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Vol. XXIII No. 4 MUSINGS June 1-15, 2013 Metro rail continues bulldozing heritage

(By The Editor)

he Metro Rail project is on Ironically, the structure that ings that form a group – which Ta fast track and has right- has been demolished is one that is usually large; with special ar- fully earned plaudits for the was in a good condition and chitectural character or fea- speedy execution that is under- which had been recently re- tures; and of a certain position way. Unfortunately, in doing so, stored after a fashion by the in history which assigns them it is exacting a heavy price on PWD. The Padmanabhan that importance.” By its very the city’s heritage. In the past Committee had also considered ranking, it is clear that the we have had occasion to high- this campus to be of Grade 1 Teachers’ College campus was light the potential for damage to importance which meant it is a considered as a whole and historic structures as drilling stretch, complex or area of Metro Rail had no business to and other work continues in State or National importance... He has two cellphones and is looking to buy a few of the Xpensive Jeans. their proximity. Now, for the “They are characterised by their Should we notify the CBI? first time, Metro Rail has com- size, length or number of build- (Continued on page 6) pletely demolished a heritage building in full – one of the structures in the Government Teachers’ Training College campus, . Departmental unity necessary for The two-storeyed structure, to an unusual semi-circular plan, with arched windows right people’s comfort along its periphery, was reminis- cent of the Ice House in several ways. It was part of the more he cries of adulation with in our traffic situation in the was better late than never and port) of the CMDA as its Mem- than 150-year-old campus and Twhich the Corporation of near future. it was hoped that, unlike its ber Secretary. Others on board was easily its most visible build- Chennai’s budget were received In such a scenario, what is rather unwieldy name, it would were the Chief Secretary and ing as it was closest to the road. have hardly died down when urgently needed is an overall live up to what was expected of the Vice Chairman, CMDA Rail has conflict of authority among authority that can be an um- it. Since then, however, not (both ranking as Vice-Chair- claimed that this is not a heri- various departments and brella body over all stakehold- much has been heard of persons), the Secretaries of the tage structure as it is not listed ministries in the State have ers. It can take into account di- CUMTA or its activities. Departments of Finance, Tran- specifically in the Justice begun to put paid to several verse points of view and then Chief among CUMTA’s re- sport, Home, Housing & Urban Padmanabhan Committee re- plans. Among the casualties is come to a decision which, when sponsibilities was the preparing Development, and the General port. It therefore asserts that the proposal to create cycle announced, will be binding on of a comprehensive and inte- Manager of the Southern Rail- the demolition did not need tracks and pedestrian pathways, all parties, irrespective of what grated public transport plan for way. permission of the Heritage Con- both of which were the their original views were. And the city, which included all Given such a heavyweight servation Committee (HCC) more creative elements of the Chennai already has such a modes – train, bus and the composition, CUMTA could which was formed by the Gov- budget. ideally take on the sorting out of ernment and undertook to pro- It will be recalled that the the present conflict between the tect the buildings listed by the Mayor in his budget proposal G By A Special Correspondent Corporation and the police. It Padmanabhan Committee. had envisaged a cycle track all also ought to realise that That this is not a correct in- along the beach, beginning body in the form of the Chennai Metro. It was to also look into motorised or rail transport need terpretation of the High Court’s from Beach Station and termi- Unified Metropolitan Trans- the setting up of a common not be the sole solutions to ruling will be made clear to any- nating at . This port Authority, CUMTA. Why ticket and fare structure to fa- Chennai’s transport problems. It one who reads the Padma- was to be extended later to the not assign pedestrian and non- cilitate seamless commuting, would be best if one of CUM- nabhan Committee report. southern limits of the city, motorised transport issues also something that is in existence TA’s objectives were the im- Listed in page 653, the notings based on the success of the pro- to it? in most world-class cities today. provement of pedestrian safety cover the entire campus. The totype. It is now learned that The Tamil Nadu Assembly Like the CMDA, the CUMTA and comfort. Studies have report has it that the buildings the Police has objected to this had in November 2011 ap- was to, chiefly, have a planning shown that a large chunk of road (note the plural) are of the Brit- idea, stating that it is not fea- proved the setting up of a function and oversee the work traffic could be eliminated if ish period and “located within a sible given the current traffic Chennai Unified Metropolitan of several agencies involved in short journeys could be accom- campus. Few buildings are situation. Transport Authority (CUM- the running of the transport plished on foot. If so, why not maintained fairly, while one is It is reliably learnt that the TA). It was a development that systems. It would also periodi- look into this aspect seriously in serious deterioration.” The pedestrian zones too are also was rather late in the day and cally revise and upgrade its and see if some solution to last named is a building with a likely to be vetoed. If such con- which ought to have perhaps plans. To be headed by the accommodate pedestrian and spire and now houses the flicts are left to go unresolved been set up in the 1980s when Transport Minister, it had the cyclists’ interests can be arrived Mother Teresa University. there may be no improvement the MRTS was planned. Still, it Chief Urban Planner (Trans- at? CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS June 1-16, 2013 City’s heritage trees in Asking for more he Man from Madras rather supercilious air, for tion area. In the middle of a T Musings is certain that those around were making do library! Talk shows became you have all heard of the six- with ordinary railway fare frequent affairs and it was need of help faced, spear-wielding Hindu while was feasting on a take- most disconcerting to read, God of War. In recent years, away breakfast from one of say, a Wodehouse while a as you also doubtless know, He Chennai’s best-known eating- voice in the background in- olunteers of Nizhal, a the Public Properties Preven- as lent his name to a chain of houses. toned about the economic cri- V Chennai-based Trust that tion of Destruction Act (and eateries that became famous The packet when opened sis. The last straw was when works for tree conservation, get who cares about public prop- for serving what is known as revealed a bulging plastic bag of the old staff was replaced with many distress calls from across erty?), while trees on private fast food – of the South Indian sambar. There was an equally new ones who had no idea variety. Coffee was the bever- large one filled with chutney. about library etiquette. There the State. They recently heard property are ‘privately owned’ anyway!” age for which the outlets were All very gratifying. It was just are now phones installed that a venerable old institution best known and it was said that that the pongal was nowhere to within the reading area and was planning to bring down a Unlike Tamil Nadu, where most patrons stepped in for be seen. MMM poked around the staff has to frequently an- 100-year-old tree to raise a we live on promises, several coffee and stayed on for more. with the thoughtfully provided swer calls and talk into them modern facility – and the tree States have Tree Protection MMM was one of the faithful. plastic spoon and discovered for long periods of time. That was not even shown in the plan Acts. Comprehensive and well- There were certain draw- two measly blobs of pongal, puts paid to silence of any sent for approval! All this from backs, of course. Most of the hidden under the sambar kind. And, as a consequence, drafted acts that sensitively branches had standing room packet. A magnifying glass members now think they can an institution regularly visited look at protection of trees by the elite of the city – a well- only. And in the few where you would have been a more appro- answer calls on their cell within urban areas and which got seats, the serving staff priate item of cutlery. MMM phones as well! educated group given to repeat- are being implemented include would hurry you over your made a meal out of the sambar Because of all this, MMM ing how wonderful heritage the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) food with word and gesture. and chutney. Not that anyone let his membership lapse, after conservation was in the coun- Protection and Preservation of The idea was that the food was asked, but if they had, MMM almost four decades during tries they visited. Could Nizhal Trees Act, 1975, the Karnataka relatively inexpensive and of a would have replied that it was which he had transferred it to do something about it? Another Preservation of Trees Act, high quality and so the chain the quality that counted and whichever city he had lived in. plea came all the way from 1976, and the Delhi Tree Pres- survived by making sure it had not the quantity. A sad parting, but then you a high turnover of patrons, need to move with the times or Thanjavur: “Please come in ervation Act, 1994. your Green Cross ambulance throughout the day. No lei- if not at least move away from and save the trees being cut ‘No person can fell any tree surely browsing and sluicing SHORT ‘N’ them. But that is not the end mercilessly by the roadside!” or cause any tree to be felled, here, if you get MMM’s mean- of the story. whether of ownership or oth- ing. On certain bad days, those The other day, MMM was Yet another request was, “On waiting to be seated at tables SNAPPY in a library of a hallowed club the private campus adjoining erwise, in an urban area with- would be let loose into the din- in the city. A member who ap- my home are some of the most out seeking the permission of ing area and take strategic po- peared to be in communion beautiful heritage trees and the the Tree Authority (TA)’, sitions behind the occupied with his immortal soul for over owner wants to remove them (‘including all citizens, officers seats. From there they would Library lore thirty minutes with eyes shut glower at those already seated ome summer and The suddenly sprang to life and be- and all except the most hardy gan talking into his cell phone. G C Man from Madras by (or short-sighted) would wilt Musings finds his thoughts in- “I am in the library,” he roared Shobha Menon under these glares. Most fin- creasingly straying towards and continued talking. Unable ished their meals in record these storehouses of books. to bear it any longer, MMM time. But it was all taken in The cool interiors, the hushed walked up to him and indi- good spirit; after all, this was silence and the presence of cated by gesture that he ought for the most flimsy reason; can of the urban local authority, fast food. to go out to speak on his State or Central Government similar knowledge-seeking you please help?” Then the prices began to minds fill MMM with a sense phone. “The club rule is that officials’), states the Maha- rise. This too was understood my phone should be on silent While lakhs of saplings con- of calm. And that is needed in rashtra Act. The application to by most. Inflation was to be larger doses when it comes to mode when I am in the li- tinue to be planted and prom- bring down a tree in this con- blamed, they said, as they brary,” he said. “Which it is. It ised through green schemes, summer when the heat, ruffled text must include the descrip- sipped the still delectable cof- tempers, and the dust make for does not say anywhere that I mature trees across the State, tion of the tree, its location, a fee. It is only when the por- heightened stress and distress. too ought to be silent.” So many of them heritage trees, site plan and reasons for want- tions began to become smaller But MMM is sorry to say that much for civilisation. MMM continue to lead a precarious ing the tree to be felled. ‘Felling that most of the devout follow- libraries, like nostalgia, are not walked away with the consola- ing saw red. Does ‘fast food’ tion that at least in this library, existence – either threatened of a Tree’ refers to burning/cut- what they used to be. with removal or subjected to in- also mean pulling a fast one Take for instance this unlike the library in another ting or any activity such as lop- over customers, they have be- hallowed club, breakfast is not sensitive pruning by govern- ping that causes substantial bibliotheque funded and run ment/other agencies – for want gun to wonder. And none by Old Blighty. MMM was a served to members! damage to the tree. more so than MMM. The cof- member from the time he was of adequate legal protection. fee tumblers are becoming And with trees on private prop- While the Act provides for a a child, and a singularly cheru- Wake up, Chennai smaller by the day and as for bic one at that, in case he has erties falling solely under the Chairman for the Tree Author- the coffee inside, it is only he Man from Madras ity and appointing corporators not mentioned it before. In owner’s control at this point, those with exceptionally good that era, and for many years af- T Musings was at the Cen- tree lovers fervently hope that as members, representatives eyesight who can locate it. ter, this was a sanctuary of tral Station for but a short the much awaited Tamil Nadu from non-official organisations The smallness of the help- sorts. Even the most boisterous while, may be half an hour. Tree Preservation Act for Ur- experienced in the field of ings hit MMM rather hard on of children would be awed by But the picture below shows ban Areas, announced by a planting/preservation of trees the day he travelled by the the tomes and postpone the the volume of garbage that ac- (with voting rights too!) are double-decker train and of inevitable coughs and sneezes cumulated in one platform State Minister many months during that time. Where are also to be included. Officially which journey you got a full for a more appropriate time. ago, will soon see the light of description in the last instal- we going, wonders MMM. day! appointed Tree Officers (one or But, alas, all that is a thing of ment of this column. Knowing the past. Some intelligent soul – MMM more) will serve under the Act full well that catering on board In Tamil Nadu, there are at in urban areas. Within 30 days decided that the place needed present two kinds of restrictions was by the Railways and whose to be livened up and the first a Tree Officer will personally culinary skills had not exactly on the felling of trees. Species thing that was done was the inspect the tree for whose fell- impressed MMM, he decided installation of bright yellow of trees marked as royal trees – ing the application has been to buy his breakfast at the six- teak, black wood, ebony and wooden flooring. Not a soul made and report to the TA. faced spear-wielding God of evidently bothered to consider sandalwood – even if standing Public notice will then be given War’s eatery which has an out- that footfalls on wood can on private land cannot be felled in the local newspapers that let at the station. Pongal was make for loud noises. And that without the permission of the permission has been sought to what MMM ordered and, he is precisely what occurred. Chief Conservator of Forests. was gratified to be given a fairly Those wishing to read in peace fell a tree and a notice will be large packet. How wrong they The second restriction is prima- fixed on the tree itself. and quiet now have to do so rily hill area-specific. Which were, those who cavilled at the amidst a continuous grating The TA must give/refuse small helpings, MMM re- noise in the background and means almost all trees in urban flected. Once on the train and areas are virtually defenceless! permission within 60 days from several members walking with an appetite sharpened by around, making sounds over A senior forest officer says, “Un- receipt of application with/ those around eating continu- without conditions. Permission which they have no control. fortunately, trees in public areas ously, MMM opened his pack- The next addition was a within municipal corporation/ ed breakfast. He did so with a meeting space and conversa- local body limits fall only under (Continued on page 7) June 1-16, 2013 MADRAS MUSINGS 3 Ways to harvest rainwater he article ‘Rainwater harvesting a forgotten of the borewell. Although the area for the infil- Marina mess flyover, are used as Tsolution’ (MM, May 1st), has rightly tration of water through the casing pipe during urinals and parking areas. arina Beach was Madras’ stressed the urgent need for wider practice of the duration of the rain will be limited, the tank The Chennai Corporation Rainwater Harvesting (RWH). The two main will act as a holding tank for the rainwater which pride and joy when the M should keep these places clean, factors for the 2003 mandate not having had the can go into the casing pipe even after the rain city was modestly populated. barricade them and plant plenty desired effect are: 1.The lack of effective en- has stopped. You can also replace this section How salubrious and balmy the of greenery there. Moreover, all forcement of the mandate, and 2. Lack of infor- with a pipe of bigger diameter provided with evenings used to be, with only these concrete monsters look so mation to the public on effective methods of car- slots or slits and covered with nylon mesh. This the sound of the AIR news dull, with the drab cement rying out the harvesting. As a person who has will increase the area of the openings in the pipe coming from the the loudspeak- done RWH in over 200 four-storey complexes for entry of the rainwater. colour hitting the eye. How nice ers and the boys hawking their in Chennai, I offer some guidance on the second A four-inch layer of blue metal at the bottom it would be if these flyovers were ‘Thenga, Maanga, Pattani, aspect. of the pit will prevent the mud there from being painted blue/green underneath, Sundal...’. In short, the perfect RWH is extremely efficient and cost-effective disturbed by rainwater falling with force. This which will be pleasant to the ambience for the late P.B. for those who happen to have a traditional dug- can also be reduced by fixing an elbow to the eye. The flyover opposite Can- well in their premises. They just have to connect Srinivas’ song Manithan inlet pipe and extending it close to the wall. cer Hospital/School of Archi- the various down-take pipes from the terrace di- Once in a while, the nylon mesh cloth will have Enbavan... tecture in is a case in rectly to the well. The down-take pipes can in to be hosed with water to free it from any fine That tranquillity is now non- point. Its belly is painted blue many cases be connected to one another at a mud which may clog it. existent. The ignoble strife of and there is greenery which is height along the wall and brought down as one The well, as also the pit, should be covered Chennai spills over in the eve- bigger pipe and connected to the well. The hori- cordoned off by harricades. with an adequately reinforced concrete cover in nings onto the Marina sands. zontal connection can be above ground in places Can’t all flyovers look like this? several sections so that it can be removed easily The mess and litter of the surg- where there is no vehicular movement or con- by one or two persons for any maintenance. A The flyover opposite the Air- ing crowds foul the beach. cealed just below the ground. small service manhole should be provided in the port has ‘Palmyra trees’ embed- There is menace in the air, with The inlet pipe projecting into the well should cover for periodic inspection of the well or the ded on the side walls. It would have an elbow connected to it so that the rain- the last straw being our moral pit. be nice if the flyover is painted water hits the walls of the well and the water runs police hounding romantic Builders are advised to go in for at least one green and the other areas in a smoothly down the walls. Otherwise, the mo- couples sharing a few harmless traditional dug-well in each of their projects as contrasting colour. mentum of the water falling directly can disturb moments. this, generally, will have a good quantity of wa- Come on, Chennai Corpora- the mud at the bottom of the well and render the ter and can be sustained by efficient charging of I had not visited the Marina tion, let’s make Chennai. water muddy, particularly in the dry season when rainwater into it. Electricity consumption for for well over a score of years. the water level tends to be low. Once in two or ‘Singara Chennai’ with a little pumping of water will also be much less, com- Recently, however, I had occa- three years, the well may have to be desilted to imagination and effort. pared to deep borewells, because of the shallow sion to do so. The place re- remove the deposition of mud at the bottom. depths of these dug-wells. The terrace must be swept clean of mud and sembled an open lavatory. I had M. Fazal Persons having only borewells can also think leaves once in May and again in September. If to step gingerly to avoid the ‘Barakath House’ of tapping the shallow water table by going in there are any overhanging branches on the ter- 11, Mosque Street for a tubewell to draw the water from shallow muck. It occurred to me that, race, these should be pruned. If not pruned, grills Hasthinapuram depths and could provide a pit around it, as de- instead of empowering our pu- have to be fixed at the out-flow points to retain Chennai 600 064 tailed above, with the casing pipe having slits or ritan police with IPC section the leaves. This however necessitates the need slots and diverting all the terrace water into the 294 to harass couples, why not to periodically check the grills during the rains, Failed project pit to charge the tubewell and sustain it. Alter- as otherwise the leaves will block the grills and the police patrol the beach and nately, they can have a shallow well dug around egarding the article on Dr. cause water stagnation on the terrace. In the case arrest those dirtying it? Should the borewell and provide the exposed section of P.V. Indiresan (MM, April of complexes with more than five stories, nei- Chennai wait for the next tsu- R the casing pipe with slots or slits as detailed ther dust nor leaves will be found on the terrace. nami to clean the Marina mess? 16th), I was present at the above. meeting in September 1979 If any food is served on the terrace, the floor C.G. Prasad should be swept and the food droppings col- There are suggestions that the terrace water when, amidst fanfare, the ex- can be first filtered and then put directly into 9, C.S. Mudali Street lected. If the terrace is merely washed, the food periment, in collaboration with the borewell casing pipe. This is safe only if the Kondithope, Chennai 600 079 Canara Bank, was launched. droppings would end up in the well and contami- nate it. filtration is regularly monitored. Otherwise, ex- Colour needed The project, setting up the Cen- If only borewells are available, a safe but not traneous matter may get into the borewell and tre for Rural Development at spoil its very functioning. hennai city is dotted with a very efficient method of charging a borewell Narayanapuram near IIT Cam- would be to dig a pit of 3 or 4 or 5 ft dia around The rainwater falling in the open spaces Cflyovers intended to ease pus, was not a success and ulti- the borewell to a depth of 8/10/12 ft (depending around the buildings can also be harvested effi- traffic movement. But the up- mately closed down in August on the volume of rainwater to be handled) and ciently and charged to the shallow water table keep of these flyovers leaves 1984 due to severe financial stabilise it with RCC rings. When the casing pipe by providing a water trap between the columns much to be desired. Apart from losses. The employees took up becomes exposed in the pit, replace the exposed of the gate (like the cattle traps of the old days) and connecting it to an absorption pit. unbearable distraction by post- the case for compensation with section of the pipe with a machine slotted pipe ers of various hues, dirt and rub- (leaving the bottom and top one foot portions as Those needing more information or any clari- the Supreme Court and it fications can contact me at bish lie beneath these mam- dragged on for many years. it is), and cover the slotted section with fine ny- moth structures which, in some lon mesh and tie it with polythene cord. Alter- [email protected] or Dr. Sekar Raghavan, It was a tri-party tie-up Director, Rain Centre, Mandavalli, at sekar1479 places, as in the case of nately, make horizontal slits on the exposed sec- which could not be managed tion using a hacksaw fixed with double blades. @yahoo.co.in. through technology alone; it This will result in the rainwater entering the cas- Indukanth S. Ragade needed commitment to rural ing pipe after filtration and reaching the bottom [email protected] MADRAS values. MUSINGS The fault lay in Dr. Indiresan claiming knowledge in another after any distinguished Indian OUR ADDRESSES ON THE WEB field – economics. scholar or statesman. Please don’t turn Musings For matters regarding subscriptions, donations, non-receipt of receipts etc.: To reach out to as many read- Dr. R. Parthasarthy into a yellow gossip pamphlet. CHENNAI HERITAGE, 5, Bhattad Tower, 30, Westcott Road, Royapettah, ers as possible who share our (Professor of Electrical Foreign rulers and cricketers are Chennai 14. keen interest in Madras that is Engineering (Retd), IIT Madras) not the only interesting con- Madras Musings now has its own email ID. Letters to the editor can be sent via Chennai, and in response to Plot No. 42, ‘Heverlee’ tributors to the rich tradition of email to [email protected]. Those who wish to intimate change of Ram Nagar 1st Street Chennai. address can also do so provided the subscription number is quoted. For non- requests from many well-wish- Vijaya Nagar, receipt of copies, change of address, and all other circulation matters: Madras ers – especially from outside Chennai 600 042 Dr. S.S. Rajagopalan Musings, C/o Lokavani Southern Printers Pvt. Ltd., 122, Greames Road, Chennai and abroad who Any good done? 30, Kamarajar Street Chennai 600 006. On editorial matters: The Editor, Madras Musings, No. 5, Chennai 600 093 receive their postal copies Bhattad Tower, 30, Westcott Road, Royapettah, Chennai 600 014. very late – for an online edi- fail to understand what good Editor’s Note: Variety is the is expected to be derived from spice of a journal – and MM No personal visits or telephone calls, please. Letters received will be sent from tion. Madras Musings is now I the sexploits of Lord Conne- aims to provide that variety. these addresses every couple of days to the persons concerned and you will get on the web at www. mara (MM, May 16th). My Often, it is the more entertain- an answer from them to your queries reasonably quickly. Strange as it may seem, madrasmusings.com immediate reaction was that a ing variety that sets readers to if you adopt the ‘snail mail’ approach, we will be able to help you faster and at least notice some of the more disappoint you less. THE EDITOR request be made to rename the library standing in his name meaningful contributions. – THE EDITOR 4 MADRAS MUSINGS June 1-15, 2013 June 1-15, 2013 MADRAS MUSINGS 5

During World War II, he was an adviser in the Nature Notes Citizens’ Advice Bureau headed by John Hilton, Pro- When a judge The sportingfessor of Industrial Economics, at Cambridge. He was later appointed a member of the Panel for Ori- ental Languages of London University, and then was Civilian a First Grade Officer on the staff of the BBC’s East- became ern Service. Some rare His health being affected by the climate, he re- signed from all these positions to return to India who becamewhere he was asked by the public-spirited founders the prisoner’s of Kavali College to join a pioneer venture in aca- sightings demic education, “an effort with a definite degree of a don idealism behind it,” as C.D. Deshmukh described it. Tampoe, during retirement, insisted that his four- Black Capped Kingfisher. Black Stork-Underwing. Chinese Pond Heron. friend year association with the college was perhaps the he return migration season belongs to the Tree Kingfisher sub-adult/immature, based on nese Pond Heron in its breeding lfred McGowan Coomarasamy Tampoe was most valuable opportunity to come his way during n 1911, when the Collector of who was in charge of the escort Talways springs a lot of sur- species, we spotted it perching on the bill colour and the overall plumage at lake. I Aborn on June 25, 1881 in Jaffna, Ceylon. His his life. ITinnevelly, Robert Ashe, was suggested that I be taken on foot prises every season. Following trees and avoiding man-made plumage. saw only one of this species there. father, T.M. Tampoe, a solicitor, was a Hindu who * * * assassinated in his railway com- to the Palamcotta District Jail, a His fondness for sport received a severe setback the Black Storck (Ciconia nigra) structures. The ‘Bird with a According to the published I suspect there were more but not became a Christian. The rest of the family were Hin- partment at Maniyachi Station, distance of one mile from the Alfred Tampoe, the Civilian and dus, whose family temple was dedicated to Lord early in his second year at Cambridge, when an in- magistrate. is another species which sulks Black Cap’ surprised us with its records for Tamil Nadu, there is in breeding plumage. The species Coomarasamy. jury to his knee while playing hockey led to his re- Alfred Tampoe was appointed to bungalow, evidently with a view around mangroves and scrubs colours. only one record of a sighting near is almost similar to the Indian try, under the provisions of the to parading me through the After attending a village school and a Mission maining out of active participation in any sport for bunal of three judges of the Ma- close to the backwaters hunting We also spotted in March a Madras – a juvenile was spotted Pond Heron and difficult to iden- school, Alfred Tampoe became a boarder at St. Tho- four years and may have cost him a Blue. But he Indian equivalent to the English streets of the town to impress on dras High Court appointed for crab/fish/frog/insects. It is less of- lone Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) in Pondicherry. And that was in tify in non-breeding plumage. mas’ College, Colombo, which was modelled on the continued to ride. Defence of the Realm Act, the the people the might of the Brit- the purpose, he did not show me ten seen and seldom photo- soaring above a dry lakebed close January 1988. There are no prior records in lines of an English Public School. No vernacular lan- Always fond of horses, he rode with the famous conspiracy case which arose out ish Government and also to hu- any favour. After recording and graphed. We sighted a Black to Kancheepuram. It could have Chennai of such a sighting. Yellow Uhlans, during his stay in Germany. He also of the murder. He committed the miliate me. I lost my temper at Gnanaskandan K guage was either taught or officially employed at the analysing the evidence of nearly Capped Kingfisher (Halcyon possibly been migrating, as we (Courtesy: Madras Naturalists’ College. Furthermore, its use was forbidden to all attended the British Army Riding School in accused to trial by the High this further humiliation and Woolwich. two hundred witnesses, he, as an pileata) in the scrub near saw it moving from south-to- Another very rarely seen and Society Bulletin). students during school hours, and to all boarders Court, which sentenced the spoke some angry and very un- impartial judicial officer, saddled Kelambakkam backwaters. As it north direction. It looked more a throughout all hours in the College premises. Latin In those spacious days when the European mem- leader of the conspiracy, complimentary words about the photographed bird was the Chi- Samyak Kaninde bers of the superior services in India believed not me with the full weight of all the was compulsory. Nilakanta Brahmachari, to im- Superintendent, the British Gov- Obtaining several double promotions, he reached only in hard work but also in plenty of exercise in the offences charged. One sentence open air, nearly every District Headquarters boasted prisonment. ernment and its menials, the in his committal order, which he G the top class of the College at the age of 16 and was Living with nature – III of a ‘Hunt’, generally with a very miscellaneous col- During his imprisonment, Collector and others who were probably meant as a compliment, considered by his parents to be fit for Cambridge Brahmachari jointly with present. The reaction of Mr. University. But on arrival at Cambridge, he was ad- lection of hounds with which, once a month, they worked much to my disadvan- (Continued from Bizarre, yet vised to go back to school in spite of his academic hunted either jackal or an occasional fox. Tampoe Tampoe wrote a detailed history Tampoe to my outburst was tage in the High Court. That last fortnight) qualifications. Being already in England, he joined regularly rode in these Hunts. of the underground political characteristic. He said, “Calm was, “He is the only man among While in the Districts, he actively participated in an old English Grammar School, one of the famous movement in South India up to yourself, Nilakanta (My name the whole lot.” G This is the third of the three District Cricket, Tennis and Hockey as well as, in Alleyn schools, at Stevenage, Hertfordshire. He the date of the assassination of was Nilakanta Brahmachari and I used to meet him every day articles that comprise the gained his ‘Cricket Colours’ at Stevenage, and was the case of Rajahmundry, where there was a polo the Collector of Tinnevelly. This I was the first accused among 14 opening chapter of a book ground, local Polo. He was a member of the District in his room in the bungalow even chosen to play for Hertfordshire County in his treatise received the full approval charged). You have come all the which was his court, as I was kept titled Footsteps through the delightful first year in Stevenage. teams wherever he served. He attributed his health of the Government, and re- way from Calcutta in a train with Salad on the wildlife of and mental vigour throughout his long life to his par- separate from the rest of the pris- At Cambridge, he took his degree in Mathemat- ticipation in sport. mained a standard work on the Auroville, by longtime Auro- tipede as I slept (nowhere near crabs walking cross country dur- thinking how lucky I am to have ics, and then moved to Frankfurt University, Ger- oners, and have tea and ciga- subject. In recognition of this G vilian Tim Wrey. as bad as a scorpion); had count- ing the monsoon rains, and once such an abundance of nature all by rettes with him and discuss all many. While a student there, he appeared for the contribution, a remissionof his For more information: e-mail less problems with ants, ranging briefly played host to a freshwa- around me. ICS open competition examination in 1904 in Lon- Sri Sadguru Omkar sorts of things. I was 22 years old sentence was granted. [email protected] from stings of well named ‘scor- ter turtle; had difficulty several To end this series and justify don and, as he expressed it, “much to my surprise”, at the time and he was about 29 During the course of their pion ants’ and multiple bites times getting into my residence the title of the book, let me re- he passed through. and still not married. For an In- joint literary effort in the prison here have been – and con from columns of small ants that at the end of the day, because a late one final exerience at He was assigned to the Madras Presidency and a police escort for four days with- dian officer, though of I.C.S. cell, magistrate and prisoner be- tinue to be – many other in- occasionally got into my bed, on predatory wasp had stuffed the Gratitute, involving a feisty joined as Assistant Collector at Masulipatnam. His out sleep. First wash yourself and cadre, he was bold, independent T came friends. It was a friendship teractions with nature. To give my towel(!) or into the open lock with rolls of cut leaf full of young orphaned owl Dietra was first assignment was as Head Assistant Collector, have a cup of tea.” and just. When once I asked him that was to last over half a cen- some examples, I have had a Rat jampot, to invasions of a ‘night- caterpillars; had a nest of five rearing to release named ‘Cardi- Narasapur, in the then Kistna District. He held the Then he called his butler to as to what he thought would usual routine posts, but it is worthy of mention that tury. Snake slither over my foot and marching’ variety that come dur- mice in my motorcycle seat, gan’ (so called because he re- bring me a bucket of water and happen to me, he said very casu- his services were lent successively to the PWD to While serving his sentence, nearly trodden on a Krait – one ing the night in battalions to oc- which poured out one after an- minded us of Lord Cardigan of after I had washed, he gave me a ally that I might get 10 years. I study and report on the discharge of water for irriga- Brahmachari subjected his out- of India’s most venomous snakes cupy some dark place in the other at a mechanic’s place in the Light Brigade fame, charging cup of tea and then a cigarette did get seven years after a pro- tion purposes through sluices and canals in certain look on life, and on the world, to – while walking to Gratitude in house, usually the clothes cup- Pondy when I called in for ser- unhesitatingly at any food he saw from his pocket and lighted it tracted trial in the Madras High parts of the Kistna Delta, and then to the Depart- a critical examination, which the dark; had a semi-wild cat uri- board; rarely had less than a vicing (one of them got so pan- offered). ment of Agriculture to report on certain agricultural himself. (I was a heavy smoker in Court. convinced him that the use of nate on me through the mos- dozen-or-so gecko lizards in my icked as it fled across the hot practices connected with paddy cultivation in the those days.) Then he ordered After my release from jail in We were having lunch, when physical force, even if effective at quito mesh of my open windows rooms, constantly challenging, street in blinding sunlight that it Western Godavari Delta. The highlight of his tenure that I be taken to the jail in a 1919, I contacted him and we be- ‘Cardigan’, who was standing on the particular time, was unwor- as I slept below; had a rat run chasing and mating with each decided to bolt for the first dark as Head Assistant Collector, Tinnevelly District, is jutka with only three policemen came dear and devoted friends. the table with us, spotted some- thy of the dignity of human per- over me one night while sleeping other, and then laying their eggs hole it spotted. Unfortunately it related below. as escort. This arrangement to He sometimes called himself my thing of interest on the far side of sonality. When he was freed, the in a friend’s house; and several in hidden places; have more than was the ‘rear end’ of a reclining * * * come to the court from the jail sishya, though I never accepted the table and set out to investi- During his entire Government service, Tampoe former political anarchist be- times had huge bandicoot rats once been driven half mad with bullock!). and return to the jail in a jutka this position. We met often dur- gate. He strode forward, reached spent all his furloughs at Cambridge where the Uni- came a sadhu, Sri Sadguru dig up my potted plants, or itching, and on investigation To a typical foreign visitor, continued during the whole ing those years, stayed together the edge of my plate, and stepped versity gave him an academic appointment during Omkar of the Nandi Hills. The shrews nest in my storeroom; found a tick digging into me for a unaccustomed to the profusion course of the trial in the lower at various places, ate together up onto the rim. every visit. Sadguru was to later write: been bitten by a venomous cen- meal; encountered freshwater of wildlife we experience in court (his court) for nearly two and he visited my ashram on the For a moment he hesitated, On his premature resignation from the Indian It must be unique for two Auroville, life here may seem a Civil Service, he settled in Cambridge where he held months. hill-top with his son. I have also then proceeded to walk straight Alfred McGowan Coomarasamy Tampoe by his close persons who first met as accused bit bizarre, and perhaps it no the post of Reader in Dravidian Languages. ‘ But in his order committing stayed with him in the Principal’s through the lettuce and sliced friend Debi Prasad Roy Chowdhury. and magistrate to become fast doubt is. There are even times us all to trial before a special tri- room in Kavali College. tomato, circumnavigated two and intimate friends and con- READABILITY PLEASE when I think you must be a bit of ’ boiled potatoes, placed one foot tinue to remain so for more than a masochist to live here. But Dear Readers, in the mayonnaise, another on 50 years with the greatest mutual when I reflect how I have de- the far rim, and stepped down A big ‘Thank You’ to 40 of you regard possible between two hu- lighted at the discovery of all- As letters from readers increase, we are receiving more and to continue towards his desti- man beings. Such was the con- gold chrysalises hanging in trees We publish below the list of donors who have, between 16-04-13 to 15-05-13, added to the more hand written letters, many of them in a hand so small nation. Dietra seemed com- tact between me and Alfred or seeing so many beautiful but- support Chennai Heritage and its voice, Madras Musings, have already received. We thank all and illegible or large and scrawled as to be unreadable. Often pletely unperturbed; I was Tampoe. terflies, and have marvelled at this leads to our discarding a letter, particularly if some part of it dumbstruck! of them for their support for the causes Chennai Heritage espouses. – Chennai Heritage I was arrested at Calcutta in the splendour of peacocks in my That was many years ago. the first week of July 1911 in con- is unreadable. garden, or birds like the Paradise. Nowadays, like ‘Cardigan’, I tend nection with the Ashe Murder Painting exhibition by Rupak Munje. If you wish us to consider your letter for publication, please Flycatcher flying past my win- Rs. 900: P. Shankar; Vijayalakshmi Varadarajan Rs. 300: G. Dhasarathy, T.E. Ramaswami Till June 16: to take such things in my stride, Case, otherwise known as A very special 16-year-old who was born autistic, Rupak got his train- type it with enough space between lines or write it using a dow. have lain in bed at night en- Rs. 500: Sarada Narendranath; George K John; R. Rs. 200: V.M. Cherian; G. Janaki; Lalitha Zachariah; V.V. realising as I do that it’s a rich Tinnevelly Conspiracy Case, and ing under the American art therapist Melissa Enderle and has 63 paintings medium hand, clearly dotting the ‘i-s’ and crossing the ‘t-s’. joying the calls of crickets, frogs, Ramachandran; V. Muthukrishnan; S. Ponnusamy, K.V. Jayaraman; T.A. Sampath Kumar and wonderful natural world that brought to Tinnevelly and, with to his credit (at DakshinaChitra). owls and jackals; and have seen Anantha Narayanan Rs. 151: R. Ravindranath Many readers also try to fill every square centimetre of a post- we are surrounded by here in a large police escort, taken before June 19-30: Exhibition of portraits and abstracts on Nature by Alagesan, a flocks of flamingos in flight over Rs. 468: G.B. Vipradas Rs. 150: T.M. Raghunathan card space, making reading or editing impossible. Auroville, and there’s much Mr. Tampoe, who was then Chennai-based artist (at DakshinaChitra). nearby Kaliveli Lake or watched Rs. 400: N. Satish Rao; S. Ranganathan; C. Pillai; S. Rs. 100: G. Sundaram; P.S. Narasimhan; T.M. DakshinaChitra workshops more to be enjoyed than to be Headquarters Assistant Collec- Please help us to consider your letters more favourably by spellbound as skein after skein of Balasubramaniam; Sanatkumar Bhavanji; P.C. Rajagopal; Srinivasan; V.R. Thiruvady; V. Thiruvengadam; Savitri For children feared or get upset about in our tor. I was brought to his bunga- making them more legible for us. what appeared to be wild duck C.V. Sreenivasan; V. Ravi Shankar; Chandra Venkataraman; R.M. Veerappan; Chandra Pandian June 22: Paper quilling or paper filigree art. constant interaction with it. low on July 10, 1911. The Euro- – THE EDITOR flying overhead in the pre-dawn Mouleeswaran; T.V. Sivakumaran; Mahadevan Mohan; Rs. 50: Jean Isaacs; M. Angamuthu For adults pean Superintendent of Police semi-darkness, I cannot also help (Concluded) Raghavan June 8 & 9: Lac handicrafts. 6 MADRAS MUSINGS June 1-16, 2013 The change wrought (Current Affairs questions are from the period May 1st to 15th. Questions 11 to 20 pertain to Chennai and Tamil Nadu.) by John Sullivan 1. On May 1st, IBM released A Boy and His Atom. What record has it set in the world of films? that they literally inscribed their Irishman who had won the G 2. Name the Indian whose death, The final part of a look at names on the map. The Battle of Waterloo against after being attacked by fellow in- the British in India taking to Encyclopaedia* details 192 Napoleon, and in later life had mates in a Pakistani prison, cre- the Nilgiri Hills. places that were given English become the Prime Minister of ated outrage recently. names. Mostly these were minor Great Britain. What is not 3. Harvard scientists recently un- (Continued from last fortnight) features of the landscape: hills, widely known about him is his veiled RoboBee. What is its claim copses (sholas), bogs, riding intimate tie with the Nilgiris, for to fame? hopping, another time- paths, lookouts, etc. But one by some strange chance he was 4. Which glamorous Oscar-win- consuming activity, was such place is known across probably the first of the British ner recently revealed the stunning S news that she underwent an elec- more advanced here than one South India, and that is the we know of by name to have tive double mastectomy due to her might have supposed. Sears military cantonment at Well- visited, indeed to have fought John Sullivan Roebuck had produced their ington. It was sited on land be- for several months, in the family history of breast cancer? In a technical sense the dis- 5. Which Amitabh Bachchan- first mail-order catalogue in the longing to the Badaga village of Nilgiri Wynad. This was in starrer opened the Cannes Film United States in 1888. Within Jagatala and, like many basic 1800-01, long before Waterloo, trict was still prehistoric two Festival on May 15th? a decade several large depart- features of 19th Century deve- when he was still known as centuries ago: it had no docu- 6. Which Indian pharma company ment stores in Bombay and ments, no literacy, no schools, was recently fined $500 million by Calcutta had followed suit; and and scant connection with the US authorities after it pleaded in Ootacamund you could order outside world. So far as we guilty to selling adulterated drugs objects as large as a motor car G by A Special Correspondent know it had never been an inte- in that country? or as small as a bottle of gral part of any South Indian 7. On May 15th, the instructions coloured ink by going through kingdom, and had certainly for the recipe for one of the most lopment in this district, the idea Arthur Wellesley, and when he never been a princely state in its famous concoctions were sold on their catalogues and then sim- ply writing a few lines to these had originated with the founder was commencing the final mili- own right. All that changed eBay for $15 million. Name the with remarkable rapidity in the product. companies. of Ootacamund and local Col- tary operations against a local lector, John Sullivan (1788- warlord, Kerala Varma Raja, years that followed John 8. Name Dan Brown’s fourth book The Christian faith flouri- in his Robert Langdon series. It 1855), a Londoner of immense the “Pychy Rebel” as they called Sullivan’s arrival in 1819. Even was released on May 14th and has shed in these hills although, un- energy and far-sighted vision him. It was Wellington’s field the princes arrived to build their zoomed to the top of the bestseller like the hills of Mizoram, Chris- who transformed the entire experience in the Nilgiri summer palaces there. charts. tians were never a large propor- Nilgiri Plateau with his many Wynad at that time, and before 9. Who was recently elected for a tion of the total population. innovations. that as a commander in the *Encyclopaedia of the Nilgiri Hills. Two missions in particular third term as the Prime Minister The name given to Well- Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, (2 volumes. Edited by Paul of Pakistan? sought converts here for a very Hockings. Manohar Publishers, ington is of obvious origin, for that had taught him the strat- 10. What new index was launch- long time: the Basel Evangelical New Delhi. 2012.) the Duke of Wellington was a egy he would later put to such ed by the BSE on May 1st based Mission, a Swiss-German national hero, an Anglo- good use at Waterloo. on the wide-measure S&P BSE organisation that was more or (Concluded) 500 index? less Lutheran, and the Mis- *** sions-étrangeres de Paris, which 11. Give the family name of was Roman Catholic. The lat- siblings Alexander and Peter who took over the business establish- ter group tended to work in the METRO RAIL CONTINUES ment George Gordon & Co in towns and on large plantations, 1849 and renamed it after their while the former group were es- family? pecially active in Badaga vil- BULLDOZING HERITAGE 12. Smith Stocking & Co., which lages, and had their local head- began operations in April 1913, is quarters in Ketti village. (Continued from page 1) have to be educated and in- that several heritage and an- the city’s oldest…? formed of the values of such his- cient buildings have been 13. Chandragupta Chanakya There were other groups (1940) had which iconic Carnatic here too: the London Mission- selectively decide which build- torical and monumental build- brought down by the public as musician playing the queen? ary Society, for example. Today, ings could be demolished. ings. The administration has to well as the authorities and they 14. Which institution has had its there may be about 4,000 Chris- The deed has been done. But change its attitude on these as- continue unabated.” genesis in the institution that was tians in a total population of what we are left wondering pects, by appropriate and strin- Sage words indeed, which started on the suggestion of three-quarters of a million, tes- about is the complete silence of gent measures. The committee unfortunately have fallen on Michael Topping, the earliest tament to the fact that the the HCC and its parent body, members are also pained to note deaf ears. astronomer and geographical and evangelical effort yielded scant the CMDA, both of which were marine surveyor in Madras, in results in terms of numbers. Yet 1794? mandated by the High Court to the three organisations just 15. Who made his debut in films protect heritage buildings. In CHENNAI HERITAGE by writing the screenplay for the mentioned were critical for the fact, the arguments that we cinematic adaptation of his first introduction of literacy to the have presented above ought to No. 5, Bhattad Tower, 30, Westcott Road, play Rattha Paasam? district through their network have been put forward by the Royapettah, Chennai 600 014 16. Which church was ministered of schools, a network that made HCC so that the demolition I am already on your mailing list (Mailing List No...... ) / by a succession of descendants of the very first efforts at the edu- could have been prevented. I have just seen Madras Musings and would like to receive it Cuddalore Arumugam who, in cation of girls and set up the But it is a well-known fact hereafter. 1733, became the first Indian to be first teacher training school; all that this body chooses to re- G I/We enclose cheque/demand draft/money order for Rs. 100 ordained a Protestant pastor? this in the middle of the 19th main silent on most matters and (Rupees One hundred) payable to CHENNAI HERITAGE, 17. Which theatre had the first 70 Century. has, at most, stirred itself only MADRAS, as subscription to Madras Musings for the year mm screen in Madras? 2013-14. 18. Name the first President of the Whatever we may think to give approvals for demoli- G Madras Pinjrapole whose statue about the overall impact of the tion. As token of my support for the causes of heritage, environment under a canopy can be found in a In this context, it is worth- and a better city that Madras Musings espouses, I send Chennai British on India, there is no Heritage an additional Rs...... corner of Napier’s Park (or May doubt that they had a positive while quoting from the Padma- Day Park)? nabhan Committee report. (Rupees ...... ) Please keep / put me impact on the development of on your mailing list. 19. Which road in the this particular district, for it was “The committee with heavy area is named after an insurance Name : ...... they who built the first towns heart points out that neither company founded in 1943 by S. the public nor the administra- ...... Parthasarathy Iyengar? and vehicular roads, the first markets, the first courts and tion nor the authorities are con- Address: ...... 20. This graduate from the Uni- scious of the value of maintain- versity of Madras in 1881 was post offices and administrative ...... ing the heritage buildings, awarded the Bharat Ratna after buildings. Note: Overseas postage Rs. 550/year extra. Cheques for over- Independence and has a tower places of historic importance or But perhaps nothing is more seas postage alone payable to M/s. Lokavani Southern Printers named after him in Chennai. Who aesthetic value and popular Pvt. Ltd. All other cheques to ‘Chennai Heritage’. was he? evocative of the British impact places of worship, which is a dis- DD/Cheque should be sent by Speed Post only. (Answers on page 7) on this one district than the way appointment. All of them will June 1-16, 2013 MADRAS MUSINGS 7

G Smile-a-while with Ranjitha BOOKED ou know what’s heartbreak decide to start a bookshop – a again, with you galloping deter- Ying? decision so wonderful, so Hu- minedly behind. Along the way, And really annoying? mankind-friendly, you just can- you run into another group, be- not praise it enough, only to ing similarly led by a young lady A bookshop that’s lost its suddenly turn around and con- prone to nervous giggles and a way. clude that what the bookshop slightly distressing habit of And how do you identify a needs most is ... cologne? screeching for help across the befuddled bookshop? As for staffing in these rows to some invisible colleague she obviously has faith in. You Well, if you have to fight places...? Books? O books... yes, I’m really not sure where to find them here look a query, and are told that but you could start with www.amazon.com! your way through confection- Now, you hate taking pot this group has been searching ery, jewellery, ‘gift items’ (what- shots at those who are trying to for Romance – literally – for the ever that means), statues and earn an honest living. past twenty minutes. No one there) ‘Huh?’, followed by a wonder what you’ve been up to, statuettes, a smattering of ‘elec- “Can you please spell name, but can also bring on impressive You want to respect their has a clue where these books tronics’, couture accessories, please?” and by a rapt gazing at sneezing fits of about 57 sneezes workspace, and appreciate their have gone. perfumes, after-shave and a mute computer screens, while per minute. efforts. Strange – this utter lack of whole bunch of trivia to get to holding seven simultaneous dis- At the 58th sneeze, accept- All you ask is that they do information, given that there that large area filled with what cussions with an equal number ing with resignation that this the work they are supposed to are bunches of staffers lounging looks suspiciously like books – of colleagues on who this author visit has been a wash-out of chances are you are in a do. around, most of them with is, where to find him/her, (yes, enough time to chatter, giggle, truly impressive proportions, bookshop that has indeed lost People-in-charge-of-train- really) and whom to ask for in- attend to personal calls on cell you decide you’ve had its way. ing-people-who-sell, please structions. phones, or conduct conversa- enough. note: Staffers in bookshops There’s a word that’s much tions over the shelves like they Sometimes you get moved Going rogue, you hasten don’t need couture-level uni- in use these days –‘ Fusion’ – de- are calling cows home at twi- from staffer to staffer, feeling a home to TV serials. forms or smartly designed IDs. fined as ‘the process or result of light. bit like the parcel in a game of joining two or more things to- They don’t even need to know ‘Passing the Parcel’. Very sad – this increasing gether to form a single entity’. each book. If finding books is challeng- confusion in defining what a Oh, by the way, do watch bookshop actually means; what What they do need is a ing, it gets even crazier when It works great – sometimes. you mention authors. Nobody yourself when you go past all it needs; and what it is supposed working knowledge of their those perfumes.... enthusiastic With cuisine, with music, seems to know who these guys to be about. workplace – that’s it. young staffers tend to spray stuff and certain art forms. are. See, the trouble with losing Looking at a customer with randomly....so you could get your way is that you invariably But some things are best left an expression of total incom- Even staples of Indian book- zapped inadvertently by end up losing your soul. alone to do what they do best, prehension when asked about shops, like, say, Agatha generous doses of elixirs that for they, like the cheese in that an author or a title has the Christie, elicit responses begin- not only give you a distinct And that’s always bad – for old poem, stand alone. worst possible effect of making ning with a clueless (bit of irony pong that makes the family books... and Humankind. Like books, for instance. potential buyers feel they had You want to ‘fuse’ books no business coming to a with coffee and comfortable bookshop... asking for books. seating? Wandering around certain City’s heritage trees Great. bookshops these days is becom- ing a little like being a bit player With ear-rings? in a particularly un-funny (Continued from page 2) must be less than a year old, and sion for the protection and pres- must not be less than the num- ervation of vital green cover in farce... a feeling that intensifies Not so much. ber of trees required to be urban areas for our own ben- when you find they’ve moved will not be refused if, in the planted. efits! A sensitively drafted Tree Not that you have anything the books around yet again, opinion of the TA, the tree is Act (with a clear implementing against bric-a-brac. something they seem overly dead, diseased, windfallen, In Chennai, issues of non- system in place!) will do won- Wading through a veritable fond of doing. poses a danger to life or prop- adherence by various govern- ders for trees across Tamil Nadu Aladdin’s Cave of may-buy- erty, and/or obstructs traffic, ment departments to matters You walk in, turn sharp left by regulating the felling of trees ables – what a great way to but no tree can be felled within regarding trees, with neither and head straight because that’s and providing for planting of spend time and money. 15 days after such permission. timely response nor required ac- where they’ve had ‘Humour’ for adequate number of new trees This is to allow time for tion, are common. In fact, ex- (Long live retail therapy!) some time now – and find your- objections. A decision is taken in those areas. self looking at something that perts affirm that supervision All you are saying is don’t within two weeks after giving a looks perilously close to Self- during lopping procedures is im- Better representation of civil bring books into this mix. hearing to the persons raising perative, since unguided prun- society in framing of policies Help. A second to re-orient, objections. ‘Going to a Book-Shop’ has then you swing around and ing may affect a tree’s chemistry and programmes to protect the to be a stand-alone experience. bravely negotiate the Permission is subject to the and its root-shoot ratio. Felling green cover will certainly help Walking into a bookstore rows....with little success. So, condition that the applicant or cutting a tree, which is home add to the general health of the means entering a world that’s given that there seem to be lots shall plant three trees of the to birds and other creatures, trees and to the citizens’ sup- both familiar, yet bursting with of staffers around....number is same or suitable species on the hits many other cycles in na- port of the cause. ture. the promise of new experiences, apparently not an issue...you same site or another suitable N.B: Replanting of old trees fresh surprises, and sheer ad- ask for help. place within 30 days from date Rapid urbanisation is inevi- is also a possibility. Tata’s have venture. You meet old friends; on which the tree is felled, or First, it takes a few minutes table, but that only means that been doing it for years in you make new ones. You within the time given by the for you and these young people we have to make better provi- Bombay and Bangalore. browse; you buy... and when Tree Officer. The individual to understand each other. you think no one is looking, you will be asked to deposit Rs. “Humour?” a couple of them bury your nose in a new book 2000 for each tree felled and pe- ask, looking at you suspiciously. Answers to Quiz because that fragrance, like that riodical inspections will be car- Clearly, they think you’ve made of the earth after a shower of ried out thereafter. The up that word this instant just to 1. It is the smallest movie ever made, created by manipulating individual fresh, new rain, contains the es- amount will be refunded after harass them. Then, the light carbon monoxide molecules with a scanning tunnelling microscope; 2. sence of all the living you have two years, if the trees grow sat- bulb switches on, and one of Sarabjit Singh; 3. It is the smallest man-made device modelled on an in- done so far, and all those expec- isfactorily. Individuals/corpo- them asks you to follow him, the sect to achieve flight; 4. Angelina Jolie; 5. The Great Gatsby; 6. Ranbaxy; tations and dreams that stub- rate bodies/institutions can get two of you setting a brisk, prom- 7. Coca-Cola; 8. Inferno; 9. Nawaz Sharif; 10. Islamic equity index. bornly refuse to die. permission from the TA to ising pace....only to run smack *** adopt any tree for a specific pe- How can you stand any at- into the Sports section. 11. Orr (as in P. Orr & Sons); 12. Pharmacy; 13. N.C. Vasanthakokilam; tempt to dilute this? riod and be responsible for the 14. College of Engineering, Guindy; 15. Sridhar; 16. The Having gazed at these books tree’s maintenance and preser- church (now the Zion Church); 17. Anand; 18. Hungerford Tudor Equally, why would anyone for a few seconds, he takes off vation. The trees to be adopted Boddam; 19. Prithvi Avenue; 20. Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya. 8 MADRAS MUSINGS June 1-16, 2013

G The fourth in a series of profiles by V. RAMNARAYAN of cricketers who may have made an all-time Madras* squad.

o Cotah Ramaswami Old Trafford and the Oval, ag- T (1896-1990) fell the dis- A sage presence at gregating 170. He made 60 and tinction of being India’s second 40 on his debut, and 29 and 41 oldest Test debutant at 40 as not out in his second (and, as it well as, briefly, the world’s old- turned out, his last) Test, be- est living Test cricketer, before Chepauk sides accumulating 737 first he went missing from his class runs on the tour. Chennai home in 1985. cricket. Baliah’s son Surya- that went on to win the One of Madras’s finest sport- Seen regularly at the Madras narayan figured in unofficial Wimbledon doubles title! ing sons, Ramaswami played Cricket Club, Chepauk, till his Tests for India, and the left- These performances won both cricket and tennis with a disappearance, Ramaswami handed opener P. Ramesh, Ramaswami a place in the In- positive approach and enter- looked almost as fit as his sons Baliah’s grandson, had enough dian Davis Cup team. Playing tained spectators with his ag- Ram and Lakshman who were, talent, and performances to only the doubles, he finished on gressive style of playing. and still continue to be, users of show for it, to be regarded as a the winning side with Dr. Fyzee, Not known for style or grace, the Club’s sporting facilities. Test prospect, albeit briefly. beating the Spanish doubles “he used his over-heavy bat like Even in his eighties, the tall, C. Ramaswami was one of team. He then proceeded to en- a sledgehammer to smash sixes well-built veteran always had a the members of the Madras joy considerable success in ten- and fours.” smile and a good word for young team that defeated Mysore nis in England and the USA, After his playing days, he sportspersons. Listing him as within a day in the inaugural where he went at the invitation continued to be in touch with “presumed missing” since 1985, Ranji Trophy match in Decem- of Yale University. the game, though by profession Wisden first acknowledged his an employee in the Agriculture ber 1934. In an extremely low Incredibly, Ramaswami death in 1990. Department. He was the man- scoring match on a wicket left made his Test debut at the age Ramaswami came from one One of the last photographs of ager of the Indian team that open to the rain, he was the top C. Ramaswami taken before his of 40, “bulky and slow” and “se- of the leading sports families in toured the West Indies in 1953, scorer in the match, with 26 in mysterous disappearance. lected for reasons other than India. He was the youngest of a popular side that earned a a Madras total of 130, which cricket”, in his own words in his the famous ‘Bhatt’ brothers, reputation as a brilliant fielding proved good enough for an in- side, which had been 50 for autobiography. He was overly sons of Buchi Babu Nayudu, the combination, among other nings win! Ramaswami was a nine. He made 188 not out to modest, whereas his achieve- ‘Father of Madras Cricket’. things. Later, he played a quiet natural left-hander who, true to his partner Neeroji’s unbeaten ments in international tennis Buchi Babu’s purchase and role as a selector, during a time family tradition, played several 28. and cricket were wholly worthy occupation of Luz House in when Indian cricket team selec- games with almost equal felicity He later joined Presidency of an accomplished sportsman. (off Luz Church and enthusiasm. His autobiog- College, where he became a tion was sometimes a cruel joke His inclusion in the Indian Road) meant that his family raphy was titled Ramblings of a popular, hard-hitting batsman on the nation. team to tour England in 1936 took cricket to the Brahmin ar- Games Addict. who obliged spectators when- During Ramaswami’s was perhaps as fortuitous as his istocracy of the locality. Born into affluence, but hav- ever they demanded a six. selectorial stint, he was an un- appearances in the Davis Cup. In time, the two communi- ing, later, to adjust to relatively Joining Cambridge Univer- happy participant in the mock- If in tennis his break came be- ties – of Andhra men of leisure straitened circumstances, sity in 1919, Ramaswami be- ery responsible for the appoint- cause he was at the time in and Tamil intellectuals – forged Cotah Ramaswami (he was came an instant tennis hero ment of four captains for a five- Cambridge and India saved the an unlikely combination that given in adoption to his own when he casually beat ‘Half Test series against the West fare of one player by inducting led to “unbridled talent finding grandfather, and hence the sur- Blue’ Sundar Das in straight Indies in 1958-59. him, for the cricket tour of En- joyous expression” on cricket name different from that of his sets (in a best of seven!) and Ramaswami nevertheless gland he was preferred to grounds. brothers M. Baliah and M. won the singles championship continued to watch the game younger players like A.G. Ram Many members of the Buchi Venkataramanujulu) began his the same year. with keen interest for decades Singh, as the Indian captain, Babu clan played for both the cricket at Wesley High School, In his second year, he was afterwards, ever willing to dis- the Maharajkumar of Madras United Club, the club scoring his first hundred in 1909 awarded his Cambridge ‘Blue’ cuss cricket with other genuine Vizianagaram, a fellow Andhra, Nayudu founded, and the against Kellett High School. and went from strength to cricket lovers young or old. His had seen Ramaswami in action Mylapore Recreation Club, A memorable performance strength, even defeating the was a sage presence at only weeks earlier and been im- which they later adopted as for Wesley College against En- Dutch champion in a five-set fi- Chepauk. pressed. their home team. gineering College was by young nal. He also won the doubles fi- Ramaswami’s two brothers, Ramaswami, when he put on nal of the same tournament Ramaswami was good his son Ram Swaroop, and four more than 200 runs for the last partnering Hyderabad cricketer enough to average 56.67 in the nephews played first class wicket to win the match for his S.M. Hadi, beating a Dutch pair two Test matches he played at * Madras Province/State/Tamil Nadu.

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