A city is born as a mere idea when people gather in settlements beside rivers. Once this idea sets anchor on land, there it remains, growing , expanding and spreading growth, allowing development to seep through the vast lands it casts its benevolence over. But as settlements transmogrify into cities and the people choose the best form of governance – democracy – then, those cities are forged in the smithies of protests, demonstrations and earnest expressions of dissent.
Chennai, in its journey from Chennapattinam through Madras, has been the crucible of several such protests in the modern age. They have gone on to shape the fortunes, politics, and growth of the city, and also the State.
Photo:
The Hindu Archives
Anti-Hindi agitation by college students at Madras in January 1965.
Photo:
The Hindu Archives
A State-wide anti-Hindi procession carrying black flags was organised by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Dravida Kazhakam (DK) on January 26, 1979
Photo:
The Hindu Archives
The charred remains of one of the First Class compartments of the Howrah Mail, torched by anti-Hindi agitators near Thiruvotriyur in Madras.
Photo:
The Hindu Archives
College students who took part in anti-Hindi agitations are being taken in a police van in 1967.
Photo:
K. Gajendran
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa during her protest over the Cauvery water sharing issue on the Marina at Chennai in July 1993.
Photo:
Vino John
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa went on an indefinite fast over the Cauvery issue at the Marina in July 1993.
Photo:
R. Ragu
A doctor examining the health of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, when he observes fast at Anna Square on the Marina to press the Sri Lankan government to announce immediate ceasefire, in Chennai on April 27, 2009.
Photo:
R. Ragu
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi observing fast in connection with Sri Lankan Tamils issue at Anna Memorial in Chennai on April 27, 2009.
Photo:
The Hindu Archives
Students of the Queen Mary’s College in Chennai, stated to be the first women’s college in India, protesting in 2003 against the proposed plan of the Tamil Nadu Government to construct a new Secretariat building on the college premises. The students, despite having to sit for the examinations, staged a demonstration inside the college to protest its demolition.
Photo:
R. Ragu
Students of the Queen Mary’s College staging a candlelight vigil inside their college campus against the proposed demolition of their institution in Chennai on April 5, 2003.
Photo:
M. Moorthy
Olive Paul (centre), aged 102, and other old students of Queen Mary’s College in Chennai protest against Tamil Nadu government’s proposal to demolish the college, in 2003.
Photo:
R. Ragu
DMK leader M.K. Stalin with the Queen Mary’s College students in Chennai on April 8, 2003.
Photo:
V. Ganesan
Supporters of jallikattu demonstrate against the ban, on Marina Beach in Chennai on January 20, 2017.
Photo:
K. Pichumani
Demonstrations are being held against the ban on jallikattu, at Marina beach in Chennai on January 18, 2017.
Photo:
Bijoy Ghosh
Thousands gathered at the Marina, Chennai on January 20, 2017, to protest against the ban on jallikattu.
Photo:
B. Jothi Ramalingam
Thousands of protestors from Chennai and beyond gathered on the Marina Beach promenade protesting against the ban of jallikattu by the Supreme Court. Students from many colleges have joined the protestors in January 2017.
Photo:
S. R. Raghunathan
Pro-jallikattu protestors move closer to the water front in order to evade eviction at the Marina beach in Chennai on January 23, 2017.
Photo:
K.V. Srinivasan
Tamil Nadu government teachers and State government employees particiapte in a gate meeting at the Secretariat in Chennai on July 1, 2003, in pursuance of the strike call.
Photo:
N. Balaji
Members of the Joint Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers and Employees Organisation staged dharna during the lunch break at the Secretariat in Chennai on June 30, 2003.
Photo:
S. Thanthoni
People gathered at Anna Nagar employment exchange in Chennai to register their names for fresh recruitment by the State government on July 4, 2003, for filling up the vacancies caused by the indefinite strike of teachers and government employees.
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