Modern Madras was born 379 years ago

Madras turns 379 today

. Despite its metamorphosis from a colonial town to a metropolis, the present city is probably closer to what it was in 1639. But celebration of this date does not mean it did not exist before that.

There is no denying that the area known as Tondaimandalam existed long ago. Inscriptions at the Parthasarathy Swamy temple in Triplicane, Thiruvidanthai temple in Thiruvottiyur, stone inscriptions at Santhome point to kingdoms dating back to the 7th and 11th century. Thus the antiquity of the place is not under question but only the year of founding of a new settlement named Madrasapatnam that later grew to be the city of Madras.

In 1939, a committee was formed to record the history of Madras comprising eminent historians and professors who brought out a volume titled ‘The Madras Tercentenary Commemoration’. As renowned scholars they knew there was a civilization around Madras. But the fact remains, a small area north of where the Cooum empties into the Bay of Bengal, was given as a grant by the Naik of Poonamallee (a representative of Rajah of Chandragheri), to Francis Day to set up a trading post on August 22, 1639, in which the identification of the place is made as Madrasapatnam. As the distinguished authors say in this volume, "A thousand years before the British found the settlement on the spit of land... the Pallavas were at the height of power in south India... Yet this very antiquity of the past history of India lends a peculiar interest to the rise and growth of her cities in modern periods."

This is not to discount the historical claims before it. It is a question of identity. The idea of Madras Day celebrations started by Chennai Heritage Foundation in 2004 has been with the focus on maintenance of heritage sites with citizens taking part in its upkeep.

Historically, the modern city came to be following the rapid growth since the late 17th century, because of trade and integration of villages. The introduction of Western education and learning process brought with it a sudden interest in various sciences.

When Chennai became the first corporation after London the citizens felt the need to take an active part in city management and the study of law assumed greater importance. It may be argued that the English did all of it for their own benefit, but one cannot deny the advantages citizens received later.

The celebrations are nothing to do with the British but to invoke interest in the citizens to get involved in the city’s welfare. We need a starting point and a goal post to achieve anything.

(The author is a former marine chief engineer, historian and heritage enthusiast)