Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under R.N.I 53640/91
Vol. XXVIII No. 11, September 16-30, 2018
Our Readers write
Well foundations
Karthik Bhatt (MM, Sep-tember 1st) has wondered why the “unique well foundation” of St. Andrew’s Kirk finds no mention in W.T. Munro’s The Madrasiana, 1868. But it may be noted that a 1982 publication on St. Andrew’s Kirk contains the following observation. “Almost the whole of Fort St. George is seated on wells in this manner.”
Engineering and architectural historians may well do some homework to find out more about such “edifices of importance along the Coromandel Coast” (so stated in the said note).
Munro’s reference to the Luz Church spot and the “first footing of Christianity in the neighbourhood of Madras” is indubitably apocryphal.
Rev. Philip K. Mulley
Anaihatti Road,
Kotagiri 643217
The Nilgiris
Alwar service
Whenever I came to Chennai, a visit to Alwars (MM, September, 1st) was compulsory. It was more a service than a business. Once I left my wallet in the shop. He found out my address and rang my office in Coimbatore to inform me that it was safe in his hands. In those days you could contact only by booking a call. It would take at least a couple of hours to get the connection. Next day I called on him and defrayed the expenses incurred by him.
The tribute by a nonagerian to a centenarian was touching. Reading about MGR’s last journey, I was given an appointment by him for that day. Coming all the way from Coimbatore, I was shocked to learn about his demise. I was confined to my room at the lodge.
S.S. Rajagopalan
30, Kamarajar Street
Chennai 600 093
Karunanidhi too
In the article The Willingdon statue on the Island (MM, September 1st), a mention was made about the unveiling of the statue of K. Kamaraj, even when he was alive and that he defied the widely prevalent superstition that anyone who had a statue erected in his honour when alive, would soon die. I would like to state that like Kamaraj, the DMK leader, M. Karunanidhi too belayed the belief. That Karunanidhi’s statue, which got installed at the inter-junction of Mount Road near Wellington Theatre, was broken to pieces by those who assembled to pay homage to M.G. Ramachandran is another issue.
Jayaram Sivaram
ramvsj@gmail.com
Let’s celebrate
Just to let you know that I think the issue of MM (September 1st) is one of the best I have come across in terms of interesting reading material, starting with your Looking for the Colonial in Madras Week, which you aptly end with “so let us continue celebrating our Madras, our Chennai, our City year after year”. Couldn’t agree with you more.
P.M. Partab Ramchand
partabramchand@yahoo.com
Alive & well
In MM, September 1st, in the write-up on Dr. S. Parthasarathy Iyengar, there is a big bloomer for which I am to blame. The person I have mentioned as having passed away at Sriperumbudur was not HEO Secretary, but its Administrative Officer. The Secretary is alive and well.
As per the old belief, anyone mistakenly mentioned as dead, will live long and healthy and I am sure the secretary will too.
B.S. Raghavan
bahukutumbi@gmail.com
Tamil edition
As I read through Madras Musings, I am surprised you are not making it available in the Tamil language. Most of your articles pay glorious tributes to Tamil writers, leaders and their contributions. Don’t you think the Tamils in the cities as well as in “patti thotti” would be happy to read about their own.
My personal observation is, if such an interesting, informative newsletter is available in Tamil many would read and feel proud about their people and heritage. Just think who is going to enjoy the poems of Bharati Dasan or the biography of Kannadasan or Shivaji Ganesan however beautifully it is presented in English?
Shanta Kingston
No 13, MIG Flats, 4th Main Rd, Kotturpuram, Chennai 600 085
