Going by the book this Madras day

In the 1950s, some of the prominent Tamil writers of the city wrote a series of articles on how they arrived in the city, and their first impressions.

From Madras’s textile history, ancient settlements, and forgotten landscapes to Chennai’s metropolitan nature, indomitable spirit and stories that encapsulate the zeitgeist of the past decades — Chennaiites share their favourite literary works and words that capture the myriad hues and tales of the city.

1. SRIRAM V, historian and heritage activist
   In the 1950s, some of the prominent Tamil writers of the city wrote a series of articles on how they arrived in the city, and their first impressions. This was compiled as Chennaikku Vanthen (I came to Chennai) by Pazha Athiyaman and was published by Kalachuvadu Pathippagam in 2008. It is a fascinating set of work.
2. PRASANNA S, architect
   The Unhurried City: Writings on Chennai by CS Lakshmi. Unlike other cities, the true essence of Madras (Chennai) can be understood from a wide variety of stories of the people. The book takes us through time, unhurriedly, from a small coastal English settlement to a hub of trade, commerce and transport of south India.
3. AMITA RACHEL THOMAS, MA English student
   I once stumbled upon a collection of short stories where one writer particularly stood out — R Chudamani. She wrote her characters with a profound sense of empathy, and when I read them I felt like I was being transported to Chennai in its yesteryears. The anxieties and desires of the people, particularly of women back then as well as subtle mentions of the city made up for an illuminating read. Also, when I picked up Manu Joseph’s Illicit Happiness of Other People, aside from the plot, it was interesting to see the setting of the novel in the 1980s Chennai, a city that wasn’t as bustling, moder n or crowded as it is today.The mentions of Madras Christian College and the poetry sessions there, the Liberty bus stand at Kodambakkam, the young men who set out on the scooters in the mor ning with their packed lunches while their wives waved at them from the balcony — all of it felt like I was flipping through an old photo album. The story is of the mystery genre but I liked how Madras was the setting, as there are few novels in English, which have the city as the backdrop.
4. NITYANAND JAYARAMAN, environment and human rights activist
   Rivers Remember by Krupa Ge. The book reminds us that heritage-making that celebrates buildings but forgets landscapes is likely to not lear n from its mistakes. Chennai’s city-building mission has obliterated open spaces and wetlands. If Chennai is to have a future, it will have to unbuild and even shrink. As a city whose defining element is water, Chennai’s desire to build, pave and grow will be limited by too much water or too little.
5. S VIJAYKUMAR, MA Journalism student
   A book or literary piece can often only reflect a specific period of a city. Manushya Puthiran’s Oozhiyin Dhinangal is a compilation of poems pertaining to the infamous 2015 Chennai floods, which captures the feelings, trials and tribulations of the city and the people who make it. The poems take us to the period between December 2015 to January 2016. For anyone who wants to understand the events of the Chennai floods in the form of poetry, this’d be the best bet. 
6. THAMIZH IYALAN, poet
   Chennapattinam: Mannum Makkalum by Ramchandra Vaidhyanath. Chennai’s origin has two main constituents — the people who migrated to the place and the people who were already living here. Ramachandra digs up all the evidence of this rich history, right from the region becoming Thondaimandalam after the Sangam era to the arrival of the Por tuguese and the construction of St George’s Fort. All this has been represented beautifully in the book. It even details Chennai’s (the erstwhile Madras) role in the freedom struggle, one that barely comes up elsewhere. The book is rich in facts and trivia from throughout the region’s history. He finally concludes the book with details about the forced displacement of the traditional settlers through the slum clearance drives, offering a whole new perspective of the city. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in knowing more about the region’s history.

1. JAYABASKARAN, writer and author
   Kattaaya Idamaattram : Kuzhanthaigalin Nilai. The book, researched and published by an NGO called Thozhamai, talks about the problems faced by children who have been relocated from different parts of the city to the outskirts. From having trouble accessing transport into the city to having their education interrupted, it brings to the fore the perspective of the children caught in the middle of government plans and its poor execution. It’s a side of Chennai that many people are not aware of.
2. AAFREEN FATHIMA SK, architecture student
   Madras: The Architectural Heritage, a book by K Kalpana, is a simple and refined guide for anyone who wants to learn about the city and its evolution. My exploration of Madras’ heritage began with this book. It has a simple timeline of events along with plans and sections of various heritage structures, emphasising on its importance and current state. My favourite part of the book is the map trails, which allow anyone to follow and explore the city. The uniqueness of the book is its simple and comprehensible approach, making it a great read.
3. GAYATHRI JAGADEESAN, architectural designer
   Madras Rediscovered by S Muthiah. The book talks about the roots of this city. We all are familiar with the name Chennai and how it was derived. But what about Madras? Who named it so? This book answers it. How was Madras and its people b e fo re the British settlement? From the origin of the establishment of Fort St.George to adding Mambalam village to the city (speaks about the expansion between the 1600s to 1900s), the book is interesting to read and understand how Chennai grew and expanded its territory. It’s hard to digest there was domestic slavery with no exemptions even for children. Being a slave in one’s own land would have been heartwrenching. The author takes us through the journey of moving the locals from their lands, former names of neighbourhoods and the evolution of everything in between.

1. SREEMATHY MOHAN, textile researcher
   For me, any book which captures the history of textiles is very nostalgic. The Old Museum Publications’ The Textile Manufacturers of India by John Forbes Watson is pure joy. Watson was a reporter on the products of India at the India Museum in London. His job was to identify and catalogue Indian products for the secretary of State for India. The book, an 18-volume set of fabric sample books put together in 1866, was published by the India Office of the British Government. Though there is a complaint that Watson cut up the fabric sent for the Paris exhibition (in 1855) to make the 700 samples documented in the book in different categories — turbans, dhotis, lungis, saris — to see it with the original textile swatches and his explanation in the catalogue is amazing. Only 20 such books were made, and one set of the 18 volumes is in the Madras Museum. The leather-bound, goldcalligraphed book is such a treasure and it has to be preserved at any cost.
2. AVIRA KARKY, journalist
   The High Priestess Never Marries by Sharanya Manivannan. There’s plenty to love in this anthology of love stories of women. Even as I was hanging on to every word of her poetic prose, that most of the stories were set in Chennai and Puducherry, made the experience all the more personal. She talks about lovers riding a bike through the streets of Adyar, of opparis in north Chennai, of life in T Nagar, and weekends in Puducherry. And so much of all the beach! At one point, she has one woman talk about how Chennai has to be experienced in autorickshaws — exposed to all its smells and sounds. If that wasn’t enough, she had my Tamizh woman heart when she had one heroine have drinks at a pub with an exboyfriend while dressed in a pattu sari and decked with malli poo! The book also has plenty of Tanglish and Tamizh thrown in. To be a woman in Chennai and stumble upon this t reasure trove of unabashed stories of love, sex and relationships that you can relate to is not something that happens often. How can you not mark it for prosperity?

(Inputs by Kannalmozhi Kabilan, Naaz Ghani, Roshne Balasubramanian, Vaishali Vijaykumar)