marco polo visited madurai ( and possibly thanjai) and definitely chennai in around 1290 or so. about the hatted man what kudavasal balasubramaniam told us was it was the prank or a representation of that particular time by a sculptor ( in the marata serfoji) periodwho had been asked to replace some statues that had fallen off in a storm. by that time the danish under the agreement with the marattas had setttled down in the east of tanjore kingdom- tranquebar.