From Madras to Lucknow and back

Last week, I was successful Lucknow, and arsenic always, I enjoyed wandering astir the monuments ample and tiny that dot the Nawabi city. And, arsenic always, I learnt a fewer caller things, immoderate with a Madras connect. It was quality to maine that the creaseless texture of the walls astatine the Bara Imambara and La Martinere, owed overmuch to Madras chunam! Our section plaster had go celebrated capable to beryllium sent successful ample quantities successful the 18^th period to Lucknow, which was past successful a fever of operation of palaces and supplication halls.

La Martinere stands grounds to Claude Martin, the French mercenary who, aft serving his country’s East India Company for a while, recovered the British a amended imaginable and switched allegiance. He past moved to the work of the Nawabs of Oudh and lived successful Lucknow, constructing his immense residence Constantia, which besides became his tomb and present is the schoolhouse functioning successful his name. What is of involvement is that Martin, portion successful the work of the French, participated successful the siege of Madras successful the 1750s. Later, portion with the Nawab, helium assisted the English successful Madras successful their 3rd warfare against Mysore successful 1792. Being a maestro gunner, helium formed a peculiar cannon for the battle, which helium named The Lord Cornwallis.

The Butcher of Cawnpore

My adjacent Madras link concerns James George Smith Neill, the Butcher of Cawnpore arsenic helium was known. That rubric was fixed to him for the large acts of cruelty helium perpetrated connected Indians station the First War of Indian Independence successful 1857. He was killed successful the alleviation of Lucknow successful September that twelvemonth and the British, who viewed him alternatively otherwise compared to us, enactment up a statue for him connected Mount Road. Neill’s statue was a landmark done the 19^th period successful our city, and it was lone aboriginal successful the 20^th period that a satyagraha began successful Madras to person it removed. Kamaraj and his mentor S. Satyamurti played a large relation successful it, arsenic did forgotten patriots Angacchi Ammal, Lakshmiah, Loganatha Naidu, Swaminatha Mudaliar of Gudiyatham, and Somayajulu of Tirunelveli. The protests lasted implicit a decade, and it was lone successful 1937, erstwhile Rajaji became Chief Minister that the Neill statue was removed and consigned to the Madras museum, wherever it remains recumbent, successful a cellar.

The spot wherever Neill fell successful Lucknow was beside 1 of the gates to the Quaiserbaugh Palace, which immense enclave was wholly destroyed pursuing the British conquest of the municipality successful 1858. The gross survived and is adjacent present known arsenic Neill’s Gate. It serves arsenic a urinal, possibly a fitting tribute to Neill.

In representation of a musicologist

Lastly, a remnant of Quaiserbaugh is the operation present known arsenic the Bhatkhande Sanskriti Viswavidyalaya, commemorating V.N. Bhatkhande, the musicologist, who aboriginal successful the 20^th period travelled to Madras to recognize Carnatic Music mentation and codify the Hindustani equivalent successful a akin fashion. His diary, published arsenic Meri Dakshin Bharat Ki Sangit Yatra, makes for a fascinating work arsenic it deals with euphony successful Madras and the hinterland aboriginal successful the 20^th century.

Bhatkhande’s probe led to heavy involvement successful the mentation of Hindustani euphony and helped him to found successful 1926 astatine Lucknow the Marris College for music, named aft the past Governor of the United Provinces. This was renamed the Bhatkhande Sanskriti Viswavidyalaya successful 1966. In 1927, Marris College was the inspiration for conducting a euphony league successful Madras, successful parallel to the All India Congress session. That led to the founding of the Music Academy here, and the December Music Season.

(Sriram V. is simply a writer and historian.)