CHENNAI: The wheel of time has been kind to this grand and imposing structure on the Marina Beach Road, a silent witness to the vicissitudes of history, which have, in turn, prompted the place to be called Ice House, Castle Kernan and Vivekananda Illam. The place holds up contrasting images — celebrating true Yankee ingenuity, courtesy the pioneering efforts of ‘ice king’ Frederick Tudor on the one hand and on the other serving as a repository of India’s rich heritage, thanks to the ennobling presence and teachings of Swami Vivekananda,who stayed here for nine days in 1897. A peep into the history of the city’s most important landmark should interest not only history buffs but also the remotely curious. Frederick Tudor, an entrepreneur from Boston, USA, who hit upon the idea of shipping ice to warmer climes, needed a place to store it. Hence, he built three houses in India — at Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai — to keep ice under proper insulation. Built in a Victorian architectural style, it took on the name ‘ice house’. Right from the time it was built in 1842 up to around 1880, the ice business thrived until the discovery of ice by the steam process method heralded its end. From ice house, it took on the moniker Castle Kernan, after it was sold to a prosperous advocate of the High Court of Madras, Biligiri Iyengar, who named it thus as a tribute to his friend Justice Kernan. With the arrival of Swami Vivekananda to this place, it entered its most glorious chapter in history. After his triumphant march through the west for four years where he stunned the audience at Chicago, he returned to India via Chennai in February 1897. Here, he was given a tumultuous welcome by Biligiri Iyengar, a disciple of the Swami. Proceeding to Castle Kernan, Swami Vivekananda stayed there for nine days, from February 6 to 14, 1897, where he delivered seven lectures about restoring India to her pristine glory.Later, the government of Madras acquired the ice house in 1917, as part of its social welfare scheme and set up a widows’ hostel from 1917 to 1922. During 1922-1941, it was a hostel for teachers and from 1941 to 1963 it acted as a B Ed trainees’ hostel. In 1963, in honour of Swami Vivekananda’s birth centenary, the government of Tamil Nadu, named the place Vivekananda Illam. But it was only 34 years later that they handed over the historical monument to the math on lease. Inside, there is a colourful exhibition of paintings, portraying India from its vedic times. But it is the photo gallery depicting the Swami right from his conquest of the west to his life and times that is a big attention-puller. “Yoga and meditation classes are held here. Apart from that, the Mission also conducts free computer classes and free tuitions for the children from the slums,” says a swami, associated with the math. Historian Sriram maintains that the Vivekananda Illam has always been a part of the heritage beach walks. It is a popular monument, with even children being able to identify it, he adds. But when you ask visitors here as to which is the most interesting feature of the place and the answer you will get is the room where the swami stayed, which now functions as a meditation hall.
Comments
0 comment