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Registered with the Reg. No. TN/CH(C)/374/18-20 Registrar of Newspapers Licenced to post without prepayment for India under R.N.I. 53640/91 Licence No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-506/18-20 Publication: 1st & 16th of every month Rs. 5 per copy (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) INSIDE Short ‘N’ Snappy Madras Week programmes V.R. Lakshminarayanan Mrs. YGP The Coppersmith & the Tulip tree www.madrasmusings.com WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS CHENNAI Vol. XXIX No. 9 August 16-31, 2019 The City has already begun celebrating Cake-cutting during one of the Madras Week events with staff of Taj but is it enough? Connemara, S. Muthiah, Vincent D’Souza, Mohan Raman and Sashi Nair. Madras Week too appears to be considering that they are at best can still be a niche event, so toeing the same line – the same volunteers with other vocations can Madras Week after a mere by The Editor faces be it catalysts or partici- as their day jobs. The catalysts 15. And we don’t want it to be pants and even assuming a total themselves often end up as elitist but require some enthusi- he Chief would have been This year too, Madras of 150 events and a 100 people bottlenecks. asts to show us the way. happy. During his time, Musings will have its set of eight in each (a gross exaggeration), What is required is for the T Actually, a few are already Madras Day had metamor- talks featuring well-known not more than 15,000 people people wanting to celebrate doing that. Vinitha Siddharth’s phosed into Madras Week and personalities, at some of the at most, which is a ridiculously to understand that they can Kreeda, which specialises in later Madras Month. This year, prominent hotels in the city. small figure for a city of this size. do anything they want by way traditional Indian games is in what seems a fitting tribute to The other regular celebrants How is this celebration to be of celebration and need not organising contests and the his memory, celebrations began are all there too – the Press broad based? look for approval from the proceeds from these will go in July itself, what with a couple Institute, the Madras Literary One of the strengths, and catalysts. towards introducing these of organisations declaring that Society, INTACH, Nizhal, the weaknesses, of Madras Week And there are the critics sports in Corporation Schools they preferred an early start so Madras Local History Group, is the complete absence of or- who keep harping on how Ma- so that a 100 teams can be that they do not clash with oth- and so many others. The usual ganisers, sponsors or any talk of dras Week is elitist. To this we participating in next year’s er events during the peak of the complement of walks, exhibi- money. Here it differs markedly have only one counter – we Madras Week. And Rajith Nair celebrations in August. That tions, book releases and similar from the Music Season. On celebrate the way we know best. is taking groups of people from bit of logic is so similar to what programmes are all there. The the one hand it makes for very If there are other ways to do it, South Chennai to Royapuram some sabhas that observe the question is, is this enough? easy running and allows for which would lead to more peo- to show them Avvai Kalai Music Season in November it- One of the criticisms often spontaneity. On the other it ple joining in, we would be hap- Kazhagam where a museum self say in their defence. And so levelled at the Music Season is confuses people wanting to cel- py for someone to show us the to Srinivasa Ramanujan func- is Madras Week becoming like that it caters to the same audi- ebrate but lacking in direction. way. Leading by example is far tions. Way to go Vinitha and the December extravaganza? It ence and at its peak does not They keep coming back to the better than sitting and carping Rajith, and may your tribe is still early days but we appear have more than 20,000 people band of catalysts and that puts over a situation. If after 93 years increase. to be well on our way there. at best at the various venues. enormous pressure on the latter, the December Music Season by A Special Madras Week – what to expect Correspondent had enough to show around in ver hundred programmes, this year in the IT corridor and beyond. 30 walks? What is there to see Oput together by 33 organi- That too looks like a different in Chennai beyond the Marina sations, entities and individuals Chennai. Will Madras Week be Beach was a common refrain. – that defines Madras Week also brings to light areas for after year? And then there are able to make a mark in that new Those leading heritage walks in this year in a nutshell. The improvement. the plans to bridge the north- Chennai? the city can give a fitting reply Chief, had he been around, Water, as is to be expected, south divide. Vincent D’Souza The walks are increasing in to such comments. How does would have been delighted to occupies centre stage with sev- is asking for volunteers to bring number year after year. This anyone walk in the Chennai see this kind of a response. And eral programmes – panel discus- school children from North time around, the brochure it- heat was another crib. Well, the programmes are for all age sions, walks and talks focusing Chennai to south of Fort St self indicates 30 of them, and you just need to see how many groups, and no, we are not just around it. Will Madras Week George and vice versa. Perhaps we are sure there are many people set off on these voyages indulging in nostalgia. Much come up with some concrete the time has come for the same more private tours that do not of discovery to realise that it of it celebrates the Chennai plans and suggestions on how to be done between those resid- seek to advertise. Who would can be done. May Chennai soon of here and now and carefully the crisis can be tackled, year ing in the core city and the ones have thought that Chennai (Continued on page 2) C M Y K 2 MADRAS MUSINGS August 16-31, 2019 What is expected Praise the Lord this year? he Man from Madras she braved it again, this time 2. Did Pacchayappa Mu- TMusings is well aware with better results. There daliar bathe in the Cooum? that he is laying himself open were others who informed – Not having been close (Continued from page 1) who have survived to tell their to attacks of every kind. In MMM with wonder about enough to the old man to tale. particular he knows full well terminally pregnant women hand him his towel when And in all this we are not have a hundred walks to com- that the first comment would and mothers with babes in he emerged in the all to- including media coverage in memorate Madras Week. Delhi be on whether MMM would arms who were pushing and gether from the waters, conventional and social plat- has done it but that was with ever dare to write in this jostling their way in. MMM MMM does not know. forms – those are additional and its several centuries of history. vein had this been a festival can only wonder at the faith 3. Why can we not get that is where the real buzz is. If Chennai can pull it off, it will of a minority community. To that moves these people. back to the good old Brit- The newspapers and television be a real achievement. that MMM has only this to Rather akin to school ish days when there was channels are all busy preparing Any event can be termed a say – he is entitled to com- admissions, the hunt is on boating on the Cooum? stories on Chennai – docu- success only if it brings in the ment precisely because he among the BC for VIPs they First of all there were no menting areas, institutions and young. Madras Week has had is a member of the majority could cajole into parting with “good old British days” and high achievers to give just a its dedicated supporters by community. And from what passes. A High Court judge secondly, there was never few examples. There are solo way of some of the schools in little he has seen of oth- or an IAS officer will be any boating on the Cooum artistes on social media, put- the city. This year promises to er religions in the country, of help, a Minister would until a post-Independence ting up nuggets of information have them in strength. There most events of this kind be even better. To know a Chief Minister introduced it. about Chennai. Do you follow are exhibitions, photo contests, degenerate into the same Police Officer at the venue 4. What do you think Karthik Bhatt on Facebook? presentations and quizzes, all kind of chaos as this one. means a sure entry, though of Madras Bhashai sir? You Do so now is our advice. He dedicated to the city. What a Religion has very little to do an exit is not guaranteed. really want MMM to an- has for the past few weeks been corpus of work these will bring with it.