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(ARCHIVE) Vol. Vol. XVIII No. 17, december 16-31, 2008

Historic Residences in Chennai - 8

(Sriram V.)


Bharati Illam
83/83, Tulasinga Perumal Koil Street Triplicane

Subramania Bharati (1882-1921) needs no introduction to the people of India. Freedom fighter, essayist, writer, poet, critic, reformer, cartoonist... the list is endless.

Life for this visionary was not easy and his writings soon got him on the wrong side of the British Raj. Forewarned of the possibility of arrest in 1908, Bharati, thanks to timely help from good friend Dr. Nanjunda Rao of Sasi Vilas, managed to escape from Madras to Pondicherry, which was then a French possession. Here he continued writing and living a precarious existence with his wife and children. In 1920, following a General Amnesty by the Government, he returned to Madras and re-joined the leading Tamil daily Swadesamitran as sub-editor. At that time he lived at this address. The house was divided into small residential units and Bharati and family occupied a tiny room with a kitchen. It was from here that Bharati set out every day to worship at the Parthasarathy Temple and feed its elephant. One day, the elephant playfully lifted him with its trunk and dropped him down. This was too much for Bharati's emaciated form. He died a few weeks later.

This building passed through many hands and suffered many changes before the State Government acquired it and rebuilt the facade to match the way it looked when Bharati lived in it. The restored building now houses a museum to Bharati's memory and is venue to many symposiums and music performances. It is also testimony to what the Government can do to preserve our heritage if it has the will to do so.

(Courtesy: KALAMKRIYA)

 

In this issue

Better streetscapes ahead...
General Guidelines for CCC's...
Chennai's rains & drains...
...And thus he made...
Historic residences...
Other stories in this issue...
 

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