Music, not arms

The Doveton Group of schools in Chennai has under its management 8 schools in the city. The most famous among them is arguably the Doveton Corrie School for Boys in Vepery (though it is not called by that name any longer, if I am correct). The oldest school in this group goes back to 1855, but today, we are looking at a school that began in the centenary year of the Doveton Group of Schools.

In 1955, the Group purchased this piece of land in Choolai from one Howard Oakley. Of Oakley, I have not been able to find much, other than that he was the Patron of the Madras Amateur Photographers Society in 1932, reviving it after the post-War years. Anyway, Oakley seems to have disappeared from Madras after this sale and a Doveton Nursery began functioning here on July 15, 1955. For a long while, it was coasting along, taking in young children in the nursery and kindergarten, going on to include primary schooling as well. It may well be a feeder school to the others in the Doveton Group. It was in 2001 that, for some reason, the name of the school was changed to include Oakley. Today it functions as the Doveton Oakley Nursery and Primary School. 

One of the major activities here seems to be music. In And that brings us to the logo. When I first looked at it as I passed by, I thought it was some kind of cannon; given that John Doveton, the founder of the Group, was a distinguished military officer, the logo did not seem out of place. It was only after discovering the musical bent of this school that I took a closer look at the logo. And realised that clarinets and cymbals might well be mistaken for charging cannons!

Olden view

This building appears to be deserted these days. Even less than ten years ago, it wasn't. There were people living on the first floor, and the ground floor was the office of Garment Cleaners. Yes, that one with the logo of a boy smashing some kind of small cloth on a box, that one.Today, you can make out a very faint outline of that logo on the left of the building, just after that last arch on the ground floor and the sign saying "Showroom" on the right. 

"Marine View", as it was named, must have commanded a magnificent view of the Bay of Bengal from the western side of Santhome High Road when it was built in 1929. But the man who had it built, O. Thanikachalam Chetty, was most probably never a resident here. We see him in 1928, 53 years old and having recently been conferred the title of Diwan Bahadur. That title was an acknowledgement of his life as a public figure, a close confident of Pittie Thyagaraya Chetty, a member of various Boards and Trusts, including the Pachiyappa Trust, and for his service as a Councillor of the Corporation of Madras, of which he had also been the President. But by 1928, his health infirm, Thanikachalam Chetty had moved from Waverley House in Egmore, to a bungalow in Osborne Road, Bangalore Cantt. He appears to have lived there until he passed away on July 21, 1929. 

This house was inherited by one of his sons, and his descendants continued to live here, occupying the first floor, while the ground floor was rented out. And it wasn't always to a laundry business. There was glamour here: Raja Sulochana, the famous actress was a tenant here - that must have been sometime during the 1950s. In the 1970s, this address found the city police commissioner KR Shenoy staying here as a tenant. Now looking all deserted, this will probably succumb to a developer's hammer sooner than later!

Eat chocolate

Every time I pass this restaurant off Cenotaph Road, I am reminded of Marie Antoinette's saying something about bread and cake. Chocolate would probably have been a more vulgar way of distancing from the proletariat. 

It is not for nothing that this anecdote from French history comes to mind on seeing Bread & Chocolate. It was originally set up in Pondicherry before opening its first branch in Chennai in 2020, just after the first (and maybe the second) wave of the pandemic had died down.

Must go here; if it is half as good as its Pondicherry parent, it will be wonderful! 

 

Washout

Was hoping to watch the final of the IPL 2023 here at the Madras Race Club. It is Chennai Super Kings playing, after all.

Torrential rains dashed that hope. No, Chennai is still sweltering under the kathiri sun, but the match was to be played at Ahmedabad. Waited a while, then shelved the plan, had dinner and came back home. 

The match will be played tomorrow, but no thrill of watching it here now. 

 

Occupant

I think one guess is all you would need for figuring out whose residence lies beyond these gates on Santhome High Road.

Yes, you're correct!

Hero worship

If you are asked to name your favourite hero from India's struggle for freedom, the choice set is quite small; not more than 20 names you can reel off from the top of your head, I daresay. And almost all of them would be well known names pan-India. A Birsa Munda, Pazhassi Raja or Helen Lepcha would probably not make it to that list, unless you are from the same region or state they were from. 

But even in Tamil Nadu, and especially Chennai, which makes demigods of actors, it would have been quite a stretch to expect anyone to name this person as their favourite freedom fighter. But there you have it. A taxi paying homage to a man who is a virtual unknown. Cenpakaraman Pillai was an early proponent of aligning with the enemy's enemy and very likely the man who inspired Netaji. He was born in Thiruvananthapuram and even as a schoolboy was used to shouting "Jai Hind" on the school campus. A combination of circumstances found him being sent to Austria as a companion to a neighbour who was headed there. After completing his studies and working for a while in Germany, Pillai managed to put together a band of Indians who were serious about overthrowing the British with help from the Germans.

This was in the 1910s. And one of the most practical ways he found to terrify the British was to direct the light cruiser SS Emden on how it could threaten Indian cities - including a targeted attack on British infrastructure in Madras. But somehow, he got into quite a bit of trouble with the Germans after World War I, including a spat with Adolf Hitler, which led to his being bundled out of Germany and spending his last days in Italy, forgotten by others involved in the freedom struggle. Now tell me, isn't it amazing that this taxi owner knows of the man who is credited with having first used the phrase "Jai Hind"? I'll bet you did not know that yourself. But today, let us at least observe the 89th anniversary of his passing!

Emptied out

Here is one more stretch of a main road that has been taken over by the Chennai Metro as they build for tomorrow. 

This one is a part of the Arcot Road (now NSK Salai), just after you get down the Kodambakkam Bridge onto the Kodambakkam side.

Now the metro folks have to wait until a bunch of kids start using this as a cricket field; only after that will they start their tunnelling in any seriousness, I guess!

Gold and dust

On one side, the sparkling showroom of Bhima Jewellery; opened in October 2021, it is one more of the many jewellers on Usman Road. If you look a little closer, you can also see the sign of GRT Jewels beyond the old building on the left. 

And that old building? It has a few businesses working out from it, but it looks like it is just waiting for a good price to show up before it gets dressed in finery; if it can't be jewels, it will be silks!

Deal making

There are enough stories about business plans being drawn up on paper napkins, and suchlike wondrous happenings in restaurants and coffee shops. 

But Saravana Bhavan does not seem to be the place to have such conversations. The tables at this restaurant need to be turned over quickly and so long discussions are not encouraged. Most of the time, the presence of hungry wannabe diners standing behind your seat is enough for your to get the message; eat up, leave.

But in this Saravana Bhavan, the declaration is more explicit - "Business Meeting Not Allowed" says the second half of that printed sign. The first part is even more pointed: "Real Estate" is also not allowed. So focus on the food and take your business conversations elsewhere!

What man?

It is quite a nicely done piece, that Spiderman climbing down from the TeaBoy outlet's signage. But what is that he has in his hands? A glass of lassi and a pav-burger? 

Is he chai-man or lassi-man, this Spiderman?

Ammunition

It is very difficult to reconcile to the fact that the cannonball tree (Couroupita guianensis) is an exotic species, not native to this country. The scientific name itself should give you a clue; but as a schoolboy, I was introduced to this as the nagapushpam tree, sacred for its connection to Siva. 

Originally from the north-eastern parts of South America (hence guianensis), this tree usually flowers very profusely. Coming to it early in the morning, one can see a couple of hundred flowers strewn around it. The flowers, fallen and on the stem, let off a heady scent. In the absence of nectar, it is the scent that attracts large insects, who must work hard to find the source of the fragrance - in the course of which they fulfil their role as the tree's pollinators.

The fruits are more stern. Hard, round and brown, they have at times been useful as weapons in schoolboys' fights. The fruits take time to, well, be fruitful. They get to maturity anytime between 12-18 months of fruiting. The older the fruit, the harder its shell. They could make good cannonballs at 12 months; at 18, the shell can be used to fashion ladles or small bowls. That would be a better use of it!

Over what?

When you come over the Anna Flyover, from the US Consulate side towards the DMS offices, you can look to your right and check the time. 

The clock faces on this building show the correct time and can easily be seen. Opposite this, the Lebara Tower (LBR Tower?) used to have the time, too; I'm not sure if they are still there, after the building went through some renovation a few years ago. In any cases, those clocks were too high for someone driving to check them.

Is that why this is considered Rajam's Triumph? Who is Rajam, anyway? And why is the "s" in a different colour from the other letters? So many questions. Who has the answers?!

Moved

At the departure terminal of Anna International Airport, Chennai. Why would they need this kind of a message? 

Anyway, this is probably the only thing about Chennai that I cannot even begin to defend - our airport - so I will go with any explanation that is given!

Splash of yellow

That Indian Laburnum (Cassia fistula) in full flower is a sight to behold, especially when most other trees on the road are just green. 

Must look for a road with the bright red of gulmohar, or palash. Let me know if you happen to come across any!

One more

As we looked back at the way we had come, we found this fellow in the middle of the path, looking at us. His companion had gone a bit ahead and was already in the shadows. How do I describe seeing two of them? 

Reminded me of an old story about a tailor who wanted to order two units of a special kind of pressing iron called the 'goose'. He wrote out an order for 'two geese'. Reading it, he thought that sounded odd, so he changed it to 'two gooses'. This was odd too. So he wrote a new note: 

"Please send one goose. Thank you! 

P.S. please send another one too."

So yes, I saw two mongooses. Two mongeese a mongoose. And I saw another one, too!

Multi-dimensional

We have earlier talked about the importance of the muchhandi Vinayagar - the remover of obstacles at every T-junction on Chennai roads. This one is getting decked up for the beginning of the day, or maybe it is a once-a-week re-decoration.

The owner of this property is probably taking a fail-safe option; as you can see, the Vinayagar here is present in both three- and two-dimensions!

 

Dark clouds

A photo from a year ago. Chennai has been sweltering because of the ripple effect from Cyclone Mocha.

Thinking of everyone affected by the cyclone today. Prayers for them to get back to regular routines soon enough!

 

Anniversary question

It was exactly a year ago that I visited this building for the first time. There is nothing in the picture which explicitly states what this building is. But the colour scheme, plus that Black Maria (okay, it is painted blue, but it was a paddy wagon alright) parked on the right should give you enough indication for making a guess. 

Here are some more clues. The original building, the core of which has been retained here, was built in 1842. In 1856, it was repurposed and continued to function as a key office until about 2012-13, after which it was unused for a while. In 2018, a restoration programme was begun, which brought the building to its current shape - and purpose - in 2021. 

So go ahead, make that guess and tell me what this building currently is. And for bonus points, what office was operating from here between 1856 and the early 21st century!

I guess you would have figured out more clues in the labels!

Out of water

Away from their 'natural' habitat, these boat hulls look rather flimsy. Would one really be able to trust these to carry one out into a body of water and get back safely? 

Well, the folks who are rowing members of the Madras Boat Club do. And they seem to to be doing it quite well, too!

Displaced

There was a time when traffic along the ECR was controlled, not by any human agency, but by these friends of ours. Domesticated buffaloes were a-plenty, and if they decide to amble across the road, the rest of the world had to find a way around them. 

I was told that when the Sheraton property on ECR was being constructed, the most difficult task they had was to herd these animals away from the construction site. But they were not forgotten; these statues of the water buffaloes, though made of metal - balls of metal held together - they seem quite a lifelike replica of the animals displaced by development!

Window wall

We have some idea of what would happen if walls had ears. But what if they had windows? I am talking specifically about the outer walls of a building, the ones that separate the spaces inside and outside. 

Here is an example. This wall is on General Collins Road, Vepery. And it is not a merchant's house or anybody's residence. This belongs to the Presentation Convent. 

I wonder how it would feel for the girls inside class to look out of the window and see the 'free world' outside - or, more likely, to be cooped up inside with the windows shut and imagine what is happening outside through all the noises that would certainly seep in!

 

Old gold

When I saw this sign on South Usman Road, I was fairly sure this 'Best Money Gold' is a one-off operation, a place where the neighbours could go over to pawn their jewels for some decent value. Would you be surprised to know they have over 200 branches across south India? They claim they do, and from what I've been able to find out, it is probably true; they have a fair number of branches over Tamil Nadu and Kerala, at least.

None of them has come to my view, but for this outlet. And now I'm curious to find out more. They claim to be part of a group that has been in business for over 90 years. 

I am sure some deeper digging will reveal their tagline - of being #1 in the country - is also true!

Ripe for picking

I did not think that one would find a cotton plant in Chennai, but the Adyar Poonga surprised me.There was just the one shrub, in flower and showing off a few bolls. Was hugely tempted to pick one, but I'm proud that I managed to resist. 

The genus Gossypium, to which cotton belongs, has over 50 species. That was news to me, because I always thought that cotton was sui generis!

Playing everywhere

It is not just in the multiplexes, even the stand-alone screens are showing only one movie these days!

Sit easy

I know of a few people who would be very uncomfortable going anywhere near this bench, let alone sitting on it.

Which group do you fall into? Open the image in a separate window to zoom in to, before you answer!

Sea harvest

In a way, this is like the picture of fruits I posted a few days ago. And in a way, these are also 'off-season' right now, because of the 61-day fishing ban from 15 April to 14 June. The idea is to keep the industrial fishing boats away and allow the fish stock to be replenished. I'm not sure how this is actually enforced, because I can't imagine how the fisherfolk will manage without any source of income for two months. The government subsidy - or subsistence allowance - may not be adequate. 

Prices have consequently shot up; fresh catch is up by about 40%. Maybe you'll be better off by temporarily changing your diet from fish to fruit. But do keep in mind that if you were French, you would actually call these fruits de mer!

Prime location

They say that location is everything for a hotel. And the junction of Usman Road and Burkitt Road, is a great location to stay at for folks coming in to Chennai to shop for a festival, a wedding or any other occasion. All along Usman Road are shops catering to everything one might need for a wedding, grihapravesam, or any such celebration. 

Hotel Sudhara has been at this location for at least half-a-century, I would guess. The facade seems to be more of an office space than a hotel, but the trick is that it is actually just a facade; step through it to the courtyard inside and the noise drops a few decibels. The well-worn look of the walls make one believe it is the 1960s again. They're pretty self-sufficient with a restaurant and a bar on the inside. The bar was accessible for an impoverished collegian 40 years ago, but I don't think any of today's college kids would go there. 

It is not always that the road in front of Hotel Sudhara is so empty; but looking at this here, it is easy to believe the claim on their website, of being located in a 'serene locality in T. Nagar'. But then, as recently as a few years ago, the owners of this hotel were locked in a dispute with the Metropolitan Transport Corporation; buses from the T. Nagar depot, diagonally across the junction from the hotel, had taken to parking themselves around the hotel in such a way that made it difficult for anyone to get inside. I bet it wouldn't have been so serene then!

Which place

Now I wish I had paid more attention to where I was, or had at least made some note about this picture when I had taken it a few days ago. Was too excited about getting back to Chennai that I was clicking pictures at random through the aircraft window.

Most of those are without any indication of what it was that I was drawn to when I took those pictures. On this one, however, the river entering the sea seems to be the main reason. I don't think it is the Adayar Estuary, or the mouth of the Cooum. It does not seem to be the Pulicat lake, either.

Now that I've set you off on a track - red herring or otherwise - can you give me some idea of what we are seeing in this picture? I have no clue!

Quiet paddle

The scientific name of this bird, the Grey Pelican or the Spot-billed Pelican, is Pelecanus philippensis. This is because an early description of the Spot-billed Pelican was based on a specimen captured at Luzon in the Philippines in the 1760s. The name stuck on, despite evidence which showed that even though the species ranged from Iran through the Indian sub-continent on to Indonesia, these pelicans only bred in peninsular India, Sri Lanka and Cambodia.

The Grey Pelicans don't seem to be bothered by humans. They have large nesting sites close to human habitations and are quite content even inside cities. Chennai has a fairly large population; it is estimated that their population in southern India is increasing, to the extent that the IUCN has changed its Red-Book classification from "Vulnerable" to "Near Threatened".

Of course, with such a lovely environment as you can get at the Adyar Poonga, these birds are bound to be optimistic about their future. Unlike in the Philippines, where this bird, named for the islands, has been locally extinct since the 1960s!

Done that

There it is, finally. The one movie we've been waiting for. Unlike for part-1, we didn't do a big-crowd early morning show or anything for this. Picked the 7:30 show last evening, and it went on till 10:40 or so. 

This one was at the parking lot of Sathyam Cinemas. Always wondered why they place it in a way that I can only see it on my rear view mirror when I park!

 

Parking up

Any of us who has driven around trying to find a suitable parking spot would be glad to learn of any solution that trebles or even quintuples the number of parking slots available. Multi-level parking solutions are meant to do just that. These systems have been in use for quite a few years now, but they've been mostly out-of-sight-out-of-mind; I'm happy that my car is being parked, but I just don't want to visualise it as having two other vehicles on top of it. And these kind of parking systems obliged for the most part, keeping the sight of cars stacked one over the other well hidden. 

Even the multi-level automated public parking on Pondy Bazaar was housed inside a building that one couldn't see into from the street. You leave your car at the east gate and whenever you're ready, you will get it coming out from the west gate. What goes on inside is something like magic.

It was at the AGS Cinema on GN Chetty Road that I first remember seeing this parking with the skin stripped off. And that seems to be becoming popular now; here is one more such open parking, with 6 levels available. Squeezed into a small space between two flats, it must be for customers of one of the many shops along Usman Road. I would still be nervous seeing my vehicle at the top level of one of these - what about you?!