Pachaiyappa's Hall: A Landmark of Chennai's Heritage

You cannot miss it! It's monumental size and proportion in an otherwise crowded and congested George Town locality would attract everyone. The entablature of the portico written in Tamil as "Pachaiyappan" tells us it is the Pachaiyappan Hall. 

The hall, which dominates the structure, is rectangular in plan and has large pedimented porticos of fluted Ionic columns. It's the brainchild of Captain Ludlow of the Madras Engineers. He designed it by combining the European and Indian styles. The facade is inspired by the design of the Theseum in Athens, Greece.

The section in front of the hall has 15 classrooms, each with a verandah. Behind the hall is the school proper, a tiled roof structure entirely Indian in design.

This majestic hall, a landmark in George Town, was inaugurated on March 20, 1850. The opening ceremony was predominantly European, with the Governor, Sir Henry Pottinger, presiding and a vocal band singing the British Anthem. The ceremony was attended by European and Indian intellectuals.

If the name of this hall rings a bell for you, you are not wrong. Pachaiyappa's Collge is a well-known institution in Chennai. It is known to senior citizens as a prestigious educational institution, but to the younger generation, it is associated with a negative image. Nonetheless, regardless of age group, anyone from Chennai would have heard of Pachaiyappa's College. This school hall bearing the same name is connected to that college.

It has a fascinating story that few people know about. It began with the famous will of Pachaiyappa Mudaliar, who was born to poor parents in 1754. He became a Dubash with the help of merchant Powney Narayana Pillai, and he was known for his integrity and amassed a fortune from his job.

Nine days before he died in 1794, Pachaiyappa drew up his renowned will, dedicating all his wealth to the sacred service of Siva and Vishnu, specific charities at various temples and places of pilgrimage, the erection of religious edifices, bounties to the poor, seminaries of Sanskrit learning, and other objects of general benevolence. His wealth became the subject of a legal battle for four decades among his relatives since he was unmarried and had no legal heir. 

Famous attorney George Norton ended the dispute and set aside Rs.4.5 lakhs for education, forming the trust with court interference almost forty years after Pachiappa's death.

In January 1842, Pachaiyappa's Central Institution was established as a primary school with the aim of providing free education to impoverished Hindus in English literature and science, with instruction in Tamil and Telugu. The school operated from a rented building on Popham's Broadway, at a monthly rent of Rs. 20/-. 

After four years, in October 1846, the foundation stone for Pachaiyappa's Hall was laid by George Norton in a grand and colorful ceremony on NSC Bose Road. The event was multicultural, with Tamil, Telugu, and Sanskrit poems being recited in praise of Queen Victoria, Lord Hardinge, and Lord Elphinstone. The Governor's Band played music while speeches were given in English and Brahmins received gifts of money.

The Pachaiyappa Central Institution commenced operations in the newly constructed building in 1850. It was the first educational institution to adopt English as the medium of instruction. 

In no time, the school gained widespread recognition and was subsequently upgraded to a high school and later to a college. On November 26, 1892, the Golden Jubilee of Pachaiyappa's Institutions was celebrated at Pachaiyappa's Hall, with Lord Lansdowne, the then Viceroy of India, presiding over the event. The Diamond Jubilee was observed in a grand manner on November 21, 1902, with Lord Pentland, the then Governor of Madras, presiding over the festivities.

In 1940, the college was relocated to its current location in Aminjikarai, while the original site continues to operate as a school. 

Happy travelling.