From Pillar to Ghost: The Tales of Mandavelipakkam
Developed as part of the Heritage Walk Leader Programme
Do you know of a grassland that was converted into one of the first planned neighbourhoods of the city?
Where musical geniuses were neighbours. Where a music director who composed for four generations of a family lived.
Of a haunted mansion that was a movie studio in its heyday.
Containing one of three unique pillars that are part of the hustle and bustle of our city.Of serene and stately Art Deco houses and leafy avenues.
Walk with us through the neighbourhood of Mandavelipakkam. Join Latha as she narrates the story behind the beginnings of this neighbourhood, some of its prominent residents (past and present), and its changing faces.
The walk was developed under the Heritage Walk Leader Programme.
The walk will be led by Ms Latha Nathan. She tells the story of the neighbourhood that has been her home for the past two decades. She is a kolam artist, a saree lover, a storyteller and a heritage enthusiast. As a volunteer with an urban greening NGO, she has done many tree walks across the city.
What Participants Say
I liked this walk because our guide Latha lives in the neighborhood and knows the stories about it. I also enjoyed hearing the music and the voices of the famous singers and musicians who lived
in the hood.
The passion with which Latha ma'am was narrating - It made the experience all the more amusing. The experience made me realize how even the seemingly insignificant have rich histories. For instance, I wouldn't have paid much attention to the pillar if I were a passerby in the neighborhood. Thanks to the walk, I see that it's a standing testimony of the history of Mandaveli.
The content curated for the walk is a nice balance of history and anecdotes making it interesting.
Walk Details
Focus: Community History, People & Personalities
Research Duration: 3 months
Walk Duration: 2 hours
Timings: 06:30 am – 08:30 am
Starting Point: Lazarus Church Road Govt Park
Ending Point: Sri Chaitanya School
Includes:
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History of Mandavelipakkam
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Carnatic musicians associated with the area