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Vol. XXVII No. 5 MUSINGS June 16-30, 2017

A disaster waiting A very (by The Editor) then shopping as an activity rare may have to be abandoned t was only a couple of issues altogether in our city. ago that we had written about to happen I The fire raged for two days. the rot in Chennai’s real estate. Given the way the building was visitor One of the instances quoted struction violations and the meant bending all the rules, and constructed, fire tenders could was a fire in a wholly unautho- above-mentioned structure was a vast horde of shoppers who hardly reach it. Those in the ne late morning, a year rised structure that continued no exception. Permission had kept the place going, not in the neighbourhood had to be sum- Oago, my friend Santha- to remain in occupation despite been granted for just four floors, least bothered that the place marily evicted for no fault of raman rang up to say he had the authorities sealing it. That but the management had mer- had come up in contravention theirs beyond the fact that they sighted a Brahminy kite – Halia- incident claimed four lives. The rily added another four. An ad- of all ethics – all of them en- chose to live next to a partially stur indus – in the skies of Anna latest episode, though fortu- ministration that either did not sured that no action was ever illegal edifice. Commuters were Salai. But I did not take it seri- nately not causing any deaths, care, or was in cahoots with the taken. In this lot, it is perhaps put to enormous hardship ow- ously because it had been years was on a far bigger scale. We al- violators, a judiciary that took the shopper who is to be for- ing to blockage of traffic and the since a Brahminy kite was lude to the fire in a multistoried its own time to come to any given, for if he/she is to take the smoke caused distress to many sighted in Chennai. I assumed garment showroom in T’Nagar. conclusive judgement, an stance of shopping only in in the area. Over 700 house- that he must have mistaken a This is an area that has owner who was only interested buildings that are put up in holds in T’Nagar were starved Black kite for a Brahminy kite. become a showpiece for con- in making money even if it strict conformance of the law, of water and close to six lakh Nevertheless, he was confident. litres of this precious commod- I was even more surprised when he informed me that the kite GARBAGE ity were spent on dousing the inferno. The only saving grace, carried nesting material as well. as mentioned earlier, was that I had no grounds to believe him. nobody died, though some A couple of months ago he HowHow aboutabout wewe citizenscitizens people, especially those in the called again to say he had fire service, did suffer injuries. sighted the bird in the same area The fire broke out early in the with some nesting material. morning and so there were no This time I took him seriously doingdoing ourour bit?bit? and agreed to take a look. doingdoing ourour bit?bit? shoppers and traffic on the road Around 6.30 am we reached ontinuing from last fort- Clothes and other fancy articles was also thin. G the spot and scanned the skies. night, when the focus was by A Special purchased by us are given by The aftermath saw the usual C Blue rock pigeons and house on our low sanitary rating, I to- stores in large, colourful bags so blame game being played out. Correspondent crows dominated the scene. As day look at a major contribut- that when we carry them the The Minister blamed the owner the sun ascended, a few Rose- ing factor: Garbage, which daily brand gets advertised. But their for violations. The owner ad- ringed parakeets were seen. overflows on to our streets. Plastic packing material disposal becomes a problem. mitted that his structure was in Then we saw a few Black kites. It cannot be anyone’s case forms a bulk of the material that Perhaps, sellers as a matter of contravention of permits, but We then drove to the Ethiraj that the ubiquitous piles of gar- we throw out. Shunning plastic civic duty can make the bags blamed it on bad advisors. The Salai as it was near the Cooum bage are entirely the responsi- bags might by itself substantially simpler and smaller and less of a electricity and water supply de- River. We thought we might bility of the municipal conser- reduce the volume of garbage. disposal problem. Buyers should partments blamed the courts have a better chance of seeing vancy agencies. Be it garbage or Then, collection could do with decline bags difficult to dispose. that had granted stay orders the bird there as Brahminy kites sewage, at one end is the public smaller-sized receptacles and Newspapers have been con- against sealing the structure live mainly in coastal regions, agency that has responsibility to more number of them to ensure verted into carry bags. So why thereby forcing the depart- estuaries, mangroves, and wet- manage and deal with them; that no bin is outside easy not we start using them instead ments to supply power and lands, though we knew that but it is at the source that much reach. Recycling and re-use of of plastic? water to this edifice. The courts Cooum does not support any could be achieved to reduce the various articles and packing Enhancing the capacity of have not spoken, but if they did, fish. Time moved on. It was volume of waste generation and materials and thinking many the public collection and dis- we are sure they would blame around 10 am and we returned to facilitate easier handling of times before throwing them posal system is not enough to the committee of the Chennai to our original spot. We saw a the load transferred to the pub- away would also help reduce the Metropolitan Development lic system. load on the public system. (Continued on page 3) (Continued on page 3) (Continued on page 2) CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS June 16-30, 2017

A very rare visitor Dancing Doctors & other Jis (Continued from page 1) The next evening, Brown called and informed me that he had hese are times when in the he had no idea that the time Rationing Body mentioned spotted the nesting site. It was Tworlds of politics and arts, had gone by so quickly. He above. An e-mail arrived pair of Shikra soaring and then you can earn brownie points by never could keep track of time, shortly thereafter from the there was a flock of Black kites. remarkable news. Being a fal- prefixing people’s names with he said, especially when he was organisation, thanking MMM We waited for a few more min- coner, he had used his tracking a ‘Doctor’ and suffixing them speaking. He then promised to for accepting and stating that utes and as it was late for our skills to discover the nest. The with a ‘ji’. The latter, inciden- wrap up in the next few as part of the rules, MMM breakfast, we decided to leave. nest was a shabby structure tally, appears to have pen- minutes and spent the next 15 would need submit a detailed It was then we saw another lined with debris like plastic etrated the Tamil lexicon, at of them in thanking everyone article on his theme, which flock of Black kites. Using my covers on the terrace of least in Madras that is Chen- concerned, all of them Dr ‘Ji’s. would be included as part of a binoculars I scanned them. Spencer’s Plaza. nai, for even the most rabid The Dr ‘Ji’s in the audience publication to be released after Among them one bird stood I wondered how a single bird Hindi haters use the ‘ji’ at all lapped it all up and when, the seminar. To this MMM out. Yes, it was a Brahminy kite. could nest and breed. If the bird odd moments. Coming back to eventually, after what seemed sent a reply stating that when had to nest, it should have its the similarity between the like an eternity, the speaker he accepted the invitation he I told my friend that he was worlds of arts and politics, it waddled off stage, he was was unaware of such a precon- right. We both watched the bird pair, I argued. We saw only one does not end with the Dr and greeted with good applause. dition and if this was compul- as it flew above us and within a bird and we did not know the Ji. Politics is said to be an The Dr ‘Ji’s were happy that sory he would prefer to be few seconds it flew past the road whether it was a female or male. art and as for art, it is full of they had been referred to in excused from attending the only to disappear behind the Brown speculated that the bird politics. flattering terms and let MMM seminar as his time schedule buildings. I was surprised. was a male and an aggressive tell you that when applying did not permit his taking on one as well. He had seen it bick- All these profound thou- flattery in the arts world you the writing of such a detailed It was years ago that I had ghts came to the mind of The last seen a Brahminy in the ering with Black kites. It domi- need to do so with a shovel. As paper. Man from Madras Musings to why several others in the heart of Chennai. I remember nated them by involving in when last fortnight he at- There was complete silence aerial acrobatics. audience clapped was some- my mother pointing out the bird tended a seminar on hundred thing of a mystery to MMM thereafter and MMM assum- and describing it to me when I In general, Brahminy kites years of dance or some such until he came to know that the ing that his nomination had was a child. She indicated its are belligerent and have the topic. MMM is rather vague speaker, or the drone in ques- been scratched, moved on to white head and chestnut body proven ability to snatch fish about it chiefly because the tion, had in him the power to other things. But a couple of as diagnostic features and also from other birds of prey. There- speeches that he heard did not grant fellowships, research days before the seminar he got explained its role in the Indian fore, the aggressive nature of have that theme. It was more a grants and an award or two. He a call from a minion up north the bird may not be an indica- question of a standard presen- was warmly thanked for his which wanted to know as to spiritual world. In Tamil they tation that each of these pre- where MMM’s paper was. To are called Garuda or tion of its gender. However, erudite and scholarly presenta- senters had, which they no tion. this MMM replied that he had Semparundhu. A Brahminy kite Brown kept visiting the site to doubt flog repeatedly, force-fit- already expressed his inability has a bright chestnut body with monitor its behaviour, more im- ting it in some way to suit the MMM was billed three to write one and had bowed white head, neck, breast and portantly to find if it had a pair. topic for which they had been down, but he realised that out of the programme. The upper belly. Though juveniles Our search for its mate was fu- resemble Black kites, their tile. It was a solitary bird which rounded tail is a giveaway fea- might be in search of a pair. SHORT ’N’ SNAPPY ture in contrast to the Black It frequented the area often kites’ forked tail. and Brown said it usually This species, which was a roosted on the terrace of invited. How else can MMM given the way the programme voice became all confused at common bird in the coastal Spencer’s Plaza. It was disquiet- explain the fact that one of the was going he would get his turn this and hung up. A day later keynote speakers spoke en- somewhere around midnight. came another e-mail, asking parts of Chennai, has slowly dis- ing to see a lonely bird building a nest, probably driven by its in- tirely on the scenario in Indian He therefore used his cajoling for MMM’s paper and giving appeared. Being feeders of fish, dance in the 2nd Century CE? powers and got himself up- him details of the venue of the crabs and the like, they are par- stinct, not knowing that there He remained steadfast to that graded to speak immediately seminar and what time his tial to wetlands. Flying low over was none of its species in the time period and even at the after the coffee break. And speech was, etc. It ended with the water surface or perching on immediate vicinity. I even won- end of his presentation did not having finished what he had to a request for MMM’s paper, a tree they catch their prey or dered if it would cross breed touch on the dance scenario of say, well within the time allot- which the email sender noted, take away carrion. They build with Black kites, though it was the last hundred years. If that ted to him, he chose to depart. was not yet received. All this cluttered but compact nests, us- improbable. Nothing of that was not bad enough, his pre- The next speaker was sched- set MMM’s teeth on edge and ing sticks, grass and shore de- happened in the next two sentation itself comprised im- uled to have a go and the first he called the dancer and asked bris, usually in a forked branch weeks. It was seen around the ages of several closely typed slide depicted something from her what was to be done. She area, but was not guarding its pages being projected on the the 5th Century BC. suggested that MMM ignore of large trees, close to water. screen, all of which he insisted the missives and turn up any- nest. We even saw a pair of Blue They restore and reuse the nest on reading out in pitiless de- One-way way. Which is what MMM for several seasons. The reason Rock Pigeons inspecting the tail. In a way that was to the did. for their disappearance from the nest for their own reasons. The good for the audience could communication City is not clear. May be the bird had abandoned the nest. It not read a word – the type size But the organisation has Adyar River or Pallikaranai was also time for Brown to leave was beyond the capacity of the orry Chief, The Man from not yet finished with MMM. India. When he left, he re- human eye and the only way Madras Musings is aware of Two days after the seminar Marsh do not support them any S MMM received an email more with prey base or they do quested me to keep track of the out would have been to the fact that you do not like the present each member of the same story or topic to dominate thanking him for participating not find nesting sites in a City bird by visiting the spot. and reminding him to send in I did go there three times. I audience with a pair of bin- the entire length of this col- which has lost its large trees to umn, but MMM is not yet done his paper as soon as possible. sighted the bird one evening a oculars, the kind that orni- skyscrapers and expansion of thologists use. with the above seminar. This MMM wonders if not comply- highways. But for whatever rea- little after five. However, my was organised by one of those ing could be a non-bailable of- son, they are now a rarity in other two visits did not yield If that was bad enough, the Government bodies that have fence. Chennai. any results. I was not sure if the speaker in question had quite been set up somewhere up Though we sighted the bird Brahminy kite had found some clearly decided that he was the north ostensibly for the promo- Tailpiece mate or for that matter if it sole presenter for the day. He tion of Indian culture. And in Anna Salai, we were not able had been given twenty min- they do so little that they can he Man from Madras to find its nesting site. My friend would even show up again. Will utes, as had everybody else, be said to be In the Cause of Musings did not know sighted it again the next day. Chennai see this magnificent but he chose to ramble on for T Cultural Rationing. And on that 94 was a landmark num- My friend Brown, a raptor raptor again in its skies? A ques- an hour. The net result was this occasion, MMM had expe- ber. Nevertheless, a certain set trainer from the U.K. was tion only nature can answer. that the time schedule was rience up close of how they of people decided to celebrate shot to pieces. Not that it ap- around at the time. When I told work. it as a birthday event for a cer- peared to matter to anyone ex- him about the sighting of this – Picture and text by tain nonagenarian. The mes- cept MMM. The audience The first intimation was species he said he would check. T. Murugavel sage went out that the birth- dozed, glad to be in an air-con- through a phone call from a day boy was not to be dis- ditioned room while the tem- well-known dance personality turbed. This however, clearly perature outside was like that of our city, a woman of did not apply to the rest of the of any oven set to bake. They great achievements and erudi- city, which suffered cut-outs, would have slept on and the tion. She invited MMM to MADRAS MUSINGS ON THE WEB posters, traffic hold-ups to fa- speaker could have droned on, speak at the seminar and cilitate VIP movement and To reach out to as many readers as possible who share our keen had not the major domo of MMM, delighted that such an more than the usual levels of interest in Madras that is Chennai, and in response to requests from ceremonies, waking mid- eminent personage had called noise pollution. many well-wishers – especially from outside Chennai and abroad snore, took a startled glance at him, accepted at once. The who receive their postal copies very late – for an online edition. the clock and announced tea danseuse rang off, thanking Madras Musings is now on the web at www.madrasmusings.com break. The speaker then came MMM and telling him that he – THE EDITOR out of his trance, declared that would soon hear from the – MMM June 16-30, 2017 MADRAS MUSINGS 3

Did a Native Medical School function in Madras in the 1820s? Hobart he English East India Com- In this context, I was pleas- Tpany (EEIC) established the antly surprised to read a report in the Nilgiris Bengal Medical Service in 1763. on a debate at the East India therefore the Native School ad- ord Hobart (MM, June,1st) was the son of a clergyman who EEIC established similar services House (London) in the Orien- ministration be run without a Lwas also the sixth Earl of Buckinghamshire. During his hey- in Bombay and Madras shortly af- tal Herald and Journal of Gen- designated superintendent fol- day in Britain, Baron Vere Henry was stoutly opposed to the ter. By 1775, a Medical Board in eral Literature (1826), pub- lowing the Madras System. This continuance of the Crimean War. Perhaps that was why he was Calcutta and Hospital Boards in lished from London, which re- debate resulted in James shunted to Constantinople. On arrival in Madras, he became a Madras and Bombay began admin- fers to a practice followed in Jameson’s resignation of his po- strong proponent of a proper harbour for Madras. istering public hospitals. At this Madras as ‘Madras system’ in sition as the superintendent of Though Lord Hobart from the beginning advocated the cause time, practitioners trained in West- the context of medical instruc- Calcutta Native Medical of a better drainage system in Madras, it came to be implemented ern medicine were few and far be- tion to Indians. School. Peter Breton, who was only posthumously, as noted in the write-up. His rendezvous in tween. The British qualified sur- the hills was well-known in the annals of the Nilgiris. While in The debater (name unavail- Jameson’s predecessor, took the Nilgiris he stayed at Fern Hill (later to become the Mysore geons working in India trained their able) says: charge again. Palace). Government House, or a separate governor’s residence, ‘assistants’ for 1-2 years and certi- This debate raises the ques- was unknown in those days. Lord Hobart initiated some fied them as capable of practising ‘In May, 1822, the Medical Board tion: Did a Native Medical “magnificent proposals” in 1874 for beautifying Ooty. The Western medicine independently. represented to the Government, School function in Madras, Government staggered by the estimated cost and the difficulty that as considerable difficulty had To enhance numbers of so along with Calcutta and Bom- in acquiring grounds about sixty to seventy acres in extent, been experienced in procuring torpedoed the scheme as “not suitable to the character of the trained medical practitioners Native Doctors to supply vacan- bay Native Medical Schools, in and also to improve the quality ground”. But Hobart Park in Ooty was created in 1875 to cies in the different Regiments, it the 1820s? The general under- honour the late Governor. Even as late as 1908, it was noted as of assistants to British-qualified would be advisable to establish standing is that no Native the most beautiful recreation ground in India and the biggest in EEIC surgeons, the Native an institution for the purpose of Medical Institution was set up any hill station in the country. It has disappeared now. Hobart Medical Institution in Calcutta instructing the Natives and in Madras, although the Madras Park in those days was situated on the eastern edge of the was started in 1824. At the qualifying them to fill up the Ayurvedic College (later the present day Racecourse. Calcutta Sanskrit College, deficiencies; a superintendent be College of Indian Medicine) The Neilgherry Archery Club was originally started on the Ayurveda was taught further to appointed to teach elementary was, through the efforts of the site in 1869. It was the fore-runner of the Ooty Gymkhana ‘some’ aspects of Western Medi- branches of medicine (identified Club. A polo ground, cricket ground and a nine-hole golf later as Pharmacy, Physic, and Mohammed Usman-Srinivasa- cine. At the Calcutta Madrassa, murti Committee in the 1920s. course soon followed. A race-stand was completed in 1898. As Surgery) and to preside generally the pavilion for the race-stand came to be extended in later basics of Western Medicine over their education. Mr. It will be interesting to know along with Unani-Tibbi were years, Hobart Park gradually lost ground. The present day road Jameson [Dr. James Jameson, if a Native Medical Institution from Coonoor (where there was also a settlement of the taught. William Bentinck (Gov- who was the superintendent of functioned in Madras, along Crimean War Veterans) to Lamb’s Rock and Dolphin’s Nose ernor General, 1828-1835) was Calcutta Eye Infirmary in 1807- with Calcutta and Bombay In- was named in memory of Lord Hobart. unimpressed by the quality of 1820], the secretary of (Calcutta) stitutions, and known other- Lady Hobart was a highly motivated missionary material taught at the Native Medical Board was appointed enthusiast. Mary Catherine Carr, the daughter of a Bishop of superintendent.’ wise. Moreover, a slim pride Medical Schools, more so with laces my mind again, when I Bombay, she married Lord Hobart in 1858. She pioneered the educational mission for native girls at Ooty. The Church of the calibre of the ‘graduates’. He In such a context, the de- read the terms ‘Madras System’ was of the strong opinion that bater further argues that the England Zenna Mission greatly promoted these efforts in later used by the debater in London times. This work in due course, also launched the famous the quality of trained personnel Madras Presidency operates in the 1820s, wherein a Madras was far inferior and that medical without a superintendent. The Mission to the Todas. Its missionary, Catharine Ling, spent 48 model gains superiority over years (1886-1932 & 1938-40) with the Todas. education needed to be fully debater strongly verbalises his what was practised in Bengal. westernised. In 1835, the Native disappointment on what the ex- Rev. Philip K. Mulley Medical Institution of Calcutta tra salary paid to Jameson was A. Raman Anaihatti Road, Kotagiri 643217 was abolished in 1835. costing the Company and [email protected] DISASTER Garbage: WE have a role too (Continued from page 1) come without much capital an increasingly scarce, life-giv- (Continued from page 1) punitive action, but in regulari- cost. ing material made available to sation of illegal structures, in A recent visitor to New us at practically no cost – that Authority (CMDA) that they exchange for a fee. tackle the dirt and toxins gen- Zealand cites how that country is, water! Dripping pipes, luxu- had formed to go into the mat- All of this has exposed the erated by an increasingly high- tackles garbage. Households are rious hose baths to cars every ter. The CMDA said its moni- rot in the entire business of con- consuming society. It is also required to place the waste ma- day – a common sight, believe toring committee was quite ac- structing commercial buildings complex and capital-intensive, terial, duly segregated, in bags me, in large complexes where tive – it had met 62 times, with and T’Nagar is the worst of the needing massive infrastructure. at the gate for the collecting water is no one’s property – the last meeting a day before the lot. What is saddening is that The strategy of reducing wast- agency to pick them up. Spe- indiscriminate volumes of water fire. What was not said was that no action has ever been taken ages at source – individual cially marked paper bags for this for multiple baths every day, the meeting, like all earlier and probably never will be. In households and industrial and purpose are issued by the mu- excessive use of detergents ones, had partial attendance this context, it is worthwhile to other institutional entities nicipality and made available at making recycling more difficult and was inconclusive. In short, note that we wrote an editorial could be more impactful, less all stores for a price. A good part are all taking us towards critical nobody was really to blame. But in 2008, when a fire broke out complicated and productive of of the price goes to the collect- water situations. Pricing water, we did have a four-storey build- in another illegal structure, dramatic results. As the propor- ing agency through the munici- such as to discourage wasteful ing sprout another four floors next to the present one. We are tion of people living in apart- pality. Thus, households are use, recycling for garden use and merrily carry on business publishing that below. That ment complexes increases, it is made to pay for this service and for charging natural for several years, cocking a building was soon back in busi- easier to get collective compli- according to the amount of gar- aquifiers may become inevitable snook at the law. Ours is an ad- ness, as we are sure the present ance in garbage management bage off-loaded by them and in course of time. Brackish wa- ministration that believes not in one will also be. and even to ensure that they private collecting agencies are ter is used in cities like convert into compost them- compensated by the number of Singapore and Hong Kong for selves instead of transferring it bags deposited by them at the water closets carried through a to the municipal system. In a collection centre. Such innova- separate line. Garbage aside, we different context, it was esti- tive practices are aimed at as citizens can contribute sig- mated that the daily generation establishing an accountability nificantly to save water. This of sewage was of the order of link. should be possible for us with 675 mld compared to the effec- Many international hotels the God-given sea by our side. tive available treatment capac- have started asking their guests Responsible consumption ity of 437 mld, an insufficiency to voluntarily re-use bath tow- and adherence to disposal in processing capacity of 35 per els for a second day and accept norms in dealing with the after- cent. Reducing wastage at the change of sheets at lesser fre- math of consumption make the source by this percentage is quency – all to save water. At job more manageable for mu- achievable by just doing with- homes, there is much scope for nicipal agencies. It is time we out plastic alone. With this, this and similar practices. An concertedly focused on our own insufficiencies of treatment ca- exaggerated sense of cleanli- roles, for a change, shifting the pacity and of an underground ness, unconnected with the real focus away from the usual sewage network can be over- need, results in luxurious use of targets. 4 MADRAS MUSINGS June 16-30, 2017 June 16-30, 2017 MADRAS MUSINGS 5

CHARIVARI – 2 NOSTALGIA AS HISTORY – 2

Brodie’s Road. The street ended From Civilian in a dead end. All the houses were street houses, packed side Pelathope by side, but each had its own dis- to Police Chief tinct personality. Their only common feature was that the ex- terior walls were all lime washed in either white or yellow. The Days street was also earlier known as Vedanta Desikar Street and was ne of the most entertain- Ram Mohan’s family were associated with the festival Oing among this group of Telugu-speaking Brahmins and honouring the Vaishnavite saint. books is G. Ram Mohan’s his father, G. Gopalakrishnan, Every year the idol of the saint Pelathope Days. Pelathope is a was, what else, a lawyer. After was brought to Pelathope in narrow residential street close to living in various places in procession, and the residents of- Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore earlier, and a short fered worship to the idol before it Mylapore and is said to be as old stint in Pudukkottai, where they proceeded to the temple beyond as the temple or even older. To- headed when Madras was Kapali Temple. day it looks more or less the same evacuated, the family moved The junction where Pela- as a hundred years ago, except into a rented home in Pelathope thope meets Ramakrishna Mutt that it is far more congested. in 1942. They paid a rent of Rs. road is a shopping hive today. Pelathope gets its name from 40. The family was quite big, Ram Mohan writes that even in what was surmised to have been four boys and two girls. And as his time, the place was a com- a grove (thoppu) of pala (jack- the normal family size in those mercial area, although not quite fruit) trees before the grove days was four children, the par- so crowded. “For many years, till made way for houses. Known to LOST LANDMARKS OF CHENNAI ents and a couple of grandpar- about the late 1950s, it housed a be a street full of lawyers, judges ents, there were plenty of chil- – SRIRAM V and doctors, Pelathope is a sort of microcosm of the world of Mylapore middle class life. part is not that the prices were so flowing white beard, it was Ram Mohan moved into a G by Janaki Venkataraman low then. After all, incomes were popularly known only as house in Pelathope with his also low and money’s value was Dhaadi School. It crammed 50 Where have all the family when he was five and left much higher. The remarkable kids to a class, which had only the street only when he was 24. point is that the prices were so benches to sit on and no desks He writes, “The purpose of my stable. During the first fifteen and the children wrote on dren in the street for Ram popular Udipi style restaurant writing this book is not one of years or more of the period I have slates held against their bellies. Mohan and his siblings to play which we all referred to as sim- avenues gone? recording the events of my life. covered in this book, the prices The medium of instruction was with. There was a lot of ply Udipi Hotel. It was started by I am well aware that it will not and rates for all the items did not Tamil until Form 4. Emphasis t is today known as the Arignar Anna Poonga but for long it was neighbourliness and loneliness a Kannada family who were resi- t’s a blazing summer with a Municipality of Madras. This Burial Ground Road as connect- be a matter of interest to any- change one bit. The price of a was placed on oral learning and IRobinson Park. The man after whom it was named was Sir was an unknown concept. dents of Pelathope and they drought compounding it. Most stretch was from Parry’s Corner ing Quaid-E-Milleth (earlier one. My purpose is to record cup of coffee in our Udipi hotel committing to memory, William Rose Robinson, KCSI, of the Madras Civil Service. At the I served the usual Udipi fare. The of Chennai’s roads are devoid of to Fort St. George, a space now Wallajah) Bridge and the spot such of my memories and im- “We could see the Kapali was two annas when we moved whether the children learnt time the Indian Charivari carried his caricature and profile, he was red building housed an eye clinic the acting Governor of Madras, following the sudden death of the any kind of tree cover and with occupied by the subway that where St. Mary’s Bridge once pressions from my life as would temple tower from the first floor to Pelathope and about fourteen the maxims of Avvaiyar or run by a Dr. R.N. Row. There incumbent Governor, Lord Hobart (MM, June 1, 2017). the heat radiating from the sky, runs parallel to the High Court stood. This road too is not acces- give the reader an idea of what of our home in Pelathope,” Ram years later when decimal cur- mathematical tables. “We was also a paan shop at the en- the buildings, the roads and the compound. Coleman Avenue sible now owing to the dense life was like in those days in a Mohan writes. “Now high rise rency came into being, it was were trained to do lots of prob- Born on June 28, 1822, Robinson graduated in 1841 from trance to the hotel, owned by a vehicles make for a local version was lined with casuarina trees. slum that exists on it, but in its typical middle class Hindu fam- buildings obstruct the view. The changed to thirteen paise. That lems by mental arithmetic,” Haileybury College, the institution from where so many of the Nair and so called Nair Kadai… of hell. At a time like this, it is Ladies’ Mile is an interesting time this must have been ily in Madras city.” And this he temple bells could be heard was an increase of half a paisa, Ram Mohan writes. “A typical empire’s administrators graduated. He joined the Madras Civil Then there was a general mer- Service in 1842 and according to the Indian Charivari, his first as- with a pang that I read a report name and this evidently was at Victoria Avenue. proceeds to do very well in- clearly during the three main since the exact equivalent of two problem in mental arithmetic chant store at one end of the red signment was as Assistant Magistrate, Canara. From there he of the Municipal Corporation of the eastern end of the Island, Easier to locate is Cooum Riv- deed, despite the fact that he pujas of the day… We were par- annas is twelve and a half paisas. set for a fourth standard stu- building and a barber shop at the moved up the ladder, becoming in 1856 Acting Magistrate, Malabar. Madras, dating to 1868. It has, flanking the Cooum. This was erside Avenue. This was from writes entirely from memory. allel to North Mada Street.” For All the Udipi style restaurants in dent would be something like other end.” Known to be a hard-working officer, his career may not have risen among other things, a page on planted with trees of various spe- Law’s Bridge, the pedestrian This simply produced paper- a long time Mylapore consisted Madras did it. People wrote an- this: ‘If 15 palams of sugar costs out of the ordinary had he not been suddenly appointed Inspector how the civic body set about cre- cies. Victoria Avenue, to be lined walkway that connects back has charming line draw- only of the four Mada Streets “I still remember and can re- gry letters against the ‘price rise’ six annas and nine pies how General of Police for the whole of Madras Presidency in 1858. He ating tree cover along certain with jamun trees, is a little diffi- Chintadripet with E.V.R. Salai ings that complement the around the temple. Pelathope call the prices of all items … we to the editors of newspapers com- much would a veesai cost?’ found his true calling and thoroughly remodelled the force, making roads in the city, thereby quali- cult to identify, but would ap- just where Ripon Building stands, chatty, humorous style. opens off Ramakrishna Mutt bought at the general plaining that the hoteliers were Forty Palams were a veesai, it the best in India. Reward was swift, for he became Member, Board fying them as avenues. pear to have been near here. The to Government House Gate road which was earlier known as merchant’s. The remarkable exploiting the customers under twelve paisas an anna and six- of Revenue, Madras and Additional Member, Viceroy’s Executive The part of Mount Road be- document has it that this was the (which is where the Assembly- the guise of changing over to teen annas a rupee. We did it Council as Representative for Madras. Thus it was that when tween Government House (now old Wallajah East Esplanade turned-Multi-Speciality Hospi- decimal coinage. … I often won- mentally and arrived at the G The late Gopulu during his book, in 2005, and a copy was Hobart died, he was asked to step in as Governor. His tenure, Periyar) Bridge and Wallajah Road, which connected St. tal now is). Now known as der how the Finance Ministers right answer as one rupee two however, according to Charivari, was marked by masterly inactiv- Ananda Vikatan days had a recently sent to me by (presently Quaid-e-Milleth) Mary’s and Wallajah Bridges. Deputy Mayor Kabalamurthy Wordless of that era managed to keep in- annas.” ity. series of wordless jokes that Charukesi. We are pleased to flation at zero level for years on Bridge was named Napier Av- But with St. Mary’s Bridge itself Road, it had portia (puvarasu) Gopulu publish these cartoons for a There were tables up to six- The assignment was in any case temporary and he handed over brought about loud laughter. end. Were there some wizards enue and was lined with Peepul no longer visible, locating this trees planted on it. The other These were brought out as a new generation of Madrasis. teen to be learnt normally and charge in December 1875, to the Duke of Buckingham & Chandos. Trees. This is the road that cuts road would have been well nigh end of Law’s Bridge was at the – THE EDITOR running the Finance Ministry? then by reverse. There were also This was apparently not without a pang as Charivari would have it, right across the Island and its impossible were it not for the in- gates of People’s Park, for in 1868 Or was it a natural outcome of the fraction tables – for three- for Robinson had hoped to be officiating Governor when the Prince southern edge goes past what defatigable researches of none of the landmarks we know 1 2 the overall stability of society it- quarters, half, quarter, one- of Wales, afterwards King Edward VII, came visiting in December self?” eighth and one-sixteenth upto that year. Charivari dealt more kindly with his wife, saying she was was once Napier’s (now May Hemachandra Rao. He says St. – VP Hall, Ripon Building, Cen- known for her good works. Born Julia Thomas, she was the daugh- Day) Park, which probably ex- Mary’s Bridge took its name from tral Station or Moore Market – Most of the shops mentioned one-sixty fourth. “In those days ter of another old Madras hand, James Thomas of the Civil Service. plains its name. There are plenty St. Mary’s Cemetery on the Is- existed. The tree-lined avenue by Ram Mohan have now disap- I could tell you at a pinch that a of photographs of the dense foli- land. It ran across the Cooum there, full of portia trees, ex- peared. But Sathyam Studio, the hundred times one-sixteenth is Robinson was knighted in 1876. Shortly before he left Madras in age that once existed on this just next to this burial ground, tended all along Sydenham’s photo shop and Murthy Pinmen, six and a quarter and seven 1879, Robinson laid the foundation stone for the park that would road. Today, it is a wide thor- close to where the Buckingham (now Raja Sir M.A. Muthiah the laundry, remain there (at the hundred times one-eighths is be named after him. It had a fine botanical garden and a large oughfare but devoid of trees. Canal met the Cooum. This Chettiar) Road right up to De time of writing, 2010). eighty seven and a half,” Ram fernery presented by A. Armoogam Mudaliar. The management of 3 4 Robinson Park, which still offers a green lung in Washermenpet Napier was Governor of Madras bridge later came to be topped Mellow’s Road, making it a very All the children went to the Mohan recalls proudly. and Royapuram, was transferred to the Municipality on February in the 1860s. by the Stanley Viaduct and long avenue indeed. same primary school. After that Life in Dhaadi School also ex- 1, 1899. It was in this park that on September 18, 1948, Arignar Coleman Avenue was overbridge. According to Rao, Popham’s Broadway Av- the boys went to P.S. High posed the children to the poverty Anna declared the formation of the DMK. The park is now there- named after J.G. Coleman who vestiges of the old St. Mary’s enue, lined with portia and School and the girls to Lady of other children who could not fore named after him. was a partner and later sole pro- Bridge can still be seen if you are neem trees, is easy to locate Sivaswamy Iyer Girls’ School. afford to pay even the meagre fees and were malnourished, On retirement, Robinson settled in London, near Hyde Park, prietor of McDowell & Co. At willing to brave the slum that has though no trace of it survives The primary school might have where he passed away on April 27, 1886. the time this avenue was being come up under the Stanley Via- now. It began at the St. Xavier’s had a name but as the elderly created, he was President of the duct. The Eicher Map shows (Continued on page 6) Brahmin running it had a long, (Continued on page 7) 6 MADRAS MUSINGS June 16-30, 2017

90+ and still going strong

Quizmaster V.V. Ramanan’s ques- tions are from May 16th to 31st. Questions 11 to 20 relate to Chennai and Tamil Nadu. 1. What image will appear on the new Re. 1 currency note that the RBI is A three-fold planning to bring back into circula- tion? 2. The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation’s new nation-wide campaign to promote toilet use and Dr. M.S. Swaminathan freedom from open defecation across commitment the villages of the country is called? 3. Of which prestigious National- cclaimed by Time maga- chievously. He has often been work at office and student I know, in the best possible level cultural award is Satyabrata Azine as one of the twenty ‘accused’ of being too trusting! meetings. The latter are always way’, is my rule.” Rout the latest recipient? most influential Asians of the “I wake up by 6 am, each challenging and interesting!” Keeping in touch with stu- 4. Name the controversial ‘supercop’, 20th Century and by the United day, whatever time I go to bed. He goes on, “These days I leave dents, the new generation of credited with rooting out militancy in Nations as “a living legend who Morning routines included a for home in the afternoon so I leaders, is an important part of Punjab, and a former head of the In- will go into the annals of history brisk 45 minute walk, till last can lunch with my wife, who is Dr. MSS’s life. “My last Ph.D. dian Hockey Federation who passed as a world scientist of rare dis- year. Currently, I’m only able currently challenged by a medi- student submitted her thesis away recently. tinction,” Mankombu Samba- to do some physical exercises, cal issue. And I have gotten only a few weeks ago, and I have 5. According to an amendment by the National nodal body, what is the sivan Swaminathan is the because I have a problem with into the ‘bad’ habit of resting guided over 100 till date! I very time period till when an entity will be Founder and Chairman of the my knee and therefore am un- between 2 and 3 pm… not at much enjoy guiding students on considered a Start-Up? M.S. Swaminathan Research steady without my walking all good!” scientific thought processes. 6. Name the world-famous circus that Foundation in Taramani. stick. By 8.30 am, I am at the 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm is when Never about right or wrong, but came to a close after 146 years on May “In my nineties, I’m even Foundation office! But over he writes his papers or works on just sharing what my experi- 21st. more concerned with the unfin- books and also reads up on new ences have been. Being able to 7. Name the British actor who played ished challenges facing the developments in the field of look at the wrongs and finding

James Bond between 1973 and 1985 country in the areas of food pro- G by Genetics. “As much as I can, I and who passed away recently. how best to make them right is duction, distribution and malnu- continue to seek ways to con- 8. Name the famous feature of Mount Shobha Menon an amazing skill to develop! Everest which collapsed as a result of trition. I feel satisfied about what tribute towards awareness on Non-verbal communication the 2015 earthquake has been con- has been done but also recognise scientific issues and concerns. can be an important aspect!” firmed. The collapse makes the what has not been done. Does the last year, it has been de- To keep abreast with social me- Leisure time has always in- world’s highest peak even more dan- the inevitable loss of memory layed by half hour. It’s 9 am dia, I have a Twitter account cluded Carnatic music and clas- gerous for climbers. that accompanies old age help now,” he sighs rather wistfully. and my students tell me that 2 sical dance performances. “I 9. The Square by Ruben Ostlund won sweep under the carpet what you “Coming early to work lakh people access it! Good have always been a fan of the Palme d’Or for the best picture at don’t want to accept?” he smiles which celebrated film festival re- means I can go around the ways of communication, scien- Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and cently? disarmingly. “This is in fact a rooms and catch up with the tific modes of communication, now T.M. Krishna, also dancer 10. BSNL recently inked agreements time when my considerable ex- early bird students and staff sharing the correct information Alarmel Valli. Television time with which popular social media por- perience in life helps me judge and check on the cleanliness of at the correct time… all these is rare, generally only tal and wallet to popularise the people better,” he smiles mis- the toilets too. 9 am to 1 pm is are important. ‘Share whatever programmes on the Discovery internet and its value added services Channel or news channels. among its customers? These days, not much in the news anyway,” he adds wryly. * * * For about half hour or so before 11. Name the actress who played the going to bed, he reads books by title role in SS Vasan’s Miss Malini The missing avenues and her more famous daughter, a Na- Ramana Maharishi or tional Award-winner and a Rajya Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Sabha member. (Continued from page 4) Road began Lang’s Avenue trees lined Wallajah Road from Dr. MSS still continues to 12. In the context of Chennai cuisine, (now Lang’s Garden Road), Round Tana (where Anna travel extensively, in spite of which famous eating place was started Parchery and ran via Monegar which ran along the Cooum. Statue now stands) to Chepauk the need to use a walking stick, by Triloknath Gupta in the late This had portia and neem trees. Palace and the stretch was or a wheelchair to board air- 1940s? Choultry Road to Tondiarpet. Spur Tank Avenue was from called Alexandra Avenue, after craft! In June, he travels to the 13. Another film question. By what Mount Road Avenue ran on screen name was P.K. Nagalingam Mount Road, from Government the Mounted Police barracks to Victoria’s daughter-in-law and McGill University in Canada known, a name he got because of his House (Periyar) Bridge to Neil’s Munro’s Bridge. The former is future Queen of England. for his next honorary doctorate, physique? Statue, which stood at the in Adithanar Road and the only Along the Beach, connecting another of the many that line 14. Name the 210-year-old church on Spencer’s Junction. This also thoroughfare connecting it to the old Fort glacis via Napier’s his office. On February 18, Davidson Street in George Town that had different kinds of trees any bridge is Pantheon Road as Bridge to the space now occu- 2016, he received the first is said to have a chair belonging to the planted on it. On the opposite it ends at present day College pied by the samadhi-s was Band Bharat Krushi Ratna Man Tamil scholar and linguist Bishop side, from Waller’s Stables (now Bridge. This must have once Practice Road. Lined with Patra, the highest award in the Robert Caldwell. field of agriculture from the 15. Name the ‘infamously famous’ space occupied by Christ been known as Munro’s Bridge portia trees, this became South journalist with whom would one asso- Church, the Cosmopolitan and and the road to it was planted Beach Avenue. farmers of India. On December ciate the journals Hindu Nesan and S.V.S. Clubs and much else) to with neem trees, as were sev- The peepul and casuarina 14, 2013, he received the Cinema Thoothu. General Patter’s Road ran the eral stretches along Pura- failed to take root wherever Greatest Global Living Legend 16. What was the poetic name of Club Avenue, which had red- sawalkam High Road, which planted and on their failing, award. It was from President Nawab Ghulam Ghouse Khan wood and acacia trees on it. This came to be known as were replaced with neem and Pranab Mukherjee and Bahadur, the last Nawab of the stretch ended at the Madras Purasawalkam Avenue. portia trees. It is noteworthy NDTV… The awards are innu- Carnatic, after whom an institution merable! on Mount Road is named? Club, which was on property Coranaeswarar Covil Road, that no alien species were “The older you get the more 17. Name the rarely played lute-like now occupied by the Express named Barber’s Bridge Av- planted anywhere. The total stringed instrument that looks like Avenue Mall. enue, was as the name suggests cost came to Rs. 3,037, as 11 p you are able to perceive the mis- the veena sans the frets and on which Binny’s Avenue was where in Mylapore, leading to the 11. This was funded by revenue conceptions you harbour – thalam can be played by striking two Binny’s Road is, leading from famed Hamilton/Barber’s and from grazing contracts on the about people or technologies. bamboo sticks. Neil’s Statue (Spencer’s Junc- now Ambedkar Bridge. This esplanades and on roadsides, Issues of concern must be dealt 18. In 1887, Raja Sir Ramaswami tion) to Commander-in-Chief road, lined then with portia sale of hay and clippings of with in a holistic manner, not Mudaliar, was the first Indian to hold Bridge. Neem trees were planted trees, is now known as trees. The money earned from by compartmentalising, because which public appointment in Madras? here. From this bridge ran Paripurna Vinayakar Koil these activities was Rs. 4,527 as most problems are multidimen- 19. Name the pioneering city maga- sional – social, economic and zine started by Sita and Abraham Marshall’s Road (now Rukmini Street. Pycroft’s Avenue, lead- 10 p 10. The Municipality thus Eraly in November 1977 that called Lakshmipathy Salai). This had ing from Bell’s (now Babu made a neat profit from the environmental. My projects fo- itself ‘A Magazine of Madras’? neem and portia trees lining it all Jagjivan Ram) Road to the whole project. Those were in- cus on being ‘Pro Poor, Pro Na- 20. Name the first Indian studio- the way along the Cooum, space Beach (where Kannagi Statue nocent times. ture, Pro Women.’ His next backed film to be made exclusively for occupied by the Rajarathinam now is), had redwood trees. It would be interesting to award is to be given for Out- the Internet that premiered in April Stadium, the walls of the eye hos- Bell’s Road itself came to be walk along these stretches and standing Leadership by the 2014. pital and up to Harris (now called Bell’s Avenue, with red- see if any old trees of those spe- Women’s Economic Forum. (Answers on page 8) Adithanar) Road. From Harris wood trees planted on it. Neem cies are still standing. (Continued on page 8) June 16-30, 2017 MADRAS MUSINGS 7 The back story – How Ambattur Industrial Estate became a reality

mbattur Industrial Estate two days when all-India leaders told him that he was very confi- Awas the second industrial like Jawaharlal Nehru and dent that, given the right kind estate to come up in the State Sardar Patel participated. There of facilities and working cli- of Madras (the first being the were no roads or infrastructure mate, the place would get filled Guindy Industrial Estate). It is of any kind and the whole area up in no time and the State the largest among the industrial was totally barren land. Every would be forced to build more estates in South-east Asia, arrangement had to be made industrial estates at various cen- spreading over an area of a little from scratch. The State Govern- tres. He went on to explain that over 1,300 acres and having ment took up the task of laying a the place where the VIPs would more than 1,800 units. This in- motorable road to connect the be staying could be used for Left to right: R. Venkataraman, K. Kamaraj and M. Bhakthavatsalam look- ing at a model of the Ambattur Industrial Estate at its inauguration on July 3, dustrial estate, which became venue from the city and clear the building an extension to the 1965. functional in 1964, boasts of a wild shrubbery in the vast area nearby Integral Coach Factory large number of automobile and that he had already dis- merce Minister, to persuade was unanimously adopted. The components manufacturers, cussed this with the Railway Dunlop, who was thinking of a highlight of the session was the which, in fact, forced one of the G by Minister N. Gopalaswamy second unit, to put it in presence of Nikita Khruschev, largest truck manufacturers in N. Venkateshwaran Iyengar, so the Railway siding Ambattur. The Murugappa the First Secretary of the the country, Tata Engineering would not go a waste. The ICF’s group had agreed to set a cycle Communist Party of the Soviet & Locomotive Co. Ltd., to open furnishing factory later would manufacturing unit at Avadi. Union. Accompanying him was a procurement centre in Ma- where the present Ambattur come up here. He also ex- These industrial units would Nicholai Bulganin, the then dras to facilitate their purchases Estate is situated. The plan was plained that he had asked T.S. amply justify the expenditure president of the Soviet Union. and interaction with suppliers. to put up tents to accommodate Krishna of the TVS Group to on the roads and other infra- They coincided their visit to The presence of so many auto the delegates and have a com- purchase the Padi lake area to structure, he was confident. India in order to be present at components producers was the mon kitchen to serve food to all put up manufacturing units for The Avadi session was a the Avadi Session and more prime reason for several inter- of them. The plans included get- automobile components, assur- thumping success. It was a his- than 50,000 people – much national car producers to set up ting steam ovens, which were ing him of help to get the re- torical event in the annals of the more than what the organisers manufacturing units in and introduced for the first time, to quired licences from the Cen- Congress party, where the reso- expected – thronged the venue, around Madras. prepare hot idli-s for all on a mas- tre. He was also requesting T.T. lution that India would follow a unmindful of the incessant The architect behind this sive scale. For the stay of the Krishnamachari, the then Com- “socialistic pattern of society” drizzle and slushy ground. successful industrial contribu- Prime Minister and other tion was R. Venkataraman, VVIPs, facilities were put up at former President of India, when Perambur which included a rail- he was the State’s Industries way siding from Perambur Rail- Minister for over ten years. He way station to take the guests PELATHOPE DAYS had first promoted the Guindy directly to their place of stay. Industrial Estate in 1958 – the The then Chief Minister of (Continued from page 5) ment he did that, his kudumi Pelathope and how socially com- first of its kind in India – and it the State, K. Kamaraj asked would come cascading down. plicated weddings were, how became an instant success. He Venkataraman: “Venkatarama, Then there is the story told women slowly came out of sti- began to think of building on you are using public money on as well as to the dark side of about the kudumi of the famous fling protectionism and got edu- this success. a massive scale for a Party ses- schooling, corporal punishment cricketer, M.J. Gopalan. “I can’t cated, how rooted the children The State unit of the Con- sion. Will not the public ques- and poorly paid teachers. vouch for its truth: but it is an were in their own cultures while gress Party decided to host the tion you tomorrow on this?” To Ram Mohan’s father later interesting story,” writes Ram at the same time trying to under- A.I.C.C. session in Madras in which R.V. replied that the bought the house they rented. Mohan. Gopalan, from an or- stand the rest of the world 1955 and to hold it at Avadi. It place where the delegates were Firewood was the primary fuel thodox Ayyangar family of through magazines and books; of expected around 3,000 delegates being housed would be made used for cooking. So every Triplicane, sported a big the ten-day Kapali temple festi- to attend and arrangements had into an industrial estate to house had a ‘lumber room’ kudumi. “He would conve- val (that was banned for six years to be made for their accommo- house a little over 1,000 units where the firewood was niently tuck his kudumi under from 1940 to 1945 on account dation and food close to the employing around one lakh stacked. The wood attracted his solar hat when batting or of World War II. It was consid- venue. It also expected over people, for which Kamaraj won- scorpions which now and then fielding; but trouble came when ered a security risk as the bright 30,000 persons to attend the dered where he was going to dropped down. “Their sting was he bowled. He had to necessar- lights of the nightly festivities public meetings on each of the find the entrepreneurs. R.V. extremely painful. They were ily remove his hat to bowl. The could attract air raids). Ram slow movers and when one was exposed kudumi proved to be his Mohan talks of the stifling or- sighted there would be an alarm undoing. When he was selected thodox practices of the house- raised. It was the duty of any to play against a touring En- holds, the superstitions that adult male present to beat it to gland team in the 1930s, the ruled their lives, street cricket CHENNAI HERITAGE death with the nearest available English batsmen initially found and the excitement of going to No. 5, Bhattad Tower, 30, Westcott Road, Royapettah, Chennai 600 014 weapon – usually a stick or a his bowling unplayable… then Chepauk for the real matches, piece of firewood. There was an one batsman found a way out of and of the warmth and joy of I am already on your mailing list (Mailing List No...... ) / I occasion when Chandi (my el- the problem. When Gopalan growing up in a big joint family. have just seen and would like to receive it hereafter. Madras Musings der brother) was the one who bent his bowling arm sharply at “I am no psychologist but I G I/We enclose cheque/demand draft/money order for sighted a scorpion. ‘Scorpion! the shoulder (to bowl his ‘mys- strongly believe this: growing up Rs. 100 (Rupees One hundred) payable to CHENNAI Scorpion!’ he screamed. ‘Call tery’ delivery) that sharply bent in a home with a large number HERITAGE, MADRAS, as subscription to Madras Musings some man!’ He was 21 then!” arm would expose his kudumi of sisters and brothers, and inter- for the year 2017-18. There is a chapter dedicated and cause it to drop and unfurl. acting with boy and girl cousins, G As token of my support for the causes of heritage, to the kudumi (tuft) and the ur- That was too obvious a sign for gives a youngster, boy or girl, a environment and a better city that Madras Musings espouses, gency to get rid of it in an the batsman to miss and much healthier attitude towards I send Chennai Heritage an additional Anglicised world. Ram Mohan’s Gopalan lost his vital surprise the opposite sex from early on in Rs...... maternal grandfather loved his element... “Take off the tuft life. Boys in those days, I feel, (Rupees ...... ) Please kudumi but was forced to get rid Gopala, and I will take you in the imbibed a sense of respect for keep/put me on your mailing list. of it after it began to embarrass test team,” Vizzy (the captain) is femininity from early on.” Name: ...... him in front of his British said to have told Gopalan. Pelathope Days is nostalgia at ...... bosses. As a matter of courtesy, “Gopalan refused and was its best and most entertaining. Address: ...... he had to, in their presence, re- dropped from the test team after (Published by Akshaya Publica- ...... move the tightly starched and being given just one chance.” tions, Alwarpet.) All cheques to ‘Chennai Heritage’. DD/Cheque should be sent by tied turban within which he The book recounts how festi- e-mail: visalam.rammohan@ Speed Post only. concealed his kudumi. The mo- vals were celebrated in gmail.com 8 MADRAS MUSINGS June 16-30, 2017 Mother’s cricketing passion s the Champion’s Trophy became household names and Mankad, the innings victory wickets to fall. That apart, Atournament gets under- were bandied about at lunch, thereafter making it doubly when the commentary was on, way, I recall Mother who had, tea and dinner, particularly dur- sweet. The Palmtreewallah our tea, lunch and dinner (over- just after World War II, started ing weekends. It also included (Polly Umrigar was so named seas tests) timings were always reading about cricket, got pas- visits to Chepauk to watch from after his six-hitting exploits in in sync with the matches, so sionate about it within a year, the MCC Members’ Enclosure the Caribbean) became her sec- much so that even the staff and became an armchair critic visiting teams. ond favourite Indian player. knew when to set the table and of not only the game, but the However, by the time the Dattu Phadkar remained her get the food piping hot!!! leading players of that era too. New Zealand team came to In- all-time favourite in that era. Mother, Padmini Varma, dia in 1955, Test matches had By now her reading habits During Test matches in Ma- dras, we would have guests, Till June 28: Heavenly Bodies, a had cricket-crazy nephews from shifted to the Corporation Sta- were not confined to The Hindu photo exhibition by C.P. Satyajit erstwhile Cochin State, who dium, much to her disappoint- or Sport and Pastime alone, but mainly relatives from Banga- (at DakshinaChitra). were studying in Madras col- ment. Chepauk, with its trees, had extended to Indian Cricket lore, Cochin etc., who would be Till June 30: Hidden Faces of leges like Presidency, Guindy, billeted under Mother’s super- Venice, a photo exhibition by MIT etc. She being their de vision in different houses and all Melanie Chagneau (at facto local guardian, found her- of them would have to assemble DakshinaChitra). self listening with them to the G Remembered by Krishnadas Varma at our place on Anderson Road cricket commentaries on All from where, after breakfast, we The entire programme, in- India Radio (AIR) as well as took buses or went by car to cluding lunch, was coordinated BBC and Radio Australia (par- Moore Market from where we with nary a hitch by Mother. verdant surroundings and tem- Field Annual which Dicky would proceed to the G & H Her passion only increased her ticularly when India toured En- porary wooden stands had been Rutnagar brought out. The sta- gland, Australia and the West stands in Corporation Stadium. efficiency. a joy to behold, compared to tistics were memorised and she My parents and uncles would all This flashback has been to Indies) and being tutored in the this concrete stadium. The startled many a cricket fan she game. have tickets for the Terrace underline the fact that India shift, however, did not deter her came across at not only the stand, so they would come hardly won Tests as frequently Pretty soon, it was Don, Stan interest, and the T(errace) ground, but at parties as well. (Macabe), Len (Hutton), much later. Come lunchtime, as we do now and I have tried stand became her favourite af- S.K. Gurunathan, the then however, we would all assemble to imagine what my Mother Walter (Hammond), Fred ter the world record opening Sports Editor of The Hindu, was (Trueman), the 3Ws etc., who at the SIAA Club where our car would feel with the recent team partnership of 413 by Roy and a close family friend and was parked, father Ravi Varma performing as it has been. through him she gleaned even being a member. more details about Indian and visiting players and, as if it was, Between mouthfuls, Mother Answers to Quiz STILL GOING STRONG first-hand knowledge, she and others would talk animat- 1. Sagar Samrat oil exploration spread the word whenever the edly about what had happened rig, 2. ‘Darwaza Bandh’, 3. (Continued from page 6) threefold – what can I do for opportunity arose. in the game and that stopped Sangeet Natak Akademi humanity to overcome malnu- When India played at say only when lunch was over and Puraskar, the highest Indian rec- trition and hunger, what can I Bombay or Calcutta, she would we got back to our designated ognition given to practising art- “My continued interests in ists, 4. K.P.S. Gill, 5. Not com- the fields of overcoming malnu- do for my family members, and be glued to the radio, which be- seats looked after most dili- gently by our neighbours, who pleted seven years from the date trition in the country, and the what can I do for my larger ex- came her personal fiefdom. If of its incorporation/registration, technological empowerment of tended family of over 300- India was batting, she would were then duly rewarded with 6. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & women, keep me motivated and strong scholars and scientists! stay put in her chair and expect snacks (when the vendors came Bailey Circus, 7. Roger Moore, 8. active, and passing on ideas to Whatever I have been able to everybody else to remain where by with their baskets) at our The ‘Hillary Step’, 9. Cannes, 10. policy makers. Getting older achieve, I owe it to my wife and they were. She was so supersti- cost, since they had ensured no- Facebook and MobiKwik companion, Mina. Married 65 tious, she felt that if an Indian body else encroached our desig- garners more admirers but also * * * more ‘adversaries’. I try to take years now, we have three won- wicket fell, it was because some- nated bench. The bonhomie at 11. Pushpavalli and Rekha, 12. note of objective criticism to derful daughters. I am blessed to one had shifted places. Bowlers these times, and during the have such a supportive family.” or fielders of opposing teams matches, had to be seen to be Ratna Café, 13. Raja Sandow, 14. learn, other criticism I have William Charles church, 15. C.N. learnt to ignore. Exceptional about this leg- never got the credit, but if a believed. In those five days, apart from the rest day, we Lakshmikanthan, 16. Azam (after “Each day I thank God for end is his childlike enthusiasm. Gupte or Mankad dismissed a whom the Madrasa-I-Azam is giving me the opportunity to And yes, I got his personal batsman, she would be over- would become bosom pals and, named), 17. ‘Geth’, 18. Sheriff, give back and for helping me ‘Thank You’ mail even before I joyed and start praying even if lucky, meet them again when 19. Aside, 20. AVM’s Idhuvum make the best use of myself reached home! more vigorously for many more the next Test surfaced. Kadandhu Pogum.

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