It all started when the British East India Company purchased two villages Madrasapatnam and Chennapatnam from the native Nayak rulers. This incidentally marked the birth of a city that is home to numerous enlightened spirits, techno geeks, automobile giants, corrupt politicians, the superkings and last but not the least the ambitious yet conservative Chennaiite.
Every new visitor to Chennai wonders why the city was not named after Mr. Anna, since (almost) everything in this city has been named after the former Chief Minister .Right from Anna International Airport to Anna University, not to forget the Anna zoological park and Anna salai. This endless list is still very much active.
When we describe other Indian cities we end up saying Mumbai to be fast yet uncertain, Kolkata as passionate yet crowded, Delhi as historic yet crime-torn etc. But it is extremely difficult to use concrete adjectives to describe Chennai, therein lies her beauty.
You may call her traditional, but don’t forget she is among the most tech-savvy cities in the country. You may consider her to be laid back and slow, but you would regret this statement after a ride in the ECR or after a weekend visit to T.Nagar. Chennai is and always will remain as the ‘city of in-betweens’. She is a unique mix of Tamil tradition and BPO culture just like a kollywood masala movie. The smell of steaming dosa with sambar, beauty of the Marina (willfully neglecting the desperate love birds), ambience of the Mylapore temple and San Thome church are symbols of this great city.
Despite her historic superiority and strategic location Chennai was trailing behind her other southern counterparts due to several reasons, but now her attempts of becoming a High-tech city are bearing fruit. With the IT corridor and Metro rail project underway, there will be no looking back.
Stinking rivers (better known as drainages), crowded roads, ever increasing real estate prices cannot possibly overshadow the peace and serenity one gets while living in this city. Life in Chennai is like listening to Rahman’s melody in an old radio (slightly disturbed yet providing eternal pleasure). With all these jewels in her closet it will take much more than the Tsunami waves, the moral police and the corrupt officials to dishonor this beautiful city.
In this uncertain life, I might end up in any other city miles from home, but I would certainly be proud of the fact that I was once part of Chennai and she will always be my first love.
‘Just like old wine, you seem to get better with time’
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