Wandering about in George Town, your deputy editor was surprised to find that there is a Chinnathambi Street. And what is more, it is linked to Audiappa Naicken Street, as it should be. For while Vennala Audiappa Chetty (also known as Naik) was the chief promoter of Chintadripet early in the 18th century, his partner in the enterprise was Chinnathambi Mudaliar. It is intriguing that the name now has a ‘Che’ after it, making it out that he was a Chinnathambi Chetty, but that is not correct. Even in the 1940s, this was Chinnathambi Mudaliar Street. But then, when Audiappa can be a Naik and a Chetty, why cannot Chinnthambi be a Chetty and a Mudali? But hush! We did do away with caste names in street signs some years ago did we not?
