CHENNAI: Dressed in a crisp pinstriped shirt, he sat behind a large desk in his office on a sleepy Sunday, surrounded by case files, a computer and some books on cases in Tamil Nadu. Apart from a cupboard that contained books on law, there is a shelf that displays books on Companies Act, Income Tax Law, the Town Planning Act and an entire series of books on the Indian Constitution. this is what one expects to see in a well-known advocate’s office. But what is lesser known about NL Rajah is his undying love for history.
Rajah studied in Trichy at St. Johns Vestry, which he proudly says is the fifth oldest school in the country. The school which was established by the British around 1763 first served as an orphanage for children of British soldiers, he said. As young students, he had heard that the site had once been a battleground. Listening to these stories and learning about colonial history only piqued his curiosity.
“I was always fascinated by colonial and European history. I wanted to know more about its impact on the colonies,” he said. “In school, I scored the highest marks in History because I enjoyed it so much. I realised that it is an effective guide to human conduct and that has really helped me in my career because I understand that one needs to look beyond the external manifestations and find the root cause. History teaches you to look deeper and that is crucial in law.”
When he came to Chennai in 1983 to study law, apart from spending time poring over law books, he also devoted a lot of time to explore the city’s monuments. “I visited Mahabalipuram first,” he said. “I used to visit Kancheepuram quite often too as I always believed it was a melting pot. But of all the places I visited, it was the Madras High Court that intrigued me the most.”
The Madras High Court caught his fancy to the extent that he wrote a book about the history of the court as part of its 150-year milestone. “I noticed that a lot of people around me, even lawyers, especially the younger generation, were not aware of the beauty and intricacies of the Madras High Court. It is the first court that was built using the Indo-Saracenic architecture style. History has shown that often political statements are made through public buildings and the Madras High Court is no exception. The court was built by the British to evoke a sense of comfort in the minds of the people. The idea was of inclusion and of cohesion by adopting a more Indian style of architecture too.”
Feeling the need to put his passion and knowledge to ‘good use,’ Rajah began conducting tours of the Madras High Court, five years back. He has conducted 39 walks during this period for not only interested individuals but students of schools and colleges also.
“I have always believed in applying passion and vigour to do something that is good for people,” he said. “As part of the Madras High Court Heritage Committee, we are slowly expanding our focus to include other buildings as well. The Egmore court buildings have been renovated and will be inaugurated soon and so will others in the State.
It was in this pursuit to do something that I was among the prinicipal contributors of the book ‘Courts of India’ that was commissioned by the Supreme Court. Right now, I hope to write a book on the courts in Tamil Nadu that are over 100 years old in addition to publish some rare manuscripts that contain the opinions of Attorney Generals, some of which have been written before 1862.”
Rajah also dabbles in theatre. A member of the Madras Players, he spoke of a pet project that should see the light of day next year. The idea is to have a play every two years that is based on sensational criminal cases in Tamil Nadu that will be depicted through riveting courtroom dramas. Owing to his packed schedule, he said he did not get enough time to devote to the stage. Yet, there are certain aspects of life which are non-negotiable for him — like his evening badminton sessions over the weekend followed by time with family and friends, and reading.
“I wake up at 6 am on Sunday and devote four-five hours to reading. I read articles related to law and current affairs mainly and make sure to read whenever I get time. I am currently re-reading Sam Harris’ ‘End of Faith’ because it is such a great book... There was a time when I would watch films very often but now I consider myself lucky if I manage to watch one a year! I can’t even remember which was the last film I watched...” After a brief pause, he remembered it was ‘Padmaavat,’ the period drama.