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Magazine
Time Out
Where waves sing psalms
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The Danes have left a rich religious and architectural heritage at Tranquebar. RUPA GOPAL
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Heritage site: An old photo showing the main street in Tharangambadi.
Ove Gedde was 23 years old when the Danish king sent him on an expedition to the East Indies. He landed at Tharangambadi (Tranquebar), met with the Tanjore king Raghunatha Nayak, and established a trading colony. The rental agreement of Rs.3111 a mon
th was signed on a sheet of gold, now kept preserved in Copenhagen. In time, the area was bought up by the Danes, and gradually their stamp was impressed on the locality. The Dansborg Fort, many churches, and majestic buildings came up in this small coastal town. The English bought up the place from the Danes for Rs. 12.5 lakhs in 1845, but the Scandinavian influence remains charmingly visible here, a bygone past set in the present.
Aptly named King Street, the visitor turns off the highway from Nagapattinam to Puducherry into the road leading right up to the sea. From a feeling of wilderness is aroused bewilderment — all of a sudden we are in the midst of a spick and span street, sparkling in the sun with well kept buildings and churches, all in a row, seemingly in the midst of nowhere. It goes on for quite a length — we are seeing Danish history come alive here.
The German Bartholomeus Ziegenbalg arrived in Tharangambadi in July, 1706, along with Plutschau, on the orders of the Danish monarch Frederick IV. His purpose was to render religious and social service in India. The New Jerusalem Church was first built in 1707, pulled down, and later rebuilt in 1718, to commemorate the king’s birthday on October 11, 1718. Still functioning, it is immaculately kept and the trim garden holds the grave of Ziegenbalg.
The Zion Church was first built in 1701, pulled down, and rebuilt in 1782, exactly as before. It is the oldest Protestant church in India. The two huge church bells bear the words “Cast in Tranquebar”. The 300th anniversary of this church was celebrated in 2001.
True pioneer
Ziegenbalg mastered the Tamil language, and had a huge collection of rare Tamil palm leaf manuscripts, now kept in Europe.
He translated the Tamil book Ulaga Needhi into German, now kept in the Copenhagen Library. The preface states that he had help from a Tamil scholar and learned Brahmins in learning the language. He also printed the first ever version in Tamil of the New Testament, in 1715, at the first printing press in India, which he set up in Tharangambadi. Ziegenbalg was also famed for his sermons in the church, where he would preach in Tamil!
The church buildings on King Street, along with a few government buildings today, house convents and schools run by the churches. The Church of Swedish Mission was built in 1955 and is today a guesthouse for visiting missionaries from abroad.
The Ziegenbalg Spiritual Centre holds sermons in his memory. The St. John’s Primary School, started in 1891 by Roman Catholics, the St. Therese Convent started in 1901, again by the Roman Catholics, and the St. Therese Teachers Training Centre all hum with activity on King Street as also the girls’ school. The Tranquebar Association, in Denmark, has put in a lot of effort, and money, in renovating, and maintaining heritage buildings here.
The once regal arch built by the Danes in 1792 is today being restored to its former glory. The monogram of King Christian VII can be seen on top of the arch, leading to the name King Street that leads to the beach. The old Collectors Bungalow, opposite the Fort, is now gloriously restored, and has become a part of the Neemrana chain of heritage hotels. Each stately bedroom is named after one of the many Danish ships that visited Tharangambadi, giving visitors a thrilling sense of history, couched in luxury. Other streets like Queen Street, Cheety Kadai Street, Mosque Street, Maricar Street, Salangaikara Street, Goldsmith Street, Borgan Street, etc. give a clear idea of the tolerance and harmony established by the Danes. The air of peace prevails till today, certain to relax all who come in search of peace.
Records of the times
Peter Anker, Governor General between 1786-1807, had a good long stint in this town. His records state that a hundred Europeans, and 25,000 Indians then lived in Tharangambadi. He was friendly with the local Brahmins and with their help collected many bronze idols of deities. Today, these can be seen in the Norwegian Museum. Anker was also an excellent painter, and has left authentic records of Tharangambadi through his paintings. The ancient Madurai palace, Tranquebar, Maratha King of Tanjore, Mayavaram, a riverside house, the pagoda of Vaideeswaran koil, buildings by the Kaveri, capital of Tanjore, Supermane Setty [a famous dubash of Tharangambadi] are some of Anker’s lovely works to be seen today. The ozone-rich beach of Tranquebar continues to solace visitors in search of old threads. The locals too have found spiritual guidance, built on age-old solid foundations.
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