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  My Story/My T Nagar  Remembering R.J. Shahaney  To MS, with gratitude  Madras Week Quizzes

www.madrasmusings.com WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS CHENNAI Vol. XXX No. 7 September 16-30, 2020 Chennai under HERITAGE WATCH The Madras Literary Society Building ­‘Unlock 4’ – what now? he question that is upper- anyway. There are others who Was the hand of the Tmost in the minds of most wonder as to why we went into Govern­ment, Central and residents of the city is whether a lockdown when numbers State, forced into opening there is any lockdown at all in were low and why we are open- up? Most certainly – by the place. Yes, those with school ing up now, when the figures demands of the economy. As a and college-going children do for infected cases remains at a city we operate on a dynamic know that educational instit­ steady high. There are however model – we can function only if utions are still out of bounds no answers. The lockdown was everything works. Metropolises for physical attendance. The such as ours were not designed Nestled in one corner of the Directorate of Public Instructions entertainment industry is still for shutdowns. There are many campus on College Road is the Madras Literary Society. Its origins  under lockdown, at least that by The Editor who depend on a daily wage go back by 200 years, for it was meant to be the library of the College part of it that involves screen- and they have already been of Fort St George, which operated from this campus and gave the ing or performing to a live pushed to desperation and road its name. The MLS was the fount of intellectual thought for audience. But that is about it. necessary for the Government more. Sadly, these are also the the entire Presidency and was more or less the equivalent of the For the rest, it is life as usual, as and those in the health sector very same people who are most Asiatic Societies of Bengal and Bombay. In its initial years it was it was before March 2020. With to prepare for a sharp rise in likely to contract this dreaded a part of the College building and then, after peregrinating it came one difference – the threat of statistics. We are told that this disease. Preaching social or back early in the 20th century to its old location but with a new Covid is forever hanging over- has been achieved. This is not physical distancing to them is a building constructed specially for it. It was most likely designed head, rather like the proverbial believed by several but at this cruel joke. They do not live and by Henry Irwin, for many of its design features match those of the sword of Damocles. stage, it is better to go with work in environments where Connemara Public Library and the Museum Theatre. an element of trust. There is There are many who such a luxury is possible. At the Accorded Grade 1 status by the High Court of Madras, the nothing achieved by negative feel that nothing much was building itself is in reasonable condition, though what privations thinking and being suspicious. achieved by the lockdown (Continued on page 2) it is likely to suffer owing to a high-rise construction happening alongside and which will cut it off from the road is not known. The structure is maintained by the PWD. It is however the library which is by itself in a perilous condition. With a shoestring budget and a falling membership, its collection of rare books face a very dark TMRL – back on track after­ future. The current pandemic has also meant fewer footfalls and renewals of memberships. A young band of diehard supporters are doing their best to keep it going but it needs more help. We request readers of Madras Musings to help it by way of donations. Those a 5-month hiatus interested can contact [email protected] ith the lockdown grad- September 8th compared to vices resume. City authorities­ Wually lifting in Chennai, 11,734 on August 8th. must take the necessary­ steps it remains to be seen how the It’s admittedly a small to ensure that preventive mea- city will handle free public ­improvement and a deeper sures are upheld by the public movement even as it contin- trend analysis will probably give uncompromisingly. Their cam- ues to battle the pandemic. a more accurate picture; how- paign to contain the pandemic A layman’s analysis of data ever, an optimistic person may ­continues – fever camps are published by the Tamil Nadu being conducted across the government seems to give city and the GCC will report- hope.  by A Staff edly continue its strategy of For instance, the city’s pos- Correspondent aggressive testing and close itivity rate, which had hit a monitoring of the home quar- high of 10.7 per cent on Au- antined. For its part, CMRL gust 22nd, came down to 7.8 consider this a step in the right is also taking multiple steps per cent on September 5th. direction. The bigger concern in this regard as it cautiously Additionally, the number of lies in ensuring that the ab- resumes operations this month persons undergoing treatment sence of the lockdown doesn’t after a 5-month hiatus. (including home treatment) throw caution to the wind as was seen to dip to 11,029 on public spaces reopen and ser- (Continued on page 2) 2 MADRAS MUSINGS September 16-30, 2020 WHAT NOW – AFTER ‘UNLOCK 4’ Mangosteen Musings

(Continued from page 1) he lockdown has given consider the colour of the fruit, his frown. The only difference of masks is probably the least Trise to several unsolvable for it was full of what is referred being that MMM, what with expensive and most effective mysteries as far as The Man to as purple prose. But what receiving many Government other end of the spectrum, the way of keeping the virus at from Madras Musings is con- took the cake was a sentence communiques has hardly any State too needs its daily wages, bay. And yet, most residents cerned. Who for instance are that said that mangosteens had hair left, brown or otherwise. by way of taxation revenue. It of Chennai do not appear to the people who ring your door- a Socratic flavour – something Anyway, to get back to the has its running costs that have appreciate this. You only need bell? There was a time when that MMM is yet to make sense COVID figures released by to be met. And for this it needs to see the number of bare you could identify the local out of. His first impulse was to the Government, there are the city to function. butcher, baker and candle- throw the gift away, for when some very reassuring aspects faces, others with masks hang- stick maker even from a dis- you think Socrates, hemlock to them. Rather like the pric- As of now, all the services ing around necks or dangling tance. But now they all appear is usually the next to come ing strategy of a well-known and places that experience from an ear or nestling in the masked and you never know to mind. Was this like some shoe company, the numbers public congregation have crook of an elbow. Why is this who is calling. If you thought Trojan horse? Anyway, MMM always hover just below a opened up – transport systems, simplest of rules not followed? you could identify them by and good lady did not know psychological level. The total malls, places of worship and The excuses are many and the their voice, forget it, for they what you did with the fruit and cases reported is always just open recreational spaces. The worst of all is the quoting of all mumble into their masks. so they decided to keep it in short of 6,000, the number first unlocked Sunday, Sep- some unknown study that says If fact the only way you know storage for a day or two. in the city is just below 1,000 tember 6, saw people thronging masks are useless in the face of they are saying something is The next day, MMM was and the number of fatalities is the last named. A day earlier, a the virus. Are Chennai people by noticing the way the mask roused from his afternoon always in a high double digit, prominent mall in the city had keeps bobbing around the nap by cries of “Saar…Saar… a tad shy of the nineties. Yes, so undisciplined that even this vicinity of the lips. No wonder Saar”. Looking out, he found we do know Tamil Nadu has to close down within hours of basic hygiene requirement is MMM sees so many walking the same masked man. It was been a consistent perform- opening as it could not man- beyond them? Sadly, it would around bare faced – they must like something out of the mov- er across many fronts, but age the influx of people. The appear to be so. And so, if the be sick and tired of trying to ie Amadeus. Had he come so consistent a performance people cannot be blamed – for numbers spike, we have only make sense through masks. bearing more fruit? On the even in epidemic ratings is how long could they remain ourselves to blame. When this is the fate of contrary, he had come to take somewhat startling. But there cooped up at home? There is Covid is a merciless virus even familiar faces, what kind back the basket, and the fruits. are now some naysayers who a limit to being entertained by that respects none. As of now of reception do strangers hope He had apparently made a have begun to doubt these the electronic medium. there is no vaccine for it. But it for when they need to perforce mistake and had delivered figures. There has been a All of this is understand- call on people? MMM includes it at Chez MMM when all newspaper report too ask- can be kept at bay by our taking in this the band of couriers, along it was meant for someone ing as to how these numbers able. But what is not is lack of to wearing of masks and wash- handymen and errand boys of else who was a namesake of are more or less rock steady. discipline among people. It has ing of hands with soap. Let us various kinds. At Chez MMM MMM’s good lady. That ended There are however draw- been shown that the wearing resolve to do this from today. for instance all of these people MMM’s tryst with Socratic backs to this consistency. Just prefer to stand outside the mangosteens. He is yet to make as a person who leads a seden- gate and yell “Saar..Saar… sense of that description by the tary life is prone to palpitations Saar,” in increasing volumes way. And his good lady is still if he has to run to catch a Back on track after a until someone notices. The pondering over who sent them bus or avoid a dog, so too has first Saar is often nothing in the first place. MMM been led into a certain more than a soothing murmur, complacence as far as these 5-month hiatus muffled by the masks, and then numbers are concerned. And when it produces no results, SHORT ’N’ so, when the figures on certain (Continued from page 1) train stoppage time has been the subsequent ones, after the SNAPPY odd days do rise higher than increased from 20 seconds to mask is removed accompanied the Plimsoll line so to speak, The blue line, which oper- 50 seconds, to help passengers by muffled oaths, are much he goes into a tizzy and looks ates between the Airport metro board or alight from the train louder. Fortunately the room The numbers game on the darker side. The reverse while observing safe social where MMM works and types ach evening, a friend for- is also true – on days when station and the Washermanpet his daily quota of words over- the numbers dip somewhat, metro station, began running distancing. Ewards that day’s statistics looks the gate and so MMM is for COVID19 as released MMM goes singing about on September 7th while the Chennai Metro has also often the first person to know the house. All said and done, green line, which runs between launched a couple of new ini- by the Government of Tamil of a caller. Nadu. The Man from Madras there is not a dull day with the St. Thomas Mount station tiatives to render contactless Thus it was the other day this virus. But as they say, too services to its passengers, such Musings eagerly awaits this and Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. when a man began his clar- missive and then for the rest many shocks to the system M.G. Ramachandran central as a travel card reader ma- ion shouts for Saar. MMM of the day, his mood fluctu- are not good and MMM looks metro station commenced op- chine. These are available at on venturing into the veran- ates from sunny to downright forward to the day when the erations on September 9th. each station so that travellers dah found a masked stranger overcast based on what he virus will be a thing of the past waiting without, rather like – with or without a vaccine. Of course, service resumption need not form queues in front has seen. His good lady, also of ticket counters or vending a character out of Alexander known as She Who Must Be comes with a few changes to Dumas. He, the stranger and accommodate the safety and machines. CMRL has also Obeyed takes a far more bal- Tailpiece not MMM, was brandishing anced view and remains obliv- convenience of passengers. introduced contactless QR a basket of some kind, which f late the offices of ­Madras Trains will run from 7.00 ticketing, where passengers ious of fluctuations – in the Musings receive a lot of he through more gesture than figures and in MMM’s moods. O a.m. – 9.00 p.m. in response to can book tickets and buy passes word, indicated was meant to emails and so The Man from She does not worry about ei- Madras Musings was pleas- requests from IT professionals of their choice on the CMRL be handed over. And so MMM ther – the figures or MMM’s and office goers. The stations mobile app through QR codes. went out to meet the bearer antly surprised to receive mood swings. And that is that. this postcard for a change. It are equipped with hand san- Travellers with smart cards and having signed for the bas- Now MMM does not share can top up balance on the ket, brought it in. He found touched M and other people at itizers and thermal scanning in this equanimity. He belongs MM that someone had taken CMRL mobile app or web- a sticker that had the name to that type to whom anything facilities at the entry to iden- of his good lady, also known the pains to send a card just tify affected passengers; those site, as well as view additional from the Government requires to acknowledge receipt of the as She Who Must Be Obeyed attention and immediate anal- showing symptoms of the virus details like smart card usage and realized it was a gift for magazine. Thanks friend, and or recording a high tempera- balance, available trips, top-up ysis, including property tax, may your tribe increase. her. Of the sender’s identity income tax, water tax and ture will not be allowed entry. and travel history etc. there was no clue. The basket, While the authorities take other such demands, all of The usage of face masks has on MMM’s good lady opening which even before they give also been made mandatory. the necessary steps to ensure it, was found to contain what you details of amount due spell Additionally, CMRL has im- safety after the lockdown, one appeared on first sight to be a out the penalties in case you plemented various measures hopes that citizens will take collection of beetroots. There don’t pay. Despite having read cognizance of the fact that we they were, all purple and allur- those threats for years, MMM to establish social distancing ing. Only on touch they proved between passengers. Travel- are still battling a pandemic. A still cannot control a tremor of to be squashy and on closer the hand and a faster beating lers are asked to maintain the worrisome trend is that pub- inspection they turned out to recommended six feet distance lic usage of masks and safety of the heart each time the be something else altogether. Government chooses to com- between each other and the measures like social distancing A card lay at the bottom and has been dipping. With public municate with him. In matters usage of lifts has been restrict- it revealed these to be man- of Governmental communica- ed to senior citizens and the transport services back on gosteens, a kind of fruit about tions, MMM is like Ben Bolt’s disabled. Alternate train seats track, CMRL’s measures are which MMM and his good lady Sweet Alice with hair so brown are earmarked with an ‘X’ to the need of the hour; one had all along been ignorant. who trembled with delight at remind passengers not to sit too hopes that it is enforced strictly The card was rather ap- his smile and wept with fear at – MMM propriately worded when you close to each other. Further, the among passengers.

Tailpiece The lead article in this issue of Madras Musings, on the manner in which our city’s civic body is barricading people afflicted with Covid brings to the mind of the Man from Madras Musings another aspect of it. Usually, people would give such houses a miss and stay far from it. Not so however those who paste posters. They have been using these barricades as convenient surfaces for their trade. And the most common ones to be pasted are the handbills adver- tising the telecom services of a man who even in these times has managed to become the fifth richest in the world. There is no holding down some people. September 16-30, 2020 MADRAS MUSINGS 3

My Story/My T. Nagar Barricading Houses Editor’s Note – The Police has recently asked residents to ­record place, precious lives of the residents are in grave danger. our view on Barricading on audio/video/paper the issues they face in their localities.­ Following the fire in a textile showroom on Usman Road YHouses is very sensible. This document reflects what most colonies in the city face. sometime ago, the residents of the close-by streets were told Such a tactic truly belongs to by the authorities to stay away. That the residents had to the middle ages. Hope the con- t will be foolhardy to visualize a T Nagar of yore now. For, those abandon their homes and had to fend for themselves, with cerned authorities learn from Iwere days when life was at its slow pace without much of traf- no agency or the complex owner coming forward to their aid, the Bangalore example. fic, business activities, population, pollution of any kind, or high- needs mention. rise buildings. There were only independent single ­contiguous l The commercial complex owners have been on a mission to houses. Therefore, a long-time resident of T Nagar can at best acquire flats in the residential apartments in an effort to eject Salim Khakhi only live now in despair and rejoice thinking of the good old days. [email protected] the residents out of T Nagar. Once they acquire a residential Today, T Nagar has undergone a sea change. While no one building, they get the same certified as commercial. The role Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, cribs about the developments taking place in this predominantly of the CMDA in this regard is noteworthy. Once the area Bengaluru continues to put up residential area even today, as they are but necessary, it has in its becomes commercial, it will be of advantage to the purchaser barricades. wake wrought havoc, which the long-time residents abhor. Though in many ways. Though the CMDA states that it goes through many outsiders may feel that those living in T Nagar are blessed the due process, in the absence of any dissemination of the Open book examination ones as they can get anything at any time, just as it is said that only information about the change in the land use, even the res- the wearer of the shoe knows where it pinches, the residents alone idents living nearby come to know only after everything is agree with the suggestion over. of N.S. Venkataraman can feel the disadvantages and mayhem caused by such mindless I developments. The following are a few which needs mention: l Under the Smart City Mission, the authorities are carrying (MM: Sep. 1st, 2020) to try out work. It remains to be seen whether these will indeed Open Book Examination, as l Encroachments of the highest order. make T Nagar really ‘smart’. For, T Nagar has become now ­recommended by the late Sir l Multi-storeyed commercial buildings built in violation of a role model for all the wrong things and how a city should CP. In fact, it is practised in the rules, and, without any kind of fire safety norms. not be. Departmental examinations l An unsolicited precious gift from the Chennai Corporation l While service lanes are usually made available for public of some State Governments, – The elevated road level, arising out of relaying of the road transport system, the ones on Usman Road, where the which I too had an occasion over and above the surface, without milling, exposing the encroachment is at its worst, are unfit even for a stroll. On to write. decades-old residential apartments, whose floor level at the the western end service lane of Usman Road, a Government There is yet another type of time of construction was about three-to four-feet above the Girls High School is located. Though the said school is creat- examination – purely oral and road level, to floods. ing records by producing cent per cent results year after year, some professors may combine it l The dysfunctional stormwater drains which add to the mis- the surprise is that it is functioning with a strength which is with a written paper prepared eries of the residents. far less than its capacity. The reason for such a poor patron- age is that the parents are afraid of admitting their wards into at home. This was the practice l Streets/Roads turning into parking bay for the shoppers’ a school which is surrounded by encroachment. The school in the University of Brussels vehicles. sought the help of this Association,­ after having exhausted where I specialised in EU mat- l Though the residents are the prime stakeholders of T Nagar all avenues through its sources. Though this Association had ters and obtained a post-grad- by virtue of their stay, they are not consulted whenever any chipped in with its best by way of ­escalating the issue to the uate degree. There were about project is taken up. higher authorities and also through the Press, nothing much twenty subjects apart from a l Footpaths which are meant for the pedestrians are nowhere could be done. It will not be a surprise, if the authorities de- thesis. I honestly thought that to be seen as they are hijacked/encroached upon by the ven- cide to shut the school due to poor patronage least realising the oral examinations would dors/hawkers forcing the public to walk on the road. the real cause. l be easy. But I found it difficult l The high-level encroachment both by the vendors/hawkers In the month of February 2020, all of a sudden, two ration because in a written exam- and the commercial establishments on Ranganathan Street shops hitherto functioning from a premises owned and op- ination, one could glide over has forced the authorities to build a sky-walk at a whopping erated by the TUCS off Rameswaram Road, were shifted, some difficult problems and cost of Rs.32 crores least realising that the street could be without any notice to the cardholders, to a building located the benefit of doubt is given to recovered by removing the encroachments at no cost what- on Mambalam High Road. This new building violates rules and has been constructed on the foot path. While at the old the candidate, whereas in an soever. While one has to wait and watch as to whether the said sky-walk will become another Ranganathan Street over building, as it was far away from the main road, the cardhold- oral examination, the professor ers have had no problem, at the new premises, they have to stops you and questions you a period of time, the going ahead with the sky-walk only indicates the resolve of the authorities not to meddle with bear the sun and shine and also stand on the road, risking bringing out your ignorance! the present status quo ante at Ranganathan Street. their lives and limbs, as it witnesses heavy traffic. In all this, everything l Almost all streets have become parking bays for all those who ­depends upon honesty. Since l Ranganathan Street, which unruly crowds besiege on all days and specially on holidays and festival days, is a ticking visit T Nagar. Since the commercial complexes do not have this is a rare commodity, the time bomb as none of the shops has fire safety mechanisms. space to park vehicles of their customers, the shoppers turn UPSC changes the number In case of any untoward incidents taking place, it will be to the nearby residential streets and park their vehicles. This so that the examiner does not disastrous, as, with the encroachments, it will be next to severely restricts the movement of the residents. The senior know the candidate whose impossible to escape. It will be impossible for the fire tenders citizens find it difficult to go for a walk in their streets for paper he is correcting. or ambulances to make way into the street. In any case, the fear of safety and security as vehicles whizz past. I was told by a high- street needs to be rid of encroachment at least to provide If at all the residents, braving all these imponderables stay ly ­respected English profes- safety and security to the shoppers and others working in put, it is because of moorings to the place. While it is said that sor that a highly respected the various shops/establishments. what cannot be cured has to be endured, here though there is a Vice-Chancellor used to call l Encroachment by the commercial establishments – Thanks cure, the authorities do not want to try at all. This is nothing but another highly respected to Corporation turning a blind eye, encroachment by these an abdication of responsibility by the law enforcing authorities. ­English professor to his office entities has been on the rise. As a result, the pubic space is We must emphasize that “The Residents’ Right to Live Cannot to replace the answer-books getting narrowed, impeding the traffic. be Denied”. of some influential examinees! l Since the residential complexes are sandwiched between the T Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association So there are exams and exams! commercial complexes, in case of any fire accidents taking 30, Rangan Street, T. Nagar, Chennai 600 017

Dr. G. Sundaram, ias (r), A601, Dugar Apartments Keshava Perumal Puram leave the classroom during in- am 80 years young and do not an evil, but a necessary evil. sity a bright gem. The teacher Greenways Road ternal exams and used to come make me feel I am 80 years old.” ­Several Education Commis- had recommended one of his Chennai 600 028 back to collect answer sheets. sions have recommended students for admission into the Al. Chandramouli Though students can refer the ­reform of examination system, medical course. The student * * * Retired General Manager, IOB propos the article of N.S. book for the answers, questions Ahuja Regency but with little effect. flunked in the interview. The AVenkatraman on the will be such, you could not No 1, Temple Street, Kilpauk Now the new trend is to teacher found that the stu- above subject, I would like to copy from the books but had to Chennai 600010 have an entrance test for a dent had lost his father on the add that I was also a student be thorough with the subjects course or job. The system has morning of the interview and of Annamalai University from to answer the questions. This * * * led to proliferation of com- informed the university which 1965 to 1967. Dr. Sir C.P. was was the system encouraged by read with interest the ac- mercially operating coach- gave another opportunity to the Vice-Chancellor who used Sir C.P. Icount of N.S. Venkataraman ing centers. In Newcastle, I the student. The result was the to encourage Open Book Ex- To add here, as second year on Sir CP’s views on examina- came across a letter from the letter of thanks. Can we ever amination System. Encouraged students of M.Sc Geology, we tions. Long back, I came across Vice-chancellor of the Uni- dream of such a thing? by this, Dr. Rajagopalan, Read- went to invite Sir C.P. for his a book titled Examination of versity of Leeds to the science S.S.Rajagopalan er of Geology Department used 80th Birthday which he politely Examinations. The author con- teacher of a high school thank- T.30, Kamarajar Street to give us question papers and declined saying: “I thought I cludes that examination is ing him for giving the univer- Chennai 600093

Tailpiece The lead article in this issue of Madras Musings, on the manner in which our city’s civic body is barricading people afflicted with Covid brings to the mind of the Man from Madras Musings another aspect of it. Usually, people would give such houses a miss and stay far from it. Not so however those who paste posters. They have been using these barricades as convenient surfaces for their trade. And the most common ones to be pasted are the handbills adver- tising the telecom services of a man who even in these times has managed to become the fifth richest in the world. There is no holding down some people. 4 MADRAS MUSINGS September 16-30, 2020 September 16-30, 2020 MADRAS MUSINGS 5 Remembering TRIBUTE To MS, CITY LIGHTS R.J. Shahaney with gratitude­ Mylapore vs. ith the passing away last worked and trained in the UK. did not faze him. He pushed for Wweek of Ram J. Shahaney, He returned to India to work expansion to 15,000 commercial l M.S. Subbulakshmi was born the most melodious (for un- happy Marainda koondil irundu Triplicane Chairman Emeritus, Ashok for Jessops India, a public sector vehicles. There were industry on September 16, 1916. We pub- trained ears) of concerts, but to the hauntingly sad Udal Leyland (AL), an era comes company, which among other people who thought he was lish this article as a tribute to a a mere pedestrian “enjoyer” of uruga. The most popular was of to an end. An era of giants things manufactured wagons. foolhardy. great artiste. quality, wholesome music. The course the melodious Kaatrini- l We thank reader and contributor Karthik Bhatt for of automobile­ industry who Old timers recall that in those Shahaney’s passion was tech- tanding on the balcony of fact is, I have to perhaps thank ley. For me the songs provided ­locating this gem by N.S. Ramaswami that appeared in a were not bogged down by the early days Shahaney was seen as nology. He understood finance Shis house, a four year old MS for even that modest ability. much needed release from the 1956 issue of the magazine Swarajya. Is there still a rivalry restrictions placed on them by the last of the English managing equally well. AL under him was humming the tuneful notes It was a fortunate coinci- forbidding shackles of the newly between Mylapore & Thiruvallikeni? a Socialist government. The directors. He was of the stiff became a pioneer in coming out of Kaatriniley Varum Geetam, dence for me that my early started school routine. It has been said that every man born is either a Platonist bureaucrats seemed to have had upper lip type, a workaholic and with new products, new technol- the latest MS hit from the film formative years coincided with The forties were as eventful or an Aristotelian. A more valid division of humanity will no clue about the demands of an led by example. And working ogy. The company was the first to Meera, blissfully unaware that one of the most critical phases in the history of the nation as perhaps be that it pertains to either Mylapore or Triplicane. industrialising nation. Shahaney in Madras could not have been introduce air brakes , multi-axle his solo performance was being in MS’s career, when she tran- they were to a child born into These are not mere geographical divisions, but two ways of had the audacity to think big easy for him in the early days. He trucks and many others in the keenly watched from behind scended from being an out- and growing up in that de- life. It adds to the piquancy of living in Madras City that these even in those difficult times. was an outsider in a city where country. It was thought of as by his musically savvy grand- standing exponent of Carnatic cade. The War, the Quit India two concepts should be diametrically opposed to each other. He knew that AL could not be big business was dominated by quite revolutionary then. Shah- mother, mother and a couple music, catering to a predom- Movement, the Evacuation of Triplicane lies to the north of Mylapore, for the intervening area of Royapettah is of neither of the two philosophies in the constrained and had to grow. family groups who were close aney tied up with Hino Motors of aunts. The applause that inantly discriminative, albeit Madras, the Partition, the run local, audience to a popular up to Independence and finally midst of which it impertinently ekes out an existence. This very Ashok Leyland, the coun- to each other. However it was of Japan to upgrade the engines. followed however brought the contiguity has promoted a tempest of inimical passion, between try’s second largest commercial because of AL that groups like When the government started impromptu performance to a singer of national prominence. the assassination of Mahatma the true Mylaporean and the genuine denizen of Triplicane. But, vehicle manufacturer, was set the TVS moved to ­Chennai to relaxing a bit, he planned AL’s bashful and abrupt end. The vehicle that launched her Gandhi provided the tumul- being above all polite persons, they express their incompatibility up in 1954 in Madras. Raghu- start auto component manufac- expansion into Hosur, Alwar and That was not my first brush on to the national stage was un- tuous back drop against which by means of mutual sneers, innuendoes and sarcasm. Never nandan Saran, a freedom fighter turing. Together with AL, they ­Bhandara. This was considered with MS’s music. Family lore doubtedly the Hindi version of Madurai Shanmukhavadivu has there occured any physical combat between them, though from Punjab was asked by the hours a day and was travelling And how his vehicles were bet- has it that, as a toddler, the the film Meera. It was, however Subbulakshmi became MS and this extreme resort may help them in relieving their feelings. then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal to Delhi at least 3 days a week. ter for Indian roads. He always only way to prevent me from the Tamil original that caught rose to national prominence first The Mylaporean has faults, but in his slightly self-righ- Nehru, to start a commercial  by Every serious businessman had held that unless the government screaming my head off was to my childhood fancy. as the saint poetess in Meera and teous manner he thanks God that his ways are not those of venture. He was given a license Sushila Ravindranath to do the Delhi trek then. I ran put money in road building and play one of the MS ‘plates’ (as To the lyrical genius of then through her soulful ren- the detestable Triplicanite. There is a wide-spread feeling in into him at an industry event, infrastructure, the automobile Kalki Krishnamurthi and the derings of Gandhiji’s favourite the stately homes of Mylapore that the hated neighbour is a to manufacture Austin cars in gramophone records were called charlatan and a pretender to omniscience while his ignorance Punjab. He had already been introduced myself and asked industry won’t grow. He was in those days). The favourites is all too obvious. Triplicane is the true home of pretended negotiating with British Leyland for a meeting. He was amused against AL entering passenger were Kandathundo Kannan pol cleverness, non-existent smartness and alleged ingenuity.  to launch a commercial vehicle laid the foundation for Chennai a disastrous step then. He saw at my persistence. He said he cars. Whatever I know or un- puviyil and Vaanathin meethu by The characteristic Triplicanite would have been a worthy in- unit. This became reality in to become one of the major auto the future and took the right would tell his secretary to fix derstand about the automobile mayil aada kanden – that ever- Balakesari Komattil* dividual and an ornament to society but that nature or the spirit 1954 with state government and hubs in the world. decision. up a date. So I finally ended up industry, I owe it to him. green classic of Subhramanya [email protected] of the times appears to have supervened in his development to institutional support. Leyland Shahaney played no small I met him some time in the meeting him to discuss a feature We did many other features Bharathi. Sometimes, providing higher forms of life and living. He would fain be knowledgeable, role in this. He operated during mid 80’s. The magazine I wrote became a partner. Ashok was on the company. on Ashok Leyland after that. a touch of comedy, this exercise ­musical versatility of S.V. Ven- bhajans such as Vaishnava Jana he is merely a scholiast; he would like to be considered compe- the license permit raj. Com- for, was very keen on doing a the name of Saran’s son and It was always a great ex- One of the most exciting was had to be carried out in the dead kataraman – details which I to and Hari Thum Haro and panies were told how many feature on the company. AL the company was named Ashok perience talking to him. His in 1987, when the company of the night by my mother and learnt much later – MS with the Ram Dhun in her own typ- vehicles they could produce. It was not media friendly. For that Leyland. knowledge on the industry was was about to change hands. an aunt hurriedly relocating her remarkably dexterous and ical South Indian- Hindustani was not easy to raise finance. matter, no company in Madras  by AL had British managing encyclopaedic. I still remember Most British companies were the hand-cranked phonograph mellifluous voice and faultless hybrid style. Not surprisingly, AL’s competitor was Telco, now was. I was warned that Shah- N.S. Ramaswami directors in the early days. Sha- him explaining the difference on the decline then. British to the corner of a spacious diction literally breathed life it is MS’s renderings of the Ma- Tata Motors. At that time AL aney was inaccessible. His very haney was the first Indian MD between a Leyland truck and Leyland was no exception. bathroom, to avoid disturbing into each of the songs in that hatma’s favourites that evoke manufactured 12,000 vehicles polite secretary would put me off who joined the company in a Telco truck, basically the It put Ashok Leyland on the my short-tempered grandfather. most musical of films: songs, in me memories even today of to Telco’s 40,000. Telco was by saying he was busy. This was 1978. A mechanical engineer difference between Leyland and block. There were many con- But then, the MS effect was the which even a pre-schooler, the passing away of Gandhiji, tent and ingenious, but most likely he descends to be a trickster. clearly the big brother. That actually true. He was working 18 who grew up In Calcutta, he Mercedes Benz technologies. tenders. Every takeover ty- same anywhere! could enjoy. Whether it was as they first did to me as a first- Many forms of activity suffer a sea-change in that locality. coon of those days was after it. With such early exposure to the nostalgia-evoking Andha grader seven decades ago. Such, it is often argued in the boudoirs of Mylapore, is the The Chhabria, ­Mallya names the music of one of the brightest naalum vandhidatho in simple Today, I still cannot distin- gravamen of the charge against the Triplicanite. It is difficult to were bandied about. Rahul stars of Carnatic music firma- alliterative Tamil or the exu- guish a todi from a khamboji, say whether this is justified. What is undoubted is that there has long subsisted an irreconcilable enmity between the two areas. Bajaj was a serious bidder. The ment at that time, one might berantly evocative Giridhara yet I can sit through a classical then rather mysterious Hindu- have thought that my musical This will scarcely cause any surprise; for, nothing can be more Courtesy, during Covid Gopala in chaste Sanskrit or concert quietly lapping up the galling or irritating to pontificating intellectualism than irrever- jas were also in the running. talents would have blossomed the joyful chorus of Kannan music; I am more comfort- ent scepticism. The dreadful truth – Mylapore can never forgive s Chennai opened out post lockdown, I ventured to visit tions, I started taking share autos. Now I am happy buses I am sure Shahaney was part into something more than the leelaigal seivaane, it was difficult able listening to a Thyagaraja it – is that the pretensions of Mylapore are rejected in Triplicane, Aan office in the Guindy Industrial Estate. The ‘security’ (in are plying but I am taking all the precautions” he stated. of the process but he was not ordinary. That, however, was to separate Meera and MS or so Bhagavatar, a Saigal or a Pankaj which would set up a tradition and an authority of its own. office parlance he is generally called security by anyone who “I have a daughter and son both studying in college. I gave the saying anything. Bajaj was the not to be. So, here I am to- it seemed to an impressionable Mullick or to the strains of a Intellectualism sits enthroned in Mylapore, but it is apt to be wants some work done from him) stopped me at the entrance. phone I was using to my son for his studies and I am using an ordinary hot favourite,­ but the Hindujas­ day, not even a head-nodding, child. MS covered the whole Lalgudi’s violin, a Ravi Shan- self-righteous. It is convinced that the moon shines more bright- A tall lanky man, he asked me the purpose of my visit. “Wait phone. My daughter has her own phone,” he shared about his family. ­finally got it. Shahaney thigh-slapping connossieur, who ly in its area than elsewhere in the world, a conceit for which Madam, you will have to go to the second floor. Let me enquire range of emotions musically in kar’s sitar or the piano notes of He then talked about the Covid situation.“These times are ­continued to lead the company. can disdainfully pick holes into songs as varied as the soaringly a Beethoven composition – in Plutarch’s Athenian has been laughed at. It has decided to its about this”. He went inside and returned quickly. You will own satisfaction, if not that of many others, that it represents have to wait outside. Our staff will come and see you here”. not normal, Madam. Everyone who is coming here is so aware Ashok Leyland is today one of short, any music that is elevat- of the situation. I have also tried to adapt to the situation.” My the world’s largest commercial the quintessence of culture and learning. It is scarcely aware I waited under a large shady tree. The skies were quite dark and ing rather than titillating. If it is of the existence of such barbarian lands as Nungambakkam mind had conjured up that he would be talking of Covid again. vehicle, truck and bus manufac- true that one’s basic character cloudy and a gentle wind lowered the temperatures. I asked his “I keep a bottle of water for people who visit and I ask them if and Kodambakkam; it has a nodding acquaintance with the name. “Rajesh”, he said. “Madam you can sit here”, he said point- turers in the world. All thanks is shaped predominantly by the other resorts of the bourgeoisie, Mambalam and Adyar. But it ing to a plastic stool. Do people visit the office, I asked. “Yes mad- to Shahaney’s vision and the influences during first four to is certain that it has not so much as heard of such unregenerate am, lots of people visit. This is a finance office you see. Sometimes foundation he laid. For all his five years of one’s life, then I, a Ethiopias as George Town or Muthialpet. It is firmly convinced it becomes so busy that I eat my morning tiffin in the afternoon.”  by achievements he remained a ‘classical’ ignoramus, would like that the centre of the world runs through Luz Church Road. “Earlier three of us would be in front office. Now I am only Latha Ramaseshan man of few words, non-flamboy- to believe that MS unwittingly More Penguin books are sold and read in Mylapore than in any one manning this desk,” he explained. I stayed at home for two ant and never seeking publicity. gifted that modest ability to me, other area. But it may be doubted whether it is deeply acquainted months when the first lockdown happened. But it became very He headed Hinduja group though she was not even aware with the Everyman series. Its tabernacle is the Ranade Library, difficult later. We have to earn our salaries. I have a contract job projects, helped them navigate where every form of intellectual excitement is efficiently catered that I existed. for. The most startling, the most unlikely theory of the origin of Madam and I can be posted in any office. “From July I am working they want water, the moment they arrive. Some drink water, some the labyrinthine ways of Delhi So, to MS with gratitude, here. And now I am able to take some money home,” he smiled. the Australian bushmen, the newest concept of chromosomes, don’t, but their faces lighten up when I offer water. After all they after he stepped down from AL. wherever she is today, I can only are propounded there to the delight of the vast multitudes who Where was his home, I asked. “Perambur”, he replied. have to stand in the sun. Would I have done this before Covid?” He was made Chairman Emer- call out in her own inimitable throng the hall to the very door and are deeply satisfied that they “But that was quite a problem initially. I had to walk for It suddenly dawned on me that he had offered me ­water itus. He continued to keenly Meera style: have manifested a form of superiority to the philistine Triplicanite. one to one and a half hours to reach office. I was afraid to when I entered. And lost as I was in my mind chatter, I follow the automobile industry. (Isai ulagil) Engum niraindaaye It is thus that the unregenerate vessel of wrath in the take a lift or a ride, which I would have done if the Covid had not recognised that act of kindness that he was of- Shahaney leaves behind his Inru engu maraindaayo? neighbouring area would interpret the highest aspirations, was not there”, he unravelled. “After the initial reserva- fering without any fuss to people who visited his office. Photographer Glen Hensley’s picture titled leading man and leading lady gracious wife Sunita. He will – a photo taken on the sets of the Tamil musical classic Meera, showing Kalki (Continued on page 7) always remain a Chennai icon. ­Sadasivam, MS and the director of the film Ellis Dungan. * Originally written sometime in 2005. 6 MADRAS MUSINGS September 16-30, 2020 United India Colony Days – II

(Continued from last when I was also really down and off her. I am sure that was the but it felt like it was more than fortnight) that is when the hand tennis case with anyone like me in the just a crush. Quizmaster V.V. Ramanan’s incident happened. Now, what neighborhood. She was slim We then had to shift to first 10 questions are on current e had fun with the simple exactly is this hand tennis? with great looks, intense eyes Gokul apartments which was affairs and the next 10 on Chen- Wthings in life, starting You see, we were great tennis that were bordering on hazel to the other end of 4th cross nai Super Kings. the day early with the morn- fans after reading about it in and had a killer smile. After street, which as I wrote earlier ing newspaper, chatting with the papers and watching it on that first incident she kept ap- is tangential to the Circular 1. According to WWF’s ‘Living friends devoid of any devices, Planet Report 2020’, which type TV at one of our neighbor’s. pearing more frequently in the road. I thought that the regular enjoying whatever food we got I loved watching Ivan Lendl, area as that was her route to ‘seeing’ would vanish as I was of animal population has seen to fill our stomach, watching an alarming decline of 68% from Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker Fatima School. I then found not on her way to school, but I TV as a group on the only 1970 to 2016? battle it out at Wimbledon and that she was a Mallu too and could always walk a little extra channel we had and of course other Grand Slams. Keshav was staying around 120 degrees to catch a glimpse. I guess Maya 2. Which businessman recently playing cricket wherever we became the first person to be and I were hardcore Lendl fans apart on Circular road in an quickly figured that we had found space. worth $200 billion? and agonized watching live his old classical styled house that moved and then increased the We spent so much time to- close defeats to Becker. Being I nicknamed Bhargavi Nilayam frequency of the evening temple 3. Which spiritual leader’s book gether, especially during the va- Let Us Dream, explaining how blessed with good hands and (after an old Malayalam mov- visits mostly with her elder sister cations. The day’s cricket began a crisis can teach an individuals weak finances, playing tennis ie). Eyes started to meet more for company, and I assume that to deal with problems they face with us going to each person’s in a proper court was ruled out, frequently as I understood her the sister knew what she was in their lives, is to be released in home, waking them up, and but that did not stop us from timings, and I believe the same up to but just played along in December? most likely their neighbors too playing it using our hands on could be said of her as well. good faith. Those days our eyes 4. Who was Novak Djokovic with the early morning ruckus. the terrace or in front of our Maya had an elder sister who were much better thanks to no playing in the US Open when We would get back home for apartments. We even played was in college and used to devices and lot of long-distance he was disqualified for hitting a breakfast, play monopoly at doubles and that helped my accompany her most times viewing, so I could make her line judge? Keshav’s place, or Carroms at net game as I got to play real during their evening walks. I out from far, right from our 5. This actor who achieved fame Kunal’s or at my place, and tennis later in the US. Keshav then got to know her real name bedroom window itself. I then for playing the Black Panther then have lunch and snacks in was again the player to beat and from Srikanth, but we will still would move to the balcony succumbed to cancer recently. between, and then end the day I was second best. We would call her Maya for this story, as looking out into the road and Name him. at the terrace of Govindham play intense games, diving on it was all like an illusion any- as Maya reached a certain spot 6. UNICEF has appointed which apartments, lying down on the the cemented floor and hitting way. Their mom also used to the slender neck would tilt up popular Indian actor as its ce- sloping roof and looking into the ball with all our might. At join them during visits to the and the eyes would meet again, lebrity advocate for promoting the starry night, and talk about the end of the game we’d have Vinayagar temple on the adja- a full smile would be hard to and supporting its work around anything under the earth – both hands red and sore, as cent Rajaram colony. It looked come from both sides, we’d just ending violence against children? movies, cricket, tennis and girls you used with your left hand like they were also not blessed settle on a half-smile as a sense 7. The WHO recently announced in the neighborhood. We would of satisfaction. This continued that Africa has seen the eradica- try to watch TV together as a on most days. My mom and tion of which disease? group, and mostly at one of the younger sister got some wind of 8. Which famous National Park third floor apartments whose  Ramanuja Iyer what was going on as the slen- is to be expanded by 884 sq km? occupants were so open to us ([email protected]) der neck would turn even when 9. Name the eminent lawyer joining them even if they were I was not there, but quickly who was penalised Re. 1 by the in the middle of doing other retreat back to its position in Supreme Court in a criminal con- things. If there was a cricket my absence, leading my mom tempt case that made headlines match going on, then their as backhand. We even had financially, I realized that this to tell me in jest that someone recently. whole day was also spent with full round-robin tournaments was another common ground. might end up having spondylitis 10. On September 7, India sur- us. Diwali was always great played in the heat of Chennai Now in those days, we were all soon. An elder cousin of mine passed which nation to become fun as we’d all pool together to during our summer break. simple middle-class guys and came to stay with us for a short the second-most COVID-19 buy the firecrackers and light At that time in the early 90s, talking to girls was just done at period and he could figure out affected after the USA? them on the terrace, doing the we were renting an flat at Anu school or if they were related something was cooking too, and honors for the rest of the folks * * * apartments on Circular road to you and not with anyone on he pulled me aside and told me at the apartment as well. Then across the Fatima church. The the road. So, I never mustered that there was this nice looking 11. What IPL first did M.S. on some weekends or holidays, apartment had a very tiny open the courage to introduce myself. girl who strains her neck up to ­Dhoni achieve as a captain with we’d decide last minute on space in the front which was Obviously, I was not riding high look at our balcony, but he was CSK’s maiden win in 2010? watching a movie and rush our tennis court. Keshav and on confidence due to many sure it was not for him, and the 12. Chennai Super Kings has to the theatre on cycles of all I usually play tennis when we factors and that played a part most likely candidate was me. I made the IPL finals in all but two sizes or by bus. We could reach did not have more company, as too, but we were still ‘seeing’ did not resist, on the contrary I seasons it has played. In which Udhayam complex in under 15 he’d cross over from Govindham each other on a daily basis. I years did it miss out? did enjoy the small embarrass- minutes and the Mount Road apartments just across the street. was not tough, but the ‘seeing’ ment that came with it. 13. What is the single biggest theatres in 20 mins by PTC That evening was the first got me going when the going contribution of the duo Jaishan- bus, which was a bit of a stretch time I set eyes on Maya, and got tough. It could have started (To be concluded kar Iyer and Aravind Murali to even with the light traffic of I just could not take my eyes as an infatuation given our age, next fortnight) the CSK legend? those days. Sometimes we had 14. Name the Australian siblings­ the kids tag along, and we’d to have donned the yellow then change the plan to a more ­colours. age-appropriate movie. 15. Which CSK star holds the Life otherwise was just or- record for batting in the same dinary, and a bit of a struggle Thank you, Donors position a whopping 160+ times? at times. We were not blessed And which position? economically, my dad was a 16. Which member of the present We today, publish donations vengdam, Manuel Aaron, Sureskumar, K.V. Anan- mix of a good engineer and a received with thanks. P.S. Thiagharajan, P.S. thanarayanan CSK support-staff has the dis- bad businessman, which is not tinction of taking a hat-trick and – The Editor Narasimhan Rs. 600: S. Ponnuswamy, five wickets for the team? a good recipe for entrepreneur- ial success. So the going was Rs. 50: G.N. Sridharan, Rs. 300: A. Kamala Kannan Rs. 800: Meenakshi Sund- 17. Apart from Chennai, CSK tough at home in that sense, Vikram Rajan Rs. 400: K.S. Srinivasan, aram has had two ‘home grounds’ in the IPL. Name both. compared to many others, what Rs. 100: A.L. Chandramouli, Ashok Krishnamurthi, Rs. 900: Dr. S. Vasanthi, Seline with four of the family at school. Venugopalan Balasubra- Prema Seetharam, M. Augustine, V. Muthukrish- 18. Name the two CSK batsmen School was fun in some ways to notch up two centuries. manian, T.L. Balakrish- Subramaniam, Manoharan nan, S. Sethuraman but had its pressures too with Srirangam, L. Karuppaiah, 19. Name the only CSK star to nan, K. Verma, Padmini Rs. 2400: M. Ramanathan, T. the rat race as you were getting A. Venkatachalam, R. have gone into a secret bidding Narayanan, S. Aravamud- Murugamanickam process in the IPL auctions. close to facing board exams and han, K.V. Lakshmina- Narayanan, T. Appaswami, Rs. 4900: Sankaranarayanan then the pressure of getting into rayanan R. Srinivasan 20. Dwayne Bravo has done it college. So the evening games Seetharaman twice, while Mohit Sharma and Im- Rs. 500: Dharma Raja A.R., were a great stressbuster in Rs. 116: K. Muralidharan ran Tahir once for CSK. What feat? M.M. Rajendran, S. Rs. 5000: A. Sankarana- many ways. There was a period Rs. 200: Ramu Raji, V. Thiru- (Answers on page 8) rayanan September 16-30, 2020 MADRAS MUSINGS 7 How well do you know Chennai?

ne of the biggest fallouts whom the question was intend- reach their hometowns in time Oof the Covid-19 pandemic ed could answer. for Pongal celebrations that has been that social events A few questions from the began on January 15. Interest- across the world have moved finals, edited suitably: ingly, January 14, 2019 marked online. Those of Madras Week Q: The idea for this venture the Golden Jubilee of which this year were no exception. came about when Balaji, a dif- landmark event in the political With virtual walks, talks and ferently abled person who used history of Madras and Tamil competitions all substituting for to drop his yoga teacher home Nadu? their physical counterparts, all every day decided to start a A: Madras State was eyes were on two of the most similar service to cater to others ­renamed as Tamil Nadu on anticipated events – the Madras as well? January 14, 1969 Open Quiz and Murugappa Ma- A: Maa-Ula, the bike taxi dras Quotient Quiz, considering service run completely by dif- Q: Connect this non-­ that they have consistently ferently abled persons. exhaustive list of movies: Simla managed to draw large audi- Special, Thillu Mullu, Keezh Q: Name the famous per- ences year after year. That they Vaanam Sivakkum, Netrikkan sonality who was elected to managed to replicate and even and Avan, Aval, Adhu the Lok Sabha in 1967 from better the success of their earlier A: Films for which story/ the Tiruchengode constitu- editions is ample testimony to screenplay was written by Visu. ency from this acronym: AB- our city’s status as the Quizzing DUL AZANA GYMKHANA * * * Capital of our country. SARAANN. The Madras Open Quiz The Murugappa Madras was held on August 30th and Quotient Quiz hosted by Dr. Navin Jayakumar, well-known was hosted by noted quiz mas- th ter and social commentator  by quizzer, on August 6 too had Dr Sumanth C. Raman along more than a thousand taking Karthik Bhatt part in the preliminary round Another interesting aspect time scored more points than with Abhijeet Shyam. Over was that the scoring pattern for the ones who got the answer in a thousand took part in the which comprised 35 questions. It was hosted on the Kahoot the preliminary rounds of both a longer duration of time. preliminary round consisting of quizzes and for the final in the Overall, both quizzes were 40 multiple-choice questions, platform. The format was a mix A: KALYANASUNDA- of multiple-choice questions Murugappa Madras Quotient perfect examples of how tech- which was hosted on the Quiz- RAM ANBAZHAGAN Quiz was based on both accura- nology can be leveraged to put zit platform. The questions were requiring typed answers and questions that required partic- cy and speed. The ones who got together an effective infotain- an interesting mix of things that Q: Name the product which the right answers in a shorter ment package. made up old Madras and which was launched this year by a ipants to rearrange the choices make up contemporary Chen- start-up founded in 2018 by two in the correct sequence. nai. Six finalists were shortlisted alumni of IIT-Madras in part- The final round, for which out of the participants. The nership with a Thiruvanantha- the top hundred scorers were final consisting of eight rounds puram based medical institute selected, saw technology used was held over the Google Meet to provide unique infrastructure to its fullest – the quiz took platform and was webcast live. and housing solutions to assist place on Zoom, participants Mylapore vs. An interesting feature was a during the Covid-19 pandemic. had to answer on Kahoot and couple of ‘pounce’ rounds apart A: mediCAB, a custom- the entire proceedings were from the regular direct rounds, ized portable micro-hospital webcast live on YouTube! wherein the participants other designed by Modulus Housing A few questions from the than the one to whom the to address shortage of hospi- finals, which had 26 questions Triplicane question was directed had an tal beds for Covid-19 affected (one for every letter of the al- option to pounce on it before it patients. phabet, with every letter denot- (Continued from page 5) went to the original recipient. ing the theme of the question): Q: January 14, 2019 was The ‘pounce window’ was kept Q: Which ‘’5-rupee doctor’’ declared as an additional local who ‘’loved his fellow men’’ was the noblest sentiments of Mylapore. It can, therefore, open for a specified period of cause little wonder that neither should take kindly to the holiday to enable families to time, after which the person to immortalised in a 2017 film? other. They are agreed that the intellectual leadership of A: Dr. V. Thiruvengadam, ­Madras City belongs to them, but they are agreed in nothing who was the inspiration for ac- else. tor Vijay’s character in Mersal. This is an inveterate quarrel in high places and only fools will You can contribute to CHENNAI HERITAGE Q: Name the bold ban- rush in to adjudicate where angels may fear to tread. It may, in As a token of your support for the causes of heritage, ­environment tam-weight champ who en- fact, be doubted whether any such adjudication will not be the and a better city that Madras Musings ­espouses, you can subscribe countered ‘The Greatest’ in means of reducing such gaiety as has survived in Madras City. to Madras Musings – the ­annual subscription is Rs 100 and we Madras in 1980. The hostility causes little harm, but it produces much good. It welcome additional donations too to keep us going. You can make A: Rocky Brass, who fought lends vivacity to life. Blood may boil in the Mylaporean or the Triplicanite at any development in the persistent battle, but the your ­payments to our bank account as below: Muhammad Ali. onlooker may permit himself to be entertained at the bloodless combat. There comes the Mylaporean, steeped in thought, his Chennai Heritage Q: Which low-lying area brows almost, if not quite, crowned with the olive leaves of in- Indian Bank, Alwarpet Branch meaning ‘earthen foundation’ gets its name from soil from the tellectual primacy, or he treads his way through the traffic, his CA No. 413158606 IFSC : IDIB000A013 mind immersed in the profundities of a Penguin Special. He has levelling of Hog’s Hill in 1781? no ears or eyes for the mundane world; he is deeply discussing Please make sure you send an email to ­Chennaiheritage2017@ A: Mannady. with the author the latter’s new principles of the origin of the gmail.com with transfer details so that we can acknowledge receipt. alphabet. But he is not so abstracted that he will not eye with If you are a new subscriber, you need to send us details of your Q: What was the name of the temporary English version disdain the oncoming impertinent Triplicanite who makes no name and address as well. If you are renewing your subscription secret of his contempt of these intellectual processes.If the make sure you quote your subscription number as reference. of the Tughlaq magazine during latter does not quite cock a snook at the reverent student, it is This is the number that is on the wrapper of your copy of Madras the Emergency? not because of lack of desire. The learned scholar breathes fire Musings. A: Pickwick and slaughter as he stalks away while the ragamuffin (I speak Letters to the Editor figuratively) pours on him a wealth of ridicule by signs. It is Q: What English word for such encounters that lend piquancy to the streets of Madras, Dear Readers, fighting became a slang Tamil and it will be an evil day when the lion sits down with the lamb. word meaning ‘casual or indif- Fortunately, neither Triplicane nor Mylapore knows which of Please email all your letters, comments, additional remarks, ferent’? brickbats and bouquets to [email protected] them is the lion and which is the lamb. A: Assault, pronounced as – Swarajya, July 21, 1956 – THE EDITOR assaalttu in Tamil. 8 MADRAS MUSINGS September 16-30, 2020 When Dhoni knocked the fight out of the Aussies at Chepauk

is durable and indelible of his ten ODI hundreds were The Australian bowling line-up Hassociation with Chennai notched up at Chepauk his best of Mitchell Starc, James Pattin- Super Kings made MS Dho- in Test cricket was also reserved son, Peter Siddle and Nathan ni a great favourite with the for the hero-worshiping fans of Lyon did not know what hit Chepauk crowd. It may not be this city. them as Dhoni launched a fu- wrong to say that he was fussed The first Test against Aus- rious onslaught with the result and feted about and even wor- tralia during the 2012-13 sea- that by the end of the day the shipped more in this city than son was played at Chennai in Indian score had leapt to 515 even in his native Ranchi. For- February 2013 and the visitors for eight with Dhoni on 206. get the matches in which CSK thanks in the main to skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar (38) was was involved, even the practice Michael Clark’e stroke-filled content to play a supporting games attracted over 10,000 130 put up a total of 380. Early role to his captain who was out spectators to the MAC stadium on the third day India were only on the fourth morning for and for the vast majority of 196 for four and the match 224 but not before the ninth them Dhoni was the one who clearly hung in the balance wicket partnership had added mattered. Shouts of “Dhoni, as Dhoni joined Virat Kohli. 140 runs in 36 overs. Dhoni” or “Mahi, Mahi” rent the air even as he just entered the ground or made his way to the crease. Probably no single player of any franchisee has  by Partab Ramchand enjoyed the kind of rapport with the crowd and the city as Dhoni shocked state of mind that they Dhoni’s 224 – the highest score did. For the “whistle podu” CSK never recovered losing all four by an Indian wicketkeeper - has fan he was simply “Thala”. They Tests of the series. Given the to be one of the most significant adopted him as one of their own circumstances and the damag- knocks played by an Indian The two swung the balance India were ultimately out for and for all practical purposes ing impact it had on the visitors captain in Test history. he could have been born in slightly in India’s favour with a 572 but the Australians by now Chennai rather in Ranchi. In fifth wicket partnership of 128 were a totally demoralized lot any case he was a naturalized before Kohli was out for 107. thanks to Dhoni’s pyrotechnics Chennaite. Wickets fell at regular intervals which included 24 fours and Answers to Quiz Dhoni of course could do no but Dhoni surged on getting six sixes. Dhoni had faced just more and more aggressive the 265 balls in a stay of a fraction wrong while playing for CSK 1.Vertebrates, 2. Jeff Bezos, 3. Pope Francis, 4. Pablo Carreno but fortunately the Chepauk longer he stayed at the crease. over six hours. The demoral- Busta, 5. Chadwick Boseman, 6. Ayushmann Khurrana, 7. Polio, crowd saw their favourite come But when the eighth wicket fell ized Aussies folded up for 241 off on numerous occasions at 406 late in the day the teams in their second innings early 8. Kaziranga, 9. Prashant Bhushan, 10. Brazil. were very much on level terms on the fifth morning and the while representing India in all * * * three formats of the game. In given the fact that India would Indians hit up the required runs have to bat last on a fifth day for the loss of two wickets to 11. First Indian skipper to lift the trophy, 12. 2009 and 2014, 13. fact Dhoni made his Test debut Composers of ‘Whistle Podu’, 14. Mike and David Hussey, 15. in Chennai against Sri Lanka surface. complete an emphatic victory. Suresh Raina at No.3, 16. L. Balaji, 17. Ranchi and Pune, 18. in December 2005 in a rain-hit, This however was the signal Dhoni’s electrifying double drawn, match badly ravaged by for Dhoni to unveil the most hundred not only singed the Suresh Raina and Shane Watson, 19. Ravindra Jadeja, 20. Win Cyclone Baaz. And while two glorious phase of his innings. Aussies but left them in such a the Purple Cap

Madras Musings is supported as a public service by the following organisations

Amalgamations Group Bata India Limited

The Hindu F.L. Smidth Limited Group of Publications

Rane Group RAYALA GROUP

Since 1856, Sundram Fasteners Hotels Resorts patently leaders Limited and Palaces TVS MOTOR COMPANY — A WELLWISHER

Founder:Published S. Muthiah. by S. PublishedMuthiah forby Sriram‘Chennai V forHeritage’, Chennai 260-A,Heritage, TTK No. Road, 9, Cathedral Chennai Road, 600 Chennai018 and 600printed 086, byprinted T J Georgeby Anu Varghesat Lokavani-Hallmarke at Lokavani Southern Press Pvt. Printers Ltd., Pvt.122, Ltd., Greams 122, GreamesRoad, Chennai Road, Chennai600 006. 600 Edited 006, byEditor: S. MUTHIAH. Sriram V, 30/73, Kamaraj Salai, R.A. Puram Chennai 600 028, and owned by Chennai Heritage, Regd. Office No. 9, Cathedral Road, Chennai 600 086.