In a couple of years, an iconic building with a vintage appearance, located opposite the Gothic-style Zion Church on the bustling Arunachalam Street in Chintadripet, will mark its 100th anniversary. The entrance features a pediment supported by four pillars, identifying it as P. Vijiaragavulu Chetty’s Hall, also known as The Goschen Library. In 1926, Vijiaragavulu Chetty, a contractor and resident of Chintadripet, initiated the creation of a free public library in the area. A plaque at the entrance notes that the foundation stone for Rao Sahib P. Vijiaragavulu Chetty’s Public Library was laid by T.E. Moir, a member of the executive council of the Governor of Madras, on January 23, 1926. A few years later, the library was inaugurated by Viscount Goschen, who was then the Governor of Madras.
