The history of the Raj Bhavan in Guindy can be traced back to the Madras Presidency’s Governor Sir William Langhorne (1672-78) who built Guindy Lodge and was instrumental in getting the grant of Madras from Golconda. But he sold the Guindy Lodge before his departure until the Guindy Mode was repurchased between 1821 and 1824. The Guindy Lodge or Guindy Mode remained only a retreat and not the seat of power. Thomas Munro who became Governor in 1820 finding it difficult to transact public business uninterruptedly from the Governor’s quarters in the Fort and Government Gardens (Government Estate) acquired the Guindy Mode along with Shawmier property and other wooded areas for using it as a retreat till Independence. The Raj Bhavan became the official Governor’s residence after Independence when the Government of Madras and the first Indian Governor wanted to keep his distance from Fort St. George. The design and development of the Raj Bhavan owes a lot to Lord Elphinstone whose pet project was developing Guindy Mode and its neighbours fit for a Governor and his guests.
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1770
A Wall that is now a garden
Called by its Tamil name, Maadi Poonga (Hanging Gardens) is a nondescript park in Royapuram but it is very much a part of the city’s history. It is part of a six-km-long fortification wall built by the British to protect the residents of Black Town or Madraspattnam. Work on construction of the wall began in 1770 and was completed in 1772. It started at the present day North Beach Royapuram flyover to Chennai Central Station. After the British had conquered most of India they no longer felt the need for a fortification and brought it down. Only a portion of the wall was left and that became the Maadi Poonga. There was a plan to collect a tax from residents towards the cost of construction of the wall. Though it was never collected, the name wall tax stuck on and the road near the Central Station is called Wall Tax Road though there is no wall there now.
The park has a main portion in the middle that is flanked by two wings on the sides. Passageways connect the three portions. The main portion is in different levels and has a kind of a stage that is flanked by two pillars that resemble the Ashoka Pillar.
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1918
Madras Labour Union, the first organised union
The first organised labour union in India was the Madras Labour Union that was started in 1918 in Madras. G. Selvapathi Chettiar and G. Ramanujulu Naidu, who empathised with workers, organised a meeting in March 1918. Sudarsana Mudaliar, Honorary Magistrate, presided and Thiru Vi Ka made powerful speech which was well received by the gathering of 10,000 workers.
Workers belonging to the Buckingham and Carnatic Mills in Perambur used to perform bhajans at the Venkatesa Gunamrutha Varshini Sabha run by Chettiyar and Naidu. When they heard the workers airing their grievances, they are said to have taken them to Annie Besant at the Theosophical Society. Her friends B.P.Wadia and G.S.Arundale helped the formation of the union.
The MLU worked to introduce weekly holiday, eight-hour working days, overtime wages, cooperative society and hike in salary once in three years. Associations were formed for workers in various sectors, including toddy tappers and beedi workers. Beedi-making was a cottage industry then and the workers were paid 2 annas for 1000 beedis.
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Madras Week: One event a day
An exhibition of photographs titled Water Science: Journeys from Australia to Madras’ was inaugurated by Sean Kelly, the Australian Consul-General for South India at the Centre for Water Resources, CEG campus, Anna University on Monday. The exhibition focuses on Australia's expertise and knowledge of water sciences, with a special focus on Chennai's history in irrigation and water management.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Kelly said one of the important areas of cooperation between Australia and India was water sciences. Both nations face water scarcity and it is a necessity for both. He also said, “Being the driest continent in the world, we are open to sharing our experiences and challenges of water scarcities with other countries. Australia is keen on assisting other countries with similar water resources management issues”. He added that e-management in Australia helps in better management of water resources.
Talking about the exhibition, he said that the interesting aspect was the coming together of images of cooperation in water sciences and historical details of Mr. Alfred Deakin's (one of Australia's former Prime Ministers) interest in the irrigation system of Tamil Nadu.
T. Kanthimathinathan, Chief Engineer and Director of Institute of Water Studies, Water Resource Department, Public Works Department (PWD) spoke about the water resources of Chennai and the various projects of the state government. He said that the Water Resource Department in PWD had conducted micro level studies of all basins of Tamil Nadu including the Chennai basin.
The exhibition is open for students as well as the public for seven days, up to 27th August, 9 am to 5 pm at the Centre for Water Resources, CEG campus, Anna University.
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Madras Week calendar
EVENT: Women's Voluntary Services of Tamil Nadu commemorates distinguished women, V. Sriram, Historian and Writer speaks, Anna Adarsh College for Women. 11 a.m.
PHOTO EXHIBITION: Display of photos from the 'Shoot Madras 2016' contest, Ampa Skywalk Mall, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
COMPETITION: United Way Chennai organises Dream Madras 2016 for schools on 'Chennai as a Smart City', Valluvarkottam, Nungambakkam, 11 a.m.
TALK: 'British Architectural photographers and the heritage of the Madras Presidency 1855-1905' by Dr Crispin Branfoot Organised by INTACH and British Council, British Council premises, Anna Salai, 4.30 p.m.
TALK: 'Some personalities of this city' by Gopalakrishna Gandhi organised by Madras Musings, The Hyatt Regency, 6.30 p.m.
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SNIPPETS
1. The port in Madras, which gave the city the name, Gateway of South India' as British ships going to the east stopped for refueling at the port, was the only operational one in the eastern waters during World war II
2. Within a span of just forty years --between 1645 and 1685 -- Madras faced two famines and both of them witnessed a large number of deaths.
3. The Madras Club which was founded in 1832 was first located near Mount Road before merging with the Adyar club in 1963 located at the Adyar Gate Club Road.
4. The Egmore Station was initially a fort called Egmore Redo and was converted into a station in 1908
'Spencers's was a wine and general merchant store in 1863 and later became a department store which then evolved to a shopping mall
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Expert speak
This city is the quintessence of Indian culture. It was the confluence of all the intellectuals of the South, with the best doctors, lawyers and engineers, and it also served as the music and cultural capital of south India. Even today, Chennai is the medical tourism capital of India and even now, all artists of repute perform at the Sabhas here - says, R. Kannan, Writer and former Toursim Secretary, Tamil Nadu
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