Victory Memorial Blind School / விக்டரி மெமோரியல் பார்வையற்றோர் பள்ளி - A Poonamallee Heritage Walk

15^th April 2018.

The much-awaited Poonamallee Heritage Walk came to fruition  on 15^th April 2018 with 20+ history enthusiasts. Our original plan was to start at 16.00 hrs, but the time from the blind school was changed to 07.00 hrs and aimed to complete by 10.00 hrs, to avoid visiting the places after sunset. Out of 13 places planned, we were able to cover 12 historical places with new findings, and the Thirukachi Nambigal & Sri Varadharaja Perumal temple was dropped for want of time. This post and continuation posts of my blog will cover the important details of our Poonamallee heritage visit, of course, with some photographs.

 A Panoramic View of the Victory Memorial School 

VICTORY MEMORIAL BLIND  SCHOOL

Initially, there was a fort measuring 175 yards by 42 yards called Mohammedan Fort, built by the Nawab of Carnatic with 18 feet high rampart, bastions, moats, and fortification which divides the Poonamallee into two parts. Muhammad Ali gave this fort to the British with 330 sq miles (which had 231 villages) in 1749 CE and again 2284 sq miles (which had 2000 villages) in 1763 CE, to ascend to the throne of Arcot with British armed support. From 1780 CE to 1800 CE, the struggle between Mysore, the French, British, and Nawab, this fort gained military importance, and a Garrison was constructed to house barracks, stables, a retirement recluse, and a Hospital. 

The construction of the barracks was started in 1888 CE and completed in March 1893 CE. Some of the streets of the villages are named by the Britishers (Buckingham Street, Queen Victoria Road, Sepoy Line, etc.). Quarters, kitchens, prisons for petty thieves, and prisons for the war soldiers (French) were also added. The floors of the Barracks were laid with Cuddapah stones. (The available stones at that time were used for the flooring of the stables, which included dismantling more than 1000-year-old Hindu temples with Chozha period inscriptions. The stable could house 500 horses, and the famed Poonamallee Arab horses were bred here. 

 Chozha inscription ( May be Rajaraja-II or III )

Vikrama Chozha ( 1118 - 1136 CE ) inscription

 The inscription stone of the Barracks building 

Albert HA Hervy, a young Captain who served in the 40^th regiment of Madras Native infantry in the 1830s, in his book ‘Ten Years in India,' describes the poor condition of the barracks. The European soldiers are accommodated in poor conditions. Fort walls of Poonamallee fort were knocked down. The Hospital and part of the barracks, the ramparts running along these buildings keep out any healthy circulation of air. The officer's quarters are wretched, little bits of pigeon holes, and so hot that anyone residing within them ought to be grilled to death. The French Barracks, which housed prisoners, are the ‘best in the place’. The pensioners residing within the limit of the depot, in cottages neatly laid out, with small gardens in front.

Later in 1931CE, Asia’s first high school was started in these barracks as per Eric Conran Smith’s idea and named Victory Memorial Blind School to commemorate the victory of the British in World War I. Rayappa Joseph was the first Indian Principal. 950 students were once on the roll were now with only 250 students. Vocational training classes were also conducted for the women. Regional Braille Press, the Govt rehabilitation center for blind women, and blind teachers training institute function here.

Now the area has shrunk to 36 acres, of which 10 acres are with CRPF, a Hospital, and a Sacred Heart Seminary. At present, there is no trace of the Fort or the fort walls, and the present Sri Kottai Veeran Muneeswarar temple may remind the fort once existed (details will be in the next post).

LOCATION OF THE VICTORY MEMORIAL BLIND SCHOOL: CLICK HERE

 Blind school view from the roadside 

 Stairs to the first floor

 Barracks corridor 

 Kitchen 

 Hospital ward 

 Horse Stable corridor

To be continued ...Kottai Veeran Muneeswaran Temple - Exploring Poonamallee - A Heritage Walk 

                                   --- OM  SHIVAYA NAMA---