Another age-old Maligai kadai of Triplicane closing down !!

Thiruvallikkeni aka Triplicane the place of  Sri Parthasarathi Emperuman has rich history – that of the very ancient Temple dating back to more than 1200 years; the first College in the Province – Presidency College, Kasturba Hospital (Gosha hospital) of 1885, Hindu High School of 1850s and 1906 – century old institutions  - the subject matter is what I saw at 101 Big Street, unusual cleaning activity in an age old shop which people believed stood out for its quality !! 

மளிகைக் கடைகள் — திருவல்லிக்கேணியின் மாறிவரும் அடையாளங்கள்

where do you buy your provisions ? – most likely you are loyal to one shop and know its history with its owners knowing you too ! – it is more of friendliness and trust !!  but in recent decade or two things have changed – with more people opting to Apps and Online orders !!

மளிகைக் கடை என்பது வெறும் அரிசி, பருப்பு, எண்ணெய், சர்க்கரை வாங்கும் இடம் மட்டுமல்ல. அந்தந்த தெருவின் மக்களோடு பல ஆண்டுகள் பழகி, அவர்களின் அன்றாட வாழ்க்கையோடு இணைந்து போனவை இத்தகைய கடைகள்.  திருவல்லிக்கேணியின் இன்னொரு பழக்கப்பட்ட அடையாளம் — இன்று அந்த இடத்தில் இல்லை!

 

In Tamil country, shops selling food grains, spices, oil and other household goods are very old. Sangam literature refers to அங்காடி—marketplaces, including நாளங்காடி (day market) and அல்லங்காடி (evening/night market). Medieval temple towns likewise had specialised merchant streets and shops.  The form we would immediately recognise as a provision store became increasingly common during the 18th and especially 19th centuries, as towns expanded under British rule. The English expression provisions meant food and other supplies required for everyday use. Hence shops selling such things became “provision dealers/stores.” In Madras, Bombay and Calcutta, this retail form developed alongside older Indian grain merchants, oil merchants, spice sellers and bazaar shops.

There is also an interesting linguistic distinction. “மளிகை” itself is not a modern supermarket-era word. Tamil dictionaries use “மளிகை”  for groceries/provisions and articles sold by a grocer; “மளிகைக்கடை” consequently means the shop dealing in these miscellaneous provisions.  

Before supermarkets, apps and doorstep deliveries changed our buying habits, the neighbourhood மளிகைக் கடை was an integral part of everyday life. Rice and dhal, oil and jaggery, spices and household necessities — often weighed out from sacks and containers — came from the familiar shop where the customer and shopkeeper knew each other for years.  The shopkeeper knew the families around him, knew what they normally bought, sometimes maintained the familiar monthly account, and often sent provisions home even before the bill was settled.

The TUCS — Triplicane Urban Co-operative Society / Triplicane Co-operative Stores — is particularly significant. A 1928 Government of Madras report says that the Triplicane Co-operative Stores, registered in 1905, was the first non-credit co-operative society in the Madras Presidency, formed specifically to provide the important necessities of life to members. By 1915 it was described as the most prosperous of the co-operative stores then operating.  

Some of the famous Maligai Shops that readily come to mind starting from Kairavini Pushkarini could be [pardon me the list is not exhaustive !] – Narasayya kadai at South Mada Street, Amudha Stores that existed near Barathiyar illam, Nataraja Stores and Om Muruga Stores at TP Koil St corner opposite to each other [but run by relatives !!]; at Big Street there were more – Shanmugham stores, Nambisons, Sri Dhanalakshmi stores, and .. and .. .. Thangam Stores at 101 Big Street [opp to the site where Sri Parthasarathi Post office operated]

Gangaikondan mandapam market is a famous vegetable market and behind it is a complex housing many shops on all four sides.  On the Southern side, behind vegetable sellers there are some shops – my friend TR Ramesh ran a White goods shop; on the eastern side, there is Ganesh Photography [functioning for more than 3 decades] – on the Northern side, Thangam Stores functioned.  Though they were into multi things – this maligai kadai was well known for its quality and attracted customers in large numbers.    

Just opposite to where Sri Parthasarathi Kovil Post Office existed  in Big Street stands - Sri Parankusa Dasar Madam,  Sri Kannapiran Baktha Jana Sabhai which has a plaque that it was founded in 1872. As it stands in the house where   freedom fighter RR Dhalavai lived, he for sure was associated with this during his life – and you are sure to get attracted by the lamp post – this temple in recent times was taken care by the Thangam Stores.

Today as I attempted to buy something was informed by the shops around that Thangam Stores had closed down business and not functioning ! Sounded a bit melancholic.  Enquired with couple of more shops around, who too confirmed that its owner had decided to move out elsewhere – unable to break-even due to high rent, electricity, spiraling costs, lowering margins, and difficult labour force.

If you are a Triplicanite – most likely, you too had stood in the queue at Thangam Stores! .. .. and those are now turning into fading memories!!

எதிரே இருக்கும் சிறிய திருக்கோவிலும் தங்கம் ஸ்டோர்ஸின் கதையைச் சொல்கிறது! ஸ்ரீ கண்ணபிரான் பக்த ஜன சபையின் பெயர்ப் பலகையில், திருக்கோவில் நிர்வாகத்துடன் ‘தங்கம் ஸ்டோர்ஸ்’ பெயரும் இடம்பெற்றுள்ளது. கடைக்கும் எதிரே உள்ள கோவிலுக்கும் இருந்த இந்தத் தொடர்பு, திருவல்லிக்கேணியின் சமூக வாழ்க்கையை அழகாகப் பதிவு செய்கிறது.

“தங்கம் ஸ்டோர்ஸ் எப்போது தொடங்கப்பட்டது? திருவல்லிக்கேணி பழைய மளிகைக் கடைகள் எவை? — நினைவிருப்பவர்கள் பகிர்ந்து கொள்ளலாம்.” ~  திருவல்லிக்கேணியின் நினைவுகள் அப்படித்தான், ஏதோ ஒரு சுவரில் தங்கிவிடுகின்றன!

Regards – S Sampathkumar
9.9.2026