Cravings for the past - what Chennai means to me

This post is part of the blog tag titled the CBC Tabog, where CBC stands for Chennai Bloggers Club. About 35 bloggers from Chennai are participating in this blog tag; everyone will write about Chennai and what has attracted them here. Thanks to Muthiah Sriram for passing the buck on to me. Muthiah calls himself an amateur blogger, although a brief skimming through his blog makes me not want to agree with him.

But before I delve too much into why I am attached so much to Chennai (or Madras, as I prefer calling it), a small trivia. I was born in Madras on a fine evening of '88 and guess who was the nurse who delivered me? Don't we all know Nurse Nalini? Yes, the same lady. So, in a way, my birth itself is a bit of a controversy.

But back to the city. Whenever I think of Madras, a sense of warmth sweeps over me completely. Like the warmth an infant feels in a mother's arm. Yes, I am, but, one of the many children of Madras. And a proud one at that. An NRI child, who still craves to cling on to all the beautiful memories this (g)old city has bestowed upon me. How much ever people abuse the city, both verbally and otherwise, one cannot deny the fact that Madras gives back only love; only care. It embraces one and all, irrespective of caste, creed, color, race. To Madras, each one of us is equal. 

I still remember the good old days when I was a school kid. Back then, we lived in Kodambakkam, the Kollywood capital. Just a stone's throw away, Vairamuthu lived. In my own flat, some small time actor and his father lived. Memories of actually wanting to get even his autograph linger somewhere in the brain. Those days also formed the most happiest memories of my life. I am talking of a time when Satyam did not become so awesome, but was merely a theatre with four screens. At that time, watching a movie at the AVM theatre in Vadapalani was considered rich. Udayam theatre was the second best choice. Every weekend, my entire family (my parents, dad's brother and his family, my cousins) made it a routine to either catch up a movie at AVM, or hit the Marina beach followed by dinner in one of the star hotels back then. Uncle, being filthy rich, mostly treated us. The scores of times we have had awesome family time in the beach can never be forgotten. I look back at those days with such a heavy heart, now that we don't do it anymore. 

There was this one restaurant near Mandaveli bus terminus called Mela. They served the best Shahi Paneer in all of Chennai. My aunt used to take my cousin and me there every alternate weekend. At one point, the restaurant started giving us discount for being regular customers. The last time when I was in Chennai and went along that road, and that restaurant was not there. What a shame.

And then the new Satyam came in. Even as a school kid, I remember hanging so much at the theatre, that sometimes we used to watch three movies back to back. Thankfully, all our dads did not mind that. A walk along the road leads one to the Church Park convent. Need I say more? Everything back then seemed so simple, yet so memorable. Even today, although INOX, PVR and AGS have found a strong loyalty base, in my case, it is always Satyam. Watching a movie in Satyam is an experience in itself. And that's something non-Chennaiites would never understand, even though many other cities boast of far superior multiplexes. 

Studying in one of the finest schools of Chennai (and probably India) had its own merit. Yes, I am a proud alumnus of Padma Seshadri. What I am today, is because what PSBB gave me. Which takes me back to wonderful memories of friends from school, many of us now settled in various parts of the globe, but our roots still are stuck with Chennai and I am sure it always will.

I was not so lucky to experience the city as a college kid (both during my UG and now my Masters). Studying in a college outside Chennai had its disappointments, but I used to run back to Chennai at the tiniest of opportunity available. Every time when we took a bus from Trichy to Chennai, once the bus crossed the airport, I used to be wide awake. Just to enjoy the early morning beauty of the Kathipara flyover. The flyover is still one of awe, everytime I drive over it. How much the traffic used to suck around the area before the flyover was built. 

A walk along the Nanganallur market is a visual treat to anyone. All the Iyer mamis clad in their madisar 9 gajam is such a beauty to watch. And trust me, these mamis are unbeatable when it comes to bargaining. Such smart ones they are. The awesome puliyodharai and vadai from Anjaneyar temple is something to crave for. The unique taste can never be matched. 

Watching a match at the Chepauk stadium is always a thrill. I have watched matches both in the Pavilion and Pavilion terrace (once, even getting a close up look at the Master Blaster), as well as from the most cheapest of stands. But cheering on with other fanatics, especially during the much recent IPL matches, screaming voices out to support CSK, booing Delhi Daredevils once - wow, all that is just absolute bliss. After one particular IPL match in which Chennai won, we were so urged to drink, that we actually took the car all the way from Triplicane to the airport (Zaras), only to find that it was closed. And then we headed back to Thiruvanmiyur to a friend's place and got drunk all night over foreign scotch and local sarakku. And still managed to head to office the next morning

The beauty of Chennai is that it has retained a big part of its erstwhile Madras era even today. On the one hand, the south of the city has changed so much that you can mainly see glass covered tech parks and software companies. On the other side, there is still a big portion along the Mount Road, PH Road where the colonial look has still remained. Each of those 100 year old buildings near Ritchie Street are such grandeur structures.

Travelling in the first class compartment of the electric train from Pazhavanthangal station to Paranur to work is something I will both miss and not miss. True, it used to be so damn crowded, that I'd just want to jump off the train every day. But the fact that the first class compartment was right next to the ladies compartment made up for all the irritation. Both salwar clad techies of Mahindra City and the jean'ed girls of SRM University were just the best part of the one hour long journey. Each day brought in new experiences, new things to talk to, new people to look at. 

Yes, the city has its own limitations and problems. Traffic, pollution, heat, Cooum river - the list goes rather huge. Yet, all these are also a part of the legacy that's Chennai. Everything cannot be perfect. Something has to be wrong. What would be complain about, if everything was right? We have to learn to live among the imperfections, yet try to correct them unsuccessfully. The balance of good and the not-so-good should be retained. And, Chennai has done everything in its capacity to retain this balance. 

I perhaps have left out on the most obvious things about Chennai. But Chennai, as public as it might be, is also my personal pride. Naturally, whenever I think of the city, I would only look at it from a personal view. Chennai has given me so much, and I am sure it would give me much more. And I would be eternally grateful to the city for making me who I am today. True, I don’t live in the city now, and I don’t foresee my return (permanently) for a few years. But the reality is, I embarked on this journey of doing my Masters with just one sole purpose - to make enough money to actually purchase just one house in Chennai, so that I can get back to what would rightfully be mine, hopefully in a few years. A simple Chennaiite's dream. When I say this, I cannot fail to miss that one tiny drop of tear that's clinging on to my eye, which reminds me constantly that this is for the best and that I would be back soon. Back to my roots. Back to my base. Back to Madras.

This post would be succeeded by Rajiv Nagarajan, a Chennaiite who blogs on random stuff, often mokkai. I wouldn’t quite agree, but why don't you decide for yourself? He blogs at here