Madras Day

August 22^nd was Madras Day. The city turned 373. That’s something worth celebrating. It’s a great time to visit Chennai for all those who say there is nothing much to see here. You have to spend couple of days in the heart of the city to actually understand how it feels. Walk around Mylapore (ofcourse in the cool evenings), visit some of the oldest temples, and attend some concerts.  Sip some coffee and read “The Hindu”.

I love Chennai with all its potholes and problems. Two generations of my family have lived here. When I was growing up, I stayed in the suburbs.  I have travelled regularly in the erstwhile PTC (now MTC or something similar) buses to reach the centre of the city for movies or plays or concerts. I used to be fascinated by the centre of the city for the history it had.  The landmarks of Madrasapattinam are still found standing today, inspite of the fact that there is no state level heritage protection body to protect them.  Walk around Mount road and you can see crumbling Victorian buildings standing regal, despite their obvious state of dis-repair.  

When you travel down south in Tamil Nadu and say that you are from Chennai, they look at you with sympathy. It is as though you are not really a Tamilian but a mixture. There is no hardcore ‘Tamil’ feeling inspite of all the Dravida parties that are headquartered in Chennai. Ask the north-Indians and they would probably say that Madras or Chennai is all about idlis and dosas.  

There is nothing spectacular about Chennai excepting for its simplicity. I would say that the wholesome feeling you get in Chennai is thanks to the overwhelming presence of South-Indian culture, tradition and art forms.  Inspite of the influence of liberalisation, massive urbanisation and growth, Chennai is saved by the presence of so much culture.  It is a fact that people are a little conservative and less ostentatious.  You still find a lot of saree and veshti (dhoti), atleast during festivals. The trademark “malli poo” (jasmine flower) is still sought after, even though its cost has tripled or quadrupled in ten years time. 

I wish there was something more than just Madras day celebration. Until recently there has been no major Government intitiative to protect the obvious symbols of the old Madras. Queen Marys College, the Punjab National Bank and Philips building in Anna Salai are some buildings that need to be protected and preserved. It is a pity that we come to know about the history of these structures only when they get affected by some catastrophe like the Kalas Mahal case.There is a lot that has to be improved in terms of the city’s infrastructure too. But, there is hope and such celebrations are surely full of that. Here's to a greener, cleaner, safer and beautiful Chennai.