Chepauk Palace View From The River Cooum Madras, 1880 Photo

Chepauk Palace View From The River Cooum Madras, 1880 Photo

An 1880 photo of the view of the Chepauk Palace from the River Cooum in Madras (Chennai). Muhammad Ali, 8th Nawab of the Carnatic (from 1749 to 1795) built the Chepauk Palace. The Palace included two blocks arranged in the form of “L”, the angle being the South-West corner. The south wing was double-storied and was known as the Kalasa Mahal or Treasury.

It contained the Dewan Khana, a magnificent audience chamber. In 1804 the chamber was described as “extremely handsome, of large dimension and divided by pillars”. The property originally belonged to Mahfuz Khan, brother of the Nawab. The latter acquired it in 1767. Three years later he obtained a further grant of land from the Governor of Fort St George.

Whereupon he enclosed the entire site of 117 acres with a boundary wall. Extending southward from the bar of the Cooum River, and along its banks. The thirteenth and the last Nawab of Carnatic, Ghulam Mohammed Ghaus Khan, was childless. The British Government took over the palace upon his death.

This view of the river or more a canal is a branch of the famous Cooum in Chennai. Unfortunately, this canal from the Cooum shown in this old photograph of 1880 is almost dead today. Because of the never-ending and savage like voracity of over-development and encroachment. Click on the photo for better view.

Also read History, built up. See post Chepauk Palace In Chennai – Old Photo 1895.

Did you know- the building is the first in India and the world built in the Indo-Saracenic style design.

From the collection- 1964 M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal Art Abstract (#8).,  Dhondy Road Deolali – Old Postcard 1900., The British Fort In Bombay – Antique Plan 1755