That was a short and sweet stay in the city formerly called Madras. I managed to drive by different parts of the city and see some lovely green neighbourhoods. No, I couldn’t manage to wake up and see the sunrise on a beach but I was able to take in a bit of the city.
My favourite area is Mylapore in the vicinity of the Karapagmbal Temple. There is something so old-world, charming and pre-British about the place and kudos to the locals and municipal authorities for maintaining cleanliness in the area. The temple, with its lovely tank and imposing Dravidian Gopuram is an indicator of how the village of Chennaipatnam would have looked a few hundred years ago. I have to say that I was a bit disappointed with the masala dosa I had at the Karapagambal Mess. I am used to the high standards of Coimbatore’s Annapurna and Arul Jyothi, so despite the fact that place was reeking with character I didn’t think the food lived up to the ambience and surroundings.
We also had a wonderful evening at the Madras Gymkhana, a typical British-era club for the city’s elite. I have to comment that many of the institutions built by the British last till this day and many among them thrive. Among these are the numerous old churches in the city. Madras has a large and visible Christian community and most walls, which have religious paintings to avoid the blessings of those answering nature’s call, contain images of Christ and the Virgin Mary along with those of Hindu gods.
Chennai reeks of positivity and with the improvement of its port and the mushrooming of special export zones we have an economic boom in the making. Let’s hope the metro project work goes on here like it did in Delhi and not follow the Bangalore and Bombay experience.
My favourite area is Mylapore in the vicinity of the Karapagmbal Temple. There is something so old-world, charming and pre-British about the place and kudos to the locals and municipal authorities for maintaining cleanliness in the area. The temple, with its lovely tank and imposing Dravidian Gopuram is an indicator of how the village of Chennaipatnam would have looked a few hundred years ago. I have to say that I was a bit disappointed with the masala dosa I had at the Karapagambal Mess. I am used to the high standards of Coimbatore’s Annapurna and Arul Jyothi, so despite the fact that place was reeking with character I didn’t think the food lived up to the ambience and surroundings.
We also had a wonderful evening at the Madras Gymkhana, a typical British-era club for the city’s elite. I have to comment that many of the institutions built by the British last till this day and many among them thrive. Among these are the numerous old churches in the city. Madras has a large and visible Christian community and most walls, which have religious paintings to avoid the blessings of those answering nature’s call, contain images of Christ and the Virgin Mary along with those of Hindu gods.
Chennai reeks of positivity and with the improvement of its port and the mushrooming of special export zones we have an economic boom in the making. Let’s hope the metro project work goes on here like it did in Delhi and not follow the Bangalore and Bombay experience.
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