Registered with the Reg. No. TN/PMG (CCR) /814/06-08 Registrar of Newspapers Licence to post without prepayment for India under R.N.I. 53640/91 Licence No. WPP 506/06-08 Rs. 5 per copy (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS CHENNAI INSIDE Short ‘N’ Snappy The Madras Jews MADRAS Recalling Olcott Heritage management T.N.’s new finds Vol. XVI No. 21 MUSINGS February 16-28, 2007 Whats being planned for our Hey, do you see that? Those men beaches? in khaki are doing what we are sup- posed to do! Soft centre (by Vincent D Souza) Well, all this world-well-lost- very now and then, either Thomé stretch. Over in Besant for-love jazz the red heart- Ethe State or a private Nagar, where Elliots Beach is, shaped balloons, the clever, agency decides to do some- time and again, various clubs insidious marketing encour- thing about Marina Beach. have made attempts to lay Elliots Beach being cleaned up... and then whats next? (Photograph courtesy: Adyar Times.) aging lavish expenditure is And, of late, Elliots Beach as lawns, plant tropical trees and over for now. You may go for it, or mutter well. It is a property that stirs widen walkways. Now everyone Estate, off San Thomé. Similar Temple area in Besant Nagar. darkly of cultural invasions. people who turn their eyes on is at it again. work was also happening on the The State agencies say that at But it is time to draw attention it. The ideas though have gen- In the past few months, a Uroor kuppam side, off Besant this point of time, only surveys to a grave injustice commit- erated opposition and contro- new set of plans seems to have Nagar. are being carried out and a con- ted within the hoopla, against versies. Blood has been spilled been drawn up for the Saravanan petitioned the sultant they have appointed will a group of unsung (maybe on the sands when, in the past, beachside. But the plans have PWD, Highways and Chennai work out the feasibility. (The slightly unlikely) heroes, as part of a Let us clean the Ma- been kept under wraps. It re- Corporation under the RTI Act old Adyar bridge across the whose roles have never been rina campaign, the police were quired a petition to be filed un- seeking details, asking the de- river was the only link along the acknowledged. Who? you ask. challenged by angry fishermen der the Right to Information partments to tell him what this shore to the Besant Nagar Why, our police force, of from the kuppams that dot some (RTI) Act to get the details. work was all about. After much neighbourhood in the past; course. parts of the shore. They did not The petitioner, a resident of a delay, the Highways said that it now, this bridge is in disuse.) Now these toughies, worn relish the idea of having their kuppam, was curious why sur- was planned to have an el- That bridge had collapsed a down by spending all their boats removed from the sea- veyors were at work in the evated motorway along the sea- long time ago. Saravanan, who time chasing misguided citi- shore. There have also been Srinivasapuram kuppam, a shore to link Foreshore Estate works with an NGO from his zens or ferrying VIPs, may moves to promote a Cannes- fisherpeoples colony near the and the Annai Velankanni look like they wouldnt Church Ashtalakshmi recognise tender passion if it type neighbourhood on the San MTC bus terminus in Foreshore (Continued on page 6) was served to them on a plate, swimming in sambar and chutney... but they do, guys, they do. Concern over future of Read the newspapers. No wonder much-harassed couples on the run from pa- rental authority turn to them. Senate House The cops listen, sympathise, and support, in sharp, unfor- tunate contrast to concerned t is reliably learnt that historic many ways also symbolises by Sriram V. The arrival of a new and en- parents... keeping within law- ISenate House, which was re- Madras Universitys 150-year thusiastic Vice-Chancellor, S.P. ful limits, obviously. dedicated to the nation by the heritage. was completed. Experts in con- Thyagarajan, gave a further fil- Then, having gently pointed out President of India on September The restoration of Senate servation and restoration from lip to the work in December the wisdom of allowing love 5th last year, is facing problems House, for which this journal the UK addressed PWD engi- 2003, with the VC himself to run its course to irate fami- in the completion of the resto- had long been campaigning, neers in an effort to sensitise promising a group, that met to lies, they even conduct mar- them to the task ahead. The riages and engagements in ration work. The problems are really began in 2002 when the brainstorm on bringing the their precincts. not structural but largely ad- PWD research wing was asked PWD brought in L&T to take building alive after restoration, They may not actually sing All ministrative. to begin the work and assured up the restoration of the roof that the Convocation for 2007 you need is love... (Imagina- The Vice-Chancellors office that there would be no shortage which had to be done on a pri- would be held in the renovated tion totters a bit at the has recently made an an- of funds. An earlier attempt to ority basis. In June 2003 the Senate House. Work on the sec- thought, but they obviously nouncement that the expected begin the work in 1993 had then Vice-Chancellor issued a ond phase began in April 2004. believe it, briefly transform- quantum of funds that was to be failed within a year. A technical public appeal asking alumni, With estimates revised by then ing their distinctly scary sta- released from a Government committee, which had been set corporate houses and well- to Rs. 5 crore, work could not tions into safe harbours for wishers to contribute towards love.) Ministry has not come through up in 1996, met in December have commenced had it not So, the next time you drive ner- and that this was going to delay 2002 and began discussing the the Rs. 4 crore that was at the been for spontaneous financial vously past that angry-look- the restoration. The news has modalities of the work. In Feb- time estimated as being neces- contributions from the Willing- ing cop at the traffic signal, come as a bitter disappointment ruary 2003, a modern scaffold- sary for completing the work. don Trust, a few corporate smile. to all those involved in the res- ing was put up at a special price The sudden resignation of the houses, and several constituent For, within that rough exterior, toration of one of the best ex- by L&T-ECC with the assur- VC notwithstanding, the first colleges of the University. beats a tender heart. amples of Indo-Saracenic archi- ance that it would remain in phase of the restoration was Ranjitha Ashok tecture in the city and which in place till the restoration work completed in September 2003. (Continued on page 3) CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS February 16-28, 2007 NewA Festival steps towards by the people, a Chennai for the peopleFestival he Man from Madras such festivals are to be held in or even rules governing one was horrified to find that both Changeable laws T Musings, echoing Madras public places. A concert in a way stretches. Imagine the vista sides of this road, which is re- Musings, has been campaign- park or a performance in a of freedom that this opens up. markably free of encroach- theatre located inside a ing for years for a broad-based street is something MMM wel- Rather like some PERT or ments, are being used as urinals Amall in the city had prob- city festival to take place co- comes, but not at the cost of CPM chart that MMM puzzled to such an extent that a perma- lems with permission to inciding with Pongal. The causing enormous traffic jams over when he was in college, nent stench pervades the area. screen films, as it was found idea was that taking off with with temporary diversions and these vehicles always take the The day MMM was walking that the building did not have the Music Season and fol- last-minute changes in routes. shortest route to any destina- through, handkerchief pressed sufficient parking space for lowed by the Mylapore Festi- An effort has to be made in the tion. So what if it involves stop- to nose, was also Pulse Polio patrons vehicles. Surprising val, a city-wide cultural event, direction of pedestrianising ar- ping other cars or injuring a few Day and the hospital was busy that this was not discovered together with a festival of eas connected with the festival passers-by? Last but not least, with many parents bringing in when the plan was filed for shopping and dining, could be through announcements and such chauffeurs are even infants. The Chennai Corpora- approval. The happy ending organised and, thereby, create signboards indicating alter- spared the trouble of hurling tion had obviously thought it was, however, in sightat least a month-long Chennai Festi- native routes that motorists can abuse at those who come in had done its bit by liberally as far as the mall was con- val that would attract visitors take. their way. There are enough strewing bleaching powder all cernedfor permission was from home and abroad.