Madras lingo on transportation
A traffic island becomes a roundtana, while Emden, the name of a German cruiser that bombed Madras in 1914, came to mean a bully or devious adversary. Tankuvar Arundudum — meaning you lose control of a situation — comes from tankuvaru, a Telugu term referring to a small piece of leather used to fasten the saddle to a horse. These are just some words and phrases used in and around Madras, which…
In Madras, roundabouts are known as Roundtana, a term that can also be found in The Hindu. This word has its origins at the Anna Salai Roundtana, which dates back to the early 19th century. Prior to becoming Anna Salai or having a Roundtana, the intersection of Mount Road and Wallajah Roads once housed a round police station, known as the 'Round Thana'.
Over time, the police station relocated, a fountain took its place, followed by a car park, an underground urinal, and eventually, the Anna statue. However, the name 'Round Thana' or 'Roundtana' has remained synonymous with roundabouts in Madras.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
