The etymology of some place names in Chennai

Of late, just seeing some of the reels that claim to be on the history of place names in Chennai sets my teeth on edge. Most of these churn out whatever they feel could be the explanation, without any basis. Some are age-old chestnuts, such as the claim that Chepauk is from Cheh Bagh or Six Gardens that once existed there. Others are more recent, such as Madipakkam getting its name from Madi – the practice of ritual purity. I had long ago given up hope of unravelling the etymology of most of the place names in the city but a perusal of a 19th century work that has surfaced as a digital copy on the internet provides some interesting information.

The book I allude to is Manual of the Administration of Madras Presidency (MAMP) by C.D. Maclean, first published in 1885. It is one of those multi-volume tomes that colonial administrators delighted in bringing out, densely packed with information and always with an index that is so meticulous that it would put most modern publications to shame. MAMP cannot be read in one go but thanks to its index, it is of immense use as a reference work.