Selective Amnesia

Resources for tackling Chennai Trivia

Chenthil’s version of Chennai trivia is into its 6th installment, and mine will too. And if you are really serious about it, and want to know a little bit more about this city (and there is a whole load out here), you might want to bookmark these following links

The Chennai Page of Wikipedia
Wikitravel Chennai (thanks Ravikiran, for the link)

Chennai History @ Wikipedia
Archives of Mr. Muthiah’s columns (Mr. Muthiah is Madras’ historian, and writes a weekly column in the Hindu
(list will be updated as and when I find time and newer sources)

Besides these online resources, you folks, who are serious enough, ought to check out the Connemara Library.

But a real treasure house is the Madras Archives, at Egmore. Seriously, I can’t praise the Madras Archives enough. I was a member of this institution for three years, and the kind and volume of books I read or had access too was just mind blowing. They have all. I mean all. Census reports of Madras presidency from 1730. Communications between different presidencies and their governors. Books. Books. Newspapers. And their catalogue. A day spent just scanning the catalogue will give you enough fodder to handle anything Chenthil, I and even Mr. Mutiah throw at you.

Then it helps if you’ve read Madras Discovered, and followed it up with Madras Rediscovered, both by Mr. Muthiah, published by East West Publishers.

Finally, it helps just to love this city so much, you are consumed by the obsession to know more.