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{{Short description|Neighborhood in Chennai, India}}{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

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weblink| subdivision_type = Country| subdivision_name = IndiaStates and territories of India>State| subdivision_name1 = Tamil NaduList of districts of India>DistrictChennai District>Chennai| subdivision_type3 = Metro| subdivision_name3 = Chennai| established_title = | established_date = | founder = | named_for = | parts_type = Talukas| parts = Mylapore-Triplicane| government_type = | governing_body = Chennai Corporation| unit_pref = Metric| area_footnotes = | area_rank = | area_total_km2 = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 54| population_total = | population_as_of = | population_rank = | population_density_km2 = auto| population_demonym = | population_footnotes = | demographics_type1 = Languages| demographics1_title1 = OfficialTamil language>TamilIndian Standard Time>IST| utc_offset1 = +5:30| postal_code_type = | postal_code = 600005| registration_plate = TN-08| blank1_name_sec1 = Lok Sabha constituency| blank1_info_sec1 = Chennai CentralUrban planning>Planning agencyChennai Metropolitan Development Authority>CMDA| blank3_name_sec1 = Civic agency| blank3_info_sec1 = Chennai Corporation| blank4_name_sec1 = Vidhan Sabha constituency| blank4_info_sec1 = Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni Assembly constituency www.chennai.tn.nic.in}}| footnotes = }}Thiruvallikeni known as Triplicane, is one of the oldest neighbourhoods of Chennai, India. It is situated on the Bay of Bengal coast and about {{convert|0.6|km|abbr=on}} from Fort St George. The average elevation of the neighbourhood is 14 metres above sea level.Along with Mylapore and the surrounding regions, Triplicane is historically much older than the city of Chennai itself, with a mention in records as early as the Pallava period. One of the four "Old Towns" in the city, the neighbourhood was the first village obtained by the English to expand the new city of Madras beyond its "White Town" neighbourhood within the Fort St. George.BOOK, Muthiah, S., S. Muthiah, Madras Rediscovered, EastWest, 2014, Chennai, 12, 978-93-84030-28-5, Primarily a residential region, it is home to some of the tourist attractions of the city, such as the Marina Beach, Parthasarathy Temple and several commercial establishments. Triplicane is also known for its traditional culture, which is prominent in and around the streets (known as {{Transliteration|ta|mada veedhi}} in Tamil) of Parthasarthy Temple.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

Etymology

The name Triplicane is the anglicized version of Thiruvallikeni, which derives from Thiru-Alli-Keni ('Sacred Lily Pond' in Tamil), denoting the pond in front of the Parthasarathy temple, which was amidst a big Tulasi forest.NEWS, Ramanujam, Srinivasa, Temple tales of Triplicane, Chennai, 15 September 2011 (File:Triplicane Pond.jpg|thumb|Triplicane pond)

History

Literary mention

The early records of the town are rooted to epic rather than history. The city's original name, Thiruvallikeni, finds various mentions in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, which are a collection of hymns by earlier poets that were compiled in the ninth century. One such poet, Thirumangai Alvar, described Thiruvallikeni as a densely canopied forest with peacocks and koels, where the sun's rays could not penetrate. Another poet, Peyalwar, describes Thiruvallikeni as, "by the tossing sea... where corals and pearls washed ashore liken the evening sky and the lamps they light of dusk."WEB, verse 2297 by peyalwar,weblink 16 April 2012, dravidaveda.org/,

Medieval era

The evidence from stone inscriptions indicates that Parthasarathy temple was built in the eighth century by a Pallava King.NEWS, Religious facets of Thirumayilai, Thiruvallikeni,weblink 3 April 2012, Lalithasai, The Hindu, 18 December 2011, BOOK, Rina Kamath, Chennai, 2000, Orient Blackswan, 2000, Chennai, 9788125013785, 275, BOOK, Subodh Kapoor, The Indian Encyclopaedia, Volume 1, 2002, Genesis Publishing Pvt Ltd, 2002, 9788177552577, 8250, The temple was later expanded by the Pallavas, Cholas, Vijayanagara rulers.BOOK, Narasiah, K. R. A., Madras : tracing the growth of the city since 1639, 2008, Oxygen Books, Chennai, 9788183687898, 278, It has been recorded that a rivulet, Kaivareni, ran across Triplicane and Mylapore.WEB,weblink The Hindu Images,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120518050720weblink">weblink 2012-05-18, The legend has it that the rivulet connected two water bodies: the temple tank of Parthasarathy temple and a sacred well, Mani Kairavani, in the flower garden of Adi Kesava Perumal temple of Mylapore. It is believed that Peyalvar, one of the 12 alvars, was born on a lily flower in this well and that he sailed through the rivulet to worship Lord Krishna in the Parthasarathy temple.NEWS, N.Meera Raghavendra Rao, Abounds in Legends,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20060821084710weblink">weblink dead, 21 August 2006, 11 April 2012, The Hindu, 28 May 2001, BOOK, P.V.Jagadisa Ayyar, South Indian Shrines, 1982, Asian Educational Services, New Delhi - 16, Madras - 14, BOOK, V Subburaj, Tourist Guide to Chennai Gateway of South India., 2006, Gardners Books, Sura Books, Chennai, 9788174780409, To commemorate this, the idol of Peyalwar in Mylapore is brought, as a procession, to Parthasarathy temple every year in the month of September.WEB, Usha Raja, Mylai Aadhikesava Perumal temple,weblink chennai online, 4 May 2009, Chennai Online Website, 10 April 2012, Peyalwar temple was built in the 13th century.NEWS, A slice of heritage,weblink 19 March 2012, Geetha Venkatraman, The Hindu, 23 February 2012,

British era

(File:Page 113 Life in India or Madras, the Neilgherries, and Calcutta.png|thumb|left|Bazzar in Triplicane. Illustration in 1855)(File:Triplicane Pycrofts Road 1906.jpg|thumb|left|Triplicane Pycrofts Road in 1906)In the 1600s, Triplicane was a separate village. After about a century, the British found Triplicane to be a good area for settlement and a large number of people moved there. In 1668, Triplicane was annexed to the Madras City, making it the first neighbourhood to be annexed to the city.WEB, Official website of Chennai District,weblink 9 April 2012, It was obtained from the Sultan of Golconda on rent in 1676. From that time, Triplicane grew in importance, second only to George Town.WEB,weblink Structure of Chennai, In addition, the presence of the Nawab of Arcot increased the economic prosperity of the area, and many Muslims settled in Triplicane. In 1795, the Wallajah Mosque was built.WEB In 1841, Ice House was built to store the ice bars imported from America through ships. Ice bars were imported to provide the English temporary relief from the blistering heat. This building was renamed Vivekananda house after Swami Vivekananda stayed in the building for a brief while.In the mid-19th century, numerous educational institutions were formed in the area. Hindu Higher Secondary School was started in 1853NEWS The building which currently serves as the Triplicane police station was built around 1891 to guard Madrasapatnam.NEWS, Ajitha Karthikeyan, City's oldest police stn saved from the hammer,weblinkweblink" title="archive.today/20130103065925weblink">weblink dead, 3 January 2013, 10 April 2012, The Times of India, 23 December 2009, This building is the city's oldest police station. Triplicane High Road is one of the roads that had a tram line running through it during the British reign.NEWS, S.Muthaih, Once the City's lifeline,weblinkweblink" title="archive.today/20130216050342weblink">weblink dead, 16 February 2013, 11 April 2012, The Hindu, 24 September 2007, NEWS, Anusha Parthasarathy, Heaven on Earth,weblink 11 April 2012, The Hindu, Metro Plus, Chennai, 23 November 2010, NEWS, Military Lorry collides with Tram Car,weblink 11 April 2012, The Indian Express, Madras, 23 May 1945, In 1904, Triplicane Urban Co-Operative Society (TUCS) was started.WEB,weblink Introduction, Government of Tamil Nadu, 3 January 2013, The consumer cooperative society predates even the first Cooperative Credit Societies Act of 1904,NEWS In 1916, Star Theatre was built on Triplicane High Road. This age old theatre has been set for demolition in March 2012.NEWS In 1925, Mahatma Gandhi visited Triplicane to address a huge gathering.NEWS, What Gandhiji said at Triplicane,weblink 9 April 2012, The Indian Express, Madras, 20 December 1933, NEWS, S.Muthaih, Gandhi and the Tamils,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090917173949weblink">weblink dead, 17 September 2009, 9 April 2012, The Hindu, 31 December 2009, NEWS, Gandhi had a deep connection with Chennai,weblink 10 April 2012, IBN Live website, Taken from The New Indian Express, In 1933, he revisited the neighbourhood. In 1934, the first cricket match was played at the Chepauk StadiumWEB,weblink MA Chidambaram Stadium | India | Cricket Grounds | ESPNcricinfo.com, Cricinfo, In the early 20th century, Triplicane became one of the major residential areas of Madras.

Post-Independence

In 1963, Ice house was renamed as Vivekananda House.NEWS, Swahilya and K. Lakshmi, A tale of two memorials,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20071113112142weblink">weblink dead, 13 November 2007, 9 April 2012, The Hindu, 29 July 2007, In 1993, Bharathiyar Illam was converted into a memorial.In October 1997, the first train ran through the Thiruvallikeni MRTS Railway Station. The train was between Chennai Beach and ThirumayilaiWEB,weblink India search engine, indian links, travel, statistics, business directory, web directory, portals, link directories, www.infobanc.com, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20060408144250weblink">weblink 2006-04-08, NEWS, S.Sasidharan, Rs 1.97 crore state share to MRTS,weblink 9 April 2012, Deccan Chronicle, Chennai, 15 March 2012, WEB,weblink [IRFCA] Message Archive, NEWS, N. Ramakrishnan, Part of MRTS-III may run on single stilts,weblink 9 April 2012, The Hindu, Chennai, 18 March 2002, NEWS, Raja Simhan T. E, Chennai's MRTS: Not on fast track, yet,weblink 9 April 2012, Business Line, The Hindu Group, Chennai, 29 May 2000, On 26 December 2004, Indian Ocean tsunami hit Triplicane.WEB

Location

Triplicane lies on the banks of the Buckingham Canal which bisects the neighbourhood along the north–south direction. The neighbourhood is bordered by Marina Beach on the east on the shore of the Bay of Bengal, Chepauk on the north, Royapettah on the west and northwest, Mylapore on the south and southwest.{{Geographic Location|title = Areas of Chennai|Northwest = Chintadripet|North = Chepauk|Northeast = Marina Beach / Bay of Bengal|West = Royapettah|Centre = Triplicane|East = Marina Beach / Bay of Bengal|South = Mylapore|Southeast = Marina Beach / Bay of Bengal}}

Geography

{{bar box|width=250px|barwidth=100px|title=Natural hazards|left1=Hazard|right1=Percentage|float=left|bars={{bar percent|Earthquake|#FF7E00|60}}{{bar percent|Flood|#00693E|90}}{{bar percent|Drought|#5218FA|100}}{{bar percent|Landslide|#FF007F|0}}{{bar percent|Volcano|#FF007F|0}}{{bar percent|Cyclone|#FF007F|100}}}}The neighbourhood is classified as a tropical dry forest bio-zone. Being a coastal city, Chennai had many sand ridges. During the 16th century, the sea level rose and inundated lands within the settlements. When the sea withdrew, lagoons and ridges were left behind. One such ridge ran from the mouth of River Cooum to the present site of the Presidency College. On the rear side was a huge depression, where the college grounds have been built now. The ridge is the present Marina beach. Further south, a U-shaped ridge ran along Besant Road and Lloyds Road enclosing the Ice House. Parthasarathy Temple is just by the northern area of this ridge. Mount Road, now Anna Salai, ran along a tank bund and was at a high level. To the east of it, the land fell gradually, where Triplicane High Road and the Luz were formed.Triplicane is susceptible to strong (vi) earthquakes, with occurrences at 5 to 6 Richter. On average, it receives one tremor every 50 years. However, the impact may be low. The neighbourhood is prone to periods of extreme droughts. The risk of flooding is high, and chances of cyclones are high, owing to its location near the coast.

Neighbourhood

(File:Sri_Parthasarathi_temple_tank,_Thiruvallikeni,_Chennai,_India.jpg|thumb|Residential developments near the Parthasarathy temple.)With an area of around 5 sq km, Triplicane is home to over 100,000 people, in addition to a floating population of 50,000 to 70,000. Average population density of the neighbourhood is 21,329 per square kilometre.WEB

Housing

Known as 'Bachelor's Paradise', Triplicane is home to about 200 boarding houses (locally known as mansions) out of the 700 odd ones in the city, many of them with about 30 to 60 rooms.NEWS Availability of low-cost rentals and different affordable cuisines in the area is said to be the reason behind the constant patronage to these mansions for decades.NEWS

Roads

(File:Ezhilagam.jpg|thumb|200px|Ezhilagam)(File:Triplicane High Road.JPG|thumb|200px|Triplicane High Road)The main roads of Triplicane include Beach Road (Kamarajar Salai), Pycrofts Road (Bharathi Salai), Triplicane High Road, and Besant Road. Pycrofts Road, also known as Bharathi Salai, is known for its numerous book shops, including pavement shops selling old and used books.NEWS The neighbourhood, however, suffers from drainage issues and other civic problems.NEWS

Education

(File:University of Madras campus in Triplicane.jpg|thumb|left|190px|Triplicane campus of the University of Madras)(File:State Council for Higher Secondary Education, Chennai.jpg|thumb|left|190px|State Council for Higher Secondary Education at the Lady Wellingdon College campus)Colleges in the locality include Queen Mary's College, Presidency College and Madras University on the Beach Road.The popular schools in this area include Hindu Senior Secondary School, the Kellett higher secondary school, NKT, Rex, Hindu High School, Lady Wellington school, etc. Some of these schools are very old and even dating back to the British Era, like the latter two schools.

Library

Libraries in this area include Kasthuri Srinivasan Library on Besant Road, one on Peyalwar Koil street, Muhammadan Public LibraryNEWS, Historic library at Triplicane reopens for readers,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20070327083342weblink">weblink dead, 27 March 2007, 4 April 2012, The Hindu, 21 December 2005, and one on Big street. The Kasturi Srinivasan library is more than 50 years old."Golden jubilee celebrated", The Hindu, Downtown, Chennai, 20 March 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2012

Culture

Triplicane has a rich culture. The culture associated with Parthasarathy temple and its mada veethis is a traditional and an age old one.NEWS, Parthasarathy, Anusha, Shattering the stillness of time, The Hindu, Chennai, 24 April 2012,weblink 9 September 2012, Rooted in tradition, Triplicane is also known for its fine artistic taste in music, dance and arts.NEWS

Architecture

File:AnnieBesantPark Triplicane Chennai.jpg|thumb|210px|Annie Besant Park ]](File:AnnieBesantPark Triplicane Chennai FishermenStatue.jpg|thumb|210px|Fishermen statue at Annie Besant Park)Triplicane, similar to few other areas in the city such as Mylapore and West Mambalam, is known for its traditional row houses, known as {{Transliteration|ta|agraharams}}.NEWS About 50 families continue to live in the {{Transliteration|ta|agraharams}} in Triplicane. However, many of these houses are being replaced with modern multi-storied apartments, resulting in a reduction in their numbers.NEWS

Religion

Although Parthasarathy Temple remains the most important temple of Triplicane, there exists indeed several other temples in the neighbourhood, including Ellai Amman Temple, Ettampadai Murugan Temple, Peyalwar Temple built on the 13th century. and Thiruveteeswarar Temple. The thevaram has a reference of Thiruvateeswarar temple, which suggests its existence since the seventh century.Mutts in the region include Uttradi Mutt on Singrachari Street, Ahobila Mutt Vanamamalai Mutt on East Tank Square Street,WEB,weblink Vanamamalai Mutt, www.vanamamalai.com, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20080610004731weblink">weblink 2008-06-10, The Wallajah Mosque, also known as the Big Mosque, is a historical mosque in the city.WEB,weblink Big Mosque, Chennai, www.mapsofindia.com, Built in 1795 in remembrance of Nawab Wallajah, the mosque was constructed with grey granite, without the use of wood or steel.

Vaikunta Ekadesi

Vaikunta Ekadesi Festival is held in this temple{{Which one|date=October 2021}} and huge crowds gather on the day of the festival.NEWS, Temple tales of Triplicane, Srinivasa Ramanujam,weblinkweblink" title="archive.today/20130104011511weblink">weblink dead, 4 January 2013, 19 March 2012, The Times of India, 15 September 2011, "Religious fervour marks Vaikunta Ekadasi in Chennai", Deccan Chronicle, Chennai, 6 January 2012. Retrieved on 3 April 2012NEWS, In City,weblink 18 April 2012, The Indian Express, Madras, 12 March 1949, Vaikunta Ekadesi Vrata is observed on Dhanur Masa Shukla Paksha Ekadasi, or on the 11th day of bright fortnight during Dhanur Masam. This festival is celebrated with much devotion in many Vaishnavaite temples, including Parthasarathy temple in South India. Vaikunta Dwara lies in the north side of the temple. Vaikunta Ekadesi is also observed as Mukkoti Ekadesi.The streets of Triplicane are full of people as early as 2:00 a.m. on Vaikunta Ekadesi. Women adorned in the traditional nine yards or a silk sari hurry towards the Parthasarathy Temple to find a place in the long winding queues.The busy crowds move slowly towards the shrine, crossing the Paramapadavaasal along with the presiding deity. More than one hundred thousand devotees visit the temple who are helped by volunteers, temple authorities and police personnel to move around the prakarams. Police are stationed around the temple and atop watchtowers at the junction of the Mada Streets to maintain strict vigil.Lalithasai. "When the doors of Paramapadavaasal open...", The Hindu, Downtown, Chennai, 19 December 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2012M Bharat Kumar, K Vivek prasad. "Devotees throng temples for Vaikunta Ekadesi", News Today, 28 December 2009, Chennai. Retrieved 3 April 2012

Carnatic music

Triplicane was also once the seat of Carnatic music.Gowri Ramnarayan. weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20030702074942weblink">"When streets resonated with ragas", The Hindu, Metro Plus, Chennai, 24 December 2002. Retrieved on 3 April 2012{{When|date=October 2021}} Triplicane was not only known for weekend visits by several musicians, but also for resident legends such as G. N. Balasubramaniam (GNB) and M. S. Subbulakshmi (M.S.). The right atmosphere for music and dance permeated Triplicane. A proliferation of sabhas – Triplicane Arts Academy, Thiruvateeswarar Sabha, N.K.T. Muthu Sabha and Parthasarathy Swami Sabha – drew these heavyweights in the classical arts to the locality.Written by Prince Frederick, as told by Vikku Vinayakram. "Memories of Madras - ‘My heart beats for Triplicane'", The Hindu, Arts - History & Culture, 22 February 2011. Retrieved on 3 April 2012.Musicians used to talk of how they had sung at the Hindu High School or heard GNB at some other Triplicane venue. It was said that Triplicane was where vidwans would spend afternoons discussing music over hot rava pongal at the Krishna Iyer Hotel. The 1965s and 1970s saw music and dance pervade the area in various sabhas. The neighbourhood has hosted leading artists from M.S. and GNB to Manakkal Rangarajan, from the stage plays of M.G. Ramachandran and Sivaji Ganesan to actor Sivakumar's debut play. Thus Triplicane was the central locality where all the cultural happenings of the city took place.NEWS, Renuka Suryanarayan, Back in full force...,weblink 9 April 2012, The Hindu, Chennai, 1 December 2011,

Politics

(File:Chennai assembly constituencys Chepauk-Triplicane.png|thumb|right|100px|Chennai assembly Chepauk-Triplicane constituency)Triplicane is a part of Chepauk-Triplicane assembly constituency which in turn a part of Central Chennai Constituency.WEB , The MLA Hostel is located on Wallajah Road. Rajaji Hall in the same campus, which was built between 1800 and 1802,BOOK, British sculpture and the Company Raj: church monuments and public statuary in Madras, Calcutta, and Bombay to 1858, Barbara S., Groseclose, 34, University of Delaware Press, 1995, 978-0-87413-406-3, used to have a role in state administration. At present, it houses the offices of the Tamil Nadu State Raffle.BOOK, Monuments of the Raj: British buildings in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, 7–8, Prabha, Chopra, Aryan Books International, 1999, 978-81-7305-094-7,

Public transport

{{See also|Thiruvallikeni (Chennai MRTS)|Light House railway station}}Being situated in the central region of the city, Triplicane is well connected to various places in Chennai. The MTC had bus termini such as the Ice House and Triplicane (located at Pycrofts Road). The Triplicane bus terminus, one of the oldest bus termini in the city, is not functional now. The MTC has moved all services which were originating from Triplicane to the near-by Anna square terminus and some services are extended to Broadway. The MRTS has two stations Thiruvallikeni and Light House railway station on the Chennai Beach–Velachery elevated rail corridor serving the neighbourhood. In addition, the neighbourhood is served by private auto rickshaws.Government Estate Metro Station is serving metro trains to triplicane. Station is located next to Central metro station in the Washermenpet to Airport route WEB, Alignment Map,weblink Chennai Metro Rail,

Notable people

Triplicane has been home to a number of personalities over the years. Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan,Hema Vijay. "The man who knows Ramanujan",Life & Style - Society, The Hindu, 26 June 2011. Retrieved on 3 April 2012.WEB, K. Srinivasa Rao, Srinivasa Ramanujan,weblink Article from The Institute of Mathematical Sciences official website, The Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSC), 4 April 2012, NEWS, Prince Frederick, The street where Ramanujan lived,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20040510011025weblink">weblink dead, 10 May 2004, 4 April 2012, The Hindu, 24 December 2003, Writer Sujatha, and cricketers M.J. Gopalan, Krish Srikkanth and W.V. Raman all hailed from Triplicane. Nobel prize winner Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar did his schooling in the Hindu High School (1922–1925) in Triplicane. Subramanya Bharathy, a freedom fighter and poet, lived his last years in the house opposite the Parthasarathy temple's western entrance; the house has since been bought and renovated by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 1993, and it was named Bharathiyar Illam (Home of Bharathiyar).

References

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External links

{{commons category}}

• GeoHack - Triplicane

{{Neighborhoods of Chennai}}{{Chennai Topics}}