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OFFICE : 2498 2244, 2467 1122 EDITORIAL : 2466 0269 WEBSITE : www.mylaporetimes.com This group of Covid workers THIS TEENAGER’S EFFORTS HELPS reaches out to helpless residents HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES IN ALWARPET By Dheepthi O. J. By Bama Ranganathan the money to buy dry rations for Baruva Nagar, a colony located For the past few weeks, a about 20 families. off K. B. Dasan Road, not far from small group of Covid workers Megha Sivakumar has just How did she raise the money? her place. (who visit homes to check on completed her Class 12 from By spreading the word among This process had its hiccups fever and oxygen levels of resi- Chettinad Hari Shree Vidyalayam her friends and setting up G-Pay too - as her team was packing the dents) at Srinivasapuram have in R. A. Puram. The pandemic has been reaching out to residents of and PayTM accounts for easy pay- foodstuff, work had to be put on this neighbourhood. upset her college-plans but this ments. She also posted her idea on hold due to second, long lock down teenager has taken this hiccup her social media pages. The dona- imposed in Chennai. in her stride and done something tions began to trickle in. Her team then got into the positive these past months. As the donations flowed, Megha act in August. The NGO procured expanded her appeal to a the provisions and packed them wider segment of people and into bags. The family members and tapped her family’s contacts. some volunteers chipped in. Her parents and her brother The Mylapore MLA’s office created some buzz. offered to help Megha plan the Says the teen, “Friends distrbution in an orderly manner. and relatives who lived over- This was done on August 21. They go beyond their daily duty because some families are seas thought this would be a Megha says the MLA was helpless and suffer in silence. trustworthy cause and sent impressed by her resolve to help Srinivasapuram is a dense me donations.” others and praised her at the colony located off Loop Road of The collection went up to gathering and on his social media the Marina at its south end. Over 1200 families of daily-wage earn- Rs. 1,50,000. page. ers, maids, fishermen, carpenters “It was a pleasant shock Megha says she has grown a lot and painters reside here. for me and I was determined from this experience. “Being a part Says Deepa Satish, a Covid to do a good job since so many of each step of the process helped worker of this area, “Several families here have lost their people had put their faith in me understand the amount of work livelihood due to the pandemic. me. that goes into a project like this. Many are living in bad condi- Since it was my project, I also learnt that such work is tions now. So, we are personally I decided to do the bulk of possible only through team work reaching out to them in small ways we can.” Recently, through the jobs myself, taking some and collective effort. We cannot the course of Covid work, Deepa help from my parents when I keep talking of change but need and her group came across a needed. I had to manage the to act and make a difference”, young physically challenged accounts and created a What- she says. woman, who had a 10-month old baby. Her husband, a daily-wage sApp group for all those who earner had lost his job following wanted periodic updates the lockdown. The family didn’t about what was happen- even have the money to buy milk Watching on TV the stories of ing,” she says. to feed the baby. people affected by the lockdown, Says Deepa,”So our group of The next challenge was to four/five of us (Covid workers) she began to toss an idea - on ways identify what people needed, pooled in 100 rupees each to pro- to launch a project that would help how to procure these goods and vide milk for the baby for a week. people in her neighbourhood who distribute them. Then through a volunteer, who had lost their jobs. works for Banyan, a NGO, we got Megha says she sought help provisions distributed to them. ‘The journey started in June from her parents. They iden- Now, the family is doing better.” with me realizing the amount of tified a city NGO with prior In another instance, Deepa privilege I have and how with that experience in this field and de- says a pregnant woman desper- privilege I can help those who ately needed rations. “She had no cided on a package of essential one around to help. We supplied are in need,” says this resident of dry food items - rice, toor dhal, groceries to her through an NGO, Seethammal Colony Extension, off cooking oil, salt and spices. that regularly supports people TTK Road. These bags were to be of this area.” Deepa says she She raised Rs. 10,000 and used and her group can only help that donated to 350 families in much. But they do when they come across helpless people here. 2 MYLAPORE TIMES August 29, 2020 Homemade breakfast and lunch door delivered by this Mandaveli duo By Dheepthi O. J. sambhar, rasam, kootu, VINCENT D’SOUZA poriyal. The duo is also More and more offering an option of One of the areas in our neighbourhood which we at Mylaporeans are buying meals without Mylapore Times regularly report and write on are the kuppams venturing into new rice. “This is aimed of San Thome and Pattinapakkam zones. food businesses. at people who prefer Located as they are on the seaside and off the high road that Most recently, buying only the side runs parallel to the sea, the areas and its people tend to stay off Mandaveli based dishes and cook rice our radar. In a way, you may say we often do not turn our sights brother-sister duo at home.” there. – Swaminathan The food, Swa- Most of our contacts in these areas are community leaders, Ramachandran and minathan says, is women’s group heads and social workers. Kavitha, a social Sarada Ramachandran prepared at his friend’s worker who has been working here for many years, associated have started one. house and then delivered. with different groups, is always ready to share stories with us. They are now door deliver- To ensure a personal touch And ask for help to be put out in Mylapore Times. ing home-cooked vegetarian breakfast with customers, he and his homemaker A fortnight ago, she asked me if we could be of help to two and lunch to Mylapore, Mandaveli and sister deliver personally. sisters who had lost their father and the family was in dire straits. R.A.Puram. “We wear a mask and gloves when we The family lives on the fringe of Mandavelipakkam; the girls’ For two years, the duo has been are out.” selling homemade podis (sambhar podi, mom and her mother-in-law were, till the pandemic broke out Their business seems to be slowly rasam podi and idly podi) and thokku in late March working as maids in neighbourhood houses. They picking up now. “A small group of (tomato, manga) to people. must have brought home some Rs.5000 every month. people have started buying from us Says Swaminathan, a working Both girls studied in a prominent school close to home but regularly. In fact, people also want us professional, “Those products have now did not have the means to pay even part of the fees that to deliver on weekends especially on been moving well. So we had the idea of school had asked students to pay. Sundays. However, we are unable to starting a food business. go out for delivery due to complete Yes, they would pick up the text-books, the bag and the This lockdown, when we realised lockdown on Sundays.” footwear that the state provided every academic year to aided there is demand for home-cooked food, In time, when the demand increases, schools. we pitched in to try our luck.” the duo plan to deliver dinner too. But they were finding it difficult to rustle up some 8000 Called ‘Mangalam Foods’, their new A plate of two idlis cost Rs. 40. rupees for starters. The family had borrowed money in the recent venture provides idli, vada, pongal and Meals – Rs 135. The menu without past and so, turning to the familiar resources was out of question. sevai for breakfast. rice is priced at Rs 110. To order call We put out a SOS request for help and it came on time. Part The lunch menu includes rice, 8148910220 of the fees were paid. The rest will have to be paid over the year. But there was another problem. Taking part in online classes offered by the school teachers. The family possessed an old phone and borrowing a better and suitable one from an uncle Some Mylaporeans resume using services who lived close-by was not practical. The girls now listen to some audio tutorials and make best use of messages sent to them. of domestic helpers They are resigned to the situation. For, a simple smartphone costs Months after the So, once virus thermal scanners. We also over 5000 rupees. March lockdown, patients at my maid’s make sure they sanitize This then is the story in many a Mylapore home where residents at some area recovered, I their hands and legs before members have been greatly affected by the pandemic. Loss or parts of Mylapore called entering the houses, ” cut in jobs has meant thin or zero earnings. And this does not have resumed using her back.” she says. provide much to support the schooling of girls and boys. services of domestic “To avoid virus helpers. spread, now my maid Until recently, wears a mask and MYLAPORE the residents had stopped maintains social distancing TIMES their helper’s services as a from family members while Editorial & Publishing Office: precautionary measure to at work,” Ganga says. Shop 27, 2nd Flr., Corpn. Shopping Cplx., 77, C. P. Ramaswamy Rd., Alwarpet, Chennai -18 Mylapore Times Trust continues prevent the spread of the She adds that most fami- Phone: 2498 2244, 2467 1122 virus. lies in her apartment have E-mails : [email protected] [email protected] funding students: donations welcome Says Ganga Sridhar, also called back the helpers. a resident of Dwaraka At an apartment com- Editor & Publisher - Vincent D’Souza Students from two Mylapore schools have been awarded Sub Editor - Preeti Srivatsan Apartments at Raja plex in Alwarpet too, some funding to pursue their studies in these trying times. Reporter - Dheepthi O. J. This has been made possible by Mylapore Times Charita- Street, Mandaveli, “In the families have resumed Photographer - M. Madhan Kumar ble Trust ( MTCT). This project is an annual one of the MTCT initial period of lockdown, services of domestic helpers. Designers - S. Prema at this time of the year, and this year, due to the impact of we could manage house- Says Vidya Bal- - M. Surendhar the pandemic on many families, the requests are growing. hold chores without a akrishnan, a resident here, Accountant - K.Mohan This past week, 3 students of Sivaswami Kalalaya Higher maid, as children also lent “We have over 150 families Advertising Executive - R. Kathiravan Secondary School were given a total of Rs.50000 while two stu- a hand.” in our complex. Now, 30 % Manager - M. Shanthi dents of P. S. Hr. Sec. School, Mylapore were given Rs.5000. But soon after online of them have started using Office Asst - A. Nithyanandam MTCT has received applications from two other schools and classes started for her their maid’s services.” they are being reviewed. children life became dif- She says this happened Readers are recommended to make If you wish to donate to the MTCT project, please talk to ficult for Ganga. after the residents had to appropriate enquires before entering into MT manager Shanthi at 24982244 / 24671122 ( 10 am to 1 pm, dealings with advertisers who advertise in “I had to guide my go out for work, following this publication. daily). All donations can be made online and get IT exemption children in assignments, lockdown relaxations, in The Editor and Publisher does not vouch any benefit. claims made by advertisers and hence shall not besides cooking, cleaning, early August. “However, as This past week, MTCT received the following donations - 1) be held liable for any adverse consequences. and doing personal work, a precaution, we check tem- Mylapore Times is not responsible for any Raman & Kamakshi, Alwarpet - Rs.5000. 2) Kalyani Chan- unsolicited materials received at its office. dramouli, Luz - Rs.2000. all by myself. peratures of maids using August 29, 2020 MYLAPORE TIMES 3 Mandaveli’s Malathi Susheela Raghavan, educationist whose alters clothes and passion was geography does embroidery Well-known educationist Susheela Raghavan who resided in Alwarpet passed away on August 17. Susheela was the last of the ten chil- for women, children dren of Mr. & Mrs. Bhashyam Iyengar, wife of Major Raghavan and the second daughter-in-law of T. T. Krishnamachari, P. Malathi, a resi- a home-based stitch- former finance minister of the country. dent of Lazarus Church ing business, as “I had Her father served in the Military Road, Mandaveli has enough time after my Accounts Department. She moved to turned into a home- household chores.” her father in law, T.T.Krishnamachari’s tailor, this lockdown. “My idea is just to residence in Alwarpet after marriage and The 40-year-old is help people with cloth lived for over five decades in R. A. Puram. now providing all kinds (churidar, ready-made She had recently shifted to Alwarpet. With an M.A. in History of cloth alteration dress) alteration. Mak- from Queen Mary’s College and a B.Ed., she went on a Government services for women and ing profit is not my of India scholarship to the University of Southampton to study children. priority now.” She also offers em- Malathi has also geography. broidery services to al- homemaker and a spread the word about She later got a P.G. diploma in geography from the University of ter new/old blouses and mother of two, “Tai- her business to friends Madras. She was a rank holder right through all these courses. saris. Says Malathi, a loring is my hobby. and neighbours. “There Her early teaching was at Delhi with Armed Forces Public School Since my college have been some en- (1960-63). She joined Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan School while it days, I have been quires. I hope custom- was still a young school in 1966 and served there till 1978. She held stitching and ers will gradually drop- several posts there and grew from a primary school teacher to become embroidering all in,” she says. the Directress of the primary school. my blouses and Malathi plans to After a brief stint as a part time geography teacher at Vidya Man- saris.” She says start a small tailoring dir, she worked at the Krishnamurthi Foundation of India as a senior she also stitches shop once life returns geography teacher till her retirement in 1994. cloth bags out of to normalcy. She was a member, secretary, president and a pillar of support to leftover blouse She charges ac- The Association of Geography Teachers of India which operates out of bits. cording to the kind of Mylapore. And makes alteration required. Her passion for geography was very deep. In education circles, unique embroi- People who may want her name is synonymous with geography. She was an author of deries on them. her services may reach geography text and map books, articles and short stories for children. A few weeks her at 9791103867 / She demonstrated that if there is involvement and imagination, things ago, she started 9443291429. around us could become teaching aids. She would make a ball a globe, broomsticks – latitudes and longitudes, sand – mountains, and blue coloured thread – rivers! She could transform any teacher with interest into a geography teacher. She has an important place in the history of The Association Mylapore Videos. Watch. of Geography Teachers of India for its growth and the network it established. A teacher to many children and adults for over 60 years through www.youtube.com/mylaporetv many schools and forums, she won the hearts of her students with her unconditional love and non-judgmental attitude. Her former students kept in touch with her and she remembered each one of them, their CSI School for the Deaf provides smartphones to distinct skills and talents. poor students Post retirement, she chose to help many schools and NGOs. The schools she taught at and that she helped establish have her imprints To help underprivileged students get poor backgrounds were unable to attend across many programmes. access to online classes, CSI School for classes as they did not have smartphones the Deaf in San Thome has started giv- or computers. So we have begun giving She was the Correspondent of Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Madras. She ing new smartphones to them. them new phones in batches.” was the Founder Chairperson of Vidya Peetam, Sholinghur from The first set of smartphones were He says they are initially providing 1982-1999. From 1995, she was a Trustee of the Akshaya Vidya Trust given to 8 students, during the Independ- phones to students from classes 10, 11 that manages the three Vedavalli Vidyalaya School. From 2008, she ence Day ceremony, held at the school on and 12, as they will be attending board was a Trustee of the Bhuvana Foundation that runs Vidya Vanam, a August 15. exams, this year. tribal school at Anaikatti. Dr V. Saroja, state minister for “In the first batch, 6 students from Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal class 12 and 2 students from class 11 She was a member of the University Women’s Association. Programme, presided for the event and were given phones.” She worked closely with the Chennai historian, late S. Muthiah on presented the phones to the students. The headmaster says the school will Madras projects and contributed to the geography portions. Says James Albert, headmaster of the also support these students school, “We started online classes a few with cash, required for internet weeks ago. However, students from connectivity. - Written by Dr. Bhooma Parthasarathy

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Reported by Dheepthi O. J. Kennedy Street. LIFE OF KENNEDY STREETS ZONE. There are two of them (the 1st and the 2nd) that runoff from the road that leads you to the IN EARLY 20th CENTURY. Our Lady of Light Church was 16. The marriage hap- in Luz, which traces its pened in 1937 in the heritage foundation to the early 1 bungalow called ‘The Luz’ on 16th century. Oliver Road that is now called These are very narrow Musiri Subramanian Road. It streets - good enough for a still stands on this road where modern-day car to drive down, Vaigai Sanitation runs its but slowly. Though one street business now. Vijaya says that is for movement that is North- all marriages of the neighbour- South and vice versa, traffic hood took place in this vintage violations are often the case bungalow then. here. The streets hold lots of social history. Streets In those times, all families that were carved out used to follow some unique of mere scrub jungle wedding practices - one was which over time, made held before the bridegroom way for some of the arrived at the venue for the palatial bungalows marriage ceremony. After a of Mylapore’s then special ritual at a nearby tem- elite. ple, the groom would be seated And as land on a ‘mottai vandi’ (open car) parcels broke up and would be brought in a into smaller plots, procession to the bride’s house, came smaller inde- where the marriage used to pendent houses. take place. The groom’s family Most made way would accompany the car with for apartments 6 5 ‘mela talam’. While the proces- blocks. But the sion went by, local residents Kennedy Streets would come out, holding gas hold social histories lights to look at the groom and that go back beyond a wish him. The ‘open car’ tradi- century and more. tion, she says was followed to make sure the boy was of One big story of good character and respected. that era is shared by “If any person from the public Vijaya Sridharan, had known or seen the boy who currently resides in any other relationships or at Srinekethan have seen him indulging in Apartments in Venus bad habits, they would inform Colony, Alwarpet. Vijaya the girl’s family and the mar- is one of the great grand- riage would be called off im- daughters of Janakiammal, mediately,” recalls Vijaya. who hailed from Srirangam Parthasarathy worked for and who came to live in Luz the Indian Railways. But he and owned many ‘row houses’ was best known in the Car- on these Streets. (Row houses 2 natic music and Bharatanaty- are a cluster of small and big am world for his scholarship, houses linked together by research and writings on either one or both of their Carnatic music, having side walls.) documented extensively on Janakiammal is said 4 composer Thyagaraja’s music to have moved to Luz in among a big body of work. the 1920s. Janakiammal After his retirement, he got married when she was 3 became the secretary of The about three years old. Her Music Academy, a post he held husband passed away when for 18 years. Vijaya says, “My she was very young. father was also a passionate The couple had a son 1. Vijaya showing the location of the house they lived on musicologist. He guided scores - Narasingham Iyeng- Kennedy Second Street. of people who practiced or ar (known as Singam Iyen- 2. Vijaya’ s parents T. S. Parthasarathy and Sundaralak- studied classical music and gar or Singam). To provide shmi soon after they were married. dance.” All the children in the a good education to her only Gardens, she says were 3. Young Vijaya dressed as Radha standing with group of women, family were born in the house son Narasingam, Janakiam- an integral part of every all set to invite their neighbours for Navarathri festival. they lived in - No.6, Kennedy mal shifted from Srirangam house. “Each house would 4. Vijaya with the then Education Minister of the U.K. at an official Second Street. and came to Madras. They have had at least a small lived at No.6, Kennedy Second trip to this country in the 1990s. patch of greenery around it.” 5. The heritage bungalow called ‘The Luz’ where Vijaya’s parents Street, Luz. Later, Janakiam- Vijaya recalls that when mal went on to buy the houses got married in the year 1937. she was around 10 years old, l on Kennedy First Street and 6. Vijaya holding her undergraduate Home Science degree in the Contd. on pg 5 she used to go with Janakiam- year 1961. Kennedy Second Street one mal to collect the rent from all by one. these houses. “I recall that the vadagai ( rent) was Rs. 75 for 1957 to 1962 representing Vijaya believes Janaki- one of the houses,” she says. Chengalpattu constituency), SOCIAL HISTORY PROJECT: TELL US YOUR STORY ammal would have bought and C. Ramaswami (cricketer). Mylapore Times is documenting the lives and times of its people the houses with the monies Narasingam Iyengar Narasingam got married to and places, specially those of the less known and less seen. The she made from the sale of completed his studies in law. Kanakavalli (Vijaya’s grand- stories we gather and write are posted online. You can read the ancestral property she had “But as he was passionate mother) and had four children stories at - http://my-mylapore.blogspot.com owned. Vijaya says that each about journalism, he worked (two daughters and two sons - The collection of original photos / leaflets / booklets / souvenirs house on the Luz streets had for a Calcutta magazine and both sons are no more). Vijaya / land documents / bills on books, rent, education are passed on to a traditional architecture then, for the Thamizh maga- is the daughter of the couple’s the Roja Muthiah Research Library, Taramani, our collaborator for with verandah and thinnai. zine ‘Ananda Vikatan’,” Vijaya second daughter Sundaralak- digitised documentation. Such recording of local histories are very important and this Some had tiled roofs. Middle- says. His contemporaries were shmi. Vijaya had an elder newspaper is keen to do it. class families lived in these brother Srinivasan, who used V. V. Srinivasa Iyengar, V. C. So if you / your family lived here over 60/ 100/150 years and houses. “My great grandmoth- Gopalratnam (a resident of to work for the India Cements er rented them all and made want us to document the stories or you have photos and documents Lady Desikachari Road), Ltd. (He is no more now) we could copy, ping us at 24660269 or mail us at a living with the vadagai N. Sivaraj (who served as Sundaralakshmi married [email protected] (rentals).” Member of Parliament from T. S. Parthasarathy when she August 29, 2020 MYLAPORE TIMES 5 held rickshaw) was the only means Onam ‘sadhya’ at of transport at that time. In 1942, LIFE OF KENNEDY STREETS ZONE. when my mother was pregnant with local restaurants me, my great grand mother asked her to stay put at Thiruneermalai as Three restaurants IN EARLY 20th CENTURY. the War was around us in the city.” in the area are offering Every day, Vijaya says, Jana- special Onam ‘sadhya’ l Contd. from pg 4 kiammal used to travel by a kai- for the festival. rickshaw owned by Thanjappan who At Thaligai res- “A mid-wife, who was then believed to Travancore Sisters - Padmini, Lalitha was a regular to the family who took have kairasi would come to help in the and Ragini who were actresses take her to Thiruneermalai that was over taurant in Luz Church home delivery of new-borns.” in Thamizh, Malayalam, 14 kms away. Another popular mode of Road, sadhya will be Vijaya was also born in this Telugu, Kannada and transport Vijaya says was the tram’. Says offered on August 29 house in 1942. She excitedly Hindi films and dancers Vijaya, “Every day, my father used to and 31. shows us her birth certificate and performers. They walk to Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai to take Chakka/palada that she has preserved care- lived here with their the tram to his office at Central railway pradhaman, kaalan, fully all these years. “The mother. station. The tram shed was located where days leading to my delivery, TANGEDCO’s sub-station stands now.” olan, varuthu aracha my parents were living at One of the tenants sambhar, red rice, and Bezawada (Vijayawada) in on Kennedy First Vijaya vividly recalls that one of her pineapple rasam are Andhra Pradesh as my father Street was Kaliyur father’s tram mates was the well-known some items on the menu. was posted there. My mother Srinivasachari, a famous Carnatic musician and painter S. Rajam. One can dine-in to had come to Madras for the home astrologer. “He was one “On my father’s request, he gifted one of have sadhya here from delivery. Later, for some years, we of the few astrologers who his paintings that featured Ramanujar. It lived at Venkatachala Mudali Street would undertake to match horo- was one of his oldest paintings where he 11.30 am to 3 pm, on near Sanskrit College, Mylapore” Vi- scopes for marriages at that time.” had signed the painting upside down.” Vi- these days. jaya says she did her schooling at Good Nageswara Rao Park did not exist jaya has carefully preserved the 85-year- Takeaways offered. Shepherd Matriculation Higher Secondary in those days. It was just a small kut- old painting in her pooja room. Price – Rs 525 for dining. School in Nungambakkam; (Vijaya says tai (pond) that was surrounded by thick For Navarathri, each family would Takeaways - Rs 575. that the school was located at a different vegetation. “We used to call it ‘Arathakut- dress their children as Radha and At 60, Luz Church location from where it stands now ( “It tai’ “, Vijaya says. “We never visited the Krishna. The women in the family would Road, Mylapore. Ph: was close to a canal then.”). area fearing attack by animals especially accompany the children in that avatar “We used to visit our great grandmoth- at night. We never got to see any animals and invite the neighbours for the nine 9791272888. er’s house during school holidays.” but the elders kept telling us they were days kolu festival. “We would spend The Onam special there!”. the evenings in the muddy open area in sadhya at Ente Ker- Vijaya recalls that opposite the fam- Next to the kuttai, there were the front of Luz church. Aadupuli attam and alam restaurant in ily house in Kennedy Second Street, the bungalows of leading advocates includ- pallanguzhi were some of our favourite Alwarpet will have some famous Bharatanatyam dancer and guru ing Sir K. S. Aravamudan Iyengar. It was games. Girls would also pluck jasmine and 30 dishes. It will include Kalanidhi Narayanan and her family at his car shed that the Dindigul-based kadambam flowers from our garden. It lived. “We were close friends with Kantu’s businessman Rangachari first started his was used for pooja.” nei paruppu, aviyal, (Kalanidhi Narayanan’s pet name) fam- saris shop. “Women used to fondly buy Vijaya graduated in 1961. She was a thoran, kalan and 4 ily. My mother’s sister Rajalakshmi used saris from him.” Rangachari continues its teacher at P. S. Higher Secondary School, varieties of payasam and to sing for Kantu’s dance performances.” business in this area, successfully. R. K. Mutt Road in the 1980s. A post-grad- more. To buy a piece of land next to Our uate in history and English, she taught Sadhya is on offer Lady of Light Church, Janakiammal is There was also the bungalow of advo- both these subjects at this school. She lat- from Aug.21. A spe- said to have argued hard with the then cate Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer. Opposite er was the high school teacher at Padma parish priest of the church, “Later, she this house, were the houses of M. Patanja- Seshadri Bal Bhavan School in Nungamb- cial sadhya with ad- built a bungalow on that piece of land. To li Sastri, second chief justice of India, and akkan and for a short period, the principal ditional dishes is up on please the priest she gave it an English C. A. Vathiyalingam, ICS officer (Indian at Chettinad Vidyashram, R. A. Puram. Onam day (Aug.31) name as Crossleigh. S. B. P. Pattabhi Civil Services) - the latter lived in a big Price – Rama Rao, who was the minister of com- bungalow surrounded by verdant garden. The family does not own any houses on Rs 399. Special sad- posite Madras state (1952-54) resided Vijaya was 12 years old when her the Kennedy streets now. hya - Rs. 699. Call here. The bungalow with that name board great grandmother passed away. The The apartment where Vijaya resides 6374999504/42328585. still stands on Luz Church lane. houses owned by the grand old lady today (Srinekethan Apartments, Venus Luz Church was surrounded by a changed hands. All have been developed Colony) was built some 12 years ago. Door delivery available dense scrub forest. It was and still is, into independent houses or apartment Spread across five grounds, it is via Swiggy or Zomato. called as Kattukoil. “I remember watch- blocks. “Our house with door number 6 constructed between two roads. “It once At No. 1 First Street, ing the festivities of this church from our has been converted into three houses with used to be the office of ‘Ananda Vikatan’ Kasturi Estate, Poes house,” Vijaya says. “During Christmas, door numbers - 6/1, 6/2, 6/3,” she says. magazine. Garden, Alwarpet. lit stars and serial lights would be hung In 1964, Vijaya got married to D. Srid- It was locally known as ‘booth’ (ghost) Nithya Amirtham up around the church. A big crowd used haran. Sridharan was a IAS officer who bungalow, as it was amidst a large plot to gather at the church during all the cel- went on to be in the grade of chief secre- with thick vegetation. As the office worked restaurant, Mylapore ebrations. Women would dress up in large tary and when he got to work in Delhi, the only from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., it used to be offers Onam Sadhya on gowns. Vijaya says that the front portion couple mostly stayed in Delhi. He retired pitch dark after 6 p.m., hence to avoid Aug.31 and Sept.1, 12 of the church was largely muddy. in 1993 and passed away in 2007. children from wandering in that campus, noon onwards. “Hawkers would put up stalls and sell “During Sivarathri, to stay up all night elders tried to frighten them.” Dine in - Rs.200 | toys for children, snacks and photos of the we used to walk to Kamadhenu Theatre, Today, Vijaya spends her time Takeaway - Rs.250. For Christian saints. It was one of the hangout Luz Church Road to watch movies from attending concerts at sabha halls. She spots for us kids.” 12 pm to 3 a.m. We would watch films of enjoys setting up theme kolus for every reservations for dine in Next to ‘Crossleigh’, in a small M. K. Thygaraja Bhagavathar and Navarathri. Her daughter Kalpana works call - 7550020035 | house rented by Janakiammal, lived the K. B. Sundarambal. Kai-rickshaw ( hand- for Intel in Bengaluru. 8056167327