Pudupet - The posh locality of Madras in 1700s
Komaleeswaran temple
Pudupet in old Madras (1700s) was an exclusive, posh enclave for the affluent native elite, including dubashes and chief merchants, who sought respite from the overcrowded and caste-ridden "Black Town." Located on the banks of the Cooum River (then pristine and considered auspicious), it featured opulent garden houses, lavish lifestyles, and was home to wealthy figures like Pachaiyappan Mudaliar and Swamy Naik, one of the first vaccinators in the world.
The area was renowned for its high social status, with residents living in pomp, traveling in palanquins, and hosting extravagant four-day weddings and funerals. It was also a cultural hub, featuring the Komaleeswarar Temple and a significant Christian and Anglo-Indian population, with a parish established in 1873.
Today, Pudupet has transformed into a vibrant market hub for second-hand automobile spare parts, often nicknamed the "chor bazaar" of Madras, marking a stark contrast to its aristocratic past. Despite this commercial shift, it retains historical significance as a key part of Chennai's layered urban history, connected to Mount Road via the Harris Bridge.
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