Registered with the Reg. No. TN/CH(C)/374/15-17 Registrar of Newspapers Licenced to post without prepayment for India under R.N.I. 53640/91 Licence No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-506/15-17 Publication: 15th & 28th of every month Rs. 5 per copy (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS CHENNAI INSIDE • Short ‘N’ Snappy • Doubting Thomas • The culture divide • A cancer patient’s search • Chennai’s new hope Vol. XXVII No. 16 MUSINGS December 1-15, 2017 So indifferent to heritage Who will save the Madrasa-e-Azam? (By The Editor) alaknuma Palace in India Muslim Educational Con- F Hyderabad is a splendidly ference was held in Madras and restored heritage structure. Its a request was made that the most distinctive feature is its Madrasa-e-Azam, founded in stairway – a pair of curving steps 1849 and functioning till then in front which, aerially, gave the at Chepauk, be given the prop- building the look of a scorpion. erty. The Government acquired Our city too had one and a Umdah Bagh from the Lodd much older building at that – family, who were kind enough the building presently known as to sell it at less than market the Madrasa-e-Azam and once rates on coming to know that it Umdah Bagh, a property of the was to be used for an educa- The Madrasa-e-Azam today (above) and (below) as it was in the 1980s. (Today’s photo: Shantanu Krishnan) Nawabs of Arcot. If the Gov- tional institution. The Mad- same compound was set up the ernment has its way, the build- rasa-e-Azam, then, came to be Government Mohammedan ing will soon make way for a housed in the original Umdah College in 1919, which ac- wedding hall. Bagh palace, which is now in a quired its handsome set of Located on Mount Road, serious state of disrepair. The buildings within the compound this is a historic property. In Diwan Khana of Firuz Hussain in 1934. The institution became 1816, Colah Singanna Chetty, Khan Bahadur, principal agent the Government Women’s Col- a dubash, owned it. The Arme- to the Begum, became the resi- lege after Independence and, nian millionaire Edward Samuel dence of the Principal of the subsequently came to include Moorat later bought it. Ghulam school. A mosque was built in Ghouse Khan, the last of the the campus in 1909. In the (Continued on page 2) titular nawabs, who died in 1855, subsequently acquired it. From him it passed on to Her Highness Azim Un Nissa Begum, nikah wife of the Social progress in TN needs speed-up Nawab. Though owned by her, the house was rented by the he Institute for Social sonal rights, freedom of choice ways. You could be a very good but baffling is the high score of principal wife of the Nawab, T Competitiveness, India, and inclusiveness. performer but low in rank be- 91.28 on water and sanitation Khair Un Nissa Begum and be- has published a Social Progress From the scores for 2016, it cause the class is made up of that does not tally with our ev- came the social epicentre of the Index for individual States and is seen that, generally, smaller excellent performers. One be- eryday observation and experi- Muslim aristocracy in Madras. for the country. Tamil Nadu, States have done well, record- ing only just above average ence. This was where luminaries such with an overall score of 65.34 ing good scores although their could shine in a class of medi- On Well Being, the State’s as Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, for Social Progress has done GDP size is smaller. Their scores ocrity. Looking at the absolute performance is 58.84, falling founder of the Aligarh Muslim much better than the country are as follows – Goa 63.39, score of 65.34, it is just above into the average category. Well University, and His Exalted score of 54.90. India itself ranks Being comprises environmental Highness Mir Mahbub Ali 98 out of 133 listed countries, quality, health issues like life G Khan Bahadur, the Nizam of which is not something to crow by A Special Correspondent expectancy, prevalence of respi- Hyderabad, stayed when they about. ratory infections, unsatisfactory visited Madras. The curving Social Progress is divided in level of enrolment in primary steps of Falaknuma could well the Study into three dimen- Himachal 65.39, Kerala 68.09, the “middle” category. So, we and secondary schools, school have been inspired by Umdah sions. The first dimension is Ba- Mizoram 62.89 and cannot rest on the distinction of drop-out rate and gender parity. Bagh, for the Prime Minister of sic Human Needs comprising Uttarakhand 64.23. Contrast being near the top in the coun- Greater attention in terms of Hyderabad, Sir Vicar Ul nutrition, water, sanitation, these with traditionally well ad- try. investment and raising institu- Umrah, who built the palace, shelter and personal safety. The ministered bigger States like Deeper analysis of the com- tional efficacies at the was also part of the Nizam’s en- second is Well Being Needs Maharashtra at 57.88, ponents of each of the three di- grassroots is necessary on these tourage. under which are included basic Karnataka at 59.72 and Tamil mensions of the Index provides fronts. In the late 19th Century, the education, access to informa- Nadu at 65.34. insight into what our State On Opportunities, we just property came to be owned by tion and communication, Within the country, Tamil needs to work on to improve its emerge out of the average cat- the Gujarati business family of health and pollution-free envi- Nadu tops the list, not taking social progress record. On Ba- egory at 60.92. The compo- Lodd Krishnadoss Bala- ronment. The third dimension smaller States into reckoning. sic Needs, we seem to be doing nents that offer scope for mukunddoss. In 1901, the All is Opportunity comprising per- Ranking is misleading in some very well with a score of 76.25, (Continued on page 2) CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS December 1-15, 2017 SO INDIFFERENT TO HERITAGE An evening at Museum ow, Chief, The Man from you at odd spots. And when (Continued from page 1) minister has announced that a NMadras Musings knows you get up to leave, they snap wedding hall will come up here. how touchy you are on matters Theatre back like an irate University Quaid-e-Milleth in its name, in The standard operating proce- concerning heritage and, so, don asked a particularly silly honour of Muhammad Ismail dure of the Government has let MMM inform you upfront specialist in case you did not question by a student. In case Sahib, leader of the Indian been followed in full – do noth- that he has nothing against the watch out which you Chief, you don’t move away in time, Union Muslim League. ing to preserve a heritage struc- Museum Theatre per se. It is had not, and twisted ankle after a part of your rear can actually Since then, the Madrasa-e- ture, wait for it to weaken/catch an excellent piece of architec- taking a tumble. be retained by the seat and Azam campus has all been fire/collapse, then announce ture and its round form makes MMM had barely seated later no doubt used for build- himself when he realised that steadily downhill. The Govern- demolition. it stand out. And it is one of ing the ’Varsity’s DNA bank. the few heritage buildings in in all the struggle to get in and The air-conditioning ment did precious little to pre- There is a small ray of hope. our city that has been pre- find his seat he had not both- system here too is of a time serve the property. The main The Nawab of Arcot has ap- served rather well. But what of ered to use the toilet. There period when cooling meant structure weakened over the pealed to be allowed to run the the amenities, Chief? Don’t being a few minutes before the lots of attendants with years and parts of it began col- school and take over the place. you think these could do with curtain rose, MMM decided to handheld fans. Apparently, or lapsing. Even then nothing was This being an institution for some improvement? go and relieve himself. He so MMM understands, the done. Then, a couple of years minorities, there may be some It was just the other day made his way to the door and original system designed for ago, the main wing came crash- mulling over the idea on the that MMM went to attend a wandered around the curved the hall no longer works and ing down. Still there was no ac- part of Government. Given the play at the place. Having corridor looking for signs that so they have several banks of tion. Now, for some reason, the school’s heritage, the Nawab driven up to the gate he was could direct him to the toilets. airconditioners that are stat- Having found none, MMM place is all in the news and a informed by a watchman that ioned at the rear of the halls. deserves a positive response. he ought to proceed to the asked a man who was clearly on Those who are unfortunate to right and park. When asked if the Museum payroll and sit near these are bound to be there was a specific place to looked as though he had been frozen to death, also, given the park in, the man simply waved around since its inauguration.