Black Town, Madras in 1776

     Habits die hard. Things which have been inherited from our forefathers will never cease to exist.  This is a picture of a Madras street in 1960 wherein public place is used for tethering the  cows and bullocks against the wishes of house owners.  Even in the  year 1776 AD it was observed by Mr. Francis Jourdan,  Rental General and Scavenger  the  following practices were there in Black Town.

   "   The Black  Town  inhabitants keep in the  streets before their houses  Hackeries, Carts, Horses, Bullocks and Cows which are a nuisance to their neighbours and to passengers.  It will be necessary to prohibit this publicly.  They  frequently  erect temporary buildings of Mud and afterwards pretend  long possession and Right. No Cadjan Hut or temporary buildings should be permitted  excepting  Pandalls on weddings.   Every  inhabitant has to  have a cess pool or receptacle in his  compound to receive the water  used in cleaning the house  but instead of this, they turn into the street to the nuisance of their neighbours as well as passengers. The  Sellers of Fish go into Buzars and occupy a part to the  great nuisance of the houses in the neighbourhood. "

    I think this is still continuing in our great  City.