The origin of Madras may be traced to Pulicat.

“Pulicat is the place commerce started, ultimately ensuing within the founding of Madrasapattinam close by by the British,” says Xavier Benedict, the founder-trustee of Artwork & Structure Analysis Growth & Training (AARDE) Basis. As a part of Madras Day celebrations, the not-for-profit belief is organising a heritage stroll within the historic port city to hint the origin of Madras.

“This 12 months, the stroll will concentrate on understanding historical past by means of Nature,” explains Xavier, including that once we converse concerning the historical past of Madras, the primary query that involves the thoughts is: “Why did the Portuguese, Dutch, and Britishers land in what we name Chennai immediately?” The reply, he says, lies within the monsoon and the winds.

“Commerce was constructed round Nature,” he explains. “Ships arrived at India in the course of the southwest monsoon, exiting in the course of the northeast monsoon months of October till March and April.” This sample was pushed by the winds, essential for ships to navigate lengthy distances. Since ships had been then manufactured from wooden versus stainless-steel immediately, they wanted sand dunes to be anchored to the shore. “These had been current in lots in lagoons and the delta areas,” he explains. Because of this most lagoons, together with Pulicat, have forts.  

European merchants got here to Tamil Nadu for a motive: they wanted gas to energy their navigation. “Gasoline, of their time, was the sail material or paaimaram in Tamil,” factors out Xavier. Ships wanted sturdy cloths to journey the seas and Xavier provides that Europeans used linen and hemp for his or her sails, which couldn’t face up to the drive of the winds for greater than a month.

They therefore set out in the hunt for a greater selection: cotton. This quest led them to Tamil Nadu, whose black soil, kari manal, that may ultimately earn the coast the identify ‘Coromandel’, was conducive for cotton. “Coromandel cotton was thick, and was apt for making sail material,” says Xavier. This selection was grown throughout the coast from Tuticorin, all the way in which as much as Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh. “It has been traditionally confirmed that cotton sails had been exported from India,” he provides.

In change, Europeans introduced spices from the Indonesian islands to commerce. “They supplied cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon in change for Tamil Nadu’s cotton,” says Xavier: “Each doc in our archival materials factors out that 80% of commodity on ships till the 1850s was cotton,” he provides.

Xavier hopes that to create consciousness on Pulicat’s significance in India’s commerce and historic panorama. “We’re preventing for World Heritage standing for the port city that additionally homes the oldest Dutch cemetery in India,” he says.

The heritage stroll will take members to the Pulicat Interpretation Centre, Dutch and Portuguese cemeteries, Adi Narayana Perumal temple, Tamil mosques, the Lighthouse, Portuguese church, and the lagoon.

The journey will begin from Chennai at 7am from Loyola’s ICAM Gate, Mahalingapuram on August 23. For particulars, go to www.aarde.in.; to register WhatsApp 9043542174 / 9884013409.