Parantharami Mani

 A panoramic view of Esplanade aka China Bazaar Road around 1870. The buildings on view are Madras Christian College and it’s Chapel, old building of Standard Chartered Bank, The Anderson hall of Anderson Church the steeple is yet to be constructed.  The vast open area in the front is the old Guava Garden which was the original burial ground of the British for initial 130 years where the High court building was constructed in 1892. Photo must have been taken from the top of second Light House. Pic: past India

 Now in Gods own country. Land of Parasurama. Jew Town, Mattancherry, Cochin.         This is a beautiful heritage precinct with two or three streets having heritage houses which are more than 150-200 years old. The Cochin Jews or Pardesi Jews is now a minuscule minority who can be counted.  The history of Jews in India goes back to the era of King Solomon in 9 th century BC when they had trade contacts. After the destroying of their second temple in 70 BC the Jews migrated in large numbers  outside their holy land and a good number came to India.  They landed in India in 72 BC at Craganore and were warmly welcomed by the Raja. King Cheraman Perumal  made Joseph Rabban a  Prince of Anjuvanam as mentioned in his copper plates and a Jewish kingdom was established.      Again in early 16th century a good number of European Jews who lost their land and liberty fled to India and settled in Cochin. The Synagogue at Mattanch...

 The Madras Museum was established by a notification in the Gazette of Fort St George dated 29th April 1851. Edward Balfour(1813-1889)  who was a Medical Officer of the Governor’s Bodyguard was appointed as the Officer in charge of the proposed Museum. He offered his  Honorary services for the establishment of the Museum. Initially a Curator, an Assistant and a Hamal were appointed. It was initially housed in the upper floor of the College on Pantheon Road with the Geological collections of the Madras Literary Society numbering 1100 as its nucleus.    Within a period of 5 years the visitors to the Museum rose to 3,68,873. Balfour observed that prior to the establishment of the Museum there did not exist any place of recreation for all classes of the people of Madras. The only available entertainment was the gardens of the Agri Horticultural Society and practice of the bands on the Beach which were mostly patronised Europeans and East Indians. The visitors to the...

   A picture of China Bazaar Road in early 1950s with the old style policeman standing near his  sunshade umbrella cabin. In the far end National Insurance building  and YMCA building can be seen.  Road seems to be very quiet and rush hour traffic is not there.

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Glimpses of Ther Festival 1969 of Kapaliswar Temple, Madras