I lived in and around this town. This has many historical buildings, fit to be museums, but encroached by Government agencies. These buildings, once offices of autocratic kings, became the abode of democracy. If you cross this town, you may visit the collector office, district courts and colleges. You will know how badly are they maintained. This place, once directly connected to British rule, has seen its historical charm fade under democracy.

One of them was the ornamental archway built in 1897 by King of Pudukkottai princely state to commemore the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria as a token of his respect for a queen. East Main Stree is the high street (even now!) in Pudukkottai. He built the arch at the beginning of the high street.

It was notable for its beauty. Thanjavur has such a arch too. Aesthetically, this arch was more appealing. It featured a unique image of Queen Victoria with black hair, her face resting on her left arm. Ironically, when the arch was built, the Queen had lost her husband and had retreated into an isolated life, often wearing mourning dresses. She stopped attending much public meetings. In addition, she never visited India. People used to say, she looks like an Indian queen than British!

It provided a good look to the landscape, despite some political statues were erected later, as the entrance of high street.

Until recent days, the arch was standing with its glory. When I get my first camera, I went here to take my first few photographs. The town was under direct influence of British, due to which it was managed by no-nonsense people.

Dewan Seshaya Shastry improved the balance sheet of the state and planned the city with squared streets and roads with excellent water management with multiple ponds.

B.C. Holdsworth, another administrator, built a dam in Kadayakkudi. Present day Gandhi park was originally named after him. As per Indian antique records, a clock tower was declared open in 1933 by him. Swaminatha Pillai was the architect who designed the tower. The actual execution of the structure was entrusted to a contractor named M.K. Mahamadhaneef.

Unfortunately, these structures were poorly maintained over time. Political and cinema posters were stuck on the arch, and the park became uninviting due to poor maintenance. Recently there was some improvement in the maintenance of Park.

But a devastating destruction of legacy happened on Nov 14, 2009.

as a vehicle rammed into the arch. Despite the arch did not lose its shape and fit to be conserved in other places, the district management demolished it into pieces. The legacy stood majestically for 112 years, vanished leaving a void that reflecting such minds.

You can never object to the justifications given by the management. But historians raised their concerns. Despite being led by highly qualified individuals, the management seemed to lack the historical awareness needed to preserve these remnants in a museum for future generation.

Similar demolition happened in Thanjavur as well. Though the people were different, common denominator is the historical ignorance of democracy and its bureaucracy.

After all, that is the town, had my history teacher, received Government salary, taught me that Ghajini Mohamed came, saw the pulchritude of the sculptures, felt it is fit for his bedroom and smuggled away! Despite this series talks about cultural traces, we need to talk about our own ignorance too.

For further reading –

• Watch tower – antique record
• Pudukkottai – summary of historic monuments

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