Madras Day

Last updated

Chennai historian S. Muthiah delivering a lecture on The Story of Photography in Madras at the Press Institute of India as a part of Madras Day 2015 celebrations S. Muthiah.jpg
Chennai historian S. Muthiah delivering a lecture on The Story of Photography in Madras at the Press Institute of India as a part of Madras Day 2015 celebrations

Madras Day is a festival organised to commemorate the founding of the city of Madras in Tamil Nadu, India. It is celebrated on 22 August every year, 22 August 1639 being the widely agreed date for the purchase of the village of Madraspatnam or Chennapatnam by East India Company factors Andrew Cogan and Francis Day from Damarla Venkatadri Nayaka, the viceroy of the Vijayanagar Empire.

Contents

The idea of a Madras Day was first suggested by Chennai-based journalists Vincent D'Souza, editor, Mylapore Times (a local newspaper) and Sashi Nair, director and editor, Press Institute of India, to historian S. Muthiah during a conversation at Muthiah's home in 2004. Since then, Madras Day celebrations have been held every year without fail, its highlights being exhibitions, lectures, film screenings and quizzes. The Madras Day festival has registered a steady increase in popularity year after year. Between 2014 and 2019, the editions lasted through August and extended into September as well, with more than 120-odd programmes, prompting demands to rename Madras Day as Madras Week, or even Madras Month. [1]

There has been a contention that the deed of purchase was actually dated 22 July 1639 and not 22 August.

History of Madras Day

The first recorded celebration of the founding of Madras was its tercentenary commemoration in 1939. Unlike later anniversaries, the celebrations were officially sponsored by the British government and a special tercentenary commemoration volume was issued with essays on the different aspects of Madras city authored by leading experts of the time. [2] [3] An exhibition of pictures, portraits, maps, records and coins was inaugurated by Diwan Bahadur S. E. Runganadhan, the Vice-Chancellor of the Madras University and a short play writing competition was organised. [2] [4]

The 350th anniversary in 1989 was celebrated with the opening of a commemorative monument titled "Madras 350" built in the Classical Style by builder Frankpet Fernandez at the junction of the Poonamallee High Road and the New Avadi Road. [5] Other major events included the commissioning of a book by S. Muthiah titled Madras — The Gracious City by the Murugappa Group which also organised the first Madras Quiz which has continued to the present day. [5]

The idea to celebrate the birth of the city every year was born when journalists Shashi Nair and Vincent D'Souza met S. Muthiah at his residence for coffee. [6] It was based on the success of another event called Mylapore Festival which D'Souza had been organising every year in January. It was decided by the trio to start celebrating Madras Day from 2004. [6] According to them, the "primary motive of celebrating 'Madras Day' was to focus on the city, its past and its present." [7] The idea initially started off with about five events in 2004 but grew gradually. The second edition in 2005 had events throughout the week. In 2008, there were a total of 60 events conducted. [6] In 2007, a commemorative postal cover was released by Chief Postmaster-General of Tamil Nadu Circle at a function at Fort St George as a part of the Madras Day celebrations, thereby inaugurating a tradition that continued through the later editions. [8] The 2010 celebrations lasted beyond a week and extended well into the following week as well.

The 375th Madras Day was celebrated with more than a hundred events that lasted from 10 August to 14 September 2014. [1] However, despite expectations to the contrary, Tamil Nadu government departments did not participate in the celebrations which they felt "colonial heritage". [1] The celebrations were deemed a roaring success and the events got nationwide coverage for the first time. [9] [10] "The Madras Song" was composed to commemorate the occasion and a website was launched by The Hindu titled friendsofchennai.com for residents of the city to create online petitions voicing their civic grievances. [11] [12] Historian and entrepreneur V. Sriram also designed a mobile app named Chennai Past Forward for users to keep in track with the heritage of the city.

The 376th Madras Day celebrations were bigger with events being held even in suburbs like Tambaram. [13] Apart from heritage walks, the 2015 edition also included a walk of the L. V. Prasad film studios. [14] The focus was, however, on restoration of the Coovum River and a presentation on the history and heritage of the Coovum River was held at the Madras Literary Society by author Anusha Venkatesh on 15 August. [15] [16] [17] The Cycling Yogis, a Chennai cyclists' group, conducted a 72 km bicycle ride along with the Coovum River on 16 August 2015. [18]

The 377th Madras Day celebrations were kick-started in a grand manner by The Hindu Group through their Madras Beats 2016 song. Composed and performed by Opus g7, a band which was selected as winner through a competition floated by The Hindu, the song "Endrum Padhinaaru" was launched on 21 August 2016 and went viral on social media. [19]

The celebration

Madras Day focuses on the city, its history, its past and its present and the core team of catalysts motivates communities, groups, companies and campuses in the city to host events that celebrate the city. [20] The celebration consists of events such as heritage walks, [21] public talks, exhibitions, poetry reading sessions, public performances, food festivals and special programs on local radio. [20] It also includes contests such as T-shirt designing, documentary film contest, multimedia presentation for schools and quizzes in both Tamil and English. [20] T-shirts to mark the event are also released. [22] The talks delivered to mark the week-long celebrations usually involve lectures explaining the heritage and history of the city. [23] There are also events for the retired citizens where they can post about their life years ago on the "Stories about Madras section" on Madras Day's website and share their views on how Madras grew into the Chennai of today. [24] [25]

The programmes for Madras Day 2015 included:

A unique design T-shirt, selected through open competition, is sold by Mylapore Times every year during Madras Week. [26] [27]

Controversy regarding the date

There has been a controversy regarding the exact day when Madras was handed over to the British East India Company's Francis Day and Andrew Cogan between the dates 22 July and 22 August. The controversy arose since the agreement documents dates the records to 22 July 1639 rather than 22 August of that year. It is often stated that Francis Day and Andrew Cogan did not arrive at the Madras coast until 27 July 1639. The evidence comes from writings of Henry Davison Love, whose monumental three-volume history Vestiges of Old Madras, 1640–1800 is a prime reference source for Madras' early history, which states that "The Naik's grant, erroneously styled a farman, which was probably drafted by Day, was delivered to Andrew Cogan at Masulipatam on September 3, 1639... Three copies are extant ... all of which are endorsed by Cogan. Only the last bears a date, 22 July 1639, where July is probably a slip for August, since Day did not reach Madras until 27 July". [28]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mylapore</span> Neighbourhood of Chennai

Mylapore, or Thirumayilai, is a neighbourhood in the central part of the city of Chennai, India. It is one of the oldest residential parts of the city. The locality is claimed to be the birthplace of the celebrated Tamil philosopher Valluvar, and the Hindu saint and philosopher, Peyalvar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Chennai</span>

Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu and is India's fifth largest city. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. With an estimated population of 8.9 million (2014), the 383-year-old city is the 31st largest metropolitan area in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madras Music Season</span> Music festival in India

Chennai Music Season is an event hosted every Mid November–January in Chennai Tamil Nadu. Spanning some 9 weeks, it comprises top-flight professional and amateur musicians. The traditional role of the Music Season is to allow aficionados of Carnatic music to appreciate performances by renowned artists, and to allow promising young artists to display their talent and skill. Audiences and artists come from across India and her diaspora to enjoy the season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valluvar Kottam</span> Building in India

Valluvar Kottam is a monument in Chennai, dedicated to the classical Tamil poet philosopher Valluvar. It is the city's biggest Tamil cultural centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of Chennai</span>

The culture of Chennai, popularly called the "Gateway to the South India", is distinct from that of any other Indian city. Being a cosmopolitan hub, the city's culture reflects its diverse population that has resulted in a unique blend. Though a modern metropolis, Chennai continues to be traditional and conventional in certain ways. Traditional music, dance and all other art forms of Tamil Nadu are very popular in the city. One can find a peculiar cultural blend in city, from traditional foods to fast foods, from ancient temple architecture to modern high-rises, and from classical music and dance to the growing nightlife.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triplicane</span> Neighborhood in Chennai, India

Thiruvallikeni known as Triplicane, is one of the oldest neighbourhoods of Chennai, India. It is situated on the Bay of Bengal coast and about 0.6 km (0.37 mi) from Fort St George. The average elevation of the neighbourhood is 14 metres above sea level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">S. Muthiah</span> Indian journalist (1930–2019)

Subbiah Muthiah was an Indian writer, journalist, cartographer, amateur historian and heritage activist known for his writings on the political and cultural history of Chennai city. He was the founder of the fortnightly newspaper Madras Musings and the principal organizer of the annual Madras Day celebrations. Muthiah was also the founder-President of the Madras Book Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalikambal Temple</span> Temple in India

The Kālikāmbal Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shri Kāligāmbāl (Kāmākshi) and Lord Kamadeswarar, located in Parry's corner locality of the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is located in Thambu Chetty Street, a prominent financial street at Georgetown, running parallel to Rajaji Salai.

Francis Day (1605–1673) was an administrator associated with the East India Company. He served as a factor of the company's factory at Masulipatnam from 1632 to 1639. In 1639, he negotiated the purchase of a strip of land south of the Dutch factory at Pulicat from the Raja of Chandragiri, where the town of Madras was built. He served as the second Agent of Madras from 1643 to 1644. Along with Andrew Cogan, he is regarded as the founder of Madras.

Vincent D'Souza is a journalist and media entrepreneur based in Chennai. He is the editor and publisher of two community newspapers, The Mylapore Times and The Arcot Road Times in the city. He is also the executive editor of the largest neighbourhood newspaper in Chennai, The Adyar Times. The three newspapers have a combined circulation of over 85,000 copies a week.

Narada Gana Sabha is one of the foremost music associations in the city of Chennai, India. It regularly organises programmes during the Chennai Music Season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thiruvalluvar Temple, Mylapore</span> Hindu temple in India

The Ekambareswarar–Kamakshi Temple, commonly known as the Thiruvalluvar Temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to the poet-saint Valluvar in the neighborhood of Mylapore in Chennai, India. The shrine is located within the Ekambareswarar temple complex. Believed to have been constructed in the early 16th century, the temple was extensively renovated in the 1970s. Traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Saint Valluvar, the temple is the oldest ever built to Valluvar. The temple also serves as the venue for meetings of Tamil language enthusiasts. While many consider the temple as the birthplace of Valluvar, some consider it as his samadhi.

This is a timeline of major events in the history of Chennai.

Chennai, along with Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata, is one of the few Indian cities that are home to a diverse population of ethno-religious communities. According to the 2011 census Chennai then had a total population of 4,681,087 at a density of 26,902 per square kilometre; the sex ratio was 986 and literacy rate was 90.33%. The most widely spoken languages are Tamil and English. Hinduism is followed by a majority of the populace followed by Islam and Christianity. Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism and Zoroastrianism are other religions practiced.

Chennai, with historically rich records dating at least from the time of the Pallavas, houses 2,467 heritage buildings within its metropolitan area (CMA), the highest within any metropolitan area limit in India. Most of these buildings are around 200 years old and older. Chennai is home to the second largest collection of heritage buildings in the country, after Kolkata. The official list of heritage buildings was compiled by the Justice E. Padmanabhan committee. The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed the Heritage Commission Act in 2012 to preserve old heritage structures.

North Chennai is a geographic term used to refer to the northern part of Chennai city. Though its definition has varied with time and context, it is generally accepted among historians that North Chennai is used for the part of Chennai city situated north of the Coovum River. Encompassing the Fort St George and Georgetown areas from which the city originated, North Chennai is generally considered an area of stagnant growth, but now it is developing that has already reached saturation as a real estate choice. The area is generally notorious for its thick population, narrow roads, poor infrastructure, and high incidence of crime. This characterization is, however, limited to older neighbourhoods close to the sea coast as new areas to the west, like Kilpauk, Anna Nagar, Avadi and Ambattur have good standards of living and acquired desirability as residential areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">V. Sriram</span> Indian entrepreneur, columnist and music historian

Sriram Venkatakrishnan is an Indian entrepreneur, columnist, music historian and heritage activist. He was schooled in Madras and Calcutta. His bachelor's in engineering from the Delhi College of Engineering in 1987 was followed by a master's in business administration specializing in marketing and advertising from Delhi University. Sriram then moved on to a varied career in marketing and advertising before joining his family businesses in Industrial Hydraulics and Software.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anderson Church, Chennai</span> Church in Chennai, India

Anderson Church is one of the oldest churches in Parry's Corner area of Chennai, the capital of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The original structure was built in 1845 by Anderson as an educational institution. The church is named after Anderson, a Scottish missionary who founded the mission of the Free Church of Scotland at Madras, India.

Royapettah Neighbourhood, in Chennai district, in Tamil Nadu State, in India.

Royapettah is a neighbourhood of Chennai, India.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Madras Day celebrations begin, govt won't join in". Times of India . 14 August 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Madras 300 years old". Canberra Times . 22 February 1939.
  3. "A city well served by historians". The Hindu . 26 August 2004. Archived from the original on 14 October 2004.
  4. "Madras 300 years old". Canberra Times. 27 September 1939.
  5. 1 2 "The man who built 'Madras 350'". The Hindu. 11 July 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 First city of modern India Sify news
  7. 'Madras Day' bash ahead [usurped] The Hindu
  8. "Special postal cover to mark Madras Day". The Hindu. 22 August 2007.
  9. Doctor, Geeta (1 September 2014). "What does Madras bleed for".{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. Stalin, Sam Daniel (19 August 2014). "Chennai gets ready for its 375th birthday".
  11. "Celebrating Chennai at 375 with the Madras Song". The Hindu Business Line. 18 August 2014.
  12. "A birthday gift for Chennai's 375th". The Hindu. 23 August 2014.
  13. "Chennai's 376th birthday bash to be bigger and better". The Hindu. 16 June 2015.
  14. "Chennai 376". The New Indian Express Indulge. 14 August 2015. Archived from the original on 14 August 2015.
  15. "Live chat:Madras Day – Celebrating Coovum". The Hindu. 22 August 2015.
  16. "Thus spake Coovum". The Hindu. 16 August 2015.
  17. Kannan, Ramya (17 August 2015). "Madras Week: On Coovum". The Hindu.
  18. "Discovering the Coovum". The Hindu. 24 August 2015.
  19. "The Hindu celebrates Madras Day 2016". 21 August 2016.
  20. 1 2 3 Madras day website
  21. Celebrating the good old Madras The Hindu
  22. Citizens celebrate 368th birthday of Chennai The Hindu
  23. Madras Day at the Masonic Lodge The Hindu
  24. Let's celebrate Madras Day The Hindu
  25. Subramanian, Karthik (15 August 2006). "Madras Day bash ahead". The Hindu.
  26. "Designing a T-shirt that reflects the spirit of Chennai". The Hindu. 28 July 2006.
  27. Around the City The Hindu
  28. When was Founding Day?