Photography: Glimpses Of Old Madras
I reproduce here some vintage photography of Chennai or Madras as older generations still like to call the city.
These photos have appeared elsewhere before and in my understanding the copyrights on them have expired. Quite nostalgic they give glimpse into the city that still lies beneath the modern high-rises, concrete flyovers and shopping malls.
The old Madras is still present to a certain extent but for how long? Recently there have been plans announced to bring the demolition workers to some buildings of distinct heritage value. Voices of concern and a call for more aware development policies have been raised also.
Development is essential, as is constant change, yet one still hopes for some restraint and patience so that Chennai will continue to be the jewel among cities that it is if you have the eyes to see.
Higginbotham's Bookstore
Aerial View of Marina Beach
N.S.C Bose Road opp. High Court (old Esplanade)
Esplanade during busy hour
Madras Central Station
Egmore Station Exterior
Egmore Station Interior
Egmore Station Waiting Room
Old Mosque of Madras
Old High Court of Madras
Spencer's Departmental Store
The Old Esplanade
The Madras Ford Showroom
Bank of Madras
The Map of Madras 1909 (click to enlarge)
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48 Responses to “Photography: Glimpses Of Old Madras”
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about me
I am a writer, photographer and volunteer worker based in Finland and India depending on the season.
This blog was started in February 2010. To get finndian delivered by email free of charge click here.
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Very nice photos! Thanks for posting them.
Egmore station looks slightly different these days 🙂
nice to see all these pics.. good job. happy to see these pics… 🙂 need much more pics about madras.. old madras seems to be better than the present chennai.
Thank you so much for this photographs.
Thank you very much Aleksi for the post. I have goosebumps looking though the pictures
nice picture can you addmore
nice photos and well enjoyed.,
well old photos.,
Interesting photos of old Madras. I would like to use the image of Madras High Court in my forthcoming book on the Glimpses of Imperial India. Would you be able to provide a high-resolution image?
In my understanding they should be in public domain by now…lovely photos indeed!
Always old is Gold and also best for ever.
Thanks for sharing a Awesome photos.
Very nice pictures. Thanks
olden days are golden days. Like to see more pictures of Old Madras
It’s lovely to see these pictures. Could you please add more detailed captions to each picture so we know where they exist today? It’s very sad that the government does not try to protect these old heritage buildings.
thanks,unknown pictures of this generation.thanks for posting the photos
This is an enchanting photograph. always people like this
thanks for posting them nice photos
Excellent photo’s. Non-Pollution Chennai. Enjoyed the old Madras photo’s!
I Am very happy to see my old Chennai City photo’s
I REMEMBERD MY OLD DAYS TO SEE THIS PHOTOS
Hi,
I saw the old map of Madras, seeing a large water body named “Long Tank” & “Nungambakkam Tank”, does any one know what happened to those water bodies now??
Aleksi, Thanks for the photos.
Yes, would be interesting to know if anyone has any info on this!
these photos are very memorable our life history for new generations,
thanks,
raman.
That is very true Raman, thanks for your comment!
It is a very great job, These photographs tells us the changes undergone in the last century. I wish to thank you for the excellent photographs. Can you add any more?
old is gold nice image beautiful stills
Sorry for the late reply Hamsalakshmi-ji, I am looking for more photographs to post for everyone to enjoy…
Hi Ramanthan
To answer your query on ‘long tank’ and ‘nungambakkam tank’ read mr.muthiah’s madras miscellany column in the Hindu on the same subject ,today’s T.nagar and Valluvarkottam sit on these erstwhile water bodies so does Loyola college ,the water was drained into the Adyar river starting in 1920 up until 1930.Prior to this The Long Tank was the regatta arena for the European elite of our colonial masters and the original home of the Madras Boat Club,the total area of drainage was about 1900 acres by the City Improvement trust ,hope this answers your query and Aleksi thanks for the vintage arm chair travel thro time of my beloved birth place – singara chennai or nalla Madras !!!
old is gold nice image beautiful stills
vere nice pic & vere happy
happy to see old madras
happy to see them!!! Missed those days!!!
Ignorance is a bliss, truly! Being a die hard Madras fan and a native of Madras (my forefathers held high positions in the British offices), the technology, demand, corruption and population factors had totally deprived Madras of its beauty. I wish I was born then. Thanks for all the pics, they were closer to heart!
Superb photos… i cant believe in those days itself Esplanade & Mount Road was too busy…..!!!! anyway… i need more more more photos of olden Madras from the year of 1638 with titles in English & Tami…. who ll help to me….? or tell me the Websites… Thank u….
thank u sooo much for such beautiful pics of madras im much interested to know how the present city was looking in those days. :))))))))
I am also searching for more old photos but am not sure if photography was around quite as far back as the 17 century…anyhow if anyone has some links to vintage photos please post here 🙂
You’re welcome 🙂 A beautiful city Chennai…even today!
I would love to purchase some of the prints of old madara..I am doing a wall full of pictures about our life..and it would not be complete without a picture of Marina beach and madras central station..could you please let me know if these prints are for sale..lovely pics BTW!!
Please some snaps of Madras with Trams as local transport.In UR I travelled to old Madras.I still remember my grand Maya giving me Tram ride.pl. add a photo of Moore Market.Thanks. SA N
nice to see
happy to see old madras
thank you for these great pictures!
Chennai daa
I LIKE OLD MADRAS
We all do 🙂
One of the photos tiled ‘Mount Road’ ( third one) actually taken shows area North of the High Court & Law College (facing the camera rather!). It is part of Esplanade ( Netaji Subhas Chanda Bose Road). I have lived within a kilometer of this place (1948-1961). I am now 74.
The title needs to be corrected . You can call it N.S.C Bose Road opp High Court ( old Esplanade). In local slang it is still ‘China Bazaar’ as it was in early 1900s!
Regards
V V Raghavan
Thank you sir. You are right, I corrected it.
Hi I’m looking for high resolution pictures of old madras to design a photo wall. Would you be able to share the high resolution images?
Dr. Arul Malar Neeyam
Hi Aleksi Lausti,
I have one photo of Mylapore Kabaliswar temple taken in 1903. I would like to sell it could you pls let me know where in chennai i can sell it.
Thanks
Anand