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Vol. XXXIV No. 1, April 16-30, 2024

Featured Articles

Breaking the Fast during Ramadan

-- by Roshan Zahin

When it is time to quench the thirst and appease the hunger after a long day’s fast at dusk, and the Azaan radiates a sparkling and magnificent voice, that is when the Ramadan ambience comes alive. The Big (Wallajah) Mosque stands tall with all its glory and grandeur in Triplicane and is certainly the nerve […]

The great flap of 1942 – How the Raj panicked over a Japanese non invasion 

-- by Sushila Ravindranath

Book Review India is a very under-researched country with many gaps in its long history. Its recent history too is not that well recorded. The younger generation may not even be aware that between 1941 and 42, fearing Japanese invasion, there was an exodus from Madras with people fleeing away from the city. The Great […]

Colonial Stories – 1: Strange case of an unintended death by poison

-- by K.R.A. Narasiah

In Colonial Madras when the British had just started improving their trade and financial status some strange occurrences took place which are worth recalling. The accidental death of James Wheeler owing to arsenic poisoning is one such. It took place in 1693, barely fifty years after the East India Company set up base here. Wheeler […]

TMS Biography

-- by Srinivas Chari

What if the renowned playback singer TMS needed an introduction? ‘The Voice that Moved Millions’ as some would have it. ‘The Voice every Hero wanted’ or closer home, ‘A voice that resonated Sivaji’s moods, MGR’s messages.’ So, who would know best ? Quite easily his biographer Vamanan who has laid bare the life and times […]

Indian TT sets sights on conquering the Olympics

-- by V. Venkataramana

‘Flag Bearer’ seems to be an apt moniker for Sharath Kamal, the Indian table tennis icon who hails from Chennai. It doesn’t come as a surprise that he has been picked to be the flag bearer of the Indian contingent at the upcoming Olympic Games to be held in Paris, France. He has been at […]

Holi in UP as seen by a Chennai photographer

To those active on social media, young Srivatsan Sankaran is a sensation. He has evolved into a travel photographer and photography educator for the deaf. Despite being hard of hearing, he has travelled to 200+ destinations and covered 50+ festivals. He expresses his feelings

The Mints of Madras – Part II

-- by Sriram V

(Continued from Last Fortnight) Till the beginning of the 18th century the mint was, as we saw last fortnight, safely within the confines of the Fort though it had been divided into two – the gold and silver mints. But times were changing, and the East India Company was steadily coming into its own as […]

Madras-lace garlands presented to the Duke and Duchess of York and the Prime Minister of Australia in Canberra in 1927

-- by A. Raman, anant@raman.id.au

The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH, Syndey, Australia) of 11 May 1927 features a news item entitled the Decorative collar (lace garland) presented to the visiting British royalty and the then Prime Minister Stanley Melbourne Bruce on 9 May 1927 during the opening of Provisional Parliament House in Canberra. The news item further says that it was presented […]

Snippets of sports in the past from the Corporation archives

Stadium and Swimming Pool, as seen in the 1950s ‘Tis that time of the year when thoughts turn automatically to the swimming pool. And it is also that time of the year when the IPL is in progress though it is debatable if this is indeed cricketing weather. We feature here two write ups – […]

The Mints of Madras – Part I

-- by Sriram V

Any person with passing interest in the city’s history will tell you that Mint Street is so named because the Madras Mint was once located on it. And they will also add most helpfully that it is known as Thangasalai Theru in Tamil because gold was melted at the mint for striking coins. Well, they […]

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