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HERITAGE WALKS The
following walks have been planned. NATURE
WALKS AUG 20 / SUNDAY GEORGE TOWNE WALK This postal district of Chennai bears the pin code of 600 001. It is really the first district of the city in the sense that this is where most of the city's history was actually written. The first telephone exchange, the first lighthouse, the first business houses, the early schools and colleges, they all came up here. Here you will find some of the city's oldest buildings, alas now not many are left thanks to the lack of heritage laws. The George Town Heritage Walk will take you to the following locations: The Armenian Church, the offices of Binny, St Mary's Co Cathedral, Gokhale Hall, the High Court, the statue of King George, the Bunder Street residence of Kovur Sundaresa Mudaliar, who hosted saint Tyagaraja, the Patnam temples that gave the city its name, the site of the residence of Manali Muttukrishna Mudaliar, in his time the Chief Merchant of the East India Company, the Wall Tax Road (what a name!), the venue of the Ottrai Vadai Theatre and back to Armenian Street via Rattan Bazaar. INFO - Walk starts sharp at 6.00 am at the Armenian Street-NSC Bose Road Corner, next to Standard Chartered Bank, opposite High Court, close to Armenian Church. (Look for a van with Madras Day poster stuck on it!). Fee - Rs.120. Walk is for about 21/2 hrs. This tour is on foot and by van. Guide - V. Sriram. Please bring water/snacks - organisers do not have facility to provide this. Register at 2467 1122 / 2498 2244 AUG 20 / SUNDAY MYLAPORE - SAN THOME WALK This walk explores the core of an area that predates the city of Madras. Starts in the Luz area of garden houses, goes through the heart of Mylapore where street houses still exist, into a bazaar area and then into the heart of the Sri Kapali temple area, before driving out to the edge of Adyar river and coming into what was once the Portuguese fortified San Thome area and ends at San Thome Cathedral. Luz Church, Thiruvalluvar Temple, Bazaar area, vintage police station, Sri Kapali Temple area, Quibble Island Cemetry and San Thome Cathedral are some of the landmarks on this route. INFO - Walk starts at 6.30am at Luz Church ( located near Nageswara Rao Park, off the Phone Exchange). Fee - Rs. 150. For about 21/2hrs on foot and by van. Guide - Vincent D' Souza. Breakfast halt at old Mylapore house midway. Walk ends at Cathedral. Please bring water. Register at 2467 11 22 / 2498 2244 AUG.22 / TUESDAY FORT ST GEORGE WALK - ONLY FOR SCHOOL GROUPS This two hour long walk will take the group to all the landmarks inside the fort, first built in 1639, and give walkers a glimpse into the life inside a city-fort of the East India Company, whose operations led to the formation of the city. Church, bungalows, barracks, ramparts, museum . . . .are all inside this fort. INFO - Walk scheduled at 9.30am from the parking lot outside the fort. Duration - 2 hours. Entire walk is on foot. Free of charge but open only to school-sponsored groups. You need to bring water/snacks. Guide - Vincent D' Souza. Register at 2467 11 22 / 2498 2244 AUG.26 / SATURDAY FORT ST GEORGE WALK This two hour long walk will take the group to all the landmarks inside the fort, first built in 1639, and give walkers a glimpse into the life inside a city-fort of the East India Company, whose operations led to the formation of the city. Church, bungalows, barracks, ramparts, museum . . . .are all inside this fort. INFO - Walk starts at 8am from the parking lot outside the fort. For 2 hours. Entire walk on foot. Rs.50. You need to bring water/snacks. Guide - Dr. Suresh. Register at 2467 11 22 / 2498 2244 AUG 27 / SUNDAY POONAMALEE HIGH ROAD WALK Though Mount Road happens to be the main business district of the city, Poonamallee High Road is no less important. It housed most of the important amenities such as parks, railway stations, places of worship and some areas where entertainments for the public were offered. It is home to some of the city's most historic buildings. This walk takes you though the following locations: The Tamilnadu Archives, the Egmore Station, the Ripon Buildings, the My Ladye's Garden (yes that is the spelling), the Victoria Public Hall, the Central Station, the Southern Railway offices, the Mutiny Memorial Hall, Lady Hope's Hostel for Nurses, the General Hospital, the Ramaswami Mudaliar Choultry, Siddique Serai, the Government College for Fine Arts and the St Andrews Kirk ( end point). INFO - Walk starts
at 6.00 am at the Mayor Ramanathan (Egmore) Stadium just a little
ahead of the Egmore Station. On foot and by van. For about 21/2hrs.
Fee - 120. Guide - V. Sriram. Register at 2467 11 22 / 2498 2244 AUG.27 / SUNDAY FORT ST GEORGE WALK This two hour long walk will take the group to all the landmarks inside the fort, first built in 1639, and give walkers a glimpse into the life inside a city-fort of the East India Company, whose operations led to the formation of the city. Church, bungalows, barracks, ramparts, museum . . . .are all inside this fort. INFO - Walk starts at 8am from the parking lot outside the fort. For 2 hours. Entire walk on foot. Rs.50. You need to bring water/snacks. Register at 2467 11 22 / 2498 22 44 (Open to first 20 people only - a group of 30 are already booked on this walk) AUG 27 / SUNDAY MYLAPORE MADA STREETS WALK - ONLY FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS This 90mins long walk will take the group through the oldest area of Mylapore. It will explore Sri Kapali temple, the Mada Streets, old houses, temple tank . . . Guides will talk on the heritage and culture, architecture and environment of this unique area of the city. INFO - Only students (no adults allowed). Walk starts at the temple 'ther' ( chariot) area in Sannidhi Street at 7.30am. Ends with a light breakfast at a heritage house on East Mada Street. Rs.10 per student. Organised by 'Namma Mylapore' volunteers. Register at 2467 1122, 2498 2244 ( only 25, first come first serve) |
