Just back with a number of bring-backs from the 24th Tamil Nadu History Congress held at Alagappa University, Karaikudi. First is the on-campus Alagappa Museum set up by present Vice Chancellor S Subbiah. It may be a small museum in a new building, but it holds several lessons for the University of Madras’s Senate House. Senate House, restored about a decade ago, is today a mess, having deteriorated thanks to Vice Chancellors who succeeded Prof. SP Thyagarajan paying no attention to it. One designated a Professor to set up a pictorial history of the University in it – and we saw an amateurish and indifferent exercise. Since then, the building has been virtually closed to visitors — and a closed building can only lead to neglect. Contrast this with the Alagappa Museum, set up with help from a former curator of the Pudukottai Museum, Rajah Mohammed. One section focusses on Alagappa Chettiar, the other on Tamil Nadu. The former, partly visible in a picture today, shows how a photo-story should be professionally related. Perhaps the Madras authorities should take a look at this together with a museologist and see the possibilities in Senate House. While considering this, why not keep a clean Senate House open, charging visitors and thereby generating some income towards upkeep. Speaking of upkeep, Alagappa University has been declared not only the No.1 University in Tamil Nadu but also the cleanest. The latter is to a great extent visible – with segregated disposal bins everywhere and clean bathrooms — though shabbily built, standard in Tamil Nadu for public toilet facilities — available. As for the former assessment, I saw too little to comment — except to say that English communication seems a vanished skill. At the Congress Considering time timeless is, however, not a vanished skill. Why is this so not only in Karaikudi but also in Madras and elsewhere, particularly at meetings where Tamil reigns? In this instance, the valedictory function started an hour late and a one-hour meeting lasted two hours-plus, even with the valedictorian keeping, on request, his 20-minute address to five minutes! This extended meeting was because of a splendid exhibition of local custom. The main table meant to be for six, had six more VIPs from the audience added on the spot. Then, each speaker addressed everyone else on the dais by not only name and distinguished designation but also with a paean of praise. These ‘humble’ encomiums invariably took longer than what they were meant to say. That’s par for inaugural and valedictory events as well as for other introductions locally. Nowhere near flowery were the papers – though one or two of the presenters seemed to be exhorting political gatherings. Periyar and the DMK were favourite subjects, but whatever the subjects, the bulk of the papers were rehashes of Google or published material. Repeated requests to summarise, instead of reading out papers, and appeals for “your own conclusions” met with regretfully patent inability. And when it came to answering questions, most presenters struggled. How about regular training in classes for proper paper presentations and their defence at all our universities? The only paper off the beaten track, for me, was one by a Madras University student on, surprise, surprise, the Rohingyas of Chennai. Apparently there are 94 of them in 15 families in a Kelambakkam cyclone shelter, recognised by the UNHCR and the Tamil Nadu Government as refugees. They’d come to Calcutta in 2012, then heard of peaceful Chennai. Happily settled here as day labourers and odd job workers, they get on well with their neighbours in “our new home.” When the postman knocked… * Referring to early Tamil journals (Miscellany September 25), Ramineni Bhaskarendra Rao sends me a Swadesamitran masthead dating to when the paper was a weekly started on November 20, 1881, with 1500 copies printed. It became a biweekly in February 1887, a tri-weekly in 1897 and a daily from January 5, 1900, 1000 - 2000 copies being printed initially. Earlier Tamil dailies were Dinodaya Varthamani (150 copies, September 1882- March 1883), Kaalak Kanithan (300 copies, January - April 1883), Lalitha Prasanodaya (150 copies, February - April 1887), Desa Ratchani (1000 copies, July - September 1892) and Desa Paripaalini (240 copies, February - March 1893). The arrival of Swadesamitran as a daily, kicked off Tamil daily journalism. Swarajya followed in 1825, Tamil Nadu in 1927, Dinamani in 1934. A few years later began the deluge. The first publication to carry Tamil news items, Bhaskarendra says, was the Ceylon Government Gazette which on March 29, 1802 carried a Tamil section Arasanga Varthamani. * Curious, isn’t it, wonders VR Devendra, that none of the Dravidian parties, and the DMK in particular, have not thought it fit to celebrate the 50th anniversary this year of Dravidian rule coming to the State with the election of the CN Annadurai-led party and the ushering in of a new Tamil consciousness. Has Annadurai’s achievement been forgotten so soon? The chronicler of Madras that is Chennai tells stories of people, places and events from the years gone by and, sometimes, from today

Stay updated with all the Chennai Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.