Parantharami Mani

Government House Madras        After the rendition of Madras back to the British in 1749 the British wanted to  have a suitable Garden House away from Fort St. George for  the Governor.  In August 1753 the council under the Presidentship of Thomas Saunders passed a resolution for acquiring a suitable house from Mrs Lewis de Madeiros .  The identified  house was on the road to St.Thome after the Triplicane bridge costing 3500 pagodas.        A survey was ordered which found the house worth the amount. In November 1753 a bill to the effect for 3500 pagodas was placed before the council of Fort St. George and passed and the house acquired.  From then on it was the Garden House of the Governors of Fort St.George  till 1823 when it was moved to Guindy.

A handsome picture of Marine villa which was inside the chepauk palace compond. It was the bathing pavilion of Nawab Mohammed Ali Wallajah constructed in late 18th century. It also used to be called "Nabob's Octagon". Lord Clive stayed here when he was the Governor of Madras (1798-1803) when the Governor General Wellesley stayed in madras supervising the Mysore War in 1799.       Later on it was handed over the Madras University who demolished it in 1930 to build the University Library.  The place where the Senate house and Madras University buildings are now situated was saluting  grounds of the Chepauk palace where cannons used to give a gun salute whenever any important dignitary visits the Nawab.