming into the soon as he finished his degree. ing her B.A., she joined Medi- the visitors thought, but he was city welcomed with a vinyl o, no! Sorry, this has To Lakshimipathi and cal College, but when she be- left wondering as to why the hoarding or banner put up near Nnothing to do with a came pregnant she stopped her best structures in the city are the airport. This includes all Seethamma were born four chil- woman from Thailand. The hidden from public view or are kinds of minor politicians from dren between 1900 and 1908. studies. Her first child, a son, Man from Madras Musings is kept under darkness after dusk. up north. They are hailed as Seethammas died soon after the was born on the same day the just confused about the recent This is in contrast to what is Aristotles of their age and birth of her fourth child. Emden shelled Madras and, announcement that the first day happening in Bombay and Socrates of their society. therefore, she named him Em- of the Tamil month of Thai is Broken-hearted Lakshmi- Delhi where, thanks to a Gov- Most of these banners being to be celebrated as Tamil New pathi might have been, still he den Srinivasa Rao! But the poor ernment-corporate joint initia- in Tamil, the visitor, MMM is Year’s Day. MMM wonders as was determined to complete his child passed away before he was tive, most of the historic struc- sure, has no clue as to what is to what will happen to good old medical education. A friend, two years old. In his memory she tures and the better buildings written and is merely gratified April 13th/14th, which has al- wrote a book Chanti Bidda. are floodlit at night. by seeing his own face. Mohamed Hussein, offered him ways been celebrated that way. a room in his house in Madras Her second child was born in MMM who, as readers of To add to MMM’s confu- this column are only too aware, to help him fulfil his ambition. 1917. Her third, Indira, was Walkabout sion, there came an announce- born in 1920 and in time be- goes around quite a bit, is seri- In 1909, Lakshmipathi gradu- ment that the 1st of Thai must ously contemplating having a hile the two visitors ated and set up practice in came the wife of Dr. B. Rama- be celebrated like Deepavali. banner for himself at the air- Wwere busy throughout Triplicane. murthy, the great neurosur- Now, where does that leave our port which will read something the day in conferences, their geon. Her other two children old Deepavali of October/ like – “Hail, MMM! Messenger A board in his residence wives decided to go walkabout were born in 1924 and 1927. November? from Madras! Chronicler of showed: in , where Dr. Lakshmipathi encour- Will corporate houses give a Chennai! Reporting on the city Dr. Achanta Lakshmipathi, B.A., they were staying in a five-star aged his wife and children to Deepavali bonus twice each is safe in your hands!” M.B. & C.M., hotel. Why is it that the city has year? And will we soon have a From there to having a fan wear khadi clothes and soon the no pavements was the question 58, Swaminathan Street, January Deepavali and an club is but a step and, then, entire family became interested on their lips when The Man , (Residence & October Deepavali? who knows? An election, a in the Gandhian movement. from Madras Musings met them Hospital for Residential Pa- cabinet post and then a Heri- in the evening. They had tient) Rukmini joined the Bharath tage Act? Food for thought. It walked but a few steps when A commemoration Stri Mahamandal and became could even lead on to a Na- Consulting Rooms: 146-47, they decided that it was better active in social work. She joined he Man from Madras tional Award or two. But some- Veeraraghava Mudali Street, to return to their homeland in with other feminists of the day T Musings is quite used to thing tells MMM that the Chief Triplicane (7:00 am to 9:00 one piece and abandoned their and fought for Devadasi system politicians having commemora- will not accept such a proposal. am); 4, Malayaperumal attempts. abolition and Prohibition. At tive stones placed for just about Street, George Town for Eye They also pointed out quite home, she demonstrated her anything, but a recent one on Cases: 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm; irritatedly that where there Luz Corner takes the cake. – MMM and 309, Lingachetty Street, (Continued on page 7) February 16-29, 2008 MADRAS MUSINGS 3 Tramways in Chennai y letter on a tramway service in Chennai with a pedestrian, even if it was not the fault of M(MM, December 16, 2007) has had sev- the driver, was sure to attract mob fury! eral readers writing to me expressing the fond There were some pockets where pedestrians hope that this service will be revived in hogged the entire road, transacting business For the man who has had to Chennai. Though the scheme appears rosy, it with petty hawkers with impunity. In such We’re on e-mail commute to work and back in would not be feasible to reintroduce it in places, the conductor of the tram had to get Madras Musings now has an overcrowded public trans- Chennai both from the economic as well as from down and push the jay walkers to make way for its own mail ID. Letters to port, the cheap car is a dream. traffic points of view. the tram to move. The Flower Bazar police sta- the editor can be sent via India is a democracy. The When electricity was first introduced in tion area, the narrow China Bazar road leading email to editor@madras Madras there were very few takers. The com- to , High Road near poor man, who will be owning a Luz Corner, the length between Roxy Talkies musings.com. Those who pany had to cajole the citizens to make use of it. cheap car, has as much right to For one thing, they thought it was dangerous. and Gangadeeswarar tank in Purasawalkam wish to intimate change of the road as a rich man being Also they thought that in the long run it would were some of these chronic bottlenecks. address can also do so driven in a Benz. be deleterious to health. Some would not even The trams had to negotiate two railway level- provided the subscription crossings. One was the entry into Chintadripet Girija Subramaniam walk under overhead wires on the road for fear number is quoted. that it might emasculate them, apart from it from Poonamalle High Road, in front of Ripon 3/10, Chamiers Road sometime snapping and falling on the head of a Building in Park Town. This route was given up Chennai 600 035 Tranquil again passer-by subjecting him to electrocution. Al- when electrification of the metre guage rail hennai is fast losing all By the Adyar though the company gave concessional rates for track was initiated. As the traction voltage of Cresemblance to Madras. electric fans, people were reluctant to use them train service was at variance from the Now, certain politicians are de- n his article on the studios as they believed that artificial air current was tramsway’s, it was not possible to isolate them manding bifurcation of Tamil Iby the Adyar (MM, February bad for health. Also, they thought that the tiny from each other. Nadu ostensibly for better gov- 1st) chronicler Randor Guy has sparks observed in the commutator-brush gap Another crossing was in near Clive Battery where the rail track entered the ernance. Their demand is just, described in great detail how of fan motors could cause fire. (Initially, the Direct Current (DC) system was used and, Harbour from the Royapuram railway station. but if the State were to be split Lalitha Cinetone was the first movie studio in Adyar and hence, a commutator-brush combination was a This crossing was a real irritant to road traffic. into two, both sides would claim necessity.) Since the rail traffic here was mostly goods Chennai and all hell will break how it became MGR’s Sathya trains to and from the Harbour, the gate was Studios. Since the power generating company had a loose. lot of unused power, it was willing to sell it to a kept shut for 30 to 45 minutes at a time to Hence, instead of bifurca- I distinctly recollect as a subsidiary company, the Madras Electric Tram- accommodate the long goods train moving at a tion, there should be trifurca- young boy of 14 the name ways (MET). By the turn of the 20th Century, leisurely pace. During this time, two or three tion and Chennai should be- ‘Sundaram Studios’ in the same MET had laid tramway lines on Madras roads. trams stacked up on either side of the gates. come a Union Territory, get premises. It later changed hands For travel, the minimum charge was one pie Other road traffic was also held up. By the time in the 1940s and became ‘Nep- (half of today’s paisa) per stage – say, from the gates opened and congestion cleared, it was back its old name, and regain a time for the next closing of the gate! little of its quondam tranquillity tune Studios’. Jupiter Somu and Parry’s to Central. This was gradually raised to S.K. Mohideen, I think, owned half anna (3 paisa). From 1930 till World War The road flyovers crossing the rail tracks much to the delight of die-hard II it remained at that rate. Even this enhanced were veritable speedbreakers for the trams. Madrasis. it and produced some of their There were two flyovers with tram tracks. One hits there in the 1950s. rate was abnormally low when compared to C.G. Prasad those charged by the rickshaws and jutkas of was in front of Central Station leading to Body 9, C.S. Mudali Street I would also request Randor those days. Tramways also introduced season Guard Lines Road on Island ground. Another Kondithope, Chennai 600 079 Guy to dwell upon the city’s old tickets and “Go as you please” holiday tickets, was near in area. In the Cheap car dream cinema houses like Minerva, which made the service popular. case of a railway train, the driver could speed up Select, Westend, Wellington, the train on the level ground before ascending anjitha Ashok’s column The tramcars had no separate cabin for the Paragon and Gaiety, through the ramp. The increased momentum would take R(MM, February 1st) made driver or motorman. He stood in the middle of your columns highlighting their the entrance aisle and operated the levers. He the train beyond the hump with ease. Such a me sit up – jump up, rather. The locations, changes of name and had to bang the gong with his foot to warn thing could not be done with a tram as it had to solution to unleashing incom- ownerships. There is hardly pedestrians to move from the track. It was a pass through thick traffic and the driver had petent hordes on our roads is to always to keep his hand on the brake lever for anyone else who can do this. laboured dance for him, forced to use all his restrict the number of cars per limbs. Also there was no seat for him to sit and any eventuality. Hence, the car literally crawled household to ONE. This will K.S. Krishnaswamy rest even for a few minutes. Jostling passengers in these areas, making it all the more easy for drastically reduce the number of Flat B1, ‘Ashok Suparna’ often hampered the driver’s movements. ticketless travellers to switch cars! cars on our pathetically inad- 27, III Main Road Because the tram moved slowly, most agile Though slow, the tram service came to be Kasturba Nagar passengers did not buy tickets. When a conduc- respected as safe and reliable transport, liked by equate roads. one and all. It is a pity that it was edged out of As for the ‘cheap car’ squeez- Adyar, Chennai 600 020 tor approached them asking for their tickets, they would jump out and hitch a free ride in the the roads of Chennai. But it must be agreed that ing in 8 to 10 people, how many next car. Only the old, infirm and women pur- in these days of hurry and reckless speed, it of us have the luxury of travel- CORRECTIONS & could not have survived. At best, it could be CLARIFICATIONS chased tickets. Though the trams were capable ling one person per car – and of good speed, they could not be operated at utilised now as a relic of an earlier era to be en- what a national waste that is! n the article on Madras optimum speeds as the track was fixed and the joyed as a leisurely pastime. As I suggested, it (The poor man, whom the car I Advertising (MM, February cars could not be swerved to avoid other may be revived on the Marina or in Zoo area. is meant for, cannot afford a 1st), there is an omission that vehicles. The milling crowd on the road also had M. Sethuraman Great Dane!) needs to be corrected for the no respect for this slow juggernaut. They moved 5-3 Sai Prasad, 9, Vel Nagar Extn. As for her point that people record. from its path only at the last moment. Any brush , Chennai 600 088 need lessons, not increased The first agency to set up a access to vehicles, how many full-fledged office in the city was 1939. It was the biggest agency right, does not belong on that rich people have had “lessons” D.J. Keymer, which subse- in Madras till JWT started its list, on the basis of background. READABILITY before ordering their drivers to quently became S.H. Benson in operations in the mid-50s. The error is deeply regretted. PLEASE bring their cars to their door- the 1960s. Keymer’s opened its S.H. Benson became a part With apologies to my read- Dear Readers, steps? doors in Madras on April 1, of Ogilvy & Mather in the ers and to author V Sriram As letters from readers increase, we 1970s. Ranjitha Ashok are receiving more and more hand written letters, many of them in a S.R. Ayer hand so small and illegible or large Our Addresses The Palms * * * and scrawled as to be unreadable. 2/103B, Harishchandra Road For matters regarding subscriptions, donations, non-receipt of receipts etc.: Often this leads to our discarding a 1st Cross Street n my letter under the head- letter, particularly if some part of it is Chennai Heritage, 5, Bhattad Tower, 30, West Cott Road, Royapettah, Chennai Village 600 014. Iing ‘Tips for the affluent, not unreadable. Chennai 600 041 For non-receipt of copies, change of address, and all other circulation the common man’ (MM, Febru- If you wish us to consider your letter matters: MADRAS MUSINGS, C/o Lokavani Southern Printers Pvt. Ltd., 62/ ary 1st), the item on ‘Change of for publication, please type it with * * * 63, Greames Road, Chennai 600 006. bulbs’ should read “Incandes- enough space between lines or write On editorial matters: The Editor, MADRAS MUSINGS, n the Madras Musings issue cent bulbs are cheap and it using a medium hand, clearly C/o Lokavani Southern Printers Pvt. Ltd., 62/63, Greames Road, Chennai dotting the ‘i-s’ and crossing the ‘t-s’. Idated February 1, 2008, the switching over to compact fluo- 600 006. Many readers also try to fill every No personal visits or telephone calls, please. Letters received will be sent article titled The Dasi who stood rescent lamps (CFLs) costs 20 times as much.” square centimetre of a postcard from these addresses every couple of days to the persons concerned and you tall included a list of devadasis space, making reading or editing will get an answer from them to your queries reasonably quickly. Strange as it as examples of inner strength, I regret the error. impossible. may seem, if you adopt the ‘snail mail’ approach, we will be able to help you character and commitment. T.M. Sundararaman Please help us to consider your faster and disappoint you less. letters more favourably by making THE EDITOR C. Saraswati Bai, the first 19, Nallappan Street lady Bhaghavatar, equally them more legible for us. strong and iconic in her own Chennai 600 004 – THE EDITOR 4 MADRAS MUSINGS February 16-29, 2008 February 16-29, 2008 MADRAS MUSINGS 5

experience a sensation of well- Manohara. I was given the title A tribute go on strike; travels on roads NOSTALGIA being and warmth. During the role. Pavalar, having worked filled with potholes, breathes pol- days of our performances, brandy with the playwright at his Suguna luted air, patiently works out new became our medicine. By the Vilasa Sabha, was very familiar one-ways. He’s stood in the slush time the play wound to a close, with the storyline. Huge posters of overflowing drains. we would be more or less uncon- were prepared announcing the ‘You said it’ He is puzzled by assembly-line scious and would be loaded into play and pasted all over the city. beauties who become the bench- Arriving in Madras – from the vehicles and taken home. For the premiere, Pavalar got mark of a generation. He * * * Sambanda Mudaliar himself to he most famous ‘silent wit watches his city drowning in gar- Tness’ to life in India, the reminiscences of ‘Avvai’ T.K.S. While in Madras, Father ar- grace the occasion. On October bage, and gazes, confused, at 7, 1922, Mudaliar, accompanied beloved cartoon character, l ‘Avvai’ T.K. Shanmugam (1912-1973) was a leg- Circulated in Athur, Vriddhachalam and Panruti, ranged for regular classical music bright announcements of fun- “Common Man”, created by the end in theatre. He and his three brothers, Sankaran, ten issues were brought out before it was stopped lessons for us from a nagaswaram by his close friend Rangavadivelu filled galas... to raise money for one and only R.K. Laxman, Muthuswami and Bhagavati, were born to Seethai when Sankaran complained about it causing tensions artiste. My elder brother, T.K. Mudaliar, who invariably calamities. ‘Avvai’ T.K. Shanmugam. and T.S. Kannuswami Pillai, the father being a well- among the theatre fraternity. It was revived in 1938 Muthuswami, was the only one donned the female roles, arrived celebrates a landmark birthday He sees opulence that was not known stage actor who specialised in women’s roles. when Shanmugam, distressed at the high levels of who studied with diligence, over- early. They were brought to the this year. earned through hard work and At an early age, the brothers were apprenticed under ignorance in his fraternity, founded Arivu Abhivrutti friends. On August 3, 1922, we coming the weakness caused by green room and introduced to us. Should we quibble and say it commitment – but his expression Sankaradas Swamigal, the founding father of the Sangam, a club based in Madurai where artistes joined Pavalar’s company and ought to be ‘common person’? the fever. Soon, he developed We were delighted. Ranga- is not one of envy. He is be- concept of Boys’ Companies in which roles were es- could read magazines, be taught languages, and also moved to Chintadripet. Let’s not. into a fine singer and was given vadivelu Mudaliar helped us in fuddled by the fact that people sayed, as the name suggests, entirely by boys and listen to speeches by several leaders. Let’s stick to ‘Common Man’ young men. Having worked in his Madurai Tattuva Shanmugam became the head of the Actors’ the role of the heroine in many * * * our make-up. At the conclusion want more, more, even more. – that’s the ‘signature name’, Minalochani Bala Vidwat Sabha, they also trained Guild in 1950 and his services were utilised by of our plays. The patriotic play Kadarin of the scene where Manohara While, right beside them, under Krishnaswami Pavalar (Bala Manohara organisations such as the Sangeet Natak Akademi, breaks the chains that bind him after all. there are those who are getting * * * Vetri was scheduled for the sec- Sabha) and Kandasami Mudaliar. In later years, they the Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan and state level associa- ond day after we joined Pavalar. to the pillar, Mudaliar came up The Common Man has less and less. In Madras it was the practice formed their own company, the Devi Bala tions as well. Acting in films, he received the best Permission to stage it was with- and praised all of us and specially ‘watched’ India for a long time He knows that given time, to have an intermission in the Shanmukhananda Sabha. actor award in 1953. He also received the held by the Police. Pavalar appreciated my acting. now, those large, permanently (and practice) a sense of shame Padmashree in 1971. middle of the play for a few min- The brothers, all fine actors, though Sankaran moved heaven and earth * * * bemused eyes bearing the gaze of wears down in sheer exhaustion, Though they performed in the city in their early utes. During this break, a small involved himself more with administration, were throughout the morning to get A rival group, called the the men and women of real while a need to be ‘good’ gets less years, Shanmugam and his brothers permanently eatery inside the theatre would multifaceted. While Shanmugam and Bhagavati the approval and, finally, using Madurai Original Boys Com- India. and less crucial. were better known for their acting and singing skills, settled in Madras only in 1948, where they were first make uppuma and masala vadai. his status as a leader of the Boy pany, was at that time staging Checked coat, bald head with He cannot find any collective Muthuswami also tried his hand at music direction tenants of the Harikatha exponent C. Saraswathi Bai The latter in particular would be Scout movement, managed to plays at the Ottraivadai Theatre those tufts of hair that just won’t integrity, a collective sense of when all four of them acted in one of the early talk- in Big Street, Triplicane. Later, Shanmugam moved delicious and father would buy to Gopalapuram. In April 1972, he brought out the get an appointment with the on Wall Tax Road. On the day stay tidy, glasses that seem too doing the right thing. ies – Menaka (1935). The quartet was also known them for us. I can still recollect first part of his biography, titled Enadu Nadaga Governor, Lord Willingdon. The we staged Manohara, they too did big for his face, and a surprisingly for its close associations with reformists such as the taste of that masala vadai. But this Common Man does Periyar, Anna and Jeevanandam. Inspired by this, Vazhkai (Vanati Padippagam). This part ends with Governor gave special permis- the same. M.G. Dandapani, an luxuriant moustache. files under his arms. He attends He watches as we teach our not preach or advise. the shift to Madras in 1948. He clearly intended to Above all – that bewildered they also added several reformist plays such as * * * sion to stage the play and by actor known for his bell-like speeches and listens in on children intolerance; that the He never stands in judgment. finish the work soon, but death intervened. Lloyd’s expression – a constant “Can this conversations simply by dint of only reaction to anything ‘other- Kumastavin Penn, Kadarin Vetri and Desa Bhakti to While in Madras we acted in noon posters announcing the voice, played the title role. Post- Do you sense a certain affec- Road in Royapettah was renamed Avvai Shanmugam really be happening?” look. ‘happening-to-be-there’. He than-ours’ is condemnation and their repertoire. The motto of their company, sig- a few of Sankaradas Swamigal’s staging were put up. The play was ers announcing that M.G. tion, a sort of wry empathy? nificantly, was ‘Workers of the World, Unite!’ Road in his memory. He sees it all. hears words that are a marvel of attack. early plays, such as Valli a huge success and resulted in Dandapani was playing the role Yes this isn’t a virulent, an- We today publish a translation of an extract from The contradictions and gaps double-speak and senselessness, And, as he watches, he finds Shanmugam, best known for his portrayal of his memoirs which deals with the brothers’ first com- Tirumanam, Alli Arjuna and Gul- phenomenal gate collections. of Bala Manoharan came up all gry Common Man. Avvaiyar, the legendary Tamil poetess, was also the that lie between what we think, and selfish intent. He gazes into clarity and common-sense in the ing to Madras city in 1921. The Madurai Tattuva e-bagavli. Our contract for per- Pavalar came in for much praise over the city. Pavalar did not give Mute despite being the major- founder of perhaps the only Tamil tabloid exclusively say and do, all those thoughts be- empty conference-rooms words of the background-people, Minalochani Bala Vidwat Sabha had been contracted forming in the city expired in a from everyone. in. He immediately printed post- ity, he’s willing to give everyone dedicated to the theatre fraternity. Beginning as a month and Father decided that hind the thoughts, and further empty because everyone who was like the caparisoned staff that to perform in the city. Shanmugam’s impressions of * * * ers that posed the following ques- a chance, again and again. handwritten paper in December 1934, Arivucchudar the city and its theatre culture make for a good read. we would stage plays on our own beyond. corrupt was asked to leave. stand guard outside those omi- A silent film titled Bratrhari tions: “Who is Bala Manoharan? He’s a small person, this Com- had stories, articles, politics, snippets, explanatory in the metro for one more He watches both the world of nous swing-doors in the corridors notes on the Tirukkural and also letters to the editor. Sriram V. was being screened in the city. Which is the Bala Manohara mon Man. The only time he be- month. We moved to the Em- Sabha?” The answers were politics, and that of ‘regular’ of power, or a passerby gazing at Pavalar wanted to stage it as a everyday life... the ridiculous- a morcha. comes large, significant, is when printed below the questions: his vote is sought after... he e arrived in Madras from play and completed the script ness, sometimes lunacy, of it all. But who wants their opinions? within four or five days. He took “The unequalled Bala Mano- l by knows that. WMadurai in September He may be mute, but his pres- His posture reflects our own us all to see the film and in- haran of the Bala Manohara RANJITHA ASHOK The quiet people, the ‘small 1921. When we arrived at the Learning to ‘play’ ence, his ‘witnessing’, gives shape vulnerability to the games of the structed us that we should act Sabha is T.K. Shanmugam”. A people’, men and women both, Egmore Railway Station, we were and form to those fleeting, light- powerful – of life itself. exactly as the film actors did. We bitter poster war broke out be- seem to have no control over totally bewildered. The station, ning flashes of understanding, of He knows seminars cannot rehearsed just for a day and were tween the two companies. The anything that happens. Yet, the crowds and the surroundings next week, Sambanda realisations, that zoom through solve problems. Sometimes, were totally alien to us. To us, ready. It was a strange situation, humdrum and everyday as they in a big city Mudaliar came again and at- our minds, making us exclaim: “I And he watches, as do the when he shares space on a used to the smaller stations of for the play and the film ran si- seem, they are tough, and have tended the play. At the end of it, recognise that moment – I’ve felt photographs of the nation’s lead- speechifying platform, those tufts Madurai and Tirchinapoly, multaneously. The stage version endurance, resilience. he presented me with a gold the same way.” ers that are put up without fail of hair seem to shoot up in inno- Egmore appeared enormous. The puttu, idiappam and similar were higher on Saturdays and press Theatre in Tirplicane, was far better received than the The Common Man’s staying medal. This was given wide cov- His silence has a voice, it everywhere. cent shock... at hearing the same contractors had arranged cars to dishes. Poori-masala tasted alien Sundays in Madras and were told which is today known as Star film. power, tenacity, even his non- erage in and the seems. He’s ever-present – in the promises, cleverly disguised, be- take us to our place of stay. On to us. We were told that this is a that this was the way of the Talkies. The shift to Triplicane * * * reactive nature, is in itself awe- Swadesamitran. He is not the collective con- crowded street, in film shootings, ing offered as brand new... prom- the way, we saw trams and were popular dish in North India. I metro. made us suffer more severely Mother was not happy with some, even a little frightening, at * * * science No, but he watches as or in glittering banquets with ises that have never been kept, taken aback. We thought that disliked it immensely. My father from malaria. Father, mother, times. * * * the company accommodation in On October 15, 1922, the conscience in those who prob- world leaders. You see him rest- with no hope of ever being ful- the railway trains were running arranged for idlis to be brought. younger brother Bhagavati, sister Chintadripet. We, therefore, The Common Man – those While in Madras, my brothers play Abhimanyu Sundari was ably started off good, gets stifled, ing at home, or watching TV. He filled. on the road. When our father ex- After breakfast, we went to the Subbu – everyone suffered from moved to the Elephant Gate large, innocent eyes, with that and I came down with a strange staged in the presence of Sir C.P. crumbles, bit by bit. silently observes a ‘violent pro- How good we human beings plained that these trams ran on house that had been rented for it. The collection was poor and area. Pavalar, fearing that we “What’s happening?” look, every illness. We were told that this Ramaswami Iyer who was then He’s everywhere. test’. (He knows about mobs-for- are at using the best possible electricity, we nodded as though us. we faced a severe financial would join some other troupe, person who has ever tried to generally affected all newcomers on the Governor’s Executive You see him peering through hire.) colours to cover up our question- we understood. When we did not crunch. also moved house and came to cross our roads at busy intersec- * * * to the city. The symptoms in- Council. He praised the play and doors; catch a glimpse of him He gazes at a wall filled with able choices. even know what electricity live closeby. Around this time, tions will recognise. The plays duly began at the cluded shivering that lasted an * * * gave me a gold medal. The play through a window, or in a corner vote-catching posters, looking It is all in the presentation, meant, how were we to compre- He’s survived it all lack of Grant Theatre. This was the first hour after we had had our mid- Returning from a perfor- Pavalar, gave us the script for was very successful. That night of an official-looking room, clear- for a true leader to emerge from ultimately the packaging. hend electric tramcars? water, food, clean air, shelter, time we were performing with day meal. Once this had sub- mance tour that took us to Pammal Sambanda Mudaliar’s we left for Pondicherry. ing away papers. Or walking past, behind that jumble of slogans. He watches essential services Till then I had never seen a electric lighting, all our previous sided, we would have high fever Vellore, Kancheepuram and and escalating intolerance. man ferrying other men. I had staging having taken place with during the rest of the day and this Pondicherry, we came to And he does a great job in only seen bullocks and horses gaslights. The response was poor would subside only by the next . The rains intervened helping us survive, helps main- doing this. Even at that young and we were dispirited. We were morning. We also noticed that and we had to cancel our perfor- DO WE REALLY NEED A NEW CITY? tain perspective, punctures pom- age, I found it saddening that in surprised to know that on Sun- the fever was even higher on the mances. The best theatre in the posity. this modern metropolis there days there would be a perfor- days we performed. Neighbours city at that time was The Royal. (Continued from page 1) Officialdom likes to say that enough space in the CMA to de- and upto the road connecting networks that connect GST In the rueful sharing of insane were such degrading means of mance at 6.30 p.m., whereas in informed us that the fever was This stood to the north of El- more people are now settling in velop facilities and settle a ‘new Chengalpattu-Tirupporur. Road with OMR and ECR. It experiences lies the protection of transport as the hand-pulled other towns Sunday was the day called malaria. We were given ephant Gate, near the Salt of 2.2 million in 2001, up 0.6 mil- the CMA suburbs rather than in city’ population in an area which In March 2007, the Tamil also conceptually earmarks the our own sanity. In knowing we rickshaw. Watching all these we took a break. Also in other many medicines but to no avail. Cotaurs. It was a huge theatre. lion from the 1991 Census. Now, the city. But the fact is that the already has a modicum of Nadu Government set up a high- interconnections and makes pro- are not alone. novel things, we reached Grant centres, performances began late The performances continued de- The Bala Manohara Sabha of whether the CMA Area we have density of population in the city infrastructural development, level planning committee to ex- vision for the outer ring road to He is, and will always be, the Theatre. at night, while here we were spite all this and we tried to over- T.P. Krishnaswami Pavalar was stated above includes the City or between 1991 and 2001 has rather than spend crores more on plore the possibility of develop- pass through. quintessential “you-and-me”. Present-day Murugan Talkies asked to perform in the evening. come the weakness that came staging its plays there. We went not, to us it seems rather obvious grown from 22000 to 25000 per an entirely new city. If that kind ing this area between Vandalur- The committee has looked at Thank you, Mr. R.K. used to be known as the Grant We also performed on four eve- with this fever and gave our best. there to witness the plays of that that CMA can take a lot more sq.km., whereas in the CMA, soul will tell us why the latter Road and Mamal- the possibility of zoning the Laxman. Theatre then. As soon as we ar- nings in a week in Madras – Father finally resorted to the troupe. Pavalar was very keen people – and no attempt has taking the reduced area as cor- option is a better one than the lapuram as a world-class city. entire area into blocks of 500 to And Happy Birthday, old rived we were served breakfast Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday medicine he knew best. Just be- that we join his company. He was been made to increase the den- rect, it has grown from 1600 to former, we will be most grateful. The master plan has now been 1,000 acres for development. friend – we need you to make us which consisted of poori-masala. and Sunday – unlike the usual fore we left for the play, he gave a topper and so was our father. It sity of population in that area 2200 persons per sq.km. For the record, the proposed proposed for a new city that But, is all this necessary when smile. This was a new food item for us, three evenings in other centres. us all some brandy to drink. As was, therefore, no surprise that whereas the density of popula- If our understanding of these site of the new city is south of the meets international standards. 1000 sq.km. in the CMA needs The alternative is – at the as we were used to idli, dosai, We noticed that gate collections soon as we had this, we would they became the closest of tion in the city keeps growing. figures is correct, surely there is Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road The plan identifies the road developement? least – terrifying.

CMYK 6 MADRAS MUSINGS February 16-29, 2008 Recalling Madurai in (Current Affairs questions are from the period January 16th to 31st. Questions 11 to 20 pertain to Chennai and Tamil pen & print Nadu.) 1. Name the New Zealand official who was the Appeals Commis- causes the wife to become a sioner in the Harbhajan Singh quadriplegic, the realisation racism inquiry recently. that the husband is going blind 2. Who had, for a long time, kept and, finally, the triumph of hope the urn containing the and courage, making them live Mahatma’s ashes that were finally their lives to the fullest despite immersed on January 30th in the impediments. Mumbai? 3. Name the three heritage trains Multiple Facets of My from India that have been in- Manohar and Mahema on their Madurai is Manohar’s third cluded in a list of the ‘World’s wedding day. book and it is a book with a dif- Top 25 Trains’ by the Society of ference. The former President International Railway Travellers. anohar Devadoss is well- of India, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, 4. Who are the new Australian Mknown to the citizens of said it all when he commented Open singles champions? Madras as the artist who has that “this unique book gives an 5. Name the Malayalam thespian done so many black and white insight into the historical, cul- and National Award winner who drawings of the striking archi- tural and architectural wealth passed away on January 29th. tecture of the city despite the of the city.” Structured in the One of Manohar’s meticulous drawings in the book. 6. Who was the Guest of Honour retinitis pigmentosa, a degenera- form of a coffee-table book, mi- at this year’s Republic Day pa- tive ailment of the eye, which nus the exorbitant prices that Sundareswarar shrine domi- streets were cleared of cow rade? he is afflicted with. It has made you usually associate with such nates the book as it does the dung in a matter of seconds. 7. Name the two sportspersons him near blind, but his fight to productions, it is a folio of 66 town, and Manohar has in- Sometimes, the dung would honoured with the Padma overcome the handicap and do ink drawings on Madurai, with cluded various parts of the be caught during the free fall Vibhushan, India’s second high- these magnificent drawings is a each page bearing one illustra- buildings, pavilions, towers and even before it could hit the est civilian award, this year. splendid example of human tion. The facing page has de- sculptures from the shrine. road.” 8. Name the world’s first com- courage. So too is the will to live There are scenes of day-to-day l “Cow dung was snapped up and the love of life of Mahema, life in the city and pastoral set- mercial spacecraft, being built for with zeal and smeared on to his wife, who has been a quad- tings as well. To those who do Virgin Galactic, that was un- floors. Elephant dung was veiled on January 23rd. riplegic for over three decades l by not know Madurai, this book is jumped upon by jostling boys now. The couple have drawn SRIRAM V. perhaps the best beginner’s 9. Of the five films nominated for and stood upon by men. But sustenance from each other and guide, for in Manohar’s inimi- Best Picture Oscar, three are: no one would touch horse Atonement, No Country for Old have been shining examples of table style it takes the reader dung. ‘Horse dung’, my fa- Men and There Will Be Blood. the triumph of spirit over the gently by the hand and leads ther would say, ‘is an un- Name the other two. mere ills of the body. him through the narrow and tailed notes by Manohar giving touchable among dungs’.” 10. Why was Jerome Kerviel, a busy thoroughfares of Madurai. Manohar and Mahema have personal anecdotes about the French trader, in the news for the It is difficult to judge as to worked over many years on scene, the buildings and the There is plenty of humour wrong reasons recently? which is better in this book – their pet project, where each landscape, in addition to illumi- too. Here are some nuggets: * * * the drawings or the accompany- year a set of drawings of his is nating details on how he man- 11. Name the movie based on l “The cowsheds were too nar- ing copy. They actually form a brought out as greeting cards, aged to complete the illustra- White Nights, the debut venture row to allow cows to mate perfect combination, rather like the proceeds from the sale of tions despite his failing vision. of S.P. Jananathan, that won the and this exercise was there- Manohar and Mahema, each which go to charity. In addition, The drawings were done be- National Award for Best Feature fore conducted with hired complementing and strength- Manohar is the author of two tween December 1983 and June Film in Tamil for 2003. stud bulls right on the busy ening the other. books. The first, Green Well 2006. The emphasis is on fac- 12. Name the State Minister for tual precision and the visuals streets. Bashful women Years, is a memoir of his young Priced at Rs. 395, the book, Hindu Religious and Charitable only serve to highlight the effort would turn their heads away, days in Madurai. Structured as brought out by East West Books Endowments (HR & CE). that Manohar has put in. pretending not to notice a multi-dimensional autobio- (Madras) Pvt Limited, is a valu- 13. What edifice stands on 23 anything while the children graphical novel, it is sprinkled able addition to the printed grounds on TTK Road that were To persons familiar with of the inner city would get an with his detailed drawings. The works on Madurai. As in the acquired from the family of Madurai, this book will bring informal, free, visual sex second is A Poem to Courage, a other projects in which Mudaliandan Chetty? back happy memories. There education.” 14. After whom is the bridge on ‘factional’ account of a couple’s are sketches of all the famed Manohar and Mahema are in- Mount Road, by the hostel oppo- life together, depicting the early hills – Pasumalai, Nagamalai, l “Some women followed volved, a good part of the earn- site theVeterinary Hospital, days of happiness, the shatter- Yaanaimalai and Tiruparam- them (the cows) for the re- ings from the book will go to named? ing blow of the accident which kunram. The great Meenakshi ward of cow dung. The charity. 15. What distinction does Vaidyanadha Iyer of Tanjore have as regards the spoken sound in ’s capital? From Mount Road to Mall Road? 16. Which leader started Nava- sakthi in October 1920, a publi- cation that ran for 20 years? (Continued from page 1) Group is busy constructing the Estate which will be home to without any qualms about the 17. Which civil contracting firm 220-room Taj Mount Road. the new Assembly and Secre- infrastructure. has built such landmarks in Coming down the Gemini Meanwhile, Addison’s, which tariat in a couple of years. Yet another worry is the Chennai as the RBI building, the flyover, past the Safire property moved its manufacturing facil- It is not clear how the pow- lack of heritage laws. With A.C. College of Technology which is still vacant (for how ity to , is toying ers that be propose to handle current rentals hovering building and Dhun Building? long?), you cross the space with the idea of a speciality hos- the increased congestion in around Rs. 100 per sq.ft. in the 18. What famous sporting asso- where Anand and Little Anand pital for children on its land. If these areas with all the new area, owners of heritage prop- ciation was founded by Col. Sir once stood. Now a retail-cum- all this is not enough, the Gov- developments that are coming erties in these areas will obvi- George Moore in 1901? office construction is on its way ernment itself is turning a de- up. Perhaps, in keeping with ously soon be tempted to sell 19. Which place in Chennai at there. veloper, with a plan to “reno- past trends, no steps will be what they have. The result? one time had three attractions: The old Express Estate, as is vate” Kalaivanar Arangam. taken and the people of the The Kardyll Building (Bharat the Ashoka Pillar lawn, the tea- well known, is making way for This, as can easily be under- city will continue to find their Insurance) is already an ex- party lawn and the Royal Bath? the city’s largest office-cum- stood, is a euphemism. The au- own way. ample of what the LIC, a gov- 20. Which district was split from shopping mall, a 125-room ho- ditorium will perhaps become It is amazing that authori- ernment corporation, wishes to Dharmapuri District in 2004? tel and a 1.5 million sq.ft. office part of a larger office complex. ties in charge of town plan- do. Will other building own- (Answers on page 8) complex. Next door, the Taj Then we come to Government ning permit such constructions ers soon follow suit? February 16-29, 2008 MADRAS MUSINGS 7 The Roman gold coins of Nandyal

uring the house construc- dency. This is how the gold then they had not crossed over February 18-24: Life and Nothing graphs by Michel Dieudonné- Dtion of a Dr. John Bunyan coins from Nandyal reached the to India.” In the same catalogue Else, an exhibition of the works Chandigarh and Diwan Manna- in the S.P.G. Compound, Madras Museum. it is also stated, “In the Nandyal of six Afghan photographers. In Firminy (at the Apparao Galler- Nandyal, two workmen were in- The body of a man was found find of aurei, which comprises conjunction with the exhibition ies). volved in widening a saw pit. in the same pit the next morn- coins covering a range of about is a capacity building workshop Till February 29: Vasantha Vizha On June 30, 1933, one of them ing! It appears that he had pur- 170 years, the latest coin is for artistic photography con- and Children’s Mela (at Dakshina had gone out and the other, chased the maximum number of somewhat fresh while the earli- ducted by the German photogra- Chitra). pher Wolfgang Bellwinkel (at when he struck an earthen pot coins and, wanting more, had est is worn exceedingly. Allow- Lalit Kala Akademi). March 1-8: First Women’s Film with his crowbar at a depth of gone to the pit in the dark, ing a period of twenty years for Festival in Chennai. The festival three feet, saw to his utter stumbled over something and a coin fresh from the mint to Till February 25: Regards Croisés, will focus on a strong Korean and amazement gold coins rolling fallen in the pit and died. The lose its freshness and become li- Indo-French Glances at the Le Indian section of feature films as out. Hurriedly he collected as locals believed that some evil able to be classed as ‘but some- Corbusier buildings in Chandi- well as a section on World Cin- many of them as possible and, spirit had smitten him. what fresh’, the Nandyal find garh, an exhibition of photo- ema. wrapping them in his towel, ran My father told me that the may be said to be composed of German film director Helke to the Mission compound and Romans had come to Nandyal coins the earliest of which had Sander is presented with four sold the gold coins for one or in search of the Indigo plant to been 190 years in circulation films and newcomer Angela Schanelec two recent films. The two rupees each. When the extract purple dye for the royal before finding immurement in festival will initiate discussions other person returned to the robes, as well as for the pea- the soil.” with film practitioners and view- site, he found there were still cocks from the nearby During the period 8 B.C. to ers to enhance understanding of some gold coins. He collected Nallamalla forest. 161 A.D., Caius Julius what constitutes a “woman’s all of them and sold them in the Octavianus, Augustus, Tiberius film”, a question often debated same manner. The local people l A recent article on the Julius Caesar, Gaius Julius Cae- (at Sathyam). melted a large number of them Roman trail in South India sar, Tiberius Claudius Nero to prevent detection. by the Editor of this Drusus Germanicus, Nero When the Government got journal has elicited this Claudius Caesar Augustus RUKMINI THE wind of this they tried to re- recollection by Dr. D.B. Germanicus, Servius Sulpicius cover as many coins as possible. Galba, Marcus Salvius Otho JAMES. SOCIAL ACTIVIST Through public tom-tomming, and Aulus Vitellius were the the local people were informed The Madras Government Roman and Byzantine Emper- (Continued from page 2) (Vanara Sena) was formed in that it was illegal to possess an- Museum publication A Cata- ors. Madras and she became its cient coins and those who had logue of the Roman and Byzantine Some years ago, I personally commitment to reform by en- president. In 1927, she was them were liable for punish- coins (1942, revised & reprinted examined in the Madras Mu- gaging a Harijan woman as elected the Secretary of the ment. They were asked to throw 2002) states, “In the case of the seum the gold coins my father cook. Women’s wing of the Indian the coins they had on a Nandyal find... The defaced had collected in Nandyal. This After the Paris conference, National Congress. In February bedsheet spread on the veran- specimens range from 8 B.C. to was through the courtesy of Dr. Rukmini visited Japan and be- 1929, when the Simon Com- dah of the Revenue Inspector’s 64 A.D. and out of the 24 types S. Thomas Satyamurti, the then came obsessed with the work mission came to Madras, she office and told that the Govern- falling within the period, there Director of the Madras Mu- culture there. was among the group that de- ment would turn a blind eye on are only five types, the speci- seum. A few of the coins were Back home, she joined the nounced the Commission. She those who threw the coins. In mens of which have not been put in my palm. They glittered Congress Party and started tak- also took part in the salt the end, only 52 coins could be defaced. The undefaced speci- and looked as if they had come ing part even in the secret meet- satyagraha at Vedaranyam. On recovered this way. mens run from 16 to 161 A.D; fresh from the mint. On one ings of its members. She opened May 14, 1930 she was arrested My father, G.G. James, who no coin between 64 and 161 side I saw an image of a person a khadi shop in Pycroft’s Road and sentenced to a one-year jail was the Revenue Inspector of A.D. bears a cut. It may well be sitting on a horse. and became a member of the term. Nandyal, personally handed that the coins down to 64 A.D., Mr. N. Sundararajan, Cura- Hindu Mahajana Sabha, When Gandhiji announced over these coins to the District cut and uncut, came together tor, Numismatics, Madras Gov- through which she could propa- January 26th as Freedom Day, Collector at Kurnool, who, in beyond India where they kept ernment Museum, brought to gate the khadi culture. Rukmini hoisted the flag in turn, forwarded them to the circulating till they were joined my attention the references It was at this time that the Triplicane and in March she led Chief Secretary, Madras Presi- by the later coins and that till mentioned above. Youth Wing of the Congress the movement against foreign textiles. She was arrested and sentenced to six months’ im- prisonment and a fine of CHENNAI HERITAGE Subscriptions and contributions Rs.100. In 1934 she was elected the 260-A T.T.K. ROAD, , CHENNAI 600 018. l Since Volume XIV, No.1 (April 16, 2003), Madras Musings has been priced at Rs.5 a copy, ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: Rs.100/-. Vice-President of the Madras I am already on your mailing list (Mailing List No...... ) / Please make out your cheque only to CHENNAI HERITAGE and Mahajana Sabha and in 1936 I have just seen Madras Musings and would like to receive it send it, together with the COUPON BELOW, to CHENNAI she presided over the Madras HERITAGE, 260-A, TTK ROAD, CHENNAI 600 018 or C/O hereafter. Congress Committee meeting. LOKAVANI SOUTHERN PRINTERS PVT. LTD., 122, GREAMS She was again arrested in ROAD, CHENNAI 600 006. l I/We enclose cheque/demand draft/money order for Rs. 100 November 1940 when she took An ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION of just Rs.100 covers only a part (Rupees One hundred) payable to CHENNAI HERITAGE, MADRAS, part in the Satyagraha move- of our costs. Corporate support and YOUR support will continue ment. as subscription to Madras Musings for the year 2006-07. to be essential for Chennai Heritage and Madras Musings to play a greater role in creating awareness about the city, its heritage When T. Prakasam formed l As token of my support for the causes of heritage, environment and its environment. We therefore look forward to your sending his Government in Madras, she and a better city that Madras Musings espouses, I send Chennai us your contributions IN ADDITION TO your subscriptions. became the Health Minister. Heritage an additional Rs...... If in the coming year Chennai Heritage receives repeated Earlier, when C. Rajagopala- (Rupees ...... ) support from those of you who have already made contributions, chari was the Premier in 1937, and if many more supporters join the bandwagon, we will not only she was the Deputy Speaker. Please keep / put me on your mailing list. be able to keep Madras Musings going, but also be able to con- tinue awareness-building exercises on on-going projects as well Rukmini Lakshmipathi as undertake one or two more such exercises. Name : ...... passed away in August 1951. Therefore, please keep your contributions coming IN ADDI- Her birth centenary was cel- Address: ...... TION TO YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONS. If, say, you send in a cheque ebrated on December 6, 1993 at for Rs.500, we will treat Rs.100 of it towards subscription to ...... Madras Musings for 2006-07 and the remaining Rs.400 as contri- the initiative of her son-in-law bution towards the causes Chennai Heritage espouses. Dr. Ramamurthy. C. Subra- ...... We look forward to all readers of Madras Musings, and those maniam chaired the celebration Note: Overseas postage Rs. 550/year extra. Cheques for overseas postage newcomers who want to receive copies, sending in their committee. Marshall’s Road alone payable to M/s. Lokavani Southern Printers Pvt. Ltd. All other cheques to subscriptions. We are indeed sorry we can no longer remain a was re-named Rukmini ‘Chennai Heritage’. free mailer. Lakshmipathi Salai in her — The Editor memory. 8 MADRAS MUSINGS February 16-29, 2008

forgotten his father’s health NOSTALGIA while batting, was shattered. Disappointing Narasimhan, who worked with the Indian Oil Corporation and who had also played for That’s being the Egmore Recreation Club (V. the fans Pattabhiraman’s club), was a University player, much appre- (By A Special Correspondent) Ideal Team Man ciated by the crowd. fter slowly climbing up the rubbed salt into the wounds of Recalling this incident, I also Acricketing ladder in the the home team bowlers, stretch- remember the Fourth Test 2007-08 Ranji season, Tamil ing their side’s lead to 70. n the 1971-72 season, the Narasimhan was persuaded by against England played at the Nadu finished with a humilia- Tamil Nadu had a horren- IKamyuth Cricket Club won his team-mates to bat and then M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in ting defeat at Chepauk against dous start in the second innings, the Fourth Division champion- go home and attend on his fa- January 1977. Sunil Gavaskar Delhi in its last match of the losing six wickets for a paltry 61 ship of the Tamil Nadu Cricket ther. Knowing well the impor- was battling hard against the Super League. Despite manag- runs before Ramkumar (57) and Association. tance of the game, this ideal menacing England attack, after ing to avoid relegation to the wicket-keeper H. Gopinath One of the League matches team man agreed to the sugges- India had lost three wickets, Plate Division, Tamil Nadu (37) put on a partnership of 82 Kamyuth played was vital, for if tion. But the opposing side won when someone ran out from the disappointed its fans. for the seventh wicket and Kamyuth had lost that match the toss and elected to bat first pavilion in between overs and helped the side total 174. Ex- Despite a magnificent start they would have lost the cham- at the Vivekananda College handed him a chit. From the cept for these two, it was a poor provided by Abhinav Mukund pionship too. grounds. This made it necessary next day’s newspapers, we came show all the way down. Guided (51) and M. Vijay (77), Tamil Unfortunately for Kamyuth, for Narasimhan to stay till his to learn that his father had suf- by Gambhir (40) and Mithun Nadu folded up for just 268. C.S. Narasimhan, a good all- batting turn came. Arrange- fered a heart attack. But the Manhas (32 n.o.), the visitors Blaming the wicket is absurd. rounder, expressed his inability ments had been made to update Little Master continued his in- reached their target in a facile Despite the delayed monsoon to play in this vital match as his him of his father’s condition nings after reading the note and manner. preceding the game, credit father was critically ill. and by lunchtime he was as batted on, displaying no emo- The TNCA should feel dis- should be given to the Delhi stable as he was in the morning. tion, to remain unbeaten at appointed by the performances bowlers, leg spinner Chetanya When his side’s turn to bat close of play on Day Two. It was of its players despite providing Nanda (3 for 65) and medium came, Narasimhan batted bril- later reported that he flew over- them the best of support. While Answers to liantly to score over 50 runs and night to Bombay and returned hit the winning shot. His team- early in the morning to con- l The third and final part of our Quiz mates applauded him as he re- tinue his fight at the crease. review of the Tamil Nadu team’s Ranji turned to the pavilion. Just then What focus, concentration — Trophy performance during the 1. Justice John Hansen; 2. a messenger brought the shock- and team spirit! – (Courtesy: 2007-08 season Shriman Narayan, former Gover- ing news of his father’s death. Straight Bat.) nor of Gujarat; 3. Palace on Narasimhan, who might have S.R. Jagannathan Wheels, the Darjeeling Himalayan pacer Rajat Bhatia (3 for 16), watching the rebel players turn Railway, and the Deccan Odyssey; for restricting the home team. up for an unrecognised Twenty/ 4. Novak Djokovic (men) and Bhatia, who played in Chennai 20 tournament and helping Maria Sharapova (women); 5. a few years ago, was one of their side perform well, ardent Bharath Gopi; 6. The French Presi- A big ‘Thank You’ to 24 of you Delhi’s outstanding bowlers in Tamil Nadu supporters must dent, Nicolas Sarkozy; 7. the Ranji Super League. have felt terribly frustrated. It is Viswanathan Anand and Sachin We publish below the list of donors who have, between 15.1.08 and 15.02.08, The home team was lucky a pity that the Association let Tendulkar; 8. SpaceShipTwo; 9. added to the support Chennai Heritage and its voice, Madras Musings, have that Virender Sehwag and slip some of the experienced Juno and Michael Clayton; 10. He already received. We thank all of them for their support for the causes Chennai committed the world’s largest ever Ishant Sharma were on national players. Heritage espouses. fraud, with monumental losses of duty in Australia. The contin- Despite having the home ad- £3.6 billion to France’s second larg- — Chennai Heritage ued absence of the injured vantage in all its games, Tamil est bank, Societe Generale. paceman Lakshmipathy Balaji Nadu never played aggressive * * * Rs. 900: Balakrishnan, R.C.; Belliappa, P.M.; Sivaraman, K. (and off-spinner R. Ashwin) cricket and failed to win a 11. Iyarkai; 12. K.R. Peria- Rs. 500: Barman, M.C.; Rupalatha Kadhiresan crippled Tamil Nadu’s attack, couple of more matches it karuppan; 13. Narada Gana Sabha; Rs. 401: Chubby Raj, M.K.; Sundaravadanam, V.D.; Srinivasan, as its new ball bowlers did not should have triumphed in eas- 14. Adrian Fourbeck; 15. He made G.; Ananth, K.N.; Mary Alexander; Ranganathan, T.N. perform as expected. ily. It is to be hoped that the the first recording in Madras; 16. Rs. 200: Premila Rajan; Maitreya Dasan, S.; Nityaanand, A.D. Tiruvarur Vi Kalyanasundaram; Captain Gautam Gambhir young players would have learnt Rs. 150: Srinivasan, D. 17. Tarapore & Co., Engineers and (84) and discarded India opener from their experience and will Contractors; 18. South Indian Ath- Rs. 100: Ramchandar, R.; Radhakrishnan, R.; Parameswaran, Akash Chopra (55) gave a do better in the Ranji one- letic Association; 19. People’s P.K.; Mahalingam, S.N.; Jayaram, R.; Sree Krishna; flying start to Delhi. The dayers. – (Courtesy: Straight Park; 20. Krishnagiri. Bhuvaneswaran, D.; Nihila, P.; Subramanian, P.S. tailenders and Shikar Dhawan Bat.)

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Published by S. Muthiah forfor ‘Chennai‘Chennai Heritage’,Heritage’, 260-A,260-A, TTK TTK Road, Road, Chennai Chennai 600 600 018 018 and and printed printed by by T TJ JGeorge George at atLokavani Lokavani-Hallmark Southern Printers Press Pvt.Pvt. Ltd.,Ltd., 62/63,122, Greams Greams Road, Road, Chennai Chennai 600600 006.006. EditedEdited byby S.S. MUTHIAH.MUTHIAH.