Parantharami Mani

       The beautiful  Nallu Kal mandapam in front  of the main tower of  Parthasarathy  temple in this  photo  by Frederick  Fiebig in the  year 1851. See the  beautiful  stone  rings an architectural aspect of  Vijayanagar era. The  same mandapam recently photographed. Only  the  Vahana mandapam remains and the  rest have changed.

       Guindy Lodge, Rajbhavan in 1875 in this Bourne and Shepherd photograph.  The original building was  built during 17th cenury when Governor Langhonre created a hunting lodge with beautiful gardens. The bungalow changed many hands until it was acquired by Sir Thomas Munro in 1821 as a country house to transact public business since the area around Government House , Mount Road was overcrowded because of development of city. The house was extensively renovated during the Governorship of Lord Elphistone and took its present shape. I suppose the cupola like structure is no more there.

       The second and third Light House of Madras wihin the complex of Madras High court.  The Doric column light house made of Pallavaram granite stones was constructed during the period 1838-44 and was opened on 1st January 1944.  The cost of the granite itself was Rs.60000/-.  A description of the light house in the handbook of Madras published in 1870s describes about it. The third light house was inaugurated on 1st June 1894 on top of the tallest tower of High court complex constructed during 1890-92. It had argand lamps and reflectors imported from Birmingham.

         Alfred  Duke of  Edinburgh  photo taken during his visit to Madras in 1870. In a letter written to his brother  Prince of Wales  (future king Edward  VII)  he describes about his stay in Madras.  Quite interesting. He was the fourth child  of Queen  Victoria.

        A precursor to the Coast Guard  now protecting the  Sea coast. In 1830s there was a Marine  Police headed  by a Beach  Magistrate  to protect the  sea shore having its jurisdiction  from Fort to the  village of  Royapooram in the  north. It main function was to see that no illegal activity is done in the incoming  ships. It had a well entrenched  set up as seen in the  notification issued at that time.

     Mowbrays Road. This major  thoroughfare connecting  Royapettah with Mowbrays Cupola near Adyar river was developed in early  19th century. As per the " Environs of Madras" map of 1814 this road is well marked with fields on both sides.  The  " Sadr Adalat"  the Court of  Appeal for Hindu and Islamic  law cases during  Nawabs  period upto 1860 was abetting the  road near Alwarpet junction.  The building  was recently demolished.  It must have been a pleasant  drive  in those days with avenue of trees.

       St.Matthias Church,  Vepery.  This was originally a Catholic Church constructed by Armenian Merchant  Coja Petrus Uscan around 1730s and was his private chapel. After the  rendition of Madras to British in 1749 the  British thought that the Catholics aided the  French and removed them from the Fort except Uscan and Madeiros the  Portuguese.  The  Catholic Church inside the Fort on the  North side was also demolished.  After the death of  Uscan in 1751 the  Vepery church was taken over by SPCK a Danish  Mission. Extensive repairs alterations were made to this  church  in 1821-22 and it was consecrated as an Anglican  Church. The  East India Company  govt. also  chipped in with some money. Coja Petrus  Uscan was buried in the  church yard after his death in  1751. Some of the streets in Vepery like Hunters Road,  Jeremiah  Road and Rotle...

       The statue of  Edward VII king of England  (1901-1910) was installed in the  year 1906 opposite  Government  Estate.  It was a gift to the city by Lodd Krishnadas Balamukundadas  a Gujarathi  businessman. It was sculpted by George  Edward  Wade. Edward VII  toured Madras in 1875 as Prince of Wales.  The  statue now lies in the premises of Museum.  As per the book Statues and Monuments of Madras there was a Cupola like  structure  near this statue  erected in  memory of John  Cummings  Anderson  a Soldier and Engineer  who was the man behind construction of  Red hills reservoir. He died in 1870 and the  Cupola was erected by his brother officers.  It is  not  clear  when it was demolished. Photo : Kings own Royal  Regiment  Museum

 This is  a rare and unseen  photograph of  Sir Thomas  Munro taken  by Bourne  and Shepered  during the year  1875 when  Prince of  Wales visited  Madras  in 1875. A native  sits on the  pedestal  waiting for Munrolappa to be born again  for  redressing his grievances.  The statue was erected by subscription by inhabitants of Madras and the  statue  was sculpted by Francis Chantrey in 1834. The  statue was brought to Madras by the  Ship " The Asia" assembled and erected on Island ground on 23rd October 1839. Photo : Bourne and Shephered

       Sea Customs  House, Madras.  Since the beginning of  Fort St. George the sea customs was situated near the  Eastern  Sea Gate. The  sea used to lap the walls of  Fort St.George  and the  goods from  England  used to be brought  ashore in Masoola  boats from the  ships anchored 1 miles away on Madras  roads. When  Edward  Clive  became  Governor of  Madras due to space  crunch in the  Fort he wanted to  shift the  sea customs to Old Granary godown now occupied by French prisoners of war in Black town. Chief  Engineer  Patrick  Ross did extensive repairs and renovation  the north portion  for accommodating Sea Customs and south  portion for Marine  Office.  There was lot of  opposition  by the  merchants of the  day to the proposal to shift the sea customs. But inspite of the  o...

    The 72nd birthday celebrations of King  George  III on 4th June  1810 at Fort St.George  as reported then. He was king of England  for 60 years  from  1760 to 1820. Guns  roaring in the  batteries both at Fort.St.George  and Chepauk.

    A different view of  Senate House inaugurated in 1879. The  place where the house is situated was ealier part of  Nawabs Palace  and a saluting battery was situated there.  Whenever any high ranking dignitary used to visit the Palace  the guns will roar as a mark of respect.  The sea abetting the palace was home to a vibrant fishing community who were later shifted to  a place north of  George Town and thus was born Royapuram fishing village.  St.Peter used to be referred as Rayar and St.Peters church was constructed in 1828 by migrant fishermen community.

   The war memorial was constructed in memory of the allied soldiers who lost their life in first world war  (1914-1918). The memorial was completed in 1933 and handed over to  Madras Corporation in 1937. Before the construction of  this memorial this area was called  " Cupids Bow" upto end of  19th  century.  The high and mighty of British  society from white town Fort.St.  George  used to come  here for entertainment  and in search of their future partners. The  sandy stretch south of  Fort St.George  was due to accretion of sand because of construction of  Harbour  from 1881. Previously the sea used to lap the walls of  Fort. St.George.  The  governors band used to  play on holidays near Cupids Bow.

    A double bullock cart ( Double  Bandy) with  a white  man ready to board  in 1870s. This was the common mode of transport in those days. A roadside temple can be seen in the background.  The rates for  Double Bandy from  Black Town  to various places in Madras in 1830s.

     This is  a photograph of  road to Chepauk  in the later part of 19th century.  I have read somewhere that there was a direct road to  Chepauk direct from  St.George  bridge  through  Govt. Estate garden. Whether this is the  same  road or  the avenue of trees  mentioned by H D Love  from  Government House to Chepauk.