Do you know how T Nagar and its lanes got their names? Govi Lenin, editor-in-charge, Nakheeran, has the answer. He will be curating a Justice Party heritage walk as part of Madras Week in this shopping hub.
CHENNAI: The name T Nagar paints a vivid picture in our mind — retail outlets, shop-hopping customers, street food joints, congested roads and recently, after a textile showroom caught fire — the lack of safety! But, not many know of the people who laid the foundation for the area that it is today — the leaders of the Justice Party. To give Chennaiites a whiff of erstwhile T Nagar and the names that are synonymous to the area, Govi Lenin, editor-in-charge, Nakheeran, will be curating a ‘Justice Party heritage walk’.
“Thyagaraya Nagar, popularly known as T Nagar, was constructed between 1923 and 1925, as a part of the town planning activity. Several ‘happening’ areas have come up in Chennai, but T Nagar still remains the heart of the city,” shares Lenin. The walk will begin at the Usman road-Panagal Park junction and Lenin will trace through GN Chetty Road — Sir Pitty Thyagaraya hall, Pondy Bazaar, Thanikachalam Road, Venkatanarayana Road — CD Nayagam Higher Secondary School and will conclude at the EVR statue near the T Nagar bus terminus.
“This area hasn’t competed 100 years yet…so, if you ask for a heritage building in the locality it’ll be hard to find one. But, the heritage of the area rests in the people who shaped it and not many know of them,” he opines.
Constructed by the Madras Presidency Government of the Raja of Panagal, the town was named after Justice Party leader, P Theagaraya Chetty. “The period under the rule of Panagal became the base for what we today known as the Dravidian politics. With a small government, he advocated democracy and supported the empowerment of women and the oppressed classes. But, millennials don’t know this!” rues Lenin and recalls how Panagal was misinterpreted as ‘Panangal’ in a tea stall board. “I first thought it was just misspelled…but, to my horror, the person who owned the stall was oblivious of a person called
Panagal! But, after explaining about the history, he removed the board,” he narrates.
The park developed at the centre, connecting South Usman Road, North Usman Road, GN Chetty Road, Thyagaraya Road and Venkatanarayana Road, was named after the Raja. “If you notice, Panagal Park will be in the shape of a half circle with these five veins connecting to it — symbolising the sun,” he explains.
Soon after the development of the park, what we know today as Pondy Bazaar came into existence. “It was initially called as Soundarapandian Bazaar, who was also a Justice Party politician. In fact, all the parks, streets and localities were named after the officials who were in his administration,” he shares.
As we chat, Lenin reveals an interesting tidbit about the time when the long tank still formed the western frontier of the city.
“V Kalyanasundaram spent a lot of his early days in and around the long tank,” he says about the significance of the EVR statue near the terminus. “That’s where he delivered his final speech, near the bus stand. There are several statues in the locality, but we never take time to find the ‘what and why’ behind it. It’s time we do!” he exclaims.
Ask him about his favourite landmark in the area is and he says, “Panagal Park is my favourite!” Though it has become the ‘coffee shop age’, Panagal Park still remains a landmark for everyone — be it for commercial purposes for business meetings or to even catch up with your loved ones — just say ‘come to Panagal Park!’,” he adds.
The T Nagar Walk will take place on August 19 at 6 am. To register, mail: mediakombai@gmail.com