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• The Murugappa Group, which sponsored the mega ‘Madras 350’ Quiz in 1989 to celebrate Madras’s 350th birthday, is this year sponsoring a mega Schools Quiz on Madras.
‘Madras 372’, open to all schools and organised by popular Quiz Master Naveen Jayakumar and the Quiz Foundation of India, will be the Murugappa group’s offering for Madras Week this year. It will be held at the Lady Andal School’s Venkata Subba Rao Auditorium on Sunday, August 28th from 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm.
Watch out for details in the Press and on the Net.
• Chennai Heritage is teaming with the Freemasons of Madras to present a programme of ‘live’ heritage events at the Freemasons’ Hall in Egmore from August 29th to September 4th. There will be a different ‘performance’ every evening. Time 6.30 p.m. to 8.30pm. Watch out for details.
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Chennai Heritage as usual offers several walks and talks during Madras Week this year. The Walks include:
Saturday, August 20th
(6.45 a.m.) – The Wallajah Trail, a tour by van and foot for two hours in Triplicane and surrounding areas, to look at vestiges of the glory of the Nawabs of Arcot. To be conducted by
S. Anwar, well-known photographer and documentary film-maker who has been studying the contributions of the Nawabs of Arcot. The tour will conclude with breakfast.
Sunday, August 21st
(6.30 a.m.) – The Studios of Kollywood, a tour by van and foot for two hours in Kodambakkam and Vadapalani, looking at some of the great studios of South Indian filmdom. To be conducted by Mohan V. Raman, veteran film and TV actor and a researcher into the history of Tamil films. The tour will conclude with breakfast.
Saturday, August 27th
(6.00 a.m.) – The Magnates of Mount Road, a tour by van and foot for two-and-a-half hours on how Mount Road developed as a business centre. To be conducted by Sriram V, Associate Editor, Madras Musings. The tour will conclude with breakfast.
Sunday, August 28th
(6.00 a.m.) – Meandering down Mint Street, one of the longest streets in the whole world according to some. This is one of the oldest thoroughfares of Madras and a melting pot of several communities. The two-hour tour by foot will be conducted by Sriram V, Associate Editor, Madras Musings, and will conclude with breakfast.
NOTE: All four tours require booking and payment in advance. Please make your bookings through phone (28411495 – contact Ms Dhanalakshmi) or email (editor@madrasmusings.com). Charges for walks 1, 2 & 3 are Rs. 450 per head. Charges for Walk 4 – Rs. 300 per head.
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Chennai Heritage is also organising two other Walks, one along the Marina and the other in Park Town. Both Walks will be available on August 20th, 21st, 27th & 28th, starting at 6.30 a.m. The Marina Walks are by van and foot for an hour and a half, beginning at the Lighthouse and ending at the War Memorial and back. They will be led by Nandini Arun, Shama Prasanna and Sundari Sidhartha. The Park Town Walks, mostly by van for about 2 hours, will begin at the SDAT Complex opposite Egmore Station and proceed to Ripon Building, My Ladye’s Garden and back, and will be led by Lakshmi Kishore, Kavita Srinath and Sundari Sidhartha. Rs.200 per head for each Walk. For more information and registration for both the Walks, call Sushi Natraj 98840 72433 or email sushi1952@yahoo.co.in
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Two other Walks are being led by Pradeep Chakravarthy on August 21st and August 27th from 3 p.m. to 3.45 p.m. in the Bronze Gallery, Government Museum, Egmore.
He insists that anyone who is older than 35 will HAVE TO register along with a younger person who is either in school (Class 5 or above) or in college.
For registrations and other details contact pradeepan danusha@gmail.com.
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Namma Mylapore is organising two guided tours – To DakshinaChitra on August 24th led by Dr. Chithra Madhavan (10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.) and to the Bronze Gallery, Madras Museum on August 28th (10 a.m. to 12 noon), also led by Dr. Chithra Madhavan.
(For reservations and details: call 99414 50776 or mail nathanlatha@yahoo.com).
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Vincent D’Souza, Editor, Mylapore Times, will lead Walks on August 21st (in Fort St. George) and on August 28th (on Mount Road). The August 21st walk starts at 8 am, lasts 90 minutes. Assemble in parking lot opposite main gate of Fort at 7.45 am. Carry ID cards, water, light snacks. Ends at Fort Museum (those who wish to visit the Museum may do so on their own - it opens at 10 am). This Walk is free. Register at themadrasday@gmail.com. The August 28th walk starts at 8 am at The Hindu’s gate, ends at Murray & Co. (Auction starts at 10.30 am here). Walk is free.
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Nizhal, the ‘Tree NGO’, commemorates Madras Week with two Tree Walks on August 21st and August 28th. The Tree Walk on August 21st (4:30 to 5.30 p.m.) will be at Semmozhi Poonga and on August 28th (4:30 to 5:30 p.m.) at Independence Day Park, near Valluvar Kottam. For registration: nizhal.shade@gmail.com.
YOCee is organising a Photowalk for children on August 13th (7am to 8am) led by N. Ramaswamy of http://chennaidailyfoto.wordpress. com from Royapuram Railway station to Srinivasa Ramanujan Museum, Royapuram, and on August 14th (7 a.m. to 8 a.m.) from Iyyappan temple (Raja Annamalaipuram) to Greenway’s Road MRTS station.
Limited to first 25 registrations on each day. Contact 98405 44629 – Revathi. Select photos will be printed and displayed as an exhibition at various venues during Madras Week.
The Yellow Bus, play home and activity centre, Besant Nagar, is organising on August 14th a Bicycle Rally (6.30 a.m. to 8.30 a.m). Participants will follow a trail of famous landmarks with the help of a clue sheet. Open to men in the age group 20 and above with bicycles.
Lollypop, an activity centre for children in Alwarpet, is organising a heritage walk to the C.P. Ramaswami Aiyer Foundation at 9 am on August 27th. For details, contact: 8754405577.
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Mylapore Times is organising a Madras Quiz in Tamil for city Tamil medium schools at P. S. School, Mylapore on August 27th afternoon. (Schools must register at 98405 44629), and a Madras Open Quiz on August 28th (prelims at 2 pm). Open to teams of two, at P. S. School’s Dakshinamurthy Hall.
An Online City Guide is being launched by Mylapore Times with 51 Things To Do In Chennai, a community-driven listing. This web link invites people to offer ideas/tips on places a visitor must see in the city. These are places/experiences / things that are unique to the city. Go to – www.51thingstodoin chennai.blogspot.com and start posting!
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This year’s Chennai Heritage talks will be :
Sunday, August 21st: Justice Prabha Sridevan on The Life of V. Krishnaswami Aiyar, a death centenary tribute, at Chamiers.
Monday, August 22nd: Mohan V. Raman on Three Women Film Directors of Madras at Taj Club House.
Tuesday, August 23rd: R. Mohan on Horse racing in Madras at The Residency Towers.
Wednesday, August 24th: Y.G. Mahendra and A.R. Srinivasan on Tamizh Theatre in Madras at Hotel Savera.
Thursday, August 25th: Geeta Doctor in conversation with two artists from A Village Called Cholamandal at the Park Sheraton.
Friday, August 26th: P.C. Ramakrishna on The English Theatre in Madras at The Madras Gymkhana Club (open to all).
Saturday, August 27th: Harry MacLure & Richard O’ Connor on The Anglo-Indians of Madras at the GRT Grand.
Sunday, August 28th: K.R.N. Menon & P. Unnikrishnan in conversation with Sushila Ravindranath on A Boxwallah’s Madras at Amethyst.
Usual schedule – 6.30-
7.00 p.m. – High Tea, 7.00-
8.00 p.m. talks. On 27th, tea is from 7.00 to 7.30 p.m. and talk is from 7.30 to 8.30 p.m.
The Rotary Club of Madras South will hold five meetings in August to celebrate ‘Madras Month’. They are only for Rotarians and their guests. The August 23rd meeting is at TAG Centre, the other meetings are at Hotel Savera. Meetings will start at 6.00 p.m.
August 2nd: Indu Balachandran on Confessions of a Chennai Advertising Woman.
August 9th: S. Muthiah on The American Contribution to British Madras.
August 16th: Pradeep Chakravarthy on Information Technology in Chennai
August 23rd: V. Sriram on Chennai, Crazy Chennai.
August 30th: Anand Krishna, Public Affairs Officer, American Consulate, on An Indian-American’s impressions of Chennai.
Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan will present Ancient Light: Madras through the eyes of a Photowalker at Jaigopal Garodia School, Anna Nagar, at 4 pm on August 23rd.
The Public Relations Society of India, Chennai Chapter, organises Madras: Its past and its present, a presentation by S. Muthiah and D. Krishnan at Stella Maris College at 6.00 p.m.
Namma Arcot Road presents three speakers at Hotel Green Park, Vadapalani, on August 25th: 5.30 pm: Shreekumar Varma on New Madras Musings; 6.15 pm: Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan on Ancient Light: Madras through the eyes of a Photowalker, and 7 pm: Pradeep Chakravarthy on Kodambakkam is the centre of Madras, a look at how Madras was organised geographically in the 9th-12th centuries.
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Nizhal offers you a chance to exhibit photos of different Trees of Chennai. The photos will be exhibited on August 27th and 28th at Kadamba Galleria, Royapettah (opp Pilot Theatre) and certificates are assured!
Each photo must be 8”x11” and mounted. Last date for submission: August 25th. For further details and registration call 90030-11372/ 98402-21241 between” 10 am-5 pm or write to nizhal.shade@gmail.com.
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Asan Memorial School, Egmore, is celebrating Madras Week with an exhibition from August 17th to 19th on Our Heritage in Brick and Mortar, featuring models and charts prepared by the Social Science Department and the Heritage Club. The inaugural function at 10 a.m. on August 17th will have as guest speakers the Nawab of Arcot, Dr. Meena Muthiah and Gopika Verma. The valedictory at 2 p.m. on August 19th will have Shreekumar Varma as chief guest. Asan will also have an inter-school heritage quiz on August 18th, Preliminary rounds at 9.30 am; finals at
11 a.m.
The Gallery Sri Parvati, Eldam’s Road, Alwarpet, hosts an exhibition of paintings by Maniam Selven (MaSe) on Madras: My Impressions from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., August 18th to 31st. On August 22nd at
6.30 pm, Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan will present Ancient Light: Madras through the eyes of a Photowalker and on August 23rd at 6.30 pm Chitra Madhavan will speak on Lesser known temples of Chennai – some more.
DakshinaChitra will feature an exhibition of Photographs of Chennai City by Abhishek Dadheech from August 21st to 28th. It will also organise a drawing competition for children in the 7-13 age group on the theme Monuments of Chennai and a photography competition for children in the 11-15 age group with the theme Bazaars of Chennai.
Padma Seshadri School, KK Nagar, will host Through the artist’s eye, an exhibition organised by D.H. Rao, of coins, paintings, pen-and-ink drawings by Manohar Devadoss, and memorabilia relating to Madras. Speakers at the inauguration
(2 p.m. on August 22nd) will be S. Muthiah, Nalli Kuppuswamy and Mrs. Y.G. Parthasarathy. (Open from 9.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on August 23rd and 24th). Also, a competition for children, ‘Why I like it’, based on essays, paintings and photographs of Madras.
Hotel Green Park, Vadapalani, hosts several programmes on August 27th from 3.30 p.m.: Spring and Zoom, KK Nagar, an activity centre for children, welcomes children to experiment and create exquisite products using the potter’s wheel and palm leaves, in Madras – experience your cultural heritage from 3.30 – 5 p.m. Supported by resource persons from DakshinaChitra; Open to children five years and above; contact 9940450495/9940286740. Also, Madras: Then and now, a poster presentation by students.
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The World Storytelling Institute is facilitating Storytelling by the Sea, an evening of Rajah-Rani stories, especially about the sea, told by members of Chennai’s sea-fishing communities, and others on August 25th (6.30 p.m. to 8 p.m.) at Nocchikuppam 2nd Street.
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YOCee is organising on August 15th an Oratorical contest (Prelims) for students of classes 9 to 12 in English and Tamil. Topic: Speeches by famous personalities in Chennai, Costumes Galore - Traditional bridal costumes of different communities of Chennai, on Art Contest - Collage on theme Chennai - Netru, Indru, Naalai for children of age group 8-12 and a Pulli Kolam contest; open to all in age group 15-25 years. August 21st, will be the finals of the Oratorical contest, and there will be Villupattu - A musical travelogue on Chennai, and Kootu - Lecture demonstration on Influence of folk elements in today’s art and culture in the capital of Tamil Nadu.
Kalaa Manjari, 6/12, First Street, Venus Colony. Alwarpet, is organising on August 21st an art contest for children from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Themes: Age: 5-10 years – Clean Green Chennai, Ages: 11-16 years Places of Interest in Chennai. Contact: 24312676.
The first of the City’s Clubs to plan a Madras Week programme is the Madras Boat Club which has V.V. Ramana, that well-known quizmaster, conducting an inter-club quiz at MBC on August 26th.
Mylapore Times is organising a contest for students of city schools in which teams of three will choose a heritage spot/ trend/milestone, research, record and jot down all that helps to create a great Power Point production. The teams will then meet on August 23rd at Srinivasa Sastri Hall, Luz, Mylapore, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Prize distribution at 3 p.m. (approx.). Last year, 21 schools took part and the top three took home trophies, gifts and certificates. Entry has to be made at the school level. Information at www.themadrasday.in or 98405 44629.
Mylapore Times also invites participants for a project to produce documentary films in English/Tamil on Madras that is Chennai. About its people and places, its landmarks and its institutions, its life-trends and its communities. The best will be screened at a festival in September. (Details at www.themadrasday.in).
Prof M. S. Swaminathan will inaugurate Madras Week at C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation on August 20th at an exhibition of paintings by A. Ananda Kumar and photographs by the late M. K. Rangaswamy Aiyangar of Madras and its environs. On August 24th, the Foundation will release at 11 am the C. P. R. Environmental Education Centre’s Survey of Air, Water and Noise Levels in Chennai city.
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