Around the globe, each and every city
is identified, recognized and reputed not just for its treasured wealth and the
urban fabrics, but also for its deep rooted history, architecture, cultural
heritage and the social context of the very subjected city. When viewed in a
macroscopic level, there are exemplary cities that are known for its
agricultural production, industrial agglomeration, technological creation or
contribution etc.. One such city happens to be Coimbatore. The city, for its
rich textile production, since the industrial revolution by Robert and Thomas
Stanes, got an opulent pump in the domain of recognition and acknowledgement,
as a leading industrial city. Eventually, over the period of time, it got to be
titled, “Manchester of South India”. The big embodied word “Manchester” not
only uplifted the morale of Coimbatore, but also did it set a standard for the
city’s outlook and profile. With the establishment of Stanes motors, industries
and subsequent schools in and around the city of Coimbatore, the revolution was
said to have topped and triggered its pace. On deeper understanding, it could
be understood that this elevation or the so called revolution happened due to the
growth of cotton in the city, which apparently led to the ostentatious outpour
in the textiles. On a side note, the city is also regarded as the “Pump City of
Asia”, for, it supplies pumps in larger quantities, very dominantly, throughout
the spectrum of the Asian continent. On having narrated the glory and greatness of the city with respect to the
industries, on a serious note, it is high time to introspect the accuracy and
correctness in having titled the city, “Manchester”.
Taking
the stances of a devil’s advocate, it is undoubtedly agreed that the city holds
deep rooted culture, contains very old temples and a discretely unique slang in
the language of Tamil. The city is said to have a temple of age 1500-2000 years
in terms of richness in heritage and history. The accent and dialect of
Coimbatorean Tamil has been regarded as the most respectful and elegant forms
of communication when put in comparison with other slangs of the same language,
Tamil. Excluding or convincingly pretermitting the marvels of the grand old
legendary temple of Perur and the
renowned culture, ought to be understood
as a phenomenon where water is made thicker than the blood, so as to
voluntarily or involuntarily suppress the significance of motherland. It is
against the ethics of humanity, to address the city, a ‘Manchester’, for the
nature blessed resources and not the inconceivable man-made cherished wonders
that could redefine the city. The tracks and trails of the British rule being
celebrated over the history and culture, portray the city’s hardship and
alongside, gives an impression as if the city has nothing for itself, but the
foreign contributions, to be known for.
As long
as the statement, “India for Indians”, said by Swami Dayananda Saraswathi is
found to be fragile in terms of understanding, titles such as Manchester could
well prolong to exist for denoting the greatness of a place which has better
contextual enriched contents. It is not to be understood wrong to address the
city of Coimbatore, “Manchester of South India” until it is for the wealth and
richness it has got in the deep seeded and rooted history and not for the British
remains and residues.
Contemplatively Yours,
Arun Shankar
Arun Shankar
