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Registered with the Reg. No. TN/CH(C)/374/12-14 Registrar of Newspapers Licenced to post without prepayment for under R.N.I. 53640/91 Licence No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-506/12-14 Publication: 15th & 28th of every month Rs. 5 per copy (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS INSIDE • Short ‘N’ Snappy • From a Governor’s notebook • The Brother Generals of Madras • Another one bites the dust stop • An aristocrat among cricketers

Vol. XXIII No. 8 MUSINGS August 1-15, 2013 Are courts the last refuge for heritage?

public interest petition ity would be in the same archi- their various other properties, a Ahas been filed in the High tectural style. In the old Madras dialogue with them may have Court of Madras last week, Club buildings case that in- produced better results. That seeking an order to prevent volved INTACH and the own- now is in the realm of idle demolition of the historic ers, namely Express Estates, the speculation for the matter is sub railway station. judgement went in favour of the judice. While the end result With this, the oldest surviving owners and permitted demoli- may go either way we cannot rail terminus of India has joined tion on the grounds of there be- help repeating that a Heritage a long line of heritage structures ing no law that they were trans- Act legislated by the State will that have sought legal protec- gressing. In the Bharat Insur- go a long way in avoiding such tion from the wreckers’ ham- ance and cases litigation. And such an Act is mer. As to whether the build- while the court ordered that taking a long time in coming. ing will survive or not is there- there should be no demolition, Meanwhile, can the HCC not “He is going to be my son that I never had... and I will call him fore now dependent on the there was no directive to restore press for at least notifying the Kumara Dorai Raja!” verdict, which will not be an and so both structures have re- 400-odd structures already easy one to deliver. mained mere shells, facing an identified by the Court? There is really no law in the uncertain fate. State under which demolition Litigations involving public of structures such as the Roya- buildings, especially those that puram station can be prevent- are to be demolished to make Who guards our temple icons? ed, especially when the owners, way for modern amenities, are in this case the Railways them- perceived to be anti-people. he woefully inadequate This particular theft has damage over centuries are re- selves, are keen on razing it to They are often criticised as wast- protection that exists for come to light. There may be placed with new ones on the the ground. The earlier judge- ing public time and money. T our sculptures and icons was several that may never surface. plea that chipped idols cannot ment by Justice Prabha Sri- While not going into that as- once again exposed in the last This is because we have no con- be worshipped. Even the switch devan in the Bharat Insurance pect, it cannot be denied that couple of weeks. A national tinuous system of cataloguing at Vriddhachalam may have daily revealed that an icon from what is present at our various happened that way. The old G by the Vriddhachalam temple near temples and monitoring their icon may have been replaced The Editor Neyveli had been secreted away well-being. Reli- with a new and intact one, and a few years ago and had made gious and Charitable Endow- then the old one may have sim- its way to a museum in Austra- ments (HR&CE) Board, which ply been sold. Then there is the Building case had listed 400-odd this is also a point of view and it lia. What is worse, the theft is responsible for maintaining craze for sand-blasting and past- buildings of which Royapuram has influenced judgements in could have gone undetected as our shrines, is run as a ministry ing of glazed tiles which destroy station is also one. It had asked the past. a fairly faithful replica had been and is peopled with bureau- the inscriptions. And lastly we the Heritage Conservation Lastly, directly jumping into put in place of the original and crats. It may have contracts now have this sudden epidemic Committee (HCC) formed by litigation without discussion was being worshipped. Is this with temple craftsmen and of building gopurams where the Government to study each and debate, particularly with the way we safeguard our heri- sthapathis but it does not have none existed previously. In the of these buildings in detail and the owners with a view to get- tage? process, as in the case of the notify them as heritage struc- ting them to see alternative Virupakshiswarar Temple in tures. That has not been done routes to development, is a self- The switch of the carvings – , stones bearing in- so far. In the absence of notifi- defeating exercise. It merely one priceless and several G by A Staff Reporter scriptions from the time of the cation through a Government hardens attitudes. And irre- centuries old and the other a Cholas have vanished. Gazette, there is really no pro- spective of whether the judge- near worthless replacement – archaeologists and historians. tection for these structures ment is in favour or against has caused great concern. And that those whom it nomi- Temples that are under the other than the claim that they demolition, it proves detrimen- It would have never been ex- nates for rectification and reno- control of the Archaeological have been protected under the tal to the structure in the long posed had it not been for a vation of shrines have no Survey of India have fared bet- Bharat Insurance judgement. term. If it is for demolition, it sharp-eyed blogger who found knowledge of conservation and ter. These are documented and Thus far, there have been makes sure that the owners that the icon in worship was not preservation was made clear in preserved well but of late there very few instances where court completely and immediately identical to what had been the recent instance of repair is a growing body of opinion judgements have brought about raze the structure to the ground photographed in the 1940s. work at the Vishnu temple in among the religiously minded protection and, more impor- for fear of further time spent in For one, the idol had grown an . Centuries-old laterite people that handing over tantly, restoration. The sole appeals. If it is for preservation, arm that was earlier missing. slabs were removed and re- temples to the ASI causes a set- shining example is the Director- the owners simply let the build- And then the original with bro- placed with concrete. back to ritual practices. Noth- ate General of Police buildings ing be sans maintenance and let ken limb surfaced in a ing could be further from the on the Marina where the police it fall into ruin over time. In the museum’s collection, thereby The practice of renovating truth but this attitude has en- has not only protected and re- present instance of Royapuram, making it clear that there had and re-consecrating our shrines sured that the ASI taking over stored but has also been true to particularly when the owners been an ingenious plot to rob every few years has only added any temple is fraught with long- its commitment that extensions have displayed sympathy to the the temple of some of its to the risk our sculptures face. and new buildings in the vicin- cause of heritage in respect of sculptural wealth. Ancient ones that have suffered (Continued on page 3) CMYK 2 August 1-15, 2013 The Brother Generals of Madras Physician, heal thyself he Man from Madras mation as to what MMM’s pro- lier on this topic and so this he legacy left by the British T Musings, as you are aware, fession was, where he lived, time he will contain himself to Tin Chennai continues to is not getting any younger. what car he used and which writing on the toilets alone. linger in the form of institu- And as he advances in years, clubs he was a member of. By Before you hurriedly move on, tions, grand buildings, infra- parts that he never knew the third session, by which let MMM assure you that what structural schemes and plans existed have suddenly begun to time the pain was in its third follows is not a graphic de- that have been the foundations make themselves manifest by degree, MMM’s financial sta- scription of what MMM saw. niggling aches and pains. tus was an open book at least Writing on that can fill several for various modernisation ini- There are some others that as far as the doctor’s clinic was columns but MMM will desist. tiatives that are being envisaged begin moving whenever MMM concerned. for the city’s growth and devel- Firstly, the toilets are im- stops to rest but of those he On the fourth session, mense. They are meant more opment. There are also the vari- will not dwell on, for it is the MMM had barely hobbled in for communal easements and ous street names that connect niggling achers and painers when he was asked as to not solitary communion with us to our colonial past. Several that demand attention. whether he would like to run a nature. The water closets are of these are of men long forgot- One among these had marathon. Now this had al- already missing fittings – here ten, their contributions buried General Augustus Ritherdon; and become particularly vociferous ways been one of MMM’s se- a flush knob, there a broken in time. But now with the (right) Maj. Gen. Augustus William in the last few months and cret ambitions. But age makes handle and everywhere even MMM’s good lady who you wary and so MMM said internet, information on some Ritherdon. stained pans. The layout of the sternly believes that all ill- that he would think about it. toilets is so poor that the closet of them is available, literally a nesses are a state of mind had Whereupon the trainer, rather fingertip away. Second Anglo Burmese War in is at one end of the immense to admit that something had to in the manner of P James, sud- partitions and the toilet rolls Ritherdon Road in the Pura- 1852-53. Soon after the war, he be done about it. Several years denly produced a pink bro- are at the other end. You liter- saiwalkam- area has long was made in-charge of various earlier MMM had been chure that had on its cover a ally need to make a long arm intrigued me. The question of stations throughout the Madras afflicted by back-trouble and series of before-and-after pic- to access the rolls, if they are who this Ritherdon could be Presidency. From 1861, he had taken to going around tures of men and women who ever there that is. and what was his connection to served with the Madras Staff looking like a clothes-hanger had been barrel-shaped and Chennai kept recurring. A Corps winding up as General in search on the web for a clue led 1891. He died in 1899 at Isle of my trail to Major General Wight aged 76. He seems to Augustus Ritherdon. No more have had an Indian born daugh- SHORT ’N’ SNAPPY information on the life and ter Annie Louise and appeared times of this gentleman was to have been widowed in 1881 readily available. By an inten- as per census records. However, sive hunt for information, I he seems to have married Kate and a particular doctor had set later become svelte runners. And then you come across found that Ritherdons were Elizabeth Cleeve in the year him right. This time too it was The trainer fixed MMM with a what are euphemistically from Devon and Somerset in 1882, to whom he left a bequest decided that the same person compelling eye and said that he termed EWC – (Eastern Wa- England. At the end of the 16th of 3942 Pounds in his will. ought to be contacted. ought to sign on the dotted line. ter Closets?). These are the century, migration seems to The other cousin was Major But time the great healer The programme was for one squatting variety and today it have happened to the city of General Augustus William also does other strange things. year, or 300 sessions, at the end is perhaps only the very elderly In the interregnum between of which MMM would be the or traditional who use these. the time when MMM was bent reincarnation of Phidippides. Even they would find the task G by M. Bharath Yeshwanth double and when he was The fee, said the trainer, all the difficult, for the EWCs are standing straight but walking while keeping a searchlight-like built on raised platforms that with a hobble, this physician look on MMM, was Rs xxxxxx are of immense height. You London and the surrounding Ritherdon (born 1825) who had had expanded manifold. By (six digits in all). Payment need to be a colossus if you areas. A number of Ritherdons an equally distinguished mili- which MMM does not mean could be made in one shot or in have to climb on to these for served in the English East India tary career. He followed the in terms of avoirdupois but in easy instalments, and in the lat- fulfilling certain bodily func- Company but notable among footsteps of his older cousin by terms of clientele. This there- ter case it would be Rs xxxxxx tions. Taken all in all, a bad them were two cousins who rose joining the Madras Infantry in fore demanded the opening of plus compound interest. job and makes you almost pine to hold high positions in the 1843. Maj Gen Augustus served several branches and to one of It was left to MMM to point for the old airport with its military in Madras. Both the as an Executive Engineer, Class these MMM was directed. out a small obstacle. What of peeling doors, creaking escala- cousins shared a common an- III, in the Department of Pub- What about the main doctor, the pain that prevented MMM tors and slow-moving baggage asked MMM whereupon he from walking normally? Would carousels. cestor – Robert Ritherdon, a lic Works at Secunderabad. He was looked at pityingly and that not have to be cured be- Leaving the toilets aside, goldsmith in the city of London. seems to have returned to En- told that his services were re- fore MMM could run? “Oh MMM also had the immense So, this brings us the ques- gland on a twenty months’ fur- served only for very advanced that,” said the trainer waving satisfaction of finally locating tion as to after which of these lough in the year 1862 and re- cases. In comparison it was his arm airily, “it was all a state an electric socket that worked. cousins the road would have joined the Madras Infantry on implied that MMM was in the of the mind.” This being an ‘international’ been named. There are a num- his return in 1864. He went on kindergarten of ailments. MMM has since not gone airport terminal, it has row af- ber of photos of these two men to become the Officer Com- The stripling that gave back to the trainer. The pain ter row of electric sockets for in the “Hulton Deutsch Collec- manding of the infantry’s 10th MMM the once over declared has subsided to manageable charging your gadgets. But tion”, now in the ownership of regiment before returning home that it all had to do with levels and MMM and it have perhaps because Chennai is Getty Images. Most of the fam- to England again on a two years’ MMM’s posture. A set of ex- entered into an arms-length re- power-starved, supply has ercises, said the young ‘un, lationship, each respecting the been restricted to very few of ily photos with references to leave of absence on account of would set MMM right in no other’s space. There have been them. MMM had barely lo- Madras are to be found around private affairs. He retired from time at all. He had to come for calls from the clinic asking cated one and plugged his a house. There are notes of a active military service in 1879. a series of training sessions at whether MMM is interested in laptop in when he noticed a grand palatial mansion named In 1880 he was decorated as the end of which MMM could training for the marathon but queue forming behind him. “Ritherdon House” that used to Major General of the Madras give Rudolf Nureyev a run for nobody has asked as to why Get on with it was the unspo- be a landmark building. Dewan Staff Corps. His marraige to his money. The money for this MMM dropped out for days ken message from everyone in Bahadur T. Rangachariar, one Flora Ellen was solemnised in series of lessons was paid in into the training and how his this line. of the legal giants of the Madras the Secunderabad Catholic advance and MMM duly original complaint was. High Court, was one of the later Church on December 6, 1853. joined in. MMM’s good lady has had the Be Indian buy foreign A couple of sessions later, satisfaction of saying that she owners of the residence and he Before he died in 1888, he left MMM found that he was had told MMM so. And that is ow do you know that is the grandfather of yesteryear his widow an estate worth 2313 physically in the pink and so that. H Chennai’s domestic ter- Tamil actor and producer K. Pounds. was the nagging pain, which minal is truly international? Balaji. The road leading to this While plans are being float- awoke bright and early and Airport abominations Well, The Man from Madras family house of the Ritherdons ed by the Corporation of Chen- compellingly demanded atten- Musings has the correct an- was hence named after the oc- nai time and again to rename tion. On MMM’s mentioning he more The Man from swer. The only outlet selling cupants as it was the general roads named after British per- this he was told that it was al- TMadras Musings travels to Indian food is outside the ter- practice in those times. sonalities, Ritherdon Road ways that way in these sessions and from the new Chennai air- minal. All the food counters General Augustus Rither- has eluded them. I hope it re- and then, one day, the pain port terminal, the more con- inside sell only pizzas, milk- shakes and pastas. There is don (born 1823) joined the mains that way. But then in our would vanish. The exercise vinced he is that it has taken sessions were always accom- the city further away from its also a restaurant whose prices 28th Regiment of the Madras city where old habits die hard, panied by some pleasant con- are flights of fancy but of that Native Infantry in 1840. He name changes hardly have any avowed goal of becoming versation during which the Singapore-on-the-Cooum. less said the better. rose in the army ranks and vol- impact and, even if they do, the trainer carefully elicited infor- MMM has written in detail ear- – MMM untarily opted to serve in the process takes ages. August 1-15, 2013 MADRAS MUSINGS 3 Who guards (Current Affairs questions are from our temple the period July 1st to 15th. Ques- tions 11 to 20 pertain to Chennai and Tamil Nadu.) icons? 1. The 150th anniversary of which decisive battle in the US Civil War, (Continued from page 1) and known for the then President’s famous address, was observed on Then and now tions is found only in the mas- of Madras Criket Association. drawn tensions, often ending in sage ads, “We guarantee satis- The name ‘Jolly Rovers Cricket July 1st? refer to MMM’s take on li- failure. faction from head to foot”! The Club’ was suggested by K.K. 2. Which European nation with braries (MM, June 1st). Zagreb as the Capital became the I original and still relevant satis- Shanmuganathan who was one What is needed therefore is 28th nation of the European Union He is spot on when he says faction remains the satisfaction amongst us and the name was a dedicated team of curators recently? that libraries are not what they of mind. finalised. Shanmuganathan and archaeologists within the 3. In the world of astronomy, how used to be. could not play for Jolly Rovers HR&CE. The team members C. G. Prasad did Kerberos and Styx make news Cricket Club as he was success- need to renew the practice of recently? The British Council Library, 9, C. S. Mudali Street documenting our vast sculp- Kondithope, Chennai 600 079 ful in the All India Forest 4. Which music maestro has been Mount Road, used to be my sec- tural wealth. chosen for the prestigious Tagore Services exams and had to leave ond home in the 1960s notwith- Madras for the Officers’ train- Award for Cultural Harmony 2013 Colourful look A database has to be main- standing getting chased out ing. worth Rs. 2 crore? tained for each shrine. While once by the librarian there for propos my write-up in the 5. How did the former Popes John The students had no spon- the larger temples can have Paul II and John XXIII make head- the simple fun of using the mo- recent issue of Madras A sors to run the club and it was teams exclusively for them- lines recently? bile bench (meant for reaching Musings (June 1st) about the run with the pocket money of selves, the smaller ones can be 6. By winning at Wimbledon, the upper shelves) as roller upkeep of flyovers, I was pleas- the students who started it. handled together based on which siblings became the first skates. antly surprised to find that the location with responsibility doubles team in the Open era to flyover near Bus The club won the III Divi- hold all four Grand Slam tennis Recently a friend of mine in- being assigned to a team. vited me for high tea and video Terminus has since been sion ‘B’ Zone Championship in titles at the same time? the very first year of entering 7. Which UNESCO World Heri- show organized by him at the painted blue in its belly. I was This approach will not only tage Site in our country was rocked Library. After I attended the happy Chennai Corporation the league. benefit the temples but is also by powerful bomb blasts on July function as a guest, the parking has acted on our good sugges- In this regard, in fact, an ar- likely to encourage students to 7th? attendant asked me to pay the tion immediately. The city will ticle appeared in one of your is- take to archaeology as a subject 8. Name the Nobel Laureate who parking charges for my vehicle! look colourful in future. Thanks sues a few years ago written by a for graduation in universities. has been named the interim Prime This only goes to show that to Chennai Corporation. retired IAS Officer, Prabhakar, Currently it is a well known fact Minister of strife-torn Egypt? that seats in this particular things are not what they used to M Fazal who was a founder member of 9. Which North Indian State has department are almost un- be! 11, Mosque Street Jolly Rovers Cricket Club. been declared the first ‘smoke-free’ wanted. That means fewer State after achieving 85.45% com- Hasthinapuram *** The students who started archaeologists and historians in pliance with the relevant parame- Chennai 600 064 the club slowly moved out seek- ters as per the Cigarettes and Other our midst each year and that in Satisfaction delightful ing careers as they were not turn means our sculptures are Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), Jolly Rovers professionsal cricketers and the 2003? eference the testimonials of only going to be neglected n the MM’s issue dated May club changed hands. The club 10. Douglas C. Engelbart, a tech- Ramachandra Rao, the further. R 1st, there was an article re- was finally taken over by nologist best known for idealising a first Indian ACP of Madras Po- I very common computer peripheral, garding Jolly Rovers Cricket Sanmar group, running it The recent expose needs to lice, the diction is quaint and passed away recently. What did he Club. Now, it is being managed successfully. be treated as an opportunity to delightful to read. T. G. Taylor, invent? by Sanmar group. In the article, realise what we are lacking in * * * Hon’ble Company’s Astrono- M. Ekambaram and improve ourselves. We it was mentioned that the club Maadhu Nivas 11. How does one better know T.S. mer, says that Rao’s conduct need to act soon if we are to was founded by Rangarajan of 7, Sixth Cross Street Rangarajan, a literary giant with a and attention to duties gave The Hindu and taken over by Shastri Nagar save what we are still left with five-decade association with the entire satisfaction. W. Shelley, K.S. Narayanan of Sanmar. Chennai 600 020 in our age-old shrines. Tamil film industry, who left us Captain, Secretary of Military recently? Fund, writes, “Rao as Accoun- 12. Which K. Balachander comedy In this connection, I would tant and Writer gave every sat- like to mention that the club was based on Crazy Mohan’s play isfaction.” OUR ADDRESSES Marriage Made in Saloon? was started by a group of college 13. What did the London Mission In the 1960s there used to be students in 1947 and it was For matters regarding subscriptions, donations, non-receipt of receipts Girls’ School become in 1915? the famous Scissors cigarette helped to join the league by R. etc.: CHENNAI HERITAGE, 5, Bhattad Tower, 30, Westcott Road, 14. In the mid-1990s, apart from ad, “For men of action, satisfac- Srinivasan, who was with K. S. , Chennai 14. Kilakkaranai near Maraimalanagar tion.” Nowadays, this descrip- Ranga Rao, the then Secretary where it is located now, which Madras Musings now has its own email ID. Letters to the editor can be place near did Ford consider for its plant? sent via email to [email protected]. Those who wish to in- 15. In world of cricket, who was the timate change of address can also do so provided the subscription num- first Test captain to stand as an ber is quoted. For non-receipt of copies, change of address, and all umpire in Test matches? Madras Week contacts other circulation matters: Madras Musings, C/o Lokavani Southern 16. What decade-and-a-half-old Printers Pvt. Ltd., 122, Greames Road, Chennai 600 006. On editorial cultural initiative on the ECR was For any assistance or information regarding ‘Madras matters: The Editor, Madras Musings, No. 5, Bhattad Tower, 30, the brainchild of Deborah Thiaga- Week’ programmes please contact: Westcott Road, Royapettah, Chennai 600 014. rajan and Gita Ram of the Madras [email protected] Craft Foundation? [email protected] No personal visits or telephone calls, please. Letters received will be 17. Known as ‘Pinther Kuruvai’ in PRISM PR, Satyan Bhatt (9840085411). Sangam literature, which dance sent from these addresses every couple of days to the persons form is devoted to ‘Thirumal’ and Website www.themadrasday.in To list your programme on this site, e-mail: themadrasday@- concerned and you will get an answer from them to your queries is performed by villagefolk belong- reasonably quickly. Strange as it may seem, if you adopt the ‘snail mail’ ing especially to Nataka commu- gmail.com nity? * * * approach, we will be able to help you faster and disappoint you less. For INTACH competitions 18. Which natural wonder that – THE EDITOR gets its name from Kannada is [email protected] and called Marikottayam by the people [email protected], Telephone : 24991696 of Tamil Nadu? 19. In the politics of yesteryears, * * * MADRAS MUSINGS ON THE WEB which ‘opponent’ party was de- For showings of INTACH DVD scribed by the Congress as the [email protected] and To reach out to as many readers as possible who share our ‘Sarigai Thalappa Party’ because [email protected], Telephone : 24991696 keen interest in Madras that is Chennai, and in response to most of its members wore silk turbans? * * * requests from many well-wishers – especially from outside 20. Which former Chief Minister of For Walks Chennai and abroad who receive their postal copies very late Madras was responsible for estab- Sushila Nataraj: [email protected] – for an online edition. Madras Musings is now on the web at lishing the College of Indian Medi- * * * www. madrasmusings.com cine at that has now be- For Talks come the KMC? THE EDITOR (Answers on page 8) S.R.Madhu: [email protected] 4 MADRAS MUSINGS August 1-15, 2013 August 1-15, 2013 MADRAS MUSINGS 5

“Then there is that bird; I am Februay 1: I returned the November 19: Government see a wide space of grass, only leaves are now covering my As we return from it, we usu- sure the soul of Alexander the Maharajah’s visit. He was lodged House stands in a Park, or, as it broken by three large trees, favourite pond, and whose flower ally diverge to see if there is a From a Governor’s notebookCoppersmith has passed into in a house opposite the Cathedr- is locally called, a Compound, of planted at considerable intervals, opens at night. At sunset, when new flower coming out on the him, and I am much afraid the al, and the chimes played “Jeru- 75 acres, between the great thor- being fine specimens of the Albiz- we returned from the swimming Victoria regia, and hardly ever fail Lord will not reward him accord- salem the Golden” all the time I oughfare known as the Mount zia Lebbek, the Ficus religiosa, and bath, a great bud was just unclos- to exclaim with delight as, just ing to his works!” was there. As he was dressed Road and another road running the Ficus Bengalensis, respec- ing. By 10 p.m. it had entirely when we pass the Spathodea, we ountstuart Elphin- the time going mainly in these from head to foot in cloth of gold, along the beach famous for its tively. The two last, under the expanded. catch the first view of the east- M stone Grant-Duff is 1881 seven things – We gave at night the usual not a name that readily State Ball in honour of the the hymn had a certain ludicrous surf, which is magnificent to names of the Peepul and the * * * ern of the three blocks into (1) in dealing with official pa- comes to mind while Queen’s birthday. It is celebrated appropriateness. those on its landward, and ter- Banyan, are familiar to all read- which the house is divided – pers, very much, mutatis November 17: To the great listing the Governors of November 5: When I awoke twice in Madras, in May on the * * * rific to those on its seaward-side. ers of Indian books. looking sometimes white like ala- mutandis, like those to which Chembrambakkam tank in the . His this morning we had passed hills – in December on the plains. It is a large building, of daz- I have purposely taken my sta- baster, sometimes, when the sun- I had become so accustomed February 10: I presided to- early morning. It is one of the was a rather uneventful Arkonam. It had rained heavily zling whiteness, and of an archi- tion a yard or two back from the set is a fine one, taking the softer at the India Office and the * * * day, for the first time, in the Leg- largest we have, covering some tenure from 1881 to 1886. through the night, and the coun- tecture as anomalous as the front of the verandah, so as to hues of ivory. Probably his being suc- Colonial Office; December 25: We kept up islative, as distinguished from the eleven square miles. The largest try looked delightfully green, as church in Langham Place, which limit my view and not see the The swift darkness of these ceeded by Lord Conne- the good custom of having a Executive Council, and we of all is Cumbum in Kurnool, we ran along amongst rice-fields, (2) in giving business interviews; was described by the Irish brick- more distant portions of the Park regions is upon us ere we cross mara, the scandals of Christmas tree, but our Christ- passed, inter alia, the Salt Bill, which is really a huge lake. set with the wild date and the (3) in getting to know and form layer as built according to Mr. in which there are several pleas- the threshold; and the jackals whose governorship palmyra,¹ to Perambore, where mas tree, instead of being the which has formed a subject of * * * earned him immortality, a personal estimate of most of discussion here and at the India Nash’s positive order. The interior ant nooks, notably a pond sur- begin their defiant chorus, while there was a short halt for dress- pine of the North, was the November 24: Let me note put Grant-Duff further in the people, through whom Office for many months. is not well planned, and there is rounded by the wild date. I am being read to between six ing. That operation over, we Murraya exotica sent in from some of the characteristics of a the shade. Weak vision the Government is worked at less accommodation than the It is from the front of the ve- and seven. At quarter to eight again moved forward to the Cen- . * * * Guindy day at this season; the coupled with a sickly the centre of affairs, as well outward appearance of the pile randah that every fine day after comes dinner, and then, after a constitution could have tral Station at Madras, in which * * * March 31: A good many ven- clamour of the crows as the dawn as of some few Collectors and would lead one to expect; but its luncheon the kites are fed – a very brief interval in the draw- also contributed signifi- most of the leading officials, with omous snakes were killed at approaches; the gradual flushing others from the interior; December 27: After des- deficiencies are, in some re- spectacle of which – thanks to ing-room, which we only prolong cantly to his making a poor impact. their families, were assembled to Guindy this spring, most of them of the Eastern sky; the fall of the (4) in visiting, mostly in the early patching the English mail, we spects, compensated by the great their perfect grace, strength, and on moonlight nights, we sepa- Born in 1829 in Scotland to James Grant-Duff, an experienced meet us. Thence we drove to the while we were removing an old heavy blinds let down in the ve- morning, a large number of transferred ourselves to Guindy, Banqueting Hall which stands amiability to each other – I am rate; the cicale, or some insects India hand, and Jane, he was named after Mountstuart Elphinstone, Secretariat and ascended to the aloe hedge, which was uncomfor- randahs, as the sun begins to rise Scottish statesman, historian and Governor of Bombay. M.E. Grant- public institutions; thus closing the first scene of our near it, by the Marine Villa never weary. of similar habits, keeping up a din Council Chamber, where I pre- life at Madras. tably near the house. The list which is one of its dependences, behind the trees of the park; the to which the ear becomes as soon Duff studied law, passed with honours, was called to the Inner * * * sented the Royal Warrant and (5) in holding Council; given to me contained two co- and by a small bungalow inhab- little striped squirrels running up accustomed as it does to a water- Temple and had a fairly middling career after which he took to took my seat as Governor “under * * * politics, joining the Liberal Party and becoming an MP in 1857. A (6) in giving a long series of din- bras, five Russell’s vipers (Daboia ited by an Aide-de-Camp. The and down the ropes; the fresh fall – the usual salute from the ram- December 31: A sharp ), one Krait ( 1883 soft air as we step into the gar- long tenure in the House of Commons – he was to be an MP till 1881 ners and a few other enter- elegans Bungarus Co- stables are excellent. “For men may dwell by moun- parts of Fort Saint George.” earthquake. Like the one we ex- ), one said to den; the showing – did not see him exert himself much except on the topic of educa- tainments; eruleus Trimeresurus The north-east monsoon is at March 31: Presided in the Ipemoea carmea tain streams, and all the summer perienced at Castellamare in be , and no less than only a few flowers – the tion on which he spoke regularly and to equip himself for which he The colleagues with whom I (7) in making a variety of Monticola its height, and some six or seven Convocation of the Madras Uni- Nyctan- round travelled extensively in the Continent. In 1868, W.E. Gladstone rather 1875 it followed violent and eight carawalas ( ). surrounded by thus became associated were the speeches. Hipnale nepa inches of rain have fallen during versity, and admitted the candi- thes arbor tristis reluctantly appointed him Under Secretary of State for India in which long-continued rains. the blossoms which came out last Have music lingering in their Honourable W. Hudleston and * * * the last few days. To-day the sky dates to their degrees. capacity Grant-Duff played a rather faithful second fiddle to the Duke For exercise I walked a good night – white petals and orange ears till they forget the sound.” the Honourable D.F. Carmi- April 3: I see by the A.D.C.’s is clear, still flecked with clouds, of Argyll who was Secretary of State for India. It was during this pe- deal, and rode a little. When cir- In an examination, by the tubes; the yellow Gmelina chael. 1882 books that, since our arrival at and the sea-breeze continues (To be continued) riod that the Kooka rebellion broke out in the Punjab which was bru- cumstances permitted I bota- way, which took place in connec- speciosa in bloom, and near it the tally suppressed and at the end of which 50 men were rounded up Before leaving the Council Madras, we have had 674 guests strong. As I stand, about half- nised, before the sun had got hot, January 4: Shortly before 5 tion with that Institution some graceful lilac Duranta, beloved of and blown from guns. Grant-Duff was subject to intensive question- Chamber, I notified my having in the Park of Government at dinner, not including people past two, in the verandah, I have years ago, one of the questions ¹ The palm which very probably o’clock on the afternoon of the gorgeous butterflies. Further on suggested the common fan – ing in the House of Commons over it and he did not emerge in a good taken charge of the Government th staying in the house, nor our own right before me the Bay of Ben- House, in the Agri-Horticultural 4 , I started from Guindy for a asked was: “State how the two is Spathodea campanulata, cov- light. His comment that the number was 49 and not 50 as the last of the Presidency to the Secre- party, nor people who dined with gal, covered with white horses, Borassus flabelliformis. Gardens or elsewhere, and, ere short excursion, accompanied by points first marked on the ther- ered with its large red flowers man had to be brought down in self-defence was seen as being in tary of State, the Governor of the long, had added pretty largely to me while I was on tour. while the surf booms like the roar ² Captain Ambrose Awdry, Royal Captain Awdry and Captain mometer are obtained.” towering up on the right just as nd poor taste. French Settlements in India, the the list of tropical plants, which of a great city. Only two build- Engineers, Executive Engineer, 2 The fall of Gladstone’ s government in 1874 saw Grant-Duff out of Bagot. As we passed Mr. Orr’s * * * The following was perhaps we pass among the mangoes; Maharajah of Travancore, the ings are visible from where I am Grade, Madras Public Works office for six years. In 1880 he was back, once again with Gladstone, had passed for me out of the un- shop, he showed us a very large the wildest of some 570 wrong then the broad walk, and beyond Department, Private Secretary, Major Rajah of Cochin, and the Rajah November 5: Reached Gov- – to the right the Senate House, this time as Under-Secretary of State for Colonies. In 1881, he was known into the known. rough diamond, which was lately answers: “The two points were it the centre of the garden, too Almeric George Spencer, “The of Puducotta. I likewise formally ernment House, Madras, this where I go once a year, in my ca- made Governor of Madras. His handling of the Chingleput Ryots * * * found in the Bellary District, and morning – on the same day and obtained by Sir Stamford Ra- full of varied forms of beauty for Essex’ Regiment,” Military appointed the members of my 4 pacity of Chancellor, to confer Case in which he overruled a judgement of the High Court of Madras November 25: My wife and I which he is sending to England. almost at the same moment at leigh, when he was in Ireland.” me to enter into particulars, but Secretary, Lieutenant Cecil Charles and reinstated a corrupt and convicted tahsildar was to earn him personal staff.² degrees; to the left the Fort, Cavendish, “The Highland Light went this afternoon to the Con- Returned to Guindy I fell which we arrived last year. in which I usually spend some public contempt. His administration was also accused of bungling in We then drove to Govern- where I go once a week to hold Another ran thus: “If you dip Infantry,” Aide-de-Camp, Lieutenant vent of the Presentation, where back into the same life which I time, returning to the house handling Hindu-Muslim riots in 1882. G. Subramania Aiyar of The ment House and took possession. I may note a few particulars Council. the thermometer in a solution of Arthur Henry Louis Bagot, “Prince we were received by the Vicar- had been leading since I took hydrogen gas, you will obtain the about 8 o’clock. Hindu, who joined issue on most matters with the Governor, de- outside the realm of purely offi- The space between me and Albert’s Light Infantry” scribed him to W.S. Blunt as “a failure. He came out as Governor of * * * General, Dr. Colgan, and the charge of the Government, ex- first two points.” Then come the usual occupa- (Somersetshire Regiment), Aide-de- cial business. I have made fifty- the sea is filled, first, by the Madras with great expectations, and we find him feeble, sickly, un- November 6: Drove along Sisters, all of whom are Irish. cept that having pretty well got tions of the day, interrupted, as Camp, Lieutenant William E. Evans- seven speeches, of which nine which crosses the These pearls are to be found able to do his work himself, and wholly in the hands of the perma- the beach with Captain through my “institutions,” I had far as I am concerned, only by Gordon of the Madras Staff Corps, * * * were in Madras and its neigh- Cooum just at its mouth; sec- in a pamphlet published in 1877, nent officials. The Duke of Buckingham, of whom we expected less, Cavendish, in the golden the hours between sunrise and bourhood, three at Ootaca- breakfast (which takes place at Extra Aide-de-Camp. Surgeon-Major November 29: With Sir F. ondly, by a reach of the Cooum and lately lent me. John Mackenzie, M.D., did much more, and much better.” Blunt found this to be a commonly evening, and, passing through breakfast more to myself. Mr. mund, and the rest all over the nine) until the sun is westering, held opinion across Madras Presidency. Roberts to the fort before break- and a grove of the wild date, great plantations of cocoa-nut, Hollingsworth, the Government country from Hospet to Tinne- * * * when it is time to start for a ride, ³ This gorgeously coloured bird, which An assessment made with the benefit of hindsight would be more fast, inspecting batteries, bar- House Apothecary, an excellent Phoenix sylvestris. Still nearer is a is very common, makes an incessant reached the Cathedral, where we velly. April: These seventeen days accompanied by Cavendish or charitable, at least if his contributions to Madras city were included. racks, and so forth. I never be- botanist, was, as for the week or large round pond covered with din like a coppersmith at his work. He was the man who saw to the laying of the promenade along the attended service. at Guindy have been particularly Agnew. To that succeeds the fore was in a powder magazine, two before I started, much with We had a variety of balls, the Nelumbium speciosum, the 4 Since cut successfully, and holding a beach, and which he first named The Marina. He interested himself in * * * feeding of the horses with materially not morally speaking, dances, and other entertain- most historic of plants, as it has pleasant. I have ridden much in good position amongst diamonds the Museum and added to its collection. His wife, to whom The Hindu me in the early mornings. lucerne, and the swimming bath. November 7: Drove along and the precautions which sol- ments in the evening; while at been well called, for does it not the Park, where the Neem is in under the name of the Gor-do-norr. was more favourably disposed, worked hard to make the Victoria the harbour, accompanied by all diers take in entering one were * * * dinner we have had 1089 per- figure in the pages of the Father full blossom and the Banyan cov- Caste and Gosha (now the Kasturba Gandhi Memorial) Hospital a new to me – the removal of spurs, January 24: The Madras sons, excluding our own party ered with its fresh green leaves. reality, its prime mover Mary Dacomb-Scharlieb being a protégé of the officials chiefly concerned of History? At this moment, the Racecourse is close to the gates and friends staying in the house. The spotted deer and antelopes hers. with the works. the laying aside of swords, the list inrush of water from the late of Guindy, and it is the custom hardly pretended to be startled as CHENNAI HERITAGE Grant-Duff returned to England to permanent retirement and died * * * slippers, and so forth. Of these 674 dined at Madras rains has made a clear space there in 1906. His career as a Governor was crowned by a knight- * * * for the Governor to give a prize. and Guindy, 415 at Ootaca- quite round the plants. we cantered by. No. 5, Bhattad Tower, 30, Westcott Road, Royapettah, Chennai 600 014 November 12: A cyclone is The race for mine took place to- mund. Two hundred and sixty- hood. Right through life he was a prolific writer and his tenure as raging. Down to the pier with the November 30: We gave a Nearer me, and slightly to the The swimming bath I have I am already on your mailing list (Mailing List No...... ) / Governor of Madras was recorded in two volumes titled Notes from a day, and was won by a horse one persons were also asked to left of the pond, is a clump of the had made in the building, which I have just seen Madras Musings and would like to receive it hereafter. Diary, Kept Chiefly in Southern India, 1881-1886. This was published Master Attendant, where the sea Ball in the Banqueting Hall, called Palmerston. dine, who were unable to come. splendid Lagerstroemia Reginae – I remember in 1875 as a tealery, G I/We enclose cheque/demand draft/money order for Rs. 100 in 1899. The book was dismissed as the “jejune memoir of a rather was running frightfully high. Our which when lighted, is really a poor harbour is terribly damaged, very magnificent and most fes- We had a ball at night, and I have made five tours, tra- not now in flower – while be- is a great addition to the general (Rupees One hundred) payable to CHENNAI HERITAGE, MADRAS, spasmodic and superficial worker” and certainly a perusal of it re- the gardens were lighted up. versing 4875 miles (of which comfort, and we have had a as subscription to Madras Musings for the year 2013-14. veals a man who travelled, entertained and kept waiting for the “En- the Titan cranes swept away, and tive chamber. tween me and it, is another Captain Awdry said to me when 1014 were by road, 215 by water, clump of the sweet of the sweet- number of small dinners, at G As token of my support for the causes of heritage, environment and glish mail.” But it also shows him to be a person who admired natu- some lives lost. * * * ral and man-made beauty and his descriptions of Madras and its sur- I was at Parell, on the evening of and the rest by rail), and seeing scented Plumeria alba, one of the which Mrs. Awdry has done to a better city that Madras Musings espouses, I send Chennai Heri- * * * st roundings and some of the happenings here make for fascinating December 6: I spent an hour the 1 November last, “We can nearly half the most important most good-natured of trees, the honours. tage an additional Rs...... reading. We bring you some excerpts. November 19: From the at the Observatory, seeing, for do better at Guindy.” And it is places in the Presidency. I have which goes blooming on and on * * * (Rupees ...... ) Please keep / put me morning of 7th November, when the first time, the Rings of Sat- true, the place is admirably fitted got to know about 250 plants of on your mailing list. The Governor in those days had two residences – one at Govern- all the time we are here, and was November: On the morning ment Park or Government Estate on Mount Road and the other, a I began my work, till two days af- urn. I saw, too, Neptune, which, for fetes. the Hills, and a much larger Name : ...... the first object which attracted of the 6th we reached Guindy, weekend retreat, at Guindy. Between April and November, the guber- ter Christmas, we remained in even through a powerful tele- number on the plains; but of * * * my eye when I looked from the and fell immediately into the way Address: ...... natorial household shifted to Ootacamund. The Cathedral that Grant- Madras, except on 22nd Novem- scope, looked very small. It is, these last I have not so exact a th verandah on the morning of 5 of life which we led in the spring...... Duff refers to is St George’s on Cathedral Road. The Convent of the ber, when we drove to Guindy, however, one hundred and six January 31: The Maharajah record. November, last year. Presentation he visited is probably the one in George Town. Marine of Travancore, the ablest as well The garden and park were in the ...... the country house of the Gover- times bigger than our Earth. The personnel of my staff has Villa on the beach stood where the Madras University campus is. The as the most important of South Between these, clumps a greatest beauty. nor, to give a ball, and slept December 20: My wife, com- remained as it was on 5th Novem- Note: Overseas postage Rs. 550/year extra. Cheques for overseas small bungalow for the aide-de-camp he writes about later became Indian Princes, came to see me number of antelopes are repos- November 9: Went out by there. plaining of the various noises of ber 1881. postage alone payable to M/s. Lokavani Southern Printers Pvt. Ltd. the Gandhi Illam and was subsequently demolished along with much this afternoon. ing. moonlight to see the first glory of All other cheques to ‘Chennai Heritage’. DD/Cheque should be sent of Government Estate to make way for the Assembly-cum-Secre- My day commenced about an Indian morning, and referring If I turn slightly to the right, I the Victoria regia, whose great by Speed Post only. tariat-turned multi-speciality hospital. six, and ended soon after ten – to the Xantholaema³, said, * * * * * * 6 MADRAS MUSINGS August 1-15, 2013 MADRAS WEEK PROGRAMMES August 18-25, 2013

ugust 22nd is the birthday of Madras. It was on that day in 1639 that the grant focussed activities during the Week to create a greater awareness about Madras that Awas signed and given to Francis Day of the East India Company for the piece of is Chennai’s proud heritage. Madras Week this year is from August 18th to 25th and no man’s sand from which the city has grown. This day, , has been many programmes have already been arranged by volunteering individuals and commemorated during the last few years by celebrating a Madras Week around it. organisations. Judging from the programmes lined up, it is likely to run from early in Madras Week, proposed and catalysed by a small group of volunteers who value the August into the first week of September. heritage of the city, encourages individuals and organisations to arrange Madras- Here is a list of some of the scheduled programmes. August 6: Talk: Nina John on participants, registrations on Madras’s Music Department Nizhal Tree Walks Women of Chennai: Where are or before August 1st noon organises Nalayira Divya they now? Where are they with Pradeepandanusha@ Prabandham and Multilingual Nizhal is organising tree walks in English and Tamil. The walks going? Organised by Rotary gmail. com No transport/food Compositions on Lord Par- will last for about an hour. Rediscover the verdant parks and mag- Clubs of Madras South, arrangements for the walk. thasarathy of . nificent trees in your neighborhood with friends and family! The Madras North, Madras West, August 17-31: Exhibition: A Venue: F50 – Thanthai Azhinji at Tree Park, the Thaandri at Semmozhi Madras East. photo exhibition on Madras Periyar Hall, Time: 11 a.m. Poonga, the Putranjiva at and many more such gems! Venue: Hotel Savera. 6.30 by photographer S. Kana- August 24: Puppetry Session August 16: Kotturpuram Tree Park. 5.00 p.m. (Tamil) p.m. For Rotarians only. karaj. At Studio Palazzo Art for Children on Wildlife. An August 11: Walk: Waves of Gallery, 14, 2nd Avenue, August 17: Nageswara Rao Park, Luz Church Road. interactive session on Wildlife 4.30 p.m. (English) conversion! Tiruvanmiyur in Harrington Road, , of Chennai and their im- 7-8th Century. Led by Pradeep Chennai 600 031. portance with puppets for August 18: Tower Park. 4.30 p.m. (English) Chakravarthy in the Marun- August 17: Talk: An illus- children conducted by Dr. R. August 18: A Special Musical Tree Walk will be held in deeswarar temple. 7.30-8.00 trated talk on Natural Heri- Bhanumathi of Pavai. At Kalakshetra. 8 a.m. The walk will be led by the Nizhal team a.m. tage of Chennai covering Nageswara Rao Park, (Latha Nathan and Dr. Babu) and Carnatic musician Dr. The 30-minute walk will ex- diverse flora and fauna by Mylapore. 4.00-4.30 p.m. plore the sadly modernised Dr. R. Bhanumathi. Sowmya along with her disciples. Meeting and assembly point August 24: Competition: Quiz will be the Kalakshetra Road entrance to the campus. and Venue: Gallery Sri Parvati, Competition for school chil- understand how religion and 28/160, Eldams Road. 6 p.m. dren from 6th standard to 9th August 23: Panagal Park, T Nagar. 5.00 p.m. (English) politics mingled for mutual Organised by ELAI. standard. Theme: Heritage of th August 24: Semmozhi Poonga, Cathedral Road. 4.30 p.m. benefit in the 6-9 Centuries. August 18: Presentation: Y.G. Madras. Organised by Ama- (English) Please dress appropriately for Mahendran and A.R. Srini- ravathi Nagar Residents Wel- a house of worship. No shorts vasan will present a dialogue- fare Association. August 25: Nanmangalam Forest Park. 8.00 a.m. (English) please! presentation on Tamil theatre Venue: Ambal Matriculation August 25: Sivan Park, K.K. Nagar. 4.30 p.m. (English) Participants above the age of – history and landmarks. School, . 9 a.m. 40 cannot register unless they At Tag Centre, Chennai 9.30 to 10 a.m. For details contact Registration for all the walks: Please call Usha at 97910 are accompanied by a school a.m. Note: Private gathering. Dr. Kr. Thooyavan, Chennai. 29568 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Online through (class 8 and above) or college For members only. Cell: 9840645855 www.facebook.com/Nizhal.shade student. No more than 30 August 21: University of August 25: Nature Walk: The Madras Naturalists’ Society (MNS) will organise a Nature Madras Week Programmes by Madras Musings Walk for the public at Madras Heritage Lovers’ Forum Marsh on Sun- Walks and Talks day, 25th August. At Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan Sr Secondary School, KK 6.15 a.m. Reporting place: Nagar: PSBB, KK Nagar, and Madras Heritage Lovers’ Forum Talks Forest Dept. Office on have organised the following for students of the Central Cluster August 18: The Superstar of – Rajinikanth by -Thoraipakkam and neighbourhood schools: Mohan V Raman at Grand Chola, 6.30 p.m. Road. Group size: 30. For as- sistance please call Vijay: August 12: Music Competition: Papanasam Sivan songs. 10.30 August 19: Advertising in Pre-Independence Madras by A.R. a.m. to noon Venkatachalapathy at Chamiers, 6.30 p.m. 98400 90875 August 20: FM in Chennai by Rajeev Nambiar (CEO Hello (When coming from August 13: Oratorical Competition. Topic: How I Visualise FM). The Park, 6.30 p.m. Velachery, take the service Chennai Ten Years from Now and Impact of Metro/Monorails on road along the 2nd Flyover on August 21: Dialects of Madras – Badri Seshadri at Am- Heritage, Duration: 3 minutes each. 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. the Velachery- ethyst, 6.30 p.m. Road and turn left at the August 14: Philately Quiz on Chennai. Each team of 2 students. August 22: Panel discussion on changing professional profile junction under the Flyover 10.30 a.m. to 12 noon. of Chennai – chaired by Chandu Nair, Park Sheraton, onto the Velachery-Thorai- 6.30 p.m. August 19: On-the-spot Painting Competition. Topic: The Place I Road, travel around Like in Chennai. 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Materials to be brought August 23: Creating a tree park in Kotturpuram by Shobha 300 metres. and take the U- by the participants. Chart paper will be provided by school. Menon at Savera, 6.30 p.m. turn after the Toll Plaza sign August 24: Motorsports in Madras by Ejji K Umamahesh, and the Office is on the left August 19: Katha Kalakshepam: Alwar or Nayanmar. 1 p.m. to Hyatt Regency, , 7.00 p.m. immediately after the turn. 3 p.m. August 25: Chennai Weekend Artists and their works – exhi- When coming from OMR, August 21: Pulli Kolam Contest. 30 minutes. 13 dots. Materials bition and talk. GRT Convention Centre, 3-5 p.m. the Office is 200 metres after to be brought by the participants. No colour allowed. 11 a.m. Tours the Toll Plaza.) to 12.30 p.m. August 17: Adyar and around led by Sriram V. 6.00 a.m. August 25: Talk: Ravi Varma and his Engagement with the August 27: An exhibition conducted by Madras Heritage Lovers’ August 18: The Islamic Heritage of Mount Road led by S. Madras Presidency (1878- Forum and ‘Reflections of Our Heritage’ by PSBB students. Anwar. 6.00 a.m. 1906) by Rupika Chawla. At Prizes for all the competitions will be distributed on the same August 24: A half day at Pulicat organised in collaboration Hyatt Regency, Mount Road. day. Venue: Silver Jubilee Hall 10.30 a.m. to 12 noon with ARDE. 6.00 a.m. 4:30 to 6 p.m. Organised by The neighbourhood schools include PSBB Millennium, August 25: Roaming around Royapuram led by Sriram V. Chennai Art Club. ; PSBB ; Kendriya Vidyalaya, Ashok 6.00 a.m. August 27: Talk: K. Hari- Nagar; Springfield, KK Nagar; MAK, KK Nagar; Devi Academy, All tours are partly by van and partly on foot. All tours end haran, film-maker and direc- Valsaravakkam; AVM School, ; Karthikeyan Matricu- with breakfast except the tour on the 24th which will have tor of the L.V. Prasad Acad- lation School, Vadapalani; Government Cariappa School, breakfast during the tour. All tours are charged and prior emy on Chennai, Chennaiites Vadapalani; and Government School, MGR Nagar. For details: registration is necessary by email at [email protected]. and Cinema. Organised by Shanthi Chandrasekhar: 23663165/ 23664251 (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Payment details will be emailed on receipt of registration. Rotary Club of Madras South. Venue: Hotel Savera. 6.30 p.m. For Rotarians only. (Continued on page 7) August 1-15, 2013 MADRAS MUSINGS 7

(Continued from page 6) Roja Muthiah Research Library Programmes Another one bites for Madras Week August 18: Exhibition: Inauguration of exhibition of C.L.D. Gupta’s “Line drawings of Madras, Queen of the Coroman- del”. 5.00 p.m. Inauguration by P. Chellapan. the dust stop Public lecture by S. Muthiah. (Exhibition will be open on all days from the time of inaugura- uly 15, 2013. chosen to send this particular Britain, asking about the fate of tion till 24th August) J A photograph on the front one. The fifty-first was usually his new book. His telegram August 22: Film: Screening of documentary Sekkizhar Adi-p-Podi page of The Hindu captures the met with loud cheers, much to read: “?”. The publisher’s reply by T.N. Ramachandran and Ravi Subramaniam. 5.00 p.m. essence of saying goodbye – the irritation of the ‘elders’. was equally brief: “!”. August 23: Public lecture: Re-inscribing religion as nation: Naveena tears, pathos, and the heart- You always wondered if any- A thought pops into your Saiva (Modern Saivites), Tamil nationalism and the Dravidian breaking acknowledgement one ever got mixed up between head... that whole (possibly movement by Prof. Ravi Vaitheeswaran. 5.00 p.m. that that list of ‘what was...’ just the numbers and sent No 100 apocryphal) ‘Peccavi’ story. August 24: Public lecture: Thiru Vi Ka’s Chennai by Prof. A.R. got a little bit longer. instead of No 16, and can’t help How would Napier have dealt Venkatachalapathy, Madras Institute of Development Studies. There was a sad-smile ele- grinning at the thought – even with... say... today’s world of 5.00 p.m. ment to that day – the day that now. auto-correct? Just to find out, British Council Programmes for Madras Week saw the ending of one of the Reaching out – communi- you mischievously type in the nation’s oldest forms of commu- cating – the telegram was a sig- word, and sure enough, good August 14-20: Blog Competition. Blog on a topic each week and nication – the telegram. nificant milestone in the human old auto-correct ...er.... corrects win a Tablet. The topics are: Now, the Dictionary, so used race’s efforts to establish con- you like a great-aunt, and sug- August 1-6: Madras to me is… to baldly deadpanning its way tact. gests sweetly that you made a August 7-13: An Iconic Symbol of Madras... through words, defines a tele- You recall how, when your mistake, dear .... you probably August 14-20: Greatest British contribution in Madras to gram as: ‘a message that is sent children took flight, your meant (hold your breath) Modern India... by electricity or radio and then mother looked at you with that ‘Puccini’. Now wouldn’t that Send your blog entries to [email protected] with printed and delivered to unique blend of compassion have made history ... on several your name and date of birth. Blogs in Tamil are also welcome. someone’s home or office.’ and sternness perfected by levels, given dates involved? Watch our Facebook page for weekly winners. In reality? Mothers the world over, de- As far as the sub-continent * * * A telegram was a piece of manding to know what exactly is concerned, the first telegraph August 17-22: Walk into the British Council. Answer our paper that constantly made you you were whining about, in this message was transmitted on Trivia questions on Madras to win daily prizes. oscillate between two extremes: day and age of cell phones, November 5, 1850. August 19-23: Identify this iconic place in Madras. Log into You love Life; You’ve lost faith emails, Facetime, Skype, etc? One hundred and sixty- www.facebook.com/British CouncilIndia. Be the first to identify to in Life. “How do you think your grand- three years later, it’s taken a win daily prizes. It was a piece of paper loaded mother handled it, when your good look around and ruefully August 22: Seminar: Wallajah, Pigot and Tanjore: Did they trans- with Destiny, often carrying the uncles and aunts left – and all accepted that its day has come form trading to expansionism? An all-day seminar. Speakers: Stephan weight of human hope and we had were very expensive – and gone – and in so doing, Roman of the British Council, S. Anvar and S. Muthiah. 10 a.m. emotions and, more often than trunk calls, and, only occasion- has stepped into the world of to 6 p.m. at . For invitees only. Organised by the British not, capable of seriously mess- ally, telegrams – should the Nostalgia, along with some Council and hosted by Prince of Arcot. ing with the even tenor of your need arise....which, thank God, other notables... ways. it never did?” Like trunk calls... (Ever no- Madras Week Programmes by Whenever the doorbell rang, She had a point, and you ticed how really old people still INTACH and a voice announced that a stopped sniffling. yell over the cell phone? Old telegram had arrived, a frisson habits die hard.) August 1: Short Play invariably ran through the Or inland letters, in which Topic : Choose a historical personality of Chennai from the house. G by your grandmother always wrote list below and portray a small part in his/her life through inter- Of course, no one under- Ranjitha Ashok ‘safe’ on the top left hand cor- action with one or more of his/her contemporaries. Maximum stood the dramatic potential of ner. So many old friends – tran- 5 members per school telegrams better than our mov- sistor radios, gramophones, tape Venue: AMM Matriculation Hr. Sec. School, Kotturpuram. ies. There‘s always been a cer- recorders, typewriters – all Time: 9.00 a.m. 5-7 minutes. Which was why the telegram tain mystique to a message. It gone. 1. Thatikonda Namberumal Chetty was always placed right up there has character, a personality of For those of us who live in a 2. Beri Thimmappa as a harbinger of ‘breaking its own; it reflects both the Wodehousean world, the de- 3. Sister R.S. Subbalakshmi news’, along with those other sender and receiver. parture of telegrams is of par- 4. Durgabai Deshmukh shock-value favourites – the And if you think about the ticularly painful significance. slow removing of glasses by the history of messaging in general, Can you imagine ‘text messages’ August 1: Presentation doctor outside a door bearing it is a pretty fascinating, even flying between Brinkley Manor, Topic: Choose any area of Chennai and through an audio- the sign ‘Operation Theatre’ moving, story of how Human- or Totleigh Towers, and Bertie? visual presentation show the evolution of the area over the (words which, for some strange kind, with its inborn need to Nope – imagination boggles. course of time. You can use photographs and videos of people, reason, always looked as if hast- communicate and stay in touch, It’s funny though, in a world areas and maps. Team of 3 members per school. ily scribbled), topped by a red has worked its way through per- where new verbs are being in- Venue: AMM Matriculation Hr. Sec. School, Kotturpuram light that ominously switched fecting the process... an on-go- vented everyday – ‘sms-ed’, Time: 12 noon. Duration: 5-7 minutes on – then off; and that other ing story, with the tools of com- ‘skyped’, ‘facetimed’, ‘Face- favourite, the flickering lamp, munication growing, reaching booked’ – no one ever seems to Essay Competition which you watched in fasci- higher, with greater intensity, have ‘telegram-ed’ anyone. Topic: Choose any 5 top heritage sites in Chennai and write nated horror, knowing some- than before, altering the ‘scape A reflection of an older, about their significance. Number of pages: 2-3 foolscap size. thing deliciously dreadful was and scope of Time and Distance more lexically-particular time, Last date to submit: August 10. about to happen. forever. perhaps? Email us at [email protected] to confirm The other memory? There have been some fa- The way the nation said participation. Those ‘greetings’ telegrams mous high spots in the world of goodbye was pretty touching. that always poured in during telegrams: Samuel Morse’s tele- So many turned up at various Madras Week Programmes by special events. For a little extra, gram, sent on May 24, 1844, telegraph offices all over the these telegrams would be deliv- from Washington to Baltimore country, some of them first-tim- Madras Book Club ered on special illustrated saying: “What hath God ers, sending last-day messages. forms, in colourful envelopes, wrought?” What, indeed. Dr. Diverse people, putting every- August 27: Book launch: The Anglo Indian – A 500 Year History Remember that perennial Crippen, one of the first crimi- thing else aside for a moment, by S. Muthiah, Harry MacLure and Richard O’Connor. Hotel favourite? nals to be convicted with the wanting to be, and becoming, President, 6.30 p.m. For members and guests only. No 16: ‘May Heaven’s help of the telegram; Mark part of history, linked by the August 27: Book launch: Master of Arts – A life in dance by Tulsi Choicest Blessings be showered Twain, in 1897, using a tele- simple sharing of a poignant Badrinath. Chief Guest: Gopalkrishna Gandhi. Hotel Savera, on the Young Couple’. For some gram to issue a rebuttal to the moment. You applaud that 11.30 a.m. Sponsored by the Duchess Club and Madras Book reason, that always raised a announcement of his death, sense of unabashed soft senti- Club. Only by Invitation, and not for members of both Clubs. laugh among the soulless lower stating, “The reports of my ment that keeps us human. August 31: Memorial meeting for K.S. Padmanabhan. Taj echelons in the family circle, death are greatly exaggerated”. So the telegram, even as it Connemara. 6.30 p.m. For members and guests only. who always insisted on opening The shortest telegram in the said goodbye, did what it has al- September 4: Book launch: Degree Coffee by the Yard by Nirmala all telegrams that arrived during English language was Oscar ways done best – it brought Lakshman. , 6.30 p.m. For members and guests in-house ‘joyous occasions’, just Wilde’s. Then living in Paris, people together, again. only. to see how many people had Wilde cabled his publisher in We’ll miss you, old friend. 8 MADRAS MUSINGS August 1-15, 2013

G The eighth in a series of profiles by V. RAMNARAYAN of cricketers who may have made an all-time Madras* squad.

.D. Gopinath was the nings of great authority. This C aristocrat of the Madras writer had the pleasure of bowl- team of the 1950s. Not only was An aristocrat among ing to him in a local match in he from an elite social back- the 1960s. None of his skill had ground – his father C.P. left him, though he was by now Doraikannu was general man- cricketers essentially a Sunday cricketer. ager of – After his playing days, Gopi- his cricket too was quite regal. puts. He said, “In the semifinal, made 35 in the final Test at nath became a national selector He batted with panache, and C.D. Gopinath plotted Pankaj Madras, which India won, its and toured England in 1979 as seemed to have the kind of time Roy’s dismissal on the hook first Test victory over England. the manager of the Indian team. to play his shots that tends to shot off the bowling of B.C. Today, he comes across as a invest batting with an air of Gopinath fared quite well in Alva with his fastish offbreaks. an unofficial Test series against thoughtful commentator on the majesty. Of erect stance and We had a fielder about halfway game, when approached for his equipped with a range of shots the touring Commonwealth to the boundary, Alva bowled team, a fighting unbeaten 67 views. At a recent function to all around the wicket, he aver- short and Roy could not resist launch the Wisden India alma- aged over 50 in Ranji Trophy that helped India to ward off an the temptation.” (Alaganan innings defeat the highlight of nac, he gave the audience some cricket during an era of uncov- and Gopinath had played for amusing glimpses into the past ered turf wickets and matting. his performances. He made a college and club together as few runs in the limited opportu- by recalling the infinitesimal He scored two brilliant hun- well. In an interview, Alaganan nities that came his way in Pa- “smoke allowance” Test players dreds in the year Madras won once related with much delight C.D. Gopinath. kistan in 1954-55, after declin- received in his days, and the the national championship for an anecdote involving young ing an invitation to tour the nature of the accommodation the first time under Balu Gopinath, who did not see eye rounders M.K. Balakrishnan they enjoyed in Pakistan: a rail- and M.M. Kumar, and Burmah West Indies a couple of seasons Alaganan’s stewardship, shar- to eye with the Madras Chris- earlier! Those days, it was not way compartment! He also sug- ing the batting honours with his tian College principal’s view Shell’s H.W. Joynt leading an gested that 20-20 cricket be re- effective pace attack. unthinkable for a player to younger teammate A.G. Kripal that his cricketers could not make himself unavailable for named as something else than Singh. He scored 122 against play for other teams. According As a batsman, Gopinath had Test cricket for business reaons. cricket, just like billiards, Bengal in the semifinal and 133 to Balu, Gopinath played for a an impressive record of nine snooker and pool. Gopinath was in the tour against Holkar in the final. Re- club under an assumed name first class hundreds including a party to England in 1959 but Nowadays, 83-year-old Go- markably, those were the only and scored a hundred once.) highest of 234 against Mysore in did not get to play a single Test. pinath and his wife Comala, a two Ranji matches he played Gopinath who became State the Ranji Trophy and a grand champion golfer in her day, live that season, and they also hap- 175 versus the touring New Brought into the team again in captain the very next season the final Test against Australia at their Coonoor residence. pened to be his first two hun- following Alaganan’s retire- Zealand team in 1955. dreds in the championship. at Calcutta in the next season, * Madras Province/State/Tamil Nadu. ment, came to be known for his He had made an impressive he played a fighting knock of He had debuted as far back capable leadership, but could Test debut in 1951-52, playing as the 1949-50 season, starting 39, topscoring in the first in- not repeat Alaganan’s success, two lovely innings of 50 not out nings as India collapsed, but Answers to Quiz most inauspiciously with a pair and 42 against England in a though he continued in his role made no run in the second in- 1. Battle of Gettysburg; 2. against Mysore. His 74 and un- till 1963. He had been much drawn match at Bombay. It beaten 53 against Mysore at nings – when India fared much Croatia; 3. They are the names more successful as captain of must have been a daunting ex- better. He was Richie Benaud’s given to the last two discovered Bangalore in the 1950-51 sea- the Madras Cricket Club in the perience for the young man to moons of the dwarf planet Pluto; 4. son should have cemented his victim in both innings. He local league, leading the team to bat at No. 8 in a line-up that never played for India again. Zubin Mehta; 5. They are to be si- place in the side, but he did not the Palayampatti Shield title in had Roy, Mantri, Umrigar, multaneously declared as Saints; 6. It is difficult to resist the seem to have clinched his place his very first season as captain Hazare, Amarnath and Sarwate Mike and Bob Bryan; 7. Mahabodhi conclusion after studying till his maiden hundred and in 1957-58. He repeated the and Adhikari bat ahead of him Temple at Bodh Gaya; 8. Mohamed Gopinath’s career record of in- Madras’s maiden Ranji Trophy feat the following season, and in the order and Vinoo Mankad ElBaradei; 9. Himachal Pradesh; termittent opportunities, and 10. The Mouse. triumph. twice again in 1960-61 and after him! He seemed to have having watched him bat with * * * The late Alaganan who 1965-66. As captain of Madras, coped very well, scoring a fluent great style and confidence, that 11. Lyricist Vaali; 12. Poikkaal lauded Gopinath’s role in that Gopinath relied on his spinners half-century in a first innings he did not receive a fair deal Kudhirai; 13. Bentinck Girls’ High success – along with those led by the champion leg spinner total of 485. The story was dif- from the selectors. His was cer- School; 14. Katrambakkam; 15. S. played by Kripal Singh, indubi- V.V. Kumar, and played a key ferent in the second innings. Venkatraghavan; 16. Dakshina- tainly a talent worth nurturing. tably the star of the season, role in the development of his India were 77 for 6 when Chitra; 17. Sevai Aattam; 18. In domestic cricket, he contin- M.K. Murugesh, A.K. Saranga- bowlers. In the league, however, Gopinath went in, and soon 88 Hogenakkal; 19. Justice Party; 20. ued to bring joy to the Madras pani and others – also credited he had to rely on swing and for 7, before he and Mankad put P. Ramarayaningar, the Raja of partisan, with several top in- Gopinath with vital tactical in- seam, with N. Kannayiram, all- on 71 for the eighth wicket. He Panagal.

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PublishedPublished by S. Muthiahby S. Muthiahfor ‘Chennai for Heritage’,‘Chennai No. Heritage’, 5, Bhattad 260-A, Tower, TTK 30, WestcottRoad, Chennai Road, Royapettah, 600 018 Chennaiand printed 600 014, by Tprinted J George by Anu at Varghese Lokavani-Hallmark at Lokavani Southern Press Pvt. Printers Ltd., Pvt. 122, Ltd., Greams 122, Greams Road, Road, Chennai Chennai 600 600 006. 006, Edited and edited by S.by MUTHIAH.S. Muthiah.