by Swetha Ramachandran
[box]There’s some place that is dear and special to each one of us. For Swetha Ramachandran, it is Chennai. Catch her celebrating the city’s blend of tradition and modernity.[/box]Long yards of silk sarees. Micro minis and tube tops. Roadside shops selling ‘dosais’, fluffy Indian pancakes. International chefs concocting new recipes. Wide stretches of shops on the footpath selling everything under the sun from clothes to fancy footwear to funky accessories. Renowned designers introducing their brand every other day in the city. You name it, we have it!
Yes! Welcome to Chennai, the land of eternal sunshine, the land where tradition and modernity co-exist with perfect ease.
From the time Madras was rechristened Chennai, this city has witnessed immense change, and has yet managed to maintain its simple grace. Walk along any street and you can still find ‘kolams’, art that unfolds at the entrances of South Indian homes, comprising dots, lines and curves made of rice flour. Young and old alike wake up every morning to the ‘dikokshan kaapi,’ traditional filter drip coffee that has withstood the tests of time and even cappuccinos and mochas! And come December, Chennai’s coveted classical music and dance festival, fondly referred to as the “December season” or the “music season” begins with packed houses. The season is indeed a tradition in itself, attracting not just Indians, but enthusiasts from all over the world!
At the same time, the city’s nightlife has got a newer twist to itself with the arrival of more pubs, restro bars and discotheques. And when it comes to food, there is so much variety for food lovers, with multi-cuisine restaurants continuously expanding their platters. In addition to the traditional song and dance festivals, the city plays host to various international film and art festivals, has a thriving theatre scene and dance schools teaching the young at heart salsa, hip-hop and jazz. This city undoubtedly has the best of both worlds!
With its charming blend of tradition and modernity, Chennai continues to welcome more and more people into its fold. The sight of those perennially crowded public buses with its trademark horde of footboard travellers exemplifies this fact! Be it professionals from abroad or from other states in India, the city warmly adds more people into its large family, and gracefully evolves to make them fall in love with the magic it is.Not just that, Chennai has something to lure people of all ages! The frothy waves and the wide stretches of sand at the Marina Beach are an attraction for both the young and the old. The St. George Fort that lives on since the time of the British rule and the Valluvar Kottam, a monument built in the memory of Tiruvalluvar, a celebrated Tamil poet, are famous tourist attractions. The Santhome Church, built in the 17th century by Portuguese, draws locals and tourists alike. These institutions speak volumes about the rich heritage of the city!
Being a hardcore Chennaiite, my love for the city has indeed grown over the years. The Thousand Lights Mosque was the Taj Mahal of my childhood and continues to remain so even today. The city’s roads only grow friendlier every time I trod their rocky, spit filled bodies. Rides in those rickety, cranky, old dull green public buses still charm you despite the air-conditioned ones having arrived for competition.
Yet, however proud I am about this city, I do have my own list of complaints!
In spite of having been promised a ‘makeover’, the ‘Cooum’, the once crystal clear river that winds through the areas in and around Egmore (and joins the sea near Napier bridge) continues to spread its presently polluted, stench filled tributaries across the city!‘ Tasmac’, the city’s government approved alcohol shops, have now become a landmark of almost every street. Well, the list of woes just gets bigger every day!
Nevertheless, my heart reaches out to this city that has seen me from when I was a toddler. I accept Chennai with its puddle loving roads, ever expanding textile industry, bumpy rides and love it from the depths of my heart.
The Tamil song “Sorgame endralum athu namm ooru pola varuma’,(Even Heaven cannot compare to our city) plays in my mind each time I travel back home from a trip, as I eagerly await the big bold letters of the railway station welcoming me back to good old Chennai!
