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VI(ZA)GNETTES
Araku Hill Station
In 1859, the British authorities felt a need to have a sanatorium for their troops serving in the northern provinces. The commander-in-chief of the British troops Patrick Grant issued an order from the Madras Presidency to identify a suitable location.
A five-member committee headed by Duncan Mcpherson, the then inspector general of hospitals, visited Anantagiri. A ridge on Galikonda was selected and was named as Grants Range. Close by, another valley was also preferred and named as Harris Valley after the name of the Governor of Madras Presidency, Harris. In December 1859, a group of army sappers were despatched to Harris Valley (now Araku Valley) to report on the climatic conditions. They camped at a place called Taylors Knoll.
After a couple of months, another group of 20 men comprising officers from the European Veteran Company based in Vizagapatam were sent. Except one, the rest were affected by Malaria. Two died in the hills and another while returning back. The authorities sent a second despatch from the European 2nd Light Infantry. And after a few months everybody including the sappers was affected by Malaria.
The then District Collector of Vizagapatam, Fane, who wanted to prove a point, built a bungalow on a hillock and claimed that neither he nor his family members and servants were affected by malaria as his bungalow was located at higher place and the water was better. The British authorities, however, gave up the idea of setting up a sanatorium after giving another try at a higher place called Kapakonda.
However, H.G. Turner who served as collector between 1881 and 1889 and who was also responsible for the construction of the Turner’s Choultry, built a bungalow at Anantagiri.
The remains of Fane’s bungalow and the two graves of the soldiers from the Veteran Company can still be seen in Araku. (Contributed by Jacob Palayoor)
Women transporters
Six decades ago, there were no cycle rickshaws or hand drawn carts. Two move furniture or heavy articles, one had to depend on a few women from the ‘Jalari’ fishermen community.
Every morning the women would assemble near the Kurupam Market and wait for assignments. They would roll a thick cloth over their head and carry the items by balancing them on their heads and chitchat all along the journey. The advent of cycle rickshaws eclipsed their activity. (Contributed by Kolluru Jagannadha Rao)
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