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Vol. XVII No. 04 MUSINGS June 1-15, 2007 Planning for heritage Some welcome first steps

(By The Editor) “Go to the girl at the 2nd check-in counter and tell us what you think of her... She is the one we are ‘seeing’ for t long last things appear to points, among others, being you!” Abe moving on the heritage made: front in Tamil Nadu, though 1. The Archaeological Sur- Spotted & noted decisive action is still a long way vey of India (ASI) covers India’s A serious preoccuption for off. Even as the draft Second ancient monuments. But with some, and a full-time occupa- Master Plan for Chennai, which only 2000 locations with If the State ever gets a Heritage Act, it will undoubtedly have local level tion for others, whose eyes has a section devoted to heri- Heritage Committees — and then such structures, like what’s left of this become like permanent bin- around 5000 listed buildings tage conservation in the city, is 19th Century British hospital in Kodayar forest, Nagercoil, might be looked oculars. under the ASI all over the being debated, the State Plan- at with a little more sympathy. Any get-together that sees a country and the average budget ning Commission, which is in meaningful array of humanity for each location being a paltry offers sightings and a fair har- the process of preparing the Rs. 7000, its efforts need to be vest – weddings, kutcheries Eleventh Five Year Plan, has Heritage in the districts supplemented considerably. It is (especially during the Season, discussed the protection of heri- (By A Special Correspondent) unable to keep in good shape when the NRIs come home tage buildings in Tamil Nadu briefly to roost, and the even its blue boards that declare onvenor of the Nagercoil Chapter of INTACH, Lal Mohan, both for historical reasons as Cis urging the State Government to renovate the dilapidated ‘hmm-did-you-get-a-good- buildings to be protected monu- well as as an adjunct to the heritage structures built by Scottish planters in the Kodayar for- look-at-that-one?’ syndrome ments. is in full cry). promotion of tourism. The est. It was in 1870 that a few enterprising Scotsmen like John Over the past few years, a new Planning Commission meeting Grant, the chief promoter of coffee planting in the south arena has been added to the 2. The working of the State Travancore mountains, and another planter,George Maclennan, was convened by the Member- Archaeological Department is list of fertile venues – the air- Secretary of the Planning Com- came to the Kodayar forests. Maclennan lies buried where he, port. shrouded in greater mystery and his dogs and horse were bitten by a King Cobra. In true Indian style, large mission and chaired by the there is hardly any information These planters convinced the then Maharaja of Travancore, chunks of family arrive to see Vice-Chairman. Attending it on what it has done in recent Ramavarma Ayila Thirunal, his Diwan and the British Resident off young hopefuls, and the were several heritage activists. years. that huge profits could be made from their coffee venture. Un- job of tracking other equally The meeting began with the co- fortunately, their dreams never materialised, blighted by the rust young promising souls be- convener of the Indian Na- disease. In its place tea plantation was attempted at the Seafield, comes easy. 3. The history of excavations tional Trust for Art and Cul- in the State, both by the ASI Lebonon and Karimani Estates, which also failed. At a time While the young ones are pre- when there were no roads, men and material were mobilised to occupied with new begin- tural Heritage (INTACH), and the State, is abysmal. In the Tamil Nadu, giving a summary build huge factories. These are now reduced to tin sheds. There nings and future dreams, the past forty years, only a couple of was even a hospital built at an altitude of 1200 metres above sea older elements are racing of the history of efforts taken to locations have been explored level to treat malaria-ridden workers, at a time when many suc- ahead to the next possible get a Heritage Act in the State. thoroughly. phase. cumbed to the disease for which treatment was unknown. The But since all “normal” parents The wide-ranging discus- hospital still stands in poor condition and bears the inscription are scared of their ‘young sions thereafter saw these (Continued on page 3) “In memory of John Grant of Glemurguhart, Inverness, Scot- adult’ kids, they make sure land” who died in 1857. their thoughts stay hidden, thus avoiding the indignant: “Oi, don't even think about it.” They identify and observe – the What’s going to happen to Government House? parents, the siblings, cousins of various denominations, the neighbour’s dog. Some strike he Tamil Nadu Govern- (By A Special Correspondent) Assembly complex on the site of up conversations, which usu- Tment has announced that Queen Mary’s College. This ally end with “Oh, then your it will soon be building a new heritage precinct, even a poten- the ideal choice, given its cen- snowballed into a major contro- brother-in-law’s cousin must State Assembly complex away versy, with the college students have been in kindergarten tial World Heritage Site, and tral location. Rumours had it with me”, which naturally from Fort St. George. The new ought to be treated as such, with that the decision had almost spearheading the protests, re- brings a feeling of closeness. complex will be spacious and free access to all. been inked when it was given sulting in the Government Post-departure, the crowd modern unlike, it says, the The first such plans for a new up for reasons never fully ex- backtracking on its decision. thins, but connections have present location, which is Secretariat and Assembly were plained. Since then, all talk has An alternative site was then been forged, and filed away in cramped. Madras Musings wel- discussed many years ago when centred on shifting the Assem- identified in Kotturpuram on the mental cupboard that comes this decision to move the the Anna University campus specialises in possibilities. the M.G. Ramachandran Min- bly to a different location in And the Great Web of Life Assembly complex out of the istry mulled over transferring Madras that is Chennai. and a foundation stone was laid. smiles, and prepares itself for Fort, for this journal has been the capital itself from Madras to In 2003, the then Govern- But this plan was later aban- more strands. pointing out for years that the between Tiruchchirappalli and ment announced the building of doned, with a new party taking Ranjitha Ashok Fort St. George complex is a Thanjavur, which was perhaps a new Secretariat-cum (Continued on page 2)

CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS June 1-15, 2007 In-flight behaviour – Indian style he Man from Madras they could hardly make any rounding it ought to be avoided to such blatant inconveniences only the façade. This too, ac- T Musings was recently on headway as a stampede to the and those wishing to travel created for road-users. A re- cording to the locals, does not an international flight return- exit had begun. MMM was one needed to take Mount Road. cent example, a cutout erected have long to live, though no- ing home and it was once more of the few passengers to remain But came the day of the show on TTK Road covered the en- body had a clear answer as to amply evident to him that the seated and an exasperated air and Mount Road was the first tire traffic signal and, so, most what is coming up in its place. behaviour of the citizens of our hostess, no doubt looking for a to be blocked, whether by in- road-users had no idea on when The Crown was one of the ear- country is always a little differ- shoulder to weep on, stated tention or due to the colossal to move ahead. And not one liest theatres in the city and had ent. For starters, most of us that this was invariably the amount of traffic on the road, policeman objected when the been witness to all that went on pack much more than what we story on most India-bound it was not clear. The result was cut-out was put up. It was in the name of film-making really need and invariably end flights. Apparently many air- that thousands of commuters taken away a good 15 days that eventually saw Madras up arguing with those at the lines even keep the toiletries in were left stranded on the road later. emerge as a film centre. In the check-in counters about how the lavatory to a minimum as on a sweltering day with the 75th year of the talking cinema the weight norms are wholly in- most are stolen by the passen- traffic inching forward at times Whose pavement? in India, it was sad to see this adequate. gers. MMM could only listen and many times not at all. The landmark vanish without a But what really took the with a growing sadness. And mess did not clear up till late at recent article in a lead- trace. cake this time was the in-flight this is a country that is ex- Aing city daily focussed on behaviour of many passengers. pected to be world class. Evi- the woes of the pedestrian and Grading cities The serving of drinks before dently, economic prosperity SHORT lamented that pavements were dinner saw many at their best and civility do not go with each being encroached upon by elec- he Man from Madras demanding more and more, other. ’N’ tric junction boxes, transform- T Musings learns from a with one self-confessed expert At the Chennai airport it SNAPPY ers, hedges put up by residents, business daily that the Central on beer even refusing to accept was as usual chaos with luggage hawkers and wayside shops. Urban Development Ministry a glass because it was frothy! being piled on antediluvian The article remained silent on is looking towards setting a The exasperated air hostess carousels which took their own night and, in many ways for the usurping of pavements by grading system for cities to help had to finally explain to him time to deliver. In the mean- MMM and others of his ilk, the hooligans with political affilia- guide investment in infrastruc- that frothiness was to be ex- time, those in charge of the lug- road show was a harrowing tions who put up party ture. Cities would be judged on pected in beer. Not for him gage kept offloading some of one. Goodness knows what flagposts and also erect statues how they have worked towards anyway. Then there was the the pieces from the carousel happened to those who needed of leaders with no permission improving amenities, on how other man who kept going back without informing the passen- to reach Central Station to whatsoever. they have rationalised property to the crew area and asking gers and, as a result, many catch a train. Presumably they The Moolakadai junction in tax structures, on whether they them for more alcohol. This thought their bags had not took a flight. Vyasarpadi has at least three have removed the urban land gentleman had already had one come. Finally, someone discov- flagposts and several statues in ceiling act and also imple- too many and was turned away ered a separate pile and there After the party each corner. Very often, one of mented public-private initia- by them. There followed a gen- was a rush for the bags. In the these statues is subjected to tives in development such as eral announcement that no middle of all this, after being utting up festoons, bun- some vandalism by another mass rapid transit systems. more drinks would be served knocked over by a huge crate Ptings, huge hoardings, cut- party’s followers and the police All cities have been asked to after that. The toper then mis- moving on the carousel, MMM outs and taking illegal electric are called in to protect the submit details on utilisation of behaved with a young child and noticed some security staff connections for illuminations statue! The latest seemingly al- city development funds to as- had to be restrained by the chatting merrily with the man and sound effects are all the re- truistic act, with political hues sess them. staff. This resulted in a security who had created so many prob- sponsibility of party functionar- to it, is the erecting of tanneer MMM, however, has a ques- issue and there was yet another lems on the flight. There was ies in the State, each intent on pandals. Each street corner now tion here. Should the announcement that when the much back-slapping and bon- putting on an unforgettable sports one. The modus oper- utilisation of funds be the sole aircraft landed no passenger homie. All was forgiven and roadside meeting to felicitate andi is simple. You put up a criterion? After all, funds was to leave till the security forgotten and, any way, it is a and celebrate their leader and shelter, cover it with party WILL, whichever way, get personnel had come on board. poor heart that never rejoices. his/her leadership. But what of flags, place a portrait of a leader utilised. It is more of a question When the aircraft began the aftermath? Who is respon- in it and also have two pots of how they were utilised and landing, many people had al- Air show, road show sible for clearing the road of filled with water. The Man from whom they benefited. Presum- ready begun unfastening their plantain stalks, polythene-cov- Madras Musings wonders as to ably, this aspect too would be seat belts and, the moment it he recently concluded air ered festoons that dangle dan- why the simple act of giving gone into. touched ground, all of them Tshow was hailed as stupen- gerously waiting to send two- water to the thirsty on a hot day It will be interesting to see stood up and began opening the dous by those who watched it, wheeler users to a quick grave, has to be politicised. how Madras that is Chennai overhead lockers to remove but for those on the road that and casuarina poles used to fares on the list. The classifica- their baggage even as the air- day, and The Man from Madras construct a stage? None, appar- A hollow Crown tion will finally be done on the craft was taxiing to its bay. De- Musings was one of them, it ently. These are left on the road basis of three colours – red, spite warnings to the contrary, was a harrowing experience and it is upto nature to slowly alking down Mint black and blue. If it is red or several had already begun using and a very poor show on the get rid of them all. As for the W Street the other day, black, our political parties their cell phones and sending part of those in charge of traffic hoardings that block entire pe- The Man from Madras Musings should be happy; if it is black SMSs and calling up friends. By arrangements. Announce- destrian pathways, the less said was saddened to see that the and blue, it anyway reflects the the time the ground security ments had been made that the the better. It is a crying shame old Crown Cinema had been status of the average citizen. staff had boarded the aircraft, Beach Road and areas sur- that authorities turn a blind eye pulled down, leaving behind – MMM What’s going to happen to Government House?

(Continued from page 1) ment House, the oldest build- though the largest chunk was tel. When a new structure was It is to be hoped that this his- ing on the site, and a heritage added in 1855 when the Nawab built for the MLAs on the same toric building will not be pulled charge after the Assembly elec- building if ever there is one. of Carnatic’s estate was taken campus, this building was aban- down in the process of con- tions. Looking at historical over by the Company, giving doned. There was considerable structing the new Assembly. The latest plan has the Gov- records, it is clear that the Fort the property its present dimen- debate over its fate when it be- While on the subject, the ernment mulling over two was considered congested even sions. The building, by then came, after some renovation, Government would also do well choices – Government Estate in the 1750s. Of course, it was a called Government House, was temporary Police Headquarters to think over whether it would (the Omandur Ramaswami bustling city by itself then. In the official residence of the in 1993/94 while the permanent really be advisable to have a Reddiar Estate) on Mount Road 1752, Governor Thomas Governors of Madras Presi- headquarters on the Marina was new Assembly within the city and the Raj Bhavan complex in Saunders, feeling that his sta- dency and continued as such till undergoing restoration. When and that too on crowded Mount Guindy. The latter is a pro- tion demanded more elbow Independence. Additions were the police moved back to the Road. Security will demand the tected reserve forest and, there- room, rented a garden house be- made to it by Governors Tho- Marina, they not only did not road being cordoned off each fore, was ruled out and the final longing to Mrs. Antonia de mas Rumbold and the second feel like parting with time senior ministers of the choice of location is likely to be Madeiros, a member of the Lord Clive in the late 18th, Government House, but have State come to the Assembly Government Estate. The Gov- Madeiros family after whom, early 19th Century, so that Gov- been drawing up plans for re- while it is in session. There will ernment has also specifically according to the most likely ernment House could rival storing it, indicative of how also be necessity for public park- mentioned that Kalaivanar theory, the city got its name. In Chepauk Palace. The present happy they were there. ing spaces, given the number of Arangam, Rajaji Hall and the 1753, the house was battered by Raj Bhavan in Guindy was only There is every reason why visitors the Assembly will draw. MLAs’ Hostel will not be af- a storm and, not long thereaf- a weekend retreat. such a building, which has been Will the new plan address all fected by the new construction, ter, Saunders acquired it for Post-independence, Gover- witness to much of the city’s his- this? Given our record in mod- if it indeed chooses Govern- Rs.12,000 and began repairing nment House, nowadays often tory, ought to be preserved. The ern constructions for the Gov- ment Estate. The statement is and embellishing it. In 1756, erroneously called Admiralty compound is also home to sev- ernment, we are not too san- silent on the fate of Govern- land was added to the property, House, became the MLAs’ Hos- eral trees of a venerable vintage. guine. June 1-15, 2007 MADRAS MUSINGS 3

It would appear from Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan that the Veeranam lake was created by the forefather of king Rajendra, Tamil writers Rajaathithaya, son of Madurai- konda Parantakan, perhaps much before the ‘Cholagangam’ among lawyers lake. The point to be noted is that enerally, professionals like lawyers, doctors and engineers, the rulers of yore bestowed great Gthough possessing talent for writing, rarely go in for this Why not here? croachments are spreading all care in providing abundant wa- diversion due to pre-occupation in their jobs. However, there over Madras city – whether it is have been notable exceptions among the lawyers, whether wonder why, while the ter facilities for their subjects, Mylapore, Nungambakkam, practising law or in other avocations. I Tamils have co-operated before embarking on creation of Ayanavaram, Adyar or with the leadership in Malaysia new capital cities. The credit for the first Tamil novel goes to Mayuram S. Washermanpet – these are con- and Singapore in making them Vedhanayagan Pillai, a District Munsiff, who wrote Prathapa fined to down-town Yangon. T.M. Sundararaman first-world countries, they are Mudaliar Charitram in the middle of 19th Century. Closely The other roads are broad with 19, Nallappan Street not co-operative here. Perhaps following him was Rao Bahadur P. Sambandha Mudaliar, good pavements, beautiful with Mylapore advocate and later judge, who wrote a record 100 dramas in the leadership is also interested Chennai 600 004 trees and free from swanky Tamil. Rajaji, who in his time was an eminent advocate, wrote in poverty and squalor as vote- multistorey buildings (if you call Time for action short didactic stories like Dhikkatra Parvathi, which appealed to banks. These thoughts crossed this development). young children. Apart from writing political articles in English my mind when I was recently in he other day, I happened to and Tamil, he wrote simple abridged and interesting versions in Madras Musings is keen on a Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Tvisit the old M.U.C. Tamil of the two great epics, Ramayana and Mahabharatha, new capital for Tamil Nadu. particularly when a friendly grounds. The condition of the under the titles Chakravarthi Thirumagan and Vyaasar Malaysia’s Putrayaja is beautiful Singapore-Chinese taxi-driver beautiful grounds, where many Virundhu. Their English translations went into several editions. without people. As I have al- told me that thousands of football matches of importance ways pointed out, many, par- T.K. Chidambaranatha Mudaliar, a former Commissioner of Tamils descend on “Little In- were played, is now in a deplor- ticularly the foreign embassies, Hindu Religion Endowments, wrote articles on art and litera- dia” every Sunday evening and able state. The good old SIAA are reluctant to move out of ture. His version of Kambar Ramayana, serialised in a Tamil dirty the place, although they ground, famous for many box- weekly, was very popular. V.C. Gopalaratnam wrote dramas, Kuala Lumpur. Of course, Ma- were harmless. I saw this myself, ing and wrestling bouts, has including the hilarious comedy Sattampillai, sub-assistant mag- laysia will make Putrajaya very but the whole place was clean vanished. Beautiful water foun- istrate. Delectable humorous articles and stories came from the attractive. We will not do it the next morning, since it was tains maintained by the Corpo- pen of S.V. Vijayaraghavachariar, popularly known as SVV. with our habit of cutting cor- K.S. Venkataramani’s novels, Murugan oru uzhavan and cleaned during the night itself. ration are defunct. The free ners, as is evident in the case of Desabhaktan Kandhan, were widely read. Justice ASP Iyer’s Whereas in Myanmar, where Corporation reading rooms Gandhinagar and, to a large ex- Tamil stories were published in Swadesamitran weekly in the my wife and I were on a senti- which benefited many are non- tent, in respect of Chandigarh 1930s. mental journey, time has stood functional. The free swimming too. still with the advent of the mili- pool behind the People’s Park P.N. Appuswamy Iyer’s Tamil articles on science and mathematics were interesting. In later years, S.A.P. Annamalai, tary leadership. Phones do not Dr. G. Sundaram, IAS (RETD.) has turned into an unusable a lawyer who turned editor of Kumudham, wrote profusely. The “Burma House” site. I can go on and on. function if it rains heavily for fif- scholarly judge Md. Ismail raised eyebrows by giving his own 33/18, 9th Street teen minutes and power-cuts But will that galvanise the version in Kambar Ramayana. Justice Mohan, who has a Dr. Radhakrishnan Road are common. It is difficult to Corporation of Chennai? penchant for writing English poems, has also written articles on Chennai 600 004 send an e-mail even from the It is time it began paying legal matters and on his own famous judgements. hotel and there is no question Not the Veeranam greater attention to the city. M.R. Pillai of international roaming on refer to my letter ‘Water D.V. Subramanian H 64/3 Central Avenue your mobile. Mobile phones are Ipolicy needed’ (MM, April 6 Sriram Colony Korattur a costly proposition. Doing 16th). In it I had erroneously Theosophical Society Chennai 600 080 away with English did a lot of stated that the Veeranam lake Adyar damage to the local population. Chennai 600 020 was created by King Rajendra But the essential difference be- Chola. The lake created by him tween Madras and Yangon (for- to serve his newly formed capi- merly Rangoon) is that while tal city, Gangaikonda- filth and street-food and en- cholapuram, was called ‘Cholagangam’ and this was Planning for heritage later called ‘Ponneri’, a name gone into disuse in course of (Continued from page 1) needs to be looked into in local buildings and precincts. A time. READABILITY greater detail. similar exercise is needed in In his scholarly work Middle 4. There has been little effort Tamil Nadu. PLEASE Chola Temples, S.R. Balasubrah- to get the stone inscriptions in 7. It is necessary to sensitise manyam states that ‘The con- the State, which exist in plenty, the common man and school- 11. The plight of heritage Dear Readers, quered rulers were made to deciphered and documented. children on their local heritage. mansions of Chettinad needed bring water from the Ganga in At least at middle school levels, looking into. Government As letters from readers increase, ought to take immediate steps we are receiving more and more pots to the capital, which were 5. INTACH, while it has had some field courses should be some success in its activities, to prevent cannibalisation of hand written letters, many of emptied into a new lake built taken up on local areas of heri- regretted that the courts had to the houses for the woodwork them in a hand so small and there by Rajendra and described tage importance. be repeatedly approached to which is being sold at astro- illegible or large and scrawled as by the Tiruvalangadu plates as prevent the demolition or des- 8. Even if a Heritage Act for nomical prices. to be unreadable. Often this the Chola Gangam and as a “pillar of victory in the form of ecration of heritage buildings the State was not possible im- 12. In Pondicherry, despite leads to our discarding a letter, and precincts in the State. Even mediately, regulations for particularly if some part of it is water”. The Cholagangam has a many difficulties, more progress bund of considerable height and then, there being no law against Chennai city were needed ur- had been made than in unreadable. the bringing down of monu- gently. These could be an inte- If you wish us to consider your a length of more than 5 km. At Chennai because of the support full water level, it has a water ments NOT listed by the gral part of the city’s Master the heritage movement gets letter for publication, please type Archaelogical Department, Plan and could serve as a blue- it with enough space between spread of nearly 130 sq. km. It from the Government. A simi- once had a surplus weir and in- there is no guarantee that build- print for other towns/cities in lar effort, sans State support, lines or write it using a medium ings can be saved. put channels from the Kollidam the State which draw up master but with foreign funding, has hand, clearly dotting the ‘i-s’ and plans of their own. crossing the ‘t-s’. river and other sources and 6. The heritage regulations begun in Tranquebar in Tamil Nadu. Many readers also try to fill every must have been connected to mentioned in the draft Second 9. Any Heritage Act should square centimetre of a postcard the palace moat. It has been al- Master Plan omit several of the look beyond buildings and natu- It is clear – and a welcome space, making reading or editing lowed to go to seed, and a road points made in earlier drafts ac- ral features; it should also look sign – that some Government impossible. now cuts through the bund in cepted by both the Town and at cultural activities, traditional organisations have begun to Please help us to consider your the middle, dividing the lake Country Planning Department crafts, etc. think more about protecting the letters more favourably by mak- into two parts. This water body and the CMDA. They need to State’s heritage. The sooner ing them more legible for us. was fed by the Vellaru and be discussed in greater detail 10. West Bengal and Kerala their sympathetic interest is Kollidam, and South Arcot and with all those who first drafted have Heritage Acts that have in translated into some action, the – THE EDITOR Tiruchirapalli areas immensely the Regulations/Act. Transfer every panchayat created a heri- better for the living heritage of benefited by it. of Development Rights also tage committee that decides on Tamil Nadu. 4 MADRAS MUSINGS June 1-15, 2007 June 1-15, 2007 MADRAS MUSINGS 5 Can we taste Tourism and Heritage City as tourist asset l Environment is getting tourism success? more and more popular and Walking through enerally, in India, tourism Is this an alien idea unsuitable In the Tamil quarter. there is increasing awareness of Gpotential is mostly per- to our tradition? I for one do not keeping streets clean, of conserv- called because of their intimate ceived to be in developing monu- think so. Just about two decades ing forests, and of the eco-hotel l Tamil Nadu is the No. 2 of its GDP on the sector. While l We should showcase the scale and interactive nature, are ments, temples, archaeological ago our cities were mostly for pe- (a certification that a hotel re- destination in India for foreign the total number of hotel rooms more happening modern India. If Pondicherry typical of vernacular Tamil ar- and pilgrimage sites, nature re- destrians and cyclists. The traffic ceives based on adherence to tourists (12 lakh tourists visited available in India is about Malayasia and Singapore can chitecture, and the entire street serves, etc. aberration is quite recent, but certain norms) concept. the State last year), and the No. 105,000, Manhattan in the USA cooperate, why can’t the four stretch is homogeneous because Potential tourism assets, to- getting worse by the day. In fact, 3 destination for domestic visi- has more than that number! southern states get together to There are five basic para- open. The interiors of the houses of connecting elements like lean- tally missed out today, are our in our country, the majority don’t tors (three lakh are expected this With new investments being sell the southern peninsula and meters that are considered for are usually more ornate than the to-roofs, cornices (horizontals), numerous “heritage cities” – cit- own motorcars – most are on foot year). made, about 120,000 new hotel compete with the north? eco-hotel accreditation: energy exterior. High ceilings, tall and pilasters and engaged col- ies that have traditional architec- or bicycles and motorised two “The State Tourism Depart- rooms would be added in India. The Japanese are looking for conservation, water conserva- arched doors and windows mark umns (verticals) with ornamen- ture and could become big at- wheelers. In tropical weather, ment is working towards promot- So, what has happened as a new places to get married. We tion, solid waste management, the rooms and, in the case of two tal parapets, which define the tractions. Hundreds of houses well-shaded pedestrian precincts ing various tourism initiatives: result of our apathy? Our own can market our country as an employee education and storied buildings, vaulted stair- skyline. All houses are similar, built in vernacular style create could be attractive and useful for setting up a tourism police force, centres have lost the hub status, excellent marriage venue. There training, and environmental cases wind up. Often the inclined but no two houses are exactly the pretty streets, whether they be in both locals and visitors. Shops in putting in place a team of tourist which the smaller countries is nostalgia tourism, old colonels commitment (including educa- window shades were made of same. Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan or such areas will experience in- guides, extending support to (Singapore and Dubai) have and doctors who want to go on a tion in schools and colleges). light materials like wood or The thinnai marks the sensi- Tamil Nadu. The beautiful Euro- creased turnover as people tend those who wish to promote taken over. Emirates Airlines holiday. And medical tourism. Orchid in Mumbai was India’s metal. tive transition space after which pean city centres should be our to spend more time there. first eco-hotel, The Raintree in lesser-known places by waiving takes Indians from Indian cities Hospitals here must be accred- The Tamil quarter the house is entered through a inspiration – from them we can All tourists or local citizens, tax for the first five years, provid- to Dubai and makes them ited to international chains and Chennai the third; there are now finely carved wooden door. Once learn how to make our cities at- no matter what mode of trans- ing easy finance and clearances, change planes there for other work in tandem with govern- 34 eco-hotels in the world. Originally the Tamil town de- inside, the mutram (colonnaded tractive. port they use, are pedestrians in promoting employment, and destinations. Namaste, yoga and ment tourism to make their An application for certifica- veloped around the nucleus of a courtyard) becomes the central Almost all such cities in India the last mile. One of the prereq- producing publicity material in ayurveda have all been usurped facilities well known. tion could be made even while group of temples in the northern family space around which the are in a state of decay and neglect uisites to enjoy beautiful heritage English and Hindi.” by others! But we pay little attention to building the hotel, in which case section, and the streets were laid various other spaces are func- – and it appears that this condi- streetscapes is the availability of along the east-west axis onto N. SURESH RAJAN ASWINI KAKKAR building a good environment, attention has to be paid to the tionally arranged. Some houses tion is accepted as inevitable! clean and green streets with de- Minister for Tourism Executive Vice-Chairman such as clean toilets at airports, use of eco-friendly material such which the back-to-back row have several courtyards. Unless steps are taken to bring cent pedestrian space. This, to- Government of Mercury Travels, and for instance. Convention centres as bricks, Portland cement, houses opened. Within the intimate fabric of out the hidden beauty of our gether with well-kept and cared Tamil Nadu former chairman of the World should have better facilities – rubber, wood and recycled paper, These streetscapes with con- the Tamil town, built-form streetscapes and to make them for traditional buildings, is an ur- Travel and food courts, beauty parlours and and installing devices for rainwa- tinuous wall-to-wall construc- ranges from the simple country pleasurable spaces to experience ban experience waiting to be re- * * * Tourism Council boutiques. There is a Bollywoodi- ter harvesting. Once an eco- tion are very different in charac- tiled single storied houses of the beauty and hustle and bustle of discovered and enjoyed. A city is ter from the French streetscapes. old Hindu quarters, to the two- l Travel and tourism is the * * * sation of our culture, which we hotel, the property has a better life, they cannot become tourism not just its monuments and sites. single largest industry in the image and employee morale. storied houses with considerable colonial influence world. Whilst the software l The Public Relations Society of India, Chennai Hotels need to keep the envi- l by of the later Hindu industry earns 900 billion dollars Chapter, a few weeks ago held a seminar on travel, ronment clean and protect heri- and Christian quar- AJIT KOULAGI a year, the travel and tourism in- tourism and hospitality which it stated could become tage. The Raintree Hotel carries A street in the French quarter. dustry earns 4.63 trillion dollars, the message of avoiding wastage ters, to the more India’s No. 1 industry. Published here are excerpts from elaborately orna- equal to the earnings of the auto- of material to schools, colleges, o experience the spirit of structures. In general the build- assets. Today, the buildings are In order to know it well, you have speeches made on the occasion that might help to mented and mobile, chemical and software petrol bunks and auto drivers; it TPondicherry it is essential to ings fall into two main categories: in a state of disrepair, facades are to immerse yourself into its very answer the question our headline asks. colourful houses of industries put together. The has had a number of discussions walk through the old town and residential, which form the ma- covered with billboards without fabric, wander through it and dis- the Muslim quar- industry employs one out of ev- with Chennai Corporation to observe the nature of its archi- jority and are simple and varied, any consideration to architec- cover hidden details and trea- ters. ture, roads are full of loud and sures, admire vernacular archi- ery 12 employable persons in the l With the kind of investment must stop. Our smile, our willing- educate Corporation workers. tectural traditions. and public which are set amidst On the whole, a stinky traffic, pavements are tecture, come across beautiful world. happening in infrastructure de- ness to help, these are the at- GEOFF MAGEE There are very few monumen- large plots with fenced enclo- synthesis of two potholed and obstructed by shops, glance into attractive In spite of putting very little velopment, there will be an 8-9 tributes that must be packaged Chief Executive Officer tal buildings in Pondicherry. Its sures. French building models varying styles is evi- hawkers, unauthorised kiosks, courtyards, lounge around in a effort, travel and tourism fetched per cent growth in tourism in the and sold. The Accord Metropolitan architectural character is a result were adapted to suit local cli- dent in many build- electrical and telephone junction small park or plaza, and experi- India revenue worth 6 billion coming years. The international SUJAYA MENON of hundreds of French and Tamil matic conditions. * * * ings. Especially in boxes and so on, the drains are ence foreign culture and tradi- dollars. If we attain one-tenth of investor and traveller are awe- Consultant, Cox & Kings houses that create the ‘milieu’ or The street facades are usually The Muslim homes in the Tamil quarter. l the case of some non-existent or clogged, with tions and meet people. China’s earnings, we will earn 30 struck by the sheer pace of devel- Hospitality and tourism are ‘ensemble’. This quality of the characterised by continuous * * * two-storied Tamil filth and garbage everywhere, billion dollars. If the software in- opment in India. In Chennai, the two different components. It is streetscapes is today threatened wall-to-wall construction with Their exterior facades mainly If you can totally pedes- l India is replete with dirty buildings, the ground floor is usu- urination and defecation in pub- dustry offered jobs to 120,000 ECR-Puducherry Road and the not about providing shelter but by the widespread destruction of high garden walls and elaborate feature a thalvaram (street ve- trianise some shopping streets hotels, poor infrastructure, bad ally Tamil type with thinnai, lic spaces is not uncommon. In software professionals every year, IT Corridor are examples. more of giving an experience traditional houses, especially in gateways. The facades are di- randa with a lean-to-roof over and heritage precincts, it would roads and lousy food. Tourism is thalvaram, pillared courtyard and short, it is no pleasure to stay in the travel and tourism industry Hotels, especially budget hotels, even during the short time that the Tamil part. If this heritage is vided into smaller panels by the wooden posts) – a social exten- change the way we all experience everybody’s business. They must carved wooden doors, while the the streets longer than absolutely had the potential to generate 5- are mushrooming everywhere. the guests are in their rooms. At to be protected, then it is impor- use of vertical pilasters and hori- sion of the house providing shel- our urban environments. Unfor- aim at attracting tourists. We first floor displays French influ- necessary. 10 million new jobs every year, The Taj Group itself has two or a Sterling Group hotel in tant to preserve all these houses. zontal cornices, and feature flat ter for the pedestrians – and a tunately, most Indian cities today must know what we are selling. ence through fluted pilasters, In contrast, the city centres of during the next three years. By three hotels in each metro. The Thanjavur, foreign visitors are Pondicherry has two distinct or segmental arched windows thinnai (semi-public veranada have become hellholes with traf- We can’t sell beaches to Miami columns with capitals, arched heritage towns in the West are 2010, there will be one billion smaller cities are likely to take taught how to drink tender co- parts, the French and the Tamil. with bands and louvred wooden space) with masonry benches for fic and other pollutions and gar- or wildlife to Africa. If Malaysia windows, plaster decorations and mostly pedestrian, clean, green travellers; one out of six people the pressure off the metros soon. conut water without a straw. You The French quarter has struc- shutters. Wooden balconies over visitors and pilgrims. bage mounds. will be travelling. Seven trillion can sell Thai Poosam, why can’t can charge for such services. It These “talking streets”, so end-ornament elements. and neat places that invite you Today’s destinations extend tures in the European classical iron brackets and continuous But all this could change – at dollars will be spent every single we in Tamil Nadu sell our own can be fascinating for the tourist. to linger and participate in the beyond the popular Agra-Jaipur, style, whereas the buildings in parapets with simple ornamental least some parts of cities can be year. India receives only five mil- product? If Spain is known for We have found a way to get activities going on all around – Goa and Kerala legs. the Tamil quarter are in the ver- features are common. transformed for the benefit of lion visitors a year whereas Paris the Matador, why can’t Tamil responsible people in the village watch surrounding pretty build- Indians are rediscovering nacular style of Tamil Nadu. The Most French houses were citizens as well as tourists. welcomes 75 million tourists. Nadu be known for its Jallikattu? to work for us. That’s the advan- ings, sit in a street-side café, shop India themselves, thanks to an two styles have influenced each built on similar ground plans Pondicherry, I hope, will become The kind of tourism potential If you want to sell India, you have tage of being in India. Everything around or watch street perform- increased pay package, global other with the result that many with few variations and with full a pioneer and a model to other India offers is the 3000-km long to be practical. can be sold. I wouldn’t leave it ers, etc. One important feature of exposure, increased awareness buildings in both parts of the or partial street frontage. The cities to emulate. Its size and ar- and 300-km wide Himalayan R. RANGACHARI for all the gold in the world. such precincts is that they are and wanting to travel for relax- town are a harmonious blend of main facades have colonnaded chitecture, French and Tamil, range, the 8,000-km long coast- Secretary General oases for pedestrians – where you ation and adventure. The need A person in Kochi walks visi- European and Tamil architec- porticoes to provide better pro- are ideal ingredients to make the line, the desert in Rajasthan, the South India Hotels and can spend hours and days with- for a break from the usual routine tors around, from teashop to tural patterns. tection from sun and rain, and city beautiful and livable for its Deccan Plateau, Chilika, the Restaurants Association out being pushed around by is helping India. A new set of air- dumpyard, to toddy shop, to a also act as a transition space to citizens first – and then for tour- largest freshwater lake, and * * * The French quarter motorised traffic. There is no lines is allowing Indians who had restaurant offering fish-curry- the garden court. A major ists. Cherrapunji, which receives the l We don’t often focus on The French quarter deve- traffic noise and pollution and never entered an aircraft before rice. At another Sterling Group change from the original French highest rainfall. public transport that is often loped along the beach and pedestrians enjoy priority. Here Pondicherry, I feel, has the to enter one. property in Swamimalai, a model is the use of flat terraced Singapore spent 9 per cent of used by tourists. Auto drivers can around the present Bharati Park, roofs, instead of the pitched roofs you can rediscover the simple opportunity to set a whole new PRABHAT VERMA unique heritage hotel, 70 per its GDP on travel and tourism. be taught to be friendly. which is surrounded by stately pleasures of life: walk around un- trend in India – bring cities back General Manager cent of the workforce employed of the Parisian villas. The result was that 15 per cent DR. AJIT PATHAK government buildings. Residen- harassed! to their people. Taj Coromandel reside within a two-kilometre The walled gardens form pri- of its GDP came from that indus- President, PRSI tial villas extend on either side vate interior courts onto which The features on left and above are courtesy INTACH, Pondicherry. try. India spent only 0.5 per cent * * * National Chapter (Continued on page 7) interspersed by institutional the rest of the building spaces Blending the European and the Tamil.

CMYK 6 MADRAS MUSINGS June 1-15, 2007

attended the February 2004 Chennai Book Fair by way of reconnaissance, and, by April From cricket info 2004, launched New Horizon Media with the Tamil imprint (Current Affairs questions are Kizhakku, though both of them from the period May 1st to continued to be involved in 15th. Questions 11 to 20 per- to publishing Cricinfo. tain to Tamil Nadu and Badri was the first to quit Chennai.) Cricinfo to plunge fully into the 1. Name the church that features new venture in April 2005. prominently in The Da Vinci ew Horizon Media Satya joined him about a year Code, where a 600-year-old mu- NPrivate Limited is a — in Tamil first, and later. Chief Editor Pa Raghavan sic in cipher has been decoded and his team joined them and, recently. Chennai-based publishing firm that has launched its English now in English within a year, 50 titles were 2. Which Commonwealth brought out and Kizhakku was country’s mint recently unveiled publishing programme with the simultaneous release today an important presence in the the world’s largest gold coin, 2005 Chennai Book Fair. The approximately 50 cm in diameter, (June 1st) of four books, all lished their Chennai office, about 3 cm thick and weighing English translations of Tamil Badri and Satya, also an IIT customer response was impres- 100 kg, with a purity of 99.999%? novels by eminent authors. Two Madras and Cornell University sive. Many appreciated the quality of the books and the 3. Who was recently elected the of its directors, Badri Seshadri alumnus and founder- director 23rd President of the French and K. Satyanarayan, are not of Cricinfo India, built around range of topics covered. Republic with 53% of the vote? exactly strangers to the publish- them an eager bunch of cricket Kizhakku has positioned it- self somewhere between the 4. In the 15 years of the English ing industry, having been in the fanatics turned journalists. current mainstream (for in- Premier League, how many times business for the last three years Badri Seshadri K. Satyanarayan The passion of these young have the new champions, with their Tamil imprint, enthusiasts drove the rapid stance, Vanathi, Kannadasan, Manchester United, emerged the Kizhakku Pathippagam, which Engineering from Cornell Uni- growth of the website before it Narmada) and highbrow pub- winners? has over 300 titles to its credit. versity, to set up Cricinfo Ltd., was hit by global trends and lishers like Kalachuvadu or 5. Name the new telescope Badri was a co-founder of the UK. eventually taken over by Uyirmai. “We are not particular unveiled by NASA that will cricket website Cricinfo, an im- When a series of fundings Wisden. Cricinfo went through that the writing should be replace the Hubble Space pressive presence in cyberspace fuelled the explosive growth of straitened financial circum- literary,” Badri had told me in a Telescope. since the late 1990s, with its the company with offices in stances in 2000-2001 but, by conversation soon after Kizha- 6. Which former World No. 1- comprehensive cricket database many countries, King became the end of 2002, had made kku hit the big time. “We may ranked tennis player from Bel- and eminently readable articles. its global CEO and Badri the enough smart moves to reach bring out biographies of Chaplin gium has decided to quit com- Now owned by Wisden, it was global COO. This was in 2000, operating break-even. The and Khushwant Singh, Viren- petitive tennis to concentrate on launched in 1993 by a few merger with Wisden took place der Sehwag and Narayana family life? cricket-crazy, Tamil-speaking in February 2003. Murthy or books on art. We 7. Israeli archaeologist Ehud NRIs using the services of vol- Essentially entrepreneurial treat all our efforts as knowl- Netzer has claimed he has dis- unteers. Students and faculty of l by in spirit, Badri and Satya then edge-driven. The result should covered the tomb of which legen- numerous educational institu- V. RAMNARAYAN began to look for a new project. be more titles and more copies dary builder of ancient Jerusalem of each title selling.” and the Holy Land? tions contributed cricket con- Having turned bloggers and cre- tent, which the core team put ated Tamil user groups, Soon, other Tamil imprints 8. Which Asian city will be a new together in the form of a data- newsgroups and blogs, they got followed. Nalam is a series of venue for the 2008 F1 season and health books and Varam covers may host the races at night? base. By 1996, it had grown big when Sify held a 25 per cent in touch with Tamil authors enough for Simon King and stake in the company, and Badri and began to understand the religion and spirituality, while 9. Who has bought Reuters for £8.7 billion to create the world’s Badri, an alumnus of IIT Ma- was looking after the Indian op- Tamil publishing landscape biggest financial news and data dras and a Ph.D. in Mechanical erations. When Cricinfo estab- around this time. They (Continued on page 7) group? 10. Why was Lt. Gen. Douglas by performances of Thudum- outfit that collates and absorbs Lute of the U.S. Army in the battam, Thappattam, Devarattam musical traditions from all over news recently? and aana songs. the world and fuses it with indig- * * * 2 pm: A discussion on enous rhythms. 11. Which constituency does V. Pammal Sambandha Mudaliar, 7 pm: Oikyotaan, fronted by Radhika Selvi, the new Union coordinated by Veli Rangarajan. Bonnie Chakraborty, has deve- Minister of State, from DMK 4 pm: Nadhi Ariyadha, a loped a sound rooted in the represent? monologue in Tamil by Rohini, rhythm and melody of folk mu- directed by Jaya Rao, written by sic. The evening’s performance 12. The Chief Secretary of Tamil June: The theatre workshop con- S. Ramakrishnan, followed by Nadu is ? will be a presentation of contem- ducted by Koumarane Valavane screening of documentary films. porary folk and an experiment 13. Who has been chosen to pre- will continue in June from 8 am 7 pm: Sangeetha Paithiyam, a with Indian classical form side over the 81st annual confer- to 12 noon. Limited number of play written by Pammal Thumri. (All at Alliance ence of the Music Academy at seats only (20)! For further infor- Sambandha Mudaliar in the Francaise Auditorium.) the end of the year? mation, contact 9942809992 early 20th Century. Directed by (Alliance Francaise). June 24: No Idea & Mademoiselle 14. According to M. Karuna- Jaya Rao and performed by Till June 7: Selfspy, an exhibition K: A celebration of music! nidhi, of the five people whom he Unarvugal, an experimental of paintings by K. Jayakumar (at Hip-hop beats, or rock gui- would like to listen to in the As- socio-cultural activist group.(All the Lalit Kala Akademi). tars, with Mademoiselle K who sembly, three are K. Anbazhagan, at Alliance Francaise.) June 4-9: Indian film classics with offers the sound of throaty, rock- K.T.K. Thangamani and Papa June 21: Fete de la musique. The English Subtitles. ing vocals that know how to turn Umanath. Name the other two. programme for the day is as June 4: Pather Panchali, sensual. No Idea is a band that 15. Which popular film-maker is follows: started in 2000 as a heavy metal/ Satyajit Ray (1955) 3.30 pm-5 pm: Open house to enter Kollywood with Leelai? June 6: Charulata, the lonely alternative rock outfit. No Idea for young musicians. won the Great Indian Rock 16. How did M. Vinod Kumar, G. wife, Satyajit Ray (1964) The underlying tone of her 5.30 pm: Show by Yodhakaa, Gopinath and K. Muthurama- June 7: Chokher Bali, work is that of identity and of the Competition in 2005. (At Buck’s led by percussionist “Debruka” Theatre, YMCA, 7.00 p.m.) lingam make news on May 9th? Rituparno Ghosh (2003) “self gaze”, her own as well as Siva. This is an experimental June 24: Aquatika, a one-day meet- 17. What recently released film June 8: Shwaas, Sandeep those whom she has photo- Sawant (2004) graphed. Colour is central to ing, to mark the 4th anniversary the Chief Minister said has been of www.indianaquariumhob seen by him at least five times? June 9: Chameli, Sudhir Nandini Valli’s work (at Alliance Mishra (2005) (Alliance Francaise). byist.com – the web portal dedi- 18. Which film star is to launch a Francaise at 3.30 pm) June 17: Folk and Contemporary cated to popularising the party aimed at bringing back the June 6-27: An exhibition of pho- Performing Arts by Theatre Lab, aquarium hobby in India. glorious days of Kamaraj rule in tographs by Nandini Valli. A a two-year old theatre group from Those interested in register- the State? chance apprenticeship with a Chennai, headed by Jaya Rao. ing for Aquatika can do so 19. Where is a Rs. 6 crore memo- leading Chennai commercial A one-day congregation of folk and through the website. There will rial for Kamaraj coming up? photographer taught her the contemporary performing arts, be a nominal charge for attend- 20. Which was supposedly the technicalities of photography. dedicated to Pammal Samban- ing the all-day programme which last released film of Sivaji This led her to pursue a degree dha Mudaliar, mentor and doyen will feature speakers on ‘Fish Ganesan to celebrate a silver ju- in photography in the UK. And of early Tamil stage. Breeding’, ‘Native Indian Fishes’, bilee? it was here that she encountered The events are: ‘Planted Aquaria’ and ‘Marine the world of contemporary art 9 am: Introduction to the rel- Aquariums’. (From 9.00 am (Answers on page 7) photography. evance of folk art forms followed onwards at Hotel Checkers.) June 1-15, 2007 MADRAS MUSINGS 7 CAN WE TASTE From cricket info TOURISM SUCCESS? to publishing (Continued from page 6) me in their scheme of things (Continued from page 4) growth; the passenger base is safety aspects, spouse until they decided around May- now 10.4 million and at any programmes, external sourcing, Prodigy is the fledgling June last year to enter the En- radius. Even getting tourists to given time there are 7.15 mil- food stalls and games. children’s literature imprint. glish language publishing space. sit in the homes neighbouring lion passengers at the terminal. DR. M.K. AJIT KUMAR The general focus has been on That was the time it was de- the Kapaleeswarar Temple in V.S. RAMANA Vice-President non-fiction. Biographies, popu- cided I would take care of the Mylapore to watch the activities Chairman Hi-Tours lar history, stock market prim- new imprint Indian Writing. around the temple can be an ex- PRSI, Chennai Chapter ers, books on current world af- Indian Writing has the am- perience! * * * fairs, humour and self-improve- bitious agenda of offering the STEVE BORGIA * * * l About 11,000 trains run ment books have been among world the best of Indian writing, Chairman & Managing l India’s domestic carriers of- every day in India, through as the most popular offerings in primarily through works trans- Director fer 150,000 seats today every many stations. Eleven million these imprints. Staff writers like lated into English from Indian Indeco Leisure Hotels day; in 1992-93, only 20-30,000 passengers (equal to the popu- Pa Raghavan, a big success with languages. It will eventually * * * seats were available. The occu- lation of Belgium) travel daily his books on the Hizbollah, publish original Indian writing pancy rate is season-driven by rail in India, covering a dis- Hamas and a short history of in English as well. Meanwhile, l We may not have the best though. Earlier there were only tance that is two-and-a-half the USA, Chokkan and Maru- it has entered the market with presentation, but our cuisine holiday packages; now airlines times the distance to the moon. than have become household its first four novels. Their origi- has been tested for more than offer weekend, seasonal, family Fifty million domestic tourists names among the Tamil reading nal Tamil titles are Unnai Pol 10,000 years; even the French and honeymoon packages. In use the railways every year. public. One of the main targets Oruvan by Jayakanthan, cuisine is only 2,000 years old. the coming five years, the avia- Goods trains carry 700 million of New Horizon Media is the Krishna Krishna by Indira Twentyfive years ago, I thought tion sector is indeed poised for tons of freight every day. How- educated Tamil who wants to Parthasarathy, En Peyar Rama- that French or Western cuisine further growth. However, un- ever, proper deliverance of ser- widen his horizon through read- seshan by Aadhavan and was the best, but today I know less infrastructure grows, unless vices had not matched expecta- ing but finds English books Karainda Nizhalgal by Ashoka- that Indian cuisine is. Cuisine airports are made more passen- tions and that was one of the daunting. Another segment of mitran. The English transla- changes every 100 km in India. ger-friendly and airline-friendly, reasons that led to the forma- Tamils – those who cannot read tions are respectively titled Love We have not packaged and the costs of operation will go tion of IRCTC. Tamil – is targeted with audio and Loss, Krishna Krishna, I, marketed cuisine as part of the beyond control. IRCTC oversees catering on books. Ramaseshan and Star-Crossed. hospitality industry. H SHENOY trains and has 70 food plazas in My relationship with New Four more novels will be But India has a lot to im- ARISH General Manager India, 25 in the south. Passen- Horizon Media began while I launched this month, and these prove on the hygiene front. We Southern India, Jet Airways gers have welcomed Rail Neer, was writing a column for will be by Jayakanthan, Indira have somewhere along lost our the mineral water supplied by Cricinfo. Being bilingual – in Parthasarathy, Sivasankari and natural hygienic systems. * * * the Railways on trains. Tamil and English – and inter- Vaasanthi. The translation of P. SOUNDARARAJAN l There are several areas that Now it is focussing on tour- ested in catching up with con- many more novels is in progress. Executive Chef need close monitoring: trans- ism. One hundred Rail Ratna temporary Tamil literature after These include some by authors Club Mahindra, and General port of delegates, airport pick- Hotels would be set up soon, 25 a longish hiatus, I became a listed here, as well as others by Secretary, Indian Federation up and drop, booking halls for of them in Karnataka, Kerala keen follower of Badri’s and well-known writers like Sa of Culinary Association various sessions, providing in- and Tamil Nadu. Milk bars Satya’s forays into blogging and Kandaswami, Ira Murugan, terpretation facilities, establish- would be another addition. Ca- publishing. Though I was eager Yuma Vasuki, Sumathi, and * * * ing a conference secretariat, tering services in mail and ex- to associate myself with their Jayamohan. The target is to l The First Planning Com- printing and distribution of in- press trains are likely to be up- ventures, there was no place for achieve 50 titles in the first year. mission had placed tourism at formation brochures, engaging graded. Bharat Darshan trains the 269th spot (for allocation of an emcee, appointing well- would be introducted – you resources). Today, the tourism trained staff and volunteers, set- could travel about 7,000 km Answers to Quiz industry has recorded 9.7 per ting up audio-visual equipment within India, with the cost av- cent growth and 375 million In- and backdrops, mikes, signage eraging Re. 1 a km. Hill trains 1. The Rosslyn Chapel; 2. Canada; 3. Nicolas Sarkozy; 4. Nine; 5. James Webb Space Telescope; 6. Kim Clijsters; 7. Herod; 8. Singapore; 9. Cana- dians are rediscovering Indian and podium, readying photo- (in Darjeeling) as well as luxury destinations. Rs. 95,000 crore is dian publisher, The Thomson Corporation; 10. He is to be President copy material for delegates, ar- trains (Palace on Wheels) Bush’s ‘war czar’, a new post to oversee the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. expected to be the domestic ranging a press room, forming a might become a major market * * * tourism spend during the com- registration area, organising ex- for the railways. 11. Tiruchendur; 12. L.K. Tripathy; 13. Vidvan Palghat Sri R. Raghu; ing year. About 7-10 million hibition stalls, setting up recep- V. SRIRAM 14. Kumari Anandan and Abdul Latheef; 15. Ram Gopal Verma; 16.They jobs a year are likely to be gen- tion counters at airports, credit Regional Director, IRCTC were the three killed in the attack on the Dinakaran office in Madurai; 17. erated. The aviation sector has card swipe machines, and also Marketing arm of Periyar; 18. Sarath Kumar; 19. Virudhunagar; 20. The Rajinikanth starrer registered a 25-30 per cent looking after social functions, Indian Railways Padaiyappa.

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enry Parkes had not slept and society in England, been so Hall night. The founder-edi- The Madras printers anti-Asian? The answer is tor of The Empire, the Sydney simple. The immigrants from newspaper that he had estab- Europe, China and India lished in 1849, was exhausted — who kept Henry Parkes (the Father of the brought with them highly by his own ambition and drive. honed skills that completely After a day at Council, he ar- Australian Federation) in business overshadowed those of the lo- rived at the offices of his news- cals. As an ivory-turner himself, paper to prepare the next week, compared to a were aged between 13 and 16, This raises the question of producing mainly billiard balls, morning’s edition. It was mid- governess’s annual salary, with and all had British names, sup- what happened to the Anglo- he would have been terrified of January, the height of the Aus- board, of 30 to 40 pounds. Im- porting the theory that they Indian apprentices. They were the awesome skill of the Chi- tralian summer, and the heat migration of gold-seekers from were Protestant (Parkes was ra- extremely well trained, Madras nese in this area. He simply did and humidity in an ill-venti- all parts of the world, including bidly anti-Catholic) and there- having the best training not want competition. Hence lated printery was overpower- China, raised the ugly spectre of fore products of the very Angli- schemes in the British Empire, his very protectionist stance. ing. Yet Parkes was about to do racism that had hitherto been can COA, now St George’s HS the Masters being local Anglo- The person who had fled more than provide news; he was comparatively mild. The an- School. The only other ship to Indians who had been trained in oppression now practised it, as going to make it. nouncement that the goldfields originate from Madras, and the first place by the Portu- often happens with human of Ballarat and Bendigo held bound for Sydney, the guese, the Jesuits, the Danes or nature. Having fled misery and squa- vast gold reserves led to another Dawstone, arrived in Sydney in the British. My feeling is that, lor in England in 1839, and de- exodus from the cities and a September 1854, far too late for once in Sydney, the Anglo-In- Parkes tried to justify his spite being “disappointed in all huge increase in shipping. printers to be of any use. More- dians found that their skills importation of Anglo-Indian my expectations of Australia, In 1853, Parkes bought a over, the voyage from Madras to were far superior to those found printers to his readers by especially as to its wickedness”, new steam-powered printing Sydney did not take 9 months, in Australia (skills in early Aus- explaining that they were “the Parkes seized every chance to press to rival his competitor, even allowing for putting into tralia were rather poor and work sons of Englishmen by Indian advance himself in the colony of The Herald. In the spirit of sup- ports en route. The fastest clip- generally shoddy) and soon mothers... thoroughly amalgam- New South Wales. As a trained ply and demand, his printers per ever built, the American- found better work. Some may ated to English society”. maker of toys and turner of soon demanded higher wages. built Lightning, made the voyage have branched out into other Note that he says ‘English’ ivory, he set up a toy shop at 20 Parkes offered to call a general from Melbourne to Liverpool in occupations, or headed for the not ‘British’. How many came? Hunter Street, Sydney. The meeting of all the printers in 1854-55 in a record 65 days, av- goldfields, in true adventuring Were there more arrivals? founding of The Empire gave Sydney for a mutual talk about eraging a speed of 18½ knots. Anglo-Indian style. Moving to Records for Perth, Port him considerable influence in wages, but 17 printers walked another colony such as Adelaide and Warrnambool (in the local community, and his off the job that very hot January Victoria, Western Australia or Victoria) could reveal much. editorials began to take on afternoon. The champion of the l by South Australia (now state) put Melbourne had imposed a land- bolder and increasingly imperial British workman was left angry SIMEON MASCARENHAS one out of reach of the law as ing tax, especially for gold pros- overtones, despite the indigni- and disillusioned. He went to each colony was a law unto it- pectors, so most landed ties and beatings he had suf- court and won, the 17 strikers self. Few would have wanted to elsewhere and walked to fered as a poverty-stricken being imprisoned, more because For half that distance, it is safe return to an orphanage. Many Ballarat and Bendigo, some- labourer in Warwickshire. His the judge wanted to make an to assume a similar time, given an old Australian family can times a distance of 200 miles. In political ambitions saw him example of them. Parkes had to that the Strathfieldsaye was slow trace an ancestor back to India, what other areas were services elected to the Sydney Legisla- send urgently to India for rein- and most boats averaged about and many are the streets with of the very capable Anglo-Indi- tive Council in 1854. Anxious forcements. Or so the story 8 knots. If Parkes had sent for Indian names. ans needed? They were excel- to seize every opportunity for goes, according to one of his bi- apprentices in an emergency The outspoken editor, lent teachers, doctors, nurses advancement, Parkes attended ographers. and waited, he would have been whose loud and forceful slogan and carpenters. Madras Medical every session from beginning to NSW maritime records show without a paper until March. was “No convicts, No Chinese, College was turning our female end, then went to this press to that HMS Strathfieldsaye, 657 The most plausible explana- No Coolies”, had gained wealth doctors before most medical in- select news items from the UK, tons burthen, from the port of tion is that the opportunistic and respectability and deserted stitutions in the world. Three of the USA and Europe, edit Madras, docked in Sydney Henry Parkes, champion of the his own class. His newspapers the first four female doctors them, write his own editorial Harbour on January 24, 1854. workman, knew he had to back issued its last edition on August were Anglo-Indian. and perhaps go home for a On board were 20 crew, 8 of down and import cheaper 28, 1858. A few days later The Parkes is called the Father of couple of hours’ rest. them apprentices. Were these labour, preferably men who Herald announced that Henry Federation for his prodigious ef- In January 1854 things were apprentices the boys from the were ignorant of local wages Parkes had sequestrated his es- forts to get the separate colonies a bit different. Public revelation Civil Orphan Asylum on and conditions. If he was not tate, with liabilities of 53,800 on the continent to form the in 1849 that gold had been dis- Poonamallee High Road? Did paying his men too little, then pounds. As a comparison, the federation that became Austra- covered in various parts of Aus- the canny Parkes anticipate a they simply placed a premium gold revenues for the first quar- lia in 1901. He did not live to tralia was draining cities of strike and send for them earlier, on their work. Almost all had ter of 1859 brought in 14,042 see the day. The Anglo-Indian manpower, resulting in a severe especially as they could be come out from England. When pounds, the postal revenue printers stayed to assist in the shortage of labour and skills. bound to 1ow wages by a cov- they were released from jail, he 14,736 pounds! growth of a new nation with Compositors were earning enant for at least a reasonable took a few of them back, prob- Why was Henry Parkes, op- skills and fortitude they had between 10 and 12 pounds a period? All the apprentices ably out of necessity. pressed as he had been by class acquired in Madras.

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