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| British era building Union Club, Thanjavur. hindutantimes.in |
The fate of Thanjavur's historic Union Club, a building with origins tracing back to 1872 as the 'Tanjore Reading Room and Library,' was hanging in the balance, igniting concerns among heritage enthusiasts a few years ago. Once a hub of intellectual and social gatherings, even hosting Rabindranath Tagore, the 150-year-old structure had face possible demolition amidst a legal battle and squabble that kept stretching with no possible solution in sight.
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| wide wooden stairway, Union Club building Thanjavur,Commons.wikimedia.org |
The Thanjavur Corporation, citing a lapsed 99-year land lease agreement, issued an eviction notice, prompting the club's administration to seek legal recourse. Adding to the complexity and legal dispute, the Revenue Department recently sealed the club's premises after the authorities had failed to provide documentation proving its registration and compliance with the Tamil Nadu Places of Public Resorts Act, 1888.
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| Union Club bldg. Thanjavur upload.wikimedia.org |
Above image: Industrialist and active Rotarian late AYS. Parisutha Nadar was instrumental in developing this social club right from its beginning. It was declared open at a ceremony by late Sir C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar, a legal luminary, Dewan of Travancore Princely State and later the Vice Chancellor of Annamalai University (until 1966), Chidambaram, TN........
The Thanjavur Chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) which is active across India to preserve heritage sites that are in peril, at their meeting in 2021 requested the District Administration to give importance to the City's Heritage Regulations and Guidelines to save the old structures that were facing either demolition or had remained uncared for.
These old structures highlight the heritage and legacy of Thanjavur, one of the oldest towns in the colonial time. Further, there are many structures (older than 100 years) built by the Nayak and Maratha rulers in and around this place. They appealed to the District Collector not to permit the demolition of the Union Club building just near the Rani Clock Tower that was built by the Maratha queen.
A group of prominent citizens were agaisnt demotion of the Union Club once the litigation was over. They wanted the vast collection of old books in the library, old Billiard tables, etc to be saved for the posterity. This old building was the venue of public meetings in the past attended by Nobel laureate Tagore and freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi. This unexpected situation highlighted a broader concern about the erosion of Thanjavur's heritage, with activists lamenting the demolition of other historical structures in the name of development. The Union Club's predicament underscored the urgent need for clear heritage preservation policies and a balanced approach connected to the City's history and its gradual evolution. At last, right decision was taken to save the old building for the next generation. Thanks to the heritage enthusiasts and the conscientious Corporation officials; their concerted efforts saved the colonial era building from near demolition. Refer to:
https://www.navrangindia.in/2022/04/union-club-s-colonial-building.html
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