Mint Street Heritage Walk in Sowcarpet – The Oldest Commercial Hub & Longest Street in Chennai : Walk to Discover the Famous Culture, History, and Street Foods in Mint Street – Visit, Travel Guide

– walk through the busy locality of georgetown

CasualWalker’s Rating for Mint Street Heritage Walk, Sowcarpet :
9.8 – Great / Excellent

To mark the celebration of Madras Day, the Mint Street Heritage Walk was organized to delve into the history of Mint Street, Sowcarpet. Mint Street is one of Chennai’s oldest commercial enclaves, which is known to be the longest street in Sowcarpet, Chennai. Sowcarpet has gained a reputation as “Little North India” due to its predominantly North Indian populace.

The Mint Street Walk was thoughtfully curated with great enthusiasm by students from Sri Kanyaka Parameswari College in Sowcarpet, in collaboration with Vincent D’Souza, the editor of the well-known publications Mylapore Times and The Arcot Road.

mint street walk was thoughtfully curated by sri kanyaka parameswari college students and in collaboration with vincent d’souza editor of mylapore times magazine

participants of mint street heritage walk in sowcarpet

The Mint Street Heritage Walk commenced at the Sri Ekambareswarar Temple on Mint Street. It ventured into exploring the rich legacy of Mint Street, uncovering notable landmarks such as the Sri Ekambareswarar Temple, Novelty Tea House, Surajmull Dhoolchand Diamond Pearls, & Emerald Merchants, Kakada Ramprasad Sweets, Sri Chandraprabhu Maharaj Juna Jain Temple, Sri Sanatana Dharma Higher Secondary School, and finally ended our win Shree Chandraprabhu Jain Mandir.

Sri Ekambareswarar Devasthanam Temple

Sri Ekambareswarar Devasthanam in Mint Street is one of the oldest Lord Shiva temples built by Pallava King Mallikarjun in 1680.

History of Mint Street, Sowcarpet

Mint Street’s name originates from the 1840s when the East India Company established its coin-minting operation at this place. This location is evolved into the Government Press, which still remains operational even today. In the 1960s, Sowcarpet boasted a sizable Telugu-speaking Chettiar community, primarily involved in trade. The Komutti Chetties and Beri Chetties were prominent among them. Today, the major communities in Sowcarpet are Jains, Marwaris, Rajputs, Purohits, and Agarwal.

This region derives its name from the Hindi term “Sahukar”, signifying a trader or moneylender. As in the past, this area was a hub for pawnbroking and moneylending. Over the years, Sowcarpet has transformed from a financial hub into the pulsating heart of the city’s wholesale trade zone, characterized by its narrow alleyways teeming with shops that peddle an eclectic array of goods, from clothing, utensils, electronics, and paper, to spices.

Mint Streets is also famed for its vibrant and most happening celebrations during the Holi, Dasara, Diwali, and Ganesh Chaturthi festivals.

Sowcarpet is most famous for its North Indian cuisine and street foods, notably vegetarian cuisine influenced by the Jain settlements.

Novelty Tea House

Novelty Tea House in Sowcarpet is one of the oldest tea stalls which has been since 1958. Since then this tea stall has gradually grown as a landmark of Sowcarpet.

Surajmull Dhoolchand Diamond Pearls, & Emerald Merchants

Surajmull Dhoolchand, the oldest and famous diamond pearls, and emeralds shop founded by early Marwari merchants.

Kakada Ramprasad

Kakada Ramprasad Sweets, established in 1958, continues to draw substantial crowds. At any given moment, a queue of around 100 customers lines up for their parcels. Notable food items include Kachori, Jalebis, Lassi, Chats, Samosa, Dhokla, and Badam Milk/Pathra.

Mansukhlal Mithaiwala

Mansukhlal Mithaiwala in Sowcarpet is very famous for its most tasty Bhelpuri and Kachori.

Sri Chandraprabhu Maharaj Juna Jain Temple

Sri Chandraprabhu Maharaj Juna Jain Temple is also one of the oldest Jain temples in Sowcarpet.

super curious watchers of our walk

Sri Sanatana Dharma Higher Secondary School

Sri Sanatana Dharma Higher Secondary School is one of the oldest and famous school in Mint Street, Sowcarpet founded in 1919.

Shree Chandraprabhu Jain Mandir

Shree Chandraprabhu Jain Mandir is a 150 years old Jain temple in Sowcarpet, which was completely re-built recently with a white facade, commendable intricate design on the exteriors, and an architectural style that resembles Rajasthan’s Dilwara temple. This temple is dedicated to the 8th Tirthankara, Sri Chandraprabhu Bhagwan, this temple attracts devotees from across the city.

This Mint Street Walk in Sowcarpet, allows us to explore the rich tapestry woven from Culture, History, and Flavors entwined with Mint Street and its surroundings.

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