Beach food

Yesterday was the last day of the 'Enjoy Arusuvai Tiruvizha - EAT', a festival of street food. One part of the Besant Nagar beach was cordoned off for the food stalls - there were about 20 stalls, but the organizers were not letting anyone enter the venue before 5.30 pm. Besant Nagar beach is quite crowded every weekend, but yesterday seemed to be much more so. 

The turnout had been quite good on the first two days, apparently. The organizers had brought in 50 chefs from all over the country, so it must have been a pan-Indian street food experience. Good food, priced right - and then it was for a charitable cause. Of course Chennai would have turned up in droves.

I had gone hoping to have a street food dinner. Well, it seemed to me that I should have got here right after lunch!

Another town, another temple(s)

Chintadripet - the name evolving from chinna thari pettai (சின்ன தறி பேட்டை), the 'village of small looms' - was one of the earliest 'planned' localities of Madras. As the name suggests, it was also heavily involved in the clothe trade that Madras was founded upon. Whereas the first wave of weavers, dyers, washermen and the like, who were brought in by Beri Thimmappa, were settled to the north of Fort St George grouped by their work or caste, Chintadripet was intended to be a more mixed locality. 

However, there was one aspect of the older locale that was incorporated into the new settlement as well. Audiappa Narayana Chetty ('Vennala Narran Chitty', as the British said) was one of the two dubashes administering the settlement. He brought in the 'Town Temple' concept and replicated the Chenna Kesavaperumal and Chenna Malleswarar in Chintadripet. The idols of both Adhi Kesava Perumal and Adhipureeswarar are installed in this complex - and inside, Adhi Lakshmi has a separate shrine of her own.

Going through the pushing and shoving of the crowds of Chintadripet, you'd little expect to find such an oasis of calm. Most of the structures in the temple are from its origins, in the mid-1700s. The newest one seems to be that green door on the left, to house the temple car; and its date is recorded as 1901. You can be sure of going back in time inside this temple!

On target?

It is probably Chennai's most global project. No, I'm not talking about the building in the background, but the work that's going on in front of it. The Chennai Metro currently has workers from six nations working on the project at various locations around the city. Apart from Indians (of course!), there are Nepalese, Chinese, Russians, South Africans and Germans who are involved in various aspects of building the metro lines. If we also consider the rolling stock being manufactured at Alstom's factory at Sao Paulo, Brazil, rails from France, fastenings from the UK (and China), communication systems from Singapore and signalling systems from Japan, that's quite a lot of languages to be talking in.

Then there are the complexities of Indian languages. Tamizh, Hindi, Oriya, Telugu... those are ones I've heard most often. Despite all the potential for communication breakdowns, the project seems to be moving along smoothly and appears to be on track for a December 2013 launch.

For all that, the technicians don't appear to be stressed about the schedules at all. Seeing them nice and relaxed, as they go about messing with the theodolites and stuff, you can't help wonder if they could actually speed it up a bit and give us the metro rail earlier!

Close of play

The picture is a bit old, taken a couple of years ago. That's because I didn't have any other representing the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA). The TNCA sends out one of the strongest teams for the Ranji Trophy, the domestic cricket championship. The Tamil Nadu team has been in the Ranji finals 11 times, but they have won it only twice. The first time they did it was in 1954-55; the man who led them to the title, Balu Alaganan, was perhaps the epitome of what a cricket player should be.

The 1954-55 season started with Balu Alaganan scoring a century against Travancore-Cochin. But right after, his form deserted him, to the extent that he offered to step down after the semi finals, believing that the best team should play the finals. His team mates, including CD Gopinath and AG Kripal Singh, and the manager, V. Pattabhiraman insisted that he continue to captain the side. Coming in at No.5 in the first innings, Alaganan scored a duck. He dropped himself down to No.9 in the second and with the last batsman, Murugesh, added 71 for the 10th wicket - a partnership that was key to Madras (as the side was then called) beating Holkar by 46 runs. Alaganan said that Murugesh "...gave me the confidence I needed. "Don't take me for a No.11", he said to me"; ever modest, eager to give credit where it was due.

Many boys and young men of the 1970s would have little recollection of Balu Alaganan as a player, but he did build the love of the game in them through his commentary. (Not to mention the kids' grasp of English and its usage). Sitting next to the radio, 'seeing' the grass and the skies and the fielders through Alaganan's descriptions: that was the way to follow the Chepauk test, even if you were inside the stadium. That voice is no more. Balu Alaganan has gone over to play for a different team, but will stay on the hearts of all cricket lovers!

Old wheels

Once upon a time, there were the Matchless, Norton, or Triumph. With the British still looming large over India, these motorcycles were the objects of desire for young men in India. Somehow they died out and were replaced by bikes from Czechoslovakia - the Jawa and the Yezdi, which ruled the hearts of young men despite a bit of a knocking from the 'Bobby' bike - the Rajdoot getting a big leg up thanks to the 1973 movie. And then came the Japs, Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki, in the 1980s. Of late, the newcomers have been from across the world - BMW, Harley Davidson, Triumph, Ducati, Hyosung - each of them carving out their niche in the market.

Through all of that, one company has been chugging along. First as the British company, then as an Indian company.  Enfield India practically took over the motorcycling heritage of Royal Enfield. Headquartered in Madras, Enfield had one brand - and what a brand it was! - the Bullet, which was all machismo. When the Japanese 100cc motorcycles landed in India, the 350cc Bullet scoffed: an ad from that time said, "Let the boys have their toys. It takes a man to ride the Bullet". Yet, in what appeared to be a flanking strategy, Enfield India also launched the 50cc Silver Plus and Explorer, keeping two other higher-end brands of the defunct German motorcycle maker Zundapp, Enterprise and Fury, in reserve. 

None of those brands or bikes survive today. Enfield India is now known as Royal Enfield and is a unit of Eicher, which also makes commercial vehicles and autoparts. But Enfield's bikes still look almost the same as they did 70 years ago - compare the new one, decked out for its puja, with the picture of a Bullet of the 1940s from this link!

Kid stuff

Quick - how many countries have a dedicated film society for children's films? I don't know the answer, but there must be quite a few, considering that there are festivals of children's films at different venues around the year. India, of course, has the Children's Film Society, India - an organisation that was born very early in the country's life. 

Quick - tell me where the Chennai office of the CFSI functions from? If you are guessing Vadapalani or Kodambakkam, I can understand why, but those answers will not get you any points. You can see the answer if you click on the photo - so you can find out for yourself if you guessed correctly!

Two - or three?

In August 2012, the Port of Chennai handled 158 cargo vessels, slightly less than the average for the current year. As you know, these vessels cannot coast into the harbour, or out of it, without being guided by the harbour tugs. The Chennai Port Trust used to have six tugs at the turn of the millenium, but they now have only five, according to their website. 

The older tugs among the five are named after freedom fighters. The oldest is 'Nethaji', which has been in service since 1995, followed by 'Singaravelar' (1996) and 'Bharatiyar' (2001). The other two are named after poets: 'Sundaranar' (2002) and 'Sekkizhar' (2003). In the picture are Sundaranar and Nethaji. There does not seem to be much difference between the two, except that Nethaji seems to have slightly duller colours. 

But wait a minute. Aren't there three masts visible in the picture? So which is that third tug?  Looks like it is hidden behind the Nethaji, so we shall have to let that mystery rest a long while!

A different sun

In the days when Mount Road was bordered on its west by the Long Tank, there were a few spots where a lay-by was available for the troops marching from Fort St George out to Cenotaph Road or beyond. One such was in Teynampet; where there today are a lot of timber supply stores, just along the Gemini flyover, were once farriers plying their trade.  Movie theatres were not even in their imagination in those days...

... cut to the 1930s. Enraptured by the magic of the movies, Sundarrao Naidu builds his cinema where farriers once shod horses. He didn't have to look too far to name his theatre;  the first three letters of his name were good enough. And so Sun Theatre came into the movie business in 1941. With the war years on, Sundarrao Naidu opened his theatre to not just movies, but also other performances, which were primarily aimed at generating funds for the War Relief Fund. One of the most well attended performance was that of the stage version of 'Pavazhakodi'. MK Thayagaraja Bhagavathar, who had played the lead in the film a decade earlier, returned to that role on stage. 

Sun Theatre was probably one of many ventures that Sundarrao was involved in, for he was  always an active participant in public life. He was the mayor of Madras when India became independent, in 1947. Though Sundarrao died in 1949, Sun Theatre continued into the early 90s. During that lean phase for the movie industry, the theatre was closed and this commercial complex came up in its place. The Sun brand name - included in the bus stop and directions to almost all establishments nearby - was quite unique for a long while and continues to hold an independent identity even today.  

A side note: Sundarrao's brother, Venugopal took a cue from his brother, and when he built his own theatre, it was called Venus. No, not as a rock around the sun, but by dropping the apostrophe from Venu's!

Cathedral of Madras

That is what it was called, back in the day when Madras was a separate diocese from that of Mylapore. The San Thome basilica was the Cathedral of Mylapore; with the amalgamation of the Archdiocese of Madras and the Dicoese of Mylapore in November 1952, the San Thome basilica became the Cathedral of Madras-Mylapore and St. Mary's Cathedral, on Armenian Street, had to be content with the status of a co-cathedral.

The Cathedral gates have the figure 1642 inscribed on them. While it is likely that the church may have been functioning here from that date, it is also argued that the year refers to the setting up of a cemetery here, rather than a church. What seems to be well accepted is that the church was set up by Fr Ephraim de Nevers, a Capuchin. Fr de Nevers' duties were in Fort St George and he was to keep St. Mary's Church there in order. The government permitted Fr. de Nevers to open his second church in 1658, but it took a little longer for the church itself to take shape. 

Whatever be its exact date of origin, it seems to have been well cared for; although missing the pomp and gaiety of a San Thome Church, it is still grand enough to be a commanding presence!

Old sign

There was a time, long ago, when this board would have made sense. Today, cycle rickshaws are restricted to just a a few parts of Chennai: Walltax Road for one, parts of George Town for another. This sign, towards the end of West Cooum River Road, looks quite forlorn. As far as the eye could see, there wasn't a single pedal powered rickshaw anywhere near by!

Different system

India has had a rich tradition of medicinal thought and action. Apart from home grown systems of medicine, the land had little problem in allowing new methods to come in and be practiced along side the older ones. Some of them have grown so big as to threaten the continued existence of the so called traditional systems of medicine.

One such system is Unani. The word originally meant 'Greek' and probably referred to Hippocrates. Though based on his principles, the system evolved quite differently from the 'Western' systems and, as far as I know, is making a spirited last stand in India. One of the reasons for its continued survival must surely be the efforts of the Government of India to prop it up, along with a few other systems. Under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there is a department named AYUSH - that's an acronym for Ayurvada, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy - which funds several research institutes across the country. 

Research in Unani medicine falls under the CCRUM - the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine. The CCRUM runs over 25 institutions, covering the spectrum of research to drug development. Most of the research is carried out through the seven Regional Research Institutes - of which one is in Chennai. Located on West Mada Church Road in Royapuram, this one seems to taking its research real easy - or maybe it is just that it was a Sunday!

Another anniversary

The line of statues along the Marina has Ilango Adigal at the northern end (most articles seem to miss that one out) and this one at the other. It is probably more appropriate to say that it starts with this one of K. Kamaraj, who is one of the few politicians to have given up a ministerial position - that of Chief Minister, no less - to go back to his party's organisational hierarchy. The line starts here, because the road along the beach is named Kamarajar Salai - and he has to be at the head of it.

He was 72 when he died, and kind of picked the wrong day for it. There is no way anyone else can overshadow Gandhiji. Lal Bahadur Shastri was also born on October 2, but he does not even get a token mention these days. Maybe that way, Kamaraj is a little better off. His statue here being quite close to that of the Mahatma helps the high-and-mighty to spare a garland for him, as well, to remember him on the anniversary of his passing away.

I have been wondering: the road along the beach has been around for a long time. What was it called before being named after this great leader? Does anyone know?

The Goddess protects

Chhatrapati Shivaji was always known to be a devotee of the Goddess Bhavani; one legend has it that the Goddess gifted him the Chandrahas sword. Shivaji was also in the habit of reconnoitering his enemy's fortifications and strength incognitio. It is most likely that this habit brought him close to Fort St George 335 years ago this night. Since April of 1677, he had been criss-crossing the country around Madras; in fact, on three occasions, he sent emissaries to Fort St George requesting "cordial stones and counter-poisons" and suchlike things. After a couple of passages humouring him, the British turned down Shivaji's request for English engineers. 

Shivaji had at that time gone past Madras to capture Vellore and Gingee. Maybe he kept the refusal in mind when he came back in October, and camped to the north of Fort St George. In the Fort as Governor was Streynsham Master, who had been part of the defence when Shivaji had attacked the Company's factory at Surat in 1670. Probably recalling  his failure to penetrate Master's defences in Surat, Shivaji was trying to learn more about them. In that quest, he likely came across the Kalikambal temple on what is now Thambu Chetty Street - or maybe the temple was in its 'original' spot, closer to the sea in those times. The portrait in the temple commemorates that visit, of which there is no real record.

Kalikambal, the presiding deity of this temple was originally portrayed in a martial, fearsome form. That was replaced by a more benign representation of the goddess. Shivaji's prayers to her may have resulted in her tempering Shivaji's belligerence into pragmatism; he probably figured out it was not worth the effort trying to sack Fort St George and went quietly back to Raigad. In protecting her favourite son, Goddess Kalikambal also ended up protecting the young city of Madras!

Whitened man

Putting his statue out on the Marina will convey the grandeur of his vision, but he did walk the streets like a common man as well. Mohandas Gandhi is not usually brought down to the streets, remaining instead on a pedestal, most of the time doing something: striding or spinning are the common choices.

This statue of the Mahatma may be closer to street level, but it has been positioned just outside the temple at Tiruvottiyur, indicating the normal approach of putting him close to the Gods. This is quite an amateur rendering, sponsored by a political party. (Though if you click on the photo, the enlarged version will show the colour scheme of a different party in his eyes....). And yet, being accessible to many more people, it helps to keep the story of the man alive.

In case you missed it, there is one of Gandhiji's favourite tenets atop the cupola; the three cherub-like figures represent the "see-no-evil, speak-no-evil, hear-no-evil" philosophy that he held dear. Gandhiji had them represented more faithfully as Mizaru, Kikazaru and Iwazaru, the three wise monkeys of Japanese lore; but the sculptor probably thought that monkeys may not be appropriate in this case!

Silhouettes and reflections

You know it is not a dressing room, that it is not even a room at all. It is not even inside a house. But somehow, the air of domesticity is apparent on this mirror. Is it the Mickey Mouse sticker? The three toothbrushes jammed on top of the mirror? Those daubs of pink? 

Chennai has anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 homeless people. Those are the official numbers, but it is quite likely that the family using this dressing room would not have been included in that count. Walking around George Town, you see them on every street; for all appearances, there are even extended families staying together, occupying their corner of the world, having learnt to shut out the traffic and gawkers around. The Corporation of Chennai has recently announced that it has opened 8 more night shelters for the city's homeless, taking the total to 23; that's just over one-third of the 66 that Chennai requires, according to the Supreme Court Expert Committee's recommendation earlier this year.

Today's theme - for the City Daily Photo community - is 'silhouette'. The mirror does reflect, but silhouette? Well, the word originated from the actions of Étienne de Silhouette, who, as Finance Minister of France sometime in the 1750s, imposed severe austerity on the French, to the extent that his name came to be applied to the 'shadow pictures' that were far cheaper than portraits. Silhouette was also said to have proposed taxing external signs of wealth such as ornate doors and windows..... well, the family here on the corner of Armenian Street and Errabalu Chetty Street need not fear good old Étienne - they are shadows themselves!

If you would like to check out other interpretations of the 'Silhouette' theme, click here!

Station mural

Considering its positioning, so near Mount Road, the Chintadripet MRTS station should have been buzzing with people. The planners also had such visions in mind when the station was opened in 1995; it has quite a bit of parking space, as well as many options for commercial space within the station building. But, as it has happened with most of the MRTS' stations, the "build it and they will come" approach did not pan out exactly the way it was forecast. The network itself has suffered from poor interconnectivity and has not been well patronised. 

With the Chennai Metro also coming up, it is hoped that the MRTS will also get a boost; Chintadripet is one of the MRTS stations that is quite close to the Metro and it could become an interchange point. If that were to happen, a lot more people can look up at this mural on the station facade with a smile!

Different inside

The St Thomas Garrison Church has quite a bit in common with the St Clement Danes in the Strand, London. In the first place, both churches are closely connected with the armed forces: the one in Madras was raised to cater to the military establishment between the Mount and Pallavaram and the one in the Strand is now the Central Church of the Royal Air Force. Both buildings have had some restoration done due to aircraft. Luftwaffe bombers gutted St Clements during the London Blitz; the steeple of the Garrison Church had to be reduced in height to enable planes land at the Meenambakkam airport.

Such similarities should not surprise us, because the Garrison Church was designed on the lines of St Clement Danes. However, the replication of the design seems to have been confined to the outside, unless the original was unrecognisably altered during its restoration. A significant difference is that the altar does not have a grand reredos, preferring to keep it simple with a small altarpiece. 

That altarpiece too, was not painted by any famous painter, or even a 'professional' painter. The work of Major John Robinson, it shows Jesus asking Thomas to touch his wounds. On the evidence of this painting, and a lack of any leads towards the Major's martial exploits, he was probably quite a peace-loving military officer!

Get the picture?

Once upon a time, the idly was a truly humble, workmanlike, everyday dish. Fairly simple to cook, and in volumes, it continues to be the staple breakfast at many a south Indian home. But there had to be variants. The Kanchipuram idly was one of the earliest, and that set a trend for place-name idlies, including a Thanjavur idly and the now-ubiquitous Madurai (Murugan) idly. 

But Kushboo idly? At least the place-name idlies had some differentiators originally, arising from local ingredients being used. And of course, rava idly or stuffed idlies do not tax your imagination. But Kushboo idly? Could it be along the lines of the MLA pesarattu? Or is it like that famous Chiranjeevi dosa one used to get at Chutney's in Hyderabad? The story goes that the actor had tried out the steamed variant of the dosa at his house and had the method perfected before sharing it with Chutney's. 

Of course I have been curious as to the twist that Kushboo has given idly. I suspect there is none, however. And the reviews about this restaurant in Nungambakkam are so dismal that I am not tempted to go there and find out!

Pedal power

The big reason for taking this picture was the white-on-blue enamel board. I was hoping to find the word "Madras" under the name of the business; though this one does not have that, it still made for a nice picture of old times. Though I did not realize it when I took the photo, my first cycle, a very nice Raleigh, was bought from this shop 30 years ago. And when that cycle was bought, the shop was being managed by the grandson of the founder. 

Bhogilal Davey had come to Madras from Nadiad in the early years of the 20th century, looking to make a fortune in some way. Among the many businesses he forayed into were food (he ran a restaurant), ghee sales and perfumery before he settled on bicycles. This business was started off in Bunder Street, and moved to this location on Broadway in 1936; obviously, Bhogilal-bhai had hit on to a good thing, importing Raleigh, Humber and Philips bicycles from the UK for sale here. But in 1939, within 7 years of setting up this business, he handed it over to his son. It was the son who gave it the name it still carries. He, after 40 years in the business, handed it over to Suresh Davey, who runs it currently.

Despite it being a holiday, the cycle shop still generates business. Not behind the closed doors, of course, but for the man in front of it, sitting with an old tyre and a bicycle pump!

Many connections

At the very basic level, this bridge connects Blackers Road to Adithanar Salai across the Cooum. Adithanar Salai was earlier known as Harris Road and it would not be out of place to call this one the Harris Bridge; not that it was known as such earlier, but other connects spring from Harris and he has to be introduced sooner than later.

The road was named for George Francis Robert Harris, 3rd Baron Harris, who was the Governor of Madras from 1854 to 1859. If nothing else, his term as Governor saw the massive upheaval of the political landscape after the First War of Indian Independence in 1857. Madras was largely untouched by that rebellion (was the quelling of Vellore Mutiny still fresh in memory?) to the extent that Governor Harris sent almost the entire Presidency army out to lift the siege of Cawnpore. He oversaw the transfer of Madras from the British East India Company to Queen Victoria before his tenure as Governor ended in 1859. In the meanwhile, he is also said to have introduced 'Devil's Pepper', which he brought over from his earlier position as the Governor of Trinidad. There is some speculation about this variety going on to become the Bhut Jolokia. 

Compared to that culinary connect, it is a much more straightforward connect between this bridge and Mumbai Schools Cricket. Harris Shield, for the winner of the inter-schools cricket tournament in Mumbai is named after Governor Harris' son, George Robert Canning Harris, the 4th Baron Harris. The 4th went on to chair the meeting which launched the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909; it is tempting to think that Master Robert would have learnt the rudiments of his cricket in Madras!