Renovated Kaj Schmidt Memorial

A long time dream had come true by the renovation of Kaj Schmidt Memorial at Elliot’s Beach in Besant Nagar, Chennai. The monument erected in the memory of Kaj Schmidt, a Danish sailor who drowned in attempt to save the lives of three Europeans, which include two woman, has been abandon for long time and a huge crack was suppose to break it apart. But glad the Chennai Corporation had taken steps at last after various attempts by NGOs and public requesting the government to restore the memorial.

I had been around the memorial number of times (while I was able to walk), without giving thought what it was and why built there. I also liked climbing upon the memorial through the broken steps and taking seat at the rear front that used to embrace in cool sea breeze. Getting close to the memorial never seems to be graceful unlike watching from distance and catching it during sunrise or sunset is always wonderful sight. Against the blue sky and sea, the renovated (not yet quiet) white monument beautifies the entire beach site, and it is also protected by fence on four sides.

The ambassador of Denmark who recently visited the monument revealed that Schmidt wasn't a Dutch national like we know so far, rather he was Danish! Schmidt born in Denmark in 1901, joined the East Asiatic Company in 1921 was sent to Madras to work at their first Indian office, which opened in (1928) hope to buy/export peanuts and market Danish dairy products and cement. Schmidt and his colleagues who went bathing to Elliot’s Beach on December 30, 1930, noticed people fighting the waves, jumped in and saved the people before he lost his battle. (check here for my early post detailing  the monument's exist)

The monument unveiled a year later from his drowning, was built in honoring his dedication and savior attitude towards others.  The memorial originally a brick and mortar construction, and colored in Ivory was renovated using lime and stone for the lattice window and sunshades. The monument is stitched with stone to withstand so many years was done by Mamallapuram based sculptor and temple-restoration expert K. Rajendran and his six member team. The building without a stone foundation is now paved in granite sables to enhance the stability and prevent cracks.  

P.S. Photos capture by my cousin on my behalf 

My Kaanum Pongal Celebrations

Childreans celebrating Kaanum Pongal in some Village

The fourth day of Pongal is known as Kaanum Pongal. On that day people go to there relatives house and some tourist sports, to get relax after celebratingof Pongal. Many time i have gone out with our famile, usualy my uncle used to take us out, to some toursit spot and some relatives house. I think 10years back we take a Maruti Van and went to our relative house in Changelpattu (a town in South India) on the Mattu (bull) Pongal day evning, so we got a good chance to see many people taking there Cows to Temple, and travell in Bullcart (Mattu Vaandi) with decarations, and we stayed in our relatives house that night and next morning, we and our relatives, went out to celebrate the Kaanum Pongal.

First we went to Vedanthangal Bird sanctury, in pongal time the season will be winter, so on that day we saw many birds, it was really wondeful to watch birds in early morning, it was a big lake with many trees, we can see many foreign birds lay eggs and after the season is finished it will take its child birds to there country. I have gone to that sanctuary 3 time, it is a very beautyful place, one side birds and another side is field. on Kaanum Pongal days, when we travel on village side roads, we can see many people going in Mattu vandi (Bullcarts) and tractor to the fav
orite places. we can also see like this in chennai's suberbs or urban areas. After watching birds we went to Mahabalipuram, Mahabalipuram it is a gift for us by Pallava king, some years back it was called as Mamallapuram.( when i want to tell about Mahabalipuram, i have a lot of memories, so i will tell you on some other days) and while returning from mahabalipuram, me, my brother, my aunty and my cousin Uncle had sit in the Dickey of the Maruthi Van and open the door, we can feel the fresh sea breeze when we go like this and we saw many people who are going to there favorite place and we told Happy Kaanu Pongal to them, all the people have surprizingly looked us, it was very funny. That days are very sweet memories.

Some districts in Tamil Nadu, will condect Jalli Kattu (catching Ox) on Kaanum Pongal.