Nawab Palace at Chepauk / Chepauk Palace and University of Madras, Chepauk, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

 31^st December 2016.

The last heritage walk  was the monuments at the end of Cooum river joins with Bay of Bengal. Mr Venkatesh Ramakrishnan, the historian, Mr Raja and Mrs Sakthi Prakash undertook this heritage walk on 31^st December 2016.

The Picture was taken from Chepauk MRTS Railway Station

CHEPAUK NAWAB PALACE

The Senate Building in side the Madras University Chepauk campus was part of the Nawab Palace. Mohamed Ali Wallajah, who became the Nawab of Carnatic ( 1749 – 1795 CE ) wants his permanent residence under the protective shadow of St George Fort. It was believed that The British contractor Paul Benfield built the palace in an area of 177 acres. The palace is of Indo Saracenic architecture. The palace has big verandahs and rooms. Buildings were added in stages. When the Nawab could not pay the debts nearly ( Public liabilities was 3 million pagodas and private liability was 7 million pagodas - Major portion of the creditor was Paul Benfield ) the palace auctioned and taken over by the Britishers. Finally they were left with a title of ‘Prince of Arcot’ and an yearly pension of Rs 150000.

The palace is under renovation after a fire and nobody is allowed to peep in. 

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

 Nawab Palace 

 Nawab Palace 

 Nawab Palace 

 Nawab Palace 

 Nawab Palace 

 Nawab Palace

University of Madras, Chepauk. 

The Senate building was renovated in the recent years and convocation are also conducted by the Madras University. The pillars has the Hindu religions related reliefs with Dwarf supported pothiyals. The reliefs include, Natarajar, Lakshmi, Vinayagar, Brahma, Puli kuthi pattan bas relief, Sri Subramaniar with Valli Devasena.

 Senate Building – Madras University 

 Pulikuthi pattan relief

  Queen Victoria

  Queen Victoria

 Queen Victoria 

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

YMCA, King George Statue, SICAL Building, A Heritage Walk from Chennakesava Perumal Temple to Nattukottai Nagarathar's Chatram.

 24^th December 2016.

After Visiting YMCA, we had crossed many Heritage Buildings to reach Nattukottai. Nagarathars Chatram.. Mumbai based Ebrahim Currim & Sons started the business of making umbrellas under the brand name of "Stag", in the Year 1860, ( for further reading the article published in THE HINDU may be referred.) The machines and cloths are imported from London initially. The Lakshmi Bai, lady in the show case stands was named after goddess Lakshmi, who brings wealth.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

KING GEORGE STATUE

King George's Statue, was erected in memory of King George V, when he was crowned as Emperor of India. The so called black town  was renamed as George Town, where the statue erected.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

Catholic centre ( this was built from the money received after selling the Gandhi Nagar Housing Plots), Oriental Insurance Building.

LOCATION:

South India Corporation Agencies building   After MA Chidambaram separated from Raja Annamalai’s Bungalow, started his own business of Trading construction materials like, pipes, steels rods etc, in this building. The business expanded and diversified in many fields like, logistics, coal handling, Coffee plantation, Chemical manufacturing, hardwares manufacturing etc,. After his demise, his grand son Ashwin C Muthiah took over the business. As a part of asset restructuring the building was sold to Cafe Coffee day group.
  

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

Kalikambal Temple ( It was told That Maratha King Shivaji worshiped Kalikambal of this temple ). 

LOCATION:CLICK HERE 

Nattukottai nagarathars Chatrams ( Rangoon Chatram, Karaikudi Nagarathar's Chatram and Devakottai Nagarathar's Chatram ) on Coral Merchants Street. These Chatrams are constructed for the Chettiars and served as transit accommodation before going to Rangoon between 1870 to 1930. Their main business was to lend money ( Kasu kadai ). During second world war, the Nattukottai Nagarathars returned to India leaving their properties and assets. Still Chettiars holds the documents of their property in paper, which do not have any value now.

LOCATION: 

 The Pillar Pothyal all are made of Burma teak wood

 The front door panel 

 The Burma teak wood ceiling in front of a Murugan Temple in 1^st Floor of Chatram

 The Burma teak wood ceiling in front of a Murugan Temple in 1^st Floor of Chatram

 The British emblem on the storage unit. 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Pachaiyappa's College Higher Secondary School and george Town Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

 24^th December 2016.

From Chennakesava Perumal temple to Armenian Street, we could see some heritage buildings like Ebrahim Currim & Sons, YMCA, etc,. One such 170 years old Heritage building is the Pachaiyappa’s College Higher Secondary School. The entrance is very narrow with a court yard at the centre. The ceiling are of Madras roof supported by the Burma teak wood and mangalore tiles are used on the top floor. The school conducts classes from  9^th to 12^th standard. The first two floors are occupied by the  Govinda Naicker secondary school, which runs classes from 6^th to 8^th Standard.

 Pachaiyappa Mudaliar

Late Sri C N Annadurai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister studied in this school. In ( 1839 AD ) those days the fees are collected  only from the students who are afford to pay.  The school is the first Govt aided school in Tamil Nadu. Due to lack of fund the school authorities could not maintain it. In addition to this, admission to this school is a problem.

The retired head master Mr Jeyachandran.  who had 33 years of experience in the same school, had invested his retirement benefit of 4 lakhs towards the maintenance of the school. Also the teachers are making their full effort to enrol the new  students even during holidays. The details are given in  the THE HINDU news paper. 

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

 Entrance to the court yard & School 

Govinda naicker’s Statue- the school on the first two floors in the name of Govinda Naicker 

 ---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

St Mary's Armenian Church, Armenian Street, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

24^th December 2016.

As  part of Heritage walk in George Town area, after Sri Chennakesava Perumal temple and Sri Chenna Malleeswarar temple, we continued our walk on the Armenian street.

A Church was built during 1712 CE inside Fort St George by the Armenian peoples exclusively for their worship. (Church of Astvatzatzin). The Charch was destroyed by the French. After 1749CE, land was not allotted to construct a new Church inside, Fort St. George, this Church was constructed,  on Armenian street of then Black Town in 1772CE. The required land was obtained from Shameer Sultan. Even before construction of this Church the Shmeer room was constructed in 1765CE. 

The deceased Armenians are buried in the Church Complex. In front hall paintings Jesus, Old Church, etc, The bell tower was built separately and will be strike manually around 18.00 hrs. Regular prayers are not conducted in the church. The church is opened for public on all the days with fixed timings and it is extended to Armenians. During Armenian archbishop’s arrival mass will be conducted. In the alter picture of Mary carries Jesus ( child )  to the heaven. The original alter is maintained till date and the paintings of Jesus can be seen on steps of the alter. 

There is a memory stone fixed on the wall, which speaks about an Armenian merchant  Kojah Petrus Woskan’s contribution for the reconstruction of the Marmalong Bridge ( Saidapet Bridge ) and steps laid to St Thomas Mount. His wife Mamakhatoon died in Madras in the year 1781 and buried in this Church Complex.  We could see lot of tomb stones paved  on the floor of the church premises and it was told that many Armenians  are buried here.

LOCATION OF THE CHURCH    :CLICK HERE

---Om SHIVAYA NAMA---