Tracing ancient history, through memory, myth and fable

If you were to ask an auto driver to drop you off at the Urur-Olcott Kuppam, which has been around for more than three centuries, chances are that a large percentage of them wouldn’t know the place. However, tell them that these hamlets can be reached by the road next to the Dindigul Thalappakatti Restaurant on the Besant Nagar beach, they would instantly identify the location. 

R. Sundaramurthy, Secretary, Urur Olcott Kuppam Association, recalled a time when the promenade of Besant Nagar, now dotted with swanky food joints and shopping outlets, was merely vast expanses of open lands. “The Urur-Olcott villages have been around for more than 300 years. Places like the Rajaji Bhavan and other popular landmarks of today came in much later. When I was growing up in the hamlet, these areas were open lands. Earlier, we used to fish in the Adyar river and had to walk from our hamlets daily,” he recounted.

The centre of these ancient fishing hamlets is the Ellaiamman Koil, which is believed to be the guardian deity of the fishermen who venture out into the deep seas. Sundaramurthy narrated, “The fishermen’s stories, which have been handed down from one generation to another, talk about how this temple came into existence. Once upon a time, a fisherman was out at sea, when he caught a stone in his net. He cast the stone back into the ocean and went to another spot, to try his luck. He was frustrated as the other fishermen had a good catch already. However, the stone followed this fisherman and kept landing in his net instead of fish. The annoyed fisherman kept the stone in his kattumaram (catamaran). When the sunlight fell on the stone, the fisherman noticed that it sparkled like an Amman (Goddess) statue. After this, he caught ten times the amount of fish the others had managed to find. He brought the stone back to shore and built a shrine, which is believed to safeguard the fishermen.” 

The Living History Tour of Urur-Olcott Kuppam, on February 11 and 12, which also has an audio tour, uses oral and written histories, traditions, myths and legends to understand the microcosm of these urban fishing hamlets. Abinaya Rajavelu, Urban Designer at Urban Design Collective (UDC), said the focus was to highlight the historical relevance of these villages. “Urur-Olcott Kuppam was there before 1850 and locals remember seeing foreigners, who had been scouting for a place for the Theosophical Society. They recall giving water to these people. But people have forgotten these hamlets,” she said.

Abinaya said that many years ago, the areas around the Dindigul Thalappakatti Restaurant was a screw pine forest. “There was a Kanni Koil, where people would come for exorcism rituals. The change over the years could be seen in the case of Arunachalam Chettiar, who had built the Arunachalam Chettiar Palace. He didn’t want people to build anything to obstruct his view of the beach, as he performed the Suryanamaskar daily. After his death, this paved way for a high-rise apartment,” added Abinaya. 

S Palayam, a 52-year-old fisherman, said his family has been into fishing for more than five generations. The Thalaivar (village headman) added, “Back then, we had no concrete homes but huts made of palm leaves and clay. There were casuarina trees in abundance. We used horses and bullock carts to travel. We had a smaller number of families and the area was less-populated than now. The villagers abided by the Panchayat’s decision and feared the local body. Even the police didn’t enter our village. Now, all that has changed,” he said.

Palayam added that means of business has transformed — with nylon fishing nets replacing the hand spun, cotton ones. “There were no trawler boats and we had a good quantity and quality of fish. But over the years, due to overfishing and pollution, both the quantity and quality have taken a hit,” said the fisherman. 

The Living History tour also highlights the village’s fight for amenities, which continues even today. Sundaramurthy recalled, “In 1992, we had to fight with the government for a sewage system. We realised that Besant Nagar, when it was established, already had this amenity in place. We took the initiative and finally, one part of the village got a network of drains. Though we have been living in this area for generations, we are fighting even today for basic amenities such as sanitation and sewage system.” 

Situated at the edge of geography, tucked away in a non-descript corner of Besant Nagar, Urur-Olcott Kuppam history, much like its people, who are warm and welcoming, have been largely forgotten by the city’s residents. This tour is a way for the local community to speak about their illustrious heritage, which they take pride in. “People have misconception about our community and fisher folks in general. We want people to come to our vizha, know our history and alter their perception about us,” concluded Sundaramurthy.

Workshops on basics of fishing and the process of curing fish to make karuvaadu (dry fish) is being organised as a part of the tour, to give a glimpse into the lifestyle of the local communities. Sundaramurthy said, “The excess fish is used to make karuvaadu. The fish is sliced and mixed with rock salt and kept in a closed vessel. The next day, it is put out under the sun to dry. After a few days, it is ready to be used.” The other workshops include learning about knots and nets, mending fishing nets and spinning yarn.