Fort St George

The history of binging of the British rule and the establishment of the city of Madras (Chennai) is associated with the history of creation of fort St George in 1653 by the English Company of the Eastern Indies (CAIO) . In order to mark the advent of their trade occupation in India the British constructed the front rampart of the fort in the form of a deck of the ship erecting a real pole from a sailing ship as a flagstaff on it. A real anchor was also attached to it. This 150-ft high flagstaff was the tallest in the land and flew the Union Jack till 1947. The earlier flagstaff has been replaced by a metallic flagstaff, which flutters the Indian tri-color. An old lighthouse erected in 1844 to show the way to the passing boats also stands in its compound. Towards the north of the fort is the famous High Court building.

Today it houses the Tamil Nadu state assembly and the secretariat. But in its initial stage of construction it was more of a warehouse with stockade around it. Later on when it was fully built it showed the marvel of the military architecture of that time. Built mainly in gray granite in typical British style of architecture of 17 th and 18th century, it is very different from the rich, luxurious Mugal style. It has thick massive walls and a protective moat surrounding it. It was built exclusively for the British and the entry of the native ‘black’ Indians was forbidden. It was called the 'White Town’. The 'Black Town' inhabited by the indigenous people lay much beyond its thick walls. It acted as a base for carrying out trade and the expansionist policies of the British in India. Many historical personalities like Elihu Yale, Robert Clive, Lord Cornwallis either lived or came to visit the fort in their day.

Monuments inside the Fort

The St Mary’s Church

The fort houses several interesting monuments within its precincts. One of them is the St Mary's church; the oldest protestant church in the east constructed in 1680.IT is often described as the Westminster Abbey of the East, too. The Church was christened St. Mary's as its foundation was laid on the Annunciation day of the Virgin Mary. It was mainly from the personal donations of the people. The original building, which William Dixon built and Edward Fowle embellished, was a rectangular structure in brick and polished in lime, with a bombproof, curved roof. Later additions to the building include the Sanctuary, Steeple (1710), Tower (1701) and the Vestry. The Spire to the Church, designed by Colonel Gent was added in 1795The church has been able to retain its original splendour which can be seen in its beautiful stained glass windows, pews of solid teak, ornate marble wall frescos. It's treasures are the altar piece, a large painting of the last supper, a 1660 bible and silver plates. Interestingly, the church also served as the venue of the marriage of Lord Clive to Margaret Maskelyne in 1753.

Some interesting facts

It has the earliest register of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials in the country. The Visitors Book, dating from 1903-1947, is an interesting piece from the past. The French converted it into a military dormitory, in 1746, after the occupation of Fort St. George. In 1877 the Princess of Tanjore presented the altar rails to the Church. St. Mary's Church started the first organized charity in Madras (Chennai) and also ran the first hospital in India on western lines (1664). Today it is a monument protected by the Archeological survey of India.

The Fort Museum

One of the most famous museums the Fort St George museum is a place to visit in itself due to its rich collection of historically significant items. Earlier it served as madras bank. But later on it was converted into a museum. When India gained independence, the Archaeological Survey of India declared the building as a protected monument. At the entrance of the museum, one can find a magnificent 14½-ft-tall statue of Lord Cornwallis. This was created by Charles Banks and was shipped to India from Britain. The pedestal of this statue is carved with scene depicting Tipu Sultan's emissary handing over Tipu Sultan's two sons as hostages in lieu of a ransom he could not pay to the British in a way depicting the fall of one of the bravest sultans in the history of India.

The Fort Museum has ten galleries. The first three galleries are situated on the ground floor. In the first gallery are seen the arms and amours of the East India Company such as the spears, daggers, guns, pistols, swords and battle-axes. It also has a section where the traditional Indian weapons along with foreign artillery are kept. The compares ion between is strake.

The two main exhibits in a case include a fragment of the shell fired by the German Cruiser 'EDMEN' on Madras city during the First World War and the one fired in retaliation the percussion cap of a bomb dropped on Madras city during the Second World War by a Japanese aircraft is also interesting to watch.

The second gallery has interesting collection of the East India Company's ceremonial uniforms. The use of metallic buttons is quite common in these uniforms. One can find them graceful as they contain the works of wool, silk and golden threads. The uniforms of the Governor's bodyguard and the ceremonial dress of the Under Secretary to the government of Madras are the striking features of this gallery. The regiment flags of the Madras European battalions are also displayed in this gallery.

The third gallery consists of stamps of George V series and archaeological series of the Republic of India dated 1949 and 26th January 1950. The gallery also displays tableware from the 15th century onwards brought by the British officials.

The fourth gallery has various kinds of silverware gifted to the Museum by the Danish Church at Pulicat, Zion Church at Tranquebar and St Mary's Church at Chennai. It also has a model of the museum.

If you are an art lover then the fifth gallery is the one who can cater to your tastes. It has twenty-four magnificent paintings which includes realistic portraits of Sir Arthur Havelock, the Governor of Fort St. George, Susan Marchioness, Viscount and Viscountess of Willington, Lord Robert Clive and Queen Victoria etc

The sixth and the seventh gallery has the collection of letters and documents handwritten by Lord Robert Clive and Lord Cornwallis with their seal and signature quite visible. Watching these documents one is bound to go back to those eras when those men through these letters and documents were deciding the fate of India.

The eighth gallery, is located on the third floor and unlike the others has collection related to the French .It is called the Indo-French gallery as it contains Some of the French artifacts like the French porcelain lamps, clocks, furniture and coins used by them during their time of stay in India. The sculpture of Marianne - the goddess of the French republic is the most striking feature here.

The ninth gallery displays the exhibits about the 'Odeyars of Mysore'. The Odeyars claimed to be the descendents of the Yadavs of Dwarka of Mahabharata fame (the community of the 'cowherds' to which 'Lord Krishna' belonged). During the 14th century A.D their authority was established in Mysore before their commander Hyder Ali replaced them. Under their patronage the Mysore School of Art flourished to a great extent.

The tenth and last gallery of the museum, deals exclusively with the prints of Madras, notably that of Fort St George through different periods and of the Government House now known as 'Rajaji Hall'.

Thus, a trip to the fort is worth making as it opens so many avenues of learning about the past.