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Vol. XXXI No. 12, October 1-15, 2021
Heritage Watch
A Heritage Walk at Fort St George
The late Mr. S. Muthiah often regretted that the Fort remained so out of bounds for the public. Some of us who have led heritage walks here have in some ways ensured that it has become more accessible. But on September 26th the Fort was as Mr. Muthiah would have wished it to be. With your editor leading a group to commemorate World Tourism Day, it was wonderful to be able to wander at will around the place.
The walk, organised by the Department of Tourism, had students, officials and the press participating. With a flagging off at the car park opposite the Fort, the participants spent two hours exploring the historic precincts. What was most heartening was the enthusiastic participation of Dr. M. Mathiventhan, Hon. Minister of Tourism, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, who not only flagged off the walk but also participated in the event till the end, along with Dr. B. Chandramohan, IAS, Secretary, Department of Tourism and Sandeep Nanduri, IAS, Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation. The walk covered the five gates of the Fort, some of the streets, the flagstaff, the Assembly & Secretariat, the Parade Square, St Mary’s Church, the Fort Museum, the King’s Barracks and Clive’s House.
While the event was everything that a heritage enthusiast could wish for, the opening up of the Fort as a proper tourist destination still remains a pipe dream. It is to be hoped that this longstanding wish will be fulfilled soon by the Government.
