where would you find this Gandhi in Triplicane !!

Q for Thiruvallikkeni vasis ! .. where would you find this Gandhi .. .. a popular place visited by most of us (background intentionally changed) !!

 

In the vast expanse of Marina Beach dotting the Bay of Bengal, there are heritage buildings, Educational Institutions like the Presidency College, Queen Mary’s College and many statues of Tamil poets, freedom fighters  and politicians ~ though this is not exactly the binder, one can say it is from ‘Labour Statue’ opposite Ezhilagam to ‘Gandhi Statue’ opposite to IG Office.  Incidentally,  both were sculpted by Devi Prasad Roy Chowdhury.   

History has it that whenever, Mahathma Gandhi visited Madras, he used to address big patriotic meeting at Tilakar Ghat.  There are some buildings of which it is claimed that Gandhiji visited them. In fact, Chennai  has one hospital named after the wife of Gandhi -  Kasturba Mohandas Gandhi situate in Triplicane.  It is known as Gosha hospital, a synonym for the hospital which once catered to  women wearing  purdah.  This hospital was founded in 1885 has rendered 125 years of service for the Women by the Women. 

The Gandhi beach opposite to QMC / IG’s office derived its name  from the 12-ft high pedestal unveiled by Jawaharlal Nehru on 14.4.1959, in a function presided over by CM Mr.  K Kamaraj.  This statue was sculpted by Devi Prasad Roy Chowdhury.  

 

This small Gandhi statue  is atop the first house inside Thavana Uthsava Bungalow (as you enter and stand facing the mantap) - this small Gandhi in different posture is on open terrace, but noticeable from the ground .. .. In my childhood I used to play there daily but yet had not observed this Gandhi bommai (any chances of this being kept there after  is unlikely) 

திண்ணை...  Mound or raised platform used to be there in almost every houses in old times.  Many houses of Triplicane had it – one such famous திண்ணை was at No. 9 Peyalwar Koil Street and Periya aam at South Tank Sq St.  Vittal Narayanan informed me that the owner of this house was a freedom fighter and in remembering Gandhi had kept this statue as mark of respect – as told to him by late Poet, Patriot, Nationalist – Thiru Deva Narayanan who took him from Barathi illam and showed this masterpiece.  

 
Posted in FB this day in 2020.
 
Regards – S Sampathkumar
11.3.2o25