With the bicycle being the first modern vehicle of Coimbatore, only the economically rich could buy it in those days, and he was one of them.
Many motorists riding near Fraser Square may not know whether such a place exists in Coimbatore and why the place was named ‘Fraser Square’. With two antique buildings the ‘square’ still stands behind the Head Post Office adjacent to the flyover on Good Shed Road.
Before the advent of bicycles, motorcycles, cars and buses, the only modes of conveyance in Coimbatore were bullock and horse drawn carts. With the absence of electricity, long nights witnessed bullock carts carrying people in the brightness of large lantern lamps suspended down the vehicle. Children of those days, who would accompany their parents to Big Bazaar Street for their monthly purchase, had the privilege of returning home with their parents on horse-drawn carts loaded with things bought from shops at Town Hall. Even in case of transporting the dead body, horse-drawncarts were the ‘poor man’s mortuary vehicles’ at ‘Periya Aspathiri’ ( CMCH) There used to be scenes with the kin of the deadwailing aloud near the cart, as the horse kept munchingfrom the bundle of grass near the home of the dead.
With bicycle being the first modern vehicle of Coimbatore, only the economically rich could buy it and G Kuppusamy Naidu, was one of them. He often rode on it with pride around the city. Being an active entrepreneur in the cotton business, he was greatly encouraged by Sir Robert Stanes, without whose help, he could not have established his ginning factory near Papanaicken Palayam. The love which Sir Robert Stanes had for Kuppusamy was evident when his car took part in Kuppusamy’s wedding procession. In fact, that was the first motorcar to appear on the roads of Coimbatore.
While thinking of frequent bus facilities, Coimbatoreans should remember that GD Naidu was the first gentleman to operate his UMS bus between Pollachi and Pazhani in 1920.However, there was a ‘bus like’ vehicle plying in the city. As it was an exclusive vehicle operated for the refugees from Malta, who were given accommodation in the Forest College after Second World War, the vehicle carried them from Forest College to Town Hall for watching movies!
Though Coimbatore’s modern transport starts from the arrival of the bicycle in the city, there are few people riding it today.
Amidst the emission of smoke and noise of motor vehicles on Mill Road and Good Shed Road, there stands Fraser Square still waiting for a glimpse of a bicycle, at least to bring back memories of William Fraser, who brought the first bicycle to Coimbatore!