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| Brodie's castle frontline.thehindu.com |
Above image: Formerly Brodie's castle built in 1798 now houses T.N. Government Music College, affiliated to Tamil Nadu Dr. J Jayalalithaa Music and Fine Arts University; the office of the Vice Chancellor of the TNJJMFA functions in the main building. The campus has a vast amphitheater built a decade ago but is completely in disuse. In 2018 there was a proposal to shift it to a new campus in Sholingnallur comprising 32 acres of land to help decongest the traffic on the near-by roads in Adyar. The students and teachers did not like to leave this quiet campus, besides they had to face hardship travelling long distance to the proposed new campus. Nor the heritage lovers had liked the idea of demolition of this site which is declared as a heritage structure by the Madras High Court. Good news is the building and the site will be retained and soon the site will be renovated back to old glory.............
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| Brodie's castle (Music College), Chennai.sriramv.wordpress.com |
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TN Govt. Music college (Brodie's castle)..livechennai.com
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Brodie Castle built in 1798 by the British East India Company's civil servant and businessman, James Brodie (1769-1801) on the banks of Adyar river is one of the earliest colonial building in the city of Madras (Chennai). It was built on a land of eleven acres on the north bank of the river in Quibble Island of Adyar; it was gifted by the EIC in 1796. Adyar was then on the outskirts of Madras - out side the city limits. This building with a fine garden around, is supposedly one of the nicest and coolest places to spend the summer hot season for two reasons - its location near the river and the tall ceiling that keeps the interiors always cool and comfortable for the occupants. In the colonial days visitors to this building always enjoyed sitting and chatting on the spacious verandah overlooking the river.  |
| TN Govt. Music college (Brodie's castle),Chennai livechennai.com |
Writer Humphrey Trevelyan in his book, ‘The India We Left’ mentioned, ''most imaginative of the merchants’ palaces, with its long drawing room jutting out into the Adyar river and catching every breeze”. Today, Brodie Castle is aptly renamed ‘Thendral''- in Tamil meaning ''breeze'' is a serene and tranquil place.
Brodie, a native of Scotland, lived here for a short period but later when he was down on luck and facing decline in his fortune, he rented out the house to tenants. His first tenant was Sir Thomas Strange, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Madras. Brodie, who was part of the Scottish Brodie clan, had a castle in Chennai built for his stay here. It was a classical residence with a Scottish touch. The two castellated turrets in Scottish style give an impressive look. The 65-ft-tall structure was one of the tallest structures constructed during the EIC's rule outside George Town.
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| TN Govt. Music college (Brodie's castle),Chennai Justdial.com |
Trading on his own account, Brodie had a row with the EIC and this impacted his business operations in India. Being fond of boating, he had built steps from his residence to access the river. One day his wife had a dream that her husband would die by drowning in the river. As ill-luck would have it Brodie' died in 1801 in a freak boating accident.
Soon after his unexpected death, the family sold the property to the business family of Arbuthnot who resided in it for a while. Brodie was heir to the chief of clan Brodie, whose seat was Brodie Castle located 3+1⁄2 miles west of Forres in Morayshire (also called Moray),Scotland. Brodie Castle is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland.
One of interesting aspects of Brodie's castle in Adyar is it has direct access to the building through the upper floor just like many garden houses on the river front. For example the Madras club and many structures have raised plinths. The advantage is you can take precautionary measures in case of flooding in the river.
The Tamil Nadu Govt. Music College (imparting Carnatic music) has been functioning here since 1956-57. Since 2014 it has been affiliated to Tamil Nadu Dr. J Jayalalithaa Music and Fine Arts University (an institution named after former CM, a dynamic woman administrator and a film artist). The heritage building has 20 spacious rooms and halls and classes are held in the rooms. To impart classical music no place can be better than this site which is away from automobile traffic and din, and free of air pollution. A quiet place to indulge into the world of soul-stirring Carnatic music the site is worthy of its name ''Thendral'' where your strained nerves get loosened by the tantalizing breeze blowing across the river. Another advantage is it is close to the seashore.
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| TN GOVT. Music college (Brodie's castle)..livechennai.com |
Because of lack of periodic repairs, etc., the White structure is losing its pleasant look and cracks are already developed on the wide walls and in some places on the exterior the plastering comes off.
This building that is on Greenways road and covers most of RK Mutt road is already taken up for repair and conservation work. Rs. 2 crore estimate was sent to the PWD (TN Govt.) for approval.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thenral
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/33206852.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/84626905.cms?utm_source=contentofint
https://sriramv.wordpress.com/2018/06/21/all-set-for-a-college-campus-destruction-brodiescastle/
https://www.timesnownews.com/chennai/article/complete-revamp-in-store-for-two-colonial-buildings-in-chennai/78870
