Registered with the Reg. No. TN/CH(C)/374/15-17 Registrar of Newspapers Licenced to post without prepayment for under R.N.I. 53640/91 Licence No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-506/15-17 Publication: 15th & 28th of every month Rs. 5 per copy (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS INSIDE

• Short ‘N’ Snappy • On the trail of Albert Penn • Rambling in West – 4 • View from the high chair • The scholarly sportswriter

Vol. XXVI No. 21 MUSINGS February 16-28, 2017 The black coast... Keeping heritage in the hands of Government t has taken the Government Iof four years to get going on the Heritage Act that it passed. At long last, a Heritage Conservation Com- mission (HCC) was formed – the second of its kind and on the fate of the first there is no clarity. The composition of the proposed new HCC is at present disappointingly full of Govern- ment representatives and nomi- nees from State institutions and undertakings. And not surpris- ingly, after the initial inclusion, the Indian National Trust for Wellesley House. Arts and Cultural Heritage (INTACH)/Tamil Nadu has Disappearing ...choking with oil now decided to withdraw the dwellings G by The Editor isappearing Dwellings isaster struck two nautical miles off ’s Kamarajar port just before dawn on January 28 D was an exhibition of Dwhen two cargo – LPG-filled BW Maple bearing the flag of the UK’s Isle of Man and MT water colours that was held Dawn Kanchipuram loaded to the brim with petroleum oil and lubricants collided. The LPG tanker invitation. This is an imbalance from February 14-19, 2017. suffered a major dent and Dawn Kanchipuram was left with two holes that torn through it. Pregnant that needs to be set right if the Explaining his theme, the with oil and lubricants, the cargo released a considerable amount of the stored oil into the sur- HCC is to be a meaningful artist, K. Vikram Varghese, rounding sea. organisation. wrote in his invitation: The tion of the iron ore terminal at and disaster management plan The Government’s dislike of There is something strange (KPL) downplayed the issue ini- Kamarajar Port recognises the is available on paper, the INTACH, Chennai/Tamil and unique about these disap- tially but the aftermath was increased threat of oil spill the extremely sluggish response of Nadu, has a long history. Each pearing dwellings. One gets a hard to be concealed from the Tamil Nadu coast faces from Port authorities has brought to time one of our public buildings strange feeling that actually public eye. Even as the Port au- the passing ships and lays down question the efficacy and has been threatened with people once lived here from thorities were denying the dam- a three-tier oil contingency seriousness of the actual demolition, with an eager ad- generation to generation. age done to the environment, plan, identifying organisations preparedness plan. ministration clearing the decks You develop a strange feel- fishermen spotted slick floating and fixing responsibility. The post-collision response for it, it is INTACH that has ing as if you were taken back on the water surface while a According to the plan, a Tier-I is marked by a variety of lapses stood in the way. It has been the in time and drawn to these good amount of dense oil had spill which happens within the by different agencies from KPL, lone voice for heritage, pointing places, as if you were stepping begun to beach by the next day. limits of the Kamarajar Port will the district administration, the out that the structures declared into a different age. These The Indian Coast Guard sprang be the responsibility of the ship, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control to be weak are not really so and dwellings have aged with time into action, removing tonnes of Board (TNPCB) and the State pointing out that these edifices and I have painted them in thick oil sludge from the coastal zone management possess historical significance G by Seetha realistic style in water-colours, beaches around Ennore. Armed authority. and architectural features that so that I could best express my with buckets and mugs, the Gopalakrishnan “The district administration make them worthy of preserva- sentiments in the best quality local administration and volun- is the coordinating agency tion. More often than not, and mood as possible. teers pitched in and helped the Port authorities and the responsible for executing the INTACH has had to seek the I was completely captivated clean up the coast around mutual aid agencies. Outside disaster management plan with intervention of the Courts, and while painting these composi- Ennore. Thanks to the sluggish the Port limits, a Tier–II spill, the help of the Indian Coast though in many cases it has lost, tions: Some of the composi- response of the administration, similar to the one at hand is the Guard while TNPCB is the it cannot be denied that it has tions are in earthly colours. by the third day, the spill had responsibility of the ship, the expert agency responsible for won a few. More importantly, it Each of these compositions already travelled on the waves Port authorities, the State informing the administration has ensured that the argument resembles a unique architec- for over 30 km south of the spill Government of Tamil Nadu and also taking action against for preservation of heritage has tural design element and site leaving the port authorities and the Indian Coast Guard. the violators. Reliable first been heard. perspective, especially the and the coast guard neck deep Media reports suggest that information was not available, It was also litigation con- Mangalore tiled slanting roofs, in muck. (Editor’s Note: As we the Port authorities were reluc- with top officials of the KPL cerning heritage structures such the ruggedness of exposed go to print, it is reported that tant to acknowledge the spill admitting that they solely relied as Bharat Insurance Building and brick walls of open court remnants of the spill have and had initially informed the on the information received Gokhale Hall initiated by yards, and the worn-out and reached .) Coast Guard only about the from the ship, says environmen- INTACH that brought about crumbling walls which are The Environment Impact collision with no mention of the talist Nityanand Jayaraman. the first judgement, in 2010, done in great detail. The Assessment for the modifica- oil spill. Though a contingency (Continued on page 7) (Continued on page 2) (Continued on page 2) CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS February 16-28, 2017 HERITAGE IN HANDS OF GOVERNMENT Elections, the heritage way (Continued from page 1) demolition of the P. Orr & Sons everal years ago, when The campaigners. All of them pro- end of the wick has become building annexe to make way Man from Madras Musings fess to be the true torchbearers quite a challenge, especially if ordering a listing of heritage S for Metro Rail. We do agree was new to this city, he de- of culture, heritage and what there is a burning flame buildings in the city and taking that INTACH’s initiation of pended a good deal on people have you. As to what they do upfront. steps by way of a Heritage Con- such a litigation was not per- like the Chief to show him the for the rest of the year, when And so it was last week that servation Committee to protect haps the best decision, espe- ropes. And the Chief’s idea of they are not campaigning, MMM was slated to give a talk them. The CMDA set about showing the ropes was to get MMM has no idea. at an event that was meant to cially as it was neither the forming such an HCC, which MMM, then a mere mm (man At best, from what MMM promote our culture. After all owner of the property and nor peopled as it was with a major- in Madras), to become a can see, these people, if the hype about it, the planning was it fully aware of the back- ity of Government appointees, member of various organi- elected, will get to attend a cer- had been going on for over a ground history concerning pos- moved very slowly. Here again, sations – a book club that has tain number of meetings in year, MMM was rather session of the space. INTACH no premises or office-bearers Delhi. They also get to have surprised to see a mere hand- it was INTACH that was the lost the case, but there is no de- but manages several interest- their photographs in the maga- ful (one hand) of people at the sole voice of independent nying, with all due respect to ing meetings in a year; a stately zine referred to above. A casual inauguration. The programme thought and this was not in line the Court, that the judgement social club where you need to perusal would give you the im- had it that a lamp was to be lit with the views of officialdom’s was unduly harsh. Not only did be somebody, one way or the pression that these elected rep- following which there would members. other, to get in; and a national resentatives did little other be a ‘traditional’ music perfor- it impose a huge fine on The eviction of the organisation that was into than hold up vinyl banners mance lasting twenty minutes. INTACH, which was subse- INTACH member from the protection of culture, arts, along with several others, walk What transpired, however, quently reduced by the HCC became a simple task fol- heritage and much else. And around school buildings being was that the ‘traditional’ Supreme Court, it also ordered lowing the case against the so it was that MMM paid kind to children and posturing musicians were already seated the removal of INTACH from up and became a member and in front of structures in various but there was no sign of the all Government projects of con- has remained a member ever stages of ruin. They also do lamp. And so, the ‘traditional’ servation/restoration. Thereaf- since. have a tendency to be seen in musicians were asked to sing Disappearing ter, with INTACH having Of the first two organisa- the company of district-level traditionally and as it progres- gone, the HCC became a som- tions MMM will not say much Government administrators, sed, a rather large brass lamp nambulant organisation, hardly beyond stating that he enjoys members of erstwhile royal made itself manifest and dwellings his membership. Of the third families and sometimes, minis- diverse helpers (there were ever convening meetings and (Continued from page 1) he is not so sure for he does not ters. MMM also wonders as to more helpers than audience doing precious little to protect have much to do with its what happens after many of the anyway) began draping floral the city’s heritage. doings beyond reading a projects that are announced in strands all over it. In all this worn-out and dilapidated win- The TN Heritage Act of monthly magazine that is sent the magazine are launched with activity, nobody bothered dows, doors, houses, and walls 2012 mandated the formation out and getting much mirth much fanfare. Most appear to telling the ‘traditional’ musi- are a real delight and visually of a second HCC, but now an from the spelling mistakes that be photo-ops at best. The real cians as to when they had to appealing. amendment to the Act seeks to appear in it. The latest issue work is done by the convernors stop and so they sang on withdraw the invitation on the for instance speaks of a Gerald at the local level and MMM traditionally and overshot the The pictures I exhibited in- Velsli and it took quite a while supposes that that is what real time limit, which is also our cluded many from Chennai grants that Art and Culture are and its outskirts. already represented. This is a pity as all restoration work on- Adding footnote in verse, going in the State has just the SHORT ’N’ SNAPPY Geeta Doctor wrote: Public Works Department in MEDITATIONS IN charge of them. That is a body not known for its expertise in for MMM to figure out that passion is all about – not jock- tradition anyway. It was a WATER COLOURS conservation and even the High they meant Wellesley. Also eying for some kind of office in good half-an-hour before the Touch me, Court, whose restoration after there are words such as Delhi. lamp was decorated, five Murmur the bricks, consultations with INTACH, is ‘convernor’ (a convenor who In the light of the recent wicks placed and oil poured baked by the sun, being done by the PWD, has converts?) and ‘liquour’. Be- happenings in Chennai, MMM into it. expressed unhappiness over the sides you must have heard of has taken to answering all calls The ‘traditional’ then cea- the memories flaking Athangidi tiles Chief. And from hopeful candidates with sed and five selected people – like the paint of time. way matters have progressed there. what about a message to a new the statement that MMM’s a sponsor, three organisers lady member that she must vote is only for whoever spon- and MMM were asked to step Caress me. Perhaps it is time for have a ‘productive association’ sors MMM’s stay at a resort forward and light the lamp. Whispher the glass panes INTACH to approach the High with other members? outside the city. So far he has Only there was no previously clouded by cataracts Court and seek a of some kind. Anyway, all that is besides had no takers. lit lamp/candle to light the of rainbow colours Any reasonable judge will see the point. MMM may also be large lamp with. A scramble trapped by grime merit in the case and allow for biased against this organisa- Lighting of a lamp ensued among the helpers for leniency. After all, INTACH tion for he was the local locating a lamp and after a convernor for a year and did hese are days, when The stage wait it arrived. Then Heal me. has been allowed to conduct heritage walks in the High not enjoy his tenure. Plenty of TMan from Madras Musings came the discovery that it did enfold me in your paper-pushing and a man in gets invited to all kinds of dos. not have oil and so someone dreams and make Court premises for over two This is also that time of the years now and that should be a Delhi who kept asking for set off for it. This was duly me whole again forms numbered in Roman year when the cultural fever is procured and then someone Artist Redeemer good beginning to establish a numerals more or less blighted at its height. It was previously pointed out that the lamp (the Maker of water colours. working relationship. MMM’s convernorship. And a malaise that lasted for a small one, not the large) did so, MMM’s affection for this month, but now it is fairly im- not have a wick. That necessi- national body is but tepid. mune to medication of any tated another wait and then, MMM’s assumes that this feel- kind and lasts a full three you guessed, there was no CHENNAI HERITAGE ing is reciprocated in full mea- months. It is therefore no won- matchbox. That took quite a No. 5, Bhattad Tower, 30, Westcott Road, , Chennai 600 014 sure by the body itself for der that MMM is forever on while. In all this, the sponsor I am already on your mailing list (Mailing List No...... ) / I MMM rather misguidedly led the move, now speaking on clearly lost his nerve and have just seen Madras Musings and would like to receive it hereafter. the body into a court case with culture, now being shawled, began to babble freely about rather unfortunate results. now shawling, now lighting solar panels in which activity G I/We enclose cheque/demand draft/money order for But every once in a while, the lamps and now shaking hands. he apparently had made his Rs. 100 (Rupees One hundred) payable to CHENNAI all-India members of this body It is all rather extraordinarily fortune. The lamps were even- HERITAGE, MADRAS, as subscription to Madras Musings spring to life. And that is when like the life of a member of the tually lit, not amidst prayer or for the year 2016-17. they elect office-bearers for British Royal Family, only in music but an animated discus- G As token of my support for the causes of heritage, the national governing coun- rather less exalted circum- sion on silicon, wafers, panels environment and a better city that Madras Musings espouses, cil or whatever it is that heads stances. In fact, any time, any and the usage of solar energy I send Chennai Heritage an additional the bureaucracy there. Emails, of them needs a stand-in, in sickness and in health. Rs...... text messages, letters, phone MMM is willing to step in. He The delay actually helped – (Rupees ...... ) Please calls (and these in the knows the routine by heart and when the programme began a keep/put me on your mailing list. colourful accents of various he could do with a holiday in half hour after scheduled time, Name : ...... regional variations of English England. And in old Blighty there were enough people to ...... – MMM has been referred to there would be no requirement count with fingers of both as yum yum yum, Emma to light lamps either - MMM, hands, and by people MMM Address: ...... Emma Emma, aim aim aim ever since he has had to wear means real attendees and not ...... and many more) all of these bifocals has become a little less diverse helpers. All cheques to ‘Chennai Heritage’. DD/Cheque should be sent by are put to good use by the adept in this task; finding the Speed Post only. – MMM February 16-28, 2017 MADRAS MUSINGS 3

G CHENNAI NEWSREEL A bookshop, writers, and a café t would seem that the Biblical could work on their writing, Isaying ‘Man shall not live by reading, art or just meet with bread alone’ motivated two of fellow book-lovers. Free wi-fi on the city’s very own business en- the premises encourages visitors terprises to come up with a in their creative pursuits. recipe called the Writer’s Café. Sharadha, the Business De- Opened before three months velopment Manager and Book- ago, the coffeehouse meets incharge, is pleased with the en- bookstore is a collaboration thusiasm of the literati since the between restaurateur M. Maha- opening. Recently, the city’s devan better known as ‘Hot youth gobbled up titles of Breads’ Mahadevan, and the Markus Zusak, especially Book Art in the park iconic 172 years old bookstore Thief to have them autographed Higginbothams. by the author at Lit llustrator and social activist Yes, the sun beat down on a of them has come from for Life festival. Popular Tamil INithya Balaji liked what she bald park, shorn of its green by with their teachers. titles like Ponniyin Selvan are a had bought at Art Mart on a Cyclone Vardah, but as lunch The art works were then Sunday afternoon. A water of puliyogare and vadais sup- hung along the wall of a bunga- sell-out and first-time authors colour of a temple in South plied by Shantha of low nearby for a snappy exhibi- G by yearn to have their books on Tamil Nadu. was served, the artists crowded tion. T.K. Srinivasa Chari display here. The Café will also under the shade of bamboo and For Akshay Sreekrishna, order titles for you. She had stopped at one of the 69 stalls put up by artists palms. studying in Standard IX in Writer’s Café has hosted taking part in this annual event It was family and friends Nagapattinam, this was a begin- book launches, book clubs, the held recently at Nageswara Rao bonding. ning of sorts. Encouraged by his Corporate Chef Karan writer’s workshop ‘Thirsty Pens’ Park in Luz. And she was im- parents, he displayed his art- Manavalan says that Writer’s and birthday parties. pressed with the young artist G by Vincent works; he even sold a few. He Café is part of the corporate so- AVIS Viswanathan, Happi- from Kumbakonam. said he didn’t know how to re- cial responsibility effort of CC ness curator, who wrote his D’Souza “I asked him to select for me act to this, since he had to part Fine Foods South India. Not book Fall Like A Rose Petal at the work he had done at the with his work. only are seven burn survivors the Chamiers store and café, spot,” Nithya said later. Artist Aarthi Rao, a full- Another school student among the 30 people employed, says, “Writing in this space is an time doctor brought along her from Kovilpatti, Mukilan S., “We must buy for that is the but the profits of the café go to immersive experience. It gives husband, father, in-laws and and his parents were over- best way to encourage artists.” the NGO, International Foun- you a great opportunity to be more to her stall; they helped to whelmed with the interaction of dation for Crime Prevention present in the moment, even as Which is the sole intention set up her works, pass the tiffin senior artists with him. He too of Art Mart, and an idea that and Victim Care. life goes by. People come, of idli-s and spicy podi around sold a few. germinated to follow the annual The two-storied Writer’s go...they’re happy, sad, ani- and entertain their guests. Two senior alumni from the Pongal Mylapore Festival. Café sits prettily on the corner mated, quiet...you witness it, Said medical volunteer and 1970s of the College of Fine of Peter’s Road and Peter’s yet you stay immersed in your Added that evening, the trainer Preetha Rengaswamy, Arts, Jothi and Venkat, dis- Rajkumars (Lathamani runs a Lane. Step into the Cafe and a writing...each word speaks to pausing during her morning played their ‘realistic’ works side art school in CIT Nagar and her by side. It was a warm reunion glance to one side, reveals you you and the images you create walk in the park,“Its good to see husband markets Camlin from family and friends deeply in- for them as well as their many guessed right coffee table books. come alive!” Mumbai), who has a bought a volved in many stalls. Says a lot friends who visited the fair. One of them is about M.S. On the perceived threat couple of paintings, “This en- for the spirit around.” Well-known artist and illus- Subbulakshmi. Even though from technology to books, let’s courages artists. It lights them At 4 that evening, Luz Buzz, trator Maruthi visited the fair, the ground floor is predomi- recall writer Stephen Fry’s last up”. that creative nook carved near interacted with each and every nantly the dining area, book- word: “Books are no more For many a artist, some from the Marrybrown restaurant on artist. “This is like my own fam- shelves line the walls on either threatened by Kindle than stairs Pondicherry and Kumbakonam Luz Church Road got abuzzed, ily function and I cannot miss side with reads for both the by elevators”. Here’s to many and Neyveli, Art Mart was a fair 23 children sat down to take it,” he said. (Courtesy Mylapore young, adult and foodies. It is more book cafes. they welcomed. part in a painting contest. Eight Times). said that Mahadevan was en- thused by the Arthur Hailey’s The Hotel more than two de- cades ago to get into the food MADRAS industry after being an aca- MUSINGS demic at Madras University. The 50-seater café’s menu is ON THE WEB Swiss-inspired and put together To reach out to as many by Chef Silke Stadler. It consists readers as possible who of soups, salads, appetisers, share our keen interest in flammkuchen, a pizza-like dish, Madras that is Chennai, pasta, sandwiches, juices and and in response to desserts, priced between Rs 30 requests from many well- and 290. wishers – especially from Upstairs, Higginbothams has outside Chennai and the stock of 1,000 titles with abroad who receive their around 13,000 books spread postal copies very late – for across the genres. Separate an online edition. Madras spaces exist for Tamil and Musings is now on the web children’s sections, magazines at www. madrasmusings.com and stationery. The bookstore seats upto a dozen people who – THE EDITOR 4 MADRAS MUSINGS February 16-28, 2017 February 16-28, 2017 MADRAS MUSINGS 5 On the trail of Rambling in West Mambalam (4) ... with Janaki Venkataraman Albert Penn Helping out, y great grandfather, book shop Higginbotham’s on anthropology was intense at the M A.T.W. Penn had worked Mount Road. In this bookshop I time and photographers, to from 1865 to 75 for Nicholas can see beautiful editions of the quote John Falconer, the curator Brothers studio which was the works of Socrates, Plato, of photographs at the British Li- the local motto most important commercial pho- Euripides, Aristophanes, Pindar, brary, “felt the need to capture tographer in the Madras Presi- Horace, Petrarch, Tasso, images of cultures rapidly chang- or many years Ayodhya the increased interest in per- West Mambalam is also the dency in the second half of the Camoyens, Calderon and ing and often disintegrating be- Mandapam used to be a forming poojas and homam-s from hub for professional Brahmin 19th Century with studios in Racine. I can get the latest edi- fore the impact of an alien F meeting place for the priests of all strata of society.” cooks. Pushpavati Ammal Street Madras and Ootacamund. tions of Victor Hugo, the great civilisation and technology.” Toda’s village, Ootacamund, c.1870. (A.T.W. Penn) West Mambalam. They usually Manikandan’s father, Subra- that branches off from Lake View John and James Perratt French novelist. Amongst the Penn is now best known as an congregated here in the evenings maniam, for some reason known Road is unique in that ninety per Nicholas, the founders of the stu- German writers, I can have ethnographic photographer. The masula in the same spot; phy and the effects on the indus- exchanged notes, made appoint- popularly as Dandapani, is, how- cent of its residents are profes- dio, were the sons of Llewellyn Schiller and Goethe. Altogether immediacy of the image in his photographs of the bathing place try were similar. Both the Nicho- ments and traded priestly en- ever, of the old school. For long sional cooks. It is an unassuming, Dandapani, the retired priest keeps himself busy selling pooja requisites on the Nicholas, a ship’s master. Their a delightful place for the casual photographs of the Toda people in Coutallam and of the second las and the Penn businesses were gagements for the next day. he was a priest. Now, after retire- rather poor looking street but a pavement. (Photographs: S. Anwar.) sister Emma married a clock- browser and a serious book is remarkable; and this is com- Fall, and so on. seriously affected but, in the case That has, however more or less ment, he has taken on the small boon for anyone looking for maker and photographer called lover.” bined in pictures such as ‘Toda 1875 was a bad time for Penn of the former, fate played its part. love Carnatic Music. But apart small hospital in a thatch roofed stopped now, because of the ad- business that his father-in-law cooks to turn out meals for a John Parting, who left England By 1865, the brothers had stu- Mund’ and ‘A wayside view’ with to acquire the business because In May 1895, James Perratt’s wife from that they exhibit a real ten- building to begin with. Rajaji in- vent of the mobile phone. Now left him, that of selling pooja ar- function. It is also a street where for Ceylon, where he set up a da- dios in Madras and Ootacamund a description of the way people 1876-78 were years of one of the Ellen Isabella died and two dency to volunteer and help out. augurated the hospital. K. priests make all their professional ticles on the pavement outside even today you can get a room guerreotype studio. John and and, for two years, one in En- lived and worked. The former greatest famines the sub-conti- months later he was also dead. During the 2015 floods, when Kamaraj, the then Chief Minis- calls from home. Priesthood is a Ayodhya Mandapam. Every af- for Rs 1000/- a month. And, it is James Perratt Nicholas followed gland to which James Perratt and shows a Toda girl greeting an el- nent had experienced. Unlike They had no children and it West Mambalam practically ter, granted them 16 grounds of significant profession in West ternoon at exactly two, he ar- safe. Destitute Brahmin women them, but John went on to Ma- other Viceroys before or after sounds as if they were insepa- drowned, groups of local volun- land. From the first it was de- Mambalam. Priests from here are rives at the spot on his two- from the districts often come to dras where he opened a photo- him, Lord Lytton corresponded rable. teers worked tirelessly to evacu- cided that the hospital would be invited to perform poojas, wheeler bringing with him two Mambalam in search of liveli- graphic studio in 1857. James personally with the Queen Meanwhile, throughout the run on a no-profit basis. Dr. G by Christopher Penn homam-s and rites all over Chen- Perratt joined him four years Victoria. On August 6, 1877 he 1890s Penn had been getting Lakshmi Chaturvedi, well- nai. Although, till the 1990s later and in 1863 married Ellen wrote: Madam, I grieve to say deeper and deeper in debt and on known Chennai gynaecologist, priests were not very well recom- Isabella Higginbotham, the that, as regards southern India, December 1, 1899 he closed his was their first doctor. She lived pensed and were looked upon daughter of Abel Joshua his wife established, when they der by lifting his foot to her fore- our prospects have unexpectedly business. His home, studio and in and when- with a certain amount of pity Higginbotham. took a break there. It was at that head in obeisance. It has the de- become very serious since I had all the contents were sold with ever her services were required, (for having to live off the raw ba- Higginbotham has been or- time that he probably met Albert tail and feeling of repose that one last the honour of writing to Your the sole exception of his photo- she would take a rickshaw to the nanas, betel leaves and minor phaned when very young and Penn. finds in a Dutch interior paint- Majesty. The situation in Madras graphic equipment. hospital. The cost for the ride change that were usually given to spent a few years as a seaman be- Penn was born in 1849 in ing of the 18th Century. The lat- is most alarming and critical. In With no studio he had to re- was Rs. Five! “In all these years them by their clients), things fore joining an unprofitable Street in Somerset. He left home ter, at first glance no more than Mysore, it is even worse. The fail- invent himself. He had a good not a single mother who has de- have become far more lucrative printer and publisher in Madras before he was 12 and the next that a scenic view, but closer ob- ure of the monsoon has been al- voice and natural authority. He livered here has died,” the hospi- now. Take S.S. Manikandan for owned by the Wesleyan mission- thing we know for certain is that servation shows that Penn has most universal throughout the became an auctioneer, a retail tal authorities tell proudly. Since instance. aries. He acquired the business in he landed in Madras in 1864 composed a picture which shows distressed districts … (and still), merchant and a property agent. then, the hospital has grown into Fortyish, well dressed and 1844 and relaunched it under his when he was just 15 years old. He the steps in manufacture of a the famine spreads, and increases But at the same time, over the a multi-disciplinary one, the lat- with neatly cropped hair, own name. It quickly became the was already a competent photog- wicker basket and, on the upper daily, with all its concomitant next ten years he rebuilt his pho- est addition being a wing for Manikandan flashes his card to leading bookshop in the Madras rapher and one assumes that af- right hand side, the way that rat- horrors of cholera and other dis- tographic business helped by two heart ailments and surgery. new clients. The card advertises Presidency. It held an unequalled ter leaving home he had found tan mats were made. eases, threatening to assume the technological advances: the in- The hospital has been man- that he is capable of organising range of books for sale or for work in a photographic studio in In 1875 Penn acquired the most terrible and as yet unheard troduction of photography for aged by three generations of vol- all poojas and homam-s. He also reading from its library, which London, had met James Perratt Ootacamund branch of Nicholas of proportions.” postcards and for illustrations in unteers from West Mambalam has a cache of regular clients and attracted both the general public Nicholas and been employed by & Company, as Nicholas Broth- There was no business in books. and its capital expenditure is still the fees are no longer anything and those in high office. In Nicholas Brothers, who paid his ers had become, and started un- Ooty that year. The Governor Of his photographs in Lotus The Public Health Centre. taken care of by public donations. to sneer about. Manikandan March 1859, in a letter to the passage out to India, to work for der his own name. By that time and Council stayed in Madras. Buds by the missionary and au- polythene sacks full of dharbha hood and, as they are usually well ate families, bring food and - Running expenses are met by the drives a car and a two wheeler, historian Lord Macaulay, Lord them for at least 10 years. the Nicholas’ Studios had built a So Penn travelled to Bangalore thor Amy Wilson Carmichael, a grass, bundles of twigs, for versed in Brahmanical cooking, ter to marooned homes and they small fees charged to the patients. has firm political views and is as Trevelyan, then Governor of In 1865 he was sent up to run large stock of photographs of to photograph the army and he review in The Westminster Ga- homam-s, bunches of sacred they rent a room in Pushpavati made very little noise about gov- A consultation here still costs savvy and with-it as any priest of Madras, wrote “Among the the Nicholas Brothers’ studio in South India. The sea face at Fort took his camera to the famine zette reads: “The feature of the threads, strands of turmeric- Ammal Street and then take up ernment agencies not helping only Rs.100. All surgeries cost these times can be. I ask him if many elusive and indescribable Ooty, where he was to live for St. George, a being relief kitchens, publishing a se- book is fifty photogravure stained thali threads, vermilion cooking assignments. Within a out. Helping out seems to be the only half what they would cost other priests of his age and status charms of life in Madras city, is almost half a century. Interest in launched off the beach in Ma- ries of photographs which, he illlustrations from photographs powder, turmeric and stacks of few years they are usually able to local motto. A hospital such as elsewhere. Doctors from all over are sending their sons to Veda the existence of my favourite ethnology and the wider field of dras and another picture or a said “will give a more vivid idea specially taken of the children. almanacs and prayer books. move to bigger homes. the Public Health Centre could Chennai volunteer a few hours of of the severity of the famine in Many of these – indeed all of patasalas in order to become “Why do you open your shop in Do the offspring of priests and not have lasted this long and their time every week for consul- South India than the most elabo- them – are very charming. Some priests. He replies carefully, the hottest part of the day?” I ask cooks really follow their parents’ done so well, without the partici- tations. There is also a team of rate official report or newspaper of them are mere babies, others “They do. Nowadays many Veda him. profession? Some do. Many do pation of committed volunteers resident doctors. Free treatment article.” of larger growth, but in each case patasalas have CBSE schools at- “That’s when all my custom- not. Most study well and get into from the community. is given to the poor to the tune of In 1878 Penn returned to En- the photographer, Mr. Penn, of tached to them. So the boys get ers arrive, the housewives who software or bank jobs and move Started in 1953, by M.C. Rs. 24 lakh annually. gland after14 years to introduce Ootacamund, has succeeded in the best of both kinds of educa- are free only then. In the evening out of West Mambalam. They Subrahmanyam, a Gandhian and All though, the hospital his wife to his family and update presenting pictures, which will tion. They can later choose to the men returning from office or may shift to Ashok Nagar or K.K social worker, the Public Health shows signs of wear and tear, and himself on photographic tech- elicit high admiration. The take up a secular job, but the op- those coming to the Mandapam Nagar, or they might leave town Centre was initially meant to be it could look tidier, but it has a niques. He was not to travel back laughing faces, curly hair, and tion of priesthood will always be buy things from me.” The shop altogether. Similarly the children only a birthing centre. West huge bank of trust among West to England again for 35 years. fine physical development of the there. Actually, many young remains open till about 6.30 and of the bank executives, govern- Mambalam did not have a hospi- Mambalam residents and the Back in Ootacamund from little Indians make photographs men are opting for priesthood then Dandapani gathers his stuff ment officers, chartered accoun- tal at the time and pregnant waiting hall is always crowded 1878, Penn became known both exceedingly attractive. Indeed, because of the lucrative fees and in his sacks and heads home. An tants (this is a favoured profes- women had to go to hospitals in with patients. Apart from the for landscapes, views of the skies we have never seen a more ‘tak- exasperated Manikandan says,“I sion in this area) and such, also other parts of the city for deliv- hospital, the Centre runs a of the Nilgiris, cloudscapes, as he ing’ series of children of the Ori- have told him not to do this. We often leave for other cities or ery. This often meant waiting in crèche, sells hygienically pre- called them, and portraiture. ent”. are quite comfortably off now; other countries. This exodus has line at the railway gate and pared baby food, and also runs a The 1890s saw the rise of the Albert retired in 1911 and Wrong caption, there is no need for him to be a definitely led to the greying of people joked that the woman in centre for training and rehabili- amateur as new equipment and went back to England with his he says vendor. But he will not listen!” West Mambalam. labour would probably give birth tating differently abled children. materials made the whole pro- wife and unmarried daughter, His father retorts,” I like do- And what does the grey- before the gate opened. It was “The fee per child is Rs.350 a cess much easier and swept away but the call of the Nilgiris was too G Srinivas Chari points out that ing this. A lot of my customers haired generation of West T.T. Krishnamachari who sug- month, but of the 63 children the mystique of photography. strong. India was now his home. the picture in the West are my friends. And there are Mambalam do? gested to his friend, Subrah- only 13 are able to pay. The oth- The KODAK was introduced. A He returned to live his last days Mambalam article in our Febru- people who depend on my shop Good things. All right, the manyam, that he should start a ers are supported by annual do- ary 1st issue was not Kanchi when they need to buy some- women watch TV serials and the hospital in West Mambalam to system it seems (that) is learnt by in Coonoor where he died on Periyavar. It shows Ramana nations by kind people around amateurs in ten minutes. October 19, 1924 and was bur- thing in a hurry. I earn some men watch cricket. And, of serve the poor there. Subrah- here,” a volunteer informs me. Maharishi’s portrait being taken money doing something worth- course, they are all seriously into manyam and his band of volun- It was a change as great as the ied in Tiger Hill cemetry where in procession. The Wenlock Downs, Krurmond Valley, Nilgiris, c.1890. (A.T.W. Penn) introduction of digital photogra- his tombstone still exists. while. Why should I give it up?” religion and rituals. And they all teers found the funds to start a (To be concluded) 6 MADRAS MUSINGS February 16-28, 2017

(Continued from cupboards in one corner of the last fortnight) G office and started rummaging in The South Indian typist their depth: “It was here some- rom ministers in Delhi to where ... where is it now ... I Marwari businessmen in F hope they didn’t get rid of it ... “ Calcutta to senior counsels in Finally, he found what he was Mumbai, their offices were looking for, tucked away behind guarded by south Indian steno- a stash of printer cartridges-a typists turned personal assis- The power in Godrej Prima typewriter in near tants (PAs), as assiduously as perfect condition, down to the they might be the inner sanc- ribbon tucked in for use. tums of temples. Tandon “When the office started re- realised their power once he be- placing its typewriters, I kept came chairman of Unilever In- an office this one;’ Shetty told me. “It dia. As was imperative in those was useful sometimes for typing Licence-Raj days, he had to typist-PA visual form in writers to prove that they had Guild is allowed 100 students legal documents that were hard spend much time doing rounds Moonswamy, PA to the politi- office jobs, rather than the real- under this scheme-it is evi- to print from the printer. And I of the Delhi ministries. As soon cian Shri Bundaldass. ity of construction sites (noted dently a sought after source of also thought if there was ever a as he reached Delhi, he re- Not all south Indian typists in Caroline Osella and Filippo steady revenue for the few bad power failure, it might be called, his manager would de- were Brahmin, of course. In Osella, Men and Masculinities in remaining typing institutes. useful.” But after a while he pru- brief him on the latest intelli- Kerala, for example, the trend South India, 2006). The skills of these students will dently decided it was best to gence regarding their file: towards taking typing-related presumably be exercised on keep the machine out of sight, “Ramachandran, his personal jobs cut across communities, so computers, to which most well away from all implacably assistant, had his antennae out G much so that Shashi Tharoor by steno-typists transitioned easily modernising forces, especially and had learned from noted in India: From Midnight to Vikram Doctor (as compared to their bosses, when he would no longer be ‘Ramaswamy’, the personal as- the Millennium and Beyond most of whom still remain un- there to defend it. Now, Shetty sistant of a minister’s secretary, (1997), the joke was that “so sure of the Internet, simply be- lovingly brushed the keys and that according to the informa- many Keralite typists flocked to cause they are not used to typ- tweaked the ribbon: You can tion he had received from Given this use of typewriters stenographic work in Bombay, ing), but it is notable that the use it straightaway,” he said. ‘Ramadurai’, the personal assis- to convey status, it should come Calcutta and Delhi that means of professional entry re- Then he picked it up, bent and tant of the secretary in another as no surprise that the ‘Remington’ became the name mains a typewriter. carefully concealed it again, ministry, that was where the file Stenographer’s Guild has of a new Malayali subcaste”. Not long after he retired, I saying, “An office should have was now taking rest”. The car- adapted to today’s requirements Even Malayalis who went to the met Shetty in my office again. a typewriter.” toonist, Mario Miranda, would Gulf would send back pictures for status. Dr. Sekar explains He had come to clear up some give the south Indian steno- of themselves posing with type- that the Ministry of Labour personal paperwork, and we gives SC/ST candidates Rs 500 started talking about typewrit- From: With Great Truth & a month for 11 months, to learn ers. Suddenly he stopped. “I Regards by Sidharth Bhatia and stenography and typing. “All of have to show you something;’ published by Roli Books for them get 100 per cent job place- he said with a surreptitious Godrej. ments after that,” he says. The smile. He took me to a bank of (Concluded)

Till February 26: Recurrence – painting exhibition by Akhilesh. Akhilesh is a painter, writer and curator from Bhopal. He has had 45 one-man shows in major metros in India and abroad (at A help with the DakshinaChitra.) Till February 26: Small formats by JK, an exhibition of paintings computer and drawings by Jayakumar (JK). Jayakumar is known for his sur- realistic paintings. He is also MRS. VATSALA KRISHNAKUMAR interviewed at The known for Art direction in films. Stenographers’ Guild. Women and horses are recurring Swapna Siva Kumar, 25, has just started out on a career as a themes. This show is a selection Chartered Accountant in Chennai. She doesn’t like her mother, from his small format paintings Mrs. Vatsala Krishna Kumar, a housewife, to sit idle and so it was (at DakshinaChitra.) decided that the mother would lend a hand and help out with her daughter’s work. “She has a lot of work of typing things into her February 25-March 5: Uttarkhand computer and so I decided that I could help her out with that Festival: Folk dance forms by For limited use Sansak Sanskrutik and Parya- sometimes,” says Vatsala, 50, who has recently enrolled for typing varan Sanrakshan Samiti from S.K. BALASUBRAMANIAN interviewed at ESKEBY & CO. lessons at The Stenographers’ Guild in Chennai. The room is poorly lit with two of the three tubelights lighting After completing her BSc and finding a lot of time on her hand, Almora. As a part of the festival, there will be display and sale of up as per their whims. Even the chairs protest their use by creaking Mrs. Kumar had learnt typing and shorthand “because that was when one shifts even slightly. It would seem that technology does what everyone did in those days”. But that was nearly three decades crafts (at DakshinaChitra). February 26: Classical Music Con- not have it so good here. In the tiny office of Eskeby & Company, ago and since her daughter now cannot spend enough time to teach one of Chennai’s wholesale paper merchants, sits a Facit typewriter and oversee her, she felt it was best if she joined classes for regular cert: The performing artists are Ganesh Kumar on kanjira, Balaji which looks as though it has almost been forgotten. We talk about lessons and to refresh her skills. “I am discovering now that I lack the typewriter. “I use it perhaps to type two or three letters per speed. I have forgotten the fingering. Certain fingers are still diffi- Raman on mandolin and S. Hari Krishnan on keyboard (at month… to reply to correspondence concerning my quotations,” cult for me. For ‘A’ we have to use this finger,” she says showing says S.K. Balasubramanian, the octogenarian proprietor of the firm, the little finger on her left hand. “I am finding that now it is no DakshinaChitra.) th about his 20-year old Facit. “My business, unlike the others in this longer as flexible as before,” she says with an embarrassed smile. Till March 6: Celebrating its 50 market, is not a daily business ... I deal in bulk… with universities Vatsala has also enrolled for the computer courses offered by year of inception, Cholamandal and government agencies like the Southern railways,” he justifies the Stenographer’s Guild. “I am learning the basics – MS Word, Artists’ Village is exhibiting the not having a computer in his office. “I have a computer at home Excel sheets, sending email…,” she says. I ask her whether having art collection of the Museum of and I use it for the internet and spend time on Facebook. This the skill to work a typewriter improved her speed on the computer the Madras Movement (at the typewriter I have simply kept,” he says. “It is very old, you see, and keyboard as has been regularly told to me by typing instructors. Cholamandal Centre for Con- gives trouble from time to time. Sometimes the ribbon gets stuck. She mulls over this for very long. “The computer is easier. On the temporary Art.) Sometime something else will be wrong. Then I call the repairer typewriter you can’t afford to make mistakes and so I am more WORKSHOPS and if he has to change the ribbon then I give him 20 or 50 rupees careful…on the computer, I think my mind wanders a bit,” she For children or so and he goes away. But I have decided I will never spend more says thoughtfully. February 18: Paper Craft: money than that, say 700 or 800 rupees on any major overhaul,” For adults he says. “For me the machine has absolutely no use,” he says dra- Our Quiz Master V.V. Ramanan is on tour. His column February 25-26: Water Colour matically as he digresses once again lapsing into another mono- will resume on his return. Painting logue about life and death. February 16-28, 2017 MADRAS MUSINGS 7 View from the high chair

his is nice. voice best suited for barking or- – which is fine. (Incidentally, You can’t expect the little ders at the armed forces, dis- these former convent-educated one in question to lie still with T Being able to sit up after all solved into a shuddering mess of types who’ve morphed into eyes closed while you argue with that lying around. sputtering and wheezing noises, grandparental roles are the fun- yourself what the next line Seeing all you guys in Big- forcing three Little-Folk to niest.) should be, stopping halfway, Folk’s Land right side up, so to burst into tears. Upon which and starting again at some other For some strange reason, she speak. he, after being physically re- point in the song. chose the brisk ‘Sing a song of strained first, was led away gen- sixpence’ ….starting on an im- Speaking of grandparents, Thanks for listening, by the tly by his daughter. way. possibly high scale, which we’ve been hearing a lot of Painful. merely meant she came to grief chatter about how this role ap- Us Little-Folk …..we don’t when she got to ‘….set before pears to have been re-defined You Big-Folk don’t pick up get too much of that. the KING!’ over the years….look-attitude- on signals very easily. expectation-wise. We get a lot of Talking-At, No – didn’t quite reach the If one of you is going: “Da- though. King at all. And why not? No need to go da-googoo-choochoo-chee- into some sort of pre-conceived Let you in on a little-known chee…”, and your target is giv- (You just tried that in your ‘costume’. But this does throw mouths by ‘hiding’ them in a Little-Folk secret? ing you our signature ‘Won’t- head, didn’t you?!!) up some issues that were non- spoonful of acceptable mush Respond Response’, while Being baby-talked at can get existent a few decades ago. will be seen as an open declara- a tad tedious after a sucking on a forefinger in a dis- tion of hostilities, and will be while….sometimes downright tinctly distant manner, it prob- G by Like – the slinky look paired treated as such. dreadful. ably means you need to stop – Ranjitha Ashok with carrying one of us just like right now. doesn’t work. Which really means you’ll See – baby-talk is a skill. If end up wearing the food in your you don’t have it, don’t try it. And then there’s the singing. So, after a bit of choking and We slither all over; you guys hair. are all over the place….whole The other day, at one of Oh, my God, the singing. coughing, she starts, again, for If you feel cold, get a shawl. some unfathomable reason, lot of slip-sliding going on. those let’s-get-all-the-babies- Again – some can…..and Putting three layers on us in- with ‘Old King Cole’….on such Please note: If you wear together gatherings Big-Folk some, well, they just shouldn’t. stead merely leads to confron- a low, deep note, she sounds glossy, chunky, swingy long ear- seem to love (don’t understand Mere good intentions do not a tation, and regrettable bumps why, because the super-high like a Pit bull with the worst in- rings – we will attack. on communication highways… songbird make. tentions, at which point, having levels of tension and exhaustion So, when on baby-duty – more red, sleep-deprived eyes, Ok – that’s a bit harsh. No scared both me and herself into on all adult faces are so ‘practical’ is a good way to go, and general irritability. one’s looking for award-win- shocked silence, she abandons obvious)….anyway, at one of even in these organic-diet/ ning performances in a rocking the notion of singing altogether, Dressing us up, changing us, said gatherings, a misguided few bonded-hair/daily-work-out/ chair, but may I just point out and chooses to intone simple or dressing us down for bed insisted on baby-talk. young-forever times. that being gargled at doesn’t get little nonsense sounds instead. needn’t be a frantic battle, you One lady, with absolutely no know. Look, if you pull an out- us to sleep any quicker? Which brings up another Which have changed, yes – prior warning, hit such a high but some things haven’t. fit over our heads, trap our faces falsetto with a little one in , Like, last night, Old-Means- point. inside, and then start looking she nearly shattered my sippy Well was in charge of making Words. Like – never underestimate for the sleeve – and our arms – cup; while a venerable old me go to sleep. Now she fits into us Little Folk. Trying to cun- there will be repercussions. gentleman endowed with large the can-manage-the-Alphabet- Very important you remem- ningly slip tiny bits of Baby- grey whiskers, and a gravelly song-decently school of singing ber them. Food-21st-Century into open (Continued on page 8)

(Continued from page 1) R. Srinivasan from Kattu- Due to lack of adequate in- kuppam in Ennore voices simi- formation, first response suf- lar concerns. “People are re- fered drastically. Kamarajar The black coast luctant to even buy dried fish, port is responsible for mobilising let alone fresh catch. Small immediate response teams. It and one tonne would still be initiative to collect fish samples “By the look of it, the oil ap- and medium-scale fishers have claims to have the necessary floating on the surface. and conduct toxicity studies to pears very dense and may con- been hit very hard. Most have equipment such as skimmers, Irrespective of the scale of quell rumours about how safe tain several trace elements. kept away from going into the booms and dispersants to deal the spill, petrochemical oils the fish are,” he says. Similar Even crude oil has traces of va- sea as the cost of catching far with an oil spill. But booms and contain paraffins, aromatic and concerns have been raised re- nadium, iron and copper; and if exceeds returns. The Ennore skimmers offer little help along polycyclic hydrocarbons in ad- garding the safety of desalina- the oil has been previously used, Creek is seriously polluted as rocky shores. “Skimmers and dition to trace elements such as tion plants which function the impurities will be more and it is with effluents from booms help if the spill had oc- copper, nickel and vanadium along the Chennai coast. High- the impacts will be greater. thermal power plants being let curred in mid or deep-sea, not which are toxic to fish and hu- pressure suction pumps are used Studies should be conducted to into the water brazenly for in near shore waters and rocky mans alike. As the spill oc- to draw water into the plants ascertain the nature, the com- years together. Such a disaster beaches. Even a suction pump curred close to the coast, the which use reverse osmosis tech- position and the possible im- puts further strain on an will not do. High-pressure hoses biggest impact would be on the nology to convert seawater into pacts of the spilt material,” in- already struggling ecosystem and the likes are required to pelagic fish which thrive in shal- drinking quality water. “Are sists Ismail. and livelihoods associated with deal with the situation at hand. low waters. Ecologist Sultan these membranes capable of The thick film of oil which it. No catch, no income,” he While the Marina and Besant Ismail explains that it is not separating hydrocarbons mixed covers long stretches of the says. Nagar stretches might be rela- necessary for dead fish to wash in the water? Government coast worries Saravanan Kasi, a From fishermen to environ- tively easier to clean, the rocky ashore to ascertain contamina- should come out with a compre- fisherman from Urur Kuppam. mentalists, everyone believes shores along Ennore present a tion; in many cases, the fish may hensive safety report regarding “The past week has been chal- there is a lack of preparedness very tricky situation,” adds have ingested toxic chemicals fish as well as water resources lenging for fishermen all along that has resulted in such a di- Nityanand. but would not have died from around affected areas,” he says. the Chennai coast. Prices have saster. Despite possessing the Due to the uncertainty it. The contaminants tend to The extent of the massive dipped drastically as people are technical knowhow and the around the actual quantity of bioaccumulate, with chances of ecological damage wreaked on not ready to come out and buy necessary infrastructure, the the oil spill, the Indian National them getting transferred to hu- the coast will reveal itself gradu- fish yet. A basket of fish which agencies across the board have Centre for Ocean Information mans when consumed. ally over the coming months. usually sells for Rs 300 is now been found to be seriously lack- Services (INCOIS) has drawn Professor Ismail expresses Though it may be impossible to being auctioned at the market ing in preparedness, coordina- up a scenario for a 20-tonne deep anguish about the manner predict precise impacts, there is for Rs 120. Government has to tion and execution. Unless this spill and has predicted damage in which the government de- no denying that the ocean will conduct studies and come out critical lacuna is fixed, the to over 29.52 km of the coast- partments and the research in- be burdened by this incident. with a categorical statement re- chances of a preventable line. Out of the 20 tonnes, close stitutes have responded. “The When the deposits reach the garding fish safety. More impor- incident escalating into a disas- to 12.6 tonne is expected to be Fisheries Department and the seabed slowly, the bottom-feed- tantly, we need Government to trous tragedy cannot be ruled beached while 6.5 tonne is many research institutions in ing organisms, such as crabs and be transparent and tell us out in the future. (Courtesy: likely to have gotten evaporated the city should have taken the prawns, are likely to be affected. what’s happening,” says Kasi. indiawaterportal.org) 8 MADRAS MUSINGS February 16-28, 2017

G Partab Ramchand recalls... The scholarly sportswriter here is this first meeting most every sport, though tennis then in the prestigious World literature or economics. Now Twith Nirmal Shekar of was always his first love. Group and Nirmal described in and then he would quote from which I still have vivid recollec- Recognising his talent, even a glowing terms the performances these books to drive home a tions. And then there is this last conservative newspaper like of Vijay Amritraj, Ramesh Kri- sporting point when it came to meeting with him which will The Hindu gave him the big shnan and Leander Paes, nota- writing of the greatness of Ali also live in memory for long. breaks early and, in 1986 bly in the 1987 semi-final agai- and Pele, Federer and Bradman. We first met at the old in- Nirmal covered his first Wim- nst Australia in Sydney, the His approach to writing was door stadium near the Nehru bledon, the Mecca of Tennis. final the same year against Swe- spelt out in an interview some Stadium in 1980, shortly after He was to do this for more than den in Goteborg, and the sensa- years ago when he said ``I don’t he had joined The Hindu as a 25 years in a row. tional upset registered by India restrict myself to sports but try Nirmal Shekar. sports reporter. I was with the In 2003 Nirmal became the against France in Frejus in and bring in a life’s perspective; Indian Express and it was a local Sports Editor of The Hindu and 1993. try understanding the psychol- And now to the last meeting, table tennis tournament. One questions were raised as to his Nirmal had his detractors ogy of sports and fit sports into though at the time how could I of the players, R Ramachan- ability to be in charge of a high who described his language as the wider context rather than know that it would be the last? dran, came up to me and asked profile department, fulfill his “too flowery and pedantic” stick to the backhands and the It was at the K S Narayanan whether I had met the new re- manifold administrative duties showing off with words and cover drives alone.’’ Oration at the . porter from The Hindu. I said I and still churn out good copy. quoting from writers, few of his Nirmal retired from The We were meeting after a long hadn’t. Ramachandran excit- He did manage the dual role but readers knew. There were also Hindu in September 2015 but time. Naturally the talk was edly said, “He is very tall, and at heart he was first and fore- times when he seemed to have retained his ties with the news- mostly about the Federer– has a lot of hair on his head and most a writer. His new duties hit a plateau and some of his paper as a columnist besides be- Nadal duel at the Australian so he stands out in a crowd”. meant that his columns became phrases were repetitive. But ing part of the visiting faculty at Open the previous day. At 60 Minutes later I was introduced fewer, though readers still look- there is no denying the fact that the Asian College of Journal- he had lost none of his enthusi- to him and thus started a friend- ed forward to his reports from he touched a chord with his ism. I had in the meanwhile re- asm for the sport which was his ship that was to last 36 years. Wimbledon. Of course, he readers and was widely followed tired from the profession, but favourite. Forty-eight hours By the mid-1980s Nirmal regularly covered the Davis in the country. He was excep- we remained in touch through later he was no more and that is had succeeded T Govindarajan, Cup matches and could give full tionally well read. Quite often phone and the occasional get- the main reason why that last popularly known as ‘TG’, as rein to his colourful and know- he would be seen seriously read- together at the Madras Cricket meeting will live in memory for football and tennis writer for ledgeable writing, for India was ing material about philosophy, Club. as long as I live. the newspaper. This was no easy task, for ‘TG’ was one of the finest sportswriters of his time. A guru to many young- sters, including me, TG, who The view from the high chair was on the verge of retirement, was at first unsure whether this (Continued from page 7) decades out of practice, and But you know what? times, just to maintain disci- scholarly “young upstart” was having forgotten to put on their pline in the home. Ear-shattering ones. We Little-Folk, we realise up to the task, a view shared by glasses, have only a vague idea you guys, (well, most of you, Could you pick up Teddy many in the profession. But Socks…… actually, we can where our limbs are. anyway), come from a good Teething Ring for me, please? keep both on, you know. We Nirmal worked his way up One more secret? place. Yes, I know I’ll merely fling through the age-old qualities of just get a kick out of the expres- it down again – but hey, look at We do recognise authority; That’s why we accept your hard work, natural talent and sion on your faces, when you it this way. think you’ve got us dressed and just as we know whom we can theories. (The Really-Really- being a knowledgeable writer. All that stooping and ready, only to find we’ve man- bully. Older-Big-Folk still around are His considerable and eclectic straightening keeps you supple. aged to get ourselves de-socked pretty scathing about those, by reading made his writing differ- One timorous tremble when the way.) Your clumsiness, your So don’t worry. ent. again. you pick us up – and we know hesitancies, and general air of We’ll be gentle. By the time TG retired in the Priceless! we have you where we want genuine cluelessness, with well- And we’ll aim for mutual late 1980s, Nirmal had firmly It’s even funnier if our target you. deserved compassion. established himself as one of the harmony – till we get our words is from the grandparent-zone – Remember - never show leading young sportswriters We just need to put our in place. especially since they are a few fear. with his ability to write on al- pudgy feet down firmly some- After that…..!!!!

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