Time and again heritage structures across India face demolition because at one point of time they become too damaged, far beyond conservation. The main reasons are: poor interest in heritage structures, official apathy and carelessness. In the last decade an awareness has been created by the like-minded heritage lovers across the country among the people to save pretty old structures for the next generation of people.
 |
| Vilskkuthoon police station, madurai. de-de.facebook.com |
Above image: Vilakkuthoon police station, Kothaval chavadi Theru (street), Madurai city, TN. Oldest police station south of Tiruchi since the days of colonial rule 1840s. I understand the 250 plus year old building was to be rebuilt. To be more friendly with the public and offer them better facilities all the 25 police stations including Avaviapuram, Teppakulam, Thirupramkundram, Vilakkuthoon and others. in this sprawling city will have a spacious hall for the petitioners and and others. The decision as taken in August 2021.
 |
| Vilakkuthoon Madurai in.pinterest.com |
 |
| Madurai Vilakuthoon police station. placefinder.in |
Several years ago an old police station in a small lane called Kothaval chavadi Theru (street), in historical Vilakkuthoon was set aside for demolition. The name refers to the Kotwal Chotwal Choultry or guard station which existed here once. As 'kotwal' means police guard, it is quite obvious that there existed on the street one of the earliest police stations during the early colonial period when the British had established the police system.
 |
| Madurai city, TN .mapsofindia.com |
According to local historian the Chavadi would have come up in the 17th century after the Nayaks' rule. Vilakkuthoon was erected in 1840 in memory of the then Collector Blackburn. Located at the junction of the S Masi Street and E Masi Street the light tower (VIlakkuthoon) both MMC and dept. of tourism repaired it in 2000. But in the later tears was left to rot. No upkeep whatsoever.
Besides Vilakkuthoon police station, Vittavasal, the remnant of a Pandya fort; the old structure housing the office of the Commissioner of Police and rampart (opposite across Periyar bus stand) built during the Nayak period required immediate attention. They were not yet declared as heritage structures by the state government. The decision to pull down the 250 year old site outraged the heritage lovers and conservationists.
From the plaque on its right compound wall that reads Cutwal's Choultry (kotwal chavadi) Police Main Guard, we understand that the old building came up when Madurai was ruled briefly by the Marathas from 1740 to 1743 or may be a bit earlier. In those days there were a number of choultries (way-side inn for rest and food) built by the Nayaks and others to serve the travelers between towns, etc.
This particular choultry had been active as a police main guard since 1850 as per colonial records, but the police station started functioning from 9 July 1912 onward. According to Court records (Court of Foujdaree Udalut, 1858, East India company) R.R. Cotton, acting Sessions Judge of Madura, presided over a murder case Government vs Nagalingum Asary Case. Nagalingum on April 6, 1858, himself went to the Cutwal's Choultry and confessed his act of crime. Su.Venkatesan, ahitya Akademi Award winner and novelist said the Kotwal Chavadi (Cutwal Choultry) police station at Vilakkuthoon (Light Tower) could be the earliest police station, south of Tiruchi in the then Madras Presidency.
Kotwal Chavadi had a dual functions in the 1850 as a police station and tax collection point. During the colonial rule, a part of Thirumalai Mahal served as the district collectorate as well as Judiciary courts. The main hub was the East Masi Street. Between 1843 and 1845. East Gate church was also built to serve the Europeans and others in the city.
In 1816 major police reforms came into being with the abolition of traditional Kaval System and the police had to serve under the direction of Tahsildars, village heads, the Amins of Police and the Kotwals; the magistracy, but the control was vested with the Zillah Judge to the Collector.
The old, heritage buildings should be saved at any cost and the govt. should not take a decision arbitrarily to demolish such structures. These buildings connect us with the past and are symbolic of our legacy and history. Members of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) who have been active saving so many heritage structures across India and offering excellent conservation services are of the opinion that there is a need to stop the demolition of heritage sites using ''modernization'' as an excuse. But in the later years it was pulled down to make way way for a new building. Alas! People of Madurai lost yet another heritage building of historical value - first place in the southern part of Tamil Nadu where the first ever police station was established to protect people nd cut down criminal activities._
.webp)