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 • Crowd-funding support • Sowing the seeds of freedom • The Laurence Hope mystery • The Red Hills Railway

Vol. XXIV No. 17 MUSINGS December 16-31, 2014

Are we waiting for Madras Landmarks their collapse? – 50 years ago (By The Editor) ho is to blame when a matched by restoration activi- Wheritage building col- ties. That is a script played out lapses? The Government would everywhere in our country, have it that the building is re- more so in our State. Tamil sponsible in every way for it. Nadu and Chennai, in particu- Common sense would say that lar, have scores of such in- years of negligence, irrespon- stances. Poor maintenance is sible additions and alterations, usually the first indicator that Khalsa Mahal. and sheer administrative apathy the administration is not inter- would be the principal causes. ested in protecting a heritage This debate has been revived structure. Take the example of with renewed vigour following the stand-off between the Gov- the collapse of the historic and ernment and conservationists 144-year-old Mairie building in in the 1980s over Bentinck’s Pondicherry. That is a loss Building. It was only by empty- which the Union Territory ing the structure and stopping neighbouring our State will all maintenance that the case have to now live with, but there Bharat Insurance Building. for demolition was strength- are several similarly endangered ened. The same holds good for buildings in Chennai about several others – Palace, G One of the oldest organisations connected with the automobile in the country, which our administration seems Bharat Insurance Building, the Automobile Association of Southern India (AASI) traces its roots to 1906 to be in no hurry to take steps. Gokhale Hall, the National Art when six vehicle owners in the Nilgiris banded together to form a self-help group The fall of the Mairie has Gallery – the list is endless. named the Nilgiris Automobile Association. A couple of months later, the South followed a predictable pattern. And it is not as though we India Motor Union (SIMU) was formed in Madras with the same objectives. In Years of protests from heritage have had no collapses either. the same year, the Nilgiris body merged with the Madras one, the two by then having a combined membership of 67. The SIMU became affiliated to the Royal enthusiasts about its poor main- Capper House in the Queen Gokhale Hall. Automobile Club of England in 1910, by which time its membership had grown tenance and lack of routine Mary’s College campus was an to 181. conservation were followed by instance of that. The oldest pri- vague promises by the Govern- vate building on the beach- In 1921, with labour trouble spreading to the hills, car owners there got ment. Official sanction for res- front, it fell after being locked together to form a body that could decisively deal with the demand by chauffeurs toration came in 2010 but no up and neglected. Arthur for increased wages. This was the New Nilgiris Motor Owners’ Association. This later became the Nilgiris Automobile Association, federated with the Auto- actual work was taken up, the Wellesley’s house inside Fort St. mobile Association of Great Britain. This body later merged with the SIMU. process of tenders taking its George now consists mainly of In 1930, the SIMU, in keeping with similar organisations across the world, own time. In the meantime, the debris and has remained that changed its name to the Automobile Association of Southern India. Its offices in Indian Institute of Technology way for over thirty years! More the city appear to have been on Mount Road ever since inception. The Directory was asked to assess the struc- recently, the Madrasa e Azam of Madras and South India of 1934 gives the address as 1-18, Mount Road. It tural stability of the building, on Mount Road has lost a wing lists Sir Archibald Campbell, ICS, as the President, C. Gopala Menon as the which it did and certified some while everyone quibbles as to Vice-President and Major F. Church as Secretary. The Governor of Madras portions to be stronger than what ought to be done. and the Maharajah of Mysore were its patrons. Later, the Maharajahs of others. Conservation work be- There are several more Travancore and Jodhpur also became patrons. The annual subscription was Rs. 15 for car owners and Rs. 5 for motorcyclists. The Association’s general gan earlier this year, but it was instances when it comes to objectives are listed as follows: “Encourage and develop the automobile move- too late, for, following torrential delay in the start of conserva- ment in the Madras Presidency, Hyderabad, Mysore, Travancore and Cochin rains in November, a major por- tion activities. Everyone knows and other Native States of Southern India and to watch, protect and extend the tion of the edifice collapsed. that the dome surmounting the rights and privileges of members and automobile owners generally by all possible The Union Territory Govern- National Art Gallery in National Art Gallery. means.” ment immediately authorised has developed a crack that is The AASI was one of the pioneers in printing detailed route maps of South the demolition of the edifice, main while what is to be done is ever widening. But apart from India. It was also for several years responsible for furnishing statistics on motor citing risk to people in the vi- being discussed as advised by emptying the building and vehicles to the Government. It has since added services such as the issue of cinity. But after heritage activ- the Lieutenant Governor. putting up a warning that it is international driving licences, assisting in obtaining of local licences, providing ists protested and submitted pe- in an enfeebled state, the help in transfer of ownership of vehicles, releasing vehicles from hypothecation Bringing down a heritage and providing travel information. It also provides assistance in towing vehicles of titions, the shell of the ground building is usually executed members, besides liaising with the Regional Transport Authority. Most floor has been allowed to re- very quickly at a speed rarely (Continued on page 5) importantly, it campaigns for road safety. (Continued on page 8) Madras Musings wishes all its readers a very happy and prosperous New Year.

CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS December 16-31, 2014 Crowd-funding to support Lecture Demons weet December is here and into song. Most of these lec- fluid is phenol which is doled Sso is the Music Season. The demons have a lingering feeling out in kilolitres to keep the social causes? Man from Madras Musings that they would have blos- place clean. dons a musical hat during this somed as concert stars if only THE WATER CONSER- ary Kom successfully raised money through crowd funding time much to the distress of the audiences had had some VATIONIST – Deserts could Mfor her boxing training institute. the Chief who, rather like true appreciation of worth. So take lessons from this place, it “Groups, and even crowds, can be wiser than most and some- Aurangzeb, prefers music to be they make use of this opportu- being so dry. There is not a buried deep. But as this is the nity to give their singing voices drop of water – in the taps, or times even all of their members; if they aggregate information,” time when the Chief lets the an airing. This takes a good James Surowiecki says in his book, The Wisdom of Crowds. the cisterns, or anywhere else. Yuletide spirit take over, he twenty minutes. And then That does not deter our popu- This quote aptly describes what India is witnessing. We are in overlooks this minor transgres- comes the time when they look the midst of a social revolution facilitated by digital networking. lace from using the toilets and sion of MMM and forgives and at their watches and exclaim in so the entire scatological his- The digital network impacts the political, social and economic forgets. Come January, Chief a shocked fashion, “Oh, is that tory of the sabha is available at fabric of the country by influencing the crowd. It provides a and MMM are back to brood- the time? I got carried away one glance or one whiff. platform for like-minded people to discuss their passions and ing on matters of pith and and never noticed. This topic contribute to the cause. The effect is more pronounced in the case moment. Ebenezer Scrooge is an ocean and you can never THE ALIMENTARY CA- of politics. This should percolate to the other spheres of society. A and Bob Cratchit would about do justice to it in 50 minutes.” NAL – This is structured on the same principle. The can- lot of projects could be supported by crowd-funding, without sum it up. It always makes MMM wonder as to why the speaker then teen is in close proximity to waiting for government money. An integral part of the accepted the lecdem invitation where the toilet is. The idea is Anyone who has taken part in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean Music Season is, of course, the if he/she was of the view that that what goes in has to come India campaign) knows about the paucity of dustbins in his locality lecture demonstration, when the time given was inadequate. out anyway. Those who eat do and its impact on cleanliness. However, expecting the local au- the theoretical aspects of the so with a full view of those thorities to increase the number of dustbins overnight is expecting performing art are discussed But to get back to the who have eaten and are going with vigour and animation. lecdem. The shock about the too much. Hence, it would be helpful if the locals independently about the post-prandial activi- MMM usually enjoys these as passage of time is followed by a ties. That does not in any way fund this need. The cost of dustbins would not be more than Rs. 20 much as he does the actual beseeching request to the per individual if there are around 200 interested donors. That is affect either – the eaters and concerts. But of late he finds a chairperson for ten minutes the defecators carry on mer- crowd-funding for you. certain pattern emerging in more. No doubt the ocean rily. Crowd-funding, which came into existence, post the 2008 these ‘lecdems’ as they are requires an hour and not fifty liquidity crunch, has gained popularity among start-ups, small called. It is only now that minutes to speak on. The THE HERITAGE SITE – businesses and voluntary organisations raising money in the United MMM understands what an request for extra time is usually This is truly ancient. The uri- nal is a longish trough, rather States. editor-in-chief-cum-founder of denied, chiefly because there is a musical magazine meant another lecdemon waiting in like the kind where horses Community crowd-funding is a boon for ideas which are not feed when in stables. Commu- commercially viable but are important for the group of interested, when he labelled those the wings. That means it is time who speak on music as ‘lec- for the vote of thanks which is nal activity is chiefly encour- passionate people. This is relevant as socially productive ideas fail demons’. basically a repeat of all that was aged in these places. As for the due to lack of funding for being unprofitable. The implementation of these projects would have a multiplier effect on the growth of the economy. Hypothetically, if Just Dial asks willing individuals to contri- SHORT ’N’ SNAPPY bute Rupee 1 for every enquiry they make, so as to raise funds for dustbins in their areas, the problem of dustbins could soon be solved. As is well known, the said at the start. Then it is time WC, it was probably imported golden age of this art was in to sidle into the wings, to the in the years before Indian in- G by Abhishek Sinha the 2nd Century BC as is sounds of some sporadic dependence. There is an ur- vouched for by some of its applause. gent need for repairs, but no- audience, who were clearly body is bothered, for everyone Community crowd-funding is not all about money, it is also around even then. MMM, is occupied with the box of- about getting the masses hooked on to new ideas. who like everyone else is not Swachh sabhas fice. growing any younger, certainly Traditionally, the film industry has been able to use crowd-fund- t is, of course, the era of THE OPEN AIR – This is ing. Shyam Benegal in the late 1970s funded his first movie agrees when it comes to the lecdems. Most of them keep ISwachh Bharat. It has be- in reality a toilet in absentia. Manthan through Rupee 1 invested by members of Gujarat Milk repeating the same stuff that come fashionable for volun- You are expected to make do Cooperatives. For movie producers it also makes marketing sense was churned out for years. teers all over the country to with whatever facilities that to engage targeted viewers to finance production of the movie. Some are one-topic lec- turn out in their Sunday best exist, which are none. So the Geet Sethi, the promoter of Olympic Gold Quest, believes there demons – they did a Ph D on and wield brooms. One place nearest compound wall beck- is a need to bridge the gap between the funding provided by it, say, sometime in the 1940s where this is yet to make itself ons most regulars. government and the funding required for training. Organisations and then dine out on it for manifest is the sabha. Before It never fails to surprise such as India for Sports are acting as mediums for raising crowd- ever after. you run away with the idea that MMM that most sabhas who people are littering or commit- funds. With sports leagues becoming popular in almost all sports, As for the actual lecdem – offer a lavish spread in terms ting public nuisance in sabhas of canteen facilities do not funds flow would increase for these games. it is quite easily done. After all, let The Man from Madras There are also some business ideas with social benefits such as when you have been speaking bother so much with the back- Musings disabuse you of that end of things. There are some, Biosense Technologies, a developer of urine analysis application. on the same stuff for years, it notion. What he means is that This Mumbai-based company was able to raise approximately half should flow out. It is, however, of course, who offer the very the sabhas themselves have set best in this aspect also, but a million dollars through crowd-funding. There are around 150 in content that most of these such low standards for their toi- lecdems suffer terribly from. these can be counted on one projects that have already been funded in India. lets that Swachh Bharat within finger. Projects, which have social relevance, can also be funded Almost all speakers waste their premises can only be a their time on inanities – through this source. Case in point is local literacy programmes, pipe dream. thanking the organiser, thank- which raise the standard of living of the people of a particular ing the committee of experts Based on his considerable Tailpiece community. With increase in employment in the service sector experience of sabha toilets, who sit in the front row, hat Carnatic music has among the rural masses, funding would be relatively easier for thanking the audiences that sit MMM shares with you a few classifications: Tgone to the dogs has been development work in rural areas too. in the rear rows, thanking the an oft-repeated lament. The The demographic changes in India are heavily loaded in favour sound man, thanking the THE OCEAN OF Man from Madras Musings was of crowd-funding. The working population is young, and hence person who is operating the WORLDLY EXISTENCE – greatly surprised to note that disposable incomes for projects that are viewed gainful by the wise laptop, and so on. This takes This is the wettest place on this was a sentiment in the crowd are higher. According to the 2012-13 annual report of around ten minutes of the earth, beating even Cherra- 17th Century as well. Does Infosys, the average age of its employees is approximately 27.5 allotted fifty. punji hollow. The taps leak, the that mean that the best music years, which is ten years younger than the average Microsoft Then follows a longish overhead water tanks and cis- was in the 2nd Century BC? employee in the US. paean to their Guru who is terns drip and, as for the floor, That is a point to ponder over. The social revolution is meaningless without community crowd- dead and, therefore, is canoni- it is a vast lake of a milky liq- uid. That last named is not to Meanwhile, here is MMM funding. A movement, which does not have funding capabilities, is sed as a saint and an all-know- wishing you all the very best ing expert. This takes up a be confused with the ocean like a toothless tiger. Hence, individuals should join hands where the Preserver is said to in 2015. to become groups and groups become a crowd to fund ideas for further 15 minutes. This is generally the cue to launch recline on a serpent. This white – MMM the greater interest of society in India. (Courtesy: Industrial Economist) December 16-31, 2014 MADRAS MUSINGS 3 Deja vu! Must TV serials be so crude? Uncanny similarities between SEZ Act 2005 s usual MMM has hit the nail on the head flats and small houses across the State where Awith his Short ‘N’ Snappy take on TV the TV is generally the centrepiece of the com- and concessions granted to John Company serials (MM, November 16th). mon living area and hence watched by all the for Madras in 1639 Fully agreeing with him on the ridiculous family members, including young susceptible and wholly farcical ICU scenes, I also would like children whose minds will definitely be affected pecial Economic Zones (SEZs) are not a new concept, but the to comment on the crass and vulgar aspects of by such crude scenes and dialogues. Sscale, speed and socioeconomic ambience with which these are almost all serials aired on various channels. With a misguided objective of appealing to being created are entirely new. Since enactment of the SEZ Act The crudest aspect is the undignified por- women viewers in particular, all women char- 2005, 300 SEZs have become functional and 560 more approved. trayal of women. I am amazed that no women’s ters are made to weep and sob at the drop of a While reading about the foundation of Madras (now Chennai) in groups have taken this up and protested; hat and beat their breasts in sorrow... most rep- 1639, and the manner in which the British received from probably they enjoy these scenes themselves. rehensible to watch in the evening when all one a firman wants is a little relaxation after the cares of the the local ruler for grant of land and trading concessions, the Scenes where women are kicked, beaten, dragged by the hair and abused profanely are day. similarity with the creation of SEZs raised a feeling of deja vu. common. Equally common is women being por- I regularly watch an English serial about a Government’s proposal for SEZs aims to accelerate economic trayed as cunning, scheming, wicked and evil... Doctor in a hospital called House M D. I am no development by promoting export of goods and services, attracting be she a mother-in-law or a daughter-in-law or fanatic of English serials, but this must be foreign direct investment (Rs. 1,000 crore was expected by end- a sister-in-law. There also seems to be no such watched for the sheer professional and authen- 2007) and creating employment (500,000 jobs) through providing creature as a slim and svelte mother-in-law in tic manner in which this has been shot… aes- investors preferential treatment in terms of facilities and taxes. these serials. thetically probably the best serial so far seen by SEZs are deregulated areas within which special concessions are The background music is a torture to the me. provided to industrial or commercial corporates so that they may ears ... there is scarcely a single dialogue be- The role of Dr. Gregory, House M.D., is tween characters without an insane drummer played by Hugh Laurie perfectly... he also has flourish unhindered by the laws, rules and regulations that apply in portrayed Wodehouse’s Bertie Wooster earlier. the rest of the country, which are obviously construed as limiting banging away and screeching violins (key- boards?). Also the yodelling voices in the top It is a puzzle to me that such an advanced corporate profits. The concessions are provided by the Special Eco- keys of the human vocal cord are another tor- society as ours seems to enjoy the bizarre scenes nomic Zones Act, 2005. Presumably corporates have had a hand ture. in our local language serials. Do we really like in suggesting and drafting the legislation. I can’t imagine scenes where the household all this crudity? Exemptions from 21 Central Acts dealing with cesses, taxes and affairs and vociferous arguments between its S.Rajaram duties for products like rubber, oil, tobacco, sugar, tea, salt, mica, members are required to be accompanied by 62/1, Tamarai Flats, M E S Road jarring background music. coffee, and modifications to the Income Tax Act, and amendments East , Chennai 600 059 to the Insurance, Banking Regulation and Stamp Acts within SEZs All this mayhem is watched in households in provide concessions and simplify procedures to enhance competi- However, due to low G by fuel efficiency and high opera- tional and maintenance Maj. General S.G. Vombatkere, VSM (RETD.) costs, the vehicle went into oblivion within a decade of introdution. tiveness and create the necessary ‘climate’ for profits. The conces- It was a sad failure of an in- sions concerning land, labour and rates of taxes, customs duties, house design by a renowned etc. may be reduced or exempted altogether. company. SEZs are favoured with water and electric power at subsidised rates. Workers cannot form trade unions for collective bargaining Mongoose encounters that mongoose could also be Bhilai Gopalan for fair wages and better working conditions, and are open to pets. The French couple also 1/6, Sankara Flats read with interest Ahana exploitation in ‘sweet shops’, the corporates thereby maximising told us that they were afraid of 1, 6th Cross Street Lakshmi’s article on mon- profits. Also, the inapplicability of environmental laws within SEZs I snakes and had been keeping Shasthri Nagar, Adyar goose (MM, October 16th) be- further enhance corporate profits by ‘saving’ expenditure on the mongoose. But I told them Chennai 600 020 cause of my own encounters environmental protection. that at the place they were liv- with this interesting animal. The printer’s devil * * * ing in by the beach, there were When my wife and I were Government acquires land for SEZs to the extent required by no real snakes, but only a lot of printer’s devil (MM, living in a colony of bungalows the corporates that come up with a proposal for investment. Land human snakes! ANovember 16th) is really is acquired (under Land Acquisition Act, 1894) from private own- in Mehsana, Gujarat, there was an apprentice in a printing ers and compensation is paid at rates determined by Government. fairly good vegetation in the Dr. G. Sundaram (IAS, RTD) shop. Government may provide the land to the corporate at a rate higher colony although it was certainly Keshav Perumal Puram In England, in the good old an urban setting. We often days, when he had to perform than cost of acquisition, and gain revenue at the cost of the farmer. Chennai 600 028 Or it may be sold at a subsidised rate (as in the case of the chemical found the milk in the vessel dis- all sorts of jobs in the shop, SEZ at Nandigram in West Bengal), in which case the exchequer appearing, without even a drop Fantabulus there was a superstitious pro- pays the difference. Whichever method is adopted, the corporate left in it. In time, we discovered fessional belief in the printing it was the work of a mongoose he reference to Enfield In- industry that an evil devil inter- gains and the farmer or the public loses. dia (MM, October 1st) re- * * * and not a cat! T fered with good printing work Our second enounter – it minded me of the Company’s and created slips in spelling just From ancient times, high authority in any society (chieftain, scooter ‘Fantabulus’ which was king, emperor) promulgated edicts favouring particular powerful was a real encounter – was in for fun. To rationalise this, the the house of the French Con- popular in the late 1960s in assistant was blamed and vili- persons by bestowing property and/or power on them at the plea- Bhilai Steel township. Many sure of the ruler, with the quid pro quo of that beneficiary paying sul-General in Pondichery in fied as a printer’s devil! the late 1960s. When we visited owners were enamoured with tributes to the ruler by extracting taxes from the peasantry. In the unique features of the two- N. Dharmeshwaran Moghul times, this was called a firman. In a modern democracy, them once, two or three mon- goose appeared in the drawing wheeler: a sturdy design (118 Plot 21 governments pass laws empowering the administrative machinery room and rolled over much to kg), with a self-starter mecha- to execute tasks and projects. nism (a forerunner of all Guduvancherry 603 202 The Constitution of India mandates separation of powers of the our consternation. The Consul- present-day scooties), a four Editor’s Note: As we have executive, legislature and judiciary so that checks and balances are General and his wife assured us gear leg-operated system, stated before, such slips should possible, and no one arm of the Constitution can gain undemo- they were pets and not to worry! instead of normal three not be called ‘printer’s devils’ cratic dominance. But contrarily, the SEZ Act actually integrates As the pet-dogs do, they also gears, and clutch handle bar but should be indicated as the the powers of the executive, the elected institutions and the judi- smelled us and disappeared. But design. work of a printer’s devil. ciary, in a government-appointed Development Commissioner, that was the first time I realised who is a bureaucrat, and/or the Developer, who is a business per- son (a corporate body is also a “person”) providing the investment. Being exempted from the burden of laws that apply elsewhere in READABILITY PLEASE India, an SEZ is effectively separate from the Indian State in the Dear Readers, between lines or write it using a medium hand, form of a corporate colony. In this sense, the SEZ Act is not unlike As letters from readers increase, we are receiving clearly dotting the ‘i-s’ and crossing the ‘t-s’. a firman on the Government of India, providing corporate more and more hand written letters, many of them Many readers also try to fill every square centimetre economic independence. in a hand so small and illegible or large and of a postcard space, making reading or editing * * * scrawled as to be unreadable. Often this leads to impossible. Please help us to consider your letters On August 22, 1639, Francis Day of the British East India Com- our discarding a letter, particularly if some part of it more favourably by making them more legible for pany secured a piece of land near the fishing village of is unreadable. If you wish us to consider your letter us. for publication, please type it with enough space – THE EDITOR (Continued on page 6) 4 MADRAS MUSINGS December 16-31, 2014 December 16-31, 2014 MADRAS MUSINGS 5 Sowing the seeds Laurence Hope – A life of freedom of mystery n 1857/58, after the Great first thing he did upon disem- and stated the essential unity of IRevolt, the British Crown took barking from their ship was to all religions and the universal G Virginia Jealous was recently Mhow wrote, “A tiny fair very republished every year for many tional’ biography of her wrote, over the governing of India, a stoop down to kiss the granite brotherhood of man. He became in Madras on the trail first blazed strange woman, vilely and impossi- years. “His widow was taken in by friends, country then of 200 million step in an instinctive act of de- a Theosophist. This set him free by her father John Jealous in bly clothed. I always found her After retirement, the couple the Stewarts, and for two months people, scores of languages, votion. Then, both went on a to devote his time and energy to 1989, when he was in search of rather interesting, though of course briefly visited North Africa and she stayed with them at Dunmore seven different religions, a caste tour of North India. the cause of Indian nationalism. the story of a woman who was to everyone mocks at her, and I can't then London, where they were House (a property they were rent- system, child marriage and some One of the first persons they In 1880, over a period of 60 become the obsession of his life help doing it myself... sometimes at drawn into literary circles. But ing from Eardley Norton, the noted 500 mini-kingdoms ruled by met on that tour was Allan days, Olcott and Blavatsky went A.O. Hume. as he pieced together her story the really absurd figure she makes.” London and Africa were not to barrister and champion of the In- Rajahs and Nawabs. It was to Octavian Hume of the Bengal on their first tour of Ceylon and during several subsequent visits told them that “their future Another writer wrote in 1909, the liking of the two people who dian right to self-determination). this country that Helena Petrov- Civil Service who had arrived in during that trip they took Pansil to Madras and other parts of Malcolm Nicolson and Adela Florence Nicolson. home was found” and they “Mrs. Nicolson loved to dispense had spent their entire life in In- On October 4, 1904, when her fi- na Blavatsky, a Russian aristo- India in 1849 as a 20-year-old. at the Ramanya Nikaya to for- India for a book that didn’t get hospitality to her chosen friends. dia and, so, soon enough, in nal book of poetry was completed, in secret with him dressed as a letter from Nilambur dated May settled there in December that written; he passed away before crat, and Colonel H.S. Olcott He was to serve as Secretary to mally accept the Buddhist faith. She was of a peculiar, unconven- 1904, the couple left London (af- Laurence Hope confided to a friend commoner and she as a dancing 1904. She writes: We came here year. he got to it. Now his daughter from the US came in 1879 to set the Government of India in One night during their sec- tional nature, which is reflected in ter leaving their son in London) in London her intention of exercis- girl. One day, he was caught and twenty-two miles through the In Madras, Olcott started sev- Virginia, a poet and a travel up the world headquarters of the 1870-79. The Great Revolt of ond tour of North India, threatened by his father the Raja. jungle. The jungle was the jungle, eral schools for Harijans and in writer, hopes to write a book on her poetry, and only those who were in order to settle in the then ing her own ‘right’ to follow her hus- International Theosophical 1857 made a strong impression Blavatsky and Olcott were in- So he broke off the relationship. but the hill climate was chilly, and 1884 he formed the Aryan her father’s journey as well as on of the same mind appealed to her. sleepy Calicut. They found a band, entrusted the letter to Sir Society. on him. Hume authored Awak- vited by the Humes to dinner. Nicolson heard about this while there was a lot of grey in the sky, League of Honour for teenage the woman who was the second She loved the world of books, occult bungalow on the hilltop over- Norman Stewart whose return to In 1851, 20-year-old Helena ening. He feared yet another and When Blavatsky asked if anyone “recovering from malaria” and but here it is hot, it is India again. boys, as well as a number of boys’ great love of his life, Laurence science, and strongly sympathised looking the river at Feroke, a few England was imminent, retired to Petrovna Blavatsky met Ma- more terrible uprising and wanted something, Mrs. Hume the news hastened his death! Do you know the name of clubs and societies. Educationist Hope. Here in brief is the story with the Mohammedans. Those miles out of town. her room and took poison. It was hatma Morya. Her life was never wanted to ensure that India said that she would like to have Others said that after Adela Clogstoun? The tomb of Lt. Samuel Dr. Kewal Motwani writes in a of Adela Florence Nicolson friends chosen for their brilliancy of The Nicolsons lived very hap- an English equivalent of sati, and to be the same again. Her later gained self-government without an old family jewel that she had returned to India the poems ex- Robert Clogstoun (actually of 23rd biographical sketch of Olcott, whom the world knew as mind more than for their material pily for six months in a place they fittingly her last poems were pub- travels took her to Canada, violence and bloodshed. Hume not seen for a “long time”. This, pressed Adela’s lesbian love for Regiment), who was drowned in “As a result of his fervent appeal Laurence Hope. wealth found in her a warm, ar- stated was paradise. Adela’s po- lished posthumously, under the title U.S.A., Mexico, India, Java, Ti- 1843 in the river here at nineteen, to the patriotic instincts of the dela ‘Violet’ Florence dent, generous friend, extremely un- etry writing continued. She Indian Love. Finally, and after her bet and South America (1851- G K.V.S. KRISHNA writes: “The International ‘generous, high-spirited, and full of people, seventeen of those del- A Nicolson’s story starts with conventional in her views, and a loved Malabar and wrote a lot death, the poems were published in From 58). Blavatsky by the time she promise,’ as the officers of his regi- Headquarters of The Theosophical Society has egates were present at the annual her father Arthur Cory, an army woman not at all fond of social gai- about the land and its people. her own name.” Some say that ‘Maddy’s Ramblings’ came to India had been widely ment (the 21st Madras Infantry) been functioning from Adyar from December 19, Convention of the Theosophical man who arrived in India in ety in the usual acceptation of the But as most people agree, her Adela did this following a bout – a blog by exposed to various cultures and have it, is here. The tomb was in a 1882. Society. In 1884, the Indian Na- January 1849. He married Fanny term.” poetry was a reflection of those of acute depression. She was bur- Manmadhan Ullattil in Tibet her occult powers scrub jungle and almost covered. I tional Union was formed which ied, like her husband, in St. greatly improved. She wrote “A study of Col. H.S. Olcott’s Old Diary Leaves washed the stone clean last evening changed to the Indian National Mary’s cemetery. Her only son, several spiritual books (Secret (6 volumes, 2500 pages) was undertaken by and wondered if there were any of Congress the following year ‘to Malcolm Josceline Nicolson, Amy Woodforde-Finden. It ap- Doctrine, etc.) and, in July 1878, his people anywhere. K. Ravi Menon and me for our book South of the serve the motherland’.” Strictly subsequently edited her poems. pears Amy wrote to Laurence was the first Russian to get This place is perfect. I only wish , brought out for the centenary year of speaking, Olcott was the father In her book Indian Love, she stating that she had been trying American citizenship. one had a thousand years to live, as Olcott’s passing away (2007). ‘Sowing Seeds of of the Indian National Congress, started with a poem dedicated to out some of the songs and Col. Olcott was 23 years old there are so many things one will though that title has been given her departed husband. In the wanted approval. Laurence when he gained international re- Freedom’ is an article based on that 140-page have to leave undone. to A.O. Hume. poem she said, agreed and asked if they could nown for a model scientific agri- study.” At the age of 39, it was a Certainly, in this historical Small joy was I to thee; before we meet – the rumour is that they culture farm he had developed in tragic decision to swallow a movement, Hume provided per- met did meet and they fell instantly 1855. He was co-founder of the told the newly arrived Viceroy to everyone’s astonishment, was horrible chemical that burns fect leadership. He had the time Sorrow had left thee all too sad to and passionately in love, and em- Westchester Farm School, New Northbrook in 1872 that the found. The dinner resulted in your mouth, lips, gullet and and tremendous energy to ex- save. barked on a brief, intense affair York. At 26, he travelled to Eu- British were not loved in India several influential Europeans innards as it hastens your depar- ecute his duties, and he had the Useless my love – as vain as this re- before returning to their respec- rope on an agricultural assign- and warned, “A studied and joining the Theosophical Society ture from this world. Why the necessary contacts as well as gret tive husbands as propriety de- ment. Subsequently, he became invariable disregard, if not after witnessing the occult pow- torturous decision? Was it guilt organisational skills and the sup- That pours my hopeless life across manded. Amy was known as a Correspondent of Mark Lane Ex- actually contempt, for the opin- ers of Blavatsky. The same or a sacrifice to her husband, or port of Indian leaders. With the thy grave. prolific composer of ‘eastern dit- press (London), Agriculture Edi- ions and feelings of our subjects evening, Lord Ripon invited for her lover prince or Amy or, tacit support of the new Viceroy, This controversial poem ad- ties’, which effectively captured tor of the New York Tribune, and is at present the leading charac- Olcott for a ball at Government for that matter, the boatman? It’s Lord Dufferin, Hume made a po- dressed to her husband and a the mood and morals of the pe- published his second and third teristic of our government in House, a significant move indi- a question that will never be litical pilgrimage covering the number of swirling rumours kept riod. But many believe that the books on agriculture. every branch of the administra- cating improved relations with answered. whole of India, enlisted 70 del- Hope in the limelight even after two never met. Before this As a reporter in 1859 he was tion.” the Government, a far cry from Was this Dunmore House? egates who, till then, had not met her death. While one of the rumour heated up, Adela shifted present at the hanging of John Hume, impressed by Blavat- the earlier days when it was spy- each other and inaugurated the Griffin and Isabel was their eldest Adela took to wearing Indian interesting but difficult times rumours was based on her rela- to Madras and that effectively Brown, the campaigner against sky and Olcott, was more than ing on Olcott and Blavatsky! first Indian National Congress daughter. Even though they li- clothes and writing poetry with a where there was a definite pas- tionship with an Indian prince, killed the rumour. Are we slavery. Olcott joined the North- willing to assist the Theosophi- Hume, who had by then es- (INC) on December 28-30, ved in Lahore, Adela Florence style reminiscent of the Sufi po- sion and obsession with forbid- the second was about her pur- And now we come to Madha- ern Army. After the American cal movement to spread its mes- caped political isolation, served waiting for 1885. Hume did not occupy the was born in England in 1865, ets from the NW Province (she den love in the minds of the lit- ported lesbian relationship with vi Kutty’s comment about the Civil War, Olcott was appointed sage. Olcott lectured to a huge as an intermediary between the highest position at the INC but near Bristol. Annie Sophie, the was fluent in Urdu), and decided erate. For example, a bit from the Amy Finden, a composer, and boatman. If you read this poem member of a commission to as- crowd in December 1879 on Viceroy and the Indians to ascer- their collapse? continued till 1901 to be the younger daughter, was born in to get them published. It is said poem Song of the Parao: third, without any real basis, Surface rights written by Adela sist in the investigation of this ‘Theosophy and its relations to tain and organise Indian opinion General Secretary of the Party. 1868. After retirement in 1877, that while the substance of the These are my people, and this my about her numerous affairs with while in Calicut, you can see the tragedy. Later he was drafted as India’, followed by an address by in favour of Lord Ripon’s liberal (Continued from page 1) Lord Dufferin soon sensed that Cory joined the Civil and Military poems was not drawn from iden- land, all kinds of people. Let’s take a intensity and the passion in the Special Commissioner by the Hume. A.P. Sinnett, another policies. Educated Indians called Hume was helping the INC to Gazette in Lahore and in time be- tifiable Indian sources, the exotic I hear the pulse of her secret soul. cursory look at them. poetry which Kamala Das would, Government did nothing for War and Navy Departments to early friend of Blavatsky and him ‘Ripon the Righteous’. become a national party which came its Editor. When he return- settings emphasised a passionate This is the life that I understand, Somerset Maugham’s short of course, have analysed through years. Funds for restoration were investigate corruption in the Olcott, was the editor of The Pio- Right from the start, both intended India to become a free ed to London, Rudyard Kipling intensity which was seen as Ori- Savage and simple and sane and story The Colonel’s lady is loosely her writer’s eyes. Adela writes in promised two years ago and armed services. neer, Allahabad, and several con- Olcott and Blavatsky were pre- country. succeeded him. Just before her ental. Her first volumes of po- whole. based on Adela Nicolson. In fact, Surface rights: released a year back. And yet no In 1868, Olcott was admitted tributions from Olcott and Bla- paring Indians and Ceylonese for The Congress decided to hold father’s retirement from the Civil etry, The Garden of Kama and These are my people, lithe-limbed it is a story where the Colonel Drifting, drifting along the River, action has taken place. Chepauk to the Bar and practised till 1878. vatsky were published in it until holding positions of higher re- its annual conference in Madras and Military Gazette around Indian Love Lyrics, were pub- and tall, discovers all of a sudden that his Under the light of a wan low moon, Palace has remained a burnt shell In 1874 he met Blavatsky The Theosophist magazine was sponsibility. Olcott assisted this on December 27, 1894. The 1882, the 16-year-old Adela re- lished in 1901, but were not the maiden's bosom they scorn to wife has become a successful Steady, the paddles; Boatman, for over three years now, with no while both were visiting the Eddy started on October 1, 1879. Sin- by starting schools in India and Theosophical Convention tradi- turned to Lahore after complet- something Victorian and Edwar- cover. writer and hears of a much talked steady ... activity on the premises. farm in Vermont. His interest in nett became a Theosophist that Ceylon. Olcott felt Madras to be tionally took place from Decem- ing her education in England. dian England could accept from Her breasts, which shall call and about story about an affair with a Why should we reach the sea so the spiritualist movement and year. “the most enlightened of the Do all these instances point to ber 27th. However, knowing Adela married Colonel a lady and that was why they enthrall her lover, younger man. Eventually, after soon? his budding relationship with Over the years the British indian Presidencies as to Sanskrit a sincere effort in restoration? that all its members were also Malcolm Hassels Nicolson in were published under the mascu- Things of beauty, are free to all. much soul searching and discus- Sweet are thy ways and thy strange Blavatsky helped to foster his de- Government did not appreciate Literature and Aryan Philoso- Most emphatically not. The members of the INC, the Theo- April 1889 in Karachi. He was 46 line pseudonym ‘Laurence Recurring health issues re- sions with his solicitor, he con- caresses, velopment of spiritual philoso- Hume, resulting in him being de- phy. There are more learned unexplained tardiness in the sophical Convention was held years old, she was 24, virtually Hope’. The works were well re- quired a move to Madras for the cludes that he should do nothing That sear as flame, and exult as phy. moted by the time he was 50 Pundits in villages, and the edu- passage of a Heritage Act and the four days earlier so that its half his age! Was ‘Violet’, as she ceived, though the somewhat General’s medical treatment. A and should ignore it as, after all, wine. Blavatsky and Olcott founded years old. This coincided with cated class, as a whole, has been setting up of a toothless Heritage members could attend both the was called by friends, destined to explicit nature of the contents routine prostate operation went he himself had had an affair in But I care only for that wild the Theosophical Society and he the emergence of the Theosophi- less spoilt by Western education Conservation Committee also conferences. This is further follow the traditional path of the was hotly discussed. Generally wrong and the general died on London. moment was elected founding President cal movement in India. Hume, and Adyar is a sort of paradise.” show that protection of our past evidence of how closely the British Army wife, horses, par- reviewed as the work of a man, August 7, 1904 at Mackay’s Gar- E.C. Keissling writing for the When my soul arises and reaches of the Society on November 17, after having met Olcott and They saw the site called is not considered a serious Society was related to the free- ties, ayahs and so on? No. In her poems attracted enormous dens Nursing Home and was bur- Milwaukee Journal in 1968 stated thine. 1875. Blavatsky at Sinnett’s residence, Huddleston Gardens on the south matter. Unless that awareness dom movement. 1897, when Violet was in a pres- attention at a time when D.H. ied in St. Mary’s (on the Island) that Adela was in love with a lo- Perhaps she met him while The two of them arrived in was most attracted by Theoso- bank of the Adyar River on May tigious position as the General's Lawrence was still to become the cemetery. cal prince and as that would up- going to or travelling in Malabar comes about, we will continue Bombay in February 1879. The phy’s tenets which propagated 31, 1882. Their very first viewing (To be concluded) wife, a fellow officer’s wife in buzz name, and were repeatedly Mary Talbot Cross in a ‘fac- set the English, they used to meet in a boat. A clue comes from a losing out on heritage. 6 MADRAS MUSINGS December 16-31, 2014

he Indian Railways history formation. The following has Tsite says ‘railways were first been paraphrased from Sriniva- introduced to India in the year The Red Hills sachari: On July 8, 1845, a Ma- 1853 from Bombay to Thane’. dras Railway Company was This site should read: the first formed in London to construct passenger rail line was intro- a rail line from Madras to Arcot duced in 1853. But gladly, and Railway (technically Wallajahnagar, to- pleasantly surprisingly, the day referred to as Wallajahpet). website ‘’ This company succeeeded an refers to the Red Hills Rail older one of the same name Road, about which I write here. – India’s first railroad established in 1749 but which I read the details about the never got down to business. It Red Hills Rail Road in a blog by unknown is what was used as roll- upon the rails, loaded with stones, on somewhat further. The tempo- successfully ran its first train Simon Darvill who emphati- ing stock, possibly road carts on which is easily moved up a slightly rary railroad has cost the Govern- from to Arcot on cally indicates that Madras had rail wheels.” inclined plane by one hand from ment 50,000 rupees. It extends July 1, 1856. Major Thomas the earliest rail road in India: This rail line did not trans- where it returns by its own weight from the Red Hills to the canal, a Pears had earlier surveyed the the ‘Red Hills Rail Road’ (‘Red port humans, but minerals and from the place it was first distance of about three miles and land and offered a proposal in Hills Railway’), introduced in rocks. The starting point was propelled.” a half, and is qualified only to bear 1851 for a trunk railway from 1836. Darvill writes: , which Darvill re- The line was built and a weight of about a ton and a half. Madras to Minnal, after which opened by 1837. The Asiatic To be made a permanent struc- “Like many early railways it fers to quoting a news item in the course of the line was to be The Conservative, (May 6, Journal (August 1837) reported: ture, that is by exchanging the guided by the nature of the was built for the carriage of miner- wooden for iron-stone or laterite als, in this case granite for road 1836), which was requoted in country. Pears suggested that G supports, it will cost 14 or 15 lakhs the Asiatic Journal (November ‘Pages from History’ the railway should be routed building work in Madras. In all the rupees more.” references found to the line, there 1836). This effort, Darvill indi- by DR. A. RAMAN from Arcot and Vellore through cates, was an ‘experiment’ in Independent of Darvill’s an- is no mention of the gauge of the Charles Sturt University notations on the Red Hills Rail Minnal and Sholinghur to Pal- Madras. To supplement this, he Orange, New South Wales, line, but it can probably be con- Road – the pioneering effort of manair and then onwards via cluded that given that railways further quotes from the Madras Australia, railway in India – I found an- Bangalore to Bellary and Bom- themselves were in their infancy Gazette (May 4, 1836): [email protected] other notation in the Calcutta bay, with a branch to Ambur and the majority that had been “A small piece of railway has and Vaniyambadi. It was de- built at that point were standard been laid down near the “The temporary Red Hills Rail- Monthly Journal & General Reg- ister of Occurrences (1837) iden- cided that the line from Madras gauge (1435mm), the line was Chintadrapettah Bridge, which is road has already been completed to Minnal was to be constructed standard gauge. The line was al- worth the inspection of the good though for a time rendered use- tical to the above quoted re- mark. as an experiment. The first sod ways intended to be operated by people of Madras who have not less in consequence of a portion was turned on June 9, 1853. animal power but... at least two visited England since railways of the embankment of the canal S. Srinivasachari in his but possibly three locomotives have been common. To show how having given way where the rail- History of the City of Madras I wish that the Indian Rail- were used on the line on an little labour is required on a road road joins on it, requiring in con- (1939) provides some addi- ways immediately corrects the experimental basis. Equally of this description, a cart is placed sequence the former to be carried tional details on this ignored in- notation in its history page.

OUR ADDRESSES For matters regarding subscriptions, donations, non-receipt of receipts SEZs 2005 & Madras 1639 etc.: CHENNAI HERITAGE, 5, Bhattad Tower, 30, Westcott Road, (Continued from page 3) out customs-free, and of providing themselves with supplies for , Chennai 14. themselves and their sea-going ships duty-free from the country. Madras Musings now has its own The Nayak granted land and permission to build the fort ac- email ID. Letters to the editor can be Madraspatam (that was later called Madras) through a firman cording to the needs and design of the British based upon Day’s sent via email to editor@ granted by Damerla Venkatadri, a Nayak of the Vijayanagar King- “great hopes by reason of our promises often made unto him”, madrasmusings.com. Those who dom. The land was used to construct Fort St. George that became thereby indicating that Day already had considerable influence wish to intimate change of address a seat of power for expansion of British trade, the political power can also do so provided the arising from which resulted in India becoming a British colony. over the Nayak because of favours that the British had done, or some gold that was paid to the Nayak. The Nayak goes on to agree subscription number is quoted. For From the choice of words in the firman that gave trading rights non-receipt of copies, change of and concessions to the English, it appears that Day drafted the to advance the cost of construction on the understanding that the British would repay the cost when they took possession of the fort. address, and all other circulation document. It appears that, besides wanting commerce to flourish Later, “to make more full expression of our affection to the English matters: Madras Musings, C/o in his territory, the Nayak wanted to utilise English ships to import nation”, the Nayak sanctions to the British “full power and au- Lokavani Southern Printers Pvt. horses from Persia, and also have a place of refuge from hostile thority to govern and dispose of the Government of Madraspatam Ltd., 122, Greames Road, Chennai neighbours in a contingency. It was the Nayak’s firman that led to for the term and space of two years”, and goes on to offer them 600 006. On editorial matters: The construction of Fort St. George for the purpose of “peaceful pros- trade concessions. Editor, Madras Musings, No. 5, ecution of commerce from a place of safety”. It is further stated Out-doing himself in his generosity, the Nayak grants that Bhattad Tower, 30, Westcott Road, that in order to encourage the English to conduct their trade, “they “whatsoever provisions the English shall buy in my Country, either Royapettah, Chennai 600 014. were given the privilege of bringing the goods and sending them No personal visits or telephone calls, for their fort or ships, they shall not be liable to pay any custom or please. 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I have just seen Madras Musings and would like to receive it The Nayak gives even further scope to the British to set up their – THE EDITOR hereafter. own economic system, saying, “the said English Company shall perpetually enjoy the privileges of mintage without paying any dues G I/We enclose cheque/demand draft/money order for Rs. 100 MADRAS MUSINGS or duties whatsoever.” ON THE WEB (Rupees One hundred) payable to CHENNAI HERITAGE, The Nayak guaranteed the quality and honesty of the mer- MADRAS, as subscription to Madras Musings for the year chants or craftsmen whom the English might employ, and in the To reach out to as many read- 2014-15. event that such persons “fail in their performance”, the Nayak ers as possible who share our G As token of my support for the causes of heritage, environ- would “make good to the English all such sums of money as shall keen interest in Madras that is Chennai, and in response to ment and a better city that Madras Musings espouses, I send remain on their accounts, or else deliver them their persons, if they Chennai Heritage an additional Rs...... requests from many well-wish- shall be found in any part of my territories”. Thus, the Nayak un- ers – especially from outside (Rupees ...... ) Please keep/put derwrites losses that the English may incur due to his citizens’ non- me on your mailing list. Chennai and abroad who performance and, abjectly surrendering his right to rule over his receive their postal copies very Name : ...... own subjects, even hands over defaulters to the English. late – for an online edition. Address: ...... There is an uncanny similiarity between the SEZ Act 2005 in Madras Musings is now on the ...... granting land, concessions and privileges to corporates for SEZs, web at www. madrasmusings. All cheques to ‘Chennai Heritage’. DD/Cheque should be sent with the firman granted by the local ruler to the British on August com by Speed Post only. 22, 1639 for land and concessions to establish a trading post in THE EDITOR Madras. December 16-31, 2014 MADRAS MUSINGS 7 A 2500-year-old ‘industrial estate’

t is a long, tiring journey to Archaeologists arrived in of the time. This tells us, says IKodumanal, a tiny village in Kodumanal in 1961, when V.N. Rajan, that Kodumanal had western Tamil Nadu a place Srinivasa Desikan of the cultural and trade connects virtually unheard of until Archaeological Survey of India with the North. archaeologists recently un- (ASI) led the first dig. Hard, slow work led to these earthed a 2500-year-old indus- In 1980, a second trial exca- exciting discoveries. Rajan has trial estate there. vation was carried out by the been involved in excavating The trip from Chennai to Tamil Nadu State Archaeology this site since 1984. The last Excavations at Kodumanal. this inland village is in three Department. excavation was in 1990. For this stages: eight-hour bus ride to More digs were executed in year’s dig, the professor man- the Indian Institute of Science acres in all, was inhabited in Erode (district headquarters), 1985, 1989 and 1990 by the aged to raise Rs.3.5 lakh from in Bangalore, who has exam- ancient times. The other half is two-hour bus ride to Kangeyam Departments of Epigraphy and the ASI and the Central ined the crucible. a huge burial ground. The (small town in the textile Archaeology of Tamil Univer- Institute of Classical Tamil. Kodumanal was one of the archaeologists have opened district of Tirupur), and a final sity, along with the Department From the trenches have earliest wootz steel centres of over 180 graves. bus ride to Kodumanal. of Ancient History and Archae- emerged fascinating and the world. Wootz steel, a form The last leg is the most ology of Madras University, and beautiful artifacts. Among the There are three types of of carbon steel, was a prized, graves: pot, urn and chamber interesting. At first the rickety the State Archaeology Depart- more decorative items are semi- highly durable speciality of bus passes farmland and pretty ment. finished bangles and bracelets stone burials. The last is for ancient India, and much people of high status, and in houses but then the surround- However, not much was made from beryl, a crystalline sought-after in the West. ings grow barren. There is only found. Between 1985 and 1990, mineral. Some of these stones these graves the archaeologists In Roman literature, there the occasional coconut tree. It have found gold and other are references to the import of is hard to believe that this area items. steel from the Chera country, or once held a thriving town. G by A Special Correspondent A few of the big tombs are South India. References to Modern Kodumanal has just surmounted by stone megaliths wootz steel in Sangam literature around 1000 people making a (though some 300 megalithic the archaeologists laid 40 are so pure that they were indicate that Roman Egypt living breeding cattle and tombs in different grades have trenches but collected only 170 colourless. One find is a tiger- imported its finest steel from working in the nearby textile been found in the region). The inscribed potsherds (pottery shaped object made of copper, here. The rust-free ancient iron archaeologists have also town of Tirupur. fragments). about 15cm long. It was pillar still standing near the At the archaeological site recovered three skeletons, two In 2012, the pattern was studded with carnelians, sap- Qutub Minar in Delhi is said to female and one male. near Kodumanal, even at 8 am broken, and Rajan’s team phires and diamonds. Old be made of iron from this One that may be typical is of the sun is merciless. Approach- struck gold. They laid four quartz stones and broken beads region. a person buried with legs ing the arid excavation area, trenches and collected as many of sapphire, beryl, agate, carne- Kodumanal is not far from crossed, a large stone under one you hear the sounds of digging as 130 inscribed potsherds. lian, amethyst, lapis lazuli, Tirupur, the textile hub of knee and a gold ring in the and of instructions being yelled V.P. Yatheesh Kumar, a garnet, soapstone and quartz modern India. Ancient Kodu- hand. As Rajan explains, this to the scores of archaeology Ph.D student of archaeology are strewn across the village. manal also manufactured tex- tells us about the dead person’s students busy at the site from Pondicherry University In one memorable case, the tiles. A number of terracotta profession. It was jewellery excavation. worked at Kodumanal for two archaeologists found 2220 car- cotton spindles, pierced workers who sat in this position K. Rajan, professor and head months. He said, “I have nelian beads in a single grave. through the centre with an iron with a stone under a knee, to of the Department of History of worked in four different sites This may be the first instance of rod, have been unearthed here. work the precious stones. Pondicherry University, leads since 2005. In those areas, find- its kind in India, Rajan says. Incredibly, a well-preserved The cists, or chamber the team. Rajan is in his early ing one script itself was a big There are sources of piece of actual cotton has been burials, come in three varieties 50s. He stands in the heat thing. Here, in one site, we sapphire, beryl and quartz near found. It is believed to be 2200 depending on orientation, the talking to the students gathered found 130.” Kodumanal, but carnelian, ag- years old. number of connected chambers around. Today is the last day of Kumar and another student ate and lapis lazuli came from More proof of Kodumanal’s and layout. The cists are this dig at Kodumanal. found two large pots, one of different sources as far away as trade links comes in the form of covered by individual caps- Kodumanal, Rajan explains, which bore a Tamil-Brahmi Gujarat, Sri Lanka and Afgha- Roman coins, dug up in hoards was a manufacturing and trad- inscription in tall letters reading tones. th nistan. The ancient economy as well as single pieces. The ing centre in the 4 Century “Samban Sumanan” – a name. was global. town lay on a trade route fre- The number and variety of the tombs and graves tell us BCE. It is mentioned as such in The pot was 4 feet tall, says The finds show that work- quented by Roman merchants, what the rest of the site already the Sangam literature of classi- Kumar, and was used to store shops for cutting and shaping who came to buy beryl, quartz 300 BCE-300 makes clear: at its peak this was cal Tamil (circa water. Nearly all the newly precious gems, for making semi- and other stones. CE). The settlement, which a prosperous place, with many unearthed inscriptions, in fact, precious stone beads and also, Goods to be exported to the would have accommodated residents, whose pride in their were personal names; a few also incidentally, for shell-cutting, West were carried by road to several thousand people in its work, which was organised on referred to the trade done by were there in Kodumanal more the Chera port of Muziris heyday, appears to have been the individuals named. an industrial scale, reflected the rd than 2300 years ago. (Pattinam) on the west coast abandoned after the 3 Century The words on the pots are in But the workers’ technical near Thrissur, and then went by strong worldwide demand for it. CE. Prakrit, a north Indian language skills did not begin and end with ship. Goods for Southeast Asia There is still a large histori- gem-making. They also worked were carried east to Karur, capi- cal treasure trove of material to with iron and steel. In fact, tal of the Chera kingdom, then be unearthed. According to ancient sources of iron ore have to Poompuhar near the mouth Rajan, it will take another ten been found in and around of the Kaveri, and then over- years to complete the excava- Chennimalai hill, 15 km to the seas. tion. east. Judging by the trade pattern, Not only does this excava- There was, the archaeolo- and as is suggested by finds of tion bring to light the rich gists say, “constant movement beryl jewellery in eastern industrial and cultural past of of foreign traders between Europe and elsewhere, Kodu- this region, and reveal to us an Chennimalai, where there were manal’s exports went a long important chapter in India’s iron ore deposits, and Koduma- way. economic history, it also offers nal where the ore was pro- Although Kodumanal is on the people of Kodumanal a cessed” and from where finished the Noyyal, a tributory of the better future. items were exported. In Kodu- Kaveri, the river was not used Roads are being laid, drink- manal itself, Rajan’s team found for shipping. The Noyyal is shal- ing water and electricity are pieces of a crucible furnace. low, rocky and has strong being provided. The young from Such furnaces can withstand currents, so the trade route Kodumanal have started going heat up to 1300oC, well over the followed its banks. to school and college and some melting point of cast iron. This Rajan’s findings suggest that have been inspired to learn K. Rajan (right), Professor, Department of History, Pondicherry University, find has been confirmed, Rajan only about half of the Kodu- history. (Courtesy: Tamil cleaning the grooved stone in one of the trenches at Kodumanal in Erode District. says, by Sharada Srinivasan of manal site, which is about 40 Chamber of Commerce Digest). 8 MADRAS MUSINGS December 16-31, 2014

62nd Annual Kalakshetra Art Festival December 29-31, 2014

December 20: Andal Charitharam Dr. Menaka P.P. Bora and Indira Khoo (7.30 p.m. at Rukmini DakshinaChitra Children’s by (6 P.P. Bora (5 p.m. at Rukmini Arangam, Kalakshetra). workshop: p.m. at Rukmini Arangam, Arangam, Kalakshetra). December 29: Sabari Moksham by December 20: Pyrography – Wood Kalakshetra). Stories in a Song, a musical Kalakshetra Foundation (6 p.m. painting, 8-14 years. December 21: Bharata Natyam by collage of theatre, literature and at Rukmini Arangam, Kalak- December 27: Decoupage, 7-14 Urmila Sathyanarayanan (6 p.m. history conceived by Shubha shetra). years. at Rukmini Arangam, Kalak- Mudgal and directed by Sunil December 30: Choodamani December 28: Activity Camp, shetra). Shanbag (6.30 p.m. at Rukmini Pradanam by Kalakshetra Foun- 8-14 years. December 22: Bharata Natyam by Arangam, Kalakshetra). dation (6 p.m. at Rukmini December 24-29: Folk perfor- crafts of the State. Highlights: Kalakshetra Foundation (6 p.m. December 27: Mohiniattam by Arangam, Kalakshetra). mance by John Peter and troupe Colourful folk performances in- at Rukmini Arangam, Kalak- Gopika Varma (6 p.m. at December 31: Maha Pattabhi- as part of the Marghazhi festival cluding Mahasu Nati, Gaddi Nati shetra). Rukmini Arangam, Kalak- shekam by Kalakshetra Founda- will feature Thappattam, Kolat- and Churahi dance (11 am to December 23: Black White and shetra). tion (6 p.m. at Rukmini Aran- tam, Kummi and Oyilattam. A 1 pm and 3 pm to 5 pm) and sale Grey: Shades of the Feminine Hindustani vocal by Madhup gam, Kalakshetra). display of crafts from Tamil of Himachal crafts, including Divine. A special mythology and Mudgal (7.30 p.m. at Rukmini December 20-31: Kalakshetra Nadu (at DakshinaChitra). handmade textiles and jewellery music presentation by Devdutt Arangam, Kalakshetra). offers its exclusive guided December 28: Theatre perfor- (at Dakshinachitra). Pattanaik, author and mytholo- December 28: Chitra Veena by Heritage Walk, Pradakshina, at mance by Snuffs Puppet- Till December 30: Group show gist, with Anil Srinivasan, Ravi Kiran (6 p.m. at Rukmini 8.30 a.m. on all days. Prior Australia (at DakshinaChitra, titled Scaffold by Shinod Akka- classical pianist (10.30 a.m. Arangam, Kalakshetra). booking required. Call 24524546 3.00 p.m) raparambil, Vijay Pichumani, at Rukmini Arangam, Kalak- Bharata Natyam by Mavin or 24521169. December 20-January 20: Exhibi- and Sujeeth Kumar Sreekandan shetra) tion by Arts Management (at DakshinaChitra). Harikatha by Vishaka Hari students on Temples of South In- (6 p.m. at Rukmini Arangam). dia (at DakshinaChitra). December 24: Carnatic vocal by Till December 31: Photo exhibi- Dr. Panthula Rama (6 p.m. at tion by Rekha Vijayashankar on Rukmini Arangam, Kalak- Art and Culture of Tamil Nadu shetra). (at DakshinmaChitra). December 25: Buddha Avatharam, Till December 21: Himachal Fest. by Kalakshetra Foundation The festival aims to bring (6 p.m. at Rukmini Arangam, together the rich and diverse tra- Kalakshetra). ditions of Himachal culture, December 26: Sattriya dance by highlighting the dance forms and Madras Landmarks Forthcoming bird count events (Continued from page 1) The AASI’s office on Mount Road, the number changing to 38A in the The Madras Naturalists’ Society announces the following events for early 2015: 1950s, was a small art-deco building in a fairly large compound. A petrol bunk occupied the front and this was a landmark of the city for long. It was here that Asian waterbird count 2015 – January 4-25, 2015 Thenneri Tank, Nayapakkam & Vallarpuram the concept of motor sports in South India originated – a race between Rex Briefing Session and Field Training for Volunteers for Lakes, Gudapakkam Lake and Kaveripakkam Strong and K. Varugis, from Chesney Hall on Commander In Chief Road to the Count will be held at 6.30 a.m. on Sunday, Decem- Lake. Catholic Centre, Armenian Street being the catalyst. M.A. Chidambaram, ber 28, 2014 at Tank, enroute to Zone 3: Chennai Southwest & North – covering who was then Chairman of the AASI, felt that it would be better if motor sports from the Junction. Adyar Estuary, IIT Campus, Poondi Lake, had a body of its own and, thus, was born the Madras Motor Sports Club in Like last year, there will be 3 Zones: Pazhaverkadu & Annamalaichery Backwaters, 1954. Zone 1: Chennai South – covering Sholinganallur/ Lake, Mamandur Lake and Chidambaram was to have a long stint as Chairman of the AASI. In the Perumbakkam Marsh, Muttukaud Backwaters, Vedanthangal & Karikkili Bird Sanctuaries. 1980s, he felt that the organisation’s land on Mount Road could be put to good Backwaters, Thayyur Lake, Pongal Bird Count 2015 – January 15 to 18, 2015 commercial use. The AASI shifted temporarily to Rayala Towers while its own Siruthavur Lake, Manamathy Lake, Mudaliar- On any or all of these dates, birds from anywhere, any building was pulled down to make way for a well designed commercial structure kuppam & Cheyyur Backwaters and number of times in a day, but for a minimum of 15 – the AASI Complex, with P.T. Krishnan as the architect. The American Marsh. minutes each time. Express Bank funded most of the construction and thereby came to lease a large Zone 2: Chennai West – covering Chembarambakkam Chennai Bird Race 2015 – Sunday, January 25, 2015 part of the building. The AASI retains a floor for its own use, but passers-by Lake, Amarambedu Lake, Manimangalam Lake, The 8th Edition of the Chennai Bird Race will take mostly identified the building with the Bank. The AASI today has 14 branches Pillaipakkam Lake, Tank, place on Sunday, January 25, 2015. all over South India and over 20,000 members.

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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.