Chennai aka Madras celebrates its 383rd anniversary today. With limited knowledge by making visits and referencing the works of the historians of the city, I am presenting various aspects of Madras right from its origin to culture to its filmy craziness.
The works of Chennai Historians Sri Muthaiah, Sriram V and Sri KRA Narasiah have been useful in my understanding of the city.
So, why do we celebrate Aug 22 as Madras Day?
Let’s go back 400 years. British sent Thomas Roe as an emissary to Jehangir’s court and sought permission to set up a trading post. Permission was granted to set shop in Surat first. Why did they want to trade? India was rich in spices, cotton, and precious stones. They wanted to export raw materials and semi-finished goods from India and import finished goods.
Meanwhile, Dutch and British were engaged in skirmishes in Indonesia as well. The British officers in Java hit upon a plan to set shop in Coromandel coast of India as they wanted to explore an alternate, peaceful location. Captain Hippon sailed in a ship by name Globe and zeroed in on Pulicat (Pazhaverkadu). Pulicat which was under Dutch control already, successfully drove the British away. Captain Hippon landed 70 miles north and set up shop at Pettapoly in 1611.
He sought permission from Golconda Sultan and a warehouse or factory was set up in Masulipattinam too. Hold on. Just as how modern day politicians keep on extorting businessmen, the scenario was the same then too. Local Governor of Masulipattinam fleeced the British. To put it in today’s lingo, there was no Ease of Doing Business then. The English traders moved their post to Durgarayapattinam. Again, there was lot of issues there as well. They went back to Masulipattinam and to their dismay famine stuck there.
The English quest for a permanent settlement continued for 2 decades. Francis Day, a dynamic chief factor, zeroed in on Madras. He found a loyal Dubash Beri Thimappa who helped him to negotiate and strike a deal with the Venkatapati Nayak, a Nayak ruler of Wandiwash (Vandavasi) under whose control the Thondamandalam region was. He took on lease a narrow stretch of land on the northern bank of River Komaleshwaram (Cooum) bordered by sea on the east. The lease was for 2 years and revenue from trade was to be shared with the Nayak. This piece of land was south of a village by name Madarasapattinam. The Nayak laid a condition that this new settlement should be named after his father Chennappa Nayakar as Chennaippattinam.
Few called it Chennaippattinam, a few Madarasapattinam. And this deal was put down in writing and communicated by Francis Day to his boss Andrew Cogan on Aug 22, 1639. Hence, Madras Day is celebrated on Aug 22 every year.
Francis Day cited availability of Calico at 20% cheaper rates as the reason to convince Cogan to get the final nod. There is a gossip angle too. His Mistress was here and he wanted to set shop to be with her!
That narrow piece of land later was developed into Fort St George. Madras was truly the gateway to British in India. It gave them a lucky break. Not only a permanent settlement but also to many firsts including the first engineering college, Corporation, and the first regiment as well.
But Chennai’s age is not 383. Perhaps 3383 or even more.
Ptolemy and Periplus have referred to the city in their works. Ptolemy calls Mylapore by the name Mylarphon. He refers it as a prosperous port town in the eastern coast. Mylapore existed as a big trading hub then.
Moving from Greek references, we will move to the tale of St Thomas, an Apostle of Christ who is supposed to have lived in a cave in the modern day Little Mount and spread Christianity in and around the then Madras.
Moving to our own rich heritage, the present day Madras has numerous Saivite and Vaishnavite Temples dating back two millenniums. About five padal petra sthalams (temples mentioned in the sacred Saivite texts) in modern day Madras.
You have the Adhipureeshwar Temple in Tiruvottriyur where prominent Saivite Saints sang in praise of Shiva. This temple dates back to 7th century.
You have Kapaaleeshwarar in Mylapore, again an ageless wonder. Sambandar performed the miracle of bringing back Poompavai to life here. This temple originally was on the shore at the present day Santhome. The Portuguese who came in search of doubting Thomas’s relic pulverised the temple. Vijayanagar kings rebuilt the temple in the present place.
Moving further down, you have another temple in Tiruvanmiyur, again dating back to 7th century.
In the suburbs, you have the Padi temple or Tiruvallithayam, yet another glorious Saivite temple. Moving north west from there, you have Tiruvalangaadu, one of the five sabhas, where Shiva addressed Karaikkal Ammaiyar as Ammaiyar (Mother) who lived in 6th century. The temple existed even before her.
And for Vaishnavites, you have about seven Divya Desams in and around Chennai. Sriperumbudur, Tiruvellikkeni, Tiruvidanthai, Tiruneermalai, Tiruvallur, Tirunindravur and Tirukadal Mallai. All glorious ones, each one atleast 1300 years old. An inscription in Sri Parthasarathy Temple, Tiruvellikkeni dates back to 810 AD by Dantivarman, the Pallava King.
There are also so many other temples which may not figure in these 108 or 275 shrines but as rich in heritage as these. Peyazhwar was “born” in Mylapore. A temple in Koyembedu Sri Korangaleeshwarar is very ancient and this area had the Ashram where Lava and Kusha, sons of our beloved Sri Rama grew up according to a myth.
After going through the sthala puranams, inscriptions, one can conclude modern Madras is not 383 years old but more than 2 or 3 millennium old!
That’s the untold glory of our Madras!
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