The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Conjuring up “Old Madras”

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Thursday, Aug 21, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Conjuring up “Old Madras”

Staff Reporter

Exhibition held at Asan Memorial school

— Photo: R.Ravindran

TASTY TIMES: Students relish traditional dishes at an exhibition organised as part of the ‘Madras Week ‘ at Asan Memorial Higher Secondary School in Chennai on Wednesday.

CHENNAI: A group of school boys clad in dhotis and school girls donning silk saris sat and discussed seriously as to how more and more people in Chennai were switching over to junk food and how not many people seem to “respect traditions” any longer… The inspiration or the awareness, so to say, did not come from their grandparents, but an exhibition organised as part of the ‘Madras Week’ celebrations at their school, Asan Memorial Higher Secondary School, since Monday.

On Wednesday, the students from Standard VI to X recreated the ambience of “Old Madras” in their school by wearing traditional clothes and eating ‘pongal’ and ‘idli.’ In the morning, old Tamil movies were screened at the exhibition hall, which included movies such as ‘Navaratri,’ ‘Thillana Mohanambal’ and ‘Aayirathil Oruvan.’ Old Tamil film songs were played throughout the event.

On display at the exhibition hall were thermocol models and photographs capturing stills of Madras city as it was once upon a time.

A picture of a bullock cart moving on a tree-lined avenue on Mowbrays Road, a view of Fort St. George with sea waves almost touching it and a rare still of the Marmalong Bridge were among the many pictures on display.

The students were well-equipped with the historical facts concerning the city and explained every model and photograph to the visitors. For instance, Sandeep from Standard IX informed visitors that Ripon Building was built by Loganathan Mudaliar.

Head of the Department for Social Sciences Kanchan Gulvadi said more than 300 students were involved in putting together the exhibition. “Several children from other schools visited the exhibition. It was a learning experience for them and an opportunity to get to know the city better,” she said.

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