Madras Day | Revisiting Chennai’s iconic British period social golf equipment, their meals and histories that date again to greater than a century

Madras Membership

Orange lit evenings at Madras Membership tremble just like the embers of its colonial previous. From celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation dinner (properly after Partition) to ‘European Solely’ dinners, the years of the previous drift within the membership’s environs like sand. Established in 1832, Madras Membership is the second oldest British period membership after the Bengal Membership in Kolkata.  

Referred to as the ‘ace of golf equipment’ by late metropolis chronicler S Muthiah, this membership was based approach earlier than the East India Firm gave technique to the British Raj. The membership’s motto Concordia Vires (concord is power) on the Mowbray’s cupola (constructed someday earlier than 1792 by George Mowbrays, a revered businessman who later grew to become the Sheriff and Mayor of Madras), the enduring octagonal dome, and the woody whisky tinted interiors of the bar with its Renoir prints are like an enduring contact of the previous upon one’s shoulder.  

VK Chandrasekaran, meals and beverage supervisor on the membership outlines, “The mulligatawny soup originated in our membership, roughly within the 1850s. Different delicacies just like the roast lamb and bread butter pudding are our signature dishes. We took the recipe from the British and it continues to reign our menu even at the moment. Different dishes just like the lobster thermidor and stuffed crab are in style however these are iconic.” 

A senior member of the membership remembers, “My granddaughter and I might sit within the verandah overlooking the garden. Over beneficiant bowls of mulligatawny adopted by the bread and butter pudding that comes with a aspect of contemporary cream, I might animate my baby with tales of the ‘pleasant ghost’ within the membership’s previous barber store, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s go to to the membership and plenty of extra such anecdotes. So, the mulligatawny isn’t solely a hyperlink to the membership’s previous but in addition a bridge to a treasure trove of fond recollections.” 

Served with rice, cubes of butter, candy mango chutney and lemon, the thick yellow ochre-toned broth appears like a heat hug for the insides. Curiously, professor of English at Tufts College, Modhumita Roy traces, “The British in Madras typically turned to mulligatawny earlier than and after meals as a digestive and it was thought-about by some a reliable treatment for ‘sick complications’”. 

Then again, the roast lamb is served with a aspect of contemporary and crunchy inexperienced greens, comfortable tawny brown potato wedges and bitter mint water in a British model gravy boat. The dish was a staple among the many Raj’s senior retailers and army males. 

Madras Gymkhana Membership 

The grounds of Chennai’s Gymkhana Membership know the best way to learn the winds, whirls and pauses of its historical past. Established in 1884, within the preliminary days of the membership many rajas grew to become members.

There was a curious overlap of sports activities patronised by the Indian royalty and video games that have been primarily British. As shikaar (looking), boar looking and pig sticking coalesced with tennis, rugby and cricket, it gave beginning to new video games whose calibrations, guidelines and rules have been modified by the British. The ‘sport of kings’ or sagol kangjei – a sport which was crudely known as ‘horse-hockey’ was merged with British sensibilities and gave beginning to trendy polo. Quickly, gamers clothed in jodhpurs weren’t solely celebrating the Indo-British interface in sports activities but in addition a plethora of gastronomic delights that got here with it.  

In line with the historical past of the membership deeply enmeshed in sport, the 2 membership drinks hockey and cricket are a homage to that legacy. The lemon focus based mostly cricket is topped with orange squash and soda that “fizzes down the throat like an specific supply “ in accordance with the Gymkhana’s espresso desk e book Madras Gymkhana Membership Quasquicentennial edited by Sandhya Mendoca. Then again, hockey is basically a lemon juice and lemonade based mostly drink whose sharp tarty notes “descends down the oesophagus just like the mild dribble of Gyanchand…”, explains the e book.  

Vignesh Bhasker, committee member, catering, says, “Dishes such because the roast hen, baked crab, batter-fried fish, pineapple ardour and the standard Saturday chilly lower continental buffet have been a legacy of the membership for over 135 years. Christmas specialities resembling roast turkey, plum cake and pepper pork chops are dishes members stay up for each December.” 

Ishwar Achanta, honorary secretary of the membership remembers, “There was a time after we used to have midnight beer consuming competitions and Britishers-only dinners.” He provides, “The membership has specialised persistently in getting ready baked dishes, steaks and grills. To swimsuit their palate, the British skilled our cooks and launched their recipes. Though now we now have had new additions to the menu which can be extra modern and sustain with the altering palate of members.” 

Madras Boat Membership  

Rowing is Madras Boat Membership’s love language. Since its institution in 1867, boats, oars and sculls have been its gills and ribs.

Dwelling to the Madras-Colombo regatta – one of many oldest regattas on this planet, held right here from 1898 – the distinguished membership is threaded with rowing gear, tall drooping bushes and the scent of the trembling inexperienced waters. S Muthiah chronicles the membership’s historical past within the e book Down By the Adyar. Within the e book Muthiah says, “The MBC was based by a small group of water sports activities fans who had been crusing and rowing in what was then a weekend getaway, the backwaters of Ennore.” 

Committee member and musician S Muralikrishnan elaborates that the constant and deft arms in MBC’s kitchens might properly be rivals to the dexterity of the rowers. “Members who go to the membership after a long time are by no means upset. Each time they order our signature RB particular peanuts or CRS hen or the a lot celebrated cheese bonda, they’re in awe of years of constant cooking by the identical age previous formulation,” says Murali.

RB particular peanuts will get its identify from a senior member Ramabadran who advised the recipe. The peanuts are tossed in spices, peas and finely chopped onions. Whereas the cheese bonda stays in style amongst the younger individuals of the membership the CRS hen which tastes like a revved up hen 65 is soggy from a peppery and curry leaves imbued marinade.  

Cosmopolitan Membership 

The Cosmopolitan Membership was began in response to all of the British golf equipment that when debarred Indians. Present president of the membership Sundareswaran Krishnamoorthy remembers that the membership was began with attorneys and advocates on the helm and the purpose was to create an egalitarian pocket the place fierce debates can be held, cultural identities can be celebrated and like its identify the membership can be a cosmopolitan area for members to calm down and unwind.

In one among many firsts, within the membership’s preliminary days membership was open to ladies and gown rules have been liberal. “Our membership was visited by Mahatma Gandhi in 1915. Rajendra Prasad and Rabindranath Tagore have additionally set foot within the premises,” says a proud Sundareswaran.

What enhances the liberal and simple going environs of the membership is the much-celebrated mutton biriyani and badam halwa of the membership. “We’ve got members who pack crates of biryani and ship it to their youngsters dwelling in Malaysia, Indonesia and different nations abroad. Many NRI members pack giant containers of badam halwa and ship it to their children dwelling in america. Over time these two preparations have been hits with members and outdoors company,” says Sundareswaran.