THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thiruvananthapuram owes much of its prominence to its heritage buildings and important government head offices. Among these, the Secretariat stands tall in the city’s centre, and the place where it is situated is known as ‘Statue.’
As simple logic suggests, the name ‘Statue’ originates after the installation of the statue of T Madhava Rao, an important figure behind the Secretariat building and a leader of Thiruvananthapuram’s bureaucracy for nearly two decades. As the erstwhile Dewan of Travancore, Madhava Rao played a crucial role in the modernisation of the region.
Way back, this area was known as ‘Mavinmoodu’. The name Mavinmoodu is linked to a mango tree that no longer exists, explains historian Vellanad Ramachandran. After its disappearance and the establishment of the Secretariat, the area was referred to by its new landmarks, such as Kacheri Nada or Kacheri Mookku. With the statue’s arrival, it became known simply as the ‘Statue’ junction.
“Construction of the Secretariat started at ‘Mavinmoodu’ under the leadership of engineer Walthew Clarence Barton. The Secretariat was inaugurated in 1869 during Ayilyam Thirunal’s reign. The statue of T Madhava Rao was installed in 1894, two decades after his tenure as Dewan, which lasted from 1857 to 1872. The statue, modelled as if he is gazing at the Secretariat, was sculpted by an Italian artist,” explains historian Vellanad Ramachandran.
It was since 1893, the area became known as ‘Statue.’ Before that, for a short period, it was known as Kacheri Nada. “The Secretariat itself had two names: it was initially referred to as Puthenkacheri, and later as Hajur Kacheri, giving rise to the name Kacheri Nada.”
There are similar examples of place names changing with new developments. The old name for the Medical College area was Kuzhiyathu Mukku. When an institution was established there, it took on a new name. “Another example is ‘Poonthi’ which means marshland. After a temple was constructed, it became Kumarapuram.” Ramachandran says.
According to him, old names are rare in the city nowadays. “Most place names emerged during the colonial period. This can be considered as one among them,” he says.
According to historian Malayinkeezh Gopalakrishnan, the place where the Secretariat is situated was once known as ‘Puthenchantha.’
“Some historical accounts suggest that a market of the same name used to exist in that area. The surroundings here were once filled with dense vegetation. Previously used as a military camp, the land was cleared to construct the Secretariat. The military camp was relocated to Palayam, near where the Legislative Assembly now stands,” says Gopalakrishnan.
In the early days, the Secretariat functioned within the palace complex near the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. “It was during General John Munro’s tenure as Dewan that a structured administrative system was initiated here. As the administrative needs expanded and the space proved inadequate, plans for a new building were conceived. T Madhava Rao took the lead in driving the plan forward,” Gopalakrishnan adds.
When the statue was built, the area in front of the Secretariat served as a rickshaw stand. These were hand-pulled rickshaws used to transport officials. “Later, as the Secretariat developed and roads widened, officials began using horse carriages. The location where these carriages were parked is now the Central Stadium, which serves as the main venue for the State Arts Festival,” Ramachandran explains.
What’s in a name
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