CHENNAI: Allergy-like clouds, sticky sweat trickling down your neck, salty fish fry on the tongue, how does one describe this city? Madras greets any visitor the second they step off the train, the tracks emanating heat, punctuated by announcements. While incessant honking of vehicles suffocates the roads, shrill voices of auto drivers ask “Enga pono?” As one navigates the city, one might feel a gust of sea breeze, and intermittently the cold breath from the canopies of trees. Yet, there is no escape from the humid air that follows, a reminder of the proximity to the frothing sea and waves whispering tales of its creatures.
Once an abode for passionate aspiring actors in search of stardom, Madras has branched out becoming a home for people from all walks of life. From couples under umbrellas on the sands of Marina to children giggling as they invent a new game on the streets, the city has a corner for all. As it turns 385, memories peep out from the by-lanes, the crevices of buildings have seen a change over the years, and the beach has become a canvas on the minds of the city dwellers.
The city’s heat must have greeted the first Dutch who stepped foot into Pulicat, the land of mangroves, in the early 1600s. It is certain that in 1639, Andrew Cogan and Francis Day from The East India Company felt this sun as they purchased a strip of sandy land where now, Fort St George stands, to set up a factory.
“The East India Company was looking for factories on the side and they happened to find this strip of land adjacent to Cooum. It is believed on this day, August 22, Andrew Cogen got the deed for commencing the business here,” explains Kombai S Anwar, writer and documentary filmmaker. But the deal was brokered by Beri Thimappa, and this land evolved to Madras.
The earliest settlements had proximity to water. From the Harappans to the weaving communities in Chintadripet, this factor continued to be an important consideration for colonisers. “Cogan chose Madras because of Cooum, which was emptying into the sea at that point. You needed a river for mobility. It started with that piece, Fort St George and the Madras High Court, around that time in 1639. Slowly it grew; Madras came under the Golconda Sultanate in 1644 and later, when the Mughals took over, they acquired a few other villages, around four villages in Nungambakkam.”
Later, as the Mughal power weakened and the Arcot Nawabs became more dependent on the East India Company, the filmmaker points out that more areas were brought, marking the beginnings of Madras. By 1857, when the last Nawab died, Madras as well as the Carnatic region went under the British.
In ‘Madras Rediscovered’, historian S Muthiah attempts to trace the history of the name. He writes that it draws its roots from a fishing village Madraspattinam and possibly where the kuppam had been colonised by fisher-folk who were parishioners of the Madre de Deus Church. Another theory is that it draws its name from the name of a village headman. “Madras always had two names, the origins of Madras are hazy. There is an inscription of Madrasinapattinam that could have eventually become Madras,” says Anwar, adding it became Chennai in the 1960s, under the DMK government.
Roots of Madras Day
One can see the ebbs and flows of time, as Madras — as we know it — turns 385 and our celebrations of it in the form of Madras Day marks two decades. The idea of a ‘Madras Day’ was pieced together by S Muthiah, a historian popularly called ‘Mr Madras’, journalist Sashi Nair and publisher Vincent D’ Souza, in 2004. They were then joined by journalist and editor Sushila Ravindranath, journalist Revathi R, and writer-historian V Sriram.
Chatting over a cup of steaming coffee, the plans for celebrating the city were charted. “We were discussing the success of the Mylapore Festival which Vincent had been organising with a lot of enthusiasm in the early or mid-90s, about the Mada streets in Mylapore. During this conversation with Muthiah, he was interested in the idea of us extending this exercise with heritage or on a focus with heritage on other parts of the city,” says Sashi. From the museum on Pantheon Road, and the food joints on Cathedral Road to the colonial-style heritage buildings dotted on Kamarajar Salai.
The very first Madras Day was conducted fittingly at Rajaji Hall; Built in the early 1800s, this Greek-style ‘Banquet Hall’ with pillars and rich intricate designs has been witness to several functions and meets. On August 22, 2004, it was decorated with charts, paintings, and artworks depicting locations of historical interest. The team had roped in 20-odd schools that year with schoolchildren making the artwork, says Sashi. To his surprise, the descendants of the Beri Thimappa family were in attendance.
Over the year, curious calls began pouring in with a multitude of questions: ‘What is Madras Day about, how can we help?’ This was met with enthusiastic answers and the format: you can be a catalyst just like we are, says Sashi. Madras Day transformed into Madras Week by word of mouth and information travelled in fine print on columns of local newspapers, and buzzing announcements on the radio. “Come 2009-2010, it extended to Madras Fortnight and we started having 100 programmes throughout the week and fortnight. Today, it is heartening to see without even a press conference, there are people in the city who acknowledge there is a celebration that is forthcoming on August 22,” he says.
Now, August is synonymous with a month that promises learning, discovery, and honouring heritage. Citizens sign up for heritage walks, navigating narrow lanes in Triplicane, Chintadripet, or Royapuram. Some travel to the city for annual quizzes and halls are carefully set up for art or photo exhibitions. The Madras Day website willfully provides a list of panels and reminds us there are school exchange programmes, talks and contests, food fests and rallies, and bike tours. This year, over 100 events are planned.
“Over the past two to three years, the state government has supported us in the way that they share the sentiment; overall, as early catalysts of the exercise, we are heartened,” underlines Sashi. He adds social media has played a big role in spreading the message today and now, “we have youngsters spearheading the programmes in various parts of the city, and they are people who are interested but spending a lot of time researching, interviewing people and sacrificing their time in developing social history.”
Of communities and inclusion
Enga Ooru Madras-u, Ithuku Naanga Thaane Address-u, Ripon Building High Court, Sengal Manal Mattum Alla
Engaloda Rathangalum Sernthirukku Da
Kattupaadu Pottu Neenga
Engala Thaan Katti Vacha
Sattimelam Pola Naanga Satham Poduvom (Our city is Madras, we are its address. Ripon Building, High Court, they are not only bricks and sands, but our blood is also mixed within. You’ve controlled and tied us up, we will raise our voices like the beats of a drum)
The city’s address is the people, as the song in Madras, directed by Pa Ranjith says. In times of divisiveness, control, or hate, it is celebrating the voice of the community, loud amid the drumbeats of festivities.
From the Anglo-Indian community, Armenians, Burmese, or refugees, Madras has always been inclusive. Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kelir is the centre of the city, says Anwar, adding, “Madras also represents the Tamil ethos, which is very inclusive. I don’t think any community or anyone is left out, it is always trying to include everybody.” Inclusiveness drives the Madras festival. According to the filmmaker, the festival is about “finding those things, we do not know which are not in the limelight. If there is something unique to a community, people want to know about it and experience it.”
According to Richard O’Conner, a member of the Anglo-Indian community, “Madras is the first metropolis of modern India and it does have a rich heritage in terms of varied communities, we feel like it is our duty to be part of these celebrations.”
Citing the lack of ownership for ordinary citizens, Anwar says, that governments, post Independence, have been taking over ownership and the maintenance is no more with citizens. “Only when you feel proud about your city, do you feel ownership and you want to do something about it; that way, these celebrations give justifiable pride, only when you feel you have a history, you have something to look forward to. That is what Madras Day does.”
Echoing these thoughts, Sashi says, “Whether you are celebrating in KK Nagar or Tharamani, it is the same; people have an opportunity to come together, at the end of the day, it is your love of heritage that surfaces and it is also very important to realise these kinds of programmes also instill love for your city, when you begin to love or care for your city, you will begin to do certain things as a responsible citizen.”