RANGANATHAN STREET

MADRAS 🌹🌹

RANGANATHAN STREET 🌹🌹

One can hardly imagine that Ranganathan Street as Agraharam and the land value is as low as Rs.500 per ground.

Rangathanan Street was once a residential area, with just three leading shops - Kumbakonam Vessel Store, Kalyan Stores and Lifco Book Shop.  

There was a huge mango tree standing in the middle of the Ranganathan Street, admist row of houses. Thanjavur Sugandha Mandalam, Rajaji Seeval Stores, Geetha Hotel, Durga Bhavan and Buds Hotel, where the Set dosa is very familiar, were the other small shops in the Street.

Foxes used to bang the doors of houses, located near Mambalam Station at late night. It is also said that, buses used to ply on Ranganathan Street.

Ranganathan Street ought to have been named Rangaswamy Iyengar Street, after the first resident of that street. It was the usual practice then, to name streets, after the first resident, irrespective of their class, caste or contribution.

Tupil Rangaswamy Iyengar, a retired Civil Servant of the erstwhile Madras Presidency, built his house in early 1920s. When civil authorities, approached him for his formal approval, the gentleman requested it, to be named after Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam temple.

Old memories galore in my mind today, whenever I see the huge structures in such a small street. Let me sit back and immerse in the old memories, of the old and wonderful Ranganathan Street.

Thanks for reading 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹