The Girls discover sowcarpet

My eyes lit up when a student guide who was taking me around a small exhibition at a women’s college campus in Kotwal Chawadi pointed a finger at a photograph on the display table.
Tell me the story, I said.
And this girl, and her colleague rolled it out as their Sociology teachers stared, amused.
The picture had framed two old houses, houses that must be of the early part of the last Century. One house had a simple, narrow doorway while its neighbour looked grand and striking, with coloured glass ­panels on its windows.
The girl told me that these houses were for entertainment.
When trading was done, the money put away and the doors of the stores and offices had been shut down, some wealthy ­merchants of George Town chose to unwind themselves.
They would head to such ‘entertainment’ spots and the girls would dance for the guests. How they came to be commonly ­referred to as ‘bar girls’, the ­students could not explain.
From this story came another, and that led to a third and a few more.
I was at the Sri Kanyaka Parameswari Arts and Science College for Women – to take a look at the effort of the ­Sociology Department students here as part of the Madras Day ­celebrations. Two teachers – Bhanu and Janaky – had initiated the project and sought my help. Since they do not have much time, we chose two simple projects. One, to display old photos, appliances and documents that the girls had at home.
Two, to shoot pictures of interesting buildings in the Kotwal Chawadi-Sowcarpet neighbour­hood and hold an exhibition. As a first-time effort, this was heartening.
Now, a few girls whose families have lived here for at least three generations are willing to extend their study and research of the place, its people and its social histories and plan to present a bigger show next year.
As luck would have it, I found another group of eager students at the Guru Shree Shantivijai Jain College for Women in Vepery – this community had also hosted a simple Madras Day event and a van load of students had joined others on a Fort St. George Walk.
The Vepery collegians are also willing to join the Sowcarpet project. The area is their backyard!
There are hidden histories in our old neighborhoods. Getting young people to explore them is exciting. And much more can come out of these efforts.
Vincent D’Souza

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