Topic started by Sombu Nilagrieser (@ adsl-81-49-122.asm.bellsouth.net) on Thu Nov 15 18:46:49 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

I am curious about the history of Chennai before the British arrived. Which part of Chennai existed/

Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: aSR (@ 203.122.12.2) on: Fri Oct 1 01:17:50 EDT 2004
  
  This is what this website says
  "Excepting a few, almost all the epigraphs of the Tirupati Temples are in Tamil language and in alphabet interspersed with Grantha characters. About 50 inscriptions are in Telugu and Kannada. Earlier to Sri Krishna- devaraya (16th century) there is only one Telugu inscription of Saluva Mangideva Maharaya dated saka 1281 (No.237 T.T.) and two Kannada inscriptions, one of Vira Pratapa-Devaraya Maharaya dated saka 351 (No. 188 T.T.) and one of Saluva Narasimha dated saka 1389 (No.8 G.T.). All the gifts of Sri Krishnadevaraya and his two queens and one of Achyutaraya are recorded in the three languages, Telugu, Kannada and Tamil in their respective alphabets. After Achyutaraya there is a conspicuous absence of both Telugu and Kannada inscriptions with the exception of one Telugu Inscription of the local chief Matli Anantarajayya (No.269 G. T.) of the saka year 1550 and one in Kannada of saka 1606 (No.263 T.T.). "
  
  
• From: aSR (@ 203.122.12.2) on: Fri Oct 1 01:18:19 EDT 2004
  
  2. All other neighbouring towns like Kalahasthi, Chittor, Nellore etc have names that have tamil origins as well as find mention in old tamil literature and myths.
  
  
• From: aSR (@ 203.122.12.2) on: Fri Oct 1 01:22:54 EDT 2004
  
  3. Naiker is a surname that was used by some tamil communities also, the most famous being Vanniars, one of the largest tamil communities in the northern part of tamil nadu. Now, do not start saying that Vanniars have Telegu origins. Padayatchi, another surname of Vanniars is pure tamil one where as Gounder surname sound similar to Kannada Gowda. Hence it is obvious that people acquired surnames depending on the place and the rulers.
  
  
• From: aSR (@ 203.122.12.2) on: Fri Oct 1 01:27:04 EDT 2004
  
  4. Chenniyappa Naicker was a small zamindar and there is no concrete proof that he was of Telegu origins. Some people claim he was a vanniar chief. Also, just because entire northern tamilnadu was ruled by Arcot Nawabs who spoke Urudu, it does not mean that Chennai should be handed over to Pakistan. The population matters. Any glimpse through the old british letters have very little mention of Telegu whereas Tamil is mentioned quite a lot of times. The various localities of Chennai today where originally independent villages and their names end with Pakkam, Oor, etc., which are tamil in character.
  
  
• From: aSR (@ 203.122.12.2) on: Fri Oct 1 01:33:18 EDT 2004
  
  5. Mysore was never considered to be the capital of tamilnadu and was never demanded by Tamils. Mysore was not even part of Madras Presidency of British where as most of Andhra upto Vizag excepting Hyderabad Nizam areas and Malabar of Kerala were part of Madras Presidency. That's how Britishers left India. Telegus were the ones who first demanded linguistic reorganisation of states and that's how Andhra Pradesh and other states came about.
  
  
• From: dia (@ 61.1.202.215) on: Sun Oct 3 03:10:50 EDT 2004
  
  anyidea abt the rowhousing found in madras -
  wall to wall construction???
  
  
• From: Rajendhra Cholan! (@ bi-02pt1.bluebird.ibm.com) on: Mon Oct 4 02:40:12 EDT 2004
  
  Chennappa Naicker, had his capital as Chengalpet. When East India Company approached him for a place to run thier Trade, Chennappa Naicker, gave this Chennappanaickerpattanam, for them to settle.
  And they, indeed settled here.
  
  Rajendhra Cholan!
  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thamizhsamraajyam/
  
  

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