Bullock carts, laden with hay, rising to staggering heights, are not uncommon even today on country roads around rural Madurai in southern India. These towers of hay move on humble carts with wooden wheels, bumping precariously along rough roads.	A country raft with a billowing sail that glided along Buckingham Canal in the latter part of the 20th Century, bringing salt and firewood to Madras. The Canal was operational for over a Century but its importance dwindled rapidly well before the close of the 20th Century.

MANOHAR DEVADOSS writes:

After a gap of five years I am coming out with three new pen-and-ink greeting cards. These cards represent the vanishing, simple yet beautiful rustic heritage of Tamil Nadu. The sale proceeds will go to one or the other of Mahema Devadoss' endowments. Please call 24982484 or 98416 94633 for ordering the cards.

Whose baby?

I hope articles like 'Supervised renovation' (MM, October 16th) are being viewed by the authorities at CMDA or Chennai Corporation (CC). What is stated in this article is not only relevant to the old buildings but buildings of recent origin. Reckless alterations of bathrooms by flat owners or their tenants in multi-floor apartments also need to be brought under the purview of CMDA/ CC.

Recently when we visited the Deputy Town Planner at the CMDA on such problems, they refused to listen and directed us to CC. When we referred it to CC the Junior Engineer came and washed off his hands, stating CC is concerned only with individual houses and is not responsible for apartments and it is for the residents' associations to take action.

While the CC collects property tax and CMDA is the regulatory body, we do not know who should monitor and prevent such unauthorised alterations causing damage to adjacent walls, floors and furniture, besides causing hygiene issues.

L.J. Eswar
18/21, Pushpanagar
Nungambakkam,
Chennai 600 034

A clean way

MMM's short note on 'Dear Departeds' reminds me of another connection with 'Dear Departeds'.

As a resident of Mylapore just off busy Radhakrishnan Road, I am witness to a daily occurrence deeply connected with the environment, cleanliness and self-regulation.

Half a dozen or so funeral processions that go through the streets of Mylapore to the crematoriums in the Marina area are the sad occasions for the public to see tearful eyes and forlorn feelings of the relatives who have lost their near and dear ones. One ritual that the processionists follow is to disperse flowers all over the streets, even if only to give a colourful send-off to the departed. Good intentions and a good gesture. Yet, at the end of the solemn procession the streets are strewn with flowers, leaves, banana fibres and plastic bags! Even before these are cleared, the next procession is on its way.

The poor Corporation staff are at work clearing these things all the time as the road is used by VVIPS. These are sensitive issues and yet they need to be addressed. The Corporation should appeal to people and/or charge the processionists Rs.10,000 towards cleaning charges.

I recall an earlier menace, when white pumpkins were broken all over the roads on Saturdays and New Moon days. How did this menace become less?

The age-old cliché states: 'If there is a will there is a way'. In this instance, a clean way for the departed.

Y. Dandapani
2 (Old 14), Chandrabagh Avenue
Mylapore
Chennai 600 004

Ministries in Districts

The concept of shifting capital city perhaps needs a relook The various districts of the State may each have the headquarters of one Ministry and its Directorate so that the secretariat would get decongested and decentralised and the towns may develop and acquire good facilities under the personal supervision of the respective Ministers. With the availability of modern electronic communication facilities, online connections, video conferencing systems, etc. the administration process may not pose much problem. Even when they are in the same city, communications can be made through such channels.

The process of collective responsibility of Ministers in the overall development of the State could also evolve in a better manner.

R. Janakiraman
14, Gopalapuram 3rd Street
Chennai 600 086

Another Levingepuram

There is a Levingepuram in Tuticorin where I lived for ten years (MM, October 16th).

D.B. James
37, Sadasiva Metha Street
Metha Nagar
Madras 600 020

Munro the believer

Sir Thomas Munro (MM, October 16th) indeed belonged to a rare breed. He was not only a friend of Indians but he was also a true Hindu in mind, heart and spirit.

In 1813, Marthanda Varma, the Maharaja of the Travancore State, died without any male heir. Rani Lakshmi Bai took over the administration immediately. The British Government (in fact, the East India Company) simultaneously began searching for a male heir. The policy of the British Government was to annex any princely state if the ruler died without a male heir. Munro who was the Divan at the time was put under pressure by his superiors. Fortunately, the Rani was pregnant. But the Governor-General was very keen in annexing the state as early as possible.

Munro was very much attched to the Hindu religion and faith and had unflinching faith in the Lord Padmanabha Swami. So he went to the temple and prayed fervently for a male heir and then sent a letter to the Governor-General that the Rani had delivered a male child.

But he was restless and spent sleepless nights for giving a false information. So he went to the temple (on his horse) on the eastern side of the Fort and prayed, "O God! I am aware you are omnipresent. I have deep faith in you. Please grant me my request. Give Rani a male child and make my lie a truth and save the State. This family must continue to rule the State without any interruption.

Within a few minutes he got the message that the Rani had indeed delivered a male child.

Munro cried, "O Lord Padmanabha, You are true and alive. You are not a stone. You have flesh and blood." Maharaja Swathi Thirunal was that heir.

It is also reported that when Munro went to Manthralaya to look into its functioning, he saw Swami Raghavendra who talked to him. This event was reported in the Madras Government Gazette. Whenever Governor Munro got the prasadams from Manthralaya, he received it with all reverence and humility.

Do we need any more facts to say that he was a true and devout Hindu?

R. Rajagopalan
Flat G-1, Block A
5/3, Pushkar Flats, 27th Street
Nanganallur, Chennai 600 061