Thematic Statue: Music Troupe - two danseuses and Drummer (panchamuga vadhyam) - Chennai Statues

Thematic Statue: Music Troupe - two danseuses and Drummer (panchamuga vadhyam) (1)

Thematic Statue: Music Troupe - two danseuses and Drummer (panchamuga vadhyam) (2)

Thematic Statue: Music Troupe - two danseuses and Drummer (panchamuga vadhyam) (3)

Thematic Statue: Music Troupe - two danseuses and Drummer (panchamuga vadhyam) (4)

Thematic Statue: Music Troupe - two danseuses and Drummer (panchamuga vadhyam) (5)

Source: Government Museum Chennai

Source: India’s Musical Instruments of yore

As a part Chennai beautification drive, the Chennai Corporation has made initiatives through  the students of Government College of Arts and Crafts, Egmore, Chennai and they have designed four thematic sculptures. These four thematic statues were erected at four different vantage points of the city.

1. Theme: Bull and elephant, the symbol of Sangam age: Venue: Near Light House, Marina beach, Chennai.
2. Theme: statue of a boat: Venue: Installed inside the Dr. Annie Besant Park at Ice House which faces the Marina Beach, Chennai.
3. Theme: Sculptures of birds:  Venue: Erected at the intersection of South Canal Bank Road and Santhome High Road, Chennai
4. Theme: Music troupe: Venue: Erected at the intersections at Ramakrishna Mutt Road-Broadies Castle Road and Kamarajar Salai-Link Road (near to corporation play ground and opposite to Government Music College Adyar), Chennai.

This post is about the 'Music Troupe,' the fourth theme. The thematic sculpture is depicting the music troupe comprising two danseuses and the male drum beater.

The statue of two danseuses exhibit graceful facial expressions with their  emotive eyes, hands elaborating 'mudras' (gestural expressions by the hand palm and fingers) and the legs showing fine  adavus with firm footwork. The hair style, ornaments and the costume of the danseuses were sculpted with punctilious care. 

The drummer use both of his hands to beat the panchamuga vadhyam, a drum (the percussion instrument) with metal base (copper or brass metal)  and with five faces (mukha), named after the faces of Lord Siva: Sadyojatam, Isanam, Tatpurusham, Aghoram and Vamadevam. It is learned that this instrument originated in 12th century during Chola rule and the ancient instrument is also called in Tamil as 'Kudamuzha', 'Kudapanchamuki.' Please note that the central face of the drum shows larger diameter than the other four peripheral faces. Each face produce its own unique sound and five different sound produced are musically related. The rare musical instrument  is in use in prominent temples like Thiruvarur and Thiruthuraipoondi temples. I presume that the instrument at Thiruvarur temple is used in this 'Music Troupe' as model. The well trained drummer, with adequate skill  and knowledge in music was employed as temple staff and he was playing it during pooja timings and during processions.

In the World Tamil Conference 2010 Coimbatore Semmozhi Manadu there was a display of Panchmukavadhya and it was weighing about 1  1/2 ton.

Dr. Annie Besant (Traffic Island) Park at Marina: Chennai Statues

Statue of Dr.Annie Besant at Dr.Annei Besant Park, Marina, Chennai 

Dr.Annie Besant Statue at Dr.Besant Road & Kamarajar Salai Junction, Marina, Chennai

Plaque of Dr.Annie Besant at Dr. Annie Besant Par, Marina, Chennai



Thematic Statue of a Boat Designed by Student of Government College of Arts and Crafts, Egmore, Chennai





The statue of Dr. Annie Besant (1847 – 1933), an Irish woman (who came to India in 1893 to serve for the cause of Indians and was also a social reformer in various spheres after having deeply inspired by the Indian religious tradition and she). is located in the Dr. Annie Besant Park (traffic island or triangular park) at junction of Dr.Besant Road and Kamarajar Salai near Ice House. Dr. Besant has played many roles in her lifetime and all of those activities were revolutionary for a woman to be doing. Besant’s name became a part of the Theosophical Society, Adyar and she spent most of her time on the betterment of society and even towards India’s freedom struggle.

A thematic statue of a boat, designed by the student of Government College of Arts and Crafts, Egmore, Chennai was installed in 2010. The Chennai Corporation has installed this thematic statue at this park as part of city’s beautification drive.

Two Horse (Equestrian) statues at Gemini: Chennai Statues

Two Horse (Equestrian) statues at Gemini Chennai, a photo by Muthusamy Photostream on Flickr.

Two equestrian (Horse) statues were installed during 1970s at Anna (Gemini) flyover, Chennai. This statue is facing towards Uthmar Gandhi Salai (or Nungambakkam High Road) and the other one towards Cathdral Road. These two equestrian statues were installed to commemorate the abolition Horse Race in Chennai.

There are people to believe that the man taming the horse has some resemblance with Vandhiya Thevan, the hero of Kalki's popular Tamil historical novel Ponniyin Selvan.

Panagal Raja Statue, Panagal Park, T.Nagar: Chennai Statues

Sir Panaganti Ramarayaningar KCIE, Raja of Panagal

Profile of Sir Panaganti Ramarayaningar KCIE, Raja of Panagal:

Panagal Raja Sir Panaganti Ramarayaningar KCIE, was regarded as an advocate of democracy and a staunch supporter of empowerment of the depressed classes. He was a zamindar of Kalahasti (Andhra Pradesh), a Justice Party leader and the Chief Minister or Premier of Madras Presidency (July 11, 1921 to 11 September 1923 and 19 November 1923 to 3 December 1926). 

Ramarayaningar was born in Kalahasti on July 9, 1866. He did his schooling in Triplicane High School Madras and obtained degrees in Sanskrit in Presidency College, law, philosophy and Dravidian languages. He started his career as a lecturer in Presidency College before plunging into politics. He was one of the founder-members of the Justice Party. He served as Minister of Local Self Government in Justice Party (1921-1926) and the President of Justice Party (1925 to 1928).

I have captured this picture - the statue of Panagal Raja at Panagal Park, T.Nagar, Chennai - during 61st Chennai Photowalk.  

Sri P.T.Lee Chengalvaraya Naicker: A Great Indian Visionary, Educationist and Philanthropist

Statue of Nobel Philanthropist Sri P.T.Lee Chengalvaraya Naicker (1829 to 1874 ) at P.T. Lee Chengalvaraya Naicker Maaligai

This picture showing the statue of Nobel Philanthropist Sri P.T.Lee Chengalvaraya Naicker (1829 to 1874 ) at P.T. Lee Chengalvaraya Naicker Maaligai, No.23, Rajaji Salai, Chennai - 600 001.  

It is interesting to learn that Chengalvaraya Naicker served as subedar Major in the Madras Army. He earned the title 'Lee' in appreciation of his service as Dubashi (Translator) in Shand & Co. Chengalvaraya Naicker Naicker died in 1874 at the age of 45. Before his death the philanthropist bequeathed all his properties earned by him out of hard work and formed a trust. 

His vision for the trust was to provide stellar role in providing education to the masses to make them self-reliant. The above said Trust was functioning along with the famous Pachaippa’s Trust from 1874 to 9.10.96. From 10.10.96 on wards, the above said Trust is functioning independently as per the Supreme Court / High Court/Governing Orders. A commercial school in the name of Chengalvaraya Naicker was established in 1866. Mr. John Adam, who may justly be called the pioneer of commercial and technical education in Southern India, was instrumental in developing the Chengalvaraya Naicker’s Orphanage into a fully equipped Industrial School (Chengalvaraya Naicker Polytechnic College) in 1906. As per the ambition and intention of the Testator, number of educational and medical institutions have been started and are functioning successfully till date.

May Day Park, Chennai: An Iconic Urban Park from Colonial Times

May Day Park, Chennai - Facade

May Day Park, Chennai - Monument

May Day Park, Chennai - Granite Monument

May Day Park, Chennai - imposing fountain - an attraction

May Day Park, Chennai - Statue of Hungerford Tudor Boddam - British Judge, Madras High Court

May Day Park, Chennai - Statue of Hungerford Tudor Boddam - Plaque

The May Day Park, located at Deputy Mayor Kabalamoorthy Road in Chintadripet, originally known as Napier Park, is a good example of a park constructed during the British rule in 1869 and named after Francis Napier, the 10th Lord Napier and 1st Baron Ettrick, KT, PC, the Governor of Madras Presidency (27 March 1866 – 19 February 1872). This park has provided the innovative groundwork and value for park culture in Madras city adhering to its cultural needs. The colonial administrators realized that the development of parks is an important aspect of urbanization. Over the years the Madras Municipality (Colonial rule) and the the Chennai corporation (after independence) strived to augment the green cover in the city. Now the total number of parks have increased to 486.  Urbanization experts consider that this number is still inadequate when comparing with Delhi (15,000), Mumbai (1,300), Bangalore (721) and Hyderabad (709).

This 14 acre land, once used as stables by Messrs. Burghall and Company in Chintadripet, has been converted as an urban park. Messrs. Simpson & Co had an eye over the land for their carriage factory expansion requirements. However Madras Municipality passed a resolution on 28th January 1869 and proposed the need for developing an urban park at this site. The Government of Madras Presidency has approved the proposal and accorded finance sanction and land allotment on 15th April 1869.

This park was used to hold public meetings by political leaders like M.Singaravelar and Periyar. Several rallies and processions including the anti-Hindi agitation during 1960s were flagged off from here by eminent leaders.

At the north eastern corner of the park the statue of of Hungerford Tudor Boddam, the eminent British Judge of Madras High Court stands under the arched canopy.

The Napier Park was later renamed by the Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi to meet the demands from Communist Party. There is a symbolic 'May Day' monument with two gear wheels, a gun and the word 'May' sculpted in Tamil. Also there is a mound shaped water fountain.

The present park has not only have greenerys, trees and walkways but also equipped with facilities for children’s area with swings  and also space for cricket, football, volleyball and badminton on the eastern and western sides of the park. The park, maintained by Simpson & Co, has given a new meaning for public recreation spaces in Chennai city.

King George V Statue, Flower Bazaar Police Station, George Town, Chennai

King George V (view 1)

King George V (View 2)

The British legacy left many imrints in Chennai and the statue of King George V near Flower Bazaar Police station, Chennai is one such monument.

It was opened in 1938 by then the Governor of Madras Province Lord Erskine. Dewan Bahadur Govindoss Chatoorbhujadoss, an influential Gujarati businessman, funded and commissioned two statues – statue of King George V and the statue of King Edward VII. The Indian sculptor M S Nagappa sculpted the statue of King George V. The mould came from England and the casting was done here. Lord Govindoss presented the statue to King George in 1935, the silver jubilee year of his ascension to the throne.

Lord Govindoss Chatoorbhujadoss

A photograph of the statue was sent to England and M.S.Nagappa got a hand-written reply from the King. The letter read I have been posing to get my likeness from a local artist with my personal sitting which has not been very successful, whereas you have brought an immense likeness with just my photograph. So, we decorate you with the title Rao Bahadur.

King George V, marble portrait statue, formerly situated at the Flower Bazaar Police Station, Madras, now at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi (1916). The statue of King George V near the War Memorial was the replica of the one unveiled beside the Flower Bazaar police station.