Much of the area around present-day Chennai may look completely urban today, but old records show that large parts of the city were once covered by farms and wet agricultural fields. Areas south of Gemini Circle, particularly along what is now Mount Road or Anna Salai, remained connected to farming until the early 1970s.
Names such as Vellala Teynampet and Vanniyar, which were used to identify different parts of the area, also point to the strong connection between the neighbourhoods and agriculture. Farming was not limited to one small location and was also seen in areas around what is now Raja Annamalaipuram.
One important source of water for agriculture was the Long Tank of Mylapore. The large water body supported cultivation in several parts of the region. Even after the agricultural lands disappeared, some reminders of the old landscape remained. Names such as “Farmhouse” and “Field View” can still be found among properties in the area.
One of the most important examples of Chennai’s farming history was the Government Farm Village. The farm was established in 1865 by Governor Sir William Denison. It originally covered around 300 acres and was surrounded by a fence.
The farm was managed for nearly two decades by William Rowntrie Robertson, who had studied at Cirencester Agricultural College in England. Under his management, agricultural activities were developed across the property. Around 139 acres were used for growing crops, while another 36 acres were planted with casuarina trees. The trees were mainly grown to provide firewood that could be used in construction activities.
Robertson also introduced new agricultural methods and worked to improve farming practices. An agricultural school was established as part of the farm, helping people learn modern techniques. The farm also sold seeds and agricultural tools, with the income helping to support its activities.
However, the Government Farm Village was not free from criticism. In 1897, The Madras Mail criticised the decision to locate the farm so close to the city and described it as unproductive. Despite the criticism, the farm continued to survive. By 1898, it was among the few government farms still operating in India, although its original 300-acre area had been reduced to only around 20 acres.
The government later established two more farms in 1898. One was located in Bellary, where cotton cultivation was planned, while another was established at Koilpatti. However, both farms eventually failed.
The agricultural farm and its school were later shifted to Coimbatore. Over time, the institution developed into what is now known as Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, one of the state’s major agricultural education and research institutions.
Meanwhile, the original land in Madras continued to be associated with the name Government Farm Village, even as the city expanded around it. Parts of the land were gradually used for other purposes, including the establishment of the Teachers Training College.
Urban development changed the area further during the 20th century. In the 1920s, parts of the former farm land were included in plans for Thyagaraya Nagar (T. Nagar). By the 1950s, the Nandanam area had also developed on parts of the remaining land.
Today, very little of the original farmland remains. Roads, homes, educational institutions and commercial buildings have replaced much of the agricultural landscape. Yet the name Government Farm Village continues to survive, serving as a reminder of a time when farming was an important part of the landscape of Madras.
The history of Government Farm Village shows how dramatically Chennai has changed over the past century. Areas that are now among the city’s busy residential and commercial neighbourhoods were once fields, farms and agricultural land.