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QUIZ ON HISTORY OF CHENNAI



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Chennai formerly known as , is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu and is India's fourth largest city.

It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of .

Chennai (formerly Madras) was originally known as .

The modern city of "Chennai" arose from the British settlement of Fort St. and its subsequent expansion and European settlements around this fort into the city of Madras.

While most of the original city of Madras was built and settled by , the surrounding area which was later incorporated included the native temples of Thiruvanmiyur, Thiruvotriyur, Thiruvallikeni (Triplicane), Thirumayilai (Mylapore) which have existed for more than 1000 years.

The Kapaleeshwarar temple in Mylapore was built by the kings in the 7th century.

Modern Chennai had its origins as a colonial city and its initial growth was closely tied to its importance as an artificial and trading centre.

On 22 August 1639, Francis Day secured the Grant by the Damarla Venkatadri Nayakudu, Nayak of Wandiwash, giving over to the Company a three-mile long strip of land, a fishing village called Madraspatnam, copies of which were endorsed by Andrew Cogan, the Chief of the Masulipatam Factory, and are even now preserved.

Golkonda forces under General Mir conquered Madras in 1646 and brought Chennai and its immediate surroundings under his control.

On the fall of in 1687, the region came under the rule of the Mughal Emperors of Delhi.


Chennai was captured by the in 1744 but consequent on the treaty of peace of Aix-La-Chapelle, Chennai was restored to the English in 1749.

George Pigot was the for the period from 1755 to 1763. The period is remarkable for the fact that the Company form a trading corporation, owning isolated towns, forts and factories, became a ruling power controlling vast territories.

In 1761, a treaty was signed between Ali and the Company for an alliance and mutual restitution of the conquests. The Governance of the Carnatic became the responsibility of the Chennai Government which could not maintain a large army without the revenue of Nawabs.

In 1763,the English got the district of Chengalpattu known as Chennai for the maintenance of the army. Lord Macartney took charge of the Chennai Government in 1781.


During his period, Chennai was turned into an important base.

Another important event of this period was the outbreak of war. Tippu was killed in 1799 and the whole of Carnatic ceded to the British.


Thus the supremacy of the English in was established.

The First Governor of Chennai in the 20th century was Lord (1901-06). Sir Arthur Law-by was the Governor from 1906-1911 and Lord Pentland from 1912-19.

The important Landmarks during this period were the establishment of Chennai Supply Corporation in 1906 and opening of Bank in 1907.