Registered with the Reg. No. TN/PMG (CCR) /814/06-08 Registrar of Newspapers Licence to post without prepayment for India under R.N.I. 53640/91 Licence No. WPP 506/06-08 Rs. 5 per copy (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS CHENNAI INSIDE •Short ‘N’ Snappy •The sad face of heritage •Vel’s and MGR MADRAS •Drama & music in Old Madras •Burmese home rafts adrift Vol. XVIII No. 2 MUSINGS May 1-15, 2008 Sad...Is VPH Sad... to get Tragic! a new In a few weeks this picture will all there be to remind us of a building that contributed significantly to South India’s destiny for nearly 200 years. “A ‘Sound and Light’ show with- out any sound or light... Brilliant, I thought!” I got that... (I think) That’s the nice thing about liv- ing in a culture-hub like Chennai – there’s never a dull moment. A dance here, a reading there, yonder a play, a cinema festi- val to your left, art shows to your right, and music for all occasions – it never ends. But sometimes creativity goes all enigmatic on you, with even die-hard enthusiasts stubbing eager toes on the sharp edges of incomprehen- sion. Now, you’re not over-critical; you welcome new, or differ- ent, experiences. But sometimes... you just don’t get it. Like, shadowy figures darting across a darkened stage to plunky music – for two hours. You’re obviously missing some- thing very vital – but what? “Life?” one fellow-watcher qua- vers. Well, maybe, but that ‘re- sponse’ smacks of taking the easy way out. You are secretly thankful for the informative brochure, but a little reluctant to admit it. t was only in the last issue of ment Estate, just behind the Fort, some temples and DGP Building on the Marina “Your lack of understanding IMadras Musings that we had Anna statue at Round Tana. churches. It was in the posses- was being renovated, Govern- doesn’t diminish anything,” congratulated the Government The building, though structur- sion of the Madra family, which ment House became police you get snapped at, “Spoon- on taking steps and allocating ally sound, was found to be in probably gave the city its name, headquarters. The police did fed all the time – that’s the funds for preserving old the way of a master plan for before the Government of some restoration while moving problem. Make some effort.” buildings in its possession. But building a new Assembly for Madras acquired the building in in and were so happy with their Point taken. now, with the demolition of a Tamil Nadu, even though there 1752 as a residence for the building that certain police de- “Medium”; “message”; ‘Hot’ and ‘Cold’ – remember those landmark heritage building and are acres of space elsewhere in Governor. Since then, till 1947, partments continued to func- terms? yet another being threatened, the same estate. Related casual- this was the residence of all tion from Government House Can a demand for viewer par- we are not so sure of the even after the DGP Building ticipation get too...er... Government’s intentions. G by A Special Correspondent was restored. demanding sometimes? Last week, the wreckers’ This writer who visited Gov- Not everyone’s “multi-sensory ernment House even as it was be- hammers began bringing down ties are some century-old trees Governors of Madras Presi- simultaneous comprehen- Government House, the home of ing knocked down could get a sion” (phew!) operates on the and also Gandhi Illam, a mu- dency, Guindy’s Raj Bhavan the Governors of Madras for feel of the original spaciousness same level – and why should seum dedicated to the Father of (then known as Guindy Lodge) of the building, all the partitions it? nearly two centuries, a building the Nation. being their country retreat. Maybe some creative efforts where the destiny of South and false ceilings having been re- Post-independence it became moved. The flooring boasted of just stress the “Brrrr” note a India, nay even of India at As regulars of Madras MLAs’ Hostel. When the some of the highest quality bit. times, was determined. Musings would know, Govern- MLAs shifted to the new pre- Oh well, you could always take Government House, often ment House was probably one of (Continued on page 2) a shawl along. mises inside the Fort, they left erroneously called Admiralty the oldest buildings surviving in the building in a derelict condi- Also see pages 3, 4 & 5 Ranjitha Ashok House, is located inside Govern- Madras city, discounting the tion. In the 1990s, when the CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS May 1-15, 2008 Senate House under lock and key he Man from Madras lege is strictly forbidden. Per- In other words, they came, they Did we help? buildings in our midst. Let this T Musings could not help mission for doing so must be walked through, and they left. be a lesson for MM not to open shedding a tear at the doors of obtained from the Ministry of MMM wondered if it could chabod was The Man from its mouth on such subjects in Senate House, the building that Education stating the purpose have been a team of undertak- IMadras Musings’ verdict. future. For what MM thinks to- government, several industrial for which the said photograph ers come to measure the build- The building has been knocked day, the Government acts upon houses and alumni of Madras is being taken. The application ing. If so, they had come to the down and that is that. So what tomorrow, except when it University contributed so liber- is to be filled in triplicate with right place. Senate House, once if it is 250 years old and was comes to passing Heritage ally to restoring. Now, for rea- one copy to the College, one to promised as a bustling centre of owned by the family that prob- Acts. sons known only to itself, the the Ministry and a third to be activity, is now deader than a ably gave the city its name? So Madras University has locked retained by the applicant. In doornail. what if it had fine woodwork Height of inaction the building and has done it so due course, the application will and some amazing marble securely that not even peering be considered and a decision Let ’em eat cake flooring? So what if it was Indi- omething must be through the windows helps the will be taken based on the mer- ans who had built it, using a “S done,” said everyone of casual visitor to catch a glimpse its of the case. Further appeals he Man from Madras technology that is now lost? All them as they shook their heads of the sumptuous interior. on refusal will not be heard. T Musings is tightening his that matters is that we will get and drank their cups of coffee. The other day MMM went That more or less was the an- belt every hour. Soaring prices a spanking new Assembly The Man from Madras Musings along with a group of heritage swer given to a visitor who tried have hit MMM where it hurts building. refers to public reaction on lovers to the beachfront and taking a photo or two. In this the most, namely his stomach. In this connection, MMM coming to know that Govern- some in the group decided to era of camera phones, such Applying to the Chief will not has a nagging doubt. Could ment House was being pulled take a peek at Senate House. gobbledeygook is amazing. help, as he will only quote Madras Musings have contrib- down. And then they contin- Out came the cameras and the A visitor from the United Polonius’ speech to Laertes and uted indirectly to the destruc- ued with their coffee and what- visitors were busy clicking States had this interesting tale also talk of rising costs of paper, tion of this wonderful struc- ever else they were doing. away when an officious security to narrate about Senate House. printers’ bills and maintaining ture? After all, we in this paper MMM is of the firm view guard arrived to tersely inform Apparently he and his mother circulation. It is in such that the heritage movement is everyone that photography was dead in the city of Madras that banned on the premises. Now, is Chennai. No more than a lip- what exactly is objectionable in service is paid to this activity taking a photograph of a and, barring a handful, nobody roughly 150-year-old building SHORT ’N’ SNAPPY is bothered. is something that foxes MMM. Some of the other reactions After all, the building cannot amused MMM even more. be coming under the Official “You never told me,” was the Secrets Act or something like decided to see the building only moments of gloom that MMM have all along been asking the plaintive cry of a matron over that. And there is after all a to find it locked. They tried turns to the business Government to vacate the Fort. the phone. The demolition of Right To Information Act as looking through the shutters, newspapers, for their use of Now what can the poor Gov- Government House was well now. But MMM and his whereupon a swarm of sweep- English has often amused ernment do but look for alter- discussed threadbare in these group put away their cameras ers descended on them and told MMM. But this time it was native accommodation? You columns and we even sent a let- obediently.