Sowkar pet jewellers

 

Historic hub: Many notable jewellery brands had humble beginnings on NSC Bose Road

Gold has always been an integral part of this old city, and holds a sentimental value among the people. The glitter of the yellow metal continues to draw people despite the changing era and sky-rocketing prices.

In the early 1900s, the pincode 600001, for Sowcarpet or George Town, was the hub for the gold market. It is one of the few trades that continues to be a family business for generations.

rows of gold shops during 1940s and 1950s were spread over hardly 200-300 sq. ft. and dealt with only gold bars. Nearly 80% of the jewellery were made on orders, recalled jewellers.

The city is still home to several brands, including Mehta Jewellery, Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers (VBJ) and LKS Gold House, that had their humble beginning on NSC Bose Road or at George Town almost a century ago.

 “The speciality then was exclusive designs and the personal attention provided to customers. Each jeweller could be identified by the quality of ornaments and we had our own batch of goldsmiths who used to make jewels out of gold bars given to them. They were either paid in cash or gold bars,”

 said L.K.S. Syed Ahmed, chairman, LKS Gold House, and chief adviser, Tamil Nadu Gold Jewellery Federation. Though the brand was started in 1925, LKS Gold House had its first city branch at Rattan Bazaar in 1945.

NSC Bose Road housed both gold shops and goldsmiths in the same hub. The concept of retail jewellery business and ready-made ornaments became popular during the early 1970s with jewellers adapting themselves to the changing mindset of people and the growing demand.

While Sowcarpet still retains the traditional flavour of the gold market, a new breed of wholesalers invaded the Madras market in the 1980s and brought in designs and machine-cut ornaments from places, including Mumbai and Kolkata.

 “Wholesalers flourished after the government provided relaxations in the Gold (Control) Act (which was repealed in 1990), and they provided ornaments on credit to jewellers. But some jewellers like us employ goldsmiths even now to manufacture exclusive designs,” said Mr. Ahmed.

With Sowcarpet becoming congested, many jewellers began eyeing T. Nagar as a potential retail hub with parking space as most of the customer base was in south Chennai. “The jewellery business in Madras from a century ago until now is known for its affinity to quality and ethics,” said Amarendran Vummidi, Managing Partner, VBJ.

Mr. Vummidi recalls that his family had purchased 6 grounds then and had the foresight to earmark 4 grounds for parking space.

In 1890, P. Orr & Sons, which was also a renowned jewellery-maker then, circulated an illustrated catalogue carrying details of 400 items it had for sale — including jewellery, watches, clocks and cutlery.

Until the early 1970s, goldsmiths dominated the gold market. Each family had its own ‘achari’, who made ornaments for special occasions. 

Edapalayam, off NSC Bose Road,remains a goldsmiths’ hub

M. Mannivannan, a second-generation goldsmith at Sowcarpet, recalled how his father used to make gold bangles enough to fill a few bamboo baskets

Kabali mylai

 

The Kapaleeswarar Temple's original site was built by the Pallava Dynasty in the 7th century, later destroyed by the Portuguese in the 16th century, and then rebuilt in the 17th century by the Vijayanagara kings near a different location.

 The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva as Kapaleeshwarar and Goddess Karpagambal, and its name means "Lord of the Skull". 

Located in Mylapore, a historic area mentioned in ancient literature, the temple is a prime example of Dravidian architecture with intricate carvings and stucco work

. 

Parthasarathy temple triplicane

 

1890 tiru alli keni 

1851

Linghi chetty Street

 

Linghi Chetty – Mint Master and not Dubash

It is common practice today to refer to them all as dubashes (translators) but that is not correct. Many were into specialised crafts and one among these was Linghi Chetty who was Mint Master. I got some further details on him while researching for a long article on the history of mints in the city. He is first mentioned in connection with the Chintadripet mint which was established in 1743 in that newly founded weavers’ village and Linghi Chetty was assigned the post of ‘Mint Undertaker.’ He was given the job at the instance of Vennala Audiappa Naick who, together with Chinnatambi Mudaliar was assigned the task of designing and establishing Chintadripet. And Linghi Chetty got the job in the teeth of much opposition. 

Linghi Chetty’s Mint

For one, he was considered a rank outsider by the gold and silver smiths at the mint. Secondly, the post of Mint Shroff and Manager had till then been assigned to Brahmins (the Mint Brahminees as they were known) and it was at Audiappa’s recommendation that Governor Benyon gave Linghi Chetty the task. But having taken it up, he soon no doubt learnt quickly. He seems to have been faithful to the English even when the French occupied Madras between 1746 and 1749. On their return, the English consulted Linghi Chetty on the condition of the gold and silver mints at Fort St George and solicited his views on their repair. He thereafter presumably continued operating the Chintadripet Mint. 

Linghi Chetty & Devaperumal – Father, Son & Co

Linghi Chetty passed away in 1754, and his son Devaperumal, referred to as Tepperumal and Chiperumal in Company records, became the Mint Shroff. By then all three mints (the two inside the Fort and the one in Chintadripet) were under a common Assay Master, Edward Edwards who was trained in England. Tepperumal was his assistant, and his writ ran across all the mints in the city. Unlike his father, he had a tenuous relationship with the goldsmiths who filed complaints against him. 

Father and son were prominent figures in the cultural scene as well. Both were dharmakartas or trustees of the Tiruvottriyur temple. Linghi Chetty finds mention in the Sanskrit work Sarva Deva Vilasa. Tepperumal is praised in a verse by Arunachala Kavi, the composer of the Rama Natakam. In it he is mentioned as the son of Linghi Chetty. 

It is likely that Linghi Chetty had his residence in the street that took his name. It is remarkable that the name has survived from the 1750s.

Chinna tari pettai

 

Chintadripet was originally called ‘Chinna tari pettai,’ which translates to ‘

a village of small looms,’ the latter being what it was known for decades ago. This weaver’s village had large agricultural fields before the transformation of the place. 

In the 1730s, the East India Company sought the help of a sect of people called Dubashes, who were basically the interpreters for the East India Company, to revive the slump-hit cloth trade. 

With their help and of a few others, the Company started developing this area and

 building infrastructure to help trade flourish. 

Chintadripet was one of the few localities in those days where streets were not demarcated on the basis of caste.

Iyya Mudali Street in Chintadripet is home to families who make temple umbrellas. The business is run by the Saurashtrian community that came to Chintadripet as weavers. By the beginning of the 19th century, the handloom industry here had started to see signs of decline. The growth of power looms and cheaper dyes in England contributed to the decline of the industry in India. As volumes fell, people from Chintadripet migrated to Kanchipuram, but the Saurashtrian community decided to stay back and got into the business of making temple umbrellas. The exact time of this change is not known. This street is globally renowned for temple umbrella making, and their products are supplied to temples in Malaysia, Singapore and to countries as far as Australia

Saidapet

 

Saidapet

Saidapet  is an important neighbourhood in Chennai (Madras), India. 

The Saidapet Court, the only other court of judicature in Chennai city apart from the Madras High Court and the Saidapet bus depot are located here. Prior to its incorporation in Madras city, Saidapet functioned as the administrative headquarters of Chingleput district.

Saidapet was founded by the Nawab of the Carnatic in the 18th century AD and was named Sayyid Khan Pettah after Sayyid Khan, the army commander of the Nawab's forces. When the kingdom began to decline, Saidapet was occupied by the British East India Company and was made the administrative headquarters of Chingleput district.

Saidapet is named after Sayyid Shah (Sayyid Musalman Sahib), a high-ranking 18th-century official of the court of the Nawab of Arcot. The then Nawab of Arcot gifted these parts to Sayyid Shah in 1730. However, Saidapet at that time also included Kotturpuram and Nandanam.

The Maraimalai Adigal Bridge (previously the Marmalong Bridge) connects the northern banks of the Adyar river with the south. This bridge was originally built in 1726 by Armenian Coja Petrus Uscan. The dilapidated old bridge was replaced by a new one in the 1960s built as part of the reconstruction and modernization efforts.

A marble plaque with multinlingual inscriptions in Persian, Latin and Armenian on the northern edge of the Marmalong Bridge adjoining the Saidapet Bus Stand commemorate the construction of the first-ever Marmalong Bridge across the Adyar River by Armenian trader Coja Petrus Uscan in the year 1726

The Karaneeswarar Temple and the washing area in the Adyar river are not the only aspect that adds fame to Saidapet.

An educational institution which makes Saidapet very distinguished is the Teachers' Training College which has completed 100 years, whence thousands of trained teachers have come out and enlightened lakhs and lakhs of students. 

The YMCA school at Saidapet is a training centre for the physical education instructors. This is also a very reputed institution. In the past 20 years, dozens of Tamil and Telugu movie shootings have been held in this open field. 

The Saidapet swimming pool, maintained by YMCA, is also famous. There was a time when there were only two swimming pools in Chennai. One is the swimming pool on the Beach in Marina. The next one is the YMCA pool at Saidapet.

Panagal Maaligai or Panagal Building, built upon the site of an older building of the same name functions as a Revenue Office and is so named after the Raja of Panagal. It's predecessor functioned as Chingleput District Collectorate

Karaneeswarar temple

This temple is located next to the railway station. This temple has a 7-storied Gopuram with two prakarams. The main deity is Lord Karaneeswara and Goddess Swarnaambikai. 

Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal kovil

The temple was constructed in the middle of 15th century. According to some old inscription Popularly known as Perumal Kovil of Saidapet. The main deity is Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal. 

Kadumbaadi Chinnamman kovil

A very famous Shakthi temple in West Saidapet. Fridays of the Tamil months of Aadi and Thai are famous. Annual brahmotsavam takes place during the Tamil month of Aadi.

Anjaneyar temple

This Hanuman temple is situated on the banks of the Adyar river. There is one more Anjaneyar temple facing the Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal kovil .The temple is believed to be very powerful. It is said the Hanuman in this temple is incarnated in such a way that he is worshipping Lord Rama situated at the Narasimha temple.

Subramanya Swamy temple

This temple is situated in the center of Saidapet. Its main deity is Lord Subramanya Swamy (Muruga) and has a 5 storied gopuram. 

Soundareswarar temple

This temple is situated in the centre of Saidapet, nearer to the newly constructed Market Subway which links to the Anna Salai and Alandur. Its main deity is Lord Soundareswarar and Lord Thirupurasundari. Lord Varasithi Vinayar facing West is famous one.  The temple is also known as Vada Thirunaraiyur. 

A few meters south of the MaraiMalai Adigalar Bridge is the hill formation called Little Mount. On top of this mountain is a church dedicated to Our Lady of Good Health. The original church was built by the Portuguese in the 1551 AD. The new church was built after demolishing a part of old church in 1970s. It is believed that St. Thomas the Apostle lived in a cave, which is well preserved under the Church even today.

   1. The bridge located near the market on Jeenis road serves as a vital link to Mount Road from West Saidapet.

   2. Jones road underpass serve an important link for West Saidapet.

   3. Aranganathan subway serves to connect Ashok Nagar and Mambalam.

   4. Alandhur bride to connect Guindy Industrial Estate and West Saidapet, it helps to by-pass Guindy Katipara bridge to reach Mount road from 100 Feet road.

Kalaignar Karunanithi, the present Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu was once elected from this constituency. It occupies an important place in Tamil Nadu politics being the starting place for election rallies.

Saidapet assembly constituency is part of Chennai South (Lok Sabha constituency).[2]

Saidapet had a large weaver population and handlooms were in operation as late as 1990. It was quite notorious for filariasis in the olden days.

Saidapet has a very busy shopping market place called the Bazaar Road. It is famous for its fish market attracting buyers from faraway places.

Roads..China Bazaar

 

NSC Bose Road Aka China Bazaar road. 1850s

After Fort St. George was built in 1640, a new township for the servants of the inmates of the fort, known as the Black Town, came up outside the fort to the northern side. 

In 1773, the English erected 13 pillars along the flattened area of the Black Town, banning all construction activities between the pillars and the fort as it might block the view of possible invaders. 

Soon a new Black Town was formed beyond these pillars, with the old Black Town giving way to the Madras High Court. A thoroughfare was formed along the stretch between the pillars and the high court, which eventually became known as China Bazaar Road. 

Till the 19th century, the road was occupied by a large number of tiled houses.

 In 1787, Thomas Parry, a Welsh businessman, bought the land with a garden house lying across the High Court buildings at the junction of NSC Bose Road and Rajaji Salai and developed it as a commercial complex housing the offices of Parry and Lane. The junction eventually became known as Parry's Corner.

In 1850, Pachaiyappa's Hall, another landmark on the road, was built and named after the philanthropist Pachaiyappa Mudaliar. 

The road was one of the major junctions in the city when tram transportation began in 1895.

 The road also housed the Kothawal Chavadi market to where vegetables from various places around the city were brought. The market was considered the largest in Asia. 

The road is also considered the origin of the jewellery market in the city. The road housed several gold and diamond merchants. The Madras Jewellers & Diamond Merchants' Association, which was established in 1938, was initially headquartered at China Bazaar Road. 

The office of the Consulate General of the United States was located on this road from 1908 till the 1950s 

The "China Bazaar" name likely stemmed from the businesses and people of Chinese origin who settled in the area, including a traditional family of dentists from China who migrated during World War I. 

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Pachiappas

 

George town

 

George Town & Parry’s British Era Madras, 1885

George Town was originally called Black Town - and it meant exactly that. The blacks (Indians) stayed there while the English stayed in their Fort St. George -a little to the south. 

The town must have come up to supply goods and services to the Fort. The old streets and layout are still the same except that old buildings are being demolished.

 The harbour pier was constructed in 1861, and slowly, commercial offices and banks came up. The First Line Beach Road had magnificent buildings. 

A few are still there. 

The harbour was the first priority for trade and it was set up quickly.  Madras did not have a natural harbour. 

Soon the railways came and a beautiful station was built as a terminus. With the harbour and the railways, the British had their lines of communication and transport.

George Town was originally called Black Town - and it meant exactly that. The blacks (Indians) stayed there while the English stayed in their Fort St. George -a little to the south. The town must have come up to supply goods and services to the Fort. The old streets and layout are still the same except that old buildings are being demolished. The harbour pier was constructed in 1861, and slowly, commercial offices and banks came up. The First Line Beach Road had magnificent buildings. A few are still there. The harbour was the first priority for trade and it was set up quickly. Unlike Bombay and Calcutta, Madras did not have a natural harbour. Soon the railways came and a beautiful station was built as a terminus. With the harbour and the railways, the British had their lines of communication and transport.

Mannady George town

 

Vintage mannady

Mannady at present

Mannady's history is rooted in a geographical transformation in the 1770s when a mound near the site of present-day Chennai Central Station was flattened, and its soil was used to fill a ditch in the George Town area. This newly developed, soil-rammed (mann adi) area became known as Mannady, giving it a name derived from its formation as real estate. The area remains a part of George Town and is a busy commercial hub today

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Madras Port &Harbour

Masula boats

Harbour, 1885.

 Until 1815, the harbour was an open roadstead and sandy beach, and ships had to anchor over 1 km offshore. Masula boats, which were simple, flat-bottomed and high-sided wooden boats that could handle surf conditions well, were used to ferry passengers and goods from ships to the shore.

Work on the new harbour started in 1910

 It was not until the 1850s that work began on a pier to berth ships.

Port

The port's official operations began in 1881, although maritime trade in the region dates back to 1639 with the foundation of the city.

 The foundation stone for the Madras Harbour Works was laid on 15th December 1875 by Edward VII, the Prince of Wales, and the artificial harbor commenced operations in 1881

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Parry's Corner

 

High court

Dare House..EID Parry

Parry's Corner is a prominent locality and business hub situated in George Town, Chennai, India, near the Chennai Port at the intersection of North Beach Road and NSC Bose Road.

 It is named after Thomas Parry, a Welsh merchant who established the EID Parry Company in 1787, with its corporate headquarters located on the corner.

 The landmark Parry Building, which stands on the corner, is a key identifier of the locality.

The name "Parry's Corner" is derived from the EID Parry company, which originated from the partnership firm "Parry and Dare" established in 1819 by Thomas Parry and John William Dare.

 The company, founded in 1788, is one of the oldest surviving mercantile names in Chennai and the Indian subcontinent, with a history spanning over 200 years.

 It was taken over by the Murugappa Group in 1981.

Parry's Corner is part of the larger George Town neighborhood, historically known as Muthialpet, which served as the foundation for the expansion of Madras city from the 1640s onwards.

 The area is also known by other names such as Broadway, named after a main thoroughfare, and is located near significant landmarks like Fort St. George, the Madras High Court, and the Anderson Church, one of the oldest and most prominent churches in the region.

 The area has a rich cultural and religious diversity, with temples, mosques, churches, and a synagogue historically present.

The locality is also notable for its historical significance, including the survival of one of the 13 pillars erected in 1773 to mark a cleared area for military defense, which now stands within the compound of the Parry Building.

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Roads and names

 Greenways Road is named after Mr. Greenway, who was the Chief Secretary to the Government of Madras in the Nineteen Hundreds

The Hindu says, "It was the road connecting two garden houses belonging to one Edward Croft Greenway, a judge in the 1800s."

PONDY BAZAAR

In 1933 Mr. PONDICHERY. CHOKKALINGA MUDHALIAR built 10 shops and named it as PONDY BAZAAR to glorify his native Pondichery. That’s how the name was coined , the name of the bazaar “PONDY” was derived from Pondichery where he was Born and he came to Madras to be a businessman .

Cenotaph Road 

got its name because there used to be a cenotaph for Lord Cornwallis near the junction at Mount Road.

Cornwallis was Governor-General of India twice in his career. He died in Ghazipore, so the then Sheriff of Madras decided to build a cenotaph to commemorate Cornwallis.

The cenotaph was shifted to First Line Beach in 1880s and later to then Supreme Court of Madras, which was later demolished to make way for the Chennai Collectorate.

Ashar gana (near Kathipara junction, Guindy)

 the Britishers used Mount road to visit St. Thomas Mount. 

They used horses and horse-driven carriages as primary means of transport; and . As with any metal, horseshoes wear out over time; being in the vicinity of the then frequented St. Thomas Mount, the spot near Kathipara became famous for horseshoe sales and repairs; workshops delving in horse shoe business mushroomed around the locality.

 Gradually the place grew up to be called 'Horse Shoe Corner'. the locals, with their limited knowledge of English, localized the name to their suiting. Hence, what was 'Horseshoe Corner' got corrupted over 300 years to Horshhoe Corner -> Horshsha Conner -> Haasha-Conna -> Assha-caanna -> and today, Ashargana. 

Chromepet

 got its name from Chrome Leathers, a British company which had its factory in the locality. 

 the area came to be called Chrome-pettai (pettai is Tamil for area, zone, etc).

Pallavaram

It's officially called Pallavapuram (Tamil for City of Pallavas), and is considered one of the oldest inhabited areas in South India.

 this town was set up during the period of the Mahendravarma Pallava, 

  Manimangalam, the town where the Pallavas fought off the Chalukyas (covered vividly in Kalki's Sivagamiyin Sabadham) is quite close to Pallavaram.

Thousand Lights is Named after The Thousand Lights Mosque built in 1810 hu

The site of the mosque was previously occupied by an assembly hall. There was a tradition of lighting thousand oil lamps to illuminate the assembly hall. The mosque thus got its name from this tradition.

Patullo's Road in Chennai ko connects Whites Road with Mount Road near Spencer Mall, is named after Captain Archibald Erskine Patullo, who served as the commandant of the Governor’s Bodyguard in the Madras Cavalry and died in 1824.

Kolaikaranpettai Royapetta

According to 85-year-old resident Parvathiammal, the street has gone from Kulasekaran street when she was young to Kolkaran street before it changed to Kolaikaranpettai.

“This used to be a hub for kolattam (dance form), even (former chief minister) MG Ramachandran used to learn the art form here. In fact, that was how it came to be called Kolkaranpettai,” she said

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Triplicane

 

Along with with Mylapore and the surrounding regions, Triplicane is historically much older than the city of Chennai itself, with a mention in records as early as the Pallava period.

One of the four "Old Towns" in the city, the neighbourhood was the first village obtained by the English to expand the new city of Madras beyond its "White Town" neighbourhood within the Fort St.George.

Primarily a residential region, it is home to some of the tourist attractions of the city, such as the marina beach,parthasarathy temple and several commercial establishments. Triplicane is also known for its traditional culture, which is prominent in and around the streets (known as mada veedhi in Tamil) of Parthasarthy Temple.

Thirumangai Alvar, described Thiruvallikeni as a densely canopied forest with peacocks and koels, where the sun's rays could not penetrate.

Another poet, Peyalwar, describes Thiruvallikeni as, "by the tossing sea... where corals and pearls washed ashore liken the evening sky and the lamps they light of dusk.

built in the eighth century by a Pallava King The temple was later expanded by the ,Pallava Chola Vijayanagara  rulers.

It has been recorded that a rivulet, Kaivareni, ran across Triplicane and Mylapore.

legend has it that the rivulet connected two water bodies: the temple tank of Parthasarathy temple and a sacred well, Mani Kairavani, in the flower garden of of Adi 

Keshava Perumal in Mylapore.

It is believed that Peyalwar one of the 12 Alwars was born on a lily flower in this well and that he sailed through the rivulet to worship Lord Krishna in the Parthasarathy temple.

To commemorate this, the idol of Peyalwar in Mylapore is brought, as a procession, to Parthasarathy temple every year in the month of September.

Peyalwar temple was built in the 13th century

In the 1600s, Triplicane was a separate village. After about a century, the British found Triplicane to be a good area for settlement and a large number of people moved there. 

In 1668, Triplicane was annexed to the Madras City, making it the first neighbourhood to be annexed to the city.It was obtained from the Sultan of Golconda on rent in 1676.

From that time, Triplicane grew in importance, second only to George Town.In addition, the presence of the Nawab of Arctic increased the economic prosperity of the area, and many Muslims settled in Triplicane. 

In 1795, the Wallajah Mosque was built.[22] During this period Chepauk Palace and Amir Mahal, were also built.

In 1841, Ice House was built to store the ice bars imported from America through ships. Ice bars were imported to provide the English temporary relief from the blistering heat.This building was renamed Vivekananda House after Swami Vivekananda stayed in the building for a brief while.

In the mid-19th century, numerous educational institutions were formed in the area. Hindu Higher Secondary School was started in 1853 and Presidency College in 1864–65. 

In 1870, the college was moved to its present location on Beach Road. 

In 1884, Marina Beach promenade was built.

In 1896, Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha (SPSS), the oldest sabha in chennai, was founded and operated from the Hindu High School on Big Street.

The building which currently serves as the Triplicane police station was built around 1891 to guard Madrasapatnam.This building is the city's oldest police station.

Triplicane High Road is one of the roads that had a tram line running through it during the British reign.

In 1904, Triplicane Urban Cooperative Society (TUCS) was started.

In 1916, Star Theatre was built on Triplicane High Road.

(demolition in  2012.

In 1925, Mahatma Gandhi visited Triplicane to address a huge gathering.In 1933, he revisited the neighbourhood. 

In 1934, the first cricket match was played at the Chepauk Stadium

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Mylapore

East tank

Streets

Kapali Temple

Mylapore is an ancient settlement. 

with written records of early settlements going back to the first century BCE.

Thiruvalluvar, the Tamil poet-philosopher, is believed to have been born here in 31 BCE.

It was known for its ancient port with a flourishing trade with the Roman Empire, receiving gold in exchange for its products like pepper and fine cloth. 

Ptolemy had recorded in the second century CE that the port of Mylapore was known to the Greeks and the Romans. 

The Saivite Saints of the seventh century, Saint Sambandar and Saint Appar, have sung about the shrine in their hymns. 

Mention has been made of the early settlement of Santhome (currently known) by Arab travelers and merchants of the ninth and tenth centuries. Marco Polo visited the place in the late 13th century and left a detailed description of the land, the people along with their customs and religion and also visited the tomb of Saint Thomas the Apostle in Mylapore (currently Santhome).

It was considerable maritime time and the ancient German and Greek maps refer to the town as 'Maliarpha'. The later Scottish researchers like James Playfair referred it "Meliapour"

Mylapore was occupied by the Portuguese in 1523, who established the viceroyalty of "São Tomé de Meliapor" or "Saint Thomas of Mylapore." Portuguese rule lasted until 1749, except for a brief period between 1662 and 1687, when the town was occupied by the Dutch.

After 1749, the British East India Company took possession of the settlement in the name of Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah, the Nawab of Arcot.

In that same year, Mylapore was incorporated into the administration of the Presidency of Madras. 

The settlement known as "Luz" developed during this period. The name finds its origins from the 'Nossa Senhora Da Luz' (Our Lady of Light) church built by the Portuguese in 1516 CE. This church is one of the oldest standing Christian structures in all of Tamil Nadu.

Mylapore, its naming and different names:

Mylapore gets its name due to the legend of Parvathi in the form of a peahen. Also Myil in tamil means peacock. As per the Brahmanda purana, Mylapore is referred as Mayurapuri. Mayur in Sanskrit means peacock.

Vedapuri and Sukrapuri are some of the alternate names of Mylapore. Vedapuri because the four vedas prayed to Lord Shiva here. Sukrapuri because the one eyed Sukracharya worshiped Lord Shiva here to restore his eyesight. Blinded in one eye by the dwarf Vamana (incarnation of Lord Vishnu), Sukracharya regains his lost eyesight.

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Chepauk palace

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1895

Chepauk Palace View From The River Cooum Madras, 1880

Muhammad Ali, 8th Nawab of the Carnatic (from 1749 to 1795) built the Chepauk Palace. 

The Palace included two blocks arranged in the form of “L”,The south wing was double-storied and was known as the Kalasa Mahal or Treasury

It contained the Dewan Khana, a magnificent audience chamber. 

 The property originally belonged to Mahfuz Khan, brother of the Nawab. 

The latter acquired it in 1767. Three years later he obtained a further grant of land from the Governor of Fort St George.

Whereupon he enclosed the entire site of 117 acres with a boundary wall. Extending southward from the bar of the Cooum River, and along its banks. 

The thirteenth and the last Nawab of Carnatic, Ghulam Mohammed Ghaus Khan, was childless. The British Government took over the palace upon his death.

The canal is a branch of the famous Cooum in Chennai. Unfortunately, this  is almost dead today. 

In 1859, the former Survey School became the Civil Engineering College and moved into part of Kalasa Mahal. The college was renamed College of Engineering in 1861.

In 1862 the accommodation for the college was extended to a part of the lower floor and the whole of the uppe floor. The Government Carnatic Agent occupied the remainder of the lower floor.

In 1904, a committee considering the re-organisation of the College recommended that it be moved to Guindy. This move finally occurred in 1923.

Pycroft's road triplicane

 

Pycroft's road triplicane 1899

 named after Sir Thomas Pycroft.  has been renamed to Bharathi Salai now.

Sir Thomas Pycroft wa jis a British administrator and civil servant who served as a member of the Madras Legislative Council from 1862 to 1867.

On completion of his education, he was offered a "writership" by the East India Company .

Pycroft arrived in Madras in August 1829 and served, initially, as writer and then, in the revenue and judicial departments in South Arcot from 1829 to 1839 when he returned to the United Kingdom. 

In 1843, Pycroft came back to India after a three-year hiatus and was transferred to the Madras secretariat.

Pycroft became  Secretary of the Revenue Department in 1845  Chief Secretary  from 1855 till 1862,  and  as a member of the council from 1862 to 1867.

In 1866, Pycroft was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India . The street in which he lived was named Pycroft's Road in his honour.

Pycroft died at Folkestone in 1892 at the age of 84.

Source : Wikipedia

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Mowbray's Road

Mowbray’s Road In Adyar Madras, 

A beautiful naturally arched tree-lined road that gives a surreal appearance. The road was once said to be as the most beautiful in Madras. Earlier to that it was a bullock cart track until it was acquired by, George Mowbray, who arrived in Madras in 1771.

Mowbray was just an accountant originally in Fort St George. Later he became the Accountant General through sheer hard work and dedication.

 In 1780 he acquired 100 acres of land in the neighborhood and built a house that came to be known as the Mowbray’s Cupola.

the Adyar club  later acquired the land and the house, after his demise for the expansion of the club. 

After 1947 the road was renamed “TTK road” it is now part of Alwarpet in Chennai

Mowbray's road 1885 

1902

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Spencer Plaza

The original Spencer Plaza – Madras (Chennai) – 1863

Spencer Plaza was built in 1863–1864, established by Charles Durant and J. W. Spencer in Anna Salai, then known as Mount Road, in the Madras Presidency. The property originally belonged to Spencer & Co Ltd. 

Spencer & Co opened the first department store in the Indian subcontinent in 1895. It had over 80 individual departments. After a few years, Eugene Oakshott, owner of Spencer's, shifted the department store to a new building, which was an example of Indo-Saracenic style of architecture. The building was designed by W. N. Pogson. 

In 1983, the original building was destroyed in a fire.

The present Spencer Plaza was constructed on the same site, measuring about 10 acres, and was opened in 1991

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P Orr & Sons

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A little less than a kilometre north from Higginbotham’s along the Mount Road, another Chisholm masterpiece greets the wanderer. Inaugurated by King George V and Queen Mary in 1879 and home to watchmakers P. Orr & Sons, a three-faced clocktower, quite suitably dominates the façade of this building constructed in the Byzantine style of architecture.

 Scotsman Peter Orr reached the shores of the quaint little sea town of Madras in 1843 with his brother, Alexander Orr. They eventually joined George Gordon & Co. in the watchmaking business, ultimately taking over in 1849 after Gordon’s retirement and even earning the monicker ‘the timekeepers of Madras.’

P. Orr & Sons ventured into a variety of business that included everything from crockery, clothing and cycles to even arms, ammunition and airplane metres, their most successful diversification was into gold, diamonds and silverware. 

They popularized micro-repoussé jewellery based on Hindu mythological figures crafted by artisans from Trichy as Swami Ware and produced lockets, necklaces and bracelets in that style. These pieces became extremely fashionable in the West and visitors to India often shopped specifically for Swami Ware jewellery. 

An exquisite example of Swami Ware, mythological repoussés inspired by artisans from Trichy 

The aftermath of the Second World War left the business reeling and soon after independence, the company was sold to Karumuttu Thiagarajan Chettiar, a textile baron in 1967. Chettiar cut down the flab in the product mix and returned P. Orr & Sons to its roots as a watchmaker. Today, the business functions as a subsidiary of Loyal Textiles owned by the Chettiar family 

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Mount road

 "Mount Road, now called Anna Salai, is an ancient, roughly 400-year-old thoroughfare in Chennai, originally a dusty path linking the British East India Company's Fort St. George to St. Thomas Mount."

 

The road's current structure and layout were significantly developed during the governorship of Charles Macartney, who played a key role in shaping it into the artery it is today. 

 Following the defeat of Tipu Sultan in 1799, British officials began building garden bungalows along the road, marking its emergence as a developed area. 

In the 1700s, the road was lined with garden houses and large colonial mansions with balconies and verandas set amidst lush gardens.[6] By the 1800s, Mount Road has become the traders' area of the city of Madras while First Line Beach in Georgetown remained the seat of processing, shipping and manufacturing businesses. However, the business activities of Mount Road was responsible for the city's economic growth. Several giant firms had beginnings on Mount Road, from the Amalgamations group to the TVS group. The road's proximity to the Government House, the home of the Governor, and the palaces of the Nawabs of Arcot resulted in several firms selling cars and other luxury goods setting up shops on the road. Simpson & Co, which moved to its current location opposite Government Estate after 1875, began building carriages and coaches and then cars. In the early 1900s, the road became the entertainment hub for the British.[6] In 1903, the first steam-driven car was taken for its debut drive on Mount Road.

The eponymous Mount Road was originally born out of necessity as a simple cart track connecting Fort St. George to St. Thomas Mount, for the Company officials to reach the military garrison and pilgrims journeying to the chapel. The track was primarily used for troop movements, supply transport, and communication between the fort and the cantonment. As British influence in Madras grew, the track evolved into a well-trodden route for merchants, officials, and travellers, initially functioning as a military and trade artery, with bullock carts and horse-drawn vehicles carrying goods such as textiles, grains, and military provisions. Over time, the road saw increasing civilian use, with European settlers and Indian traders setting up shops and businesses along its length, leading to its transformation into a bustling commercial hub.

An important factor that fuelled the transformation of this dirt road into a motorway was the construction of a bridge over the Adyar River near Saidapet, mitigating the challenges that came with crossing it during floods. In 1726, Armenian merchant Coja Petrus Uscan commissioned the Marmalong Bridge at a personal cost of 30,000 pagodas, making it the first ever bridge to be constructed across the Adyar. Named after the nearby village of Mambalam, the bridge not only facilitated easier access for those travelling to St. Thomas Mount, but also became a crucial infrastructure element, improving connectivity between Fort St. George and the southern regions, thereby contributing to the expansion of Mount Road and the city’s growth southward. Although the original structure was replaced in 1966 by the Maraimalai Adigal Bridge,

Broadway

 

"Broadway (officially known as Prakasam Salai, after the freedom fighter T. Prakasam) is one of the historical thoroughfares of the commercial centre of George Town in chennai. 

The road runs north–south connecting China Bazaar Road in the south with Ibrahim Sahib Street (Old Jail Road) in the north. The road divides George Town into Muthialpet and Peddanaickenpet"

 

 until the 16th century, the road and the surrounding region, being near the coast, had many sand ridges. As the sea level rose, it inundated these regions

when the sea withdrew several lagoons and ridges were left behind The sandy ridges

which rose up to about 12 feet in height remained places of safety, where settlements were established. 

Several valleys ran around the ridges. Some of these valleys served as drainage channels. Until the late 18th century, the area on which the present day's road lies remained one such unwanted drainage channel,

 known then as Atta Pallam.

 Much of the area was owned by Stephen Popham, a former British MP and later the advocate general in Calcutta, who moved to Madras in 1778. He is credited with establishing a modern police force in the city in 1782.

The area where the General Hospital, Madras United Club and the Park Town post office stand today was then a hill known locally as Narimedu (literally 'mound of foxes'), which was named 'Hoggs Hill' by the British. When the British considered it as a security threat to Fort St. George and decided to level the area, Popham negotiated with them to buy the earth removed from the hill to fill the ditch, and a road was laid on it in 1782.[

 The thoroughfare thus created came to be known as 'Popham's Broadway'.

By the 1890s, the road became known for two food establishments, the first of which was that of P. Venkatachellum, whose condiments and chutneys were popular in England. He is credited with the creation of mulligatawny soup from the local recipe of milagu rasam (milagu thanni).

 The other restaurant was Harrison's, established in 1891, which today is a contemporary hotel in Nungambakkam.

The road was also home to the city's first private hospital run in the 1900s by physician T. A.Sankaranarayanan,