CHENNAI: It’s 10 am. Triplicane is busy and bustling. The narrow streets leading to Parthasarathy temple are dotted with single-storied ancestral buildings. Stray cows saunter down the maze-like streets. Small shops selling fruits, garlands and temple necessities line the street leading to the temple. The still waters of the temple pond, which surround the four sides of the street, reflect the calm life here.
S Parthasarathy’s house is located adjacent to the temple car parking facility. The 102-year-old sporting a black t-shirt and white dhoti is browsing his laptop to keep up with news. His youthful demeanour defies his age. Living on his own for the past 40 years, Parthasarathy wakes up at 5.30 am, uses only public transport, goes for shopping, prepares his food, and does his chores without any help. He worked for 25 years with the Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre and is currently researching on nanotechnology. We speak to Parthasarathy, the oldest citizen in the locality, about his fond memories of growing up in Triplicane.
Down the memory lane
I was born in 1917 at Puducherry. We moved to then Madras when I was four and began our life in Triplicane, one of the oldest parts and cultural hubs of the city. The Parthasarathy temple, a prestigious landmark, dates back to the eighth century. Back then, we lived in what was called agraharam — a community like set-up.
It is the area around a temple and centres the activities of the temple — public involvement where people would come together and take part in festive, spiritual, intellectual and cultural activities.
The system of living was organised. Wealth was equally portioned and distributed. All were treated equally. Every day, a part of the leftover meal was given to animals. We all followed simple inhabitation. Every house would have some space outside the house called thinnai for small conversations. Mats and pillows were mandatory. There was no fear of burglary. The gentle breeze from the sea balanced the searing temperatures in the morning. Shops shut down early and the streets would be dead silent after 9 pm.
Early days
I grew up learning shlokas from my mother and Upanishads from my father. They homeschooled me until class three. I moved with my father to Vizag to pursue higher education since he worked as a professor there. I was more of an outdoors student, played cricket matches for many clubs and earned a name for my slow bowling techniques. We came to Chennai for my college education. I did my BA in French at Presidency College and went on to pursue a post graduate diploma in Library Science, an offbeat profession back then. Librarians earned more than post-graduate students during those days.
A hub of activities
Life in the agraharam began at 4 am. Schools, colleges, vegetable markets — all were at a stone’s distance. Some of the reputed newspaper offices and Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha started their journey at our locality. People from Maharashtra and Mysuru who migrated to settle here back then, turned out to be successful lawyers and held prominent positions in the government.
Walking was the only mode of transport. Madras University and Presidency College were the most sought after institutions, not only for locals but also those who came from other cities. This was also a reason behind the mushrooming of hostels in the area.
Many colleges in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and some from Odisha were once affiliated to Madras University. It was also a time when government jobs were worshipped by the middle-class segment. There used to be competition even if somebody in a clerical position went on leave for a month. There were many stenographers too. Mind you, it was a big deal.
Harmony in the locality
We had great camaraderie with the Muslim community who shared the other half of Triplicane. The Big Mosque on Triplicane High Road was a delight to watch during the month of Ramadan. We would take part in each other’s festivals. They took part in our processions for entertainment and not for religious reasons. We would perform traditional dance forms at their festivals. It was a mixed crowd. We shared happiness and had an intense bond in terms of emotions. However, it’s disheartening that so many differences have cropped up between the communities after partition and radicalisation.
Changing dynamics
Earlier, we had many single-storied ancestral houses that were 50 to 100 years old. The pillars were as tall as 14 feet high. One could see the beach from the terrace of the buildings. Recently, in 50 years, many have renovated these buildings into apartments. Every family has got a son or daughter studying abroad.
The basic family pattern has changed. Every house used to have joint families of many generations living under the same roof. Lives were transparent. We knew the birthdays, wedding anniversaries and all special occasions. It was only a small wall that separated the two houses. The houses used to have long walls, an open space, a courtyard and a well.
Even when a guest came home, he or she used to sleep on the thinnai, which was usually left for outsiders to sleep at night. They’d wake up early in the morning, have a bath in the pond, come home...by then breakfast used to be ready. Relatives used to gather for every function. Cousins and siblings played street games like goli, paandi and ice boy which later evolved into outdoor sports. Playing games and chatting with neighbours were the only sources of entertainment. There was no television or telephone.
Festivities all day
Every day used to be a festival at the temple. People were eager to participate and contribute. Nowadays, I see that people have become very time-conscious. They come five minutes before a procession or celebration, make arrangements in a rush and disperse immediately.
Settlements, traffic & urbanisation
Among the highlights was the Yadava settlement in the area. They worshipped and provided safe goshalas for cows. Now, these animals roam around on streets causing hindrance to traffic. Nobody takes care of them and they’re fed junk.
The traffic chaos needs no explanation. Narrow streets are made narrower. Cycling, walking, riding and now driving, people hardly have space to walk or access footpaths due to encroachment or sewage works. More mansions have come up. Commercialisation and parking lots have made life around the temple noisier. The expenses have also gone up. I remember having food for one or two rupees. Every hotel had a speciality. Food was cheap. People valued money.
On the whole, life’s a different scenario now. Women empowerment, technological advancement, modernisation, and competitive environment are some of the important changes. However, for people like me, agraharam is a wonderful place to cherish memories and spend the last days of life.