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• The ration card nightmare • Where Dhanammal lived MADRAS • Aquarian display again • Our timekeeper Harvard MUSINGS • A metamorphosis Rs. 5 per copy Vol. XV No. 12 October 1-15, 2005 (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) Madras AND Chennai They’ve both existed from the City’s beginnings

(By S. Muthiah)

Sir, I strongly suggest you order efore the British there was 1639 was by the Damarla broth- something while you wait for your car...! Bno Madras. There was no ers, the local Nayaks (gover- Chennai either. What there nors) of the Rajah of Chandra- Pick a car, any car were, were small villages like giri (representing the last ves- You know those melancholic Tiruvottriyur and Tiruvanm- tiges of the Vijayanagar King- hordes crowding hotel en- trances, gazing ineffectually in iyur and a fading town, Myla- dom of Kannada lineage but the direction where their loved pore, with its suburb Telugu in speech). ones last disappeared? and, in between, scrub jungle, With the grant came a re- All part of the I-didn’t-park-my- paddy fields and stretches of quest to name the new settle- car syndrome beach. I would be delighted to ment Chennapatnam, after Like any form of self-indulgence, be shown any parchment or their father, Chennappa, a valet parking also extracts a palm leaf manuscript or rock noble of the Chandragiri Court. price. inscription that features either The British, however, chose to The good valet does his best, yes, but well-meaning intentions name within the present call the walled settlement they cannot mitigate the agony of Greater Madras limits before raised Madraspatnam (spelt in waiting for conspicuously absent July/August 1639. I am almost a variety of ways). Why they vehicles. certain that no such documen- did this has no explanation in Talked-out at the end of a social tation can be produced. any of the Company’s records – evening, all capacity for pleas- It is against this certainty despite its employees being me- antness running dangerously on that I wonder why there was so ticulous record-keepers – lead- ‘Empty’, you hang around, age- much time taken up recently ing to numerous theories. ing perceptibly, waiting... wait- ing. to debate whether Madras or It is narrated that there were A car appears, causing a stir of Chennai should be the name of two tiny fishing settlements hope. But, alas, it isn’t yours. city’s university, given that close to the ‘fort’ and their You watch Fortune’s favourite both names belong to the year thalaivar was a Roman Catholic leap triumphantly into his ve- 1639/1640 when the East India named Madarasan (Madham = hicle, and meanly hope he gives Company was granted three faith or Maatha = (Holy) Restoration of South India’s first railway station, historic Station, himself an injury while fastening square miles of no man’s sand Mother together with Raja). was completed shortly after these pictures were taken and the restored building was his seat belt. and it settled its chief traders of The British stockade, the story inaugurated a few days ago. Certainly a part of it will remain a railway station, but The other day, making our way gin- what awaits the rest of it? Our pictures by V. RAJESH show front and rear views gerly across a hotel lobby (those the Coromandel Coast within a continues, was raised on his of the station, the former reflecting the cement surfacing being done instead of the over-polished floors are mur- walled enclosure they called traditional lime work. Conservation purists might not like this approach, but that the der), and (this being Chennai) Fort St.Grorge and Madras- (Continued on Page 5) building has not been pulled down should make us thankful for small mercies. finding it generously sprinkled patnam and weavers and dyers with auld acquaitances, we, all from Nellore and Machilipat- benign and affable, greeted the nam within an area the Indian one closest to our flight path. settlers called Chennapatnam. “TN-blah-blah-5511.” Was her Hope for heritage Both names first figure at the terse, baffling response. “Eh?” same time in the Madras “5511, 5511.” records, with the ‘White “New Age small-talk?” we ven- Town’ called Madraspatnam conservation ahead tured. and the ‘Black Town’ Chenna- “No, I’ve lost my valet parking patnam. And ever since, both tab,” she confessed, taut as an names have been in use, Ma- (By A Special Correspondent) overstretched rubber band. “I’d dras in English, Chennai in better not forget my car num- ber.” Tamil and Telugu. And it is he Director-General of the be binding on the Government, measures to be taken for identi- Murmuring sympathetically, we against that background that it TArchaeological Survey of private groups and individuals. fication, protection and man- then, by tacit consent, pro- has been the University of Ma- India (ASI), Babu Rajiv, re- At present, agencies such as the agement of the monuments. It ceeded to avoid this particular dras in English and Chennai cently announced that a Heri- ASI have no statutory powers would also review the legal auld acquaitance for the rest of Palkalaikazhagam in Tamil. tage Sites Commission would and this is a major handicap in framework for the conservation the evening. Which makes me wonder what be set up by the Centre to en- the effective implementation of of monuments and suggest ap- Maybe photographs of cars, num- the debate was all about. sure conservation of historical decisions. propriate amendments. The ber plates prominently dis- The unanswered question, played, should join those of the monuments in the country: He said the proposed Com- statute for the proposed Com- spouse and kiddies in wallets/ however, is where did both He stated that the Commis- mission would concentrate on mission was being prepared and handbags. names derive from? The grant sion would have statutory pow- unprotected monuments. It Ranjitha Ashok of land to John Company in ers. Hence, its directions would would advise the Centre on (Continued on Page 6) 2 October 1-15, 2005 Doctor-engineer Securing a ration card duo invent — a citizen’s nightmare 2-way screen (By A Special Correspondent) he acquisition of a ration card has become and at last their turn arrived, and then asked for Tan all important, but next to impossible, their cards, the staff after a search said that they he software engineer sit- Dr. Reddy wondered whether mission for the simpleton citizen in recent times. could not be found! Tting before Dr. D. Janar- it might not be possible to have The hugely complicated formalities and the Those whose ration cards were not found were number of roadblocks to be crossed start with the told to collect the new ration cards on a later date, dhana Reddy, head of the a dual screen/back-to-back scr- seemingly innocuous submission of an applica- which was given. When they reported on that cardiothoracic surgical unit in a een laptop. As a cardiac sur- tion at the specific centre. date, once again they had to wait in the queue for leading Chennai hospital, was geon, he began to visualise how The first step over, the citizen feels greatly re- a long time and finally when their turn came, in speechless. Sitting opposite the that would ease his work ex- lieved. The sense of accomplishment is perhaps several cases, the cards could again not be lo- cardiac surgeon, he was watch- plaining a heart valve block to justified as the citizen has had to wage a bit of a cated by the staff and they were asked to go to ing Dr. Reddy’s laptop in bewil- patients and their families. struggle even before being able to submit the ap- the Zonal Office to collect the card after derment. “They wouldn’t have to cluster plication. He has had to draw upon his own inge- August 1st. Not because he had heard around my computer. I also nuity to attain some clarity on where to submit In the ration shops, a notice indicated the something very serious about his imagined how my grandchil- the application and by whom it is to be submitted serial numbers of the cardholders whose ration and who would be deemed to qualify to represent cards were not available. Ironically, in several father’s heart being treated by dren would be learning the al- a family. At first, it was said that only the head cases, not only were their names absent on the the surgeon. Nor was it some- phabet with the dual screen of the family should personally go and hand over board but their cards were missing too. The exas- computer monitors,” thought the application. This caused difficulties and, af- perated citizens were then told that the cards were Dr. Reddy as he began to pon- ter several protests, Government amended the not available since they had not been printed as der over the possibilities. orders that any member of the family whose yet. Yet, neighbours living in the same area have He immediately called his name is mentioned in the ration card could sub- been given their new ration cards which, suppos- friend L. Narayanan, Manag- mit the application. The mission of the citizen edly, had not been printed as yet! ing Director, Silicon Labs Pvt. was not made any easier as, in most places, there The citizen then heads for the Zonal Office Ltd., to find out the possibility/ were only one or two staff handling the long and once again is confronted by a long queue feasibility of developing such a queue and there was inordinate delay as the de- moving at a snail’s pace. After standing for more tails of each applicant were verified at the counter than a couple of hours, he is told that his ration product. The Rs.2 crore turn- before the application was accepted. card is still not available and therefore he should over ‘Silicon Labs is in the field Adding further to the complications, the ad- come back after ten or fifteen days (no date being of manufacturing medical ministration in its wisdom initially insisted that given this time). devices like a colour photograph of the head of the family Well, to make a long story short, the fact is electro car- should be submitted along with the application. that in a number of cases, mistakes have been diographs This resulted in additional cost for the applicant. made in the entries in the ration card. Again, the (ECG), pulse Later, it was said that a black and white photo- affected people have to go and wait in a queue for oxymetry, graph would also be acceptable. a long time in the Zonal Office to give the details defibrillator, Thereafter the practice followed by the Elec- of the corrections to be made. In the Zonal Of- tion Commission in distributing the photo iden- fice, there is no separate counter for looking into pacemaker, tity cards could have been followed by the Gov- the correction requirements. Nor is there any in- thing that the surgeon showed central monitoring stations for ernment in the case of distribution of ration cards dication as to when the corrected cards will be him on his laptop. But it was the intensive care units, nerve lo- as well. Little do citizens realise the administra- provided. way in which he was seeing the cators and monitors for opera- tive difficulties of the Government and its staff if Going by what’s seen in the Zonal Office, it is image on the laptop that made tion theatres. they were to resort to such a course. Then there quite possible that a substantial number of citi- his heart lub-dub-lub-dub faster. Narayanan, a Masters de- are Government’s financial constraints in fol- zens, particularly from the lower strata of soci- For him it was like seeing the gree-holder in Engineering In- lowing such a procedure; the poor citizen pre- ety, have not got their ration cards. Government world’s ‘eighth wonder’ – a strumentation from the Madras sumably has no such constraints! is yet to make an assessment of the numbers. back-to-back dual screen Institute of Technology, was The next stage of this ordeal is the announce- It is really tragic that citizens are made to run laptop without a major brand hooked by the idea. This was ment that cardholders should collect the new ra- from pillar to post in pursuit of a ration card. In a tion cards at their stipulated ration shops on par- more dispassionate sense, you begin to feel that tag. “He couldn’t believe what not surprising, for Silicon Labs ticular weekends. Note the conditionalities fol- the Government managers are simply not upto he was seeing. He didn’t hear has several firsts in India to its lowed in the breach not by the citizen but by the task of managing even a seemingly uncom- me for nearly ten minutes,” re- credit. It is the first Indian com- those who imposed such conditionalities. When plicated task like distribution of ration cards. — calls Dr. Reddy. The doctor pany to design and manufac- people went on the stipulated date to their ration (Courtesy: Nandini Voice for the Deprived.) then explained to the software ture pulse oxymetry, ECG shops, stood in the queue for around two hours professional that the dual monitors and other such equip- screen laptop had been pat- ment. The company has also ented by him but was yet to be been the first to come out with the laptops in his office to un- one side (useful in commercial monitors would be Rs.15,000 commercialised. a health station – a set of small derstand the circuits and the applications), provide interac- more than the conventional The surgeon recalls, “One gadgets that measure a person’s signals that run the equipment. tive tools and features on any laptop/LCD monitors. day, at about 8.30 p.m., a sales blood pressure, height, weight, That happened six months ago. one side. “It also helps in par- The doctor-engineer duo representative tried to show me pulse rate, blood glucose and On August 31, 2005, the duo ent-child computer interaction, has roped in management con- his company’s product on his cholesterol. officially unveiled two proto- trainer-trainee, student- sultant K. Sadagopan, Director, laptop. He was not able to con- Recalls Narayanan, “I im- types – a back-to-back dual teacher interactive learning, KriativPlanet Pvt. Ltd., to help vey what he wanted. I was able mediately understood Dr. screen thin film transistor them to commercialise their to see only the back of the Reddy’s idea and thought it (TFT) technology laptop and a dual screen monitors. “Talks screen.” was feasible.” The next day, desktop monitor with multi- l by are on with a few international Driving back home Narayanan dismantled one of functional utilities. Before that, VENKATACHARI players – original equipment they had secured an interna- manufacturers (OEM) and tional patent for their invention. JAGANNATHAN computer companies – to li- OUR ADDRESSES... Says Narayanan, “The cense the technology.” For matters regarding subscriptions, donations, non-receipt of receipts etc.: laptop/monitor allows users Narayanan has also devel- Chennai Heritage, 260-A, TTK Road, Chennai 600 018. seated on either side to simulta- corporate and professional pre- oped a new motherboard for For non-receipt of copies, change of address, and all other circulation matters: neously view, share and digi- sentations and discussions, pre- which a patent is awaited. The MADRAS MUSINGS, C/o Lokavani Hall-Mark Press Pvt. Ltd., 122, Greames tally interact with content.” sentation of dynamic interac- motherboard would enable Road, Chennai 600 006. The monitor also enables simul- tive content in sales and mar- writing new software On editorial matters: The Editor, MADRAS MUSINGS, taneous Internet browsing. keting, retail billing and many programmes specially for dual C/o Lokavani Hall-Mark Press Pvt. Ltd., 122, Greames Road, Chennai Actually the use to which other services.” screen monitors. “The new 600 006. No personal visits or telephone calls, please. Letters received will be sent from the dual screen monitor could Gaming is another huge area monitors would revolutionise these addresses every couple of days to the persons concerned and you will be put is limited only by human where these monitors have an the motherboard design and, in get an answer from them to your queries reasonably quickly. Strange as it may imagination. With the help of application. The monitors have turn, change the hardware in- seem, if you adopt the ‘snail mail’ approach, we will be able to help you faster software, you can even partially the facility of switching off of dustry,” remarks Narayanan. and disappoint you less. mask the content and display any one side for single use. (Courtesy: www.domain- THE EDITOR information selectively on any The cost of dual screen b.com) October 1-15, 2005 MADRAS MUSINGS 3

existing water level in , which is around 40 feet, and the base level of the temple tank, which is about 20 feet. “When we tried to fill the Predators to lessen Water for Kapali tank with lorries of water last ecent heavy showers in year, we found that water level R Mylapore made me think steadily depleted due to lower mosquito menace of the Kapaleeswarar temple water levels in the surround- tank, my memories of it, its ings. Further, it reduced the salt fter a few rain showers in the city, the – Able to breed in confined water areas and prove Amosquitoes have returned in full force, to difficult to catch. present condition, and ways content in the adjacent areas. After hours of filling, we came breed in the large puddles in residential colonies, – Worthless and insignificant as food – obvi- and means of bringing the tank thanks to the builders’ callousness in blocking to its past glory. to the conclusion that copious ously to discourage human predators on the rain and prudent rainwater har- the drain passages on the roadsides with their canal banks. In the early 1980s, my friends material. and I used to while away time vesting methods are the only so- – Voracious carnivorous feeders. in the evenings by sitting on the lutions to make the tank sustain At the very mention of mosquito menace, the – Able to withstand transport and handling – for blame is squarely laid by/through the print me- steps of the tank, chatting while its water in a natural way,” he distribution over a wide area. said. He also suggested that the dium only on the overhead water tanks of resi- watching the reflection of light dential buildings, recommending heavy penalties. The predator-candidates conforming to one in the water and enjoying the rainwater that flows to the sea in the St. John’s School Mosquitoes are choosy on the quality of water or more of the above requirements, as listed by chill breeze from the south. the author and guaranteed to significantly bring (Mandaveli) area should be di- they breed in. Certainly, the groundwater used There was enough water in the by Chennaiities, with a high TDS or iron con- down the mosquito population, are: verted to the Chitrakulam and tent, is not one of them. The Buckingham Ca- tank then and the whole atmo- – Esomus (Swaisnson) (family: Cyprinidae); sphere around the temple tank Kapaleeswarar tanks. nal, the largest mosquito breeding site, runs used to become breezy with the A stormwater channel from (rather, stagnates in short lengths) right along – Puntius (Hamilton) (family: Cyprinidae); onset of sea breeze and souther- to the tank can the MRTS, ensuring a fair distribution of the – Punchax (Cuvier) (family: Cyprinodontidae); lies, a much-needed relief dur- also be created since rainwater menace among the citizens and a choice of blood – Mugil (Linn.) (family: Mugilidae); goes to the sea only during the types to the mosquitoes. According to a recent ing summer. – Ambassis (Cuvier) (family: Ambassidae); rainy season. Further, it will news report, the mosquitoes are even after the “Mayilai Kapaleeswarar blood of the councillors, having encroached the – Therapon (Cuvier) (family: Theraponidae); Temple tank had water upto check the marooning of the area during the drains in the ! Who is to be – Badis (Bleeker) (family: Ristolepidae). the road level at one point of penalised with heavy fines now? monsoon. Acelol, a chemical time in the 1970s,” T.M. Unfortunately, the local names of these types Sundararaman, a senior citizen that is used to minimise the wa- Chennai Corporation is unable to do any- thing about the mosquito menace in spite of re- were not given. of Mylapore, told me during a ter evaporation in big lakes, can In view of the dismal track record of the Cor- be used here also. portedly spending considerable amounts of the chat regarding temple tanks. taxpayers’ money year after year in spraying a poration of Chennai in controlling the mosquito The history of the tank has it S. Madhavan few areas with kerosene vapour. Therefore, some population through conventional methods, I sug- that prior to the 1920s water 27/18, Appu Street lateral thinking is called for. gest that enthusiastic NGOs, not only in Chennai but in all the mosquito-affected districts used to overflow monsoon after Mylapore, Chennai 600 004 Why not set predators on the mosquito larvae of Tamil Nadu, start pisciculture straightaway monsoon, as there were no com- Succour for the sucker and practise “Prevention is better than cure”, as in available water bodies, however small, so that pound walls around the tank to has been attempted by the Corporation of the predator army is ready for deployment as prevent the overflow. But now any thanks to Madras Madurai. In support of this method, I give a sum- early as possible before the impending rainy sea- the tank is just around 40,000 M Musings (September 1st) mary of a well-researched article, Larvivorous fish son. I am sure that the Marine Research Centres square feet of barren ground. for the material on medicare to curb malaria, by a Dr. Anand Kumar. Accord- at Porto Novo or elsewhere in Tamil Nadu would Once, there was a water and the cleverly camouflaged ing to the author, 3 exotic and 22 indigenous extend their assistance for a good cause by pro- channel from Lake pitfalls therein which qualify genera are the natural enemy of mosquito larvae. viding the fish families required to start ‘predator to the tank and excess water under Caveat Emptor (Buyer After a full description of their characteristics, he farms.’ concludes that the predators have to be: flowed from there into the tank. Beware). Indeed, medicare has D.V. Subramanian Due to the development of the become a swindle in some lead- – Small, so that they can move about freely in 2-D, Coral Manor metropolis, that channel is ing private hospitals. shallow waters among weeds. 41, 2nd Main Road blocked. Water channels that I once suffered severe pain – Hardy, so that they flourish in deep or shallow R.A. Puram were laid near the Saibaba in the upper abdomen/lower waters. Chennai 600 028 Temple, Adam Street and chest area at the dead of night Mada Streets, to make the rain- and thought it a summons from just 30-50 metres from the lease fee to go round the island? To remain a silent spectator water reach the tank, got the Maker. I, therefore, rushed shoreline. Our 9-year-old Is there any way that a com- to this proposed tragedy is really clogged due to unmindful to a posh private hospital with a daughter and her friends mercially unsound project can bothering me and my family. constuction activities. Only re- wad of money. The first thing would swim (alongside the actually run/survive? How can we help to stop this cently have they been laid they did at ‘Emergency’ was to paddle boat that we rowed) to Also, this project can never madness? again as a fillip to rainwater har- take the money as ‘Advance’. the reef to snorkel there. To benefit the local community, Navaz N.C. vesting. Next, they snatched my shirt think that this whole place and which is in excess of 40,000 fish- 2/157, Karri Kuppam Road According to a Metrowater and trouser (sealing my escape its natural beauty hangs on a ermen. Yes, it might benefit Muttukadu Village, Chennai 603 112 official, one of the reasons for routes) and gave me a sort of thread is most upsetting, to say some people involved with the the drying up of the tank is the If only they’d tried... gown to wear. the least. building of the canal and its up- huge difference between the Speedily I was subjected to In the last few months, my keep – but the benefits of big refer to the instalment on various tests, although the pain family and I have been closely business are most unlikely to go Ithe Nilgiris Mountain Rail- READABILITY PLEASE had long disappeared on gulp- following the reports about the to the local fishermen. way which appeared in the Sep- ing a tablespoonful of antacid. I th Dear Readers, project and wonder why some- Further, the area is beautiful tember 16 issue of MM. was released only after an acri- thing that will destroy the because of the fishing hamlets, In it, it is stated that the Rail- As letters from readers monious argument with a increase, we are receiving more natural beauty here is being the pace of life and the ambi- way Board wanted to replace the and more handwritten letters, battleaxe of a woman doctor contemplated. ence. Must all these go? The 50-year-old locomotives by im- many of them in a hand so small and poorer by Rs.14,000! Some- After all, economically this thought that crystal clear wa- porting new locos from SLM in and illegible or large and scrawled times the treatment is deadlier project may never be viable (ap- ters here, which are now Winterthur, Switzerland. It says as to be unreadable. Often this than the disease. further that cost considerations leads to our discarding a letter, par- parently the cost of taking ships between 6 and 9 feet deep, are ticularly if some part of it is C.G. Prasad through the channel on tow going to be made murky by forced the tender to be dropped. unreadable. 9, C.S. Mudali Street with a tug boat on either side dredging 30 to 40 feet, makes As a former Ambassador of If you wish us to consider your Kondithope will far exceed the cost of ships me sick. Imagine, no more coral India to Switzerland, I can state letter for publication, please type it Chennai 600 079 going round the island. Appar- reefs that can be viewed from a with some confidence that had with enough space between lines The Sethu tragedy ently, in Chennai and Tuticorin boat, no lagoons, no swimming the Railway Board persevered, or write it using a medium hand, a loan could have been ar- clearly dotting the ‘i-s’ and crossing the rate for ships being towed beaches. Will the greed for the ‘t-s’. ast year, my family and I is between Rs. 15,000 and “progress” ever justify this? ranged on soft terms from the Many readers also try to fill Lwent to Mandapam and Rs. 50,000 per kilometre. This Finally, if this project does Government of Switzerland for every square centimetre of a post- Dhanushkodi which is roughly channel is apparently in excess not succeed commercially (and the purchase of these locomo- card space, making reading or edit- where the Sethu Canal Pro- of 50 kilometres. Does it mean many like me will be surprised if tives. I suppose everything is a ing impossible. ject’s dredging is scheduled to towing charges of Rs. 750,000? it does) who is to make good the matter of priorities. Please help us to consider your take place. letters more favourably by making If yes, why would any shipping irreversible loss of one of the Thomas Abraham In the area where we stayed them more legible for us. company be willing to spend more beautiful places on earth, Apt. 2C, Windbrook Place last year at Mandapam, a coral more than three times what it not to forget the taxpayer’s Vellayambalam THE EDITOR reef ran along the beach about would cost it in terms of fuel and money that would be wasted? Trivandrum 695 010 4 MADRAS MUSINGS October 1-15, 2005 October 1-15, 2005 MADRAS MUSINGS 5

animals for the aquarium that aeration and filtration, sediments have been collected off the are removed and water clarity The house that An aquarian display Chennai coast and the Gulf of ensured. But maintenance is im- Mannar include deadly poison- portant. The difficulty to collect ous sea snakes, Wimble, seawater – fishermen object, Dhanam Cowfish, Box fish, Lion fish, coastal waters near the city are again Seahorse, Clown fish, Moray eel, very polluted, etc. – has been cir- Star fish, Grouper, Bat fish, cumvented by an arrangement lorded over Porcupine fish, Sailfin Tang, with NIOT at . Damsel fish, Morish idol, Trigger Tankers bring the seawater that fish, Emperor Angels and is used for culture medium. This But a city like ours Pakistan Butterfly Fish. They are is pumped into overhead tanks, (Continued from wing as well. It was with the help Sail fin Sea snake housed in 18 glass-fronted tanks, then filtered for the aquarium, last fortnight) of his wheeling and dealing that each with a simulated marine providing the closest marine en- the grandchildren, T. Brinda, T. needs a bigger show rom Manali House, I made my environment and modern filter vironment. “The filtration plant Muktha (both singers), T. Fway in the same rickshaw to systems. Fascinating glimpses of here is a pioneering exercise and Abhiramasundari (violin), T. Ramakrishna Chetty Street. ocated on a sandy beach local food fish as well as being in the web of interconnectivity many other stations have begun Balasaraswathi (dance), T. Dhanammal too is said to have L opposite the Presidency need of greater facilities for among marine organisms – the to approach us for support,” says Ranganathan (mridangam) and used a rickshaw for commuting College and midway between renewal of stocks of fish and sea anemones and the clownfish, J.T. Jothinayagam, Officer-in- T. Vishwanathan (flute), made to and from her house which The pictures we published last fortnight were wrongly captioned. This is Veena Fort St. George and San Thomé other sea animals. All fish in the and the abundance of marine life Charge. A separate working area their concert debuts. stands at No. 6, on that street. Dhanammal’s house and NOT Manali House as mentioned. was Madras’s first aquarian dis- Aquarium were captured less a single coral can house – are has been provided for mainte- Dhanam lorded over this resi- There were, however, days when play, the Madras Marina Aqua- than 10 miles from the shore and provided in this compact but aes- nance personnel. dence from 1911 till September lovers such as T.T. Krishna- bacco (all costing a princely Rs.5 she would also travel by car. A rium which was opened to public “were not even a tenth of the thetically maintained aquarium India’s best-known aquaria 1938. During her years in resi- machari, Sir R.K. Shanmukham a day) she asked for nothing else Rolls Royce would come from on October 21, 1909. Ten years species available.” with state-of-the-art strategic are the Tarapore Aquarium in dence it was a destination for Chetty, Kasturi Srinivasan, N.D. from life. Ramalaya in Adyar to pick her after being in the charge of the The Aquarium was open daily lighting. Mumbai and the one in Vizhin- several upcoming young musi- Varadachariar and S.Y. Krishna- This star of George Town up, in case the Junior Maharani Superintendent of Museums, it throughout the year, with entry In 1991, a small aquarium was gam in Kerala. cians, such as Kanchipuram swami, who would rub shoulders lived at this address till a few days of Travancore, Setu Parvati Bayi, was transferred in 1919 to the charges in the early years (on all Naina Pillai, Ariyakkudi Rama- with musical giants such as before her death when she was in residence and was feeling Department of Fisheries for two days except Fridays, when it was nuja Iyengar, Musiri Subramanya ‘Keertanacharya’ C.R. Srinivasa shifted to the Aravamudan Gar- l by like learning a song or two. It was reasons. The Department had 4 annas) being 1 anna between 7 Iyer, Parur Sundaram Iyer, Iyengar as they climbed the nar- dens residence of T. Balasaras- said that she had been intro- particular need for possession of and 5.30 p.m. and 4 annas be- SHOBHA MENON Chittoor Subramania Pillai and row staircase to the tiny room on wathi where she breathed her duced to Dhanammal by Sir K. aquarium facilities for its investi- tween 5.30 and 7 p.m. (when it Papa K.S. Venkataramiah, who the first floor where Dhanam last on October 15, 1938. Ramunni Menon. Vice-Chan- gations into the life histories of was illuminated). Gosha day for opened by the ZSI at its premises Inside the strategically-lit visited to learn songs. Dhanam would begin her performance. cellor, Madras University, and a I had rediscovered this house women (when no males were ad- (about ¼ of the space now). In aquarium enclosures I see cow was never one to part with her Pin drop silence would reign till great admirer of Dhanammal’s during my reconnoitring trip in mitted) was the last Monday of 1997, officials from the Ministry fish that look like live spaceships, music easily and sometimes laid she finished her concert at 8.00 music. Yet another fan who 2001. Ever since then, it was the the month. suggested a bigger aquarium brightly coloured Kizhimeen or a condition that the students p.m. sharp. Blind as she was by house to a jain businessman who would regularly send a car was highpoint of the heritage walk However, the Guide to the dedicated to the nation, and Parrot Fish, beautiful purple and would have to teach her two then, a daughter in attendance was going to build a block of flats. Dr. Seethapati Iyer, the Director with the old lady who owned the Madras Marina Aquarium by renovation began. Now the maroon coloured star fish, and songs for every one of hers. She would tell her the names of those The landlady had moved to Ban- of the King Institute. Dhanam premises taking pride in showing James Hornell, then the Director aquarium is open, but it needs to monkey sharks clustered in a cor- at times charged Re.1 for each in the exclusive audience and galore. Perhaps she did not want would then go over to Gokulam, all on the walk Dhanam’s room. of Fisheries, whose fifth edition get around the issue of not being ner. While large predatory Grou- song and poor Musiri and Parur, she would have a word of wel- to be present when the demoli- Dr. Iyer’s residence in Kalvi Varu She had assured me that she had was published in July 1923, says able to entertain the public on pers with their translucent blue not having that kind of money, come for each one. tion happened. I left Town with Street, Mylapore, to teach his no intention of selling the house. wistfully, “In spite of the fact that Eel Damsel fish holidays as it does not have the eyes look balefully at me, in and would share the expense. It was Late at night, Dhanammal a heavy heart. daughter, Savitri Rajan, music. When my rickshaw reached the Madras Aquarium was staff for this. out of the tentacles of the green, said that Chittoor Subramania would often have an urge to lis- The next week the Town The house was however never the house on that sad day last Walk was held and I told the opened so long ago as 1909, and to make way for ‘the beautifica- not been a priority, though, For students and researchers, yellow and blue anemones, the Dhanam’s own. It was more of a month, I was surprised to find it story of Dhanammal for the last that it has proved a wonderful tion of the Marina’. As a conse- worldwide, aquaria are major at- this ‘unique aquarium’ simulates clown fish (the only fish species locked. The landlady lived next success judging by public interest quence of this ‘policy decision tractions in large coast cities. “the rich marine biodiversity of which can share this relation- grace and favour that the resi- l by SRIRAM V. time at her doorstep . I will con- dence was given to her at a nomi- door and I knocked at her door. tinue to conduct George Town aroused or by the cold verdict of taken at the government level’, Thankfully, however, on Au- India’s marine environment”. ship) weave in and out excitedly. nal rent (Rs.25 pm) by A man came down and asked me walks in future, but its stellar at- finance, it has had no imitators the animals in the aquarium were gust 18, 2005 – nearly 18 months “The marine environment is A truly fascinating experience Chettiyappa Chettiyar whose Pillai was the most harassed. She ten to music. If Abdul Karim what I wanted. I explained to traction will be missing. on the Asiatic mainland. Until shifted to the Zoo. after it was completed – a reno- harder to maintain, since its spe- that left me wondering why a family had owned much of the insisted on his perfecting the Khan was in town, he would him about the heritage tour and Over the next few days, I pon- the last few years its reputation With the Department of Fisher- vated (at a cost of Rs.1 crore) cies are more easily traumatised. metro like Chennai cannot have property on the street since 1850. song merusamana for so long that come and regale her with that we would call at Dhanam’s dered over what had happened had not travelled beyond the ies’ focus in the past year being marine aquarium was thrown Though the ocean is outwardly the privilege of a bigger aquarium Chettiyar had been persuaded to he came to be called Hindustani music or T.N. Raja- house. He said his mother had and what could have prevented confines of Madras, for till that the tsunami and its after-effects, open to public at the Marine Bio- calm, there is current upwelling, within the city for both young rent it out to Dhanammal by an- ‘Merusamana Subramaniam’ by rathinam Pillai would come with told him about it and that we it. As an individual, I could never time no strong effort had been the question of setting up an- logical Station on the Zoological mixing of nutrients etc. In this and old to marvel at the under- other of her admirers, Jalataran- the whole family. It was to this his nadhaswaram. Dhanam her- were most welcome. I thanked have afforded the price of the made to advertise it and make its other aquarium in the City has Survey of India premises. The aquarium, through circulation, water world. gam Ramaniah Chetty, a chit house that Madurai Shanmukha- self would keep the drone for him him and was about to leave when property. A group wanting to attractions widely known.” fund owner of George Town vadivu brought Subbulakshmi, on a tambura. At other times, he dropped a bombshell. “Come preserve it would have run into Indeed, the display of fish has whose main job appeared to have her daughter, in 1933, seeking an Abbayi would perform on the early next week,” he said. “After issues of what to do with it. It always drawn visitors in Madras. been to arrange concert opportu- introduction to prominent music clarinet for her. Invariably, that the house is to be demol- was, after all, a small town house. The 1954-55 Administration Re- nities for Dhanammal and her patrons of the city. Dhanammal Dhanam would give away what- ished”. port of Madras City records how Madras AND Chennai Only a Heritage Act could have daughters Rajalakshmi, Lak- heard the young girl out and pre- ever she had received for her per- Apparently, the daughters of prevented such a demolition. the Madras Aquarist Society put shmiratnam, Jayammal and dicted a bright future for her. formance to those whose music the old lady were demanding a Had there been proper guidelines up a stall during the Flower Show (Continued from page 1) Yet another theory linked been financing many a fishing now Andhra Pradesh. The mi- Kamakshi. When the daughters If it was Friday, it would be pleased her. Her own wants were share in the ancestral property on what could be done with a Week to explain the objects of nd with San Thome is that Madras kuppam. These kuppams – like grant workers called their settle- began having children, Rama- Dhanam’s for many. She would few. Beyond the daily quota of and, to settle their claims, the heritage property, none of this the Society (at the 32 Corpora- garden patch after a promise was took its name from the Madre de those near Fort St. George – ment Chennapatnam, maintain- niah took them all under his perform on the veena for music betel leaf, scented supari and to- family had sold Dhanammal’s would have occurred. The buyer tion Flower Show at My Ladye’s made to name the new settle- Deus (Mother of God) Church in could well have been known as ing the links they were familiar would have had to adhere to Garden (in People’s Park). Rare ment after him. It’s also a story San Thome which had been con- Madra kuppams. And from that a with, namely the Chandragiri those norms as well. Even if varieties of tropical fish were spe- the family of Beri Thimmappa, secrated in 1576. Imagine Angli- leap to Madras seems more plau- connection of the local Nayaks. Dhanammal had not lived in it, a cially flown in from Ceylon and the dubash who negotiated the can Fort St. George taking its sible than most other theories, From the very founding of house dating back to 1850 is a Singapore for the occasion. The grant, likes to relate. Then name from a Roman Catholic particulary in the light that till Madras, the city, then, has been heritage house. ‘Underwater World’ highlighted there’s the theory that there ex- church! But that it took its name well into the 18th the known as Madras in English and What is sad is that not even a two new specimens, the Colour isted a madarasa and a Marak- from the Portuguese family that Madeiros family remained Chennai in Tamil and Telugu. commemorative plaque can be Loach (native of Borneo) and kayar-kuppam on this spit of land built this church seems more friends of the Council of Fort St. With a 350-year plus usage of put up. Several property owners Monkhousia Talra (native of the British were granted and plausible, given the documenta- Grorge, often lending it money. BOTH Madras AND Chennai, are apprehensive that such a Brazil and Guiana) as well as ‘Madras’ derived either from the tion available. Well, there are your options, why can’t we continue an an- plaque would be the first step in such marine specimens like sea term for the Muslim school or There is evidence of the take your pick. But what is cer- cient tradition instead of wasting the process of forcible acquisition horse, octopus, anemones and from corruption of the ethnic de- Madeiros family – more often tain is that there was no Madras time debating which is correct, of the property by the Govern- urchins. It was open from 7 a.m. scription of the Muslim seafarers. locally referred to as the Madra or Chennai before the British – which is linguistically proper? ment in order to declare it a na- to 6 p.m. to public daily for a But while Muslim settlement in family – having lived in San what existed was sandy beach The decision to maintain the sta- tional asset. Once again, only a week, the last day being reserved had continued uninter- Thomé from the middle of the and scrub jungle and no local tus quo in the case of the name Heritage Act can remove such for women and children. Over 2 rupted from the Dutch, pre-Brit- 16th Century. Considering the population except for what was of the University of this city irrational fears. Till then, it is go- lakh people visited the show that ish times, Muslim settlements in number of churches they built, found in a small fishing kuppam against this background is wel- ing to be more demolitions, more year. the limits of Madras are recorded they must have been San or two, necessitating John Com- come. Perhaps we can now spend erasures of history and a few ar- But, sadly, this display of in- terest was not encouraged. On only after the Golconda con- Thome’s richest family. And a pany having to – as it did for al- more time on debating how to ticles lamenting their passing. quest of Portuguese San Thome On left, is Manali House (and NOT the car park the house has become), seen through the entrance of the facing building. The car park is the picture on right. (All 30.10.2003, Madras’s first aqua- rich seafaring family doing inter- most a century afterwards – bring improve that university and find- photographs by the AUTHOR.) (Concluded) rium was officially closed down in 1663! national business could well have in textile workers from what is ing jobs for its students. 6 MADRAS MUSINGS October 1-15, 2005 A Harikatha expert’s pen portraits (Quizmaster V.V. Ramanan’s current affairs questions are from the period September 1st to galam, which in the years fol- 15th. Questions 11 to 20 pertain lowing his death ceased to be to Tamil Nadu and Chennai.) conducted. The other was the 1. Name the third of Deepa Tyagaraja Aradhana at Tiru- Mehta’s trilogy, starring John vayiaru, where he was the pow- Abraham and Lisa Ray, which erful secretary of the Brahmin- opened the recently-held Toronto dominated Chinna Katchi, one Film Festival. of the two rival factions that 2. Who was Mahesh Bhupathi’s observed the Aradhana for partner when he won the U.S. many years till the union in Open mixed doubles title recently? 1940. Bhagavatar was not en- 3. Who was awarded the inaugural tirely happy with the unifica- Harikatha by Soolamangalam Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar. Accompanists: mridangam: Palayur Ramakrishnan, vocalists: Panchapakesa Bhagavatar and Compton-Miller Medal in the tion and stayed away from the V. Radhakrishnan. Ashes series recently won by En- aradhana for the remaining gland? years of his life. and released in Tamil under had gathered outside, some Soolamangalam Vaidyanatha In 1942, he moved to Ma- the auspices of Kalakshetra un- who went about challenging all 4. Who was sworn in the President Bhagavatar. of Singapore for the second time dras for a brief while and stayed der the title Karnataka and sundry to musical duels recently? with his son Atmanatha Iyer in Sangeetha Vidwangal. This year, and Sarabha Sastrigal, the blind oolamangalam who?” the agraharam surrounding the the entire set of reminiscences, flautist, who could reproduce 5. Where in Asia was the latest “Shad been my first reac- any song he had heard just Disneyland opened on September tion when I was asked by Sruti once. There are moving ac- 12th? l SRIRAM V. takes a look at Cameos* : A magazine last year to do a life counts of temple processions 6. Name the Indian whose death profile of Bhagavatar. I had collection of writings on Carnatic Musicians with plenty of music and of sentence in Pakistan has been heard of the Soolamangalam of the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Harikatha performances. An front page news all over the coun- Sisters but never of a Vaidya- Centuries by Soolamangalam Vaidyanatha entire era comes alive in these try recently. natha Bhagavatar. Then, when Bhagavatar. accounts. 7. Who is the latest recipient of I went about reading accounts A historically important the Dadasaheb Phalke Award? of him and interviewing several chapter is on the Jagan Mohana 8. To which rock star did seven- people who knew him, I Siva temple. including those that had not Chit Vilasa Sabha, a “men’s time Tour de France winner, Lance realised what a fascinating and The fledgling Kalki magazine been translated earlier, have drama company” and perhaps Armstrong, get engaged recently? towering personality in the field then approached him to write a been released in English under the first of its kind. Bhagavatar 9. Which museum in Mumbai, of Harikatha had been con- series of pen portraits of the vari- the title Cameos. The transla- traces its origins and subsequent once called the ‘Victoria & Albert signed to the shadows. Sixty ous musicians he had known in tions of Prof. P. Sambamoorthy developments in great detail. Museum’, has been honoured with years after his death (he passed his long life. Bhagavatar’s first and Rangaramanuja Iyengar Bhagavatar never thrusts him- an Award of Excellence by away in 1943) he had been article appeared in August of have been used. There art also self into the forefront in these UNESCO? completely forgotten. that year and continued till he additional accounts that have accounts and the impression 10. Name the four-time Academy Briefly put, Bhagavatar was died in October 1943. Three been translated by Padma you get is of a highly observant Award winner and director of the born in 1866 and came from a days prior to his death, Narayanan. man. Bhagavatar, however, like evergreen favourite The Sound of family that had musical inter- Bhagavatar became a sanyasi Bhagavatar’s life-span coin- many Indian biographers, Music, who passed away recently. ests. He, however, did not plan and his mortal remains were cided with that of several suffers from the weakness of to become a musician. After therefore buried near his native prominent musicians of the mentioning no dates. * * * having studied in Pudukottai, village over which a samadhi post-Trinity era. He had thus The reminiscences are 11. Who is the new U.S. Consul be came to Madras that is was built. moved with such legends as valuable, as musicians who General for South India based in Chennai and enrolled at the A part of the reminiscences Maha Vaidyanatha Sivan, followed in the immediate Chennai? Teachers College in of Bhagavatar were translated Patnam Subramania Iyer and wake of the Trinity and who 12. Which place in the State is re- where he qualified for the FA into English by Prof. P. Samba- had had occasions to listen to passed away before the advent sponsible for nearly 75% of India’s examination. His fellow stu- moorthy and R. Ranga- their music and observe their of the Music Academy, Ma- total egg exports? dents were (later the Right ramanuja Iyengar and these ap- lifestyles and habits from close dras, do not have many de- Hon.) V.S. Srinivasa Sastry and 13. Where in Chennai is the peared in in the quarters. His style of narration tailed accounts of their lives. stately Freemasons Hall? (later Kirtanacharya) C.R. 1960s. is largely anecdotal, making the The English translation has Srinivasa Iyengar, who was to Later, a partial compilation book a delightful read. There 14. Name the political party been well produced and is a become a respected scholar was made in 1994 by Bhaga- are musicians who sang in their launched by ‘Captain’ Vijayakanth must for all lovers of Carnatic and writer on Carnatic music. vatar’s grandson M. Rammohan baths to entertain those who music heritage. on September 14th. Bhagavatar, however, soon 15. Name the five-time MLA from came under the spell of the Srivilliputhur, and an active mem- Harikatha performances of HOPE FOR HERITAGE ber of both the DMK and Tanjore Krishna Bhagavatar, AIADMK at various points of who is considered the origina- time, who passed away recently. tor of the South Indian style of CONSERVATION 16. Which day is now celebrated Harikatha rendition. Bhaga- as ‘Founding of ’? vatar gave up his career and (Continued from page 1) other forms of tourism, poor for their preservation without 17. In which Chennai shop can you took to Harikatha and was soon would be ready by December. maintenance, and develop- their consent and involve- see India’s first 3D saree? one of its front-ranking per- It would then be placed before ment projects such as irriga- ment.” 18. Where is the ‘Satabdhi formers. Though his base was Parliament and, subsequently, tion schemes. “Many of the He suggested that the Cen- Manimantapam’ for the Kanchi at his native Soolamangalam it might have to go through the protected historical monu- tral and the State Governments Paramacharya coming up? village, he travelled all over the Standing Committee. But, ments which are in religious as well as the local bodies act in 19. Where is the newly inaugu- country giving performances. “We hope to set up the Com- places have suffered damage unison for the effective imple- rated National Institute of Siddha He was the moving spirit be- mission by early next year,” the due to alterations and reno- mentation of the conservation located? hind two important festivals in Director-General said. vations by the managements schemes with people’s 20. Which political leader is the South India. The first was the Many monuments have of the monasteries and particiapation and involve- author of From the portals of a Bhagavata Mela in Soolaman- been facing threats because churches or the waqf board ment. There is also a need to prison which was released by the of haphazard growth, un- and various other religions accelerate the efforts for capac- Prime Minister recently? * Published by Sunadham, planned urbanisation, demoli- endowments. These properties ity-building in archaeology, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004. Tel: tion, renovation, negative im- are owned by those manage- which had evolved into a new (Answers on page 8) 24661644. pact of pilgrim tourism and ments and little can be done science, he added. October 1-15, 2005 MADRAS MUSINGS 7

Subscriptions and contributions l As readers are already aware — and hundreds have responded positively — we have no other alternative but to price Madras Musings. From April 16th (Volume XIV, No.1), Madras Musings has been priced at Rs.5 a copy, ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: Rs.100/-. Please make out your cheque only to ‘Chennai Heritage’ and send it, together with the COUPON BELOW, to CHENNAI HERITAGE, 260-A, TTK ROAD, CHENNAI 600 018 or C/O LOKAVANI-HALL MARK PRESS PVT. LTD., 122, GREAMES ROAD, CHENNAI 600 006. An ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION of just Rs.100 covers only a part of our costs. Corporate support and YOUR support will continue to be essential for Chennai Heritage and Madras Musings to play a greater role in creating awareness about the city, its heritage and its environ- ment. We therefore look forward to your sending us your contribu- tions IN ADDITION TO your subscriptions. If in the coming year Chennai Heritage receives repeated support from those of you who have already made contributions, and if many more supporters join the bandwagon, we will not only be able to keep Madras Musings going, but also be able to continue awareness-build- ing exercises on on-going projects as well as undertake one or two more such exercises. Therefore, please keep your contributions coming IN ADDITION TO YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONS. If, say, you send in a cheque for Rs.500, we will treat Rs.100 of it towards subscription to Madras Musings for P. Orr & Sons in its heyday. 2004-5 and the remaining Rs.400 as contribution towards the causes Chennai Heritage espouses. Catching up with an old We look forward to all readers of Madras Musings, and those newcomers who want to receive copies, sending in their subscrip- tions. We are indeed sorry we can no longer remain a free mailer. timekeeper in Harvard — The Editor he trusty, three-faced “I was suddenly awakened manship. These included an T clock tower at the store on from my mental musings when engraved trophy from 1884, a CHENNAI HERITAGE Mount Road is a familiar sight I heard the curator say that, replica of the one presented to to anyone from Madras. Quite even as early as 1720, jewellers the Prince of Wales on his visit 260-A T.T.K. ROAD, , CHENNAI 600 018. appropriately, the building and gold- and silver-smiths from to India in 1875, and an oval I am already on your mailing list (Mailing List No...... ) / houses the establishment of Britain applied for permits to tray with serpent border created I have just seen Madras Musings and would like to receive it P.Orr and Sons which has sold work in the . in 1904 as a farewell gift for a hereafter. watches for over a century now. Shortly afterwards, they captain in the Ooregum Gold l I/We enclose cheque/demand draft/money order for Rs. 100 (Rupees Growing up in the 1980s, I branched out to the rest of the Mining Company of India. One hundred) payable to CHENNAI HERITAGE, MADRAS, as sub- heard their ad on the radio country. In the 19th Century, In the 18th Century, the un- which went something like – many of these British-owned earthing of the ruins of Pompeii scription to Madras Musings for the year 2004-05. l Kaalam, kaalamaga jewellery shops employed local led to a line of ‘archaeological As token of my support for the causes of heritage, environment and a gadigaram vaangum edam, craftsmen. From the mid- to the jewelry’. The famous Castellani better city that Madras Musings espouses, I send Chennai Heritage an p.r and son, late-1800s, the smiths began to House in Italy put Roman gods additional Rs ...... (Rupees p.r and son. embellish European objects with on wearable items of jewellery...... ) Perhaps if I had stayed on as Indian motifs. Apparently, this Duly inspired, Peter Orr cre- Please keep/put me on your mailing list. an adult I would have bought hybrid style became hugely ated their Indian equivalent for Name : ...... my clocks and watches there, popular after it was displayed in the European market. The gold but I now live in Boston, another the Great Exhibition of London necklace and earrings be- Address: ...... culturally rich city. Out of the in 1851. queathed to the Fogg Art Mu- ...... corner of my eye, I can see a One workshop represented seum in 1895 by its founder, Note: Overseas postage Rs. 550/year extra. Cheques for overseas post- digital display of the current at the Harvard exhibition was Mrs. William Hayes Fogg, age alone payable to M/s. Lokavani Hall-Mark Press Pvt. Ltd.. All other time on my monitor, all day. that of Peter Orr & Sons, stand out prominently with cheques to ‘Chennai Heritage’. Outside work, if I need to tell founded in Madras in 1851 by their pantheon of Hindu dei- the time I merely pull my cell Peter Nicholas Orr, a watch- ties. But it’s difficult to say phone out. Now, the challenge maker from London. This was who’s who without a closer, seems to be making time for all lens-aided examination. Senate House Conservation Fund that my city has to offer by way This line, called the ‘swami of art events and stimulating l by jewelry’, was a product of the talks and discussions. The ‘em- VIJAYSREE cross-cultural conversation of l The Senate House Restoration and Management Trust appeals to barrassment’ of riches comes VENKATARAMAN the 18th and 19th Centuries. Did all alumni of the and heritage lovers every- from taking all the good stuff Hindus wear golden images of where to contribute to the Senate House Conservation Fund which The author can be contacted at the Trust is managing for the purpose of restoring Senate House to for granted – particularly the [email protected] gods on their person before this? museums – and not going there Considering the many taboos its old glory by December 2005 and maintaining it thereafter in the same condition. Cheques should be made out to the Senate House except to accompany some so- associated with ritual purity, it not surprising because he was Conservation Account and sent to the Registrar, University of Ma- phisticated out-of-town guest. is hard to believe that they did. dras, Chennai 600 005. Contributions are eligible for benefits under one of the biggest silver manu- One recent weekend, I fi- Gold and silver ‘coins’ with Section 80-G of the Income Tax Act. nally made it to Harvard’s facturers in India. The Orr wrought images of gods in vel- Sackler Museum. My specific workshop produced European vet-lined boxes also seem to Dear Registrar, interest was the permanent col- tableware, bearing in mind lo- have been gifted and re-gifted I am pleased to enclose a cheque for Rs...... lection of Mughal miniatures, cal styles of cooking and serv- forever in our social circles, but as my contribution to the restoration and maintenance of but I tamely joined a guided ing. There were utensils for I wonder when they first made Senate House. Kindly acknowledge receipt. tour of a new exhibit – and curry and rice and a general their appearance at the Name: ...... found myself looking at a dis- feature of all the containers jewellers. play of Shawls and Silver. Start- seemed to be the lids which The exhibit from the house Address: ...... ing with an elegant traditional kept the dust and flies out. I of Peter Orr & Sons brought all ...... Kashmiri shawl, the curator particularly liked a pair of toast- these questions to mind apart moved on to ones turned out by ing forks which were, in reality, from an irresistible urge to hum ...... the Jacquard looms in the colo- finished blackbuck antlers. that old jingle again! ...... nial period. Strangely, the And there was a pair of salt & Earlier than P. Orr’s in shawls grew progressively more pepper shakers with Swami de- Madras were Gordon and I am an alumnus/alumna/heritage lover and wish the project all embroidered with mechani- signs as part of the tableware Lovell and George Gordon & success. My college was ...... sation with the border design range. Company. Fakes were often Date: ...... Signature: ...... creeping right up to the heart of There were other examples manufactured bearing the the piece. of this workshop’s high craft- marks of all three companies. 8 MADRAS MUSINGS October 1-15, 2005

October 17-29: Existence, an exhi- bition by N. Ramachandran who A metamorphosis chooses nature and all its cre- ations as his medium of expres- sion. (At Alliance Francaise.) September 30-October 21: Har- October 21: Navarasa Nayagan by shavardhana, a play in French, K. Shanmuga Sundaram, a lead- in batting written and directed by ing young male dancer and a se- Jawaharlal. Translation by Leela nior disciple of K.J. Sarasa, the Nagaraj. Turning back the pages first woman nattuvanaar. The of Indian history to 606 AD is this main piece will be a composition ridharan Sarath, now rashtra on the heart-breaking mini-barrier, with the tall, de- play about treachery, bravery and by the Raja of Travancore, Sconsidering playing for Nehru Stadium surface at pendable left-hander V. Siva- revenge. (At Alliance Francaise, SwathiThirunnal. The Sanskrit Kerala, has been Tamil Nadu’s in April 1973, they re- ramakrishnan notching up a 7 p.m.) song Bhaavayaami Raghu Raman most consistent and reliable stricted the formidable Maha- tenth hundred in the national October 7-16: Jambulingam, Tamil has as its high points scenes from adaptation of the Kannada play, the Ramayana. The challenging run-getter, getting his 21st and rashtra batting to 227 and then competition. That figure seem- Samba Siva by the renowned play- 22nd centuries in shot them out for 96 when ed at the time that it would take part about this item is that the wright Chandrasekhar Kambar. artiste will single handedly rep- competitions last year. Think- Tamil Nadu could only muster long to replicate. Since then It deals with the journey of resent the various characters in- ing about his achievements, I totals of 160 and 187 giving the there has been upsurge in Tamil the father-son duo Jambu and volved, like Rama, Sita, Ravana could not but help recall a pe- State an astonishing 24-run vic- Nadu batting fortunes continu- Lingam through the corrupt cor- and Hanuman. (At Alliance riod in the late 1960s and early tory. ously. The following season saw ridors of power in a mythical king- Francaise, 7p.m.) ’70s when a Tamil Nadu bats- There was very little change Tamil Nadu amassing 912 for dom where marriage to a donkey October 22: Youdhaka, a unique man getting a hundred in the in the batting scenario through six declared against Goa (albeit is nothing strange! The play is a sound,’Youdhaka’ led by percus- national competition was the 1970s, though Abdul Jabbar with the help of 60 penalty riotous farce on one level and a sionist ‘Derbouka’ Shiva and completely satirical take on those singer Tanvi is an experimental NEWS. They did not need to; made people sit up and take no- runs), V.V. Raman getting 313 who hold and wield power, but so often did S Venkata- tice when he hit an unbeaten and Arjan Kripal Singh 302 not outfit that absorbs musical tradi- the play also holds forth hope. (At tions from all over the world and raghavan and V. V. Kumar, 201 against Karnataka in 1975- out – the only time in the his- Alliance Francaise, 7.30 p.m.) with no score to back them up, 76. The turning point came tory of first class that two fuses it with indigenous rhythms October 14-16: Lire en Fete. Like layered with authentic instru- bowl out opponents and shape a batsmen have registered triple every year, this year too the Alli- ments and interesting arrange- victory for the State which, at hundreds in the same . ance Francaise, will celebrate its ments. The band draws extensive the time, survived or progressed Raman broke a famous 44-year- book festival. During the three l by influence from the Nigerian almost entirely on the strength old Ranji record by scoring 1018 street drumming to the Algerian of its . PARTAB RAMCHAND runs in a season, surpassing Rusi rai, Cuban son to the Bahian The change in the State’s Modi’s aggregate of 1008 runs. samba-cancsao, Indian classical batting fortunes came about A triple century and two music to Senegal’s wolof. (At Al- only in the last two decades. In double centuries in successive liance Francaise, 7 p.m.) the late 1950s and upto about about in 1982-83. The obdu- matches by Raman epitomised October 23: Birthday Party, a play in Tamil based on Harold Pinter’s 1968, the State had basked in rate right-handed opening bats- the improvement in the State’s the batsmanship of C.D. Gopi- batting fortunes. Birthday Party by SLATE (Stage man C. S. Suresh Kumar got for Literature, Art, Theatre Ex- nath and the brothers A.G. Kri- three hundreds that season, in- In the last 15 years, this en- pressions) – an idea that re- pal Singh and Milkha Singh. cluding one against Delhi in the couraging trend has been main- mained dormant for a decade but The retirements of Gopinath quarterfinal. From then on tained first by Robin Singh and which sprouted and bloomed with and Kripal Singh and the exit there has been an upsurge in the then by Sarath. Robin retired a days, it will celebrate books and the staging of Anniyan, a play in of Milkha singh towards the batting fortunes and, with the few years ago with 16 centuries organise a series of activities to Tamil inspired by Albert Camus’ end of the 1960s saw the bat- batsmen sharing the glory with to his credit. Another left- encourages reading. This year’s Outsider a year ago. (At Alliance theme is Gastronomy in Litera- ting fortunes take a nosedive the bowlers, Tamil Nadu has hander in Sarath then took over Francaise, 3.30 p.m. and 7.30 ture. (At Alliance Francaise.) p.m.) and no praise can be too high gone from strength to strength. from where Robin left off and for Venkat and Kumar as they During their triumphant season went far ahead. Younger play- bowled gallantly to keep the of 1987-88, Tamil Nadu ers like Hemang Badani and Answers to Quiz State’s fortunes flying despite notched up in quick succession Sridharan Sriram – also a mem- repeated batting failures. Dur- record totals – 578 against Uttar ber of the 1000 runs a season 1. Water; 2. Daniela Hantuchova; 3. Andy Flintoff; 4. S.R. Nathan; 5. ing this period, a hundred Pradesh in the quarterfinal, 601 club – now have the opportu- Hong Kong; 6. Sarabjit Singh; 7. Adoor Gopalakrishnan; 8. Sheryl Crow; 9. Bhau Daji Lad Museum; 10. Robert Wise. against Hyderabad or Mysore against Punjab in the semifinal nity to aim for 25 and beyond. (Karnataka) was a rarity and a – and then they topped it all by Unless, of course - Sarath him- * * * hundred at the knockout stage amassing 709 against Railways self reaches the mark this sea- was unheard of. So well did the 11. David T. Hopper; 12. Namakkal; 13. Commander-in-Chief Road; 14. in the final. son – in case he decides to stay Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam; 15. R. Tamaraikani; 16. August 22nd; spin twins do their job that in That momentous season saw with Tamil Nadu. — (Courtesy: 17. Sri Kumaran Stores; 18. Orirukkai; 19. In the Sanatorium the semifinal against Maha- a Tamil Nadu batsman break a Straight Bat.) campus; 20. Vaiko.

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