Gokulam
86/1, Mundagakanniamman Koil Street, Mylapore |
This is a vast oasis of trees located rather incongruously in a congested neighbourhood. Gokulam was once the residence of Thoppur Sitapati Iyer (1880-1954), a well-known doctor of the city. Born in Gudiyattam in a very poor family, he completed his schooling there and came to Madras to study medicine. Subsisting on vaara saappaddu, a philanthropic scheme whereby well-to-do families fed deserving students, by turn, on different days of the week, he acquired his LM&S degree. He joined Government service at the King Institute. He also worked with Col. Charles Donovan who isolated the organism causing Kala Azar. Later sent to Germany for advanced training, he returned and set up Koch’s Laboratory in a building that survives in Mylapore. He became the first Indian Assistant Director at the King Institute. He also built up a good private practice in Madras and the mofussil. A mixture developed by him was extremely popular. He was given the title of Rao Bahadur by the Government.
The property where Gokulam stands was a burial site in early times and was acquired by him in 1916/17 at a reasonable price, as nobody else wanted it! Workmen, too, were reluctant to work at the site, but Dr. Iyer’s rational outlook prevailed. Gokulam was completed in time for his eldest daughter’s wedding, which took place in the central hall. Music was Dr. Iyer’s passion and he brought a violin for his wife from Germany.‘Tiger’ Varadachariar and ‘Veena’ Dhanam were honoured invitees to the house and both taught Dr. Iyer’s daughter, Savitri Rajan.(Courtesy: KalamKriya.)
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