Walking down the Colonial lane

As young kids we are fond of a lot of things like chocolates, ice creams and toys, or visiting amusement parks, bookshops and the museums. I belonged to the latter category. However, as we grow older, unknowingly, we lose touch with our childhood interests. It happens to all of us and it happened to me too. This time when I came to Chennai and visited my aunt's office in Fort St George I was reminded of my visit to Fort Museum when I was a little girl. I also remembered sitting on a palanquin, with my cousin Saurabh. I felt a great urge to revisit the museum and revitalize my childhood memories. Talking about museums - they are fascinating in their own way. If one displays astonishing pieces of art, the other will recreate history to captivate your imagination. One such museum with both these attributes is the 'Fort Museum' located inside Fort St. George. 

Fort St. George occupies a place of pride and prestige in Chennai and unfolds the history dating back to the colonial period. The history of arrival of the British on Indian soil, their occupation of India and the beginning of the Indian struggle against foreign rule are associated with Fort St. George. India, which was known as the 'Golden Sparrow', lured many traders to its shores. The East India Company was perhaps the most powerful of them all. It was launched in the later part of the 17th century with a solemn purpose of trading with India. By the early 1630s the company had started looking for an opportunity to set up a permanent trading station on the Indian coastline. As luck favoured them, a British officer known as 'Francis Day' managed to acquire a strip of land belonging to one Chinnappa Naicker. It was on this strip of land that the Fort was built and completed on 23rd April, 1640. The fort was given the name of St George, the patron saint of England. 

The building of the fort is a wonderful example of military architecture of the era. It has thick massive walls and a protective moat surrounding it. The British christened the area as the 'White Town' and did not allow natives to live within the fort. The 'Black Town' inhabited by the indigenous people lay much beyond its thick walls. It served as a protected trading post under the British East India Company and played a very important role in the expansion policies of the British in India. Many historical personalities like Elihu Yale, Thomas Pitt, Robert Clive, Lord Cornwallis either lived or are said to have frequented the fort in their day. Fort St George went on to become the birthplace of the modern Indian army. The fort still serves as an important base for the Indian army. 

In order to mark the advent of their occupation the British constructed the front rampart of the fort in the form of a deck of the ship and erected a genuine pole from a sailing ship as a flagstaff on it. A real anchor was also attached to it. This 150-ft high flagstaff made of teakwood was the tallest in the land and flew the Union Jack till 1947. The original flagstaff gave way recently and has been replaced by a new metal flagstaff, which proudly flutters the Indian tri-colour. Fort St George's towering flagstaff is the tallest in India even today. An old lighthouse erected in 1844 to show the way to the passing boats also stands in its compound. Towards the north of the fort is the famous High Court building, built in Indo-Saracen style. 

The fort houses several interesting monuments within its precincts. One of them is the St Mary's church. The church has beautiful stained glass windows, pews of solid teak, ornate marble wall frescos and plaques. It has withstood the ravages of time and has retained its original splendour even today. Interestingly, the church also served as the venue of the marriage of Lord Clive to Margaret Maskelyne in 1753. Elihu Yale, Governor of Madras, (1687-1692) who was responsible for the founding of the Yale University in USA was the first to be married in this church. A huge silver plate inscribed with his name donated by him is among the exhibits.

Fort Museum

Fort St George houses a small quaint museum which is known as the Fort Museum. This building, which was completed in 1795, served originally as the Madras Bank. The long hall upstairs was the Public Exchange Hall, and it provided a place for public meetings, lottery drawings and occasionally for entertainment and dancing. It also served as the Fort Officer's Mess. When India gained independence, the Archaeological Survey of India declared the building as a protected monument. As I entered the royal entrance of the museum, the magnificent 14½-ft-tall statue of Lord Cornwallis standing in front had me enthralled. This masterpiece, created by Charles Banks, was shipped to India from Britain. The pedestal of this statue is intriguing. It is carved with a poignant scene depicting Tipu Sultan's emissary handing over Tipu Sultan's two sons as hostages in lieu of a ransom he could not pay to the British. 

The Fort Museum has ten galleries. The first three galleries are situated on the ground floor. In the first gallery are seen the arms and armour of the East India Company such as the spears, daggers, guns, pistols, swords and battle-axes. It also exhibits the traditional Indian weapons along with foreign artillery. This gives an insight into the vulnerability of our native Indian army. They were using such outdated weapons, which were no-match to the refined foreign artillery. The two main exhibits in a case include a fragment of the shell fired by the German Cruiser 'EDMEN' on Madras city during the First World War and the shell, which was fired in retaliation. Another interesting exhibit is the percussion cap of a bomb dropped on Madras city during the Second World War by a Japanese aircraft.

The second gallery gives a glimpse of the East India Company's ceremonial uniforms. It also reflects the company's penchant for uniformity and discipline through its color and code for different ranks in civil and military service. The uniforms were made generally of wool with silk embroidery and brocaded with a golden thread. Another prominent feature of the uniforms is the metal buttons, which are unique in each case. The uniforms of the Governor's bodyguard and the ceremonial dress of the Under Secretary to the government of Madras are the striking features of this gallery. The Governor's bodyguard was originally known as the 'Governor's native cavalry'. It was raised by the East India Company, at the beginning of their war with Hyder Ali. Actually he was a spy in disguise. His function was to bring information about the enemy and their plans. He was one of the four men of the Governor who attended on him and occasionally took part in the state functions. The post of the Governor's bodyguard was disbanded in 1947 when India became independent and we did not need agents to spy on our own people. This gallery also displays the regiment flags of the Madras European battalions in silk with coat of arms at the centre along with caps and belts worn by the officers and men of these regiments.

The third gallery consists of stamps of George V series and archaeological series of the Republic of India dated 1949 and 26th January 1950. The gallery also contains tableware from the 15th century onwards. It was the officials of the East India Company who brought the European crockery and cutlery to India. The gallery displays hot plates, curry plates, fruit plates bearing the monogram of the East India Company. The tableware ordered by the Nawab of Arcot and Carnatic from England, coated with bright ornate design in gold and carrying the name of the patron, in Persian language, are also displayed. 

The fourth gallery has various kinds of silverware gifted to the Museum by the Danish Church at Pulicat, Zion Church at Tranquebar and St Mary's Church at Chennai. Among the various other exhibits are the medals and the medallions of the East India Company awarded to the Indian soldiers who fought many battles on their behalf. The gallery also contains the model of Fort St George depicting all its historical structures. A wooden palanquin (palki), probably used during the period of Nawabs, to take the noble women from one place to another, carried by four men, can also be seen. This was the one in which I had hidden myself when I was a small naughty kid, when no one watched me doing so.

Moving round the spiral staircase I entered the fifth gallery on the second floor. Being an art lover nothing could have been more delightful for me. I was spell bound by the twenty-four magnificent paintings. These included breath-taking portraits of Sir Arthur Havelock, the Governor of Fort St. George, Susan Marchioness, Viscount and Viscountess of Willington, Lord Robert Clive and Queen Victoria among others. When I entered the hall I was the only one in the gallery - others having dispersed off to the next section. The hall had earlier served as the 'dance floor'. The northern side of the hall has an elevated place for the orchestra. As I closed my eyes I could imagine the music flow and the young men and women on the floor, tapping their feet and dancing, with their arms around their loved ones. For a moment I felt I was also a part of them. 

The sixth and the seventh gallery consist of letters and documents handwritten by Lord Robert Clive and Lord Cornwallis. The documents carry their seal and signature. The eighth gallery, located on the third floor, is known as the Indo-French gallery and tells the saga of the French establishment in India. Like the British East India Company, the French also tried to establish commercial relations with India ever since 1529 A.D. Louis XIV and his minister Colbert formed the French East India Company, which started competing with the British East India Company to gain political influence and power in various Indian states. Some of the French artifacts like the French porcelain lamps, clocks, furniture and coins are kept on display. The sculpture of Marianne - the goddess of the French republic is the most striking feature of this section.

Odeyars of Mysore

The ninth gallery displays the exhibits about the 'Odeyars of Mysore'. The Odeyars claimed to be the descendents of the Yadavs of Dwarka of Mahabharata fame (the community of the 'cowherds' to which 'Lord Krishna' belonged). During the 14th century A.D their authority was established in Mysore. The Odeyars of Mysore were popular and generous kings. They were learned men and had a refined outlook. Under their patronage the Mysore School of Art flourished. These kings also played a very important role in initiating many welfare activities. The annals of the Mysore Family gives a detail list of nineteen rulers till the rise of their Commander Hyder Ali around 1772 A.D. He took reign of Mysore in his own hands reducing the Odeyars to being tutelary heads. He and his son Tipu Sultan were formidable enemies of the British. After the defeat of Tipu in 1799 A.D, the British restored Mysore to the Odeyars under a treaty. The Odeyars ruled Mysore till it merged with independent India in 1950. The erstwhile Maharajas of Mysore are still very popular with the local population. They play a ceremonial role during the famous Dussera celebrations in Mysore. Many of them joined politics. The first Governor of Madras after independence was Shri.Sir Jaya Chamaraja Wadiyar Bahadur of Mysore. 

Finally we move to the tenth and last gallery of the museum, which deals exclusively with the prints of Madras, notably that of Fort St George through different periods and of the Government House now known as 'Rajaji Hall'. After independence, Fort St George has been the seat of the Government of Tamil Nadu and houses the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and the State Secretariat. It also houses the office of the Chief Minister, cabinet room and a Governor's room. With this I come to the end of my journey. As I came out, I waved goodbye to the museum with the promise to come again. For me it had been a memorable journey down the colonial lane and a reminder that time and tide wait for none. Next time when you are in Chennai don't forget to visit the Fort Museum. 

Natasha Garyali

E-mail: mirror_reflection@rediffmail.com

More information:

Fort Museum, Fort St.George

Chennai - 9. Phone no. - 567 1127.

Admission Fee Rs.5/- for Indian Citizens, US $ or Rs.100/- for outsiders.

The museum is open on all days except Fridays

Museum hours - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.