October 1, 2025

Kathipara, that famous Chennai junction, has a name with sharp history! According to local tales, WhatsApp University says it’s called Kathipara because the roads there cross like scissors. The earliest official record of Kathipara dates back to the 1960s when it was a village mentioned in district manuals of Saidapet and Chengalpattu. The name has an intriguing possible origin linked to the East India Company’s army nearby at St Thomas Mount. Many streets around Kathipara have army-related names — Lashkarkhana (meaning a camp), Asarghana (Officer’s area), Butt Road (rifle practice spot), Magazine Road, North Parade, and more. The word "para" in Kathipara might come from "pahra," meaning a guard post! For a long time, Kathipara was the southern border of old Madras city, marking a line between the city and nearby Chengalpattu. Interestingly, the northern border had a similar name — Kathbada — located in Fort Tondiarpet by the old Town Wall. Kathbada Road followed this wall’s path connecting key village exits, showing how the city was guarded from north and south alike. Both places have strong army history. Kathipara had a garrison near St Thomas Mount, while Kathbada had a unit before it shifted to Perambur. Sadly, modern changes like railways, canals, flyovers, and metro lines have erased many old landmarks. The once visible town wall near Stanley campus is mostly gone now, only Madi Poonga park remains. But what exactly does "Kathi" or "Kath" mean? That’s still a mystery! It may be a twisted word from Urdu or Persian. Even more curious, there’s a Kathpara Bazaar in Assam, also linked to the army once, and a Garhpehra fort in Madhya Pradesh. Are these connected? We don’t know. While exploring Kathipara, questions pop up — who was Paul Wells, with a road named after him there? What about Vembuli Subedar? And why is there a Seven Wells Road? Did Kathipara also have seven wells like parts of North Madras? Kathipara stands today as a buzzing junction, blending rich history, army whispers, and modern city life. As writer and historian V. Sriram wonders, there’s still so much hidden in its name and streets waiting to be discovered!

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Tags: Kathipara, Chennai history, East india company, St thomas mount, City boundaries, Army garrisons,