300-year-old Armenian plaque restored in IndiaApril 8, 2019 - 10:51 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A 300-year-old Armenian plaque in Saidapet, India has recently been restored, Times of India reports. The plaque, which commemorates the building of the Marmalong bridge in 1726 — the oldest across the Adyar River — by Armenian merchant Coja Petrus Uscan, had disappeared from sight a few years ago owing in part to neglect and to construction work along the Saidapet Bridge. But now, the Armenian consulate in the city, in collaboration with the highways department, has managed to restore the plaque in its original spot. “In February, a group of 20 Armenians had visited the city and they went to see the plaque,” says Shivkumar Eashwaran, honorary consul general of Armenia in Chennai. “They were upset that the plaque was virtually underground. There was an outcry in Armenia and in India,” he said. Eashwaran was directed to the highways department, which helped dig out the plaque and restore it to its former glory. Most of the plaque was underground and had to be dug out using a crane. “It was restored last week. We are building a granite structure around it to protect it,” said N Shanthi of the highways department. “There was a celebration in India and Armenia when we shared pictures of the restoration. The Armenian press has covered it as a matter of pride,” says Eashwaran. The plaque will be officially unveiled after the elections in May. The Marmalong Bridge was built at Rs 1 lakh and dedicated to the city. Uscan had decided to settle in Madras after coming to the city in 1724 and paid not only to build the bridge but also for its upkeep. Related links: Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | European Parliament to discuss repression in Azerbaijan The European Parliament will discuss repression of civil society in Azerbaijan on April 24 PACE wants concessions from Azerbaijan to accept Baku back A PACE co-rapporteur said that Azerbaijani authorities must make certain concessions so that the country can return to PACE. Armenia PM, France envoy discuss regional matters Issues related to the consistent development of Armenia-France cooperation were discussed. Azerbaijan razes historic Armenian church to ground Azerbaijan has demolished the historic Armenian Church of St. John the Baptist (known as Kanach Zham). |