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• Short ‘N’ Snappy

• Mullaperiyar: Another side MADRAS • The Music Academy trail • Mylapore & ECR Festivals MUSINGS • A century with a century Rs. 5 per copy Vol. XVI No. 18 January 1-15, 2007 (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) Super-corridor strewn with obstacles

“Appa, do you think the effects of (by A Staff Correspondent) global warming could make a lizard ith Information Technology all the way as far as look like a crocodile?” WMadras that is Chennai is concerned, the infra- structure project that has hogged the limelight in the Watch your feet recent years is the IT Corridor to link Madhya Kailash Someone needs to set limits to Junction with Siruseri in the first phase. This 22-km Streamlined pedicabs favoured by tourists in the motto ‘Be prepared.’ stretch is where many IT giants have their offices and Viet Nam. With well-dressed drivers in the rear, Consider this. many more are expected to move in. When completed, an open view in front and excellently manufac- An innocent householder is tured, these cyclos are vehicles we should be think- bowling along the lane of his it is estimated, the density of IT professionals per sq.km ing about, says the author-photographer. particular life, trying to make here will be the highest in the world, beating even the the best of things, when, Silicon Valley. In the second phase the corridor would Bham! – with absolutely no extend up to Mahabalipuram. But what’s happened to warning – he runs into a large the project? Let’s introduce beast in his home. The project, started in 2004, was estimated to cost (And no, it is not one of his Rs.84.41 crore in the first phase, which included the cost wife’s relatives.) of setting up toll plazas, supervision costs and contin- pedicabs Now, the householder is prob- gencies. The core activities included conversion of the ably a very good soul, taught at his mother’s knee to be stretch into a six-lane carriageway with medians and road signs. The cost of land acquisition was not included s a cultural tour guide, I life rituals around them. Being a kind to all animals. But what Afind that many foreign tourists small vehicle, it can be parked a is he to do when a great big and this was estimated at Rs. 43 crore. The Tamil Nadu Road Development Corporation like to take a cycle rickshaw ride on minute away from the tourist’s desti- reptile, posing under the the Marina as well as in crowded nation without causing a traffic jam. name ‘marsh crocodile’, is (TNRDC) was allowed to set up a special purpose ven- found in his bathroom? ture called the IT Expressway Limited for the develop- streets in Mylapore and George It is pollution-free. What next? ment of the corridor. The TNRDC itself is a joint ven- Town. When I accompanied Ger- The minus points are, the driver A python nestling in the soap ture between Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Ser- man groups to Madurai, I used to sits in the front, blocking the view; dish? vices Ltd (IL&FS) and the Tamil Nadu Industrial De- organise rickshaw rides for a group the drivers also tend to look emaci- This takes the fellowship-with- velopment Corporation (TIDCO). of 28 people at 10 pm to take them ated, are usually in torn clothes, and all-creatures-great-and-small The project was funded partly through a loan of Rs. from the hotel to the temple, a dis- often dirty. concept just that bit too far, tance of 2 or 3 kilometres. They used Recently I was in Viet Nam, besides being totally unfair. 50.41 crore and partly by contributions from the State Government of Rs. 21.50 crore and the Ministry of to enjoy the ride. where I saw a slylised version of rick- After all, the bathroom is the shaws which impressed me a lot. I only place left which provides Commerce (Govt. of India) of Rs. 12.5 crore. The last- In Srirangam, as the coaches are some peace and quiet and named came under the Assistance to States for Infra- stopped before the main gopuram, used one wherever I travelled in Viet escape. structure Development for Exports (ASIDE) scheme the tourists are taken in rickshaws in Nam. It is called a Cyclo or a Unfortunately, a fresh bogey with the proviso that this amount was to be returned to the narrow streets, avoiding the Pedicab. has now been pencilled into the Government or set up later as an IT Corridor fund. menace of shopkeepers and beggars. It is open in the front, like ours, the minds of sorely-tried citi- A high-powered committee comprising the Tamil This gives them a chance to see and but the driver sits at the back, with- zens. photograph the daily life of the out blocking his passenger’s view. The authorities concerned, dis- Nadu Development Commissioner, Finance Secretary, Commissioner, Land Administration, Secretaries of the people. The whole cyclo is made of stainless playing an admirably single- steel, has clean seats and is run by a Highways and the Industries Departments, and the Indeed, rickshaws have an advan- minded viewpoint, appar- smiling driver. ently checked the young fel- CEO of TNRDC, was set up to monitor the progress. tage over other modes of transport. I suggest that we adopt this low and pronounced him Bids were invited for the execution and a Malaysian firm They are cheaper, yet provide a liv- pedicab. It can be altered to suit our healthy and blessed “with was selected. Work was to commence in April 2004. ing for the poor rickshaw drivers. needs. This can be introduced in powerful jaws”. Among the important features of the corridor was They can wend their way through Mylapore, Kancheepuram, Parry’s How sweet! the introduction of an exclusive lane for non-motorised narrow streets. They are open in What about the health of the and Mahabalipuram on a trial basis. vehicles, which would provide for slow-moving and front (unlike cars) and the tourists poor householder who has stalled vehicles, thereby ensuring free flow of traffic. probably lost several lifetimes can take videos or photos of the daily K.N. Anandhi Another highlight was a Partnership and Development in the shock suffered, and has However, despite all this fanfare and hype, the project, like all Govern- now become even more wary Agreement with infrastructure and service agencies that the road would be free from digging and damage for 30 ment activities, got off to a slow start. There was great delay in land acquisi- and distrustful of life in gen- tion and still greater delay in shifting the utilities. The contractor had diffi- eral, and his environment in years. A service duct or corridor was to be laid along the particular? entire stretch to ensure that all utilities could be ac- culty in mobilising resources, which resulted in further stretching of the And Fate wonders why we treat cessed without hindrance to traffic. The shifting of utili- timeline. her with a certain coolness ties and the construction of the service trench, which Acquisition of litigation-free land was the first hurdle and resulted in the and distance! cost Rs. 56 crore, was borne by the telecom companies commencement of the project being shifted to January 1, 2005. The TNRDC Ranjitha Ashok and the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board. (Continued on page 7)

CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS January 1-15,2007 A different Cinematic worries view of he lot of a cinema owner is least he hopes that by land “ad- the parking lot was full. This Tseldom a happy one. Apart jacent” to the Park, the au- resulted in needless chaos. from the uncertainties of a thorities are not indulging in This year, the Academy film’s success, people in the some legal speak and actually has brought in a valet parking movie hall business have had to planning to acquire some part service with professionals Mullaperiyar contend with channel televi- of the park itself. handling the matter. The ser- sion, video tape and CD piracy Apparently, there is a simi- vice is courteous, and surplus and also the vagaries of taxa- lar proposal pending on devel- cars do not aggrandise the hree score and ten is the Biblical lifespan of human beings. tion, which changes from bud- oping the Adyar bus terminus surrounding roads but are TIn “God’s own country” that is Kerala, politicians have given get to budget, government to as well. What shocked The parked in the St. Ebba’s com- government. Add to this the Man from Madras Musings is pound by the valets. How- its dams also a lifespan of 70 years. The Mullaperiyar gravity dam vandals who tear up seats just that the Metropolitan Trans- ever, who can train our pa- on the Periyar built in 1895 by Madras Presidency Chief Engineer for the fun of it. No wonder port Corporation (MTC) is ap- trons and public into observ- Col. J. Pennycuick on land leased to Madras Province by the Ma- many owners switch to real es- parently reluctant to comply, as ing some minimum disci- haraja of the erstwhile State of Travancore for 999 years, which is tate. The recent decision of the it hopes to develop the property pline? MMM was amused to as good as perpetual lease, is 111 years old. State Government to restrict into an IT park! Is there no re- observe the way patrons the price of tickets has The striction on who or what can rushed to the valets after a Considered at that time as the “most extraordinary engineering Man from Madras Musings develop into an IT park? Does concert last week and de- feat ever performed,” the dam had changed the course of the river wondering if the move to real everybody have to get on to the manded their keys all at once. emptying into the Arabian Sea by diverting its water eastwards into estate will soon snowball. IT bandwagon? And what Some even snatched their the Vaigai river emptying into the Bay of Bengal. Kerala says the Though most theatres in the about the so-called social con- keys from the counter with- dam has outlived its lifespan by 41 years and it is about time Tamil city are quite seedy and have science of a government-owned out informing the valets and Nadu decommissioned it and built a new one. It can burst anytime, clearly seen better days, some corporation with the so-called tried to take out their cars threatening the lives of 3.5 million people living downstream. Grav- do take pride in their appear- motive of providing low cost though others were blocking ity dams rarely burst. ance and pay attention to pa- travel facilities for the public? the way. With some keys thus trons’ comfort. The Sathyam If it does not cooperate in having vanished, the valets The livelihood of the farmers of Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Complex is a typical example. building public amenities such were confused and it took Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram Districts in Tamil Nadu depends So is Mayajal, just outside the as parking lots, who will? Also, quite a while to sort out the on the waters of the Mullaperiyar diverted into the Vaigai. The city. These theatres spend mess. area around the lake retains its pristine and virgin forests that are money on upkeep and also in MMM wonders if the same rich in wildlife. The hill slopes around the lake include diverse de- ensuring that parking space is SHORT patrons would behave this made available, a luxury in the way at five-star hotels when ciduous forest. It has become one of the most sought-after tourist present conditions where real ’N’ they claim their cars from the attractions of Kerala. The 26 sq.km. thick tropical forest was de- estate prices keep going up ev- SNAPPY valets after their visit. clared a wildlife sanctuary in 1934 and a tiger reserve in 1975. ery day. Adequate staff is also Kerala maintains that the 1895 agreement was between the co- needed to ensure that day-to- Noticing the Season lonial British government of Madras Province and the Maharaja of day operations go on smoothly. Travancore, a mere vassal, and therefore it has no place in free For all this, some theatres is it not high time that the he Man from Madras charge a premium, which is MTC thought of making prof- T Musings could not help India. The agreement, however, was reviewed and signed afresh in its from its operations rather 1970 when both Kerala and Tamil Nadu had popularly elected perfectly acceptable. smiling at an advertisement than from its real estate? released by Tamil Nadu democratic governments. While C. Achutha Menon of the CPI With the government now stepping in, MMM feels that Tourism in the last week of these theatres will definitely re- After hotels...?! December. This has several sort to cost-cutting measures musicians on it and claims to and the outcome will be shoddy oing, going, gone! Two market the Music Season and l by SAM RAJAPPA theatres that scrimp on mini- Gmore landmarks that will invites people from elsewhere mum amenities. In an era be gone by the time the year is in India and abroad to visit A veteran journalist who retired from where we keep talking of free out, unless there’s some posi- Chennai. Presumably the ad The Statesman, is based in Chennai. enterprise, this move, ostensi- tive re-thinking by their buyers, is aimed at NRIs, so Heaven bly to protect the film industry are the Dasaprakash Hotel and, knows what it was doing in an from piracy, is clearly a step The Man from Madras Musings Indian, and a local, daily at backward. hears, the Ashoka Hotel. Both that. Secondly, what is to be was the Chief Minister in Kerala, and Karunakaran of the Con- Whispers have it that there – they are two of the ‘Big achieved by releasing such an gress was his Home Minister, in Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi of is more to this move than meets Three’ that made Udipi veg- ad at the fag end of the Sea- the DMK was the Chief Minister. Kerala wanted the lease rental, the eye, with politics, as usual, etarian cuisine famous – have son? Such publicity material fixed in 1895, to be raised six-fold and Tamil Nadu agreed. The playing a key role. been bought, MMM hears, by makes better sense if circu- dam was already 76 years old then. Kerala never questioned its one of the largest industrial lated at least six months be- fore the Season so that for- stability or asked for a new one as none in Idukki, Pathanamthitta, Parking blots groups in India, which has just entered retailing and has begun eigners and NRIs can plan Kottayam, Alappuzha or Ernakulam felt threatened. The storage he battle over parking blots to look at hoteliering. their travel. Unless our de- level in the Mullaperiyar reservoir was kept at 152 ft. as agreed n T(sorry, lots) is hotting up Are these two landmarks in partments are being proactive 1895 though the dam could have safely taken another three feet of once again. The Man from Ma- the city to be pulled down for and have released this ad water. In 1975, Kerala completed the Idukki arch dam 48 km dras Musings learns from the mega-malls or hyper-markets? keeping in mind next year’s downstream with a capacity to impound 72 tmcft water and gener- dailies that the CMDA has sub- MMM would much rather wish Season. MMM somehow does ate 780 MW. It was executed with Canadian aid under the Co- mitted its proposal for acquir- their heritage be respected and not think so. However, MMM lombo Plan. Contrary to the expectations of the Kerala Electricity ing land and putting up multi- they were converted into top- is thankful that someone up Board, Idukki never reached its full reservoir level of 2,402.95 ft. in level parking facilities at five lo- of-the-line budget hotels, each there is finally sitting up and the following four years and the six generators of 130 MW each at cations in the city, namely the with two restaurants, one offer- taking notice of the Season a T’Nagar and Broadway bus ter- ing Udipi vegetarian and the good 80 years after it began. the Moolamattam underground power house could never generate mini, the Madras United Club other South Indian non-veg. If the optimum quantity due to the shortfall in water. grounds, the Government Es- there were heritage laws in Chennai winter? Faced with acute power shortage throughout the 1970s, engi- tate and an area “adjacent” to place in the city, MMM might hennaiites are a puzzled neers of the Kerala Electricity Board suggested that if the storage Panagal Park. While MMM is well have got his wish. all for building parking lots at Clot this December. The level of the Mullaperiyar reservoir could be lowered from 152 ft. to bus termini, considering that Academy parking famed Margazhi pani, or dew, 136 ft., the Idukki dam could expect better flows. But it would most of them are eyesores and is completely absent and, in result in reduced supply of water to farmers on the Tamil Nadu the worst maintained among he Music Academy has fact, there is a reasonable side. It was at this stage Kerala launched a campaign that the 94- the city’s public properties, he Tshown the way during the amount of humidity in the year-old dam was in danger and the lives of 3.5 million people were trusts that the bus termini will present music season, in terms air. The Man from Madras in peril. Post-1977, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.G. also continue to function from of parking facilities. An ar- Musings wonders what this Ramachandran agreed to lower the storage level of Mullaperiyar the same places. Removing rangement with the St. Ebba’s change of weather means. reservoir to 136 ft. on the understanding that it would be restored them will only mean buses school that was finalised last Does this indicate that our year and continues this year as brief winter is a thing of the to its original height after strengthening the dam. spilling over on to the main roads in these already con- well. But that did not prevent past? Is it because of the in- Within days of carrying out reinforcement works, on April gested areas. MMM is also glad the patrons last year from try- crease in population and pol- 29,1980 to be exact, the Central Water Commission, whose then to see that Panagal Park is not ing their luck inside the Acad- lution? Perhaps some meteo- chairman was a Keralite, recommended that the water level could being looked at for develop- emy compound, even when rologist will be able to explain. ment into a parking lot. Or at signboards clearly declared that – MMM (Continued on page 6) January 1-15, 2007 MADRAS MUSINGS 3

cember 1st) made excellent reading. But for some reason not known, the name of the au- thor was not mentioned in the article. A forgetful writer Women’s health Incidentally, R.M.S. Sunda- n response to the article on the Mullaperiyar ing areas, increasing as it would the carrying ca- ram Iyer did not serve in the hile inaugurating the Idam issue by Ramaswami R. Iyer (MM, pacity of elephants, ungulates and tigers. Railway Department. Railway December 1st), R. PARANTHAMAN, a He also seems to have forgotten that elabo- Wannual conference of the Mail Service is a wing of the retired Chief Engineer in charge of the Periyar rate strengthening of the dam had been under- Obstetrics & Gynaecological Postal Department though its Dam, 1-A, Maheswari Nagar Extension, Medi- taken and that this was supervised by the Cen- Society of South India in staff sort mail in running trains. cal College Road, Thanjavur 613 004, writes: tral Water Commission, the highest technical Chennai recently, the Union Another name also similarly ‘Water is a resource endowed by Nature, body in the country, while he was in service. Health Minister, Dr. Anbumani misleading is the Commission- though unequally, to the country. In the past When he questions the safety of the dam, is Ramadoss, said the Centre ers of Railway Safety. These three or four decades, people rich in the re- he not aware of the fact that the prestigious would sanction Rs. 100 crore to railway experts function inde- source have become possessive and tried to hold technical and scientific institutions over which modernise and upgrade the In- pendent of the Railway Board those not so rich to ransom. This possessiveness he presided when he was in service, the Central Water Commission and the Central Soil Mate- stitute of Obstetrics & Gynae- and are required by law to con- throws all ethical values to the winds and blinds them to the old adage ‘live and let live’. rial and Research Station, vouchsafed for the cology, Egmore, and the duct a semi-judicial on-the-spot Kasturba Gandhi Hospital, Ramaswami Iyer, who was with the Ministry dam’s safety after conducting extensive tests on enquiry soon after every railway the dam? Chepauk, both in Chennai. The of Water Resources, which had propounded accident, big or small. Reports that “water should be transferred from surplus Hasn’t Col. J. Pennycuick’s legacy made it Minister said the first priority put out in the media, however, basins to deficit basins” as the National Water possible to use the water gainfully and produce would be to improve women’s state that the Railway Minister Policy, now looks dubiously at a successful, cen- useful commodities, instead of wasting it by let- health by reducing mortality has ordered an immediate en- tury-old example of inter-basin transfer and ting it run into the sea? rates during deliveries and the quiry by the concerned Com- even denigrates the Inter-Linking River Project. ’ only way to do this would be to missioner of Railway Safety into He seems to prefer to allow surpluses in water- EDITOR’S NOTE: A few readers, including ensure institutional deliveries. the accident. Such reports are rich rivers to go to the sea, unmindful of the the one who passed on this letter to Madras Musings urging us to give the other side, have Since Chennai already has incorrect. Minister or no Minis- waste. He joins the bandwagon of people who fail to see that many agreements on water-shar- felt that by re-publishing Ramaswami Iyer’s ar- many well-equipped hospitals ter, the statutory enquiry has to with modern facilities, Govern- ing between the states were in force long before ticle, we have “slipped into the political arena be held and the railways have for the first time” and that Madras Musings ment should first consider Independence and happily survive to this day. no say in the verdict of the Ramaswami Iyer also seems to have failed to “need not include articles relating to sensitive spending the proposed Rs. 100 Commissioner. gather enough factual information before ex- issues”. If Mullaperiyar is a political issue, it has crore to provide the requisite V.E. Arunachalam pressing his views in print. He advocates envi- been made so by the politicians. As far us Ma- facilities in the various taluk dras Musings is concerned, it is a citizens’ issue, 16, Kambar Street ronmental assessment without appearing to just as heritage and the environment and a bet- hospitals and primary health Besant Nagar, Chennai 600 090 know that an Expert Committee, constituted to centres. This will greatly benefit assess the impact of rising water level in the ter Chennai are people’s issues. It concerns the much larger number of Editor’s Note: The author of Periyar Lake to its designed level of 152 ft., re- people and the environment. It is the politicians women living in the districts the article was Sriram V. His ported in 2003 that such water levels would be who make every subject look like a political and rural areas. name was inadvertently omit- really beneficial for the wildlife in the surround- issue. ted. J.W. Thomas Sickening blare Music groups, who charge up- but sounds like the blare of poli- autos, two-wheelers with bizarre 9, Ritherdon Road wards of Rs.75,000, come with ticians before slums. As P.B. exhausts, and automobiles with Chennai 600 007 . Ramnarayan’s racy mammoth amplifiers. When the Srinivas puts it, such music ‘tuned’ mufflers on our roads, A railway footnote Vaccount (MM, December blasting starts, you can only makes U SICk. whizzing past us leaving us 1st) of listener’s travails in music communicate through sign lan- acoustically numbed. Add to C.G. Prasad he write-up on T.S. sabha-s applies to marriage re- guage. This has become a rou- this the aeroplanes with their T Parthasarathy (MM, De- ceptions in Chennai as well. 9, C.S. Mudali Street tine at the marriages of the rich Kondithope, Chennai 600 079 high decibel take-offs. Near air- port areas, can any peace-loving Dance addendum person put up with such a Save those historic names n the last column of the racket? Iarticle on Film News While we talk of Bharath he College of Engineering, Guindy, is the galow in Edward Elliot’s Road, because he Anandan’s book (MM, Novem- Stage-II and Bharath Stage-III emission control norms, we do Toldest technical institution outside Europe, wanted to provide education in specialised ber 1st) the author wonders having been established by the East India courses of study, like Aeronautical Engineering, what role Rukmini Devi not have any significant control Company in 1794. It is our duty to preserve it Automobile Engineering and Instrument Tech- Arundale played in the film norms on the noise front. and privilege to be proud of it. Heritage protec- nology which were not available in Government Raja Desingu (1936). Is it not our PCBs’ duty to tion is not for buildings and monuments only. It colleges at that time. India’s President, A.P.J. come down heavily on the noise is for institutions also. Abdul Kalam, is an eminent alumnus of this in- As a young boy I happened to see this film. Rukmini Devi’s polluters? Should not our PCBs This great institution has faced threat of stitution. neutralise the noise, by taking extinction now and then, especially after the Similarly, the Alagappa Chettiar College of dance came as an addendum, probably to attract crowds. It up the issue at the industry level formation of the Anna University in 1978. Technology was established through donations itself with the manufacturers? Overzealous Vice-Chancellors try to enhance given by that philanthropist, K.V.Al.Rm. was not a part of the main film. the glory of Anna University, in the process try- Alagappa Chettiar, to provide facilities in I also remember that in one film Those who ‘tune’ their ‘silenc- ing to obliterate the identity of the College of Chemical Engineering, Textile Technology, etc. whose name I do not remember ers’ could be dealt with under Engineering, Guindy. which were also not available in Government now, but screened in the early the provisions of the law, when One such occasion was in 1957. The alumni colleges. 1940s, Tara Choudhury’s dance they violate it. of the College had to campaign for the survival Both the institutions deserve to maintain was featured in similar fashion. of the college and obtained a written assurance their identity in grateful memory of the great V. Rajagopalan from the then Vice-Chancellor, Dr. M. persons who established them long before Anna Older readers may remember 2-B, 2/11, 38th Street Anandhakrishnan, that the name and the indi- University. that Tara Choudhury fairly of- Nanganallur, Chennai 600 061 viduality of the College of Engineering, Guindy, The College of Engineering, Guindy, is the ten appeared on stages all over MIT left out would be preserved for all time to come. oldest and most eminent of the constituent India in those days and was fa- Subsequent Vice-Chancellors attempted the colleges. Its alumni are spread all over the mous for her fast-paced dance MM’s report on the same thing but their attempts were thwarted. country, nay all over the world, occupying numbers which did not belong M threat to the constituent Now one more attempt is being made to obliter- eminent positions. They will be shocked to to any particular school. colleges of Anna University ate the name of this College. know of the attempts to erase the name of their (MM, December 1st) had an un- K.S. Krishnaswamy Anna University was established as a Resi- alma mater. In fact, the successive Vice-Chan- fortunate contribution from the dential University with four constituent col- cellors who have been attempting to obliterate B1, ‘Ashok Suparna’ leges, namely, the College of Engineering, the name of the College are themselves alumni 27, III Main Road printer’s devil. The Madras In- Guindy, the Alagappa Chettiar College of Tech- of the college. It is not clear as to why they are Kasturbanagar, Adyar stitute of Technology, Chrome- nology, the School of Architecture and Plan- eager to glorify the name of Anna University at Chennai 600 020 pet, one of the four colleges, ning, and the Madras Institute of Technology the expense of the identity of their own alma was erroneously called A.C. (M.I.T), Chromepet. It was converted into an mater. Let them – and all concerned – be zeal- PCB & noise polluters College of Technology, Ch- Affliating University, then reconverted into a ous in protecting the name and identity of his- romepet. AC Tech was itself ur Pollution Control Residential University. Now the move is to torically important institutions which have done listed immediately afterwards. make all four constituent institutions into four yeoman service to the country for decades. O Boards, both at the State Departments of the University, abolishing the C.S. Kuppuraj and Central levels, are name- Dr. Prema Srinivasan individual identity of these eminent Former Chief Engineer, P.W.D. sake Boards, without concomi- 12, Parthasarathy Gardens organisations with a historical background. Former President, Alumni Association, tant enforcement authority. Kasturi Ranga Road M.I.T., Chromepet, was established by College of Engineering, Guindy On the noise control front, if Chennai 600 018 C. Rajam, an industrialist, by selling his big bun- Chennai 600 028 our PCBs were really powerful, Editor’s Note: We regret the we should not be having rattling error. 4 MADRAS MUSINGS January 1-15, 2007 January 1-15, 2007 MADRAS MUSINGS 5

Kanchipuram Naina Pillai per-

l This was not another walk that SRIRAM V. took forming at the first concert. The hall where this was held is today Following the trail of heritage enthusiasts on. This was a tour by van and foot following the peregrinations of the known as the McConaughy Hall, named after the very dy- Madras Music Academy before it put down firm namic secretary the “Y” had in roots in Cathedral Road. its early days. the Music Academy Beginning with 1929, the (Current Affairs questions are Music Academy has had an un- from the period December 1st he Music Academy is a were conducted at the Museum broken record of Annual Con- Park, all of which has now van- published from here. The histori- of shops selling motor parts has to 15th. Questions 11 to 20 Tlandmark institution as well Theatre, Egmore. One of the ferences. The first of these con- ished barring My Ladye’s Gar- cal Gana Mandir today, alas, now come up. In 1937, the pertain to Tamil Nadu and as its building and location in resolutions passed during the ses- ferences was held between den. The pandal itself was circu- does not exist. It has been com- Academy held its conference at Chennai.) Madras that is Chennai. Most sion was to set up a Music Acad- March 28 and April 1,1929 at the lar in shape and could accom- pletely reconstructed and no the Lodd Govinddoss Garden, 1. Which former cricketer and now a people imagine that this is where emy in Madras. The executive Senate House. This fabulous modate over 2000 people. The trace of the old building remains. which survives as a mere shell MP has been convicted for a roadrage death in 1988? the Academy has existed from committee of the Music Confer- structure, now beautifully reno- conference saw Harikesanallur In 1935, the dynamic lawyer, next to the Melody Theatre on its inception, but that is not the ence met on January 22,1928 vated to reflect what it had been Muthiah Bhagavatar presiding K.V. Krishnaswami Iyer took General Patter’s Road. That 2. Another simple one. In which city case. Today, the Music and resolved to form the Music and was inaugurated by the Jun- over as President of the Music year, the Academy’s registered was the latest edition of the Asian then, must have been a grand Games held? Academy’s TTK Auditorium Academy. A provisional execu- setting for the first conference, ior Maharani of Travancore. Academy. He was to remain at office was in the Kasturi Build- 3. Near which station in Bihar did a presents a solid front as the insti- tive committee was appointed on which had no concerts and de- The annual conferences were the helm of affairs till 1965, ably ings, Royapettah, whose where- th The old Woodlands. bridge collapse on a moving train, tution enters its 79 year. But in March 5,1928 to deal with the voted itself to discussions among held here till 1935. assisted in administrative mat- abouts cannot be traced today. leading to many deaths and outrage its initial years, it was a peregri- formalities. The committee com- musicians on raga-s. The second In 1931, it was here that the ters by such leading lights as Dr. K.N. Kesari, the Andhra Sundareswarar Hall, RR Sabha, Bank. This became the regis- all over the country? nating organi-sation that was prised Dr. U Rama Rau, a lead- conference, titled the Prelimi- Music Academy first expanded Kasturi Srinivasan, TL Venkata- patriot and philanthropist, lived Mylapore. It was here that it took tered office of the Academy and 4. Who won the first gold for India at unsure of its future, suffering ing physician and President of nary Conference of Experts, took its conference to last a full week, rama Iyer and TT Krishnama- at Kesari Kuteeram on Westcott the historic decision of confer- the Teachers’ College shifted the Asian Games? th st from want of funds and support. the Madras Legislative Council, place between April 18 and from 25 till 31 December. It chari. On the research and aca- Road where he had his clinic ring the title of Sangita Kala- there. Thanks to the efforts of 5. Name the ideologue and political demic front, matters were in the and also from where he brought nidhi on the musician who pre- many music lovers and philan- Mani Iyer’s Hall adviser of the Liberation Tigers of hands of Dr. V. Raghavan who out the women’s magazine sided over its annual confer- thropists and M.S. Subbu- Tamil Eelam who passed away on cal dance as Bharata Natyam. It ence; the first such conferment lakshmi, in particular, funds December 14th. was also here that a valedictory took place on January 1,1943. were soon harnessed for a new 6. According to ‘SAARC Human function of the conference, now The Sundareswarar Hall was the auditorium on the same site. The Rights Report-2006’ and based on key known as the Sadas, was first venue for the Academy’s annual foundation stone for the new parameters, India topped in human thought of and took place in conference till 1955. During building was laid on October 5, rights protection. Which nation 1935 with Sir Meverell Statham, these years, the lecture sessions 1955 by Pandit Jawaharlal came last? Director of Public Instruction, in the mornings 7. Name the place in West Bengal presiding over it. Medals were would take place where allocation of land to the Tata’s Extreme left: distributed to the winners of at the National had made Trinamool Congress leader Rama Rau competitions conducted by the Girls (now Lady Mamata Banerjee protest vehe- Buildings, and Academy during the year. mently and go on an indefinite fast. on left: Sivaswami Iyer) The Academy had a full cal- 8. Name the second astronaut of In- YMCA, School on the Esplanade. endar of events each year com- same road. The dian origin to be launched into space prising competitions, dance per- school’s prayer recently. The Music Academy func- who became President of the 21,1930 at Mani Iyer’s Hall, was also here that it first began formances and concerts from hall, where these 9. Name the new UN Secretary-Gen- tioned out of several rented pre- Music Academy, and the three Raja Hanumantha Lala Street, the practice of having concerts 1931. These were held at Gana lecture sessions eral-designate who was sworn in on mises and held its annual con- secretaries, E Krishna Iyer, Prof. Triplicane. This building is in the evenings after the delib- Mandir, 10, Thambu Chetty were held, sur- December 15th. ferences at various locations in P. Sambamoorthy, and S. Raja- named after Sir Subramania erations of the conference had Street, the property of Dr. U. vives to this day, 10. The statue of which former Union the city before becoming finan- gopalachari, assisting him. Iyer, one of the earliest Indians concluded for the day. In 1932, Rama Rau. He published a lead- Minister and Dravidian leader was Lodd Govinddoss Gardens. though Sunda- cially comfortable and acquiring Though it is not stated where to become a judge of the Madras it was here that the discussions ing medical journal called Anti- reswarar Hall was unveiled in the Parliament complex its own property. the meetings of January and High Court. The property be- on the anti-Nautch movement on December 8th? septic from these premises and edited the Academy’s publica- Gruhalakshmi. He gave his pulled down two A recently conducted heri- March took place, it is most likely longs to the Theosophical Soci- took place which resulted in the * * * gave the place to the Music tions from 1935 till his death in annexe of his house free of cost years ago with, ety, which maintains it well to renaming of South Indian classi- 11. Name the first film in which leg- Academy free of cost. He even the 1970s. Under KVK, the to the Academy in 1938 and that rather mysteri- this day. It was here that the ends K. Balachander and Ilaiyaraja Academy’s registered office and became the registered office of ously, no signs of a Academy took the historic deci- worked together. the Teachers’ College shifted to the Academy and also the new auditorium. sion of shifting its annual confer- 12. What post does L.K. Tri-pathy 8, Philips Street, a location that is venue for the Teachers’ College In 1946, the ence to December to coincide hold in Tamil Nadu? not identifiable today. It func- of Music till 1946. Today, Music Academy with Christmas Week and thus 13. How many stops does the pre- tioned from there till 1937. though Kesari Kuteeram has acquired Sweet began the tradition of a Decem- mium ‘Yellow Line’ bus service make? The Annual Conference of gone, the annexe still stands. Home, at 115 E, ber Music Season. It was also 14. Which heritage building on Ar- 1936 saw the Academy shifting The Annual Conference of Moubrays Road. here that the tradition of elect- menian Street, one of Chennai’s fa- to Royapettah, with the pro- 1938 was held in the sprawling The property, be- ing a musician/musicologist to mous landmarks and founded by ceedings being held in a pandal premises of the Woodlands Ho- longing to Ethiraj The National Girls’ School. preside over the Annual Confer- Annie Besant, is to be brought down put up in the compound of The tel opposite Kesari Kuteeram. Pillai, was ac- ence began, with T.V. Subba Nehru, then Prime Minister of at the behest of its owners, Funnels, opposite Congress This property survives, though it quired for Rs 1.12 lakh, the bulk Row becoming the first presi- India. While Sweet Home was the YMIA? Bhawan (on General Patter’s is half hidden behind Wood- of the money coming from a loan dent. knocked down and the process 15. Out of 2,103 km of metre gauge Road). This property too is not lands Theatre. negotiated with the Indian The December Annual of building the auditorium be- converted into broad gauge nation- identifiable now, though it is The War years saw regula- ally during the 9th Plan period, what Conference of 1930 took place gan, the Academy held its con- most likely to be where a warren tions that prohibited the congre- percentage was completed in Tamil on 25th and 26th December, at a ferences in a pandal within the gation of people in open spaces Nadu alone, the highest for any specially erected pandal behind same compound while the con- and the Academy needed an State? Ripon Buildings in People’s cert venue shifted to the PS enclosed area to conduct its an- High School grounds on RK 16. Which cricketer won the ‘Man of Museum Theatre. Above: My Ladye’s Garden (People’s nual conference. Thanks to S the Match Award’ in India’s first ever Park), and on left: Senate House. Mutt Road. Sathyamurthy, it held its confer- Twenty 20 international, recently? tage tour traced the Academy’s that they took place at 323 On December 14,1961, the went to the extent of modifying ences between 1939 and 1941 at 17. On whom was the Music various locations and this article (present no. 144) Thambu Academy held the housewarm- the interiors to make a suitable the Senate House of the Uni- Academy’s prestigious Sangita is based on following that trail. Chetty Street, George Town, ing and grahapravesam of its music hall. It was here that the versity of Madras. Those were Kalanidhi M.S. Subbulakshmi Award The All-India Music Confer- which was where Dr. Rau had new auditorium with group- conferred on Dec. 15th? first public performance of Sadir the years of the Tamizh Isai ence was first held between De- his clinic and dispensary. This singing by several musicians. (the dance of the Devadasi) was Movement, with the Academy 18. Who is the general secretary of cember 24 and 31,1927 at the building, extensively remodelled The building was completed in the Viduthalai Siruthaigal? held on the 15th March 1931 with fighting a bitter and losing battle Spur Tank which was then dry. today and called Rama Rau 1962 an Jayachamaraja Wode- the Kalyani Daughters of Tiru- against the Tamil Isai Sangam, 19. Who put Kathakkurichi village The All-India Congress Session Buildings, was to be the registered yar, the erstwhile Maharajah of in Pudukottai District to prominence valaputtur performing. It was also which held its concerts at the St. th was held at the same time and office of the Music Academy till Mysore, declared it open on 20 for all the right and wrong reasons at this location that the Music Mary’s Co-Cathedral Parish Hall the concerts during the confer- 1935. December. A long journey be- recently? Academy’s Teachers’ College of and the Gokhale Hall on Arme- ence were performed in specially The Music Academy was for- gun in 1927 saw its completion in 20. A website on which famous film Music conducted its classes. The nian Street. erected tents. An exhibition of mally inaugurated on August 1962. The Academy, like composer, who has been dubbed ‘King College was inaugurated on In 1942, the Academy moved musical artefacts was held at the 18,1928 at the YMCA Building, Ulysses, had arrived at its Ithaca. of Light Music’, was launched by these premises on October 20, its conference venue to the same venue. Lecture sessions Esplanade (NSC Bose Road), by ‘Cho’ Ramaswamy? 1931. The Journal of the Music and readings of papers on music Sir C.P. Ramaswami Aiyer with Academy, begun in 1930, was also Left: Kesari Kuteeram Annexe. RR Sabha, before demolition. (Continued on page 6) (Answers on page 8) CMYK 6 MADRAS MUSINGS January 1-15,2007

was told en route to Mani Iyer’s Following the trail of Hall which, being closed for re- pairs, was viewed from outside. From there the group went on to gaze at the empty spot that the Music Academy was once RR Sabha and then went inside the Lady Sivaswami School to relive the old lecdem (Continued from page 5) thanks to the interest shown by granddaughters of the eminent Garden as perhaps the last ves- sessions of the Academy. From The recent tour of the the office-bearers. Stepping lawyer T.R. Venkatarama tige of People’s Park. Having the school it was straight to the Academy’s locations took off over sleeping forms, the group Sastry who was a founding pa- relived the heady years of the Season’s canteen for a hearty from the present building at climbed up the stairs to see the tron member of the Music anti-Nautch movement here, breakfast. 6.00 a.m. The group of 30 mu- McConnaughy Hall. It was Academy. From the Y, the the group went to the Senate The tale of the Academy sic and history lovers was taken pleasing to note that among the group went to the Rama Rau House where the Tamil Isai evoked a lot of interest. There by van from there to the YMCA participants was Lakshmi Buildings and from there it was clash was retold. The tale of the were supplementary points of Hall, which was kept open Balasubramaniam, one of the a quick dash to the My Ladye’s three locations on Royapettah interest recollected by Manna Srinivasan, the music historian from Delhi who joined the group. The amount of informa- tion, according to Savitha Gau- tham of The Hindu, who at- tended incognito was so much that she wondered as to what to put in and what to leave out in her article on the tour. For a visitor from New Zealand, it was an entirely new experience, be- ing able to relive the history of a city through a heritage walk.

Extreme left: Sweet Home and, on left: the present Music Academy on the site of Sweet Home. A different view of Mullaperiyar

(Continued from page 2) The additional six feet water, the water level in Idukki was people of the district, including Indian Institute of Technology which the Supreme Court per- 2,385 ft. against the full reser- Nagercoil. The mega atomic in Delhi. — (Courtesy: The mitted, would mean 25 per cent voir level of 2,403 ft. The en- power plant coming up at Statesman.) be raised to 145 ft. as a first step. increase in storage and conse- tire water from Mullaperiyar Koodankulam in neighbouring The Kerala Government ob- quent benefits to farmers in would not even add one foot to Tirunelveli District is counting jected to it. The AIADMK gov- Tamil Nadu. The full capacity its vast spread of 36 sq km. The on this 102-year-old dam ernment did not act on the rec- of the reservoir at 152 ft. is only threat to 3.5 million people in to supply water to cool its ommendation. After a series of 15 tmcft. Half of it is dead stor- five districts of Kerala is totally reactors. READABILITY agitations by the farmers af- age. For 32 km downstream, the unfounded. While Kerala’s fear about fected in Tamil Nadu, Mullaperiyar, a tributary of the the safety of the Mullaperiyar PLEASE Subramanian Swamy of the Periyar, meanders through It may be pointed out that dam is misplaced, the State does Janata Party, who had been thick hilly forests with no hu- east of Tiruchchirappalli, on the have a problem. Except for one Dear Readers, elected to the Lok Sabha from man habitation. In the remain- river Cauvery, is Kallanai thermal power station, in Madurai, took the issue to the ing 16 km stretch before it (Grand Anicut), built by a As letters from readers Kayankulam, Kerala depends Supreme Court and obtained an reaches the Idukki reservoir, Chola King in 1100 A.D. Con- entirely on hydel power. By low- increase, we are receiving order to raise the storage level which has the capacity to hold sidered the oldest dam not only ering the storage level of more and more hand written to 142 feet. 72 tmcft water, there are just in India but in the entire world, Mullaperiyar dam, flow into the letters, many of them in a hand three hamlets which are likely it meets the irrigation needs of Meanwhile, in Kerala, dur- Idukki dam could be increased, to be inundated but not sub- the delta region of the Cauvery. so small and illegible or large ing the last 27 years, the people enabling the Moolamattam merged in the unlikely event of Nobody in Tamil Nadu even and scrawled as to be in the state have begun to be- power house to generate opti- the Mullaperiyar dam bursting. dreams of decommissioning this lieve that 3.5 million people are mum power. Compared to unreadable. Often this leads to It has withstood more than 30 heritage dam simply because it indeed in danger of drowning if Kerala, Tamil Nadu is much our discarding a letter, particu- mild earthquakes in the last 111 is old. Sir Arthur Cotton of the the storage in the Mullaperiyar better placed in terms of years. At the time of writing, Madras Engineers, known in larly if some part of it is reservoir was raised to 142 ft. installed capacity. Tamil Nadu Andhra Pradesh as the “Father unreadable. of Irrigation,” completed in should come forward and offer 1852 the 3.62 km long Dowles- to compensate Kerala by If you wish us to consider your supplying power in proportion waram Barrage across the letter for publication, please OUR ADDRESSES to the deficit suffered due to in- Godavari which turned the type it with enough space For matters regarding subscriptions, donations, non-receipt of drought and flood-prone coastal adequate flow of water into receipts etc.: Chennai Heritage, 260-A, TTK Road, Chennai 600 districts into a granary of South Idukki. Sending naval divers between lines or write it using 018. India. This 154-year-old dam is into the Mullaperiyar reservoir a medium hand, clearly dotting For non-receipt of copies, change of address, and all other still going strong with lakhs of is not the way to ascertain the the ‘i-s’ and crossing the ‘t-s’. circulation matters: MADRAS MUSINGS, C/o Lokavani people living downstream. safety of the dam. They lack the Hall-Mark Press Pvt. Ltd., 122, Greames Road, Chennai 600 More than 3,500 tmcft water expertise for the job. Like all Many readers also try to fill 006. flows through Dowles-waram other gravity dams of this kind, every square centimetre of a On editorial matters: The Editor, MADRAS MUSINGS, C/o the Mullaperiyar has the against the meagre 15 tmcft in postcard space, making read- Lokavani Hall-Mark Press Pvt. Ltd., 122, Greames Road, Mullaperiyar. regulation infiltration gallery Chennai 600 006. with all instruments necessary ing or editing impossible. No personal visits or telephone calls, please. Letters received Nearer home in Kanniya- to study its state of health. The Please help us to consider will be sent from these addresses every couple of days to the kumari District, which was part Supreme Court, before passing persons concerned and you will get an answer from them to of the erstwhile Travancore the February 27th order permit- your letters more favourably by your queries reasonably quickly. Strange as it may seem, if you State, another British engineer, ting Tamil Nadu to increase the making them more legible for adopt the ‘snail mail’ approach, we‘QUIZZING will be able WITH to help RAMANAN’ you faster on page 5 Minchin, built the Pechuparai storage level from 136 ft. to 142 us. and disappoint you less. dam in 1904, turning Nanjinad ft., had taken the expert THE EDITOR – THE EDITOR into a rice bowl, besides opinion of leading structural providing drinking water to the engineers from Roorkee and the January 1-15, 2007 MADRAS MUSINGS 7

Also Cookery contest, Heri- Till January 12: An exhibition of tage walks, talks, pinnal expo. Yuvaraj Vivek’s photographs of people and streets in Chennai Subscriptions and contributions Workshops for women on 7th and Ooty (at Ashvita Art Gal- l 9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Since Volume XIV, No.1 (April 16, 2003), Madras Musings has been lery). priced at Rs.5 a copy, ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: Rs.100/-. Please January 4-7: Sundaram Finance 1. Zardosi by Ayeesha Reha- Till January 15: The East Coast make out your cheque only to CHENNAI HERITAGE and send it, Mylapore Festival. bilitation Centre. Bring: Flat Road Festival, promoting all the together with the COUPON BELOW, to CHENNAI HERITAGE, 260-A, Art Street: All evenings. chumkies, topa chumkies and fun spots, eat-outs, resorts and Creation, demo and sale of art beads (in the colours of your TTK ROAD, CHENNAI 600 018 or C/O LOKAVANI-HALL MARK historical destinations on this PRESS PVT. LTD., 122, GREAMES ROAD, CHENNAI 600 006. works and craftworks by Fine choice) 5 each, matching colour highway and hosting many spe- Arts Dept. of Stella Maris Col- thread and needle, embroidery cial events, such as: An ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION of just Rs.100 covers only a part of lege (on Pitchupillai Street, near our costs. Corporate support and YOUR support will continue to be ring, zari thread, scissors. Coastal Heritage Tour: Ar- Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan). essential for Chennai Heritage and Madras Musings to play a greater 2. Crafts – Making utility chaeologist Dr. Suresh starts the Crafts bazaar: All evenings. items like coaster-holders, fold- tour at Tiruvanmiyur and shows role in creating awareness about the city, its heritage and its envi- Members of women self-help ers, bags, cards and wall hangings you the grand temple architec- ronment. We therefore look forward to your sending us your contri- groups display and sell products from handmade papers by ture on the ECR as well as lesser butions IN ADDITION TO your subscriptions. they make as entrepreneurs (off Mamta Creations. Bring: 1 sheet known ruins and forts (Euro- If in the coming year Chennai Heritage receives repeated sup- Ponnambala Vadyar Street, near handmade paper, glue/Fevicol, pean/South Indian). Visiting the port from those of you who have already made contributions, and if Sri Kapali Temple). scissors, hardboard (bound cov- oldest temple structure in Tamil many more supporters join the bandwagon, we will not only be able Tamil books exhibition/ ers of used note books), lace, se- Nadu, the Murugan Temple at to keep Madras Musings going, but also be able to continue aware- sale: All evenings. Recent publi- quences, water/acrylic/glitter Salvankuppam, will be the high- cations of book publishers on dis- ness-building exercises on on-going projects as well as undertake colour of your choice, brush. light of this tour which starts at play and for sale. Special dis- one or two more such exercises. Sri Marundeeswarar Temple counts offered (alongside Sri 3. Flower/creepers making Therefore, please keep your contributions coming IN ADDITION (shopping complex), Tiruvan- Kapali Temple Tank). by Meera Rao. Bring: organdy TO YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONS. If, say, you send in a cheque for Rs.500, miyur, at 6.15 a.m. Light break- Traditional games corner: cloth of any colour for flower – we will treat Rs.100 of it towards subscription to Madras Musings for fast served. Tour date: January All evenings. Come, learn and 1/4 metre, metal wire (18 guage, 2005-06 and the remaining Rs.400 as contribution towards the 7th. play the games your grandmom 22 guage) 10 Nos. of 12 inches, causes Chennai Heritage espouses. glue, green crepe paper, floral Nurture Nature Tour: Ex- and her friends must have en- We look forward to all readers of Madras Musings, and those joyed. Pallankuzhi, paramapadam, tapes and waste cloth to wipe off plore the groves and weeds on the hands. seashore and the amazing variety newcomers who want to receive copies, sending in their subscrip- daayakattam. Organised by tions. We are indeed sorry we can no longer remain a free mailer. scholar Dr. V. Balambal (near Sri 4. Silk painting and papier of plant life and the myriad life — The Editor Kapali temple, off Ponnambala mache multipurpose bowls by forms it supports with ‘Nizhal.’ Vadyar Street). Lalitha Krishnamurthy. Bring: Starts at Sri Marundeeswarar Food festival: All evenings. Organdy/Tussar silk cloth – 1/2 Temple shopping complex, Tiru- CHENNAI HERITAGE The best spread of traditional metre, Rounded soft brush vanmiyur, at 6.15 am. Dates: th th 260-A T.T.K. ROAD, ALWARPET, CHENNAI 600 018. South Indian food. Pesarratu, (No.10), fabric paint of your January 6 and January 13 . Hunt for Herps & Herbs: special vadas, paper dosa, Kanchi choice, cotton buds 6 Nos, trac- I am already on your mailing list (Mailing List No...... ) / I idli, etc. On January 7, South In- ing paper, yellow carbon paper, Watch expert Irula tribal track- have just seen Madras Musings and would like to receive it here- dian breakfast from 7.30 a.m. on- ball point pen, embroidery ring, ers in action and join the tradi- wards. Special Tanjore sapad a glass/plastic/stainless steel tional snake and rat-catchers in after. from 11 a.m. onwards. Organised bowl, old newspapers 5 Nos, ferreting out snakes by searching l I/We enclose cheque/demand draft/money order for Rs. 100 (Ru- by Subham Ganesan. (At Fevicol 100 ml, vaseline/petro- for signs such as markings, drop- pees One hundred) payable to CHENNAI HERITAGE, MADRAS, as Vellore Kalyana Mantap, North leum jelly - 1 small bottle. pings or skin, usually invisible to ordinary folks. Tour starts at Sri subscription to Madras Musings for the year 2005-06. Mada Street, and Chinna 5. Art/craft in used poly- Karpagambal Hall, South Mada Marundeeswarar Temple Shop- thene bags (to make purses, util- l As token of my support for the causes of heritage, environment Street.) ping Complex, Tiruvanmiyur, at ity bags, wall hangings) by th and a better city that Madras Musings espouses, I send Chennai Kolam contest: January 6 & 6.15 am on January 6 . Revathi Radhakrishnan. Bring: eritage an additional Rs...... (Rupees 7 evenings. You must draw a tra- Thin, plain polythene covers of Van transport and light ditional pullikolam in 30 minutes different colours, crochet needle breakfast are provided for all ...... ) in a 4 ft x 4 ft space. Best 15 get three tours. Fee Rs.200 for (No.10), scissors, woolen thread Please keep / put me on your mailing list. prizes and trophies. Open to 100 ball – 1 (small), candle, match each. To register call 98408 each day (at North Mada-East box. (At Hotel Karpagam Hall, 92939. Name : ...... Mada Street. Reporting time Many more events are lined South Mada Street. Free to first Address: ...... 3.30 p.m. Registration with Priya 25 women at the spot. You need up for the Fest. Log on to Ravi. Ph: 98410 71961). to bring materials listed.) www.ecrfestival.com...... SUPER-CORRIDOR STREWN ...... Note: Overseas postage Rs. 550/year extra. Cheques for overseas WITH OBSTACLES postage alone payable to M/s. Lokavani Hall-Mark Press Pvt. Ltd.. All other cheques to ‘Chennai Heritage’. (Continued from page 1) 22,000 during peak hours by the delays, but the monitoring November 2004 and has con- committee has decided other- was reluctant to begin the work tinued to increase ever since. wise. In order to speed up mat- Senate House Conservation Fund owing to clauses in the contract Two successively heavy mon- ters, the earlier project manage- which allowed payment of hefty soons have added to the ment consulting firm has been l The Senate House Restoration and Management Trust appeals to compensation to the contractor project’s woes. done away with and the com- all alumni of the University of Madras and heritage lovers every- in the event of non-availability The first milestone of the mittee is directly dealing with where to contribute to the Senate House Conservation Fund which of encroachment-free land. The project, throwing open the 3 km the contractor. The composi- the Trust is managing for the purpose of restoring Senate House to problem of over 120 linking stretch between Madhya Kai- tion of the TNRDC Board has its old glory and maintaining it thereafter in the same condition. roads in the area was apparently lash and Tidel Park, was crossed undergone a change as well, Cheques should be made out to the Senate House Conservation Account and sent to the Registrar, University of Madras, Chennai underestimated, leading to fur- in October 2005, a full 12 with a view to keeping a tighter 600 005. Contributions are eligible for benefits under Section 80-G months behind schedule. The watch on the IT Corridor ther blocks in the implementa- of the Income Tax Act. tion. Several religious shrines in remaining 18 km stretch is ex- project. the area added to the problem, pected to be completed by June How the entire activity will Dear Registrar, what with their shifting becom- 2007, but this is subject to the pan out in terms of time and re- I am pleased to enclose a cheque for Rs...... ing contentious issues. Clearly, Chennai Metropolitan Water source estimates versus actuals as my contribution to the restoration and maintenance of there had been several aspects Supply and Sewerage Board is anybody’s guess at this stage. Senate House. Kindly acknowledge receipt. that had been overlooked when completing pipe-laying work by However, those travelling on Name: ...... the original project plan was March end. Given the past ex- the first stretch are full of praise laid out. perience, this looks doubtful. for what they see. But any road Address: ...... Work finally commenced in The project cost has, mean- can be well managed only if ...... April 2005 and in order to make while, escalated, what with there is traffic discipline and up for the delay, to some extent, labour and material prices sky- that appears to be wholly lack- ...... it was proposed that activities rocketing, thanks to the indus- ing here as elsewhere in our city...... should commence from both trial boom that is going on. The A recent photograph showing ends of the road and not from initial estimate of Rs. 84 crore IT professionals jumping over I am an alumnus/alumna/heritage lover and wish the project all the Madhya Kailash end alone has now been revised to Rs. 117 the median on the IT Corridor success. My college was ...... as planned earlier. In the mean- crore. There has been pressure in an attempt to quickly cross Date: ...... Signature: ...... while, the number of vehicles from the Government to the road augurs for plenty of using the stretch burgeoned to change the contractor owing to chaos ahead. 8 MADRAS MUSINGS January 1-15,2007

nately lost despite brilliant bowling by Javagal Srinath and A century with Venkatesh Prasad. Sharath was a master on seaming tracks and the wicket at Birmingham was just that. Quite ironically, an- a century other of his Madras-born se- niors, Nasser Hussain, who was playing for England, scored a amil Nadu’s veteran bats batsman’s skills. No doubt the into the national Test or One- century in the match. Tman Sridharan Sharath had likes of Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Day team. Sharath’s performances in the unique distinction of scor- Dravid and V.V.S. Laxman Like his 109 against November 1996 Duleep Trophy ing 109 in his 100th Ranji Tro- marched ahead of him into the Saurashtra helped Tamil Nadu games for South Zone were out- Sridharan Sharath phy game, against Saurashtra at Indian team’s middle order. declare at 500 for eight recently standing. Against a hostile the manner in which he grafted Rajkot. It was a wonderful cli- Sachin Tendulkar and and thus helped ensure his side North Zone attack, he scored his runs and built up each of max for one of the country’s Mohammed Azharuddin were garner two points from a bat- 40 and 140. He also consistently these innings. Each of them is most prolific scorers on the do- there as well, at the top of the dominated Ranji game, Sharath scored in the Deodhar games as an example for young players on mestic circuit and Tamil Nadu’s batting forefront. Yet you can’t has had several outstanding well. He was picked in the India how to score runs in a profes- most dependable batsman. help but feel that batsmen of far double hundreds and centuries ‘A’ squads that played South sional manner against top qual- ‘Rock steady’ would be the lesser calibre were afforded op- besides knocks that were close Africa, the SAARC tourna- ity bowling. most appropriate adjective to portunities to don the Indian to a 100. These were not just for ment and Sri Lanka. But he Sharath is the ideal cricketer describe the performances of cap. Tamil Nadu but also for other never had a chance to show his to emulate. He brushes aside all this old warhorse who has This doughty left-handed teams in domestic tournaments. prowess with the willow. disappointments over non-rec- played Indian first class cricket stroke-maker from Tamil Nadu Having played for India Un- Some of his best Ranji scores ognition by national selectors. for close to 16 years and yet was among the best in the his- der-19, it was felt that Sharath in the South Zone league circuit Once at the batting crease, he failed to play for the country. It tory of Tamil Nadu cricket, would be an automatic choice came against one of the stron- puts behind him all negative has been truly unfortunate that alongside batting greats like for the senior side. India badly gest outfits – Karnataka. His 88 thoughts and bats with a unique Sharath just was not able to C.D. Gopinath, A.G. Kripal hunger for runs that is hard to make it to the national team Singh, A.G. Milkha Singh, K. find in the domestic circuit. when he was peaking in the Srikkaanth, P.S. Moses, T.E. l by BHASKERAN THOMAS Even when Tamil Nadu wick- mid-1990s and being successful Srinivasan,W.V. Raman, ets have fallen early, there is an in the Irani Cup matches, Chal- Sadagopan Ramesh, Robin air of confidence pervading the lenger series, Wills Trophy, Singh and Hemang Badani, playing arena as all watching Deodhar Cup, Duleep Trophy most of whom got a few oppor- needed an additional specialist in December 1994 in Chennai, the game seem to chorus: “Ah! (playing for South Zone), the tunities to play for India. Name batsman during the tours to 101 at Tirunelveli in 1996, be- Here’s the genius Sharath. He’ll Ranji Trophy and the Super any stroke from the batting South Africa and the West sides a host of scores in the thir- take care of everything!” This League Ranji matches. manual and left-handed Indies in 1997. Those were ties and forties, bear testimony confidence has undoubtedly Surely, something must have Sharath was never found want- Sharath’s salad days, having to his accomplishments against laced the over 8,000 runs that ‘clouded’ the eyes of the then ing. Like Moses, he too was scored tons of runs in that pe- this neighbouring team that was this Tamil Nadu stalwart has national selectors who just caught up in an era when con- riod. at the time on top in the Ranji compiled amidst adversity and could not see the speciality and sistency among the Indian bat- Who can forget his 86 and circuit with the likes of Srinath, lack of opportunities. A na- durability of this Tamil Nadu ting greats made it tough to get 90 at Tirunelveli in February- Prasad, Anil Kumble and Sunil tional selector once confessed March 1996 which helped Joshi. that his colleagues on the panel Tamil Nadu get the better of Other fine knocks of most reluctantly “bypassed” the Bombay for the first time in a Sharath that come to mind are left-hander for selection. ANSWERS TO QUIZ Ranji encounter and that too in his splendid 131 in the quarter Sharath loves cricket and a quarter final game. He went final Ranji game against Bengal; cricketers and the fans adore on to hit 31 and 76 in the semi- his superlative 88 against the him and wish him a longer ten- 1. Navjot Singh Sidhu; 2. Doha; 3. Bhagalpur; 4. Koneru Humpy; 5. final game against Delhi that Colombo District Association ure for the State with many Anton Balasingham; 6. Bangladesh; 7. Singur; 8. Sunita Williams; 9.Ban Ki Moon; 10. Murasoli Maran. followed, but the selectors did that helped Tamil Nadu wrest more big scores. After all, the not short-list him for the trip to the Gopalan Trophy in 10,000 target is not far off and * * * England that summer. His tight Chepauk; and his 205 at will surely be in the mind of this 11. Sindhu Bhairavi, IAS; 12. Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu; 13. Maxi- mum of a dozen stops; 14. Gokhale Hall; 15. 24.21% (509 kms); 16. Dinesh defence and watchful stroke Kanpur against Uttar Pradesh epoch-making cricketer whose Karthik; 17. Madurai T.N. Seshagopalan; 18. Thol.Thirumavalavan; play would have been ideal on in Ranji encounter. It’s not the consistency level is rare and 19. Santhi, who won and lost the women’s 800m silver medal in the Asian that nightmare of a wicket at size of these scores that fasci- unique in India. – (Courtesy: Games; 20. M.S. Viswanathan. Edgbaston when India unfortu- nate a cricket connoisseur but Straight Bat)

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