History & Culture Of Parry's

TRAVEL SERIES IN PARRY'S

Parry’s Corner 

The History and the Culture of the famous Parry's Corner.

All Roads Lead to Parry’s

Remnants of a glorious past, one can find in Parry’s. Even as it is enjoys an undisputable recognition as the commercial capital of Chennai, it holds on to its Brit time ingenuity, a distinct feature that only Parry's can associate itself with even today.

People still flock to Parry’s in search of the best deal, be it for hardware goods or temple jewellery. Parry’s Corner, as it is popularly known always conjures up in the mind of a Chennaite, a colorful picture.

Here as we explore the unique links of this area that has its links with the historical past of Madras, while living through the color and rhythm of life in Parry’s.

A Hub of Commerce

Parry’s has been the first part of the city to come up with a fascinating piece of history. Thomas Parry who first landed in Madras in 1788, was a Welsh merchant who established the E.I.D Parry building which now houses the giant conglomerate called the Murugappa Group. John Binny was the next person who came to Madras in 1797 and he established the textile company Binny & Co.

Old and prominent Educational Institutions

Many old schools like the St.Columban’s School or the Bharathi Women’s College, reminding of our charming past as well as carrying forward the wonderful tradition of Educational values and making its presence felt here for many decades has seen generations of students passing through its portals. 

Fort of St. George

Colonial rule marked the beginning of the city's growth as a major commercial centre. Today, most of the large business houses have their offices in George Town, while Fort St George is the power centre of the Tamil Nadu state government. One of the first settlements of modern Madras has been located in this very area, with the workers at Fort. St George had their families dwelling in the nearby town. Known as the Black-Town earlier, it eventually came to be known as George-Town, linking itself to the Fort of St. George.

The Socio-cultural milieu

The fruit seller round the corner in Errabalu Chetty Street, has been selling fruits here in Parry’s for over 40 years now. He brings into highlight that he has not got a house to live in with his family. And the Government must do the needful to help people like me, as  we have business for over so many years in the area.

High Court

The building of the High Court, an exquisite example of Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, was built in 1892, under the guidance of the famed architect Henry Irwin. It has been a very important presence, attracting many visitors. The surrounding restaurants and bazaars therefore is always buzzing with an activity, whilst visitors come and go here. A Law Practitioner at the High Court, Kirthika, points out that though High Court is situated in Parry’s, the main center for all law practices to get approval from here. Most of the time I find that there is little amenity provided for people in terms of toilets, infrastructure and good drainage system, which is very contradictory state for a Law Practitioner to see.

Links to Armenia

Parry’s is also home to the only reminder of the bygone era- the Holy Virgin Mary church of 1772, located at the Armenian Street, South Black Town (this area is now called Georgetown).

The Armenians have been staying in India since remote antiquity. The Armenians claim to have arrived in India before the British. They also claim to have been the forerunners to be converted into Christianity in the European continent.

The grave of many Armenian merchants lying in the silence of this beautiful monument is a testimony to the trade and commercial relations between Armenia and India some centuries back.

Fleet of Bus Services

The Khadi Kraft Bus Depot was the centre of all Bus services until in 2002, the CMBT was moved to Koyambedu. Though still for long distances there are two main stands in the George Town called Express Bus Stand and Broadway.

Shopping

To shop in Parry’s means to shop always for a good bargain. Well, isn’t that what we hear about Parry’s. Many interesting names of streets such as Stringer’s street, Bunder Street, Godown street, is also a place to check out as they are a haven for wholesale buffs. And the stuff that one can get here – right from kirana dry fruits, to foot wear to apparel… which is all at the best deal. Now it will leave little for you to wonder why Parry’s holds a special place in a shopper’s diary for things to buy at wholesale value.

Parry’s continues to be the hub of commercial activity. Such as wholesale markets of shoe, apparel, and hardware items as well as it is well connected with public transport system, such as the Madras Transport Corporation, had its all city Bus Depot located right here which was shifted last decade to Koyembedu.

With much development during the recent past, Parry’s has witnessed much of commercial and institutional activities. And thanks to this, that Parry’s is still the amalgamation of all that is modern yet historical.

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Popular Dining Culture

TRAVEL SERIES IN PARRY'S

Parry’s Corner

At the Heart of an Andhran Taste.

George-Town was a well known Brit-time town, which was a prosperous commercial zone as it was a settlement that was meant to be for the families of those who worked at the Fort St. George. Originally built by British Colonists in the 1630s, it subsequently expanded several times. Since then Parry’s corner as it is now known is pulsating with businesses that have been thriving well over almost three-fourth of the last century. Dare house is a very famous landmark which is home to the huge business house of Chennai – called the Murugappa Group. Here we explore the pulse of this city that is Parrys.

National Lodge, established in 1951, in the heart of Sowcarpet- by Kota Ethirajulu, is a well known landmark, making people flock here for a sumptuous meal at a very nominal amount.

Today at its helm, are two young brothers Deepak and Dwarak to carry forward this 60-year old legacy which their maternal grandfather left behind to them. Serving its specialty Andhra meals for over the last 59 years, it has 90% of patronage who are loyal customers. The busy Sowcarpet area which attracts businessmen from all over the state and from other states too, stop over here to tingle their taste buds with about 20 andhran varieties with an unlimited serving of rice.

As I climb up the stairs of this 110-year old building, an old-world charming reception welcomes me. A yellow interior is streaming with day-light, unlike the dingy staircase that I just climbed up.

Dwarak, the younger one who joined his brother Deepak after 1994, tells me that about a 1000 people climb up this staircase during day time only to dine in at the hotel. With a capacity to seat about 70 persons at one go, they follow a token calling system to maintain decorum and smooth flow of diners. Apart from dining in, they get business for more than 300 takeaways in a single day shares Dwarak with me!

A regular day at National Lodge starts at 5.30 am for the 25 odd employees and goes on till 3.30 pm, after which they take a break and start preparing for the next shift which starts at 7.30 pm and goes on till 10.30 pm. Deepak tells me that employee management has been the greatest challenge for him and he has learnt from his grandfather the art of being a patient employer with them. One finds waiters moving around in their ubiquitous uniforms – displaying National Lodge’s initial – NL. He denotes that their success is contributed by their employees.

A very interesting piece of information that Dwarak shares is that the kitchen is still the olden style that was during his grandfather’s time and food is still cooked here in firewood, a method that has resulted in maintaining hygiene and great taste, apart from contributing to saving costs.

Meals are priced at various ranges. Basic meal is served at Rupees 50, an A/c meal is at Rupees 60, and takeaways offering more variety is at Rupees 110. The single most favourite dish among regulars here is the gongura – which is also known by the name ‘Andhra Mata’.

Gun powder or garlic powder as it is known is the specialty at National Lodge. A group of men sit and powder down the ingredients which they serve as a variety the next day. An about of 100 kilograms is grinded down on an everyday basis. They have also involved in marketing this garlic powder, in a small scale way.

The two brothers say that it is a matter of great pride to them that people recognize them abroad and share their experiences with them. They are happy to be associated with the legacy of this unique hotel.

National Lodge, Sowcarpet is open from Mon through Sat 9.30 am to 3.30 pm and 7.30 to 10.30 pm. Sundays is open only for takeaways. To taste a share of this Andhra fare- Contact At: 9840677288, 235, Govindappa Naicken St.

Personality

PERSONALITY: Telling Her Story through Puppetry

A charming persona S. Seethalakshmi’s passion for her art shines through her eyes as she talks about her wonderful relation with her art.

I began my journey in life, when at the age of three I was fascinated by this art. My maternal uncle M.V. Ramanamurthy, who founded a school of puppetry in Kakinada, in Andhra, sowed the first seed of this art in my mind. Later, my special interest in puppetry was fed by my mother who had taken a keen interest to ensure that I got the best learning in artistic pursuits.

Since I was the only girl among my first three brothers, I took this to my advantage and evinced great inclination towards it. When at the age of nine, I was performing a show, along with my Uncle at the Island Grounds, Mrs. YGP and Dr. Raghavan, spotted my talent and from then on it has been a flow of work for me.

Next came an offer to me by Dr. Nayudama, the leather technologist who was with the Central Leather Research Institute. He started the puppetry division with the CLRI, and gave me the job to carry it forward. And thus with CLRI started my career spanning through five-decades with this beautiful form of art.

Since this Indian form uses not original puppets but their shadows - in black and white or in colour. The flat figures, usually made of leather, are lightly pressed on some translucent screen with a strong source of light behind. The screen in India is a simple sheet stretched on an adjustable frame. The screen thus forms the barrier

between the audience and the puppet, creating the projection of image. The impact on the audience, surrounded by darkness all around, is quite dramatic.

Once with CRLI, we innovated the way in which we made leather, which served the purpose of disposing leather waste as well as providing cheap parchment leather.

Thus my maternal uncle who is also my mentor encouraged me and together with CLRI have tremendously shaped my career and helped me achieve what I am today. I retired from CLRI in 2006, but I continue to conduct workshops, recently being at the Dakshin Chitra, where I conduct workshop for visitors on every weekend. Whilst my visit to her home in Jan, she was busy with hundreds of puppets for a festival to be hosted in September.

One continues to listen, as Seethalakshmi weaves magical tales about her puppetry. She vividly remembers her experience in Iran. Her facial expression fills with an awe and she manages to pass down a bit of it to me, when she describes the appreciation Iranians showed towards her troupe for the story about Ramayana’s epic – how Hanuman goes in search of Seethe. She brings to my notice a magazine released by Iran’s Mubarak Festival- 2005, which records S.Sethalakshmi’s show among others in it.

My family has been my biggest strength, declares the Silken Andhra, a title by which Andhraites call her in San Francisco – where she has conducted her show, apart from in New Jersey, New York, Washington D.C. and Florida. She tells me about how they were applauded at the Austrian Art Event when their three-member team had put up Ramayana’s story consisting of 65 puppets. That day they had received a standing ovation.

S. Seethalakshmi’s two granddaughters share a similar feeling with their grandmother. I along with my younger sister Madhumika have assisted her in many local events through recent years. The work of ensuring that puppets flow in a smooth manner is of meticulous task, but grandma has never lost her rhythm of mind while working on this – says Priyanka, the elder granddaughter.

Having taken my puppet show from village to village in northern Tamilnadu, I have ventured on a 365 day expedition with my puppets for LIC, staging 100 shows on the way. I along with others came up with an interesting story for them under the title – ‘Theringa Gunda Nambu’ – know and believe. The setting is of two windows. A Jharoka – peek into two different worlds portrayed by two windows that can be seen by the audience. At one window is a poor rickshaw wallah. And at the other is a well-dressed gentleman. The poor rickshaw wallah’s family is in misery. Too many problems they face, he has many kids and little food or clothing to offer them. On the other hand, the gentleman having two children, is able to offer them good food and clothes to wear, and lives a fairly decent life. It is the family planning scheme that has ensured smooth flow to the gentleman’s life. This simple script, tells Seethalakshmi, triggered tremendous reaction from the rural folk.

Another creative output was when for Delhi Bal Bhavan’s Event in Hyderabad, they asked me to come up with a script that in three minutes would reach out with a message to the children. The story was – two best friends – one girl and one boy studying together at school. Together they come across a horse. On one side the horse is black. And on the other side the horse is white. Since both are standing in two different directions, they are able to see only one side at a time. They argue with each other for long. Finally they decide to call their Grandpa to give them a final verdict. Grandpa who has seen the white side facing towards girl’s side, is amazed when he moves to the boy’s side, to find it black there. Finally, he comes to a conclusion. The moral that the story contained was about giving respect to whatelders say. Seethalakshmi shares this anecdote with much excitement, as she had come up with this three minute story at a very short notice.

The task of telling a story through puppet requires detailing. Preparing the script, adding music and voice-over to it, giving shape to the leather, and adding color to it, for example a medium sized Rama’s image for Ramayana’s story can take upto two days. and then finally deciding how to manipulate the puppet on-screen - it is a work demanding patience and care. But a process which is enjoyable, as I love the work that it involves, says Seethalakhmi.

Though procuring the leather is a task, tells me Seethalakshmi. The leather she gets most of the time from her village in Andhra, but sometimes also gets it from the leather tanneries in Chromepet. She allows me to feel the texture of leather, as she moves on to say how this leather is then cut into a thinner sheet to make it more workable.

This is a 2000 year old art, and though it is dying now Seethalakshmi takes great pride when she shows me the different artifacts that she has created with her talent. Among others, she shows me a wooden screen that is something very close to her heart, depicting the story of Ramayana.

Having taken her art to more than 65 countries around the world, this 64-year old says she loves her art, and feels that the challenges it involves can be overcome. With a never ending family support, her passion for her puppetry continues to grow with each passing day.

Movie Review

Movie Review – Ratatouille

(Published in The Rivett – Women’s Christian College’s Campus Newspaper, 2007-2008.)

Screen Director – Brad Bird

Category – Animation

How about a thousand Rats cooking up some delectable cuisine in your kitchen?

Think you had better call the Pied Piper in? Well, think again.

If you can just for once sympathize with this most-abhorred creature, go on a date with Ratatouille this weekend, at Sathyam Theatres and you’ll be in for a whole new perspective shift about rats.

After a few moments, you’d forget that you’re watching a rat. Clever and humane, more than most human beings depicted in the movie, Remy the rat, picks up its love for cooking from the famous book of Chef Gustave which says ‘Anyone can Cook’ and from then on begins a passionate cooking affair between the Rat and well, Chef Gustave’s Ghost! The Rat has learnt the art now and uses it for a truly ‘altruistic’ purpose. From then on, I’m not giving it away because it is for you to see how.

There are many sequences which are riveting; you’re taken to places which you’d never have imagined visiting. The animators Dylan Brown and Mark Walsh have done an incredible job.

All in all, a movie that is worth every buck you pay.

Photo Exhibition

Flore Lamoureux’s Photo Exhibition

(Published in The Rivett – Women’s Christian College’s Campus Newspaper, 2007-2008).

The Flore Lamoureux’s Photo Exhibition’ which was from September 3 – 21 at the Allaince Francaise was indeed a happy experience. A collection of photos that Flore Lamoureux took on her travels around the world was put together under the title ‘Children of the World’. Looking at the photos one realizes that children all over the world share the same emotions and feelings.

Totally forty images were displayed.  While some of them were displayed in the Alliance Francaise Galleria, others were displayed outdoors, and a few others were displayed in the Allaince Francaise building. Flore’s intention was to ‘allow the visitor to have a walk around the quiet place where children from all over the world look at you in beautiful and peaceful harmony.’

A number of photographs were taken in India of children of different ages and in different moods. A boy in a quiet, contemplating moment near the Amritsar Shrine was one photo that stood out.

A lot of other photos were eye-catching too. For instance, the photos of an Arabian child carrying a lamb on its back and a young Malaysian child hiding its face behind the basket of a bicycle brought a smile to one’s face.

Out of all pictures, there was one in which a child was unsmiling and looked very somber. True to what the Galleria had to say –“Flore’s photographs reveal a link between cultures and people all around the world and invite you to view the world through their eyes.”

You might have missed Flore’s exhibition but there are new photo and painting exhibitions every month for people to see at Alliance Francaise, College Road.

Jottings in my Diary

Diary of a Champion of Domestic Violence Abuse

This blog post is about a person related to me. The relation has been a very close one and therefore has touched a chord in my heart and I feel it so intensely now that it needs to be voiced out into the outside world.

This is an answer also to those persons who believe that the ‘why’, ‘how’ and ‘what’ of seeking help by an aggrieved person from the protectors of law in our society has to be justified always.   

So we begin this account/saga from its initial stage. A girl falls in love with a boy. Starting off as a light romantic comedy - simply a friendship that turns into a courtship and then marriage finally settling down into a family, is not as simple an ending for this 30-year old and her two children. They wouldn’t have imagined a dark reality in store for them!  

The Question

The Question is that why did she decide to join into a holy matrimony with a guy who was more a macho and less a husband? Why did she choose to marry him? The answer to this question comes in much later, so keep reading.

Dark Incidents

Shown the way out of her matrimonial home, this mother without her belongings and her two children, was made homeless overnight.

The incident triggered off a series of events with the first one being the husband barging into the maiden house of the wife on the very next day in an obvious attempt to create a hullabaloo by demanding to take away the eldest child. At that time for any mother what will be her top-most priority? Of course, it will be the wellbeing of her children at all times. Then would she not defend her children from the same person who on the previous night threw them out heartlessly from their rightful home? And then amidst the rendering of horrified screams, blood and tears flowed freely but that night the child was successfully protected from all evils by the strength of her mother’s will and the magnanimous support of the child’s maternal grandparents. 

The reason why help was sought from Police?

When it pains the obvious reaction is to express it.  Whether it is to speak up verbally or to seek help from a neighbor/friend; ask support from our society or to reach out to the dutiful police – every act reinstates faith in humanity that if at any time a person is in trouble and seeks to reach out for help then the neighbor/friend, the society or the law is there to help rescue him. No man (in this context a woman) will ever be an island because this is the support that backs him. So if it is natural to ask in order to receive, then why should some persons have reservations when any aggrieved person seeks the same from the rightful guardian of law in our civilized society also known as the Police?

Getting guidance from the Court of Justice

When something goes wrong, the instinct is to correct it and to bring it back on track. And seeking to deserve justice is one of (its) parameters. This should be the truest dimension of what is called democracy. Rather unfortunately, what seems to be an easy task, seeking justice in a democratic setup has been far from a runaway victory. Enduring difficulty & resistance, this is a tough battle which is backed by the pillar of a steely determination and a strong support-system.

Love may be blind but justice is not

Remember a question was raised in the early part of this article – about why did she choose to marry a person who was more a macho and less a husband? The answer comes here. A relationship that was shaky from the very beginning, she chose to go ahead with it anyway only because there was pressure from all sides. One was in the form of an engagement which stretched as long as six years.

The second was from the guy himself – he worked an emotional blackmail, he kept saying that he would give up his life if she left him.

But what was more important was the girl’s own value systems - which spoke of long-term commitment, patience and hope in a potentially disturbed relationship, making her go ahead and say yes to the marriage.  

What the husband gave in return was – betrayal, unhappiness and suffocative obsession which made her to take a decision to step out of the relation and step ahead in life.

THINK about it, It’s NO MORE just SOMEONE ELSE’S CASE

Today when you go back to the routine of your everyday life think and ask yourself if you are at essence a truly enlightened citizen of a nation which prides itself to be a democratically second largest in the world? If so, then why do people have an inhibition when a person who is victim to injustice or unfairness chooses to make use of the same tools that democracy has provided with?

This blog-post is dedicated to a very special friend PAYAL PADAM. The sudden loss of this special person has left a huge vacuum in all our lives and more so in the lives of her son and his grandfather.     
   
ALIFIA M.B.V 

THANK YOU MOULA!

The following is a collection of experiences that I have put together in an essay as a contribution to website. I wrote this in view of the celebration that ensued AQA MOULA, my community spiritual leader's 100th birth anniversary.    

Moula, your Love is like Time.

It has no beginning.

It has no End.

It just flows.

Aqa Moula Mohammed Burhanuddin Saheb- The name itself is an amazing power in creating MIRACLES.

My Rendezvous with benevolent Moula has begun early in my childhood, when my mum and dad used to say- “tell Aqa Moula’s name before you go to bed.” And I would imagine Moula as this white-bearded Uncle, with a benign smile on His face. Who watches over me from far away, through his specially designed binoculars. Who will come to me, whenever I will call Him to my rescue. Thus I have always felt close to this being.

I have learnt that when I call upon His name, I feel being wrapped in the WARMTH of the secure blanket, which only He offers to me.

But there also has been a time when I have felt a childish resentfulness towards Him. When my wishes and hopes did not get fulfilled. It is a time that I remember vividly. It was then, when at the age of ten, like every growing up girl, I had the ummeed to be a misaakwali girl. So that the shoukh to wear Rida would be fulfilled.

But that dream did not get fulfilled. And my resent continued for sometime towards Him. Inspite of which, three years later, it paved way for my Misaak. The boundless joy of this event, gives me happiness even today. And has made my wonderful relation with Moula, even stronger!   

Another illustration of turbulent times in my life, started when my brother had a life-changing road accident. It challenged my family’s rock bottom faith and had the capacity to change our fate. But didn’t.

With Moula’s Dua, each and every day that followed, came filled with hope for better times ahead. And therefore, turbulent times didn’t last that long. I would like to say- calling upon Aqa Moula’s name is to me, a scrubbing off of all the negativity that is in life. And an opportunity to start afresh, a new one.

This innate flair that I have to call upon His name, after every traumatic experience, has given Moula’s expression of LOVE for me such that- I have felt instantly in a CALM Peace.

But with Moula’s presence, I can recount many instances when I am blessed with his Provision, just by calling upon Him, with all sincerity in my heart.

While getting back home in dark, while making a presentation to a discerning audience, when encountering with rowdies, when facing the death of my sibling, and sickness of my dadima. Every process, has been eased when I have taken His name. Turbulent times, therefore, don’t last with Moula’s presence in my life.

Aqa Moula’s presence indeed has given me nemaat in many forms. Nemaat, in the form of light, water, food, love of parents and grandparents, siblings and blessings of my teachers and an education. Friends and children of siblings. How can I say Thank You to them all?

So can I say Thank You, to just AQA MOULA, and it would mean saying it to all these numerous persons who have a presence in my life?

-Alifia M.B.V