Tamil Nadu in the 1890s

Rettamalai Srinivasan founds the Paraiyar Mahajana Sabha

Rettamalai Srinivasan set up the Paraiyar Mahajana Sabha, an early Dalit body, and launched the Tamil paper Paraiyan in 1893.

Iyothee Thass founds the Dravida Mahajana Sabha

Iyothee Thass founded the Dravida Mahajana Sabha and urged Dalits to record themselves in the census as casteless Dravidians rather than Hindus.

Suguna Vilasa Sabha theatre company founded

Pammal Sambandha Mudaliar founded the Suguna Vilasa Sabha in Madras to revive and reform Tamil drama.

Madras and Mysore sign the 1892 Cauvery agreement

After an 1890 conference, the Madras Presidency and Mysore signed an agreement on the use of the Cauvery's waters.

Madras High Court building inaugurated

After three decades in temporary quarters, the Madras High Court moved into its Indo-Saracenic complex, inaugurated on 12 July 1892.

Rettamalai Srinivasan launches the Paraiyan newspaper

Dalit leader Rettamalai Srinivasan started the Tamil paper Paraiyan in October 1893 to speak for the Paraiyar community.

U. V. Swaminatha Iyer publishes Purananuru

After years of manuscript research, U. V. Swaminatha Iyer published an edition of the Sangam anthology Purananuru with notes.

Congress session in Madras presided by Alfred Webb

In December 1894 Madras hosted the tenth Indian National Congress session, presided over by Alfred Webb, an Irish nationalist MP.

Mullaperiyar Dam completed

The Periyar dam, built under John Pennycuick between 1887 and 1895, began diverting water east to the Madurai region of the Madras Presidency.

Sarah Tucker College opens in Palayamkottai

In 1895 the Sarah Tucker High School at Palayamkottai became a college, the earliest women's college in South India.

Electric trams begin in Madras

The Madras Electric Tramways began service, the first electric tram system in India.

Brahmavadin journal launched in Madras

Brahmavadin, a journal of Vedanta, was launched by Alasinga Perumal and fellow Madras followers of Swami Vivekananda.

Connemara Public Library opens

The Connemara Public Library, founded in 1890 by Governor Lord Connemara, opened to the public in Madras in 1896.

Ramana Maharshi arrives at Tiruvannamalai

Aged sixteen, Venkataraman, afterwards known as Ramana Maharshi, left Madurai for Arunachala hill at Tiruvannamalai and remained there until his death.

Famine of 1896-1897 reaches the Madras Presidency

A famine that began in Bundelkhand in 1896 spread across India, including parts of the Madras Presidency, where grain exports continued.

San Thome Cathedral rebuilt and consecrated

The church over the traditional tomb of St Thomas at Santhome, Madras, was rebuilt in neo-Gothic style and consecrated on 1 April 1896.

Prabuddha Bharata journal founded in Madras

Started in Madras in July 1896 on Swami Vivekananda's encouragement, Prabuddha Bharata was an English-language journal of the Ramakrishna movement.

Swami Vivekananda visits Madras

Returning from the West, Swami Vivekananda stayed at the Ice House on the Madras beach from 6 to 14 February 1897.

Kamudi temple entry agitation

Nadars entered the Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple at Kamudi in 1897; the courts, and in 1908 the Privy Council, ruled against their right of entry.

Iyothee Thass founds the Sakya Buddhist Society

After embracing Buddhism in Ceylon, Iyothee Thass founded the Sakya Buddhist Society in Madras, launching a Tamil Buddhist revival among Dalits.

Congress session in Madras presided by Ananda Mohan Bose

The fourteenth session of the Indian National Congress met in Madras in December 1898 under Ananda Mohan Bose.

Sivakasi riots

In and near Sivakasi, Maravar-Nadar clashes killed 22 people and burnt hundreds of houses until troops stepped in.

Kodaikanal Solar Observatory founded

Solar research moved from the Madras Observatory to a new observatory at Kodaikanal, where the Evershed effect was discovered in 1909.

Nilgiri Mountain Railway opens to Coonoor

In June 1899 the Nilgiris rack railway between Mettupalayam and Coonoor was finished and began carrying traffic.

King Institute of Preventive Medicine established

Set up at Guindy in Madras, the King Institute of Preventive Medicine was created to fight infectious diseases.