CHENNAI: It was barely five in the morning when a group of cyclists gathered at TTDC near the War Memorial on Sunday. Armed with helmets and protective gear, the members of Cycling Yogis led by Ramanujar Moulana, were out to discover — or revisit — the places where the city of Madras had its beginnings. With little to no traffic at that hour, it seemed the right time for cyclists to dominate the city’s roads.
The first stop on our trip was the Pattalam clock tower, one of the city’s many fading heritage structures. In an era when even wristwatches were unheard of and pocket watches unaffordable, these clock towers played a crucial role in helping the city’s residents keep track of the time. “The Pattalam clock tower was opened in 1948 and is one of four such in the North Madras area alone, the others being at Ennore, Mint and Tondiarpet,” Ramanujar said.
A short ride away from Pattalam was the building that housed the Madras Labour Union at Strahan’s Road, one of the first labour unions in the country. The building that stood before us, however, came to existence only in 1931. For a building with such a rich historical connection, however, the Union building seemed to be in a sorry state of disrepair. Another union building which seemed to have fared better is the Southern Railway Employees Union in Perambur, inaugurated in 1927 by MK Gandhi. The foundation stone still exists as a reminder.
Close by was the Carriage and Wagon Works, one of the country’s oldest railway establishments set up by the British. Established in 1856-57, it has been the place for the periodic overhauling of locomotives of the Southern Railways.
The most curious piece of heritage during the trail was the last one. A bridge connecting Justice Party founder P Theagaraya Chetty’s residences in Washermenpet. With the two houses on opposite sides of the road, they had to be connected by a bridge that went above the street. One of the homes has now been converted into a supermarket.
By now, two hours of cycling had left the group ready for the breakfast that lay ahead at TTDC. The trail was held just a day before Madras Day. “Our Madras Day special tours are held on Sundays closest to August 22. Last year, we were luckier, because August 22 fell exactly on a Sunday,” Ramanujar added.