Senate House slides into decay

The Man from Madras Musings could only put on a quizzical expression and leave it at that. But inwardly he was seething as he is sure are most of the corporate houses and the alumni of Madras University who contributed in cash and kind towards the restoration of Senate House. As MMM has written earlier, the building was sealed off owing to sheer cussedness and petty politics just before its restoration was completed in full and has since been out of bounds to the public. There are horror tales of the interiors rapidly deteriorating and an impeccable source from within the University has confirmed to MMM that the place is now being used again as a dumping ground for answer papers which is exactly how it was being used prior to the restoration.

What riled MMM even more was the recently held stellar convocation to coincide with the conclusion of the 150th year celebrations of the University. It has always been the tradition in any university worth its salt that convocations are held in its convocation hall. And there are many universities around the world that would give anything to have a convocation hall/senate house like the one that Madras University possesses. Yet, where was the convocation held? In the University Centenary Auditorium, just next to Senate House. The reason given was that Senate House was ruled out on security considerations. Considering that the President of India visited Senate House during the inauguration of the 150th year celebrations, MMM is puzzled as to what Senate House lacks by way of security.

Anyway, MMM, now an ardent practitioner of yoga, has decided to sit like ‘patience on a monument and smile at grief’. And smile turned to laugh when he saw the numerous digital banners put up all along the sidewalks of South Beach Road, Kamaraj Salai, if you wish, to coincide with the convocation. There was a huge one, repeated at regular intervals, which appeared to have been sponsored by the University itself, for it was sans any political affiliations and, guess, what was the backdrop for the banner design? Senate House, no less!

The various political banners added colour and ‘visual noise’, though MMM wondered what their place was in a University convocation. They also blocked most of the sidewalk and ensured that people had to use the road. Apart from those that extolled the virtues of mothers, fathers, sons, stars, rulers, chieftains, kings (of hearts), deities and just about any feudal character, there was one that said “XYZ party welcome’s”! Surely a University convocation would  merit better attention to where an apostrophe is to be used.

Among the various events that took place in connection with the celebrations was the laying of the foundation stone for a new arts and language block.  The old blocks, to be pulled down shortly, certainly merited attention as a type of colonial architecture; whatever their style, they did not obtrude on the three main buildings that have a harmonious unity, whatever their condition. MMM hopes and prays that those in charge realise that what is being planned is not a new, tasteless multi-storeyed monstrosity to ruin what has been a lovely skyline for over a hundred years.

A blistering pace

“How does he do it? And at his age?” asked a sweet young thing the other day. The Man from Madras Musings while initially taken aback realised that this was a question asked in wonder and awe at the Chief’s record of books this year. In the last 24 months, there has been a book on the Madras University, a volume on Senate House, one on the Port Trust, Born to Dare which was a biography of Lt. Gen. Gill, a book on the Connemara Hotel, the first volume of a 3-volume historical record of Madras and, now, a history of Ashok Leyland. The last three have seen the Chief set a new record of sorts, for these have been released on three consecutive Sundays.

MMM, who prides himself on being privy to the Chief’s projects, knows that there are more on the anvil. Here’s more power to your pen, Chief! Or should MMM say more power to the one finger that types out the words on an ancient typewriter?

Police yourselves

The last few days have seen The Man from Madras Musings frequenting a place that is quite close to a prestigious school, which like most such institutions of a reasonable vintage is located in a cul-de-sac and was built in the days when not many children came by car. But now times have changed and hardly any child comes by cycle or on foot. And MMM, perched in an eyrie well above road level, was able to see the kind of chaos that builds up each morning and evening in the narrow alley that leads to the place.

The school has done its best. It has built an exit gate to the road at the other end of the school so that cars can drive through during opening and closing times, rather than reverse in the cul-de-sac and add to the chaos. They have put out notices asking parents not to get out of their cars but pause just long enough for their children to get off and then drive on towards the exit. There is also a policeman stationed at the entrance to the school just to ensure that the traffic is orderly.

With so many regulations in place, the area is a nightmare both mornings and evenings and MMM has come to the conclusion that it is the parents and chauffeurs who contribute most to it. Some will not drive through the school and take the exit on the next street; they prefer to reverse in the narrow space available (and sometimes not available), make three point turnings and honk and plough their way through the traffic that is building up behind them. Some parents indulge in long and lingering farewells which involve getting out of the car (and this sometimes includes a doddering grandparent or two) and proceeding in a body to the gate where some words of ­advice are given to an increasingly embarrassed child who is all eager to enter the building and be rid of it all. All the while the car is idling, with irate ­parents hooting and cursing behind.

Then there is a third type where the child takes ages to get out the car. The door will be opened and all will be set for the star to emerge, but the personality takes its own time. MMM suspects that such ­children brush their teeth, have their baths and wear their  clothes in the car just ­before getting into the school and that is why they take so long.

If all this is not enough, some parents and chauffeurs consider it their duty to pass some time of the day in idle banter with the policeman, no doubt commiserating with him on the terrible traffic discipline in the city.

At the end of it all, MMM realises that what Chennai needs is better traffic discipline and not more flyovers. If only there is an appreciation of what happens to traffic in case someone suddenly makes a U turn or pauses to answer a phone or simply decides to cut across lanes, the city would be a better place to drive in.

– MMM