Down Memory Lane - My Coimbatore
One sound that had permenently enshrined in my memory was the sound of Time Siren which will sound once in the morning at 10 AM and again in the evening at 8 PM every day through out the year, from the top of the Municipal Office. The sound of this siren was distinct and loud. Apart from this so many other Sirens will also hoot at various times from the Textile Mills. This was some thing every person in Coimbatore would have heard regularly.However I loved the ringing of Church bells in the early mornings from yonder.

Coimbatore had many old Churches one was the big St.Michaels Church, now a cathedral, built in the Roman style with a large dome. This Roman Catholic Church with its beginnings in 1847 had started many educational institutions, well known among them were St. Michael's High School and a convent school for girls Presentation convent. The other Church CSI Immanuel Church in Avinashi Road clebrated its 175 year in 2005. There was an old Syrian Christian Church in the road by the same name to cater the needs of the small Syrian Christian community in the town.

At the corner of Big Bazaar and Oppannakara Street stood the "Akhtar Jamaat" Masjid complex, with Two majestic minarets from which Muezzin's call to the faithful reverberated five times a day. Out side the Mosque shops were let out for business. It was one of the busiest areas in the Town. It was said that this mosque was built by the association of perfume businessmen of Muslim origin. But I doubt about this. Akhtar in Arabic has several meanings Star, Flower and green. Jamaat means association or group. In Tamil "atthar" is the name for perfume.

There may be new Churches and Mosques added in the fast growing town now, but may not have the history of old Churches and Mosques behind them.

Coimbatore did not have big Temples like the ones we find in most parts of the Tamil Nadu. But most important Temple was "Koniamman Koil" on whose name city is known as Coimbatore is in Town Hall Road. Goddess Koni Amman of the Temple was considered very powerful deity, who attracts huge crowd of devotees on festive occasions and fridays. Personally I believe the word Koni Amman must have Thaanthrik origin of Shakti worship. The week long annual festival of the Koniamman used to take place in the month of March, ending with the procession of the deity in the Temple Car (Ratham) around the old town. As children we used to wait for this occasion every year. Generally the Temple car will start the journey by about 3PM. When I was young every thing looked big. Big Temple car, huge crowd. But my interest used to be on the local made whistles and hand made funny toys and decorative fans that used to be sold there. In those days most of the toys were hand made from naturally available raw materials, unlike the present day plastic ones. It is sad many of the inexpensive and artistic handicrafts have gone for ever. The devotees used to throw plantains and fruits on the crowd. There used to be free supply of butter milk and Panagam (Jaggery water) to all.

There is another Temple which used to enchant me always. At Sukrawarpet main road there is a big Basavanna Koil (Bull Temple), which is unique in its architecture with a huge Bull covering the top the whole temple. Though dedicated to Lord Shiva this temple belongs to Veerasaiva Community mainly from North Karnataka, which is not common in Tamil Nadu. There are two other places of worship I should mention. There is a Ganesha Temple at the middle of the Edayar Veedi, which considered powerful by many, including our family. During the Tamil month of Aadi (July-August) my Parents used to organise a puja for our family on fridays in this Temple. My mother used to prepare for the visit in advance with Milk for Abhisheka, Oil and wicks for the Lamps, enough flowers, sandal paste, kumkum, coconuts, betel leaves, fruits etc. All of us will be dressed well and take a horse drawn "jutka" to travel to the temple. Similarly there is a Darga of a Sufi saint in the middle of the Big Bazaar, which attracted a big crowed on Thursdays. There a Muslim mulla used to bless us with a bunch of peacock feathers and distribute Uudhi. The belief was that this Saint can cure acute jaundice.

posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2007 9:55 AM