CHENNAI: The Mandavelipakkam walk began at 7.30 am at the Corporation Park, and covered seven locations within the area – CIT Pillar, Green Roadside, Mandavelipakkam Enamel Board, Verghese Bakery, residences of Thiruppamburam Swaminathapillai and TM Soundararajan, Kalyana Nagar Association and houses with CIT logo.
The walk focussed on residential streets, historic houses, public structures, and its social and cultural history
A long-time resident who participated in the walk said that it offered new information. “I’ve been living in the area for a long time, but today, I came to know some new things from the guide. She has gathered so much information about city improvement and how it developed,” he said.
Latha, a heritage walk facilitator with Madras Inherited, explained the background. “I conduct heritage walks for an organisation called Madras Inherited. I curate walks in different parts of the city, and Mandavelipakkam is one of the neighbourhoods,” she said. “The goal is get more young people to participate in such events to learn about the history of the places around them.”
Latha explained that Mandavelipakkam was developed in the 1950s as a planned neighbourhood. She spoke about the area’s development, the role of residents in shaping it, long-standing institutions like Varghese Bakery, and musical icons including Thiruppamburam Swaminathapillai and TM Soundararajan.
The one-hour walk documented the area’s history for its participants through guided narration and on-site observation.