Monday 6 January 2014

"DID BARON HAUSSMAN GOT INSPIRED FROM THE STREETS OF KALPATHY TO MAKE MOST OF MODERN PARIS?"

                            " HAPPY NEWYEAR TO ALL WELCOME 2014 "

We all know that British left a remarkable presence in Palakkad (Palghat at that time) and many of their protectorates & colonies around the world for both good & bad things. Did French made any impact in the Palakkad City? Few people will answer correctly to my question. Answer is yes.It was a French architect(don't know the name) who worked for Hyder ali Khan designed our Palakkad Fort & Maidan.
                                                                                   
                                             

After the death of HyderAli his son Tippu Sultan,continued his alliance with French forces to encounter the British forces.If French came to Palghat, they surely would have paid a visit to Kalpathy Village to plan once the dirtiest streets of Paris to make it classy.The Paris which we astonish today as a 'Dream City' was nothing more than a shithole way back in the 1700s & early half of 1800s. With rotten corpses of humans,animals and birds in the narrow streets & markets, dead fishes in the Seine, poverty of the masses, luxury of upperclasses, their exploitation, opportunistic rebels all resulted in 'French Revolution'.After French Revolution many events occured, you all know.So, I don't need to elaborate on that.
                                                  After the death of powerful Napolean Bonaparte in 1805 in St.Helena, there was a huge vaccum in the throne that lasted for some fifty years.Louis Phillipe's autocratic rule caused severe poverty in France and result is Ta ra ...there you go another revolution based in Paris.It is known as July Revolution.Though this revolution was brutally suppressed by the military.Louis Phillipe lost his throne as the monarchy got abolished by the 'Second Empire Headed By Napolean III.'He was an able ruler and nephew of Great Napolean Bonaparte Late Monarch Of France & many annexed countries.

                                                       


Napolean III wanted to make France a great nation high enough to compete against fast advancing nations like Britain and her colonies, Germany, Austria-Hungary & United States Of America.For that he needed to make the capital city a livable one like London and more advanced than any other city.For that he appointed Baron Haussman , a brilliant town planner & architect to make a city like no other.He made a detailed study about Paris and discovered how population, bad sanitation facilities & lack of broad streets and thoroughfares (In French it is known as 'Boulevards') really caused the downfall of a great city. 


During the period of 1853-76 Haussman demolished many houses,relocated many people to Montmarte.Wide boulevards lined with trees, ornate long single block buildings in both sides with pavements for offices, residences, cafes, shops etc.was a remarkable feature of Haussman Styled Buildings.Though Haussman heard of Kalpathy Village or Tamil Agraharam Style Of Architecture, we don't know.But one thing is for sure.There are many resemblences and differences like any other thing found in the world. See for yourself. 

                                                                                                        Thank You.  


Most of these houses look alike and are connected to each other only by a single wall.


Classic Boulevard St.Germain (Above) & One Of The Main Streets In Kalpathy Heritage Village.


Wow, beautiful isn't it. This is Old Kalpathy built during the reign Of Sekhari Varma Raja Of Palakkatussery In 15th century 400 years before Baronn Haussman. These type of brahmin agraharams have bee existing in TamilNadu for some 2500 years.But none of those agraharams are as broad and long as Kalpathy Villages.





Aerial Views Of Paris Boulevards In Champs Elyses, Latin Quarter& Kalpathy Streets Comparison.








                         

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