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Registered with the Reg. No. TN/CH(C)/374/18-20 Registrar of Newspapers Licenced to post without prepayment for 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 G Short ‘N’ Snappy G IE’s Golden Jubilee G Hosting social service G 1813 Medi-catalogue G Two pages on books

WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS

Vol. XXVII No. 22 March 1-15, 2018

G The Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai in Fort St. George when it was first built (above left) and with ‘Chola’ embellishments in the new Millennium (above right) to make it look more heritage-oriented. And on right is how a refurbished building is maintained. The sad, sad state of Fort St. George

G by A Special Correspondent

he Government now in power is one that swears by the words, deeds and ideology of the late J. TJayalalithaa, former Chief Minister of . And she was of the view that Fort St. George was the rightful place from where our State was to be ad- ministered. If so, why is the Fort in such a shabby condition with State not in Top Three on any no maintenance of any kind? A recent visit to that historic pre- eriodic independent sur- known for several original ini- cinct shows that matters have Pveys, such as the one pub- parameter tiatives to motivate completion only taken a turn for the worse lished by India Today at the end of school education through in the last two years. of last year throw some light on all the first ranks for ten param- ranks on even one of the param- free provision of text books, Of course, the Tamil Nadu the comparative performances eters. These States are eters. It is not a good sign that it uniform, laptop computers, Government is not the sole oc- of States – and of interest to us, Himachal, , Uttara- has fallen into the bottom half footwear, bus passes and nutri- cupant/owner of the place. As Tamil Nadu – on the social and khand, , in respect of education, gover- tious noon meals. Education is well known, the Archaeologi- economic fronts, but caution is Haryana, Punjab and Telan- nance and economy. It is within has been receiving steadily in- cal Survey, the Army, the Navy, necessary in reading too much gana. It is interesting to specu- five ranks only in respect of creasing funds in the Budget, the Legislature and St. Mary’s into them. late whether compactness has Infrastructure, Law & Order, the share of total expenditure Church are all in occupation of The study covers eleven been a critical contributory fac- and Health. remaining constant at 15 per the Fort, apart from the Gov- criteria for ranking States and cent of a rising revenue. While ernment. But the last named comparing improvements from G by A Staff Reporter these are material aspects of the can surely set an example and 2010-11 to 2015-16. The pa- system, actual results produced also take the initiative in main- rameters are: Education, Entre- by it, in terms of improvement tenance. That it is not doing so tor for ensuring higher gover- It is surprising that Educa- preneurship, Environment, nance standards and more ef- tion has been cited as an aspect in mental skills and communi- is more than evident from the Inclusive Development, Infra- cation ability, are not in keep- general shabbiness that pre- fective implementation through in which Tamil Nadu, in this structure, Law & Order, Tour- greater physical proximity en- study, has scored a rank as low ing with the efforts put in. The vails. How else can you explain ism, Agriculture, Governance, “output” by the Government this eight-foot ramp of rubbish hancing accountability. Large as 14 out of 21. Earlier studies Economy and Health. states like , Tamil have shown that the literacy cannot be faulted, but the “out- that has been built up at the The study divides States come” is disappointing – the rear of the Namakkal Kavignar Nadu, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh rate in the State is 73.4 per cent broadly as large and small, the and that account for in 2011 compared to the na- two terms representing the Maligai (please see accompany- latter comprising ten states like quantitative and qualitative ing picture)? With such a tower 46 per cent of the national GDP tional average of 64.6 per cent. Puducherry, Delhi, Goa, have not done well in compari- Improvement has been re- aspects of effort. The study’s of inflammable material being Mizoram, and Nagaland. criteria also refer only to quan- allowed to accumulate, are we son with the relatively smaller corded on teacher-pupil ratio Among the “large” states are of the “large” category. from one teacher per 28 pupils titative aspects that we have not laying the whole Fort open the relatively smaller ones in enumerated to show why Tamil to a fire disaster? Let’s face it, if Out of eleven parameters in 2010-11 to one per 19 in terms of population and territo- and 21 competing “large” states, 2012-13, compared to the na- Nadu’s physical output cannot such an event were to occur, rial expanse, like Kerala and be considered inadequate. If God forbid, it would not be the Tamil Nadu has figured in the tional ratio of one per 25 pupils. Uttarakhand. This distinction top half in respect of seven The drop-out rate is low at 1.20 other States produced more first heritage precinct to catch emerges from the fact that such employable pupils than Tamil fire in our city, owing to neglect. parameters, but has not been per cent in the primary level relatively smaller states in the able to capture either the first and 1.74 per cent at the upper Nadu it is worth knowing how (Continued on page 2) “large” category have cornered rank or one of the first three primary level. Tamil Nadu is (Continued on page 2) CMYK 2 March 1-15, 2018 The sad state of the Fort In which MMM ages is still being used as an office! here comes a time when Club rolling off their chairs, left dents. It is a task for younger (Continued from page 1) Tage suddenly catches up his hearers stone cold. It soon people. To what purpose is the ASI’s with all of us. And so it has sank into MMM that the group But do we want that to happen sparkling maintenance of its with The Man from Madras had never heard of Austen. He The Chief’s book in the centre of administration office (Clive House) when the Musings, who until recently then changed tacks and began of our Government? rest of what it is supposed to was of the view that he was a mentioning other authors in nd so the Chief comes out If that is the fate of what is protect is run down so badly? young man on the threshold of quick succession Charlotte Awith yet another book under the control of our Execu- The Army for its part ap- life. That he was not so came Bronte, George Elliot, Charles this one on Indian English. tive and the Legislature, what is pears to have redeemed itself home to him rather brutally, Dickens, P.G. Wodehouse, The Man from Madras Musings with the Archaeological Survey somewhat in comparison to the when he, in answer to an invi- Agatha Christie& no, there is yet to get his copy but he is no better. Clive’s Corner, in- tation, went to inaugurate a was not a reaction. What about speculates if the following agencies mentioned above. Of terms will be in it: augurated with much fanfare a course, its King’s Barracks is as literary club at a medical J.K. Rowling? Though MMM college in the city. cannot claim to be a fan, she Cannot able to – this is a few years ago, is now mostly bad as ever but the rest of the The teachers were effusive being a top-ranking author of relatively recent addition to locked and when opened buildings that it occupies are in their welcome and several the present generation, he English and has not yet made reveals a musty room full of very clean and well maintained. came up and said that they thought she would strike a it to the Thesaurus and the peeling plaster. The Army has also barricaded read everything that MMM chord. But no. In desperation Oxford English Dictionary The last house on Snob’s the roads surrounding Parade wrote. He fervently hopes that MMM turned to the Bard of which have over the years Alley lost some chunks of itself Square to prevent access by they will give this particular Avon and asked the students if absorbed most ungrammatical in the rains of last year and the Government cars. This has instalment a miss, by the way. they had heard of Shakespeare. usage as being perfectly all rest remains supported on steel freed up the walking space But then they may not and that There was deathly silence. right. Cannot able to is a replacement for cannot do or rods. The space to the south of around the area to an extent. is one of the risks in writing MMM then decided to speak this column. It may, however, on libraries he had grown up unable to handle something. Snob’s Alley, from where the There are also signs of some re- still be a blessing, for chances with the British Council, the Blunder Mistake – this casual visitor could walk across pair work beginning in a few of to the front ramparts of the the large buildings occupied by Fort, now looks like an equato- the Army. It is to be hoped that rial forest, so overgrown it is these are being taken up in col- with vegetation. This was a laboration with the ASI. clean and empty space just a Taken overall, the Fort is SHORT ’N’ SNAPPY year ago. Wellesley House re- not in good shape. It is ironic mains a mouldering ruin and it that the present party in power was with some surprise that this was the one that was keen to get correspondent noticed that the UNESCO certification for the Army has begun some construc- Fort as a heritage precinct. tion activity on the debris of the are that they may not invite Connemara, the National in means a grievous error, to be What is happening there now is MMM again in case they take Calcutta, the Muthiah& distinguished from a smaller building itself! It is also some- not likely to ever get us that rec- umbrage at what follows. no, once again a complete dis- error, which of course is a mis- what of a wonder that the ognition. That, as Shakespeare said, is a connect. It then occurred to take. standing half of Wellesley House consummation devoutly to be MMM that he would have been Untime – improper time for wished. However, let us get on better off reciting the names of doing something like knocking with the story. a few shopping malls in the on someones door at midnight NOT IN TOP THREE MMM was ushered in by city. (unless the other party was ly- beaming office-bearers, teach- MMM then changed tack ing awake and waiting). It is ers and others to a hall full of and began speaking about also synonymous with inauspi- ON ANY PARAMETER students, all of whom dutifully . This he cious. clapped. Thereafter, MMM thought might ring a bell some- Vex, torture and tension – (Continued from page 1) measure governance. Specific was taken to the stage where, where in minds clouded by cell three perfectly good words of comparative data on these have after an introduction full of phone ringtones. The teachers impeccable pedigree. But they they accomplished it. No infor- not been furnished. the usual howlers about him, drew in their collective breath. have become household terms mation on this is available in Apart from lack of specific MMM was asked to speak. After all this was a club to pro- thanks to their frequent usage the study as published. criteria-wise comparative data, This being a club to promote mote English literature. Why in television serials. MMM un- In respect of the Economy, reading too much significance literary tastes in English then was MMM spewing forth derstands that the accepted the tendency to go overboard on into temporal comparisons and among the students, MMM on the vernacular? They could frequency of these words in a freebies to the neglect of rankings could itself be mislead- had prepared a speech con- have exhaled freely, for the stu- half hour episode is one every cerning authors whose books dents were as unresponsive as two minutes. investment in creation of infra- ing. Comparison of rankings of he had enjoyed. He could have ever. MMM speculated on Creech – an Indian crèche structure and improvement of each State over an interval has saved himself the effort and whether he ought to take up He/She itself – in keeping productive assets could have ad- been used to measure the spoken about some lesser- Bengali next, but then decided with ancient Indian wisdom versely affected the ranking. extent of improvement. The known authors in Swahili, for to give up. But to be fair to the that defines the soul as being Greater attention to infrastruc- limitation is that rise in ranking instance, such being the con- boys and girls, some did clap at inert and genderless, it has ture and social assets would have from the base year does not nec- nect he established with the the mention of Tamil and the become the norm to qualify raised the economy’s capacity to essarily imply improvement nor audience. necessity for knowing it well. every person thus. Common generate income streams. the significance of the extent of There was a certain dull de- It was only when MMM sat usage is He itself said this. The record of Tamil Nadu that improvement because a spair about the students that down that he was received with Hope so – this is used as a on governance, according to given State’s ranking changes ought to have warned MMM thunderous applause. This he phrase that is synonymous at the very outset. It was clear realised was more by way of with think. It is therefore com- this study, is dismally low, at depending on how other States that they had all been brought thanksgiving for ending the mon to hear sentences such as rank 18 out of 21. While we can have fared during the same together for the sole purpose speech quickly, ten minutes He was in bad health. I hope so subjectively experience the fall- period. If other States have not of satisfying some teacher(s) ahead of closing time. The vote he is dead. ing standards of governance in done well, for example, a given who had felt that the students of thanks was effusive and the Co-Brother – this defines Tamil Nadu, it is difficult to State’s rank could rise without needed to improve their En- teacher who recited it said she the brother-in-law. Some have believe that that it could be as its basic status registering im- glish. If only they had told looked forward to MMM com- however opined that cobra low as depicted – in the bottom, provement. The substantive MMM this in advance, he ing again soon to speak on may be a better and more just above Bihar and losing out score for each criterion for each would have thrown in a pas- other aspects of literature. De- telling term. We also have to Assam and Uttar Pradesh by State alone can show where it sage or two on the alphabet ciding it was time to shake the co-sister. and sung a nursery rhyme as dust of the place from his feet, several ranks. Percentage of has improved or deteriorated well. MMM picked up the bouquet Editor’s Note: The Chief says women representatives in and place inter-State compari- Not being so enlightened, of flowers and the fruit hamper he has left four blank pages at panchayats, panchayat devolu- son in correct perspective. MMM embarked on his topic. and left. the end for such additions to tion index, number of e-services Occasional publication of Around five minutes into the Returning home, MMM be included. In fact, a phrase for citizens as percentage of to- studies is no substitute for subject, he realised that he was decided to look on the positive he has just realised needs to be making no impact. Jokes aspect at least they did not gift tal population, number of op- authentic periodic self-audit in the next edition is one by about Jane Austen, for in- him a coffee mug. MMM how- erational Common Services surveys by reputed rating agen- two. Centres as percentage of total cies, commissioned by the stance, that had had audiences ever has decided he is done CSCs and number of e-transac- Government, to evaluate in places such as the Book with addressing college stu- –MMM tions per 1,000 people are the progress and beneficial effects of yardsticks used in the study to development projects. March 1-15, 2018 MADRAS MUSINGS 3

Remembering the beginnings as From India’s Digital

Celebrates its Archives – Bhatt Golden Jubilee A look at fter a couple of years of sophisticated printing machine machine and paid the differ- Aworking as an academic, from Polygraph, East Germany, ence. teaching undergraduate again on rupee terms. These The dealer promised to send the Presidency students and studying for an- were my first major experiences this to Chennai in the next other post-graduate degree in in importing machines. couple of weeks. He sent the political science, I opted for It took around three years consignment note on despatch- in Gujarati journalism as my profession, from 1971 to 1974 to process ing the machine by train. The appointed myself editor and the import of the printing ma- blessed thing would not reach publisher and launched the chine. It was not certain that me for the next eight months. he book featured in this issue is one of its kind, an over transport monthly Mobile. the machine would be delivered After a long battle with the rail- Tview of the written in Gujarati. It was a clean slate: I didn’t on time and so I went in for an ways, I managed to locate the The Gujaratis were amongst the earliest migrant commu- have any knowledge or experi- Indian made cylinder printing wagon stuck at Jabalpur! Finally nities to arrive in the Madras Presidency, their association ence in writing, editing, proof machine and an old linotype the machine was delivered in dating to at least the mid-1500s. Over the course of this reading, printing, pagination or machine. The German machine early 1975 – a full ten months period, they have actively contributed to the development of book production. I spent six also arrived. With a term loan after despatch! the social, commercial and cultural landscape of the region. months visiting the other from a nationalised bank, I Repayments on term loans metros, trying to study the purchased it and commenced had already begun with interest The Malabar Samachar weekly, founded in 1925, was the transport industry. I launched operating this. It was a beauti- statements promptly provided first Gujarati magazine in the Madras Presidency. It was Mobile in September 1962. ful, high speed machine with by both NSIC and the bank. So edited and published by Madhavrai Gigabhai Joshi, a busi- Through the years I learnt the excellent quality of printing. even before the machine com- nessman who settled in Cochin after retiring from a success- various facets of journalism as My application for a linotype menced operation, loan ful venture in Rangoon. There is no information either on also the business of printing and machine with two magazines amounts were bulging. him or as to the trade he was engaged in. Madhavrai took a book production. and a cutting machine from In early 1975, I organised the keen interest in Gujarati literature and wrote a series of The experience helped me Russia placed on a Delhi firm, formal launch of the linotype articles suggesting several schemes for its promotion, espe- witness and experience the took more than three years to machine with sugar baron N. cially for the benefit of Gujaratis living outside Gujarat. He also wrote to the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad (Gujarati Literary spectacular changes in printing. process. Finally on receiving the Mahalingam as the chief guest. Council) requesting that the schemes be discussed and I started with the basics by Economist Press was perhaps considered for implementation. However, nothing concrete acquiring a letterpress printing the sixth in the metro having was to come out of it. But he remained undeterred by the press with a few fonts of type- such a sophisticated high speed poor response. faces and a treadle machine in mechanical typesetting facility. 1965. Edit matter was com- I was on cloud nine. The addi- One important scheme proposed was to fix a centre annu- posed by hand, using lead types tional investments on other ally from among the commercial centres of the country and of different fonts and sizes. accessories like imported brass to commission a work on that region covering in particular These were made into pages matrices from Italy, going for a its mineral wealth and the consequential potential for and printed, two pages at a G by larger space and larger number growth. Madhavrai took it upon himself to present the first work, Malabar Pradesh-nu Ruparekha (An outline of the time, by the treadle – reminis- S. Viswanathan of workmen and scouting for cent of the early stages of orders for printing were all Malabar Territory), which came out as the first annual Gutenberg’s great invention. arrival notice, I arranged to pay attended to. number to the subscribers of the Malabar Samachar. When I launched Industrial the full value of the machines A foreman of the press had The suggestion for a similar book on the Madras Presi- Economist as a business fort- through a term loan from NSIC great taste for the date fruit. He dency was given by B.G. Anjaria of M/s P.D. Asher and Co. nightly in 1968, it demanded and my own contribution and used to stuff his lunch box with of , well-known cloth merchants. Initially not so much larger volume of type set- remitted the same to the dealer. cast slugs and sold the precious keen on the proposal, as he wanted to write a second edition ting to be done every fortnight. For the next several weeks I lead for his favourite dates until of the book on Malabar, Madhavrai writes that he agreed as I opted to get this done with an didn’t hear anything from the one late night, on a surprise he saw the need to win the support of the different sections established printer who had me- dealer except acknowledging visit, I caught him red (lead-) of Gujaratis who had settled in other parts of the Madras chanical composing facilities in receipt of the demand draft handed and handed him to the Presidency for business purposes. Thus was born Madras the scope of a couple of linotype (thank God!). I dropped in at police. Ilakanu Digdarshan. machines. In this, bars of lead the dealer’s office during my Then came the bolt from the The book comprises an overview of the Geographical and were melted, cast on brass visit to Delhi to attend the blue. A technology revolution Trade aspects of the Madras Presidency. The trade section is matrices arranged in lines, as annual economic editors’ con- swept across the globe: photo particularly interesting, given the varied businesses the com- slugs. These linotype machines ference organised by the Press typesetting was introduced. munity had a presence in. In addition to a list of factories, were mechanical marvels for Information Bureau. This rendered overnight the tea and coffee estates, this section contains short sketches of typesetting in quick time, to The dealer very casually centuries’ old hot metal com- successful Gujarati businessmen of the Presidency. Some cast afresh lines easy to handle informed me that ‘my’ machine posing obsolete. I remember well-known names covered in the sketches include that of as slugs. The process lent for had been delivered to Times of , which had some 35 Gocooladoss Jumnadoss and Co. (cloth merchants, the fam- easy make-up of pages which India and that I would have to linotype machines switching to ily behind the creation of the Vallabhacharya Vidya Sabha were locked into forms and wait for a few more months for computerised typesetting and which manages institutions such as the D. G. Vaishnav Col- printed in large-sized printing the arrival of the next consign- auctioning these old mechani- lege), T. B. Mehta and Sons (diamond merchants), Lalubhai machines. This technology ment! cal wonders at throw away Velchand Desai (one of the earliest Gujarati cycle merchants ruled typesetting in newspapers I took up the matter with prices. A machine that com- and after whom a school is named in Bangalore), M/s spread across the globe for over NSIC but to no avail. I met the manded a premium of a lakh of Surajmals (jewellers) and Khan Bahadur Adam Hajee a century. Such machines ini- Minister of State for Industry, ruppes (on a price of Rs. 1.25 Mohammad Sait. Also of note is the involvement of the com- tially were the preserve of a few Charanjit Chanana. He was lakhs) lost its value overnight munity in charities established and managed by them, such large manufacturers in the kind in arranging to send a stern and there were no takers! I de- as the Madras Pinjrapole (established 1905) and the South West and were later copied by warning through the industry cided to phase out the printing Indian Humanitarian League (1926). the Russian and other nations. ministry. The dealer wouldn’t machine. These included an- The book, which came out in 1928, was printed in In my evolution as a printer I have expected this and hastily other old linotype machine I Bhavnagar, at the Gujarati Punch’s printing press. It was yearned to acquire such a offered to supply a four maga- purchased due to the delay and clearly intended to be the first in a series, as Madhavrai says machine. This was available on zine machine that was readily uncertainty of the imported that thanks to the large volume of material gathered during rupee terms with hire purchase available, at a higher price. I one, the Polygraph and Indian his research, he had to restrict the book to the above two facility offered by NSIC, SFCs had to sacrifice the cutting ma- machines, treadle. If I took four aspects. There is, however, no information as to whether and banks. Simultaneously I chine earlier ordered and opted years to order and set up my subsequent volumes saw the light of the day. also applied for import of a to buy this higher capacity (Continued on page 8) 4 MADRAS MUSINGS March 1-15, 2018 March 1-15, 2018 MADRAS MUSINGS 5

LOST LANDMARKS OF CHENNAI 1813 medi-catalogue – SRIRAM V from Madras

t a time when no materia medical treatise, which aimed at section provides the product’s Erstwhile home now Amedica – presented as an establishing a relationship native name, English name, extensive pharmaceutical re- among food patterns of Indians, botanical name (wherever source developed on the prin- climate, and the diseases that known), and general remarks on, hosts social service ciples of Western science – prevailed in India. He submitted for example, value as food mate- existed in southern India, Mate- this catalogue to the Council at rial or as material of medical use, he signage in Tamil on the Loves Vestiges of Old Madras, was in Jarretts Gardens was demol- ria Medica of Hindoostan and Fort St. George. and on cultivation. Tyellow-coloured concrete a civil servant who moved to ished recently, which probably Artisan’s and Agriculturist’s He was appointed as the Ainslie led a committee block reads Geraldu Gardens, Madras in 1805 from Bencoolen means 1913. However, this does Nomenclature was written by a Superintending Surgeon of the appointed by the Government of while the English one below says in Java. He left for England in not tally with the fact that Sir that both institutions zeroed in property. It eventually put up its Madras surgeon, Whitelaw Southern Army in Madras in Madras to investigate the causes Jaret. The correct name is Jarretts 1822, where he died in 1837. Robert Bailey Clegg was in resi- on Jarretts Gardens, for premises there. The Guild con- Ainslie, and published in Madras 1814. He resigned the job in of the epidemic fever affecting Gardens. Now reduced to two Other documents show that dence till 1918. What is likely is Namberumal Chettys grandson, tinued operating from Mrs. in 1813. An enlarged edition of 1815 and returned to the UK, the populations of , streets, 1st and 2nd Avenue, Jarrett had several facets to his that Namberumal Chetty had T. Harikrishna, was Treasurer to Clubwala-Jadhavs residence the same book titled Materia where he revised his 1813 Madura, Dindigul, and with the Guild of Service and the personality. He was Secretary of brought down the old house and the Guild. The School, being in even as work on its new premises Medica, or Some Account of those Materia Medica volume, wrote on Tinnevelly in the Madras Presi- Madras School of Social Work in the Madras Committee of the developed a new one on the urgent need of space, moved in happened sporadically. But with Articles which are Employed by the cholera in India, a literary piece dency. The report of this com- the middle, this was once the Church Mission Society and in same site and Sir Robert was a as a tenant into one of the two the golden jubilee of the Guild Hindoos and other Eastern Nations (Clemenza or the Tuscan Orphan, mittee refers to malaria, which vast garden of a bungalow of that that capacity did much to propa- tenant. buildings, even in the 1950s. happening in 1972, there was a in their Medicine, Arts, and Agri- 1822), and another on the intro- had been ravaging India for ages. name. And it has a long and in- gate Christianity in this region. Whatever be the case, the Negotiations for purchase be- spurt in activity. Fund-raising culture; Comprising also Formulae, duction of Christianity in India Unknown as ‘malaria’ during the teresting history. He interested himself in particu- property, or at least a significant gan in 1962 and by the end of the events were held and, through with Practical Observations, names (1835). He was knighted in 1839 investigation time of the Ainslie The first occupant of this lar in the Jewish community in part of it, was owned by year, a price of Rs. 2,75,000 was them, money was realised to of Diseases in Various Eastern in recognition of his revised edi- Committee, the illness is referred property, at a time when it ran India and became more or less a Namberumal Chetty and his finalised for 62 grounds (a complete the new buildings in Languages, and a Copious List of tion of Materia Medica of India. to as ‘epidemic fever’ and was all the way from Casa Major local representative of the Lon- family for quite a while, right up ground being 2,400 sq ft) of land, time. These comprised, among Oriental Books Immediately Con- He died in the UK in 1837. treated symptomatically. Road, , to the Cooum Society for the Promotion of to the 1960s. That was when the together with two old buildings other buildings, a meeting hall nected with General Science, &c. In his catalogue, Ainslie re- The number of deaths in river behind, was Thomas Christianity among Jews. He Guild of Service and its offshoot, on it. Rs. 75,000 was paid upfront that was named after a past &c was published by Longman, marks that some of the pulses India due to malaria in the late Jarrett, who according to HD translated St Mathews Gospel the Madras School of Social by the Guild and a loan was member Mrs. C. T. Alwar Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green and grains listed by him would 1800s and the first half of the into Hebrew and published it at Work were both hunting for pre- availed of from the Egmore Ben- Chetty, wife of one of the scions in London as two volumes in thrive in sheltered situations in 1900s is estimated at a little more his own cost. Copies were distrib- mises of their own. They had till efit Society for the rest. On April of the V. Perumal Chetty clan. 1826. southern England, and recom- than a million a year. In India uted among the Jews of the then got along quite well on 21, 1967, the foundation stone The Guild took its time mov- Ainslie was born in Berwick- mended that experiments should alone, around the 1850s, the Wordless Malabar region. A publication grace and favour spaces, the for the new buildings of the Guild ing in, doing so only in 1975, af- shire (UK) in 1767. He joined be carried out (i.e. in UK) to British Government was using Gopulu dating to 1807 also has it that he Guild being housed at Philroy, was laid by S. R. Venkataraman, ter Mary Clubwala-Jadhav had the Madras Medical Establish- grow them. The catalogue in- nine tons of quinine annually. ment after qualifying as a Doctor translated the Gospel into west- the residence of its Secretary, the organisations long-term passed away. It has since re- cludes details under (1) corns The point to be noted here is tan, or are brought to it from Asi- of the Royal Danish Lutheran ern Malay as well, under the aus- Mary Clubwala-Jadhav, in Vice-Chairman. Work then pro- mained there, as has the Madras of Medicine in Scotland. Initially and small grains, (2) garden that Clements Markham G The late Gopulu during his atic countries, and are to be met Mission (also known as the posted as an assistant surgeon in Ananda Vikatan days had a pices of the College of Fort Will- , and the gressed slowly, the Guild being School of Social Work. Jarrett, stuffs, (3) large beans and small brought Cinchona saplings from with in the Bazars of populous Tranquebar Mission and the Chingleput, he later worked in series of wordless jokes that iam, Bengal. School, begun in 1952, operating chronically short of funds. the good Christian, would have pulses (many of which have no Peru to India only in 1869 and towns; including many Drugs of Evangelical Lutheran Mission of Trichinopoly as a superintending brought about loud laughter. After his time, the property from a small cottage on the pre- In 1968, the School took over approved of the fact that his erst- English names), (4) roots, (5) these saplings were subsequently the Tamool, Arabian, and Per- Halle). Rottler will be remem- surgeon. In 1810, he catalogued These were brought out as a became the residence of Dr. S. mises of the Madras Seva Sadan a part of the dues to the Egmore while home is now a site for so- fruits and nuts, (6) greens and established in the Government sian Materia Medica; as also the bered in 18-19th Century the vegetables of India, planning book, in 2005, and a copy was M. Stephenson, Superintending of Lady Andal Venkatasubba Benefit Society and became an cial service. teas, and (7) hot seeds, spices, Botanical Garden in the Nilgiris. names given by the Natives to Madras for his contributions to to develop that catalogue as a recently sent to me by Surgeon, Government of Ma- Rao. It is perhaps no coincidence independent owner of part of the seasoning agents, and oils. Each Although the chemistry of different articles of diet, and the botany of southern India. Charukesi. We are pleased to dras. He died at sea in 1834. Cinchona bark was characterised other things for the comfort of Ainslie’s volume has an publish these cartoons for a By the late 1800s/early 1900s, only in the 1820s, the impor- sick; and the appellations be- English index, a Tamil index and new generation of Madrasis. the whole property had become a Latin index. The first index in- one of the 99 garden bungalows – THE EDITOR cludes English equivalents wher- in the city to be owned by that The high-flying geese ever available, such as ‘spurge’ contractor and builder, G by Dr. A. Raman for a member of Euphorbiaceae, Thatikonda Namberumal [email protected] ‘gingelly oil’ for sesame oil (ex- Chetty. He appears to have lived visit Madras tracted from the seeds of here briefly before moving on to niously employ aerodynamic around Chennai. At the end of Sesamum indicum, Pedaliaceae), Crynant in the area. It is How many peaks must a goose techniques. At higher altitudes, last year, Chennai naturalists and sweet potato (Ipomoea not clear if it was during his own- fly above the density of air and, hence, its watched six of them flying low on batatas, Convolvulaceae). This ership or earlier that Edgar Before it can earn its stripes? tance of Cinchona bark in treat- stowed on those materials which pressure and temperature, go the link road between index also includes Tamil names Thurston, of Castes and Tribes of Now, how many days must a ing this deadly fever was known are employed in arts and manu- down, particularly the oxygen- and Kovalam, of materials referred to in this Southern India and Government goose fly strong throughout the world in the later factures: to which added, in the content to hypoxic conditions, close to Mahabalipuram. In Feb- text, which have been transliter- Museum fame, began the Madras Before it reaches its home? decades of the 18th Century. Tamool, Telingoo, Dukhanie, posing great problems for flight. ruary, just two of them were no- ated in Roman script with appro- Fine Arts Society here. In the Obviously Cinchona bark was English, and Latin Languages, priate diacritical marks to relay late 1800s, exhibitions of paint- Yes, how many blizzards must But the most adaptive are the ticed at the small irrigation tank imported into India during another and numerous Cata- dense blood capillaries of the in the Keelnathur village, in the correct diction. The pages ings under the auspices of that it face Ainslie’s time in Madras. (Note: logue of the various productions captioned the Latin index body at Jarretts Gardens were a Before it can see the Sun? lung and heart and its RBCs with . But in William Roxburgh, while sta- of the Vegetable kingdom, which Bar-headed goose. (Picture courtesy: MNS-Ramanan Padmanabhan.) include biological names as regular feature and one among The answer my friend is blowin’ rich haemoglobin, highly absorp- December 2000, 58 of these tioned at Samulkottah Botanical as used as food by the inhabitants tive to scant oxygen. On inter- geese were recorded foraging in During May and June, they spread to humans also. So, the known then. those whose works were dis- in the wind Garden, found the bark of of these provinces; and conclud- Section I (Part I of the book) grain fields on Venadu Island, in breed in large colonies in the Bar-headed goose was declared a played was Raja Ravi Varma. He The answer is blowin’ Swietenia febrifuga (Meliaceae) a ing with an Appendix, in which refers to chemical and biological was also invariably a prize-win- in the wind……. G by the Lake. However, its high ranges of the mountains in potential inter-continental potent substitute for Cinchona are contained the titles of feeding grounds in India are Mongolia, Kazakhstan, threat that could spread the Bird materials that have been referred ner and by the early 1900s had (UTTARA MEDIRATTA & M.O. ANAND Dr. P.J. Sanjeeva Raj and, thus, a saving on the Diseases in Tamool, Dukhanie, to in the British Materia Medica, taken a decision not to compete, WITH PARTIAL CREDIT TO BOB DYLAN) grasslands and grainfields adja- Kyrgystan and also in Ladakh. Flu. country’s exchequer.) Ainslie’s Telingoo, and English; together [email protected] cent to lakes all over the coun- Three to six, occasionally even Despite their dangerous flying but found in Asian countries and being happy to just display his report frequently refers to using with a list of Malabar, Persian, used by the Indian (medical) es, the Bar-headed goose try. They are more visible in the eight eggs, are laid in flat nests across the Himalaya, the peren- works here. Cinchona bark in the treatment Arabic, and Sanscrit medical practitioners. It starts with a ( ) is that iconic extreme south, where you can on the ground or on trees. nial threat from the H5N1 virus The next illustrious resident Y Anser indicus continental migration, they fly as of the epidemic fever. work; a table of Doses and short description of sulphuric goose that flies at a world record sight them in Koodankulam and In May-June, 2005, a wild mi- spreading virulent bird flu, pre- of this property was Sir Robert flocks in inverted ‘V’-shaped for- The 1813 edition of Materia Weights, with the various forms acid (referred as ‘Acid, Vitriolic’) height of 21,120 feet (6,437m) Nanguneri in Tirunelveli Dis- grant population of Bar-headed dation, game hunting and poach- Bailey Clegg. Born in 1865, he mations, constantly communi- Medica (about a quarter of the of Prescriptions, &c. in use with its Indian vernacular names inter-continentally, across the trict, Point Calimere, and Trichy geese in the Qinghai Lake in ing for them in the Asian coun- had, after graduating from Ox- cating by honking. Their choice revised edition) printed at the amongst the Indians.” mentioned either in transliter- Himalayas, from its breeding and Ramnad Districts. China, was noticed to be perish- tries, the International Union for ford, qualified for the Indian to fly at night, particularly early Government Press, Madras, in Ainslie dedicated this work to ated Roman letters or in Tamil ground in the Central Asian This goose is a little larger ing in large numbers. On investi- Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Civil Service and been posted to in the morning, flying up and 1813 outlined the purpose of the Johann Peter Rottler for his help letters and its Latin name countries to reach India, its feed- than our domestic duck and is gation, they were found to be in- in its Red Book, has assigned this Madras. He rose to become First down as a flock in waves, not at book: in determining plants of India. Acidum Sulphuricum. Details of ing home, from October to white or grey-streaked. The chief fected by a virulent strain of the Bar-headed goose to the category Member, Board of Revenue, and the top of the mountains, but in “A catalogue, and an ac- Rottler (1749-1836), an Alsatian its local production are ex- March. identifying marks are the two H5N1 virus, the causative agent of “Least Concern”, meaning was also Member of the Madras their shelter with low wind count, of such Medicines of the Lutheran Mission preacher and plained: “by burning ‘some’ (no Legislative Council, retiring in Bar-headed geese, known for streams, are all highly adaptive. black bars across its nape and for the Highly Pathogenic Avian that its conservation globally is British Materia Medica, as are medical doctor, came to India 1917. Love writes that the house their high altitude flights, inge- It is a bird not often seen in or broad stripes along the neck. Influenza (HPAI), that can safe and secure. either the produce of Hindoos- following Johann Gerhard König (Continued on page 6) 6 MADRAS MUSINGS March 1-15, 2018 Two pages looking at books (Quizmaster V.V. Ramanan’s questions are from February 1 to 15. Questions 11 to 20 relate to Chennai and Tamil Nadu.) 1. Name the Jnanpith recipient stance, refers to moong beans; and Kannada litterateur who has besan is the flour of Bengal been elected President of the A guide to the gram. Don’t let the term Sahitya Akademi? Duck fool you – it is 2. According to a recent report by salted fish eaten on India’s New World Wealth, which Indian West Coast. (While we are on city with a total wealth of $950 the topic of ducks which are not billion is the 12th richest city way we speak globally? birds: A cricketer can be out for duck, or without having scored 3. Name the most powerful rocket in use today that lifted off on any runs, which would be tragic he “issueless” couple – who glish Communication in South that have found their way into for his fans.) You may be put off February 6 with a Tesla Roadster could they be? If you are Asia promises to come in handy. our periodicals. Now, the book as its payload. T by “dust tea”, a term for tea thinking it is domestic partners It turns out, it is not just spoken gets a much-needed update. 4. Which once-in-12-years reli- made from the thick dust left gious ceremony was inaugurated with no marital woes of any English which is rife with The first entry of the new edi- over after packaging leaf tea. In by President Nath Kovind on sort, you’d be so wrong. In the Indianisms. Even headlines of tion reads Aadhar: The Univer- the hands of a good tea vendor, February 9? Indian context, the word “issue- English newspapers in India sal Identity Number of an Indi- the chaiwala, even this can 5. What in the world of business is less” is a stand-in for “childless”. have words which don’t always vidual in India. (Or that with- transform into a halfway decent CriSidEx that was launched on Sometimes though, the word make sense to readers unfamil- out which an Indian citizen beverage. Feb. 3 by the Finance Minister? family could refer to just the iar with the local language. cannot officially exist even if Tell an American you are 6. Of the two defence industrial wife, minus the kids. You could What to do! Yama, the God of Death, is not from Madras and chances are production corridors mentioned in ask a man, “How is the missus/ they will talk about bleeding ma- the Union Budget 2018, the first Mrs.?” or “How is the family?” dras, the plaid-patterned fabric. will link which two major south and it would mean the same “The fabric was born in colonial Indian cities? G thing. If the response is the wife, by Vijaysree Venkatraman India,” The New York Times 7. India won which World title for or another family member, is the fourth time on Feb. 3 at Bay [email protected] says, “a marriage of Scottish tar- “serious,” it means they are ill, tans and traditional Madras Oval, Mount Maunganui, in New possibly at death’s door. Be pre- Zealand? cottons, and popularised in the pared to commiserate. Like 8. Name the new book written by United States in the 1930s by Prime Minister Modi to inspire some insurance policy, the per- the Hathaway Shirt Company.” Here’s how the book was planning to come get him just youth and help them face difficult son can soon “expire” or be “no The colours of the shirt or dress, situations like examinations with more.” born in the first place: On a yet.) made from vegetable dyes, fresh and new energy. If all of this has left you flight from Madras to Banga- Naturally, some words would bleed and change with 9. Which tech giant has launched unfazed, chances are you are al- lore, the author had heard fel- in Indian English pertain to lo- each wash, which was part of its a public initiative “#Security ready familiar with the nuances low passengers, Americans, cal food and drink. Soon appeal. CheckKiya” to create awareness of Indian English, which is a dif- struggle to decipher terms in enough you will know your sam- If you are an outsider in In- around Internet safety and to pro- ferent beast from British Stan- The Hindu and The Indian Ex- bar (a thin lentil-based curry) dia you might as well come to tect young and first-time web users dard English or its American press. What is a rail roko or a from your sambol (a pungent terms with Rahukalam, 90 min- from account hijacking? counterpart. But, as always, we state-wide bandh to a foreign relish with a rice meal). But 10. Which CEO of a global major utes of each day of the week, could all do with a little more traveler? In 1991, the veteran don’t be surprised if nutrition- which is considered inauspi- has been appointed as the Interna- gyan, or information. This is journalist came out with a book ists here advise you to eat a lot tional Cricket Council (ICC) cious for any new venture, be it where S. Muthiah’s Words in which could help foreigners and of grams, short for protein-rich a rocket launch or a trip to the Board’s first independent female locals alike understand terms lentils. Green gram, for in- director? Indian English – A Guide to En- local bazaar. Or the dangerous * * * new breed of people Rakshaks, 11. What famous eatery used to be defenders of political dogma of located at the spot where the one kind or the other, moral TTDC headquarters on Wallajah police in short. Different from Road now stands? Rakshasa or Demon. The media 12. The Tamil name of which A flood of stories also took to referring to natural feature near Chennai demonetisation as De-Mon. translates to ‘forest of the rooted There are also new acronyms fruit’? he catalyst for good fiction thology documents and ex- great leveller. Fortunes are that pertain to other old devil, 13. What were the terminal points Thas often been the trials trapolates experiences by the turned and the have-nots end taxes: G.S.T., the Goods and of the east-west line of the Madras and tribulations of humanity. In bloggers themselves. Though up as benefactors to some of the Tramways that was functional till Services Tax; T.D.S, Tax De- 1953? recent times, the Chennai the mainspring of these stories elite! This phenomena is per- ducted at Source; and PAN or floods of 2015 awakened in its is one, the interpretations are fectly illustrated in the story, 14. Which mosque in Permanent Account Number. was constructed by Anwaruddin residents not only the spirit of many. ‘The High Rise’ by Clement But let’s come back to Muhammed Khan, Nawab of the benevolence, but their creativ- The bloggers have taken dif- Williams, where the maid’s son pleasanter things. If a flower Carnatic in the 18th century? ity too. After the Floods, an an- ferent threads of experience to comes bearing nourishment for seller at the bazaar pesters you 15. Which famous club’s second thology of short stories by 21 weave their own stories. Some the child of the stranded mas- to make a “boni/bowny,” they home was at Branson Bagh oppo- bloggers from The Chennai have used the floods as a back- ter. are asking you to make the first site the Church Park School? Bloggers Club, is a tribute to drop for dropping long-held Some bloggers have touched purchase of the day and bring 16. What do the initials DG stand Chennai and the spirit of prejudices of classes and castes. upon the enormous environ- them luck. Don’t be a kanjus; for in the name of the DG Chennai. Kavipriya writes about a young mental errors that led to the di- just do the needful. In official Vaishnav College? We were all privy to the nu- woman residing in a North Ma- saster and question whether we correspondence, this expression 17. Which popular joint in Besant merous acts of heroism and the dras locality that is looked at have really learned from the “doing the needful” suggests Nagar was started by Daljeet Singh coming together of people to with disdain by her beau. In the earlier mistakes. The very first that the other, who is no intel- who achieved fame as one of help one another in the crisis end, her house comes to their story in the anthology, ‘Her’ by lectual slouch or buddhu, knows Rajini’s bodyguards/aides in that lasted for nearly a week. rescue in the story ‘Chennai Salesh Dipak Fernando is a what needs to be done in the Baasha? Thanks to Social Media, people 600013’. A few stories touch metaphysical . The situation and doesn’t need step- 18. In the earlier currency system were able to connect and net- upon the NRI angle. In ‘An Queen ‘Madras’ chooses ‘MA- of Madras, 10 kaasus made up by-step instruction. The phrase what? work to hear these stories as Untold Legacy’ by Nandhini TERIALISM’ as her consort has gone around the globe 19. Which famous Tamil orator they happened and to reach out Chandrasekaran, it is the preju- only to court an unbearable di- thanks to call centres and In- started an institution called to those stranded in the floods. dice of a young girl towards her saster. In the ‘Rain Maker’, au- dia-based tech companies. As Podhunilaik Kazhagam whose The sheer spirit of ordinary mother’s Chennai roots that thor Sriram Acharya imagines has the befuddling “kindly re- motto was ‘Ondre Kulam, Oruva- people helped the city in ex- comes in the way of under- quite realistically man playing vert back”. Thanking you in ad- nae Devan’? traordinary ways. Unlikely alli- standing her strength. God. vance (TIA). 20. People having vision problems ances and friendships have been Other stories reflect com- Others have highlighted the There are times when it can worship which temple’s deity in the common thread of stories monly felt differences between personal sacrifices of unsung all be “too much.” If a word, ? that emerged from the great the haves and the have-nots. (Answers on page 8) flooding of Chennai. This an- The Chennai floods acts as a (Continued on page 8) (Continued on page 7) March 1-15, 2018 MADRAS MUSINGS 7 Studying the output of Madras studios ccording to eminent their major , sheds light on Ahistorians Theodore the complex intersection of the Baskaran and ‘Film News’ cultural, economic and political Anandan, the total number of factors which shaped the stu- Tamil films starting from the dios and their owners and the first Tamil talkie, Kalidas, re- type of productions they were leased in 1931 (the same year as interested in. ), predictably runs After careful consideration into four figures. Such a phe- of the studio productions in nomenal output spread over so Madras, with regard to their many years called for its rich critical and box office reception and complex history to be well and their lasting impact on the documented. However, a sus- Tamil – both in tained and scholarly study of terms of their significance as such a history has not seen the essential links to an earlier his- Madras has been well docu- light of day due to the enormity tory of and as growth, development and Ganesan was paid a meagre Rs popularity of Indian cinema is 250 a month for his famous role mented and Pillai takes care not of the task and the challenges prototypes which prefigure the only to mention this but also associated with data collection specifics of Tamil cinema in well-known. The huge output in Parasakthi or that S.S. Vasan, of popular and highly acclaimed showing rare enterprise as a boy, give fresh details, particularly and the availability of archival later decades – the author has with reference to the Dravidian material. defined the period from 1937 to films in the is commenced his career through inarguably the most influential the VPP – Value Payable by movement and its influence on A book that comes reason- 1957 as the most significant Tamil cinema. The major roles ably close, Madras Studios – Post – business. In the course of detailing the played in diverse ways by the Narrative, Genre and Ideology in likes of C.N. Annadurai, M. Tamil Cinema, written by working of the five major stu- G Karunanidhi and M.G. Swarnavel Eswaran Pillai and by Partab Ramchand dios, Pillai focuses on some ma- jor classics and so we have long Ramachandran make for com- brought out by Sage Publica- pelling reading. tions, is now available. The but fascinating chapters on after , in terms of scale of author’s primary objective is to one. Historically too these two Uthama Puthiran, Manthiri Perhaps the most interesting production and reception. In- fill the void and study the most decades are crucial, since they Kumari, Parasakthi, Avvaiyar, aspect of the book centres in deed, many leading Hindi film eventful period in the history of enable a consideration of Tamil Pathala Bhairavi and Missiamma the stories of the studio heads stars have spoken about the the Madras studios when they cinema during British rule, besides interesting notes on and how they came about estab- high level of professionalism in produced their landmark and World War II and in earlier in- Andha Naal, Chandralekha, lishing their businesses after ini- film-making in Madras (now seminal films. An understand- dependent India. Uyarndha Manithan and Soodhu tial struggles. T.R. Sundaram of Chennai) and have readily The contribution of the Kavvum, the biggest hit of 2013. Modern Theatres, S.S. Vasan of ing of the history of the studios, come over to appear in movies and a detailed description of Tamil film industry to the Yes, in his concluding chapters , A.V. Meiyappa made in the city. Numerous box Pillai notes that traces of the Chettiar of AVM studios, L.V. office hits and highly acclaimed studio system and its continu- Prasad of Prasad Studios and Hindi films have been produced ing influence in terms of narra- Nagi Reddy of Vijaya-Vauhini in the southern metropolis. tives and genres can still be seen are all portrayed as larger than Much of this lofty reputation in Tamil cinema of today, par- life figures but with a human stems from the studio system in ticularly in the films made dur- touch. There are some dull pas- Madras which modeled itself on ing the last decade. Thus there sages because of the author’s CHENNAI HERITAGE the famed studio system of Hol- are many references to the emphasis on facts and figures, lywood in the 1930s to 1950s. No. 5, Bhattad Tower, 30, Westcott Road, movies made even in the 21st but the interesting bits more The five major studios were , Chennai 600 014 Century, making the book up- than make up for this. Modern Theatres, AVM, to-date. Many rare and well Gemini, Prasad and - Overall, Madras Studios is a I am already on your mailing list (Mailing List produced pictures add immense Vauhini. Through the years, value to the book. must read for anyone associated No...... ) / I have just seen Madras Musings and some of the most commercially The close relationship bet- with or interested in Tamil would like to receive it hereafter. popular and critically acclaimed ween politics and cinema in films. films have been made in these G I/We enclose cheque/demand draft/money order for studios. Rs. 100 (Rupees One hundred) payable to Pillai is well qualified to write CHENNAI HERITAGE, MADRAS, as subscription to this book. An assistant profes- Guide to the way we speak Madras Musings for the year 2017-18. sor in English and the media and information departments at (Continued from page 6) tion in the book. Some of the G As token of my support for the causes of heritage, Michigan State University, he is words you collect could well phrase or expression is a head environment and a better city that Madras Musings a graduate of the Film and Tele- stand the test of time and be- scratcher, ask around and get to espouses, I send Chennai Heritage an additional vision Institute of India and an come part of the lexicon; you’ll the bottom of it. Don’t get all laugh over some of them after Rs...... accomplished documentarian. pedantic – as long as no rules of (Rupees ...... ) His research areas include the they pass into disuse. Surely, it grammar are broken, it is no big can’t get “more better” than Please keep/put me on your mailing list. history, theory and production deal. Smile, jot down new terms of documentaries and experi- that. in the “additional words” sec- Name : ...... mental films and specifically Tamil cinema and its complex ...... relationship with Hollywood, Given this background, it MADRAS MUSINGS ON THE WEB Address: ...... comes as no surprise that Ma- dras Studios comes across as a To reach out to as many readers as possible who share ...... well-researched work. It is also our keen interest in Madras that is Chennai, and in ...... full of interesting details, anec- response to requests from many well-wishers – especially dotes and quotes of all those in- from outside Chennai and abroad who receive their postal All cheques to ‘Chennai Heritage’. DD/Cheque should volved, from studio heads to ac- copies very late – for an online edition. Madras Musings is be sent by Speed Post only. tors, from screen writers to now on the web at www. madrasmusings.com technicians. For example not many may know that Sivaji – THE EDITOR 8 MADRAS MUSINGS March 1-15, 2018 Medi IE’s Golden Jubilee catalogue (Continued from page 7) der the International Visitors’ the PCs and software for page Russian lino, it took ten years programme for economic jour- make up, scanning, colour sepa- from Madras nalists. ration and entering the world of March 7-11: Ugadi Utsav. The (Continued from page 5) to dispose of it. five-day long Ugadi celebrations I graduated to the next stage It took quite a battle for my CorelDraw, Aldus PageMaker, will bring to life the culture of mass mentioned) sulphur with of typesetting, through an elec- wife and 12 year old son to Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Andhra Pradesh with the tradi- a small portion of saltpetre tronic typewriter. make several visits to the office InDesign, et al. tional Lambadi and Madhuri [KNO ] in a strong earthen ves- of the dealer and the threat of a It indeed was a magnificient dance forms by the Abhinaya 3 Here again the course was sel.” Ainslie adds, “… nearly in legal action to get back the process of learning to keep up Sudha Kala Varadi from rough and painful. The dealer of the same manner that we do,” money. with the frenetic pace of tech- Telengana (at DakshinaChitra). the imported Swedish machine implying the similarity in the took the money in advance and We were getting into the nology development. It was not March 8-13: Watercolour land- production of sulphuric acid promised to return it the mo- next stage of photo typesetting easy though to upgrade con- then in Britain. and then to desktop publishing. stantly the computers and allied scape paintings from distant and ment my bank cleared the term varied countries by artist A. His annotation on camphor loan and sent the cheque. But In quick succession we went facilities of software, of recruit- Murugesan (at Lalit Kala from page 7 is an example of the he resiled on this promise and through the stages of typeset- ing and training staff with com- Akademi.) details he supplies under each magnanimously retained both! ting though an XT, 286, 386, petence and arranging for the item he has listed. This section I was away at that time on a visit 486 and their improved ver- needed finances. (Courtesy: includes the biological name of to the US on an invitation un- sions, year after year, upgrading Industrial Economist.) camphor source, viz. Laurus camphora (now Cinnamomum camphora) (Lauraceae), which A FLOOD OF STORIES he indicates as growing wild in Japan. He refers to what was di- (Continued from page 7) Pavithraa Swaminathan shows Though the stories are in agnosed by Indian physicians as a typically entitled spoilt teen- English, the voices are definitely Kistnah Doshum and equates it March 10: Heart of Matter, mono- ager mature into a wise young Chennai. There is no particular to Typhus fever1. heroes from the larger than life woman over a night of floods. effort to craft the language and logues by women (at InKo Cen- youth. In ‘Gangs of Namma tre, Chennai). Dahlesque twists are seen in in many places seem a direct 1 Typhus fever, the most common Chennai’ by Kishor a couple of stories. ‘Lucky Who’ rendering of our brand of spo- March 15-April 30: Checks and Lakshminarayanan, the ageing Stripes – The versatile classic of waterborne disease recognised in the by Karthik ken English. Even the tone of Tamil Nadu. The exhibition will 17th Century, was caused by microbial father of an NRI holds the fort Ramachandran, is a mischie- some of the stories are refresh- contamination from human faeces. in his little community. The give an insight on the story of vous tale of a time travelling as- ingly honest to the culture it Real Madras Handkerchief. The Symptoms include high fever, weakness, anxiety of NRIs with their loved cetic who lands in water logged springs from. What the stories exhibition opens with a seminar headache, lack of appetite, stomach ones gone incommunicado will Chennai only to show two erst- lack in clarity more than make on the topic on March 15th (at pains, and flat, pinkish spotty rashes. strike a chord with many while rivals in romance that fate up by enthusiasm and original- DakshinaChitra). Typhus fever and Typhoid were differ- Chennai families. Stories de- works in mysterious ways. The ity. Something to do with the Till Mar. 28: Vasantha Vizha. Step entiated in 1837. Edward Jenner pre- scribing the horrors of the flood out of the classroom and enter sented a detailed comparison of the two story of ‘The Two Old Men’ by nature of blogging. diseases based on clinical and post- leave no doubt that the authors Bragadeesh is reminis- the world of art & craft at have indeed waded the waters. – Rashrei Vyas DakshinaChitra. mortem appearances in 1850. Typhoid cent of an earthy Tamil story Till March 31: Infinity – the paint- fever is caused by various strains of Sal- Romance is the surprise ele- with humour and a pinch of pa- monella, while Typhus is caused by vari- ment in some of the stories. ings of Reji Joseph (at thos. DakshinaChitra). ous species of Rickettsia. That romantic love is the staple of Tamil cinema is evident in * * * (To be concluded) some stories which have found Answers to Quiz a way of using the floods as a DakshinaChitra Workshops suitable backdrop. There is also 1. Chandrashekhar Kambar, 2. Mumbai, 3. Falcon Heavy, 4. Children a story or two with a fantasy el- Mahamastakabhisheka of Lord Gomateshwara at Shravanabelagola, 5. March 10: Decoupage. Resource March 17-18: Kalamkari (Figura- India’s first sentiment index for micro and small enterprises ( MSEs), 6. person: (at Dakshina- tive style). Resource person: ement involving time travel. Chitra) Relationships between parent Chennai and Bengaluru, 7. ICC Under-19 cricket World Cup, 8. ‘Exam Vijaya Kumar Warriors’, 9. Google, 10. Indra Nooyi Contact: Lakshmi: 984177779 and child, the old and the * * * * * * * * * young have been skillfully ex- 11. Annapurna Cafeteria, 12. Pazhaverkadu (Pulicat), 13. Central and Ceramic Workshop plored in some stories. ‘Stron- Roxy in , 14. Masjid-o-Anwari, 15. Madras Club, 16. Art Workshop March 10: Glazed mural painting gest Storms Give out the Most Dwarakadoss Govardhandoss, 17. Cozee, 18. Dudhoo (dhuttu), 19. March 11: Flower Veni. Resource on tile Beautiful Rainbows’ by Maraimalai Adigal, 20. Velleeswarar temple. person: Lalitha Contact Potrasan: 9840672154

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