Parantharami Mani

       Besant  Nagar Elliotts Beach in 1958. Gemini  and Saroja Devi  in Kalyana Parisu  " Vadikkai  Maranthathu  Eno ".

     Elphinstone Bridge  constructed in 1842 in the  background  in the  song " Nan Katru Vange Ponen"   MGR with Kannadathu Paingili  Saroja Devi in movie  " Kalangarai  Vilakam". Year 1965.

        This is old church of Santhome which was demolished in 1893 and the present Cathedral was built and consecrated on 1st April 1896. An old granite sun dial which was there in the old church is now fixed near the southern compound wall. As per the book " Caste, Catholic Christianity and the Language of Conversion"  by Jeyaseela Stephen the old church was built on the Sepulchre of St. Thomas in the year 1536 by the Portuguese.  By the year 1559 there were around 2000 Native converts  to Christianity in Santhome. In view of the increasing congregation the Diocese of Mylapore  was erected by  Pope Paul V on 9th January 1606 by a Papal Bull. The first Bishop was Augustinian Fria Dom Sebastian Pedro. The Bishops house was next to the church which was raised to the status of Cathedral. The tomb of St. Thomas was opened on 29th April 1729 to distribute earth to the pilgrims during which time  Coja Petrus Uscan the Armenian Merchant was ...

        Library block  of Madras  University with Senate House in the  background in this  picture around 1940.  View from  Cooum river on the  North side. Pic: Madras  Tercentenary  Volume

A grand finale to the Vasantha  Utsavam of Mylapore  Kapaliswar Temple. Lord Singaravelar with his consorts Valli Deivanai  in Poo Pallakku  Vahanam going around Mada  Veethis.

The Elphinstone Bridge Madras  constructed during the Governorship of Lord Elphinstone in 1842. He was Governor of Madras during 1837-42  Before that he was Lord in waiting to King William IV. He was responsible for educational advancement of Madras Presidency.  The school he started in 1841 in Egmore later developed abd became Presidency College.  This was the  second bridge across Adyar the first one being Marmelong Bridge  constructed in 1726. Before the bridge was constructed the crossing of the river used to be made in Native parisals. The north side of the river was home to many colonial bungalows.  The bridge was in use for 131 years before the new bridge was constructed in 1973. Photo  :The Hindu , Madras city Inscriptions

The Corsican Connection.  D'Angeli's Hotel Mount  Road.   Giacomo d' Angeli was a Corsican confectioner who arrived in Madras in 1880.  He set up his business  near the Mount Road / Blackers road junction as a confectioner and mess contractor.  He was catering to the  Governors of Madra at one time . He started his D'Angeli hotel in 1906. Within two years the hotel developed into a modern hotel with garden dining  and handsome looks.It had electric lifts,  hot water tap, electric fans, tiled floor,  cold storage. The  menu included French and Italian cuisine. By late 1920s it changed hands to become Hotel Bossotto. In later periods it became a Bata showroom. D' Angeli  also flew the first airplane in Madras. See the beautiful sun shades for protecting from  early morning Sun from East.

 The Garda Sevai of Parthasarathi Temple  in the year 1903. Nothing has changed in the  last 115 years Devoties,  Bhattars.

Nawab Mohd.Ali Wallajah  (1717-1795) in a painting by Tilly  Kettle around 1772. He supported the  British  in their Deccan  campaigns. He was the most  celebrated of the Arcot  Nawab.  Wallajah  Road, Walajapet and Wallajabad are named after  him.  Constructed the Chepauk Palace in 1768 at great cost. Big mosque was constructed around 1795 at the  fag end of his rule. Died in October  1795 and was buried in a mosque in Tiruchirapalli.

St . George Church, Choultry Plain. At the turn of 18th century the Anglican church inside Fort St .George was mainly a garrison church catering to the military personnel. Outside the Fort most of the churches were either Romish or Anglican small churches which were catering to the poor among whites and Native Christian.  The  Church for the elite British Civilians  and Military  was met by the construction of St . George church in 1815 in Neo classical style. It was built partly by EIC funding and partly by subscription from public and was consecrated by Bishop  Middleton in January 1816. The  beauty and grandeur of the church was great with  Ionic pillars and a grand portico  for carriage way a novelty in Madras of 1800s. The  church was built to gratify the pious wish of upper class laity. It was a splendid edifice  with its white chunam facade,  interior  ornamentation, stained glass and gigantic  portico.  D...

St.Thomas  Garrison Church,  GST Road. At the turn of 18th century St.Thomas mount was developing in to a big military  cantonment. A good  number of  British and Native  Christians from the military with their families were residing  there. In order to satisfy the temporal needs of this  congregation the EIC felt the  need of a church.  Rev. Atwood who was the  chaplain of Mount in 1804 requested the government for  a building.  It was got  when Rev.William Roy  was Chaplain in 1820. The  construction of the  church was done during the period 1825-27 and it was consecrated in 1830 by Bishop Turner of Calcutta. It served the  population of cantonment areas from Mount to Pallavaram  till  a separate church came up in Pallavaram in 1850s. The  church had a three tier  steeple which was reduced  in 1972 for the safety of planes touching down in the  airport nearby. Pho...

A young boy looking curiously at the camera with the 200 year old Ther of Kapaliswar Temple Mylapore in the background in early decades of 20th century. The  place where Radha silks stands now was a titled house then. A typical  village like atmosphere. Photo : Delcampe

      Ponnuswamy Hotel  Gaudia Mutt  Road in the year 1954. This  is one of the best Non Vegetarian Hotel for  authentic Tamilian dishes. See the semi circled concrete cycle stand.

 Umdat ul Umara (1748-1801) was the  successor to the throne of Nawab of Arcot after Walajah. He became Nawab on 16th Oct 1795 and died on 15th July 1801. The  British  suspected that  he helped Tipu Sultan in the 4th Mysore war and wanted to annexe the  kingdom. On the  day of his death  Edward  Clive  Governor of  Madras wrote to  Governor  General  Wellesley  at Calcutta  about the  prevailing  situation in Chepauk and his intension to  annexe the  Carnatic from  his successor. Umdat ul Umara  wanted  his son to  become  Nawab but  his sister wanted her son to be the Nawab.  Ultimately Azim ud Daula his nephew became the  Nawab. Unconfirmed sources say that the death of  Nawab is shrouded in mystery and there are rumours that he was slow poisoned to  death. On 31st July 1801 the  British  by the  Carnatic  Treat...

 A view of Sannidhi Street, Kapaleeswarar Temple, Mylapore in 1950s. On the left of the picture is Kathayee Silk Emporium. Radha silk is on the right side near mandapam.

 A Butler of the  Colonial Era. They used to be chief head of the British Colonial Houseold and developed their peculiar dialect of Butler English. Photo : RGS

  A Tamil  Christian couple of early 20th century. May be  from Tirunelveli or Kanyakumari district. Photo : BM archives