Parantharami Mani

     When  Edward Clive Governor of Madras(1798-1803) and builder of Banqueting Hall   came to Madras to assume charge on 21st August 1798.  A first hand account :       " This evening arrived the Dover Castle,  Indiaman  having on board  the  Right Hon. Lord Clive , Lady Clive  family and suite. His lordship landed about 5 O' Clock under the salute due to his rank attended by the Secretary to  Government,  Town major and several other staff officers who had been deputed to congratulate his Lordship  on his  arrival. The  troops in garrison were drawn up in a street through which his Lordship passed to the Admiralty House  where he received the compliments of the Gentlemen of the settlement.          His Lordship afterwards proceeded to Fort Square where the commission appointing his Lordship Governor and President in council Fort St George and Commander i...

      Madras High Court parking lot in 1950s with the Law College towers and an Art Deco tower in Esplanade  (old Benfield Road)

      Parthasarathy Temple, Triplicane  It is seen from the Epigraphical records of this temple in 16th century a major expansion of the temple took place.  An inscription on the  northern wall of the  temple dated 1564 AD during the reign of Sadasiva Raya of Vijayanagar dynasty mention about the following additions made by one Narasingha Dasan. 1. Installation of five kin deities in the  sanctum of Parthasarathy Sannidhi. 2. Construction of three new shrines of Palling Konda Perumal,  Krishnan and Vedavalli  Nachiyar. 3. Construction of  Front  Mandapam before main sannidhi,   Thiruvoimozhi Mandapam, Thirumadapalli,  Thirumadhil (Compound wall). 4. Vedavalli  Thayar Utsavar Idol. Courtesy : Worship and conflict under Colonial rule.

     A float  festival in a Temple in Chennai in this water colour painting by Gantz and sons dated 1834.  Any guess about the Temple.   Mandapam on the  opposite is the  clue.

     Rameswaram  Temple Western corridor built in 1740s by Sethupathi Maharaja.  The old one is dated 1868 taken by Edmund David Lyon ace British photographer.  The new is by me in 2017.

     A painting from a volume showing the caste, community and occupations of Madras Presidency in year 1830.    1 Toddy tapper couple with the man having his ladder and jar and his wife with a Pot.     2. Butter Milk selling couple with the women  having her pot and a measure and the man with Kambal which is normally wounded on the Pot.     3. Basket making couple with the man with his knife,  canes and a half finished  basket and the  women with a finished basket on her head.         Images drawn with life given to them       Pic:  V & A images

      The  Nayak Era Nandi with Mandapam at Peruvudaiyar Temple  in this photo by Edmund Lyon dated 1868