I

• Madras has a history of three centuries of growth but is surrounded by a region with much older historical significance.
• Important historical areas include Triplicane, Mylapore, and suburbs like Tiruvottiyur and Pallavaram.
• The region contains a rich store of prehistoric remains, archaeological and architectural objects of interest.
• The city of Madras existed as separate scattered villages before the arrival of the English.
• The city extends 9 miles along the coast with a breadth of about 3 miles, covering an area of 30 square miles.
• Madras lies between 13.4° N latitude and 80.17° E longitude, on a sandy beach, at almost the same latitude as Bangalore and Mangalore.
• The land is of post-tertiary formation, close to sea level, with dune areas to the east and a parallel trough with Cochrane’s Canal.
• The Cooum River divides the city into two equal parts, and the Adyar River forms its southern boundary.
• Both the Cooum and Adyar Rivers have sand-bars at their mouths due to surf-driven sand.
• Buckingham Canal runs through the city, originally the North River, flowing north to south.
• The city has many small tanks that served for irrigation but are now filled or silted up, contributing to malaria.
• Larger tanks like the Vyasarpady Tank, Spur Tank, and Nungambakam Tank have been built over or filled.
• The Cooum River is crossed by various bridges, including the Willingdon Bridge and the Iron Bridge near its mouth.
• The Adyar River is crossed by Elphinstone Bridge and Marmalong Bridge.
• North River (Cochrane’s Canal) is crossed by Basin Bridge, Elephant Gate Bridge, General Hospital Bridge, and Wallajah Bridge.
• The Buckingham Canal is crossed by several bridges, including Barber’s Bridge.
• Stone-faced tanks are found by Hindu temples, with the Kapaliswar Tank in Mylapore being the most beautiful.
• The Cooum River suffers from narrowing, siltation, and sand-bar formation at its mouth.
• The Adyar River also forms lagoons and Quibble Island at its mouth.
• The city features rough grass and coconut groves, especially in sparsely populated suburbs.
• Casuarina plantations are common along the northern and southern coastlines, while shady trees like banyans and rain-trees line larger roads.
• The city’s soil is alluvial, with some gravelly areas, while the beach is sandy and the riverbanks are saline and swampy.
• From December to March, Madras experiences cool weather, while March to June is the hot season.
• The south-west monsoon brings a little rain from June to September, with a stronger north-east monsoon from October to November.
• The annual rainfall is over 40 inches, mostly during the north-east monsoon.
• Madras is prone to cyclones and storms, especially during the monsoon squalls.
• Prior to the construction of the harbor, shipping was often affected by cyclones in the unprotected roadstead.
• The chief vernacular language of the city is Tamil, spoken by the majority, followed by Telugu.
• Among the major castes are the Vellalas, Vanniyas, Balijas, Weavers, Vaniyars, and Adi-Dravidas.
• Brahmans form a larger proportion of the population compared to other regions.
• The city’s workforce is largely involved in government service, trade, and industrial work.
• Industries like Buckingham and Carnatic Mills, the Harbour works, and M. & S. M. Railway Workshops provide significant employment.
• Plague was reported in 1905, but the city remains largely immune to it.
• Cholera and malignant fevers like kala-azar and enteric fever occur periodically.
• The Corporation Health Department takes measures to prevent and manage diseases.
• Literacy in Madras is higher than in rural areas, with nearly 200 males per 1,000 literate, and 260 females per 1,000.
• English literacy is higher among Hindus and Christians compared to other groups in the population.

II

• Port St. George is the center from which the city of Madras has expanded in three directions: north, south, and west.
• There are three principal gates: the Sea-Gate to the east, leading to Beach Road; and two gates on the western side leading to Mount Road, Poonamallee Road, and Esplanade-Broadway Roads.
• These roads divide the city into four major areas.
• Mount Road and Poonamallee Road originated as military roads for troop transport to the cantonments of St. Thomas’ Mount and Poonamallee.
• Wallajah Road branches from Mount Road beyond the Cooum, leading to Triplicane High Road, an important route to San Thome.
• Suburbs like Chepauk, Triplicane, Krishnampet, and San Thome are located to the east of Triplicane High Road.
• The area between Mount Road and Poonamallee Road was known in the 18th century as the Great Choultry Plain, extending to Mylapore and including suburbs like Pudupak, Royapet, Pudupet, and Teynampet.
• By the mid-18th century, garden-houses or bungalows were built by European residents in the open expanse, away from the crowded Fort area.
• Egmore, Chetput, Nungambakam, and part of Pudupet lie between Mount Road and Poonamallee Road.
• The suburb of Chintadripettah, encircled by the Cooum River, is located in the eastern part of these roads.
• To the north of Poonamallee Road lie George Town, People’s Park, Periamet, Vepery, Purasawalkam, and Kilpauk.
• Choolai and Perambur, to the north-west, have developed into a mill area.
• George Town is separated from the Fort by the Esplanade ground and extends north to the limits of old Black Town and west to Cochrane’s Canal.
• The northern limits of the city are roughly marked by the railway line from Central Railway Station to Basin Bridge, and the cross line from Basin Bridge to Royapuram.
• Northern suburbs like Washermanpet, Royapuram, Tondiarpet, and Korukkupet extend towards Tiruvottiyur, the ancient temple town.
• The railway line running north marks the western limit of these northern suburbs.
• The city has expanded into new residential quarters in sparsely populated areas like Nungambakam, near the Long Tank, and across Mount Road into Mambalam.
• Recently, the Municipality limits were extended to include Mambalam and areas near the South Indian Railway line near Saidapet.

III

• Madras is one of the most important regions for prehistoric relics, with stone implements of the Paleolithic age found in its neighborhood, indicating it as the abode of Paleolithic man.
• Regular surveys of prehistoric remains have not been effectively carried out, but sporadic efforts began in 1863 by R. Bruce Foote, the pioneer of such studies in India.
• Other field-work was carried out by Messrs. King, Rea, Richards, Cammiade, and others, leading to the accumulation of material and the scientific study of finds.
• The Chingleput district has been rich in prehistoric remains and is regarded as a “veritable field museum” of prehistoric archaeology.
• Collections from pioneers like Foote and Rea have been arranged in the prehistoric galleries of the Madras Museum.
• It is surmised that a mighty river flowed through a valley to the northwest of the city, where the Kortalaiyar now flows, and this area, known as Vriddha Kshiranadhi, may have been inhabited by prehistoric man.
• Cave-like rock shelters of primitive man are located in the Alicoor hills near Gudem in the valley.
• Neolithic sites and artifacts have not been discovered in abundance around Madras, but sarcophagi tombs at Pallavaram, marked by plain pottery, are thought to date from the Neolithic age.
• Sepulchral monuments have been found near Perumbair and Pallavaram, with a prehistoric cemetery site in Kilpauk, containing oblong and urn types of sarcophagi, bearing resemblance to Adichchanallur pottery.
• These cemetery finds are believed to belong to the Iron Age.
• In the earthenware tombs of Pallavaram, stone or metal implements are absent.
• Relics similar to those at Pallavaram have been discovered at Periyanattam near Chingleput, and at Sathiavedu, many stone-circles containing cistvaens have been found.
• Other finds have been unearthed at Guduvanjeri, St. Thomas’ Mount, and Puttur near the Red Hills.
• Ancient Tamil literature, dating back to the early centuries of the Christian era, mentions urn burials as a living custom, which is likely associated with the region’s megalithic tombs.
• One writer suggested that Madras may become the Mecca of Indian Prehistorians, similar to Les Eyzies in France.
• In historical times, some suburbs of Madras and nearby villages were centers of culture and religion.
• Triplicane, now part of the city, has an ancient temple dating from around the 8th century, sung of by Vaishnava Alwars.
• The Pallava king Nandivarman Pallavamalla, a contemporary of Tirumangai Alwar, made additions to the temple, which is one of the 108 sacred Vishnu shrines in Tamil Nadu.
• Mylapore was associated with the Portuguese town of San Thome in the 16th and 17th centuries, with antiquity going back to before and after Christ.
• The Sri Kapaliswara temple in Mylapore is ancient and has been a center of both Jaina and Saiva religious activity.
• An early Jaina temple dedicated to Tirthankara Neminatha once existed in Mylapore but was swallowed by the sea.
• Tiruvalluvar, the Tamil saint and author of the Sacred Kural, is believed to have lived in Mylapore.
• Jaina relics were recently discovered near San Thome.
• The Sri Kapaliswara temple was originally close to the sea but was shifted due to encroachment. It was sacred to the Vira Saivas.
• The famous Saiva saint Tirugnanasambanda visited Mylapore in the 7th century and performed a miracle, restoring life to a dead girl.
• Mylapore served as a port for the Pallava kingdom of Kanchi.
• Nandivarman III, a Pallava king, was associated with Mamallapuram (the principal seaport) and was also called Mayilaikkdvalan, protector of Mylapore.
• Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) and the nearby Tirukkalukkunram (Pakshithirtham) were great centers of culture and religious revival during the Pallava age.
• Pakshithirtham is famous for its shrine of God Vedagiriswara and the hill with four summit-mounts, each representing one of the four Vedas.
• The temple on the hill dates back to Pallava times and is known for the sacred feeding of kites at noon.
• The temple at the foot of the hill, called Sluvar Koil, is dedicated to the Three Cardinal Saiva Saints: Tirunaraiyur, Sundara, and Sambanda, from the 7th century.
• Mamallapuram, also known as Mahabalipuram and Seven Pagodas by Europeans, was named after Pallava king Mahamalla Narasimhavarman, who likely built or expanded it.
• The town was the birthplace of Bhutattalwar, an early Vaishnava saint, and is associated with a still-flourishing Vaishnava shrine, praised in song by Tirumangai Alwar.
• The monuments of Mamallapuram are of three types:
  1. Monolithic rock-cut shrines (rathas), initially dedicated to Siva, named after the Pandava Brothers and Draupadi.
  2. Caves excavated from rock, such as the Varaha Cave, dedicated to the Boar incarnation of Vishnu, with sculptures of Pallava kings and their queens.
  3. Stone temples like the Shore Temple with a double vimana.
• Mamallapuram is possibly visited by Hiuen Tsang, the famous Chinese traveler, who described it as the port of Kanchi and a large city with many Buddhist monks.
• Conjeevaram (also known as Kanchipuram) is one of the seven sacred shrines of India with great antiquity and was the capital of the Pallava kings.
• Conjeevaram is also known as the City of Temples, with 108 Saiva and 18 Vaishnava shrines.
• The city is traditionally divided into three parts: Little Conjeevaram (Vishnu Kanchi), Big Conjeevaram (Siva Kanchi), and Pillai Palayam (Jina Kanchi).
• The Sri Varadarajaswami Pagoda in Vishnu Kanchi is significant for its association with Ramanuja, a major Vaishnava teacher, and the gifts from the Vijayanagar Rayas.
• The annual festival of Garudotsavam attracts thousands of pilgrims to Conjeevaram.
• The Sri Kamakshi temple and Sri Ekambareswarar shrine are sacred to Saivas, with Sri Sankaracharya associated with a miracle in the Sri Kamakshi temple.
• The Kailasanathaswami shrine in Conjeevaram is one of the oldest stone temples in South India, representing the early style of Pallava temple architecture.
• Vaikuntaperumal temple in Conjeevaram is another example of Pallava times and early stone-temple architecture.
• Tirupparutthikunram, near Conjeevaram, is a famous Jaina center, now home to a Jaina temple dedicated to Mahavira.
• Conjeevaram was a renowned center of higher learning in Brahmanical, Buddhist, and Jaina traditions.
• The city’s well-planned streets and natural drainage made it one of the healthiest and best-constructed cities, praised by Professor Patrick Geddes.
• Sriperumbudur, located 30 miles southwest of Madras, contains an ancient Vishnu shrine and is famous as the birthplace of Saint Ramanuja, a major Sri Vaishnava teacher.
• Thirunirmalai, near Pallavaram, has a hill shrine with rare bronze statues and was praised by the early Alwars.
• Kunnattur, near Pallavaram, is the birthplace of Sekkilar, the author of the ‘Lives of the Tamil Saiva Saints’ (Periyapuranam) and contains a Pallava temple with inscriptions.
• Pallavaram, near St. Thomas’ Mount, is historically significant as the site where Mahendra Varman, a Pallava king of the 7th century, had a cave shrine excavated on its hill.
• The cave shrine in Pallavapuram is the oldest of the historic antiquities in the Madras region and is now used as a mosque.
• The nearby village of Tirusulam has a Siva temple dating to Chola times, with inscriptions from the 11th century.
• Tirumalishai, near Poonamallee, is sacred to Vaishnava Alwar and Tiruvanmiyur to the south of Madras is linked to the Saiva Nayanmars revivalist period.
• The Tiruvanmiyur temple is of Chola period with Chola epigraphs and is the origin of the Sri Kandaswami Temple in the city.
• Tiruvottiyur, to the north of Madras, has a Siva shrine that dates back before the 8th century and is associated with Sankaracharya who stopped human sacrifices.
• Tiruvottiyur is also linked to Saint Gnanasambanda and has an endowed college for Vedic studies, founded during the Chola period.
• Pattinathar, a well-known saint, attained salvation in Tiruvottiyur, and the village had a prominent Tamil mutt since the 9th century.
• The historical and cultural importance of the neighborhood of Madras continued even after the decline of Hindu rule in South India.
• San Thome was a significant center of primitive Christianity and is associated with Saint Thomas the Apostle, who is believed to have spent time on the east coast after founding the Christian Church in Cranganore and suffered martyrdom at Saint Thomas’ Mount.
• Old San Thome and Mylapore correspond to the ancient port of Mailiarpha, described by the Graeco-Roman geographer Ptolemy.
• The identity of Mailiarpha with Mylapore is confirmed, and the name is believed to contain key elements of Mylapore.
• San Thome was visited by Arab travelers in the 9th and 10th centuries, who referred to it as Betumcih, meaning the house, church, or town of Thomas.
• Nestorian Christians from Persia established a church and a tomb at the site of Saint Thomas’ martyrdom.
• In the early 16th century, Duarte Barbosa found San Thome in ruins, but the Portuguese settled there in 1522, developing it into a prosperous town.
• The Portuguese built the Luz Church in honor of Our Lady of Light, located a mile west of San Thome.
• St. Thomas’ Mount was also sacred to Christians and renovated by the Portuguese, who built a church there dedicated to Our Lady of Expectation.
• San Thome became a prosperous trading settlement after 1550 and had its own Hindu ruler protected by earth walls.
• The Portuguese community in San Thome lived a carefree life, with their chief usually a Portuguese nobleman.
• In 1639, Francis Day considered building a factory in San Thome, but eventually the British established themselves in Madras.
• Sadras, at the mouth of the Palar river to the south, and Pulicat to the north, were Dutch trading centers in the 17th century.
• Pulicat was the first Dutch colony on the Coromandel Coast, with a factory and Castle Geldria fortress.
• The English initially sought to establish a factory near Pulicat in 1621, focusing on the local trade of jewels and cotton goods.
• Covelong, 20 miles south of Madras, was another Dutch settlement near Sadras, known for its presiding deity, Komalamma, and its Sanskrit title, Nitya Kalyanapura.
• In the 18th century, Covelong became important even after the decline of Dutch power, with the Nawab of the Carnatic building a mosque over a saint’s tomb and renaming it Saadat Bundar (The Auspicious Port).
• Chingleput, an ancient town, was linked to the Pallava rule and had a fort built in the late 16th century by Timmaraja of Vijayanagara.
• Puzhalur, now known as Bled Hills, was historically a military station and the headquarters of one of the governors of Tondaimandalam.
• Kovilmadavaram was known for its Buddhist shrine and Siva temple, developed by the Pallavas.
• After the fall of the Pallavas, the Siva shrine at Kovilmadavaram was robbed, and its bronze doors were taken to Tanjore.
• Madras was historically situated in a region rich with temples and important places linked to the lives of saints and heroes.
• Madras was strategically chosen by the British for its proximity to cotton trade and because it was situated among several European settlements along the coast.
• Before becoming a British colony, Madras was not merely a fishing village but contained important elements of social life and cultural centers.
• Suburbs like San Thome, Mylapore, Triplicane, and Tiruvottiyur have long been centers of religious and social activity.

IV

• Travelers arriving by railway through Saidapet or Perambur see very little of the city proper, with those coming from Calcutta only seeing the Buckingham Canal and mills.
• In old times, before the foreshore’s growth, Madras presented a vista of noble buildings fronting the shore, with the Fort separated by a bit of maidan.
• The view of Madras has been altered with the construction of cranes, oil tank installations, and port developments, particularly near Epyapuran Beach with oil tanks as landmarks.
• The spire of the San Thome Cathedral forms the landmark to the south, and the Harbour has been described as “a challenge planted in the face of nature.”
• The Marina runs along the sea-front for over two miles, where people gather in the evening to meet the cool sea breeze.
• Buildings along the Marina include the Administrative and Library Buildings, Senate House of the University of Madras (designed by Chisholm), Chepauk Palace, Presidency College, the Ice House, the University Examination Hall, and Queen Mary’s College for Women.
• The Marina Road extends over a bridge across the mouth of the Cooum River, becoming Beach Road, running beneath the walls of the Fort into George Town.
• George Town is divided into long north-south streets with east-west transverse streets.
• Esplanade Road, the southern base of George Town, is flanked by the High Court Buildings, Law College, and the Madras Telephone Company buildings to the south, and former Christian College buildings, YMCA, and Pachaiyappa’s Hall to the north.
• Esplanade Road is also called Chiha Bazar Road, crowded with bazaars, and is one of the most congested areas of the city, acting as a dividing line between the northern and southern parts of George Town.
• First Line Beach is the primary north-south street in George Town, running from Parry’s Corner to the Customs House and beyond, lined by significant buildings like the National, Imperial, and Mercantile Bank buildings, the General Post Office, and the Old High Court.
• Second Line Beach branches into Thambu Chetty Street, Armenian Street, and Broadway, a road reclaimed from wasteland by Stephen Popham.
• Broadway remains the dividing line between the two parts of George Town, similar to the canal that once separated Muthialpet and Peddanaickenpetta.
• China Bazar Road runs perpendicular to Broadway, and Mint Street, known for its past as a Mint, runs through to the southern end of George Town, near the General Hospital Road.
• Mint Street is the heart of George Town, crowded with Gujarati and Marwari merchants and moneylenders, and the middle part is called Sowcarpet.
• Smaller parallel streets to Mint Street include Govindappa Naick Street, Godown Street (for cloth dealers), Devaraja Mudali Street, and Nyniappa Naicken Street, full of small traders.
• In George Town, Kachaleswarar Pagoda (built around 1725) and Maheswaran Pagoda are located in Muthialpet, while the Chennakesava Temple in Peddanaickenpettah is dedicated to Madras’ Patron-Deity.
• The Ekambareswarar Pagoda in Mint Street was built at the end of the 17th century, and the Kandaswami Temple became prominent in the 18th century.
• Several other temples and Jain shrines are scattered throughout the town, and mosques are present where Muslim populations have settled.
• The oldest Christian churches are located in Portuguese Church Street in the northern part of George Town.
• George Town has been the oldest and most vital part of the city, though it is overcrowded, with some slums being in poor condition.
• Expansion has been limited by the Esplanade to the south and the M. & S. M. Railway line and Buckingham Canal to the west, causing surface drainage issues.
• Chief suburbs to the west and northwest of George Town include Perambur, Choolai, Purasawakam, and Vepery.
• The mill area lies between Perambur, Vepery, Basin Bridge, and the northwest corner of George Town, originally a low-lying swamp but reclaimed by Buckingham and Carnatic Mills founded over 80 years ago.
• Vepery and Purasawakam were popular residential areas for Europeans and Anglo-Indians, with Vepery still housing a large number of these communities.
• Main roads in the suburbs include Choolai High Road, Hunter’s Road, and the road from People’s Park through Periamet to Vepery.
• North-to-south transverse streets include Sydenham’s Road, Rundall’s Road, Ritherdon Road, and Annamalai Chettiar Road leading to Vepery and Purasawakam.
• Kilpauk is a popular residential area for Europeans and well-to-do Indian citizens, known for its garden-houses.
• The Spur Tank lies on the southern side of Poonamallee High Road, now being covered with playgrounds.
• Suburbs to the south of Poonamallee High Road include Chintadripet and Egmore, with Chintadripet having historical significance as a weavers’ village in the 18th century.
• Egmore Railway Station, rebuilt in the Indo-Saracenic style, stands on the site of the Civil Orphan Asylums.
• Pantheon Road features notable buildings like the Government Hospital for Women and Children, Madras Museum, and Victoria Technical Institute, the last built in a Mughal style with pink sandstone and a marble floor.
• Victoria Technical Institute’s foundation stone was laid by King-Emperor George V during his visit to Madras in 1905-6.
• Pantheon Road leads through Anderson Bridge across the Cooum River to Nungambakkam, a prominent residential suburb for Europeans and Indians.
• The Old College, housing the Director of Public Instruction‘s offices, was originally the College of Fort St. George.
• The Commander-in-Chief’s Road, named for its proximity to the old Commander-in-Chief’s residence, leads to Mount Road.
• Between Pantheon Road and Commander-in-Chief’s Road lie the suburbs of Pudupet and Komaleswaranpet, the latter being a small residential area with fine houses.
• The bridge over the Cooum from Komaleswaranpet to Mount Road is called the Harris Bridge, named after a 19th-century Governor.
• Pudupet, a congested area southwest of the Harris Bridge, is home to the Government Ophthalmic Hospital, established in 1819 and renowned worldwide.
• A new masonic lodge building has been constructed on Commander-in-Chief’s Road near the Cooum.
• In the Fort area, the High Court buildings form a prominent structure, located in the northern Esplanade.
• The Fort area stretches almost a mile from High Court Park to the mouth of the Cooum, and the outer battlements were demolished by the late 18th century.
• Coast batteries, such as the Clive Battery and others, have been neglected or demolished to make way for port and railway expansion.
• The Legislative Council Chamber stands over the old Sea Gate of the Fort, featuring black-stone pillars added at the request of Sir Arthur Lawley.
• The flagstaff of the Fort, said to be the highest in India, is located on the Sea Gate’s redan, though modern wrought-iron gates have replaced the original entrance.
• The Officers’ Mess, used as the city’s Exchange, once hosted the first lighthouse of the port in 1795.
• Streets within the Fort are named after 17th-century English monarchs, evoking memories of British growth in South India.
• The Secretariat building, part of which dates to the late 17th century, replaced the Factory House built by Cogan and Day at the city’s foundation.
• Fort Square, once a parade ground, is located to the west of the Secretariat, with St. Mary’s Church to the south, consecrated in 1680 by Governor Streynsham Master.
• St. Mary’s Church and its graveyard are integral to the city’s history.
• The Accountant-General’s Office was originally the residence of an Armenian merchant and was later used by Clive and the British Company, serving as the Admiralty House and an entertainment venue.
• Skirting the Marina, starting from Napier Bridge in the north, the first landmarks include the University Library and Administrative Buildings, with the Senate House completed in 1879 in Indo-Saracenic style designed by Mr. Chisholm.
• The Chepauk Palace, formerly occupied by the Nawabs of the Carnatic, now houses the Board of Revenue and the P.W.D. Secretariat.
• The Presidency College is a 16th-century Italian Renaissance style building, featuring a statue of Mr. E. B. Powell, its first Principal and a pioneer of Western education.
• The Victoria Students’ Hostel lies to the west of the Presidency College, separated by the Buckingham Canal, originally built to house students attending colleges in southern parts of the city.
• The area from Wallajah Road to the head of Pycroft’s Road forms the heart of Triplicane.
• Triplicane is a crowded suburb famous for the ancient Sri Parthasarathi Temple.
• To the south of Pycroft’s Road are Presidency College playing grounds and Lady Wenlock’s Park, housing the provincial headquarters of the Boy Scouts Movement.
• The Examination Hall of the University, located in Lady Wenlock’s Park, is a stately pillared and domed structure with a somewhat grim appearance.
• The Ice House, originally used for storing ice, is now home to women students.
• Key roads running parallel to Pycroft’s Road include Ice House Road, Lloyd’s Road, and Edward Elliot’s Road, with Lloyd’s Road meeting Mount Road near the Cathedral.
• South of Edward Elliot’s Road, facing the sea, are the offices of the Inspector-General of Police, marking the end of the Marina.
• The road continuing from the Marina is the San Thome High Road, an old street running north-south through the San Thome Fort of the 17th century.
• The most prominent landmark on San Thome High Road is the San Thome Cathedral.
• West of San Thome is Mylapore, centered around the ancient Sri Kapaliswarar Temple, a popular residential area for wealthy Indians, including officials and advocates.
• The car streets surrounding the temple and the ornamental tank to the west are lined with substantial houses.
• Luz Church Road leads from Cutcherry Street to Luz Church and beyond to Mowbray’s Road, lined with fine bungalows, known as the “West End” of Hindu Madras.
• San Thome extends south over swamps and open spaces, with large garden houses, reaching the Adyar River, crossed by Elphinstone Bridge.
• Historical houses in the area include Brodie Castle, Somerford, and Leith Castle, with significant historical associations.
• The Theosophical Society occupies a large compound on the southern side of the Adyar, featuring an Oriental library and lecture hall.
• Starting from the Wallajah Gate in the Fort, a road with a treble row of trees leads across the Island, which was once an important playground and the site of the powder factory in the 18th century.
• The western side of the Island houses the ordnance stores, His Excellency’s Body-Guard Lines, and several cemeteries, including the military one of St. Mary’s, which contains notable tombs.
• The eastern half of the Island is home to the Madras Gymkhana Club and golf links, which were formerly used as a racecourse and polo ground.
• Crossing the Willingdon Bridge from the Island, we reach the more developed and beautified portion of Mount Road, beginning with Government House, located in a spacious park.
• Government House is built in the style of 18th-century Madras residences, with an interesting history of acquisition and extensions. The Banqueting Hall, built in 1802, is used for official receptions.
• Inside Government House and the Banqueting Hall, notable paintings include portraits of King George III and Queen Charlotte, Major Lawrence and Nawab Wallajah, and Lord Cornwallis.
• Lord Cornwallis is depicted with the treaty of Tipu Sultan, which he concluded after his victorious campaign in 1791-92.
• The marble statue of Lord Cornwallis was erected after his return and is now located at the southern end of the Connemara Public Library Hall.
• Marquess Wellesley, Governor-General, is depicted in a painting in the Banqueting Hall.
• Sir Eyre Coote, who assisted Clive in the battle of Plassey and later destroyed the French power at Wandiwash, captured Pondicherry, and won the victory of Porto Novo in the war with Hyder, is also portrayed in the collection.
• Lord Clive, and Sir Arthur Wellesley (later Duke of Wellington) who spent time in Madras in 1798, are featured in portraits.
• Numerous Governors of Madras are represented, including:
  • Sir William Meadows (1790-92) who participated in the Third Mysore War.
  • Sir George Barlow, who served as both Governor-General and Madras Governor.
  • Lord William Bentinck, who also held both positions.
  • Sir Thomas Munro, known for his lasting impact on South Indian administration.
  • The Marquess of Tweeddale (1842-48), under whose rule the Government Maternity Hospital and old Lighthouse were built.
  • Lord Harris (1854-59), Mr. Morehead (Provisional Governor in 1860), Sir Charles Trevelyan (1859-60), Lord Napier (1866-72), and Lord Hobart (1872-75) who opened the Madras Water Works.
  • Sir M. E. Grant-Duff (1881-85), who oversaw the construction of the Marina.
  • The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos (1875-80), who started the excavation of the Buckingham Canal.
  • Lord Connemara (1886-1900), Lord Ampthill (1901-6), Sir Arthur Lawley (1906-11), and Lord Pentland (1912-19).
• A statue of Lord Willingdon was recently erected near the Gymkhana grounds in the Islands.
• Several paintings in Government House originally belonged to the Nawabs of Carnatic, including a portrait of Shuja-ud-dowlah, the Nawab Vizier of Oudh.
• Some of these paintings were displayed in the Exchange in the Fort, old Town Hall, and College Hall.
• A portrait of Queen Victoria was sent in 1862 to mark the transfer of government from the East India Company to the Crown.
• The Banqueting Hall is a memorial of the English victory at Seringapatam, with Lord Clive associated with it due to his role in Plassey.
• The Banqueting Hall is used for state ceremonies in connection with Government House.
• Mount Road near Government House houses the premises of Oakes and Company, which was absorbed by Spencer and Company.
• The famous jeweller P. Orr & Sons, started in 1899, is located on Mount Road in a building designed by Mr. Chisholm with a clock-tower connected to the Madras Observatory.
• The Madras Mail and The Hindu offices are new additions to the area.
• At the junction of Mount Road and Wallajah Road, the Vizianagaram Fountain was a domed pavilion built by the Maharajah of Vizianagaram.
• Mount Road continues past Christ Church, the Cosmopolitan Club, and the Bharat Buildings, an imposing monument with three facades and two elegant towers.
• Opposite the Bharat Buildings are the Lawrence Asylum Press and the premises of Messrs. Higginbothams, a longstanding bookseller and publisher.
• The statue of General Neill, known for his role in the Mutiny, was previously located in a square at the junction of several roads.
• Spencer and Company headquarters, built in a quaint style with three gables and turrets, is a notable structure in the area.
• The Government Muhammadan College and the Connemara and Spencer’s Hotels add to the appeal of the locality.
• Mount Road becomes more residential with patches of crowded tenements further down.
• At the junction of Mount and Cathedral Roads, St. George’s Cathedral stands with a towering spire, built in the second decade of the 19th century.
• Agri-Horticultural Society Gardens, established in 1835, cover 22 acres with flowerbeds, lotus tanks, glass-houses, and lawns, holding an annual flower-show in February.
• The Cenotaph of Cornwallis, once a fashionable social spot, is located near the Long Tank and the Military Grass Farm.
• Lushington Gardens, now the residence of the Collector of Chingleput, was previously a botanical garden where Dr. Anderson conducted experiments related to the cochineal industry.
• The Choultry Plain along Mount Road contains many garden-houses, many dating back to the 18th century.
• The offices of the Collector of Chingleput and the Teachers College are on the left, with the crowded town of Saidapet on the right.
• The Marmalong Bridge across the Adyar is marked by yellow posts with melon-shaped ornaments at each end.
• The bridge is named after the village of Mambalam, now a popular residential area.
• The bridge was rebuilt in 1726 by Peter Uscan, an Armenian merchant, who left a fund for its maintenance.
• To the south of the bridge is a road leading to Little Mount, famous for its association with Apostle Thomas.
• From the southern end of the Marmalong Bridge, the road turns right past a terracotta pavilion with a statue of King-Emperor George V.
• The road passes Guindy railway station and Cantonment station at St. Thomas’ Mount, a popular resort for English settlers.
• The Madras Race Club‘s racecourse is near Guindy railway station.
• At the northern foot of the Mount, there is a high gate with four simulated arches and a cross dated 1547, with several grave-stones bearing old Portuguese inscriptions.
• Steps lead up to the top of the Mount, believed to have been constructed by Peter Uscan.
• From the top, one can see the old garden-houses, barracks, Artillery Mess, and the Garrison Church.
• St. Thomas’ Mount was the site of a French defeat during their 1758-59 siege of Madras.
• To the south-east of the Mount is Pallavaram, a supplementary cantonment with a Wireless Installation and the Madras Aerodrome.
• Pallavaram is known for its clean air and has been a health resort for invalids and consumptives.
• The Pallavaram hills have been extensively quarried for building materials like Pallavaram gneiss and charnockite used in the construction of the Legislative Council Chamber and Madras roads.
• Returning to the middle of Mount Road, visitors are led along Cathedral Road, a beautiful shaded avenue separating Teynampet from Mylapore and Luz.
• Mowbray’s Gardens, now the Adyar Club, is located in a park bounded by the Adyar River. The house features a small dome that acts as a ventilator.
• Along the banks of the Adyar, there are fine garden-houses, including the Brodie Castle on Quibble Island, Leith Castle, and Somerford.
• The western portion of the city can be explored along Poonamallee Road, which leads to Poonamallee, an abandoned convalescent station for British troops about 14 miles from the Fort.
• Poonamallee Road starts from the St. George’s Gate in the Fort, passing by the General Hospital and the Medical College on the south.
• On the north side, after the Esplanade, is the southern end of Mint Street, flanked by the Memorial Hall Buildings, constructed to thank the city for surviving the Indian Mutiny.
• Memorial Hall is used for public meetings, and the main building is flanked by offices of the Christian Literature Society and the British Foreign Bible Society.
• Opposite the main entrance to the Hospital grounds is the Central Railway Station, the terminus for trains heading west, north-west, and north, with a clock-tower and small side towers.
• East of the station, the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Company offices occupy a stately structure with turreted cupolas.
• Passing General Hospital Bridge over Cochrane’s Canal, one arrives at a line of imposing buildings along the southern edge of People’s Park.
• The Moore Market, named after Sir George Moore, is a well-ventilated and clean market built to replace an insanitary market in Broadway.
• To the east of the Moore Market, a structure is allotted to vendors of second-hand and, in some cases, stolen goods, previously sold at the Guzili Bazar near the Memorial Hall.
• Adjacent to the Moore Market is the Victoria Public Hall, established due to the initiative of Sir A. T. Arundel and the generosity of a former Maharajah of Vizianagram. It was completed in 1887 for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.
• The Hall was designed in the style of Mr. Chisholm, who designed several buildings in Madras. It is managed by Trustees and is used for public meetings, lectures, theatrical performances, and more.
• Next to the Victoria Public Hall are the Ripon Buildings, opened in 1913 by Lord Hardinge, the Viceroy. Built of brick and chunam, it has a graceful tower with a clock that chimes out like Westminster.
• The Ripon Buildings house the offices of the Madras Corporation, previously located in narrow premises in eastern George Town.
• These buildings are set back from the road with clear open spaces around them. Behind them is the People’s Park, opened in 1860 by Sir Charles Trevelyan. It is the largest open space in the city, containing ornamental palms, a nursery, a zoo, and “My Ladye’s Garden”, where an annual flower show is held.
• The South Indian Athletic Association, founded about 40 years ago, promotes sports among Indians and Europeans, hosting a Christmas Carnival or Fair in its grounds.
• On the opposite side of Poonamallee Road is a choultry built by Rajah Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar, a merchant prince, and another by a Muslim philanthropist for the accommodation of Mussulmans.
• Behind these is the South Indian Railway line, flanked by the tall grim walls of the Penitentiary.
• Poonamallee Road runs straight west from the Ripon Buildings near the Periamettah and leads to the western boundary of the city. Along the road, you’ll pass the Gun Carriage Factory, the Gothic School of Arts building, and the Scotch Kirk with a fine spire. It then leads through the residential suburbs of Egmore and Kilpauk, lined by spacious bungalows.
• The northern reaches of the city, from the Fort, are less interesting for visitors. First Line Beach stretches to the Royapuram Railway Station, once the terminus of the Madras Railway, with streets behind used for commercial and banking firms.
• Behind these is Muthialpettah, with streets that end at the Esplanade and China Bazar Roads.
• The Y.M.C.A. building, located in Muthialpettah, is built in the Jaipur-Jaina style from brick and stone and is a product of American generosity.
• Near the Esplanade entrance on Armenian Street, there are two historically significant churches. The Armenian Church, built in 1772, stands on the site of an old Armenian cemetery. The date 1712 likely refers to the original chapel in the cemetery.
• Close to the Armenian Church is the Roman Catholic Cathedral, established in 1642, marking the beginning of the Capuchin Mission in Madras. The current Cathedral was built in 1772.
• The Cathedral has a broad nave and sanctuary, with notable oil paintings, including one of the Crucifixion and Mary Magdalene.
• A chapel attached to the Cathedral is named after Moorat, an Armenian merchant who left a charitable fund known as the Moorat Fund.
• In North George Town and Royapuram, there are old churches, including the Portuguese Church in Paracherry.
• The Black Town relics in the north should also be noted. Royapuram and Tondiarpettah once housed the wealthier classes of Indians but have become less popular over time.
• The main north-south roads of North Madras are continuations of Mint Street and Broadway. Mint Street leads straight to Tiruvottiyur, just outside the city’s limits.
• Tiruvottiyur is associated with the famous ascetic Pattinattu Pillaiyar, and the Theagaraja temple, which flourished under the Chola kings.
• The M. & S. M. Railway line runs parallel to the Tiruvottiyur High Road, with railway extension works increasing the area’s importance.
• The north-western area of the city, starting from Basin Bridge Junction, includes the Buckingham and Carnatic Mills and extends to the Kilpauk Waterworks. The Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway workshops and the railway colony are situated beyond the municipal limits.
• The city is undergoing a remodelling scheme to improve roadway and tramway transport and ensure faster communication between the city and the suburbs, involving various agencies, including the Railway, Tramway Companies, City Planning Trust, Police Department, and Corporation.