Munro Statue
With regard to the picture of the statue of Munro published in MM, September 16th, 2024. Decades ago by the mid-1950s – this narration about the Munro statue used to be told:
“A very proud British officer took his son – aged less than ten years – daily to see the Munro statue. He wanted to instill his son proud British values. He would say – See Monroe, how majestic he looks. After a fortnight of this routine, his son asked – “Who is the person sitting on Munro?”
P.B. Rajagopalan
pbr.chennai@gmail.com
Jambavan’s Festive Arrival: A Pongal Tale from Chennai
Chennai, the city where tradition and modernity dance in unison, comes alive during Pongal. Streets are adorned with vibrant kolams, the air is laced with the earthy aroma of sakkarai pongal simmering on stoves, and every corner echoes with joyous greetings of “Pongalo Pongal!” Amid this celebratory chaos, an annual guest arrives, carrying not just bells and garlands but a legacy of cultural heritage.
This year, it was Jambavan’s turn to grace us with his presence. An ox with the swagger of a movie star and the charm of a seasoned performer, Jambavan was no ordinary visitor. Draped in a kaleidoscope of colours – blue, green, and pink – his forehead sparkled with intricate patterns of cowrie shells. Around his hump jingled a garland of tiny bells that sang with each confident step.
Jambavan didn’t just walk into our street; he strutted in, head held high, as if he owned the bustling lanes of Chennai. Children squealed in delight, while elders paused from their chores to marvel at the spectacle. His owner, Manikandan, a wiry man with a thick moustache and a twinkle in his eye, played the perfect showman.
“Shake hands!” Manikandan commanded with a dramatic flourish. And, as if rehearsed a hundred times, Jambavan raised his forelimb, eliciting cheers and laughter from the crowd. When asked to perform a namaskaram, however, the star ox drew the line, bobbing his head in protest. Manikandan, ever the diplomat, grinned and defended his companion’s refusal. “This is cement, Amma. Jambavan only sits on soft mud!”
Manikandan, a native of Tiruvallur district, seemed as much a storyteller as a caretaker. “This is our season of joy and hard work,” he said, his Tamil seasoned with hints of Telugu. “We start early, walking from villages near Tambaram, Medavakkam, and Kelambakkam, stopping at each street to share Jambavan’s blessings.” His tales painted vivid pictures of moonlit nights spent resting in parks and the camaraderie of other cattle-rearers he met on these journeys.
But his eyes clouded briefly as he added, “The city has changed. People don’t stop to notice us anymore. During Pongal, we earn Rs. 500 to Rs. 1000 a day – children feed Jambavan bananas and take pictures. But on ordinary days? The streets are silent, and people are too busy even to glance our way.”
Jambavan, meanwhile, was the quintessential diva, demanding attention. A generous handout of bananas was devoured with gusto, followed by an exaggerated lick of Manikandan’s hand, as if signalling that it was time to move on. With a pat on Jambavan’s forehead, Manikandan bade us farewell, and the majestic ox strutted off, bells jingling and heads turning in his wake.
As I watched them disappear down the street, I felt a pang of realisation. For years, I had seen such visitors from my balcony or while rushing to work, but rarely had I paused to engage. Last year, it was a middle school project on livelihoods that finally made me step out and talk to Manikandan. This brief conversation had left a mark, yet it was Jambavan’s theatrical arrival this year that truly drove home the richness of this fleeting tradition.
In Chennai’s fast-paced life, such moments are reminders of the city’s soul – the deep, unspoken bond between its people, their animals, and the land they inhabit. Jambavan wasn’t just an ox; he was a custodian of stories, resilience, and the enduring spirit of Pongal.
As I returned to my kitchen, where the sakkarai pongal bubbled away, I felt a quiet gratitude. Jambavan’s visit wasn’t merely a spectacle; it was an invitation to pause, celebrate, and reconnect with the timeless traditions that make Chennai the vibrant mosaic it is today.
Priyanka Soman
Stormwater drainage project in Chennai must be revisited
For over three years now, the stormwater drainage project has been the talk of the town. It was said that the project would encompass 559 roads, covering a distance of 1033 kilometres at the cost of approximately Rs. 4,070 crores. Since the time the scheme was announced and the design publicised, experts have expressed considerable skepticism about its success. Questions have been raised about the various technological options available – alternate ways for laying the stormwater drains have been examined, taking into account local conditions such as rainfall intensity, periodicity of flooding, the extent of flooding, existing road constructions, traffic intensity as well as the density of population in the area.
Experts observed that the same design has been uniformly adopted for the entire city without considering these local conditions. For example, it was pointed out that such projects are not quite necessary in Besant Nagar and surrounding areas – being close to the seashore, they have looser soil which allows floodwater to percolate swiftly.
The design proposed in the scheme has also been questioned, as the stormwater drains are constructed in such a way that it stands roughly one foot above the road level in most places. Consequently, any rainfall will cause water to enter the homes in the area by dint of the drainage structure being above the floor level of the houses. Indeed, in several places, residents have had to spend considerable amounts to raise the floor levels of their own compounds to be in line with the drainage structures. I myself have spent a lakh to raise the floor in my house. Further, as part of the project, the roads were dug up to a depth of about three to four feet and a width of about two to three feet. The drains were constructed using steel-reinforced cement concrete with two walls on either side, with provisions for manholes, chutes etc. This has been done in front of several houses, leaving little space between the gate of the house and that of the drainage structure.
There has also been criticism in several places about the lack of supervision as well as the non-maintenance of the gradient which enables the free flow of water. The government has reacted to all these criticisms by simply stating that the design has been approved by professors from IIT Madras.
In November 2022, the government announced that 95 per cent of the work was complete. There were assurances that flooding would not be a problem in Chennai any longer. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, of course – there have been many storms and heavy rains since then, and most parts of the city have experienced quite the same level of flooding as they had in the pre-stormwater drainage era. This implies that the entire stormwater drain project that has been designed and implemented has to be revisited to learn the right lessons for the future.
A careful evaluation of the various factors at play is necessary so that alternate methods can be devised for future projects that are both cost-effective as well as quick so that residents are not subject to inconvenience. As such, it appears that the authorities have chosen the most expensive and time-consuming way of laying stormwater drains – by digging deep into the soil and using steel-reinforced concrete, chute pipes, manhole covers, inlet chambers, retailing walls etc. Experts say that instead, in a crowded city like Chennai, drainage pipes could have been laid underground. There are PVC and HDPE pipe options, both of which have become extremely popular in drainage applications in recent years, the world over. They are resistant to collapse as well as chemical corrosion and have both flexibility and durability. While PVC pipes are easy to install, HDPE pipes are generally the better choice for high-pressure systems. Suitable provisions can be made in the pipes for regular connections, inspections, cleaning etc.
N.S. Venkataraman
Trustee, Nandini Voice For The Deprived
M 60/1, 4th Cross Street, Besant Nagar
Chennai 600 090