What did not change in a 100 years has changed in just 10 years. Today Spencer Plaza, even though still an important landmark on Mount Road, has almost fallen off the mall-map of Chennai.
On January 26, 2001, when I was precisely two weeks old in Chennai, a bunch of people from the office (I was with Express then) set off for Mahabalipuram in one car and four bikes. During the onward journey, I sat in the car, and people sang all along the way.
On the return journey, I rode pillion on one of the bikes, and we were still mid-way to Chennai when the bike skidded and I was thrown off the vehicle. I went sliding down the road, my face scratching against the tarred surface. A speeding four-wheeler coming from behind would have killed me instantly, but those days the East Coast Road wasn’t what it is today. Traffic was minimal, especially since it was a public holiday.
Once back home, the accident was quickly forgotten (though the scars remained for months), but what remained in my head was one particular song sung in the car during the onward journey. The song was Haiyyo pathikichu from the Tamil film Rhythm, which had released recently. The tune refused to leave me. When I begged a colleague to find me the cassette (those days, there was no internet search or downloading, and CDs were very expensive), she said: “Come, we will go to Spencer Plaza. It’s right across the road.”
And thus, I first set foot in Spencer Plaza. It went on to become my second home for many years to come. At the time, I did not know — and it did not matter to me — that it was India’s oldest shopping plaza. I wasn’t so sensitive about heritage back then: in any case, the original building of Spencer Plaza was razed in a fire in 1983.
What mattered to me was that this mall provided me with everything that I could possibly want — all under one roof: books, music, clothes, shoes, watches, even booze (there used to be a liquor outlet in the now-defunct Foodworld store on the ground floor).
It was also the venue for the poor man’s Page 3 party: by that I mean a fashionable place for the masses to hang out and be noticed. Now when I look back, the thrill that seized me back then is comparable to the thrill Spencer Plaza must have given its visitors about 100 years ago. A tribute from the 1914-published Southern India: Its History, People, Commerce, and Industrial Resources, “A stroll through an almost interminable succession of finely fitted and ornamented rooms in the Mount Road establishment (of Spencer & Co.) reveals such a remarkable assortment of all kinds of goods that one is bewildered at the quantity and variety…”
What did not change in a 100 years has changed in just 10 years. Today Spencer Plaza, even though still an important landmark on Mount Road, has almost fallen off the mall-map of Chennai. People now mostly go to the nearby Express Avenue, where they can also watch movies.
I still visit Spencer Plaza once in a while, purely for old time’s sake, and come out of it sadder each time. The crowds have long gone; many of the international brands have shifted to greener pastures; the air-conditioning, which once lifted your spirits as soon as you entered the mall, no longer works; and on the days of power shutdown, the mall represents a ghost town. How long can the modest pedestal fan, in the weather like Chennai’s, encourage you to keep browsing books or trying on new shirts?
And so, India’s oldest mall is slowly dying. Do you think it can be saved?
Keywords: Spencer Plaza fire, heritage protection
As an NRI, I do visit the mall few years apart and in every visit of mine I see the Mall thinning away from her glorious past into a dark shadows of uncertain future. It is fast becoming street walk stalls under the roof. Once in its peak, shoppers were certain to find even the rare branded merchandise here if they are unable to find it elsewhere in Chennai. As an Architect, I find that the floor plan had gone outdated. The shop lots are much more smaller than the international standards and there is a serious need for adequate natural lighting such as sky domes to brighten up the place which can safe the energy cost to a large extend. The layout of the shoppers' walk space is too narrow and not user friendly and furthermore the food court is so cramped up knocking each against others chair. In order to safe this mall from dying away, the operators have to redesign this mall to international standards, and have to visit some developed countries and see how their malls are laid out.
Spencers used to be one place where I could get everything ranging from
books,music,clothing and food...but due to the number of many new
malls,this landmark on Mount road has been forgotten by many...hope
something is done very soon to revivie the magic created by this
wonderful piece of wholesome entertainment...
My first visit to Chennai was in 1982 with my four year old son - we were visiting close friends there. I have some wonderful photos of us all standing outside the Mall. Please try and save ths wonderful iconic building.
I was too scared to go into Spencers (the original, I mean), wondering
if only the super rich would be allowed. A relative from abroad shopping
for cornflakes for his kids took me there (yes, they did have
cornflakes--Mohan's brand). Lovely wooden floors, a dance area and male
staff in ties.
Around 1958 our school in Madras had organized a visit to Spencer Mall.
We were surprised to note something new there. Every thing was lying
open for you to pick up yourself such as sweets etc and go to the
counter to pay whereas in every other shop, the owner would give you
whatever you ask for. One of the students asked the teacher who took
us there about how the mall would know if any student would steal a
chocolate. The teacher replied that there are people secretly watching
every suspicious guy.
We are thankful to Hindu for the nice historical picture that also
shows a steam engine driven truck of good old days.
i remember that when i was a kid i saw the old spencer building walking from thousand lights to mount road with my uncle..
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