Mumbai: A city, which is half a decade older than Kolkata and more than quarter a decade older than Mumbai, Madras is equally modern as any other city in the country.
On its birthday today, lets take a look at these 5 facts that go back in time to when it all started:
- On August 22, 1639, British administrator Francis Day, along with his superior, Andrew Cogan, struck a deal with the Vijayanagar empire to acquire a stretch of no-man's land to build a city. The city that later came to be known as Madras.
- The British built a fortified factory, a year after acquiring land, which was named on St. George's day April 23, 1640 as Fort St. George.
- The East India Company then began to acquire villages around the fort and Madras grew. For a brief period of three years, Fort St. George fell into the possession of the French after a conflict. It was restored to the British under the peace treaty.
- S. Muthiah, also known as ‘Mr. Madras’, is the city historian. According to him the city was first called Chennappanaikan which later came to be known as Chennapattinam and then Madras.
- As the Tamil Nadu government did not want the colonial tag, they rechristened it to Chennai in 1996.
People in Chennai celebrate this day with much zeal and vigour as heritage walks, competitions, exhibitions and more are organised. Many people are celebrating the day by posting their love for the city online.
Here are a few tweets from the people who belong to the city or the people just love the passion the city holds.
Happy birthday to the hottest 375 year old I know. #Madras375
— Rohit Ramaswamy (@RohitRIyer) August 22, 2014Everybody has their own pride of Madras. This is mine. Happy Birthday Madras. #MadrasDay #Madras375 pic.twitter.com/JT6JuSrXug
— vignesh murugan (@desimadrasi) August 22, 2014The city where I started my career and gave me a life! Love you #Chennai #Madras375 pic.twitter.com/aBuU0jFN3O
— Bright George (@brightkg) August 22, 2014Happy #MadrasDay. You're an oldie but a goodie!
— Shruthi (@shruthipady) August 22, 2014Also, watch this tribute to the city by Murugappa group:
