Azeempet - The Arcot Nawabs Trail at Triplicane, A Heritage Walk with Kobai Anwar. Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

…a continuation post to The Arcot Nawabs trails at Triplicane. A Heritage walk with Kombai S Anwar - Part - I.

21^st August 2017.

After Khalas Mahal visit, we walked towards the  Wallajah Road entrance ( Pattabhiram Gate ) of M.A.Chidambaram  Stadium. This stadium  was part of the Nawab's Palace once. The gardens residential Quarters for the servants, Horse stable etc was once in this complex. The remains of this is the arch  Gate pillars with terracotta reliefs on the three sides. The reliefs contains the floral arrangement.

Pattabhiram Gate of MAC Stadium- one of the surviving triple arch gate of Khalas Mahal

Our next stop was at another arch way gate Pillar further towards Triplicane High Road. Mr Anwar told that the Nawab’s Palace had tipple arch gate ways and this was one of them. The pillar also has the terracotta reliefs of Hindu god Vishnu’s incarnations. Hope the freedom was given to the contractors to choose their own design and materials for construction

             Vishnu’s incarnation reliefs on the arch gate pillars

On the opposite side of the road there is a white building  called Guest House. It was told that during British  period this building served as a residential quarters for the British soldiers.

Further down the arch Gates we stopped on  Triplicane high Road, junction from where Mr Anvar pointed out a red building which was once a kitchen cum dining for vegetarian food served to the poor prepared by Brahmins, called Langar Khana. Now the Triplicane Police station is functioning in this building.

Langar Khana.( Triplicane Police station is functioning )

Little further on the Triplicane High Road, stopped opposite to an arch on a lane called Appavu Gramani Street squeezed between residential complexes. The name “AZEEMPET” is written on the arch painted with light bluish green. Mr Anwar told that the arch has an interesting story.  

The arch was once the entrance of the palace of Sultanuniss Begum,  sister of the Nawabs Dynasty’s third ruler Umdat-ul-Umra. It was told that she holds the power behind the throne during late 1790s. Both brother and sister wants their sons to succeed to become Nawab of Arcot. Sultanuniss Begum’s dream of her son succeeding was not fulfilled. So she didn’t allowed his brother’s body after his death to cross the arch. The body was kept overnight on the street and the wall was broken to take out the body next day morning.

On the opposite side of Azeempet Arch, Mr Anvar  pointed out a building called Mohammadian Public library, started during 1819 CE. Still the 167 years old Library is functioning on the first floor. Some of the books were donated by the then Governor of Bengal and Egypt.

…. To be Continued The Arcot Nawabs Trail At Triplicane - A Heritage walk with Kombai S Anwar - Part - III ( Wallajah Big Mosque )