An abiding thread in the history of VP Hall is the manner in which it was a venue for sports of various kinds. From the narrative of Pammal Sambanda Mudaliar we note that the Cycles Club was a tenant here towards the end of the 19th century. Though the history of that short-lived body is not available, we can assume it comprised cycling enthusiasts. The Suguna Vilasa Sabha itself promoted sports and ensured that VP Hall was not merely a cultural venue but also a space where physical recreation and organised sporting activity were encouraged among the city’s residents.
Billiards at VP Hall
The billiards table at VP Hall was very famous. At a time when the Madras and the Madras Cricket Clubs were whites only and were the only other social bodies to boast of such a facility, it was the Suguna Vilasa Sabha at VP Hall that promoted the sport among Indians. The first reference to billiards at the MCC is in March 1907, quite late considering that the SVS already had a billiards room. The Madras Presidency Billiards League was established here by the South Indian Athletic Association.
Leagues, Clubs and Markers
In the Madras Presidency Billiards League, markers from the Madras Club, the MCC, the Gymkhana, the Madras United Cricket Club, the Suguna Vilasa Sabha, the Cosmopolitan Club and also those employed in the various hotels of the city participated. This wide representation underlines the importance of VP Hall as neutral ground where sporting competition cut across racial and institutional barriers. It played a crucial role in familiarising Indian players with organised competitive formats and integrating them into a sporting culture that had hitherto been largely exclusive.
Tennis at VP Hall
Tennis was well-known at here as well. There were tennis courts on one side of the building and together with the courts at the Madras United Cricket Club and the Cosmopolitan, did much to promote interest in the sport among Indians. Photographs from the 1920s reveal victorious teams seated at the rear of the building, thereby indicating that it was a venue for competitions. These images also suggest the pride and visibility that sporting success brought to Indian participants in a colonial city.
The South Indian Athletic Association at VP Hall
The South Indian Athletic Association, a historic body now all but forgotten, promoted track events and boxing in the city for over a hundred years. Operating initially from leased premises in People’s Park, the SIAA moved into VP Hall after the Suguna Vilasa Sabha left and made it a hub for sporting activity. In the 1930s, VP Hall hosted a demonstration of table tennis, and thereafter until the 1980s, it remained the principal venue for numerous TT tournaments.
Fairs, Boxing and Spectacle outside VP Hall
The SIAA also organised the Park Town Annual Fair, begun in 1878 by the Corporation and later taken over by the Association. Track and field events surrounded VP Hall each Christmas week, alongside rekla races and exhibition boxing matches. Gun Boat Jack performed motorcycle stunts inside a wooden enclosure and North Madras boxing champions dominated the ring. The gradual loss of People’s Park land and the construction of the indoor stadium led to the fair’s abandonment and the eventual disappearance of the SIAA.
CAM and the Chess Legacy
VP Hall was later rented by the Chennapuri Andhra Mahasabha, which eventually built its own premises on the land while occupying the ground floor. Founded in 1916 by Sir Pitty Theyagaroya Chetty, the body aimed to promote sports among Telugu-speaking residents. Though its later role at VP Hall is debatable, its contribution to sports is undeniable. Carrom, chess and billiards flourished, and chess tournaments held here helped establish Chennai as a future chess capital.
A Sporting Past, a Civic Legacy
VP Hall, as restored today, may no longer function as a sports centre. The city now has several other public facilities for that purpose. Yet VP Hall’s role in cultivating sporting interest among Madras residents remains undeniable. Across cycling, billiards, tennis, athletics, boxing, table tennis and chess, it nurtured public participation and competition. In this aspect too, VP Hall truly lived up to its role as the city’s town hall — a public space that belonged to its people.
This article appeared in Madras Musings–https://madrasmusings.com/vol-35-no-18/vp-hall-and-sports/
My book, Chennai, A Biography can be ordered –http://-http://- https://sriramv.com/2021/12/27/how-to-buy-autographed-copies-of-chennai-a-biography-from-outstation/
