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Madras miscellany: An Armenian representation

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  • Madras miscellany: An Armenian representation

    The Hindu, India
    Jan 1 2012


    Madras miscellany
    S. MUTHIAH

    An Armenian representation

    The Armenian Ambassador to India, H.E. Ara Hakobyan, was in Madras
    last week to inaugurate the Consulate office of Armenia in the city.
    The first Honorary Consul of Armenia in Madras is Shivkumar Eashwaran,
    a businessman. The inauguration was an occasion to remember the
    Armenian presence in Madras as far back as the 1660s, a fact attested
    to by the finding of a tombstone with the date 1663 near Little Mount.
    The name engraved on it was `Khoja David Margar'.

    The Armenian presence in Madras began to increase from 1688 when the
    East India Company, finding the Armenians `sober, frugal and wise',
    gave them the same trading rights as English freemen. These privileges
    were granted after negotiations between Coja Panous, Calendar of
    Isphahan, and the Company in London. The agreement was dated June 22,
    1688 and was in due course communicated to the principal Armenian
    merchant in Madras, `Gregorio Paroan', and his fellows. By these
    terms, they could not only trade on the same terms as the English but
    also had all the rights of British subjects in Madras, including the
    right to own land in Fort St. George, White Town.

    It was also promised to them that as soon as there were 40 Armenian
    merchants in Madras, ground would be granted to them to build a
    permanent church. This was done in 1712 and for the next seven years
    the church received £50 a year from the Company to maintain a priest,
    under terms of the grant.

    The first known house of an Armenian in Fort St. George is what is
    called Admiralty House today. It was built by Coja Nazar Jacob Jan who
    arrived in Madras in 1702. On his death in 1740, it passed into the
    hands of Coja Sultan David to whom it had been bequeathed. On Coja
    David's death the house, by then known as `The Great House on Choultry
    Street', was inherited by his son, Aga Shawmier Sultan (Suthanoomian).
    This house was taken over by the Company post-1757 and served in town,
    as Governor's residence, Governor's entertainment space and the venue
    of sessions of the Admiralty Court. Robert Clive too lived in this
    building after his marriage.

    Aga Nazar Jan was the first of the great Armenian merchants of Madras
    and was followed by the legendary Coja Petrus Uscan - who has
    warranted much space in this column in the past - Aga Shawmier Sultan,
    and Aga Samuel Moorat. When Samuel Moorat died in 1816, his son Edward
    Moorat ran through his huge patrimony in enjoying a life of luxury.
    With his death, the Armenian presence in Madras began to fade.

    One Armenian of this era who left a different kind of mark was the
    Rev. Harathun Shimavonian, who started in Madras in 1794 the first
    Armenian journal in the world, Azdarar, and published several Armenian
    classics before he died in 1827.

    Madras once had a substantial Armenian presence, but the Armenians
    followed the seat of power (they had started in Agra) and were a few
    thousand in number in Calcutta during the heyday of the Raj. Their
    numbers warranted starting a school there and Armenian College still
    exists, struggling on with an intake of orphans from Armenia. Perhaps
    it's time to establish a branch of that institution in Madras. It was
    a thought that struck me at the reception when I met one of the few IT
    entrepreneurs in Armenia. Why doesn't he partner someone in Madras and
    establish an IT training centre for young Armenians in an Armenian
    College, Madras branch?

    http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/metroplus/article2763617.ece


    From: Baghdasarian
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