Pattnam Kovil Mandalabisheka thirumanjanam – History of Madras

Pattnam Kovil Mandalabisheka thirumanjanam – History of Madras

 

It is an old story that on the East Coast of India, as well as elsewhere, the Dutch, in the early part of the seventeenth century, showed an enterprise in starting, and a skill in pushing trade that put their British rivals to the blush. The Dutch had founded a settlement at Pulicat, which obtained a large measure of prosperity while the English settlement at Masulipatam was struggling for existence and it was perceived by the factors at Masulipatam that their best course would be to follow the lead of the Dutch, and found a new settlement south of Masulipatam. Accordingly a mere patch of ground was acquired at Armagon — now called Durgarayapatnam only thirty-five miles north of Pulicat, and the most was made of it. The prospects which it presented were not brilliant ; but, as they were less gloomy than those offered at Masulipatam, what passed for the headquarters of the Company's service on the Coromandel Coast were transferred for a time to the new station. It was, however, soon realized that the anchorage at Armagon was poor ; that the port was exposed ; and that the settlers were underbid, and undersold by their Dutch neighbours. 

History has it that – Armagon  was chiefly inhabited by salt manufacturers. A small port 36 miles North of Pulicat it was the first place occupied by the British who erected a factory here in February 1626. It was hastily abandoned in 1641 in favour of Fort St. George.  

It was then thought desirable to go farther afield ; and Francis Day embarked at Armagon, and proceeded farther down the Coast to search for what was wanted. At first—if what the Dutch factors at Pulicat reported to their official superiors at Batavia can be trusted—Francis Day went to Pollecheree—now known as Pondicherry—and treated with the local Hindu authorities for ground whereon to build a settlement, failing which he negotiated for a site at Conimeer —now known as Kunimedu—thirteen miles north of Pollecheree. Nothing, however, came of this. He then wended his way a little farther north ; and, by means which have yet to be ascertained, he not only made a friend of the Naik, Damarla Venkatadra—the " Lord General of Carnatica," and " Grand Vizier to the King of Vizianagar "—at Wandiwash.  

The firman read : Whereas Mr. Francis Day, Captain of the English at Armagon, upon great hopes by reason of our promises offten made unto him, hath repaired to our port of Madraspatam and had personal conference with us  on behalf of the Company of that Nation, concerning their trading in our territories and friendly commerce with our subjects : we, out of our special  Love and Favour to the English, do grant unto the said Captain, or whomsoever shall bee deputed to manage the affairs of that Company, by virtue of this firman, Power to direct and order the building of a Fort and Castle in or about Madraspatam, as they shall think most convenient, the charges whereof, untill fully and wholly finished, to be defrayed by us, but then to be repaid when the said English shall first make their enterance to take possession thereof. And, to make more full Expression of our affection to the English nation, wee doe Confirm unto the said Mr. Francis Day, or whatsoever other Substitutes or Agents for that Company, full power and authority to govern and dispose of the Government of Madraspatam for the termeand space of two years Next  ensuing after they shall be seated there and possess of the said fortifications ; and for the future by an equall Division to receive half the Custom and revenues of that port. The firman then proceeded to state that the English Company would be allowed to conduct an import and export trade free of customs duty ; that if goods were transported " up, into, or through my country " the Company shall pay half the duties charged to other merchants ; that the Company shall perpetually enjoy the privilege of mintage, free of " dues or duties’ and that the Naik would be responsible for payments made by the Company to " merchants, painters," " weavers, etc." There were a few other conditions that were also in favour of the Company.  

On the 5^th Sept 1639,   Thomas Ivie, Andrew Cogan, Francis Day, Thomas Morris, and Thomas Wintter," recorded their proceedings at a consultation held at " Messulipatam," for the guidance of the Directors of the Company. They apprehended that the Directors would take objection to the expenditure which would be required at Madraspatam and they resolved, therefore, to send Day back to that locality, in order to keep the Naik in play, by presents and promises, until the authorisation for such expenditure arrived from Home.  Thereupon Day left for Armagon. He was joined there later on by Cogan ; and the two, having first dismantled the factory at Armagon, which was to be abandoned, proceeded together in the Eagle to Madraspatam. The vessel remained three weeks in the open roadstead, and then, being caught in a storm at the end of February, 1640, she was driven ashore at Alamparai.  

Thus arriving the of the Fort at Madras  was at once commenced, and Mr. Foster thinks " from the name given to it, that part (perhaps the inner fort) was finished by St. George's Day, April 23. Saint George [also George of Lydda]  died on  23 April 303),  was an early Christian martyr.  He   was a soldier in the Roman army. Of Cappadocian Greek origin, he became a member of the Praetorian Guard for Roman emperor Diocletian, but was sentenced to death for refusing to recant his Christian faith.  

Like Great Britain, Fort St. George has been governed during two epochs by men of the name of Pitt, for Thomas Pitt was Governor from 1698 to 1709, and his second cousin once removed, George Morton Pitt, held that position from 1730 to 1735. The former was the son of the rector of Blandford, in Dorsetshire, where he was born in 1653, four years after the execution of King Charles I. He went to sea, in search of adventure and fortune ; and, at the age of twenty-one, he turned up at Balasore ; and, engaged as a merchant, in disregard of the East India Company's jealous and severe prohibition of " interloping." The local authorities of those days were in no mood to tolerate any trespassing on what they regarded as the lawful preserves of their " honourable masters," and they speedily arrested him, and brought him before the Council in Fort St. George, by whom he was severely admonished, and warned not to do it again. Upon his return to England, he was fined £400 for his actions, although by that time he was already very wealthy and could easily afford the fine.  

In August 1698, Pitt arrived at Madras as the President of the East India Company and was entrusted to negotiate an end to the Child's War with the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. In August 1699, he had been appointed as the Governor of Fort St. George and in the same year helped the Danes defeat Tanjore.  

Pitt purchased a 410-carat (82 g) uncut diamond from an Indian merchant named Jamchand in Madras in 1701. According to legend, the diamond had been originally found by an enslaved man in the Kollur Mine near the Krishna River and was concealed by the slave in a leg wound, which he suffered while fleeing the siege of Golconda. In February, 1707, he consigned some " bulses of diamonds” which    included one stone, weighing 61 mangelleens, which he valued at  £10,000. At the same time he made various suggestions in regard to the custody and sale of the " grand concern."  The Governor made a further consignment of a " bulse of diamonds " costing 6,180 pagodas, to his agents, in September, 1708, and took the opportunity of saying that the " safest place for the chest that contains my grand affair to stand in is the Bank of England."  

At last, on September 17, 1709, the Heathcote arrived at Madras from England, bringing a despatch from the Court of Directors, advising the " dismission " of Governor Pitt "from their service," and "constituting" Mr. Gulstone Addison—brother of Joseph Addison, the essayist—" in his room." Pitt wrote to his son on the 21st, and said that he had surrendered the Government to Mr. Addison, and would at the same time have delivered the cash and all accounts, but " he was so indisposed that he could not receive them " ; and when, two days later, Mr. Addison did appear at the Consultation Room, and went through the formality, he " laboured under most severe pains, which almost rendered his limbs useless to him."  Mr. Addison died at Madras on October 17, the day on which Mr. Pitt had arranged to embark; and in order to attend the funeral Mr. Pitt deferred his departure until the 21st. He then left fearing that the government of the Coast would devolve, as it did, " upon that wicked and vilest of wretches, Fraser, whose infamous principles and ignorance will ruin it for ever."

A very long piece of history as excerpted from ‘Memories of Madras’ by Sir Charles Lawson, published by Swan Sonnenschein & Co in 1905

The 1748 Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, ended the War of the Austrian Succession. The two main antagonists in the war, Britain and France, opened peace talks in the Dutch city of Breda in 1746. Agreement was delayed by British hopes of improving their position; when this failed to occur, a draft treaty was agreed in  April 1748. A final version was signed on 18 October 1748 by Britain, France, and the Dutch Republic.  Among many items in Agenda was :   Britain and France exchange Louisbourg on Île-Royale for Madras in India !! 

When the French occupied Madras in 1746 and returned it to the English in 1749 in exchange by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, the English flattened a part of Black Town in order to have a clear field for fire in the event of a future attack. In 1773, the English erected 13 pillars along the flattened area of the Black Town and banned construction in any form between the pillars and the fort which would otherwise block the view of possible invaders. Soon a new township, known as the new Black Town, came up beyond these pillars and the old Black Town gave way to the Madras High Court. A thoroughfare was formed along the stretch between the pillars and the high court which later became the China Bazaar Road. 

During the colonial period, the area in and around Muthialpet was renamed as "George Town" by the British in 1911, in honour of King George V when he was crowned as the Emperor of India.  A statue of King George V still stands in front of Flower bazaar Police Station.  The city of Madras is less than 400 years old but areas like Thiruvallikkeni, Mylapore, Chintadripet, Egmore and more existed centuries preceding that .. ..  

The narrow, forgotten streets of Georgetown has many marriage halls and some beautiful temples – among them are the twin temples of Chenna Kesavar and Chenna Mallikeswarar – fondly called Patnam kovil.  It is stated that the present Patnam Kovil existed nearer the seashore ~ in the area where the Reserve Bank of India stands now…   it was razed by East India Co, which enraged the locals who agitated.  Later it was re-built in the present place, reportedly with the same building materials… !!  Besides the grant of the Council, Manali Muthukrishna Mudaliyar contributed 5,202 pagodas, and subscriptions from the congregation amounted to 15,652 pagodas. With this the work on the Chennakesava Perumal temple began in 1767, was completed in 1780. 

 Recently on 2^nd July 2025 Samprokshanam was performed at Chenna Kesava Perumal koil and on 19.8.2025 it was Mandalabishekam yagnam  and special thirumanjanam.  Here are some photos of thirumanjanam of Sri Chenna Kesava Perumal at Pattnam kovil, Georgetown, Chennai .

The lengthy history reminisces - Madras Day, observed on August 22nd, celebrating the founding of Chennai, formerly known as Madras. This date commemorates the land grant to the East India Company by local Nayak rulers in 1639 

adiyen Srinivasadhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar