The Madras Literary Society, Colonial Lending Library: Attracts Chennai Photowalkers

Chennai Photowalk wanted to schedule and cover four important monuments in a photowalk during the Madras Week 2015 celebrations i.e, 1.  Freemasons’ Hall, 14 Ethiraj Salai, Egmore, Chennai-600008; 2. Madras Literary Society (MLS) library,  DPI Complex,, College Road, Chennai, 600006; 3. ‘Doveton House’ (built in 1798), Women's Christian College, College Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600006; and 4.  Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, Old No.50, New No. 6, College Road,  Nungambakkam, ( Near Shastri Bhavan) Chennai - 600034. Obtaining permission was appearing as tedious process. To our surprise 'History and Heritage of the Cooum River' a power point presentation was arranged in MLS Library on 15th August 2015 between 3.00 and 04.30 pm by Cooum Cultural Mapping group, Chennai. Chennai Photowalk arranged Walk # 1, a photowalk in consultation with PSG to visit the 203 year old MLS Library on the same date between 2.00 and 3.00 pm.

Mr.Venkatesh Ramakrishnan and Mr.T.R. Shashwath of Cooum Cultural Mapping group were already available in the premises. The young architect Ms.Thirupurasundari Sevvel, who loves to research into traditional architecture, is on a mission to preserve and revive the aura of the past. Since she is very keen in taking part in events that offer an opportunity to celebrate the city’s heritage, she made her presence in MLS along with volunteers of her Nam Veedu Nam Oor Nam Kadhai team.

Ms.T Sundari also plays an active role in MLS Library maintenance, use promotion and conservation of Library collections. The Librarian displayed few prestigious rare monographs held in the collection. The architect was explaining the history of MLS, the library building designed and developed in accordance with Indo Saracenic architecture with Rajasthani style elements i.e, brick and lime mortar wall, Madras  roof, Cuddapah slab flooring, high ceiling with interiors, tall windows with Jharokha balconies, designer jalli, ornate cornice molding along the top of an exterior wall etc. 

Mr.Mohan Raman, Secretary MLS welcomed the gathering. Mr. Sriram Venkatakrishnan, the heritage activist,  INTACH convener for the Chennai region, The Hindu columnist (column titled Hidden Histories)  and the editor of Madras Musings newspaper addressed the gathering for about 0.15 mts. on MLS. It was followed by power point presentation by Mr.Venkatesh Ramakrishnan and T.R. Shashwath on History and Heritage of the Cooum River. The following paragraphs may give you an understanding about the MLS Library:

Madras Literary Society Library 

Address: DPI Complex,, College Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600006

Phone:044 2827 9666

Founded in: 1812  - 203 year old library

History:

The British East India Company relocated its capital from Madras to Calcutta in 1772. The British East India Company encouraged their employees (i.e, military officers and civil servants) to form societies. William Jones founded the Asiatick Society of Bengal 1784, 'to  encourage enquiry into the history, civil and natural, the antiquities, arts, sciences and the literature of Asia.' It immediately became the important learned society in the British colonies. The Asiatic Society of Bombay was also founded in Bombay in the same time to promote Asian studies based in Bombay. During this period the presidencies of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras were subject to the direct control of the London Office of the East India Company. The societies played vital role in the promotion of Asian studies and served as the limb of the British Indian government. The societies not only collected books, but also documented anthropological and geological data and collected palm leaf manuscripts.

The 'Literary Society' refers to a society which desires to promote research in the chosen fields or subjects, publish newsletter and or learned periodicals and hold seminars, symposium and meetings wherein research findings can be discussed after presentation. The Literary Society of Bombay was founded 1804. The Madras Literary Society was founded in 1812. The Literary Society Libraries forming part of these Literary Societies served as the 'Clearinghouses', wherein the Societies identified, collected, collated and made access to data and information on 'literature, exploratory and scientific discoveries, experiences of the Civil, Military and Judicial officers of the respective presidencies. 

Francis Whyte Ellis (1777–1819), a British civil servant was inducted in the Indian Civil Services (at the time a division of the British East India Company) in the Madras Presidency and soon elevated to the position of Collector of Madras in 1810. He was also a member of the Member of the Madras Literary Society. He planned and founded  "the College of Fort St. George" "a major Knowledge Centre" at Madras in 1812. The purpose of establishing the College of Fort St. George was to train East India Company officials in native languages. Ellis was an erudite scholar and he developed good relations with best Indian scholars like Pattabiram Shasthri, Muthusami Pillai, Udayagiri Venkatanarayanayya, Chidambara Vaathiyaar and Syed Abdul Khadar. Ellis influenced them to train the Indian students in grammar and law. The trained Indian students were employed in College of St. George as instructors to teach the  civil service recruits arriving from England. The newly recruited civil servants of the Madras Presidency spent their first two years learning one of the South Indian languages. 

The College of Fort St. George was functioning in the campus wherein Directorate of Public Instruction (DPI) now functions in College Road. Of course the name College Road was to indicate the College of Fort St. George as its landmark. The college functioned here till 1854.

Madras Literary Society and Library complemented the 'College of Fort St.George,' 'the School of Language and Oriental Studies' in the training of the newly recruited Civil Servants of the Madras presidency. 

The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, commonly known as the Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) was established in London in 1824 by a group of notable scholars and colonial administrators. It was intended to be the British counterpart to the Asiatic Society of Calcutta, which had been founded in 1784, by the noted Sanskrit scholar and jurist Sir William Jones. According to a charter received from King George IV, the Royal Asiatic Society was affiliated to associate societies in India (Calcutta, Bombay, Bangalore, Madras, and Bihar). In 1830 the Madras Literary Society became an Auxiliary of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland and has generally been known as the Madras Literary Society and Auxiliary of the Royal Asiatic Society.

Libraries controlled by different bodies which were in need of space were invited to occupy some portion of the Connemara Public Library. The Madras Literary Society Library was the first to function inside the Connemara Library until it was shifted in 1905 AD to its present building on College Road. The Madras University Library occupied the space vacated by the Madras Literary Society Library and functioned there until 1928 AD when it moved to the University Buildings at Chepauk. The Oriental Manuscripts Library which was also housed in the Connemara Public Library till 1935 AD, moved into the University Buildings at Chepauk.

Library Building: 

The single - storey library building is a red-brick structure with intricate sandstone trimmings inspired by the Rajasthani style of architecture. The walls and columns were built with brick and lime mortar. The high Madras Terrace roof is still strong. The flooring looks even and smooth. It was built for library purposes with an enormous hall and high ceiling for natural light. It appears like a two storey building from outside.

Library Furniture: Rosewood tables and chairs used in the reading hall .

Funds

The Expenditure for maintaining the library is met by the Madras Literary Society.

Full Time Librarian: A full time librarian is serving the library

Opening Hours

Madras Literary Society Library serves the public daily from 10.00 am. to 05.00 pm. on weekdays. The library is closed on Sundays, three National holidays and selected festival holidays a year.

Collection

The stock of volumes stood at 83,000.  This well stocked library has valuable reference and research material: Old East India Company records, learned periodicals of the Asiatic Society, old and rare books of Tamil grammar, and even old issues of Punch magazine published in 1870. The library collection also includes fictions, philosophy, literature, history, linguistics and other subjects. The books are soiled and due to age and some books brittle.

The library has received good number of books by way of donations from individuals, institutions and Governments. Apart from this MLS library also builds collection by purchasing from the funds made available by the MLS. 

Some of the rare books in the collection include books like Arretolis Opera Omania QVAE Extant Graece and Latine, published in 1619 (the earliest book available in the library). Philosophie Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Issac Newton's Masterpiece Pricipia Mathematica in Latin) and Robert Boyles works  Vol. III (1772) are some of the rare books in the Science collection.

Access

Stack Room: No distinct stack room earmarked for the library. Books are stacked in multi-storey wrought steel book racks supported by ladder type staircase. Books are arranged in open access system. However some are classified or restricted and available for reference only.

Classification and Cataloging

Books are classified according to Dewey Decimal Classification System (version not known).

Card catalog system is not found within library premises. Searching the books could be according to the classification sequence.

Users

Any person is eligible to use MLS library service. 

Membership is open to common public. Every member can borrow maximum of six books at a time for a period of two weeks. An annual admission fee  of Rs.850+50- per member is collected every financial year. At present this Library has 200 members on roll.  The distinguished members in the past include Annie Beasant, Subhas Bose  Dr. S. Radhakrishnan,  TT Krishnamachari and CP Ramaswami Iyer.  Library delivers Books on loan to elderly at their home at a nominal charge of Rs.20 per set.

Reading Area

The reading area is located at the entrance. Around 20 seats are made available for users to sit and consult the books.

Publications

The Society published a learned periodical called the Transactions of the Literary Society of Madras from 1827 and continued from 1833 under the name of Madras Journal of Literature and Science and was published up to 1894. Till 1858 the periodical was edited by the committee of the Madras Literary Society and Auxiliary of the Royal Asiatic Society. The volumes published during 1880 was edited by Gustav Oppert, Ph. D. (Professor of Sanskrit, Presidency College, Madras; Telugu Translator to Government; Curator Government Oriental Manuscripts Library; Fellow of the Madras University).

Reference

1. 19th & 20th Century Madras Journals and the Lawrence Asylum Press. ‘Pages from History’ by Dr. A. Raman, Charles Sturt University, Orange, New South Wales, Australia. Madras Musings Vol. XIX, no.10; September 1-15, 2009
2. Forgotten library: 200-year-old Madras Literary Society. Divya Chandrababu, Time of India 14, Mar  2014
3. Kinship and language by Theodore Baskaran. Frontline. Volume 26 - Issue 14 :: Jul. 04-17, 2009
4. Madras Literary Society. Chennai Best.com. August 27, 2015
5. Scholarly Societies Project sponsored by the University of Waterloo Library: Madras Literary Society 
6. Survivors of time: Pages from the past. Asha Sridhar. The Hindu 4th October 2011.

Students Taken To Madras Literary Society Library To Encourage Reading Ability - Thanthi TV (Youtube)

Heritage Walk in and around Madras Literary Society with V Sriram by Murugesan Chander (Youtube)

Chennai Anna Nagar Township Emerged from World Trade Fair 1968: Madras Week 2015 Photowalk Experience

Visvesvaraya Tower @ Anna Nagar Tower Park,

As part of Madras Week celebrations, Chennai Photo walk organized its Walk # 3 in collaboration with Social History Group founded by Ms. S. Thirupurasundari Sevvel, (T Sundari), the popular architect and the local history enthusiast around the 'Neighborhoods of Anna Nagar Tower Park'  on 23rd August 2015 between 07.00 and 08.30 am.

Ms.Thirupurasundari Sevvel, a staunch advocate of antiquity

Here are some interesting facts about Ms. S. Thirupurasundari Sevvel, . B.Arch (SRM University), BA (HONS) Architecture (University of Birmingham under Architecture Exchange Program), Masters in urban and regional planning (MURP) at Université François Rabelais de Tours, who is an architect, town planner in Anna Nagar and her family has been living in this neighborhood for generations.  She was thrilled to take note about the cities  abroad maintained a thorough documentation of their layout and development. Being influenced by the passion of the common people of various cities in documenting the history of the city, Ms.T.Sundari determined to do something similar and began by focusing on Anna Nagar. Being an architect, designer,  town planner and a staunch advocate of antiquity it was very easy for her to get started. She ascended up by launching a Social History group and also formed Nam Veedu Nam Oor Nam Kadhai (volunteer) team. She continued to collect, collate and document enormous data about Anna Nagar (including hand bills, booklets, photographs, press clippings etc.), the township developed by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board in the early 1970s following the World Trade Fair in the area in January 1968. She is eager to learn and use what she has learned.  The walk #3 was lead by this young, aspiring and enthusiastic architect. The members of the Chennai Photowalk and  volunteers from Social History group have come across with outpouring information about Anna Nagar.

Since from the commencement of the photowalk she shared all relevant information at the relevant points. The participants also interacted with her and some of them recalled anecdotes from their memories. Till 1950s the area was identified as 'Mullukadu' alias 'Velankadu' since the locality was full of thorny bushes. The locality was formally named as Mullam Village and is still being referred by the Land and revenue department for all official purposes. It was also called as  'Naduvakarai' for other purposes.

Entrance Arch

Ayyanar Statue

In the 1967 General elections, the DMK swept Madras State, winning all 25 Parliamentary seats and 138 of the 173 Assembly seats. Anna became Chief Minister on March 6th, sworn in along with his Cabinet by Governor Ujjal Singh at Rajaji Hall. In January 1968, the Government hosted the Second International Tamil Conference in Madras. In January 1968 Madras hosted the World Trade Fair. In the absence of World Trade Fair of January 1968, the Anna Nagar township would not have taken shape. The most popular 135 feet tall Tower with  fourteen tier cyclic ramp spiraling to the top and finial (supported by an elevator) was designed and built at the center of the expo grounds as a watch tower and it stands still as the landmark of Anna Nagar. The pavilions were set up around this watch tower and these pavilions were permanent structures. The facade of the Tamil Nadu Pavilion was designed like the models of the 'Temple Tower' or 'Temple Gateway' as well as the 'Temple Car.' Later on after the Trade Fair these structures were auctioned. The present Anna Nagar Ladies Club and the Anna Nagar Club served as the Thailand Pavilion and the Kerala Pavilion respectively. The four entrance arches were constructed all the four cardinal directions of the World Trade Fair. Now the entrance at the East stands majestically bearing the name 'Anna Nagar Dr.Visvesvaraya Tower Park Arch.'

WTF Motif

Enamel Board

The thick brick wall on the right side of the arch bears the bas relief image informing the theme of the World Trade Fair i.e, the strong man is about to strike the hammer on the anvil; two chimneys with smoke; electricity pole and the crane chain. Also there is an enamel board conveying the information about the setting of bas relief on the eve of Indian World Trade Fair held in the month January 1968 by Perarignar Anna.   The vacant grounds before arch (now occupied by the structures of Kandaswamy College for Men) was used for VIP car parking. The public transport terminus was located around the Round Tana.

Round Tana

The shuttle vehicles served to transport people from Round-tana to the W. T. Fair grounds. Also there was a star hotel to accommodate foreign delegates at Aminjikarai PH Road - Nelon Manickam Road junction. The huge  Ayyanar Statue with thick moustache appear beating drum was installed to commemorate the Second World Tamil Conference.

Plaque: Inauguration of Tower

World Trade Fair Tower was initially named as Panch-Sheel Tower as the commemoration of the five principles of Panch-sheel enunciated by Jawaharlal Nehru and later it was rechristened as Visvesvaraya Tower to honour Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya,  the Diwan of Mysore (1912 - 1918), an engineer, scholar and statesman. The park covering an area of  15.35 acres came up only in 1979. The Park around the Tower was developed in stages in later times. The tower, park equipped with an amphitheater, a bird-watching deck, badminton courts, kids play area, a skating rink, a lake, and other facilities are being maintained by the Chennai Corporation. The World Trade Fair collected an entrance fee of 05 -10 paise from visitors to climb up and to have the panoramic view of the World Trade Fair grounds. Later Madrs (Chennai) Corporation collected Rs.5.00 as an entry fee from visitors. Over the last five years the visitors were not allowed to the top due to few miss happenings.

TNHB Model House G.Floor + F.Floor, Ext. Stairs

The town planning people preferred to formally name this locality as West Madras Extension. Later it was rechristened as Arignar Anna Nagar. Over a period of time the name was shortened as AA Nagar and thereafter 'Arignar; the honorific syllable was not pronounced by the public. Finally the name Anna Nagar became the official name.

The project fetched roads and public transport facilities. The Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB), a state government board set up in 1958 to address housing needs of the lower and middle income groups.  TNHB was the only major provider and it built large colonies in Anna Nagar. At this point of time the residential plots measuring 1.5 ground land was offered at a cost of Rs.4500/- with a 75 per cent Government subsidy to build houses to promote the layout initially. TNHB also geared up to construct typical TNHB model residential buildings - with ground floor and first floor with internal toilets and exhaust fans as well as external staircase - at the request of the land owners. However only very few takers were there for this area that was without facilities like schools, hospitals, markets, etc. Ms.Sundari mentioned about one or two typical TNHB houses surviving still (which is now W-Block).


She was also telling that Anna Nagar is the first township and the unique township in Chennai to follow standard addressing system followed in the western world. Areas expanded after the formation of the initial 1970 layouts do not follow the standard nomenclature. Therefore finding door numbers in various streets is the most  challenging task. The residential houses are numbered in a disorderly pattern and even avenues and blocks are also difficult to find out. 

Ms.Sundari is curious about the stories associated with townships like Anna Nagar, Shenoy Nagar and even bus stops. She explained how she would find answers to question like: How did Blue Star got its name? Actually there was no name or landmark to locate this bus stop. One transport driver got worried about this and came out with a name 'Blue Star' as there was a laundry with the name 'Bulooo Star.' I was also curious to know about Shenoy Nagar has been named after whom? She gave immediate answer as Joseph Patrick Lasrado Shenoy (JPL Shenoy - shorter form) of the Indian Civil Service (ICS). The ICS officer hailed from a Catholic family of Mangalore. Most of the years of JPL Shenoy's service were spent in the then-Madras Presidency. He retired as the Commissioner of Madras Corporation in 1944.

'Although Anna Nagar may not have a centuries-old heritage like Madras, it is certain that a few decades from now Anna Nagar too will have heritage to cherish.' The photowalk came to an end by 08.30 hrs.

Reference

1. A blog site to document Anna Nagar T. Madhavan. The Hindu August 12, 2013
2. Celebrating Madras Week – in colour Madras Musings VOL. XXIV NO. 10, September 1-15, 2014
3. Spotlight on Anna Nagar Vipasha Sinha. The Hindu August 2, 2014
4. The change from silent NADUVAKKARAI to busy and bustling Annanagar -tracing the social history of annanagar. July 17, 2013.
5. There are many ways to celebrate Anna Nagar. Vipasha Sinha The Hindu February 7, 2015

Engal Kalyanam Galatta Kalyanam - Sivaji Ganesan, Jayalalitha - Galatta Kalyanam Tamil Song Rajshri Tamil (Youtube) (Galatta Kalyanam Tamil Song shot in the World Trade Fair 1968. Singers: T M Soundararajan, P.B. Srinivas, P. Sushila, L.R. Easwari, C.S. Ganesh. Director: C.V. Rajendran.)

Namma Annanagar Video -1 TS sev (Youtube)

Old Anna Nagar(chennai) from 1968 to 1972 Sundar Ramamoorthy (Youtube) 

Nature in Miniature: Bonsai Exhibition and Seminar as Part of Madras Week Celebrations

 

Ever keen to grow Bosai trees in your home garden, balcony, terrace but didn’t know how? How long it takes to develop some proficiency in Bonsai? People attracted to learn bonsai are keen to get involved immediately. Yet it is a lengthy process and the passion for bonsai should be very much alive within them.

‘Nature in Miniature’ The Bodhi Bonsai Association's Exhibition and seminar, a 2 day event  held from 7th August to the 8th August 2014 at the Department of Botany, Women’s Christian College, College Road, Chennai, India. organized the event.

As part of Madras Week celebrations, the event, organized by Bodhi in collaboration with the Department of Botany, Women’s Christian College. (The founding day of Madras is considered to be August 22, 1639 and hence MADRAS DAY, as always, is August 22. In 2014, MADRAS WEEK will be celebrated from August 17 to 24. Madras Week focuses on the city, its history, its past and its present. )

Bonsai (meaning tree in a tray) is the art of dwarfing or miniaturizing a tree in a shallow pot. Though the concept of miniaturizing a tree was known in ancient India, China and Thailand, the Japanese perfected this art and science and popularized across the world.

About 50 beautiful bonsai trees  were on display  (grown by the members of the association - with some up to  40 - 50 years old) appeared in different forms and styles:  Formal (Chokkan) and Informal (Moyogi) upright forms, Multi-Trunk,  Broom form (Hokidachi), Slanting form (Shakan), Twin Trunk (Soju), Multi-trunk (Kabudachi), Group (Yose-ue), Literati form, Exposed root form, Clinging-to-rock or Planted on rock (Ishitsuki), wind-swept (Fukinagashi), cascading (Kengai), forests, etc,  The seminar held on 8th Aug 2014 at this venue included demonstration and workshop.

Members demonstrated with actual Bonsai specimen including pruning (trim branches), styling wiring (to put wires around branches to make a tree strong) before the participants. Pruning or trimming the top and outer portions of the bonsai ready tree and a wide range styling techniques explained for  developing and maintaining the tree in miniature size and shape. Wiring, an important bonsai styling technique for shaping and setting angle of the branches, includes wrapping copper wire around the trunks and branches.  Other Bonsai styling methods include defoliation, creating deadwood and planting rock formations.

The Bodhi society acts as the medium for promoting bonsai and provides good opportunity for Bonsai enthusiasts to learn through exhibitions, demonstrations and workshops. The society members meet on second Saturday every month at Children’s Green Park, Spurtank Road (Opp. Grand Sweets), Chetpet, Chennai and allow guests on payment of Guest charge.