On August 14, 2023, the Histronomics Club, Department of History, Women’s Christian College, hosted an early celebration of the 384th Madras Day, with a remarkable lineup of events that brought the city’s rich history to the forefront.
The festivities began with a talk on “Christian Women and Madras Print Industry of the 19th Century” delivered by renowned writer and feminist historian Ms. Nivedita Louis. Ms. Louis shared insights not commonly found in history books, shedding light on lesser-known aspects of Madras’s history.
The club also orchestrated various competitions for school children. Students from prestigious institutions such as Good Shepherd Matriculation, Madras Christian College School, Asan Memorial, SBOA, Chettinad Harishree Vidyalayam and Chettinad Vidyashram, participated actively in quizzes, drawing contests, and speech competitions, with SBOA emerging as winners.
The Principal, Dr. Lilian I Jasper, inaugurated a captivating exhibition that showcased displays from the Government Museum, antiques from colonial Madras, a collection of postcards curated by Mr. Rolands Nelson, ancient vessels and coins contributed by Mr. Prabhakar, and a collection of archaeological remains assembled by Ms. Arokiya Anbazhagi. The exhibition also featured students from the History department dressed up as members of different communities such as Jews, Parsis and Armenians. They presented informative charts covering topics like the prehistory of Madras, the founders of Madras, Madras Port and various other iconic locales in the city. Dignitaries, along with school teachers and students lauded the well-curated exhibits which further encouraged the members of the club. In addition to the historical displays, traditional food stalls at the entrance of the Science Block added a delightful culinary dimension to the celebration, attracting students and visitors alike.
A final year BA History student of WCC claimed that this was an appreciable initiative taken by the department. She said, “Every strangely named road, every tottering colonial building we pass by and even the unkempt Coovum that runs behind our college, carry stories of the city. More such initiatives should be taken so that people may learn more about the profound legacy of Madras City.”
The celebration reached its zenith with a heartwarming valedictory ceremony, where school students who emerged victorious in the competitions were awarded exciting prizes. The early celebration fostered a profound appreciation for Madras’ rich history and this prelude stands as a testament to the city’s enduring legacy.
