RECOVERING THE TRADITIONAL COLONIAL SETTLEMENT

SyNoPSIS of THESIS

CHINTADARIPETTAI

Sketch By : Virajitha Chimalapati

VIRAjITHA CHIMALApATI DEpARTMENT Of ARCHITECTuRAL CONSERVATION SCHOOL Of pLANNING AND ARCHITECTuRE DELHI 25 ApRIL 2011

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Chintadaripet, as the settlement is known today, sits in the centre of the metropolis of Chennai. Nestled in the bend of the River Cooum and made into an island by the arterial Anna Salai (the erstwhile Mount Road), Chintadaripettai is unique among the many traditional settlements that comprise the present day city of Chennai. Chintadaripettai, once known as Chinna Terai pettai or the village of small looms has its origins in the colonial period. The village grew around a small temple and was settled by weavers from all over India, predominantly Salem and Woriapalem, to contribute to colonial trade. The settlement was located in its what was once a garden of Sunku Rama Chetty because of the easy availability of fresh water, presence of large shady fruit trees , accessibility to fort St George and the other established settlements in Madras ie Mylapore, Triplicane, George Town etc. Established as a weavers village in 1735, it saw the decline of weaving and the moving out of the weaving community by the late 19th century. The community then transformed itself into the backbone of the clerical staff within the institutions and offices of the Madras presidency, constituting lawyers, typists and accountants. The establishment of a factory in Chintadaripettai around the same time, made it an important hardware market of Madras. Thus Chintadaripettais socio economic structure reflects the socio economic and cultural transformations of the city of Madras through the ages. Chintadaripettai despite its colonial origins still retains an indigenous character, with a temple and a temple tank at its core. However, the similarities to a traditional temple town settlement pattern end there. Its colonial origins have resulted in a unique planning system, spatial organisation and cultural fabric that has both colonial and indigenous characteristics, making it different from the other historic settlements of Madras.

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Recovering The TraditionalColonial Settlement

Virajitha Chimalapati

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That Chintadaripettai still exists, in the pockets of traditional houses, in the sloped roofs that suddenly becomes visible between tall buildings, in the names of the streets and the structure of the community. A village that has stood witness to the changing times and a growing metropolis. The thesis attempts to recover the Chintadaripettai that was from within the chaos of the Chintadaripet that is. Chintadaripettais locational advantages which were the reason for its genesis and its growth, have today become a colossal threat to its unique historic fabric. Being sandwiched between two major arterial roads contributed to the presence of a bustling market within Chintadaripet that caters to everything from the best fish in the city , the largest range of hardware and auto parts in Chennai ,to film production and distribution units, Sandalwood garlands ,decorated umbrellas( which have now become synonymous with Chintadaripettai) and much more .Today, the exponential growth of this market is encroaching into the residential fabric. This is making it difficult to recognise or perceive the immense historic and architectural significance of the place, resulting in an incalculable loss to the culture, heritage and identity of the city. New infrastructure facilities in the form of a railway station, the proposed Chennai Metro rail, the proposed expressway are all contributing to an acceleration in the degree of this loss. Thus there is an urgent need to understand, recognise and conserve the remaining historic fabric of the settlement of Chintadaripettai .The channelization of developmental forces towards heritage sensitivity remains the greatest challenge to conservation. A growing consciousness within the administrative sector and the general public on the urgent need to conserve the built heritage of the city is articulated in the Second Master plan for Chennai . It states the need to frame a heritage legislation to recognise and protect the built heritage of the city. As a result, CMDA has identified heritage buildings within Chennai that need to be protected , and the listing process is underway.

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Recovering The TraditionalColonial Settlement

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Of around 225 buildings identified by the author, only 9 buildings in Chintadaripet have been listed by the CMDA(Chennai Metropolitan Development Aithority) in Chintadaripet, and Chintadaripet has been recognized as a heritage precinct. Instead of safeguarding the heritage, this move is undermining the complexity of the heritage resource called Chintadaripettai. The need of the hour is to recognise the complexities of the living historic urban settlement of Chintadaripettai and evolve strategies that would help conserve the multiple facets that come together to constitute the heritage value of Chintadaripet
flying Train Chintadaripet Station park - Velachery Bus Terminus MTC Head Office

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poonamalee High Road Arterial Road Chennai City

River Cooum Anna Salai (Mount Road) Arterial Road, Chennai City
fIGuRE 1:GOOGLE IMAGE Of THE SETTLEMENT Of CHINTADARIpETTAI

New Secretariat Building Anna Salai(Mount Road)

Island Grounds

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House Agraharam Street Weavers House Singanna Chetty Street

Napiers park Arunachala Naick Street

Sketch By : Virajitha Chimalapati

River Cooum

Mansion House Arunachala Naick Street

Simpson and Co Arunachala Naick Street

Twin pagodas of Chintadaripettai Arunachala Naick Street

fIGuRE 2:SkETCH Of CHINTADARIpETTAI

Market Arunachala Naick Street

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1.3. JUSTIfICATIoN/RATIoNALE
Chintadaripettai is a settlement colonial in its origins. A new settlement in old Madras. The settlement has a hybrid structure that incorporates within itself both the indigenous systems and colonial ideologies. Thus it forms a significant component of the identity of the city of Madras and needs to be conserved Chintadaripettai has the following distinctive characteristics : - Unique geographical location Nestled within the curves of the River Cooum, it has a unique geographical location. The study of the settlement allows us to understand the transformation of the river from a clean, clear sparkling water body to the sewage channel it has become today, and the response of the settlement to this transformation. Today, the Cooum River Revitalization project is underway, with the project being funded by the World bank. This is once again transforming the face of Chintadaripet. The thesis also considers the possibility of whether the revitalization of the River could be channelized for the benefit of the cultural heritage. - only settlement of its type within the city of Madras It has an atypical spatial organisation that follows the temple centric structure of the other traditional settlements of Tamil Nadu, yet is dissimilar from them in her form and The spatial organisation which was free of caste based distinctions resulted in a streetscape demonstrating extremely varied residential typologies, distinct from any of the other traditional settlements of Madras. - Architectural Expression: The architectural expression comprising of multiple typologies of heritage buildings, both public and private, ranging from a Temple, Temple tank, residences of Weavers, Agraharams, Mansion houses, Compound houses; to a Zion Church, an Art Deco factory building , a public library, Memorial hall and a park is extremely varied .

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-Self Sufficient Settlement with all amenities within close proximity. There exist all the neighbourhood amenities from a market, shopping areas, schools, college, railway station, hospital, legislative offices, a theatre, factory, temples etc within the settlement, contributing to the feeling of Chintadaripettai being a self contained unit within the city of Chennai. - Social and community bonding The settlement originated as a weavers settlement, with Chettiyars as debauches (governors and overseers). Temples, a mosque, churches and schools were developed to give the weavers all the amenities required. While weaving as an art and a means of livelihood died in Chintadaripet in the late 19th century, the community structure still exists today.

1.4. RATIoNALE
The Second Master plan of Chennai recognizes the need for a heritage legislation and is presently in the process of listing and documentation of her heritage. 9 Heritage buildings from Chintadaripet have been listed and Chintadaripet has been recognized as a heritage precinct. However, the residential architecture and the settlement are also an integral part of the cultural heritage of Chennai and to be recognized as such. A strategy for conservation of a traditional settlement like Chintadaripettai demands a holistic approach, that looks beyond the monuments and acknowledges the multiple components that come together to constitute the historic urban landscape of Chintadaripettai.

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Recovering The TraditionalColonial Settlement

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1.1. AIM:

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The aim in conserving the traditional settlement of Chintadaripettai is to recognise it as a cultural resource and an integral part of the history of the city . It is an important witness to the socioeconomic and cultural structure of the Chennai that is Madras and has enormous architectural value. The thesis aims to evolve a strategy for an effective integration of the historic built fabric into the framework of social life. The thesis also aims to ascertain the directions for development which are compatible with the historic fabric of the settlement, while paying attention to the rights of the inhabitants , their economic activity and social relationships.

1.2. oBJECTIVES:
- To understand the Historic evolution of Chintadaripettai within the context of the Historic evolution of the city of Madras This objective is two pronged. - One involves the understanding of historic Madras, its evolution and growth as the context within which the settlement of Chintadaripettai is located. - The other, a detailed study of the history of Chintadaripettai. its genesis and transformations, resulting in its contemporary urban landscape - To identify and define the constituents of the heritage of the urban settlement of Chintadaripettai and understand its unique nature, with reference to the other settlements of Chennai - To establish a case for the conservation of the traditional settlement based on an understanding of the settlement itself as a cultural resource - To articulate the values and significance of Chintadaripettai today within the Metropolis of Chennai - To identify the issues , impacts of development and the resultant transformations within the heritage components - To propose a strategy for the conservation of the settlement of Chintadaripettai, that recognizes it as a cultural resource.

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Recovering The TraditionalColonial Settlement

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1.4. SCoPE
The Scope and framework of the work undertaken is broadly outlined as follows: - Identifying and Assessing the heritage components - Studying the built and socio- economic fabric of Chintadaripettai - Studying the changes in both the physical and social fabric to understand the process of transformation - Review of the development measures with specific reference to identify their role in the process of transformation of the built fabric - Identification of problems and issues - formulation of appropriate guidelines and proposals

1.5. LIMITATIoNS
- There was a problem in making the drawings or taking photographs of the interiors of the individual houses - this was due to the fears of local populace. - Due to a lack of time , 100 % door to door socio - economic survey was not possible, so one had to rely on present day social and community records, census data, thesis reports and random sample surveys.

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Recovering The TraditionalColonial Settlement

Virajitha Chimalapati

METHoDoLoGy
PRIMARy STUDy

METHoDoLoGy

SECoNDARy STUDy

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CITy LEVEL LISTING SITE oBSERVATIoNS

SETTLEMENT LEVEL

HISToRICAL DEVELoPMENT

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BooKS ARCHIVAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE RESoRDS VISUAL LINKAGES CIRCULATIoN PATTERN WATER SySTEMS INfRASTRUCTURE EXISTING HERITAGE BUILDINGS MoRPHoLoGy
BUILDING HEIGHTS BUILDING TyPE ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTAR RESIDENTS SHoPKEEPERS TRUSTEES INSTITUTIoNS

STATISTICAL AND CENSES DATA DoCUMENTATIoN SPATIAL oRGANISATIoN BUILT foRM

INVENToRy

LANDUSE

ADMINISTRATIVE fRAMEWoRK
CITy LEVEL MASTER PLAN SETTLEMENT LEVEL VIoLATIoNS of REGULATIoNS

RESEARCH PAPERS DESPATCHES

HISToRICAL MAPS

INTERVIEWS DEVELoPMENT ACTIVITIES LoCAL BoDIES ARoUND SETTLEMENT

RELATED offICES PRoJECT REPoRTS INTERVIEWS WITH PLANNERS INTERVIEW WITH RESIDENTS

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LISTING LEGISLATIoN foR HERITAGE BUILDING ByE LAWS CRZ CoNTRoLS RELATED To BUILDINGS INfRASTRUCTURE PoLICy

Recovering The TraditionalColonial Settlement

UNPUBLISHED THESIS REPoRTS

oLD PHoToGRAPHS

CHRoNoLoGICAL TABLE ENLISTING A DATEWISE MAPPING of EVENTS AND GRoWTH

MAPS SHoWING HISToRICAL DEVELoPMENT

CITy LEVEL

SETTLEMENT LEVEL

PRECoLoNIAL (1600 AD)

CoLoNIAL: PRE 1857

MAPPING GENERATING A BASE PLAN

DETAILED DEVELoPMENT PLAN DIGITAL ELEVATIoN MoDELS PRoJECT PLANS GooGLE EARTH SATELLITE IMAGES

CoLoNIAL: 1857 AD - 1947 AD

PoST INDEPENDENCE : 1947AD - TILL DATE

INDENTIfICATIoN of HERITAGE CoMPoNENTS

MAPPING of SITE oBSERVATIoNS AND HERIAGE BUILDINGS

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STATEMENT of SIGNIfICANCE TRANSfoRMATIoNS ISSUES AND PoTENTIALS PRoPoSAL CITy LEVEL PRoPoSED LEGISLATIoNS

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SETTLEMENT LEVEL DESIGN GUIDELINES ( ADDITIoNS ALTERATIoNS)

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1.6. METHoDoLoGy

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The methodology adopted for collecting the information primarily involved A. SECoNDARy SURVEyS (LITERATURE STUDy): This primarily involves two stages, data collection and data organisation STuDy - Study of historical books, records, research papers, thesis reports, etc - Study of statistical and census data, Administrative records, Despatches etc. -Historical Maps and Archival photographs - Study of local references ORGANISATION Of DATA - Compilation of data and organisation into a chronological table allowing the understanding of the order of occurrence of events, both at city level and at settlement level and their inter relationships - Analysing the historic maps to understand the parallel transformations in the city form MAppING - using this information to make maps showing the historical evolution of Madras, and maps of Chintadaripet - In the precolonial period (before 1600AD,) - Colonial period - pre 1857 AD - pre Independence ( 1857 AD - 1947 AD) - post Colonial period - present Day

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B. PRIMARy SURVEyS (SITE STUDy): SITE SuRVEyS AND OBSERVATIONS - Identification of all the architectural heritage resources existing today in Chintadaripettai - Interviews with local body representatives, oficials in institutions, residents, shopkeepers, trustees etc. LISTING The architectural heritage of Chintadaripettai, which ranges from a temple complex with a temple tank, a variety of traditional residential typologies , a factory, a market, schools, churches, a cinema theatre and a park are substantial and diverse. Listing out the heritage that still remains in the traditional settlement of Chintadaripettai was the first step to help preserve its unique environment. 225 Heritage structures have been identified and recorded. This data was further analyzed on the basis of built form, function, ownership , age and categorized into typologies of architectural heritage STuDy OBSERVE AND RECORD - Existing land use, circulation, built form, morphology, - Study the transformations in the built fabric of the settlement in the form of interventions, additions, alterations. - To understand the existing and proposed policies and administrative structures MAppING - Base plan of Chintadaripet today generated using : - Detailed Development plan (Napiers park) - Google Earth - Digital Elevation Model, Chennai - Mapping of data collected on site - Identified heritage buildings mapped - Land use, Building Heights, Circulation patters mapped - Mapping of Heritage typologies

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C. ANALySIS: - Identification of the heritage components of Chintadaripettai that make it distinct from the other traditional settlements of Chennai on the basis of the study of the contextual study of the city of Chennai (Ref A : Secondary Study). - Establishing a case for conservation that looks at the settlement itself as a irreplaceable heritage resource. This also draws predominantly from the historical study and present built fabric. - Situation Analysis :understanding the present situation of Chintadaripet as an urban village within the metropolitan city of Chennai - Identification of Issues and Potentials related to the conservation of the historic fabric of the settlement E. PRoPoSAL: - Evolving a strategy for conservation that looks at Chintadaripet as a cultural resource. - The proposal focuses on the conservation strategies for the traditional housing of Chintadaripet.

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THESIS oUTLINE STAGE I : INTRoDUCTIoN

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The Aims, Objectives, Scope and Limitations of the project are then articulated. The methodology followed is also elaborated upon.

STAGE II : HISToRICAL STUDy

This stage describes the process of the historical understanding of the city and the settlement. It basically maps the historical evolution of the city of Madras and the settlement of Chintadaripettai in the pre colonial, Colonial and the post Colonial periods. This stage establishes the heritage significance of the settlement within the city of Madras and sets the base for the identification of the heritage components.

STAGE III : HERITAGE CoMPoNENTS of CHINTADARIPETTAI

The third stage forms the core of the thesis. The various components that make Chintadaripettai a heritage resource are identified, mapped and could be categorized under the following headings: - Topography A peninsula formed by the River Cooum, Chintadaripettai is like a basin within the bend of the river. - Spatial Organisation The settlement grew around an existing temple . The spatial organisation is not based on caste and is reflected in the almost uniform plot sizes. - Visual Linkages Traditionally strong visual linkages to fort St George. However, the new Secretarial building now dominates the visual field - physical Linkages (Circulation System) Arunachala Naick Street cuts across the settlement dividing it into two parts and is the prime connector linking it to Egmore on one side and the railway station on the other - Tank Network System Extremely unique by virtue of being independent from the system of temple tanks dotting the city. functions as a complete system in tandem the river - Built Heritage Components
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STAGE IV : SITUATIoN ANALySIS

This stage seeks to look at the features that constitute Chintadaripet today and derive an understanding of the trends of modern development, the resultant transformations and impacts on the built heritage of Chintadaripettai. The studies include : 1. Chintadaripet within the metropolis of Chennai to derive an understanding of the unique character of the settlement as compared to the neighboring areas. 2. The various infrastructure development projects in and around Chintadaripettai and their impact on the settlement 3. The existing administrative structure, policies and framework, their mandate and impact on the heritage of Chintadaripettai. Located amidst the administrative and business centres of the city has situated Chintadaripet within the ambit of major development proposals, which are insensitive to the heritage of the place resulting in a lot of detrimental impacts on the cultural heritage of Chintadaripettai. The lack of recognition of Chintadaripettai as a distinct historic zone lies at the root of this indifference and needs to be addressed. 3a. Land use (Existing, past, and proposed by development rules and impact on heritage) 3b. Building Heights and LandValues 3c. Building Occupancy (Self occupied, Rented, Encroached). to understand the causes and forms of building transformations. The plot and building are a prime economic resource for the local populace. A system of incentives could enable to maintain and protect the historic fabric. Guidelines for maintenance, additions, alterations and allowable transformations would also go a long way in conserving the fabric of the place. Thus there is a need for a multi pronged approach for the conservation of the cultural resource of Chintadaripettai.

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CoNCLUSIoN
The thesis looks at the cultural heritage of Chintadaripettai as something that is greater than just being the sum of its parts. It is much much more than the 9 buildings listed by the CMDA ( Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority) The thesis asserts that Chintadaripettai is a complex, living, multi faceted, dynamic , irreplaceable and endangered cultural heritage resource. The recovery of this invaluable resource requires a holistic and integrated strategy and this thesis is just one tiny step in the direction that would lead to the evolution of such an approach.

BIBLIoGRAPHy
BooKS Love H D, Vestiges of old Madras 1640 1800 Vol I - IV, Asian educational services (reprint), New Delhi kalpana k, Schiffer f, Madras: the Architectural Heritage, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, TamilNadu Chapter, Chennai, 2003 Muthiah S, Madras: Discovered A Historical guide to looking around, supplemented with tales of once upon a city , Affiliated East West press private Ltd, New Delhi 1992 Basu Dilip k, The Rise and Growth of the Colonial Port cities in Asia, Centre for South Pacific Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz, january 1979 The Madras Tercentenary Commemoration Volume, Madras Tercentenary Celebration Committee, Asia Educational Services,1994 Madras Handbook MCMXXII, Indian Science Congress, Asia Educational Services, New Delhi, 2005 Raman k V,The Early History of the Madras RegionThe C p Ramaswamy Aiyar foundation, Chennai.

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ADMINISTRATIVE DoCUMENTS AND RECoRDS Seminar on Waterways in Chennai, 4th and 5th March 2010, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai. Criteria for the listing of Heritage Buildings/Precincts in Chennai Metropolitan Area CMDA, Chennai Second Master Plan for Chennai, 2026, Development regulations. Amendments incorporated upto December 2010 dated 2.9.2008, Chennai Metropoliton Development Authority Development Plan for Chennai Metropolitan Area, April 2006 Rehabilitation and Management of Tanks in India: A study of select states,Asian Development Bank, Study undertaken by the India Resident Mission, 2006 Maclean CD, Macleans Manual of the administration of the Madras Presidency, Asia Educational Services, 1987. Report on Madras Town, printed by the Superintendent, Government press, 1918 THESIS REPoRTS V Sharmilee, Temple tanks and their environment in Chennai , Masters Thesis submitted to the Department of Town planning , School of Architecture and planning, Anna university, 2002 History of Chintadaripettai Thesis submitted for M.phil, May 1987, Madras university, Department of History. ARTICLES AND RESEARCH PAPERS Ghosh Gautam, Lost lifelines of a metropolis , The Hindu,Magazine,20 May 2007 The dubashes of Chintadaripettai The Hindu, S.Muthiah, Aug 2010 Rejuvenating irrigation tanks through local institutions R.Shakthivadivel, p.Gomathinayagam, Tushaar Shah, Economic and political weekly, july 31 2004 Indian journal of Science and Technology, Vol I No 7 ( Dec 2008), The temple tanks of Madras, India: Rehabilitation of an ancient technique for multipurpose water storage , Ganesan Madhavi, Centre for water resources, College of Engineering, Guindy, Chennai India

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Rehabilitation and Management of Tanks in India: A study of select states,Asian Development Bank, Study undertaken by the India Resident Mission, 2006 Rethinking tank rehabilitation, Issues in restoring old tanks to their original state in the irrigation structureIWMI-Tata Water policy programme Revival and Management of traditional water harvesting systems C.R.Shanmugam, keynote paper presented at the National Workshop on Water Harvesting with special reference to artificial recharge held at National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad on 9th October 2001. Tanks and Anicuts of South India,Examples of an alternate science of Engineering , Chitra krishnan and Sreenivas V Veeravalli jackson Elanor, Caste, Culture and Conversion from the Perspective of an Indian Christian family based in Madras, 1863 1918.paper presented to Christian Missions in Asia, Third Annual Colloquium, University of Sheffield, 14 - 15 July 1999 Sridhar kumudavalli,An anthropo-arch approach to the study of the Contemporary Chettiyar dwelling of Tamilnadu

C h i n t a d a r i p e t t a i

Recovering The TraditionalColonial Settlement

Virajitha Chimalapati