CHENNAI: Happy birthday, Chennai! Some people may say that the city is 379 years young, but is there any point lying to yourself after a certain age? Chennai, like a Carnatic musician with a good PR team, has stuck to its roots while also welcoming newer trends. From the heritage buildings and art forms to the exotic cuisines and nightlife (by which we mean Indian-Chinese and 3 am temple visits, of course) — Rochana Mohan lists out reasons we love the city
KAAPI BEGINNINGS
A hot cup of frothy coffee is a city staple and is usually downed at the crack of dawn. Instant coffee is akin to blasphemy for a true Chennaite and will resort to drinking it only in dire circumstances. Filter kaapi has no right time or right reason – it can be drunk all through the day and at all occasions and brings Chennaiites together in a way no other can.
Rahman in our DNA
Going to AR Rahman concerts, and singing along to all the songs composed by the Oscar winner. Thousands of adoring fans and Chennaiites will sit with you and sing along to 90s jams as the mild-mannered musician recreates the songs that we all know by heart.
Colour concerns
The flutter of cloth as the attendant at the cloth shop in T Nagar shows you the exact shade of blue you were searching for from the intimidating collection of rainbow-coloured cloth on display. There is no way you won’t find what you’re looking for, because there are hundreds of shops in T Nagar, with each having a thousand varieties of the cloth you need.
Drive me happy
Going for a long drive on the ECR, feeling the sea breeze rush around you and the smooth road loom before you. Stopping by the thousands of shops that are easy distractions to either get something to eat or grab a cup of coffee only makes the trip better, and you always come back home feeling happier and calmer.
Marghazi mania
Spending the entirety of Marhgazhi maasam kutcheri-hopping from one sabha to another, having a set list of kutcheris to visit and making different WhatsApp groups with different friends who are going to the same events.
Thalaivar!
Going to Kasi theatre on a FDFS of the newest Thalaivar padam, and hooting and cheering and whistling with the theatre as Rajini makes his usual, mass entry. You and your friends cheer until your throat is hoarse, and then brag about it for the rest of the week.
Cheering for CSK
Going to Chepauk Stadium in your classic CSK yellow IPL t-shirt and sitting in a sea of yellow, cheering with fellow fans who quickly become friends, and going wild when Dhoni comes onto the pitch.
Iconic spots
Riding a rickety roundabout on Marina Beach while one of your friends tries to shoot down pinned-up balloons and another friend watches the two of you make a fool of yourself while licking an ice-cream coneWalking down Elliot’s beach in the evening, surrounded by youngsters and elders enjoying the breeze and the lights from the shops casting light on the sand
Watching the librarian climb up the ladders at the Madras Literary Society to find you a book you wanted
Going to Semmozhi Poonga with your cousins and playing around in the grassy hills
Sitting at the desks of Connemara Library and being surrounded by people enjoying their books in their little cocoons
Taking a walk in the beautiful green and serene
Theosophical Society, and resting in the shade provided
by the ancient, huge banyan tree
Making a full-day trip to MGM, VGP, or Queensland for a day filled with laughter and noise, making sure you go on every amusement ride
Architecture
Marvelling the red brick masterpiece that is Chennai Central as you approach the railway station
Walking around the Egmore Museum, looking at the figurines, coin collections, and huge skeletons of dinosaurs, while roaming around the grounds to see the statues hidden around Seeing the majestic red-and-white domed building that is the Madras High CourtWhooshing by the white semi-circles in Napier bridge on your two-wheeler, feeling the salty air strike your face
Marvelling at the modern design of Anna Nagar Tower by day, and being captivated by its beauty at nightThe various statues on Marina that tell stories of our culture and history on their own
Understanding the science between the agaraharam-style houses in the city, and its unique qualities
to protect people from the heatThe massive and eternally bustling CMBT in Koyambedu, the second largest bus terminus in Asia
The striking Wallajah mosque in Triplicane with its two minarets that was built in the Mughal style in the 1700s
Art and Culture
Yelling ‘HISS BOO’ with your friends at the annual Christmas Pantomime when the evil character comes on stageHall-hopping during kutcheri season, and ensuring you make it for all of TMK’s recitals
Going for a poetry slam at a café and leaving feeling like you’ve been educated on emotions and rhymes Walking around the art displayed at Lalit Kala Akademi and pausing to read the descriptions or interact with some of the work
Stumbling by an art gallery on the side of the road and walking in only to be wowed by colourful displays arranged across the room The smell of paper, the muffled sound of others walking around and the comfort of being surrounded by books in Higginbothams Going for an underground jam session in a quaint cafe, humming along with musiciansCheering with the audience as your friend’s band performs on stage at Bay 146Clutching your stomach, tears running down your face as you laugh at S Arvind’s shows
Watching your friend's arangetram in Music Academy Mini hall and clenching your fists so that you don’t clap and induce the wrath of all the other patrons in the hall
Cinema
Passing by the legendary and iconic AVM Studios and trying to look your best so that someone will spot your clearly innate acting talent Wishing that you’d also age as awesomely as ‘Thala’
Recreating the same moves as Vijay did in Mersal at home, only to hit the edge of the bed
The old-school cinema vibes in Casino, Srinivasa, Kasi and Minerva, where the buildings tell you as much of a story as the movies themselves Having the entire city covered in movie posters during the Deepavali movie rush Watching Goundamani-Senthil and Vadivel comedy highlights on the TV with your family in the evening, after watching the Sunday Tamil movie special in the morning
Food
The smell of crispy dosas in the morning, listening to the whirring of the blender and wondering what chutney your mom is making
Swallowing pani puris at Gangotree, the best place for South Indian chaat, and then asking for a ‘dry’ puri Biting into a hot, oily bajji at a roadside stall with your friends after spending five minutes deciding which bajji you wanted. Tearing a soft idli apart and watching the steam rise from the two white halves at Murugan Idli Kadai. Arguing in group chat about where to eat because three new places opened up. Having pizza at Super Star Pizza just to establish your Madrasi identity. Opening Swiggy to help you choose which biryani place to go to before getting stumped by Hotel Junior Kuppanna, Samco and Aasife, again stopping by Mor Thatha’s stall in Thiruvanmiyur at 3 am because there is no wrong time for more hounding Sundari Akka’s seafood stall in Marina to get the best prawn and fish fry in the city. Period. Stopping for a frosty ice-cream bar at Ibaco on a hot day, only to stop by another, a few minutes later
People
Trying to keep calm when S Muthaiah steps up on the podium, trying not to show what a history nut you are Watching all of JJ’s movies and her speeches because you miss her Passing by the posters of Karunanidhi and feeling a deep sense of loss and sadness
Getting updates on TM Krishna’s US tour even though you’re sitting in your house in Tambaram
Excitedly looking at the traffic police at every junction, hoping he’d be the one who breaks into dance
Discussing the legendary works and iconic life of MS Subbulakshmi with your friends, and all of you agreeing that we won’t ever have someone like her
Blasting Ilaiyaraaja tunes on the radio and singing along to Rakama Kaiya Thattu
Proudly yelling at your television screen when Vishwanathan Anand plays against another chessplayer
Shopping
Walking down the road near Burma Bazaar with your family, pointing at the hundreds of clothes, watches, electronics and accessories lined up for display
Trying to refine your Hindi while speaking to the shopkeeper at Sowcarpet, who entertains you just long enough to give you whatever north Indian clothes you came to buy The smell of freshly baked cookies in Spencer’s Plaza as you walk across the main hall while window shopping Being pushed and shoved around in Pondy Bazaar while searching for an obscure item, only to return with 20 moreHauling all your electronics to Ritchie Street, knowing that they’ll have the exact adapter or battery or charger or device you’re looking for Knowing the layout of Express Avenue better than you know your school or office building Visiting Pantheon Road with your college friends during convocation and finding every kind of material known to man available by the roll at Co-optex Taking selfies with all the unique statues at Phoenix MarketCity, and wondering if you could jump on the toy train with the kids without getting arrested
Festivals
Walking down the road near Burma Bazaar with your family, pointing at the hundreds of clothes, watches, electronics and accessories lined up for display
Trying to refine your Hindi while speaking to the shopkeeper at Sowcarpet, who entertains you just long enough to give you whatever north Indian clothes you came to buy The smell of freshly baked cookies in Spencer’s Plaza as you walk across the main hall while window shopping being pushed and shoved around in Pondy Bazaar while searching for an obscure item, only to return with 20 moreHauling all your electronics to Ritchie Street, knowing that they’ll have the exact adapter or battery or charger or device you’re looking forKnowing the layout of Express Avenue better than you know your school or office building
Visiting Pantheon Road with your college friends during convocation and finding every kind of material known to man available by the roll at Co-optexTaking selfies with all the unique statues at Phoenix MarketCity, and wondering if you could jump on the toy train with the kids without getting arrested
Festivals
Waiting for Pongal so that you can thulp sugarcane, chakra pongal and ven pongal without being judged
Getting a hot pack full of biryani from your friends on Eid, and calling up their parents and thanking them with every mouthful of mutton The sparkle of lights when you light a flower pot on Deepavali with your neighboursGazing at the beauty of the Velankani Church on Chirstmas Eve, as the lights that drape the building twinkle in the evening
Celebrating a series of pujas during Aadi masam, only to realise that there are more to come
Going for golu shopping at Mylapore tank, and seeing rows and rows of bommais lined up on the street, with some being small enough to fit your hand and others too big to fit your house
Celebrating Deepavali twice, both on the day and on karthigai deepam because why not?
Celebrating Holi and Rakhi with our friends from the north because we’re always down for a party
Watching children pull the rope connected to a boat carrying the idols of Shiva and Parvathi at the Kapaleeshwar Koil tank in the evening
Ancy GEORGE
I like Madras because of the word ‘machaa’ and how often it’s used to address a friend.
Anushree MADHAVAN
Santhosh stores, Sathyam and sapaadu. Also, I’m a true-blue Anna Nagar vasi who finds other areas ‘too far’.
Dia REKHI
The people make this city. People are welcoming and most importantly, simple and straightforward.
KV Navya
I love strolling through Pallavaram market that brings a complete village to the city. From antiques to saplings and auto parts, you get everything here.
Rama RAMANAN
Born and raised in a city which has no vertical limit, I have been wooed by uninterrupted views of azure blue Chennai skies every morning.
Rochana MOHAN
Every time I see the domed roof of Museum Theatre, with the small chandelier twinkling as the lights go down, I feel a rush of emotions.
Roshne BALASUBRAMANIAN
Marina promenade. If there are 101 reasons to love the city, romancing the shore and halting at different landmarks along the promenade top my list.
Ruchika JAIN
I have always been a fan of South Indian food. But after coming to Chennai, I have fallen in love with podi idli.
Sayantika BHOWAL
Driving past the busy spots of the city in the middle of the night, stopping by tea joints are the highlights for me.
Vaishali VIJAYKUMAR
I love the beaches here. The evening scene at Besant Nagar beach is vibrant. This is my go-to place.