The Adyar river is steeped in history, and therefore, the talk on ‘The Heritage of Adyar River’ promised much and it delivered on its promise. Organised by Tamil Heritage Trust and presented by historian Venkatesh Ramakrishnan, the talk presented certain less known facts about the river and also explored certain long-held notions about it, even going as far as challenging the premises on which they were built. Giving the background of the talk, the historian led a team that mapped the river for over two years, tracing the history and heritage that had played out on its banks.
Venkatesh said the Cooum and Adyar differed on a major point, calling the former a tool for the British to impress the people they ruled. In contrast, the Adyar was about the aspirations of Indians, he said.
“Adyar represents the aspirations of the people of Madras. They came from other parts. They tried to erase their past. Without realising it themselves, they created new futures and pathways. Communities were creating new art forms for themselves. Most of them happened near Adyar,” he explained.
The sea and the river
“The Adyar river, which starts from Manimangalam (near Tambaram) does not enter the sea the way a river is generally known to enter a sea. Except in time of floods, when the Chembarambakkam sluice gates are opened, water from Adyar really doesn’t get into the sea. The tidal water enters the sea in the evenings through a small outlet near the Broken Bridge near Besant Nagar beach,” he pointed out.
Boat travel
“The easiest way to assume that there was considerable boat movement is to look at the Buckingham Canal and imagine that boats meant for travel would have gone down the Adyar River. But they did not. A linear boat travel never happened in Adyar,” he said. However, it may be noted that boats cut across Adyar while entering Buckingham Canal.
Projects and institutions
The Great Trignometric Survey, which surveyed India, was started on St. Thomas Mount in 1802 by infantry officer William Lambton. Under the leadership of his successor, George Everest, the project was entrusted to the Survey of India. The Race Course was the first spot where they marked the theodolite. Both of them are on the banks of Adyar.
He also pointed out that the King’s Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research, Guindy, was located on the banks of the river.
The Saidapet Agricultural School, another iconic institution, was located on its banks at Saidapet. Marmalong Bridge, which enables people to commute from Anna Salai to St. Thomas Mount, was constructed across Adyar river by Armenian merchant Coja Petrus Uscan in 1728 at a cost of Rs. one lakh.
The birth of Gandhi Nagar
He traced the history of Gandhi Nagar, a residential locality that was raised on the banks of the river. The Foundation stone for Gandhi Nagar was laid by Omandur Ramasamy Reddy, a freedom fighter, on January 23, 1948, days before the tragic death of Mahatma Gandhi. It was initially called ‘Gandhi Gram’ and later rechristened Gandhi Nagar. Gandhi Nagar belonged to Santhome Church. The locality was brought by the Government and later plotted out, he noted.
Connected to the Canal
“Buckingham Canal was connected to the Adyar river on the South and to the Cooum on North. The 8-km stretch linking the Adyar and Cooum rivers, was built in 1877-78. The boats for Mamallapuram used to start in Keshava Perumal Puram. The boat will cut across Adyar and then into Buckingham canal. The canal had locks on both sides to maintain water levels,” he said.
Scout movement in Adyar
“Baden Powell from South Africa and the British Government in India didn’t think Indians to be fit as scouts. Annie Besant started a parallel Scout movement in Adyar.
This was the first scout movement in India. Baden Powell comes to India in 1890, and is impressed, and thinks this could be a parallel movement.
He wants a merger, and gives Annie Besant, the Silver Woof Award, the highest award from The Scout Association,” he added.
