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Will Pulicat make it?

Nina Varghese

Pulicat, as we see it today, is an impoverished fishing village 60 kms north of Chennai. Visitors to Pulicat would find it difficult to believe that this village, on the shores of Pulicat Lake adjoining the Bay of Bengal, was once an important trading po st of the Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (Dutch East India Company).

The history of Pulicat, however, dates back to before the arrival of the Dutch. And the village, it has been historically noted, revived and gained in importance with the Dutch setting up a trading post there.

Pulicat with its ancient temples, cemeteries, churches and a fort is a heritage buff's delight. Starting from the 10th-century Chola temple, followed by the temples from the Nayak period, to the old Dutch churches and cemeteries, one can literally walk t hrough the pages of history at Pulicat.

The Portuguese were the first of the colonial powers to set foot in Pulicat. They built a church which was dedicated to Nossa Senhora Dus Prazeres (Our Lady of Joys) in 1515 A.D. This church continues to attract the devout though some additions to the or iginal structure have been made.

The Portuguese were followed by the Dutch who have left behind many vestiges of their history and culture. The setting up of a Dutch trading post saw the building of a fort -- the Fort Geldria. History records that this fort was destroyed and rebuilt sev eral times. Today, all that remains of this fort are scattered pieces of a mud moat which are covered by thorn bushes. Finally, Pulicat came under the British and remained with them until India's Independence in 1947.

The Dutch cemetery, one is surprised to note, is in remarkably good condition. Under the care of the Archaeological Survey of India, it is viewed as a good example of colonial Dutch architecture. The entrance to the cemetery is flanked by stone pillars, on each of which is carved a skeleton, supposed to depict life and death. There is another cemetery at the back of the church which is more ancient, though in a state of disrepair. The other places of heritage interest include the old market which has so me of its old shops still standing, though not in use.

Though time and history forgot Pulicat and relegated it to the status of an innocuous village fighting for survival, two recent developments have focussed the attention of conservationists on Pulicat.

The Tamil Nadu Government has been promoting several plans and projects to encourage industrial development in the State, including earmarking a few zones for concentrated industrial activity. Pulicat village falls within the coastal belt that has been d emarcated by the State Government for industrial development. The construction of the Ennore harbour, which is the first phase of this industrial development project, is already underway.

And on the other end of the spectrum, over the past few years visiting teams of Dutch architects and scholars are keen that this early Dutch settlement be restored. These visitors approached the Tamil Nadu chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH-TN) to help them in their efforts. INTACH in turn undertook a preliminary study which revealed that the area has great potential as an eco-tourism and heritage destination. But the study also pointed out that several relating f actors need to be considered, studied and worked upon, before any project plan can be initiated and implemented.

According to the preliminary study, the Pulicat village is situated near wetlands. To the uninitiated, the area would look like wet spongy ground covered partially with brackish water. Though many often complain of the foul smell emanating from these are as, wetlands play a crucial role in our fragile eco-system.

The wetland eco-system is characterised by multiple habitats such as flood-plain lagoons, shallow water areas, reservoirs and shore areas. The brackish water lagoon adjoining Pulicat is an important wetland on the East Coast for migratory birds. Around 6 0,000 migrant water-birds feed and breed in the northern part of the lake during winter.

However, there are various threats to this wetland eco-system, and according to the INTACH study an ecological disaster is waiting to happen here. The lake is rapidly silting up, and could end up as a marsh in the not so distant future.

Industrial development is another major threat. Just South of Pulicat at Ennore, three major industrial development projects are happening. The North Chennai Thermal Power Plant, the Ennore Port and the petro chemical complex could endanger the ecologica l balance of this zone.

Though the water for the thermal power plant is drawn from the Ennore Creek, due to the proximity of the intake pipes at the opening of the Buckingham Canals into the Ennore Creek, water from the Pulicat Lake is also drawn out. This means that prawn and fish seed from the lake are drawn away towards the Creek. Pollution from the petrochemical complex (despite its effluent treatment plants) is also present. Sea erosion in this area is accelerating and is another point of concern.

``The development of Pulicat has to be taken up in a holistic manner,'' says P.T. Krishnan, a Chennai-based architect and convener, INTACH -- Tamil Nadu chapter. ``The preliminary study has given the planners some understanding of the problems involved i n turning Pulicat into a heritage destination. He further added that the typical `Government-planner' attitude which does not see beyond the immediate and short term commercial gains will not work in this instance.''

According to S. Muthiah, chronicler of Chennai and author of several books on Madras, the Dutch Embassy has informed INTACH-TN that the Dutch Government is interested in investing in the project, provided the State Government also evinces a committed int erest.

This preliminary study will, if interest from the State Government and the Dutch Government is forthcoming, be followed by a master plan.

On the possible shape the master plan will take, Krishnan said that the approach would not be a `five-star' one but would start at the grass roots with involvement of the local bodies. A.S. Kannan, MLA of Ponneri (Pulicat falls within this constituency), has also been briefed about the project. ``Unless the local people are made aware of the heritage, both ecological and architectural, no conservation project can be successful,'' Krishnan added.

What comes as a god-send to the conservationists is that the basic plan of Pulicat has remained unchanged and several heritage buildings and sites spanning over eleven centuries dot the village and its adjoining areas. In fact, one can today walk around town, visiting historical sites using the old Dutch map, copies of which are available.

Should the heritage and eco-tourism project gain shape, the street houses build in the South Indian style typical of structures built more than a hundred years ago, would make wonderful living quarters for the tourists. While plumbing and other amenities would make them convenient for international and domestic visitors, the facade and elevation would remain unchanged, taking one back by several decades. ``Since this area is densely constructed, one could easily make available around 200 rooms. The owne rs of these houses, with some basic training, could successfully run a lucrative hospitality business,'' according to Krishnan. This coupled with the revival of the handloom and palm-leaf weaving cottage industries could signal better times for the villa ge and its inhabitants.

``For heritage conservation to successful it should be self-sustaining process and the economic well-being of the people is a pre-requisite. When the livelihood of the people is threatened, conservation project will not derive any support at the grass ro ot level unless it provides an alternative income,'' points out Krishnan.

Pulicat is also an ideal site for promotion of eco-tourism. During winter a large number of migratory birds come to the Pulicat Bird Sanctuary. Fishing and catamaran rides are other attractive options that visitors to this area can enjoy.

Father L.C. Rayanna, Vicar of the Church of Our Lady of Glory (earlier known as Our Lady of Joys), said that this year has been an extremely bad one and an alternative source of income for the people would really help. Kannan is certain that an eco-touri sm project would certainly help the people who have been struggling for a livelihood for several years now.

In a country which has a wealth of destinations, one only hopes that the Pulicat promotion plan, which seeks to not just bring in visitors but also provide a livelihood for the inhabitants even as it chooses to remain eco-friendly, will see something hap pening.

Picture: The entrance to the Dutch cemetary at Pulicat.