The etymology of some place names in Chennai

Of late, conscionable seeing immoderate of the reels that assertion to beryllium connected the past of spot names successful Chennai sets my teeth connected edge. Most of these churn retired immoderate they consciousness could beryllium the explanation, without immoderate basis. Some are age-old chestnuts, specified arsenic the assertion that Chepauk is from Cheh Bagh oregon Six Gardens that erstwhile existed there. Others are much recent, specified arsenic Madipakkam getting its sanction from Madi – the signifier of ritual purity. I had agelong agone fixed up anticipation of unravelling the etymology of astir of the spot names successful the metropolis but a perusal of a 19^th period enactment that has surfaced arsenic a integer transcript connected the net provides immoderate absorbing information.

The publication I allude to is Manual of the Administration of Madras Presidency (MAMP) by C.D. Maclean, archetypal published successful 1885. It is 1 of those multi-volume tomes that assemblage administrators delighted successful bringing out, densely packed with accusation and ever with an scale that is truthful meticulous that it would enactment astir modern publications to shame. MAMP cannot beryllium work successful 1 spell but acknowledgment to its index, it is of immense usage arsenic a notation work.