imported>The Eloquent Peasant at 17:45, 25 August 2021

2021-08-25T17:45:00Z

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{{Short description|Annual festival held in Tamil Nadu, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2016}}
[[File:S. Muthiah.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Chennai historian [[S. Muthiah]] delivering a lecture on ''The Story of Photography in Madras'' at the [[Press Institute of India]] as a part of Madras Day 2015 celebrations]]
'''Madras Day''' is a festival organised to commemorate the founding of the city of Madras (now [[Chennai]]) in [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]. It is celebrated on 22 August every year, 22 August 1639 being the widely agreed date for the purchase of the village of Madraspatnam or Chennapatnam by [[East India Company]] factors [[Andrew Cogan]] and [[Francis Day of Madras|Francis Day]] from Damarla Venkatadri Nayaka, the viceroy of the [[Vijayanagar Empire]].

The idea of a Madras Day was first suggested by Chennai-based journalist [[Vincent D'Souza]] to historian S. Muthiah during a meeting of the trustees of the Chennai Heritage foundation in 2004. Since then, Madras Day celebrations have been held every year without fail, its highlights being exhibitions, lectures, film screenings and quizzes. The Madras Day festival has registered a steady increase in popularity year after year. The 2014 and 2015 editions lasted through August and extended into September as well, prompting demands to rename Madras Day as Madras Week, or even Madras Month.<ref name="toi_20140814">{{cite news|title=Madras Day celebrations begin, govt won't join in|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Madras-Day-celebrations-begin-govt-wont-join-in/articleshow/40218802.cms|work=[[Times of India]]|date=14 August 2014}}</ref>

There has been a contention that the deed of purchase was actually dated 22 July 1639 and not 22 August.

==History of Madras Day==

The first recorded celebration of the founding of Madras was its tercentenary commemoration in 1939. Unlike later anniversaries, the celebrations were officially sponsored by the British government and a special tercentenary commemoration volume was issued with essays on the different aspects of Madras city authored by leading experts of the time.<ref name="canberratimes19390222">{{cite news|title=Madras 300 years old|work=[[Canberra Times]]|date=22 February 1939|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2490819}}</ref><ref name="thehindu_20040826">{{cite news|title=A city well served by historians|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2004/08/26/stories/2004082613250300.htm|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=26 August 2004}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> An exhibition of pictures, portraits, maps, records and coins was inaugurated by [[Diwan Bahadur]] [[S. E. Runganadhan]], the Vice-Chancellor of the [[Madras University]] and a short play writing competition was organised.<ref name="canberratimes19390222" /><ref name="canberratime_19390927">{{cite news|title=Madras 300 years old|work=Canberra Times|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2512667|date=27 September 1939}}</ref>

The 350th anniversary in 1989 was celebrated with the opening of a commemorative monument titled "Madras 350" built in the Classical Style by builder Frankpet Fernandez at the junction of the [[Poonamallee High Road]] and the New Avadi Road.<ref name="thehindu_20110711">{{cite news|title=The man who built 'Madras 350'|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/the-man-who-built-madras-350/article2217186.ece|work=The Hindu|date=11 July 2011}}</ref> Other major events included the commissioning of a book by S. Muthiah titled ''Madras — The Gracious City'' by the [[Murugappa Group]] which also organised the first Madras Quiz which has continued to the present day.<ref name="thehindu_20110711" />


The idea to celebrate the birth of the city every year was born when journalists Shashi Nair and Vincent D'Souza met S. Muthiah at his residence for coffee.<ref name=first>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080819183511/http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14741627 First city of modern India] Sify news</ref> It was based on the success of another event called Mylapore Festival which D'Souza had been organising every year in January. It was decided by the trio to start celebrating Madras Day from 2004.<ref name=first/> According to them, the "primary motive of celebrating 'Madras Day' was to focus on the city, its past and its present."<ref>[http://www.hinduonnet.com/2006/08/15/stories/2006081514150200.htm 'Madras Day' bash ahead] The Hindu</ref> The idea initially started off with about five events in 2004 but grew gradually. The second edition in 2005 had events throughout the week. In 2008, there were a total of 60 events conducted.<ref name=first/> In 2007, a commemorative postal cover was released by Chief Postmaster-General of Tamil Nadu Circle at a function at Fort St George as a part of the Madras Day celebrations, thereby inaugurating a tradition that continued through the later editions.<ref name="thehindu_20070823">{{cite news|title=Special postal cover to mark Madras Day|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/special-postal-cover-to-mark-madras-day/article1897452.ece|work=The Hindu|date=22 August 2007}}</ref> The 2010 celebrations lasted beyond a week and extended well into the following week as well.

The 375th Madras Day was celebrated with more than a hundred events that lasted from 10 August to 14 September 2014.<ref name="toi_20140814" /> However, despite expectations to the contrary, Tamil Nadu government departments did not participate in the celebrations which they felt "colonial heritage".<ref name="toi_20140814" /> The celebrations were deemed a roaring success and the events got nationwide coverage for the first time.<ref name="outlooindia">{{cite journal|title=What does Madras bleed for|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article/what-does-madras-bleed-for/291752|first=Geeta|last=Doctor|date=1 September 2014}}</ref><ref name="ndtv">{{cite news|title=Chennai gets ready for its 375th birthday|url=http://www.ndtv.com/chennai-news/chennai-gets-ready-for-its-375th-birthday-650318|first=Sam Daniel|last=Stalin|date=19 August 2014}}</ref> "[[The Madras Song]]" was composed to commemorate the occasion and a website was launched by ''[[The Hindu]]'' titled friendsofchennai.com for residents of the city to create online petitions voicing their civic grievances.<ref name="thehindu_20140818">{{cite news|title=Celebrating Chennai at 375 with the Madras Song|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/celebrating-chennai-at-375-with-the-madras-song/article6329309.ece|work=The Hindu Business Line|date=18 August 2014}}</ref><ref name="thehindu_20140823">{{cite news|title=A birthday gift for Chennai's 375th|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/a-birthday-gift-for-chennais-375th/article6342936.ece|work=The Hindu|date=23 August 2014}}</ref> Historian and entrepreneur [[V. Sriram]] also designed a mobile app named Chennai Past Forward for users to keep in track with the heritage of the city.

The 376th Madras Day celebrations were bigger with events being held even in suburbs like [[Tambaram]].<ref name="thehindu_20150616">{{cite news|title=Chennai's 376th birthday bash to be bigger and better|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chennais-376th-birthday-bash-to-be-bigger-and-better/article7319918.ece|work=The Hindu|date=16 June 2015}}</ref> Apart from heritage walks, the 2015 edition also included a walk of the [[L. V. Prasad]] film studios.<ref name="indianexpress_20150814">{{cite news|title=Chennai 376|url=http://indulge.newindianexpress.com/chennai-376/chennai/34924|work=[[The New Indian Express]] Indulge|date=14 August 2015}}</ref> The focus was, however, on restoration of the [[Coovum River]] and a presentation on the history and heritage of the Coovum River was held at the [[Madras Literary Society]] by author [[Anusha Venkatesh]] on 15 August.<ref name="thehindu_20150822">{{cite news|title=Live chat:Madras Day – Celebrating Coovum|url=http://www.thehindu.com/specials/live-chat/madras-day-celebrating-cooum/article7569150.ece|work=The Hindu|date=22 August 2015}}</ref><ref name="thehindu_20150816">{{cite news|title=Thus spake Coovum|work=The Hindu|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/thus-spake-cooum/article7546223.ece|date=16 August 2015}}</ref><ref name="thehindu_20150817">{{cite news|title=Madras Week: On Coovum|first=Ramya|last=Kannan|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/madra-week-on-cooum/article7550379.ece|work=The Hindu|date=17 August 2015}}</ref> The Cycling Yogis, a Chennai cyclists' group, conducted a 72 km bicycle ride along with the Coovum River on 16 August 2015.<ref name="thehindu_201150824">{{cite news|title=Discovering the Coovum|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/discovering-the-cooum/article7572736.ece|work=The Hindu|date=24 August 2015}}</ref>

The 377th Madras Day celebrations were kick-started in a grand manner by The Hindu Group through their Madras Beats 2016 song. Composed and performed by [[Opus g7]], a band which was selected as winner through a competition floated by ''The Hindu'', the song "Endrum Padhinaaru" was launched on 21 August 2016 and went viral on social media.<ref name="thehindu_20160821">{{cite news|title=The Hindu celebrates Madras Day 2016|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/madras-day-the-hindu-presents-madras-beats-2016/article9014434.ece|date=21 August 2016}}</ref>

==The celebration==
Madras Day focuses on the city, its history, its past and its present and the core team motivates communities, groups, companies and campuses in the city to host events that celebrate the city.<ref name=madrasday>[http://www.themadrasday.in/ Madras day website]</ref> The celebration consists of events such as [[History|heritage]] walks,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071102070747/http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/20/stories/2007082054550200.htm Celebrating the good old Madras] The Hindu</ref> [[lectures|public talks]], [[Art exhibition|exhibitions]], [[poetry]] reading sessions, public performances, [[food festival]]s and special programs on local [[radio]].<ref name=madrasday/> It also includes contests such as [[T-shirt]] designing, [[documentary film]] contest, multimedia presentation for schools and quizzes in both [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and [[English language|English]].<ref name=madrasday/> T-shirts to mark the event are also released.<ref>[http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200708221532.htm Citizens celebrate 368th birthday of Chennai] The Hindu</ref> The talks delivered to mark the week-long celebrations usually involve lectures explaining the heritage and history of the city.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060217163111/http://www.hindu.com/2005/09/06/stories/2005090615720200.htm Madras Day at the Masonic Lodge] The Hindu</ref> There are also events for the retired citizens where they can post about their life years ago on the "Stories about Madras section" on Madras Day's website and share their views on how Madras grew into the Chennai of today.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121103073206/http://www.hindu.com/yw/2005/08/19/stories/2005081900440600.htm Let's celebrate Madras Day] The Hindu</ref><ref name="thehindu_20060815">{{cite news|title=Madras Day bash ahead|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/madras-day-bash-ahead/article3090706.ece|work=The Hindu|date=15 August 2006|first=Karthik|last=Subramanian}}</ref>

The programmes for Madras Day 2015 included:

* Heritage walks organised by the Chennai Heritage foundation
* Quizzes and competitions for children organised by the [[British Council]]
* Daily lectures organised by the [[Roja Muthiah Research Library]]
* Daily lectures organised by the [[Press Institute of India]]
* Tree walks by the [[Nizhal]] Foundation
* Field trips by the [[Madras Naturalists' Society]]
* Lectures and exhibitions organised by [[The C. P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation]]
* Competitions organised by the [[Photographic Society of Madras]]

A unique design T-shirt, selected through open competition, is sold by ''Mylapore Times'' every year during Madras Week.<ref name="thehindu_20060728">{{cite news|title=Designing a T-shirt that reflects the spirit of Chennai|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/designing-a-tshirt-that-reflects-spirit-of-chennai/article3111673.ece|work=The Hindu|date=28 July 2006}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060904144356/http://www.hindu.com/2005/09/05/stories/2005090514340300.htm Around the City] The Hindu</ref>

== Controversy regarding the date ==
There has been a controversy regarding the exact day when Madras was handed over to the British East India Company's Francis Day and Andrew Cogan between the dates 22 July and 22 August. The controversy arose since the agreement documents dates the records to 22 July 1639 rather than 22 August of that year. It is often stated that Francis Day and Andrew Cogan did not arrive at the Madras coast until 27 July 1639. The evidence comes from writings of Henry Davison Love, whose monumental three-volume history of Madras from 1640–1800 is a prime reference source for Madras' early history, which states that "The Naik's grant, erroneously styled a farman, which was probably drafted by Day, was delivered to Andrew Cogan at Masulipatam on September 3, 1639... Three copies are extant ... all of which are endorsed by Cogan. Only the last bears a date, 22 July 1639, where July is probably a slip for August, since Day did not reach Madras until 27 July".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080922065215/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/09/01/stories/2008090150840800.htm When was Founding Day?]</ref>

==References==
{{Portal|India}}
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.dinamalar.com/madrasday/ Madras Day: August 22]
* [http://www.themadrasday.in/ Madras Day site]
* [http://madrasday2015.blogspot.in/ Madras Day 2015]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060827103413/http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/15/stories/2006081514150200.htm Article published in ''The Hindu'']

{{Chennai Topics}}

[[Category:August observances]]
[[Category:Culture of Chennai]]
[[Category:Recurring events established in 2004]]
[[Category:2004 establishments in Tamil Nadu]]

Madras Day - Revision history

imported>The Eloquent Peasant at 17:45, 25 August 2021