Down Memory Lane - My Coimbatore.
Coronation Park:
His Majesty King George V and Queen Mary held a grand Durbar in Delhi to commemorate their Coronation as Emperor and Empress of India on December 12, 1911. To commemorate this event many Cities in India built Buildings, Parks and Public places and named after the event. Coimbatore did not lag behind. A grand Park was built in the sprawling grounds east of Stanes European High School, in Uppilipalayam, south of Central Jail Compound. This was named "Coronation Park". When I was young I had been to this Park many times with my parents and family members. There was a good Band Stand in the center of the Park, where the Police Band used to be in attendance and play on weekends. The Park was covered with nice plants and trees and had walk ways neatly paved. Wooden Park benches were there to relax. Apart from the "locals", I have seen many English men and women visiting the Park with their kids. Later when Radio came into existence Loud speakers were fixed on the roof of Band stand and AIR music started floating in the Park. After independence thie Coronation Park was renamed "V O Chidambaram Pillai Poonga" after the Patriot V.O.Chidambaram Pillai, who was interned to undergo rigorous imprisonment of two life imprisonment (40years) in the adjacent Central Jail for sedition.
Later on Elephant ride, a Toy Train and other play things for children were added one by one in this Park.
To the west of Coronation Park there was a huge ground, where big public meetings were held in those days. It was here I heard Pundit Nehru for the first time. Soviet Leaders Marshall Bulganin and Khrushchev addressed a huge gathering at this grounds in 1955. Now this place has vanished into the Stadium buildings.
There was a small, but very nice Stadium South of this Park with oval ground extending up to Avinashi Road. This was known as "Gandhi-Irwin Stadium". There used to be a Statue of "Gandhi and Lord Irwin" signing the "Gandhi-Irwin Pact". But for some reason this statue was removed from the stadium by the Municipality. For a long time the annual District Olympic Sports events used to take place here. This ground was used for holding Political Meetings also. Here I have heard speeches of many Political Leaders of those days.One of the events in the Stadium grounds that was enshrined in my memory was the First Independence Day celebrations on the evening of August 15, 1947, with the orchestra from Central Studios were playing popular tunes. That was the day when I got a new Indian tri-colour flag for the first time.
Goshen Park:
There is another Park in Coimbatore which has a significant role in Coimbatore Water supply. If you ask any native of Coimbatore "which was the pride of the town ?", they will answer "Siruvani water". Yes, the sweet water of Siruvani situated in the high ranges of western ghats near the picturesque Attapadi - silent valley in Kerala area was diverted to the Town by a Dam built in 1925. This water was brought to the Town which is about 37 Kms from the source and stocked in the reservoir of Panagal Water Works at the Goshen Park north of Madras Forest College. Protected drinking water supply from this source to Coimbatore was envisaged by a visionary S.P.Narasimhalu Naidu , a Brahmo Samajist. There is still a School run in his name near the CS&W Mills in the City. The Siruvani Scheme commenced in 1925 was commissioned only in 1931. Around the Reservoir in north Coimbatore a nice Park was developed by the Municipality. This was named after the Governor of Madras Presidency 2nd Viscount George Goshen and called Goshen Park. When I was young I used to visit this park frequently with our family members since it was close to R.S.Puram, where we lived. In those days we were allowed to roam about on the sands in the top of the reservoir, which had stairways to reach. For a long time the area around this place was grown with corn fields. After independence the name of the Park was changed to Bharathi Poonga, named after the famous Patriot and revolutionary Tamil Poet Sri Subrahmanya Bharathi. And the road is now known as Bharathi Park Road. And the area has been developed into busy city suburb. Brahmanyan.
posted on Wednesday, January 07, 2009 11:29 AM
Comments
Coronation Park:
His Majesty King George V and Queen Mary held a grand Durbar in Delhi to commemorate their Coronation as Emperor and Empress of India on December 12, 1911. To commemorate this event many Cities in India built Buildings, Parks and Public places and named after the event. Coimbatore did not lag behind. A grand Park was built in the sprawling grounds east of Stanes European High School, in Uppilipalayam, south of Central Jail Compound. This was named "Coronation Park". When I was young I had been to this Park many times with my parents and family members. There was a good Band Stand in the center of the Park, where the Police Band used to be in attendance and play on weekends. The Park was covered with nice plants and trees and had walk ways neatly paved. Wooden Park benches were there to relax. Apart from the "locals", I have seen many English men and women visiting the Park with their kids. Later when Radio came into existence Loud speakers were fixed on the roof of Band stand and AIR music started floating in the Park. After independence thie Coronation Park was renamed "V O Chidambaram Pillai Poonga" after the Patriot V.O.Chidambaram Pillai, who was interned to undergo rigorous imprisonment of two life imprisonment (40years) in the adjacent Central Jail for sedition.
Later on Elephant ride, a Toy Train and other play things for children were added one by one in this Park.
To the west of Coronation Park there was a huge ground, where big public meetings were held in those days. It was here I heard Pundit Nehru for the first time. Soviet Leaders Marshall Bulganin and Khrushchev addressed a huge gathering at this grounds in 1955. Now this place has vanished into the Stadium buildings.
There was a small, but very nice Stadium South of this Park with oval ground extending up to Avinashi Road. This was known as "Gandhi-Irwin Stadium". There used to be a Statue of "Gandhi and Lord Irwin" signing the "Gandhi-Irwin Pact". But for some reason this statue was removed from the stadium by the Municipality. For a long time the annual District Olympic Sports events used to take place here. This ground was used for holding Political Meetings also. Here I have heard speeches of many Political Leaders of those days.One of the events in the Stadium grounds that was enshrined in my memory was the First Independence Day celebrations on the evening of August 15, 1947, with the orchestra from Central Studios were playing popular tunes. That was the day when I got a new Indian tri-colour flag for the first time.
Goshen Park:
There is another Park in Coimbatore which has a significant role in Coimbatore Water supply. If you ask any native of Coimbatore "which was the pride of the town ?", they will answer "Siruvani water". Yes, the sweet water of Siruvani situated in the high ranges of western ghats near the picturesque Attapadi - silent valley in Kerala area was diverted to the Town by a Dam built in 1925. This water was brought to the Town which is about 37 Kms from the source and stocked in the reservoir of Panagal Water Works at the Goshen Park north of Madras Forest College. Protected drinking water supply from this source to Coimbatore was envisaged by a visionary S.P.Narasimhalu Naidu , a Brahmo Samajist. There is still a School run in his name near the CS&W Mills in the City. The Siruvani Scheme commenced in 1925 was commissioned only in 1931. Around the Reservoir in north Coimbatore a nice Park was developed by the Municipality. This was named after the Governor of Madras Presidency 2nd Viscount George Goshen and called Goshen Park. When I was young I used to visit this park frequently with our family members since it was close to R.S.Puram, where we lived. In those days we were allowed to roam about on the sands in the top of the reservoir, which had stairways to reach. For a long time the area around this place was grown with corn fields. After independence the name of the Park was changed to Bharathi Poonga, named after the famous Patriot and revolutionary Tamil Poet Sri Subrahmanya Bharathi. And the road is now known as Bharathi Park Road. And the area has been developed into busy city suburb. Brahmanyan.
posted on Wednesday, January 07, 2009 11:29 AM
Comments
No comments:
Post a Comment