Madras month: What are we celebrating? – The New Indian Express

As you drive down Mount Road, from north to south, you pass a beautiful old Indo-Saracenic building, unpainted, uncared-for, with plants growing out of the walls. This is Bharat Insurance Building, which had been marked for demolition by Life Insurance Corporation that now owns the building, but the Madras High Court, in a landmark judgment in 2010, included the building in a set of 400-plus heritage structures that could not be demolished and confirmed its grade ‘A’ certification. Not to worry. Its condition is so bad that it will probably fall down on its own one of these days.

Chennai celebrates Madras Month in August, when Francis Day signed the lease to take over the fishing village of Madrasapattinam to build a factory. The land belonged to the Raja of Chandragiri, whose agent, Damarla Venkatapathy Nayakar, slipped in a clause that it would be named after his father Chennappa Nayakar, a promise ignored by the British. Madras State became Tamil Nadu in 1969 and Madras became Chennai in 1996. Whoever had the idea of renaming the city was probably not aware that Chennappa Nayakar was a Telugu, and had never visited Madras. Well, at least that makes us less parochial!

Indo-Saracenic architecture was conceived in Madras and the first Art Deco building appeared here in 1938. But the authorities have never tried to conserve the heritage buildings and precincts. First, they wanted to break down Moore Market and when there was a huge uproar, a fire conveniently burnt it down. The same happened to the beautiful Spencer’s building—a childhood treat for most of us—which was replaced by the ugly Spencer Towers. Over the years, we have seen lovely old buildings and bungalows broken down and replaced by multi-storeyed buildings. And the character of entire precincts changed. For example, temple tanks were surrounded by houses whose roofs sloped towards the tank, collecting rainwater. Now the same houses have been replaced by buildings with flat roofs, while tarred roads have shut the water inlets. Naturally, the tanks are empty most of the year and groundwater levels are receding.

There are also several private houses with exclusive architecture, or where political events have taken place. Many owners of such homes cannot afford to maintain them and sell them off to builders who give them a good price and even an apartment. Can the government not step in and buy these houses, which can be used for government offices, schools, etc.?

Every region tries to preserve its heritage—tangible and intangible. Chennai has succeeded in preserving its intangible heritage—literature, music, dance and the folk arts. But tangible heritage has taken a beating. Temples are maintained by their trustees and occasionally by the HR&CE department, so we have Kapalishwarar temple, a tourist’s delight, a Chola temple at Tiruvotriyur and the Pallava monuments at Mamallapuram, which have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. What about other buildings?

Heritage management has become an area of focus today, influenced by liberalisation and globalisation. Heritage is a valuable resource that is conserved, protected and enjoyed throughout the world. It is also a source of identity. Archaeological heritage can promote economic development through tourism and contribute to harmony among cultures. For example, an Indo-Saracenic building includes Islamic, Hindu and British architectural features. Europe is a tourist’s delight, with beautiful old buildings maintained in pristine surroundings. Heritage resources are the valuable assets of a community and tell a story that defies time. They contribute to the education of young people and pride in one’s neighbourhood. India has so many monuments across the country, but local and national governments pick and choose what is politically or economically convenient, and ignore the rest. Heritage management certainly requires action in the context of Chennai that was Madras.

The Tamil Nadu Heritage Commission Act was promulgated in 2012, but after the bare acts came out, nothing happened. Several public buildings have been listed but no protection has been given, except for some like the Central Station, Madras High Court, Senate House and the Museum complex, to name a few that are in use. But behind the Central station, there is the ugly multi-storeyed suburban station, while the Museum has a hideous plastered frontage that covers the old building. Luckily, the National Art Gallery and Museum Theatre have been left alone. There is no understanding that a heritage building includes the area around it, which gives it a character.

Meanwhile, the city is becoming filthy and the traffic is chaotic. Our two fresh water rivers, Cooum and Adyar, have become streams of sewage, while there is no way for rainwater to recede, causing floods. Slums are growing as politicians settle their supporters in the city. The broad vistas have gone. There are a few large gardens where children can play and the beach, in pre-Covid times, was taken over by food carts selling every kind of eatable. The beach and the rivers are a part of our natural heritage. They too deserve to be protected.

The OMR is filled with shiny glass-fronted buildings that could become the new Chennai which aims to keep up with New York and Singapore. The ECR is also being built up hurriedly. How did they all get permission from the CRZ (Coastal Regulatory Zone) authorities to construct so many buildings?

So what are we celebrating? Memories and nostalgia? I have written two books on the city—Madras Then Chennai Now with Tishani Doshi and Madras-Chennai, Its History and Environment for children. So many others, especially S Muthiah, have written about Madras, while Manohar Devadoss and Sujatha Shankar have just produced a book of lovely sketches and stories. But it’s all about the old city of Madras. Nobody is celebrating Chennai. Let the “New” Chennai develop along OMR, leaving the beautiful old city alone. To quote a WhatsApp message I received, “Chennai is a city, Madras is an emotion.”

Nanditha Krishna

Historian, environmentalist and writer based in Chennai 

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