High Court of Madras - a heritage walk

High Court of Madras is one of the famous and well-kept colonial buildings in the city. Madras Bar Association had organised for today, a heritage walk of the High Court, conducted by Mr N.L.Rajah, Senior Advocate. From last year, Madras High Court had come under the security of Central Police (CRPF) and access to it is highly regulated, so I immediately registered myself for the walk. The walk started around 7:30 AM and went for nearly three hours. Rajah had a trove of information to share with us about the history of the legal system in British India and stories around the cases that came up in the High Court – his reverence for the institution was infectious. Time available for him for the walk was a constraint.

The walk started with a visit to the newly constructed Museum, you reach it via the Esplanade Gate of The High Court. The museum is a must visit for all interested, it has a treasure trove of items on display and is being well-maintained by Madras Bar Association – kudos to them.

Auditorium and Museum of The High Court of Madras

On 10th July 1686, an Admiralty Court was established in Madras. A year later, the East India Company sent from England, Sir John Biggs, to act as a Judge-Advocate of the Admiralty Court. Later a Mayor’s court was established through the same charter that allowed the company to constitute the town of St.George. The Madras High Court was inaugurated on the 15th August 1862. The first Chief Justice of Madras High Court (earlier the Supreme Court, Madras) was Sir Colley Harman Scotland (1860-62). During his tenure, the first Indian Advocate (Vakil) Sri Raja T. Rama Rao was enrolled.

The High Court building was designed on Indo-Saracenic architecture by Henry Irwin, who has many other buildings to his credit in India; the court building construction was executed by T Namberumal Chetty. It is said they followed a bottom-up approach in the design, allowing each mason who worked on the project to suggest their individual inputs.

A replica of The High Court of Madras building on display

Photographs of The High Court of Madras building and its surroundings – more than a century old

Mr N.L.Rajah explained on why he feels the city should still be called Madras – even before the British landed near the port and bought the first parcel of land which will eventually become St.George Fort, the area was called as Madrasapatinam – and that’s how it is referred in the first company document (equivalent of today’s Government Order/GO).

Mr N.L.Rajah and the attentive audience on a Sunday morning

One of the old court halls has been preserved as it is in the Museum — One of the old court halls has been preserved and kept for display

Antique furniture found in one of the judges room

Photograph showing the spiral staircase through which under-trials were being taken to and from the session court hall (the present day Court Hall 4)

Replica of the machine, used for embossing the seal on all orders issued by the High Court

the guardianship case against Annie Besant related to philosopher J.Krishnamurthy — Many original documents are on display – this one is of the guardianship case against Annie Besant related to philiosopher J.Krishnamurthy

Proclamation announcing the Inauguration of the Constitution of India in Fort St.George - January 26, 1950 — Proclamation announcing the Inauguration of the Constitution of India in Fort St.George – January 26, 1950

After seeing the museum, we went inside the High Court premises, to reach one of the two light-houses (the other one is on top of the main dome) established by British in the campus. The lighthouse has been tastefully restored and renovated, with information displays kept in the two rooms adjacent to the main structure. Surprised to find the two visitor rooms and the pathways to the top of the lighthouse to be lit with LED lights and air-conditioned.

The lighthouse was constructed from 1838 to 44. Even before you go into the lighthouse if you look on the right-hand side bottom you will see a block of stone – Standard Bench Mark for Madras used in the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India. The top surface of the stone is 15.07 Feet above the mean level of the sea.

Light House outside the main building of The High Court, Madras

Pathways to reach the top are lit with LED lights and airconditioned

Display on Indian Leaders and about the first institutions that were setup in Madras

A view from the spiral staircase that's nearly 20 levels up — A view from the spiral staircase that’s nearly 20 levels up. PC: Akshai, I stayed down as I am not comfortable with dizzying heights

The leader to the top - final few steps to reach the top of the Light-House — The leader to the top – final few steps to reach the top of the lighthouse

View of Reserve Bank of India, Chennai - from the top of the High Court light house — View of Reserve Bank of India, Chennai – from the top of the High Court lighthouse

View of the Madras High Court building - from the top of the lighthouse — View of the Madras High Court building – from the top of the lighthouse

View of Chennai Port Trust - from the top of the High Court light house — View of Chennai Port Trust – from the top of the High Court lighthouse

Next stop was the main building of The High Court of Madras. You are welcomed by a beautiful statue of Manu Needhi Cholan, the Chola King who executed his own son to provide justice to a cow.

Manu Needhi Cholan, who executed his own son to provide justice to a cow

Staircase leading to the main court halls

After seeing the court halls, we climbed up the main tower of The High Court building. At each level, we were greeted with majestic views of this building and to the breath-taking view of the city around it.