Periyar.

◼️Periyar– The name literally translates to “great one/ a wise elder” and he indeed was one. He was conferred that title by women in the Tamilnadu Women conference held at Madras in 1938.

Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy was born in 1879 in the Madras Presidency to a wealthy family but he soon began to realise his true calling. In 1919, Periyar joined the Indian National Congress but resigned in 1925.In 1939, he became the head of the Justice Party which paved way for Dravidian politics in tamilnadu.

Periyar started the Self Respect Movement in 1925, which aimed at removing social injustice and inequality. He also voiced out this views about Freeing women from the shackles of family and culture. Periyar was one of the first voices to oppose the Hindi Imposition and that spirit still remains intact in Tamil Nadu even when all the other states gave in to the accepting Hindi.

Periyar’s contribution to Tamil Nadu politics drastically changed the face of politics in South India with regional parties gaining a stronghold over national parties. He shaped Tamil Nadu politics as we see it today.

In his ideologies, thoughts and actions, he was hell bent on thrashing everything that was wrong with our social system. A staunch believer of social justice and eradication of the caste system.. Like every great visionary he was also misunderstood by many. Swear words, Cow dung and slippers are what he got for his path breaking ideals. He took it all in a positive stride and exclaimed

“One who comes to public service should be void of any pride or dignity. If one feels ashamed or embarrassed he can’t serve the society”

பொதுத் தொண்டுக்கு வந்தவன், மானம் – அவமானம் பார்க்க முடியாது; மானம் பார்த்தால் தொண்டு செய்ய முடியாது!’

Periyar is too big to be contained in one post, essay or even a book. His ideals and thoughts are life lessons upon which we must build our lives. Tamil Nadu and its people should be eternally grateful to this great man for changing the political and social landscape of our state.

Peraringar C. N. Annadurai

 Perarignar C.N. Annadurai was much more than just a politician or a chief minister to Tamil Nadu. His life and political career was a legacy that still remains untouched. He is regarded as one of the charismatic and forceful political leaders of modern India. Besides, he gained fame as an acclaimed orator, Tamil and English litterateur, and a stage actor.

Anna was born on 15th September 1909 to Nataraj – Bangaru Ammal in Kancheepuram. He was fostered by his foster mother Rajamani Ammal. His wife is Rani Ammaiyar. He was born in a family with a simple background. He was a good student, Eloguent Orator, Best Writer, Editor, Honest Leader, Uncomparable Guide, Chief Minister praised by the entire Country, Scholar of intellectual world filled with efficiency in various departments.

He created a knowledge revolution among the poor and simple by his sparkling speech. “Kadamai, Kanniyam, Kattupadu” – The politico – philosophical magical words were coined by him. He inculculated a sense of family relationship in politics. He was a teacher who educated us to respect others Great democratic leader.

We remember him with great pride on the occasion of his 109th birth anniversary. Tamilnadu owes its progress and development as a state to the yesteryear chief minister.

Subramaniya Bharathiyar

நாமிருக்கு நாடுநம தென்பறிந்தோம். இது நமக்கே யுரிமையா மென்பறிந்தோம். இந்தப் பூமியி லெவர்க்குமினி அடிமைசெய்யோம் – பரி பூரணனுக் கேயடிமை செய்துவாழ்வோம்..!! (சுதந்திரப் பள்ளு)

Bharathi like the name suggests, Subramaniya Bharathiyar (1897-1921) was a staunch nationalist and patriot. His songs reeked of Freedom of all sorts. Freedom for the country, women, slaves, abolisment of caste system, religion, inequality and what not?

Bharathi was the voice of Tamilnadu. His poems were filled with not just revolutionary thoughts but immense creativity and an innate sensitivity with which he approached everything in life. His love for nature, animals , birds and his most beloved wife and children have all been expressed in his innumerous poems that are a delight to read. Every great visionary in time has had to face poverty and Bharathi’s family also suffered from the cruel hand of poverty. His untimely demise in 1921 may have denied him from seeing the independent India he longed for but who else could have celebrated an independent India decades before it actually happened?
He did.

ஆடுவோமே பள்ளு பாடுவோமே ஆனந்த சுதந்திரம் அடைந்து விட்டோம் என்று.!!

All his works were nationalised through the efforts of the state government in the year 1949. He deserves the fame of being the first poet in the world to have his works nationalised. Classifying Bharathiyar as just a freedom struggle poet would be a great injustice to him. He is visionary for the generations to come!

Nambuperumal Chetty

Madras owes its beautiful building to many a British architects but one Indian name that can’t be missed is Thatikonda Namberumal Chetty.
(1885-1925)

The builder and contractor behind some of the most iconic buildings in madras. His first building contract was in 1887, the Victoria Public Hall on Poonamallee High Road, to Chisholm’s design. He shared a wonderfully long work relationship with Henry Irwin, the fruit of which can be seen across Chennai. The High Court and Law College, the Bank of Madras, the Victoria Memorial Hall and the Connemara Public Library. Later, under Irwin’s successor GST Harris, Namberumal was to build the YMCA Building on China Bazar Road. A couple of other buildings attributed to him are the Museum Theatre , section of the General Hospital and the Hindu High School in Triplicane.

Namberumal’s skill in procuring high quality raw materials such as timber and brick made him one of the most successful contractors in Madras. Interestingly Mr. Chetty was also interested in acquiring land and one point he owned most of chetpet. It is said that name Chetpet was derived from Chetty’s Pettai. In his hayday he owned 99 houses in madras and refused to buy the 100th one considering it to be bad luck. He also became the first Indian in Madras to own a car – his first vehicle being a French Dideon. His buildings still stand tall to tell the tales of the indian who made a mark in British Madras.

Source: Madrasmusings | Sriram.V
Photo: Internet.

Queen Elizabeth in Madras

Madras’s tryst with royalty dates back to 1961 when the  Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh’s visited Madras on February 19. It was the first visit by the reigning british monarch to the south.
People lined the streets from the airport at Meenambakkam to the centre of town in hundreds and thousands as the newspapers of that time reported. A general holiday was declared in both Madras and Bangalore
They were received at the Rajaji Hall in the erstwhile Government Estate by a high power delegation of statesmen led by C Subramaniam, the finance minister, Dr P V Cherian, chairman of the Madras Legislative Council, Dr U Krishna Rao, speaker of the legislative assembly, and R Venkataraman, minister of industries at that time along with the then Chief minister K.Kamaraj
Source:Timesofindia