Nostalgia- Fond Remembrance of Your City

Namma Chennai

Chennai is the capital city of the state of Tamil Nadu. Well, to me Chennai is more of an emotion than a city. Having been born and brought up there, the sights, sounds and smells of the city have become a part of me. A city which is branded as "boring" or "uncool" by many outsiders, it does have a lot to offer. Be it long walks on the sands of the Marina (which also happens to be the second longest beach in the world) or visiting the ancient temples in Mylapore, everything in Chennai gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling of acceptance and calmness. Even though Chennai has only three climatic conditions, hot, hotter and hottest, when it does rain the entire city looks so bright and colourful that it injects a wave of energy into you and refreshes you completely. Yes, the people can be a little down to earth, but that's what it means to be a Chennaiite. We have that imbibed in our culture.  And in line with our studious nature, we also have the huge, seven- storied Anna Centenary Library. Filled with books on each and every topic a person could think of, it truly is a research scholar’s heaven.

If a survey is conducted among Chennaiite as to which place they love visiting the most in the city, everyone regardless of their economic background would say it‘s the beach. There is something about the sand and the vast blue expanse that just calms people down. Every step taken barefoot on the sand helps a person break free from the shackles of everyday life and they have some time just for themselves. From children who are splashing around in the water or playing football to couples who are totally lost in the company of each other (yes, the beach somehow manages to overpower Chennai’s epic conservativeness as well) to gatherings of old people who reminisce about their glory days, the beach has something to offer for everyone.

When it comes to culture, look no further than Chennai because it's still home to the finest traditional dance and music of the South. The month of Margazhi truly is amazing. The entire city almost bursts with an abundance of classical music concerts. In fact, it is so famous that people living abroad mark the dates on their calendars and make sure they are in Chennai to attend the concerts. Attending the concerts truly is an enriching experience.

Next on the list is food. Chennai is home to two of the best things South India has ever introduced to the world. The chain of Hotel Saravana Bhavan restaurants and ‘filter kaapi’. Hotel Saravana Bhavan is home to the best South Indian food in the country. And this is not only my opinion given the fact that there are branches all over the world! Yes, our very own Idli-Sambhar excites the taste buds of foreigners as well.  ‘Filter kaapi’ is like Chennai’s version of Starbucks. Given the fact this can be made at home anytime during the day, this cup of coffee has achieved cult status in the city.

You know you’re home when you start to see the coastline from your flight. The long white line of the sands of the Marina is always the first sight of home. Also, seeing Chennai by night from the top is a surreal experience. The whole city will seem to twinkle in happiness because you’re coming and is the first taste of the hospitality you will be experiencing. The newly built Kathipara Flyover can truly be appreciated only from a bird’s point of view. At night when it is completely illuminated, it looks like something from the maps Grand Theft Auto has come straight into the real world.

I haven’t really written much about my wonderful city. Only when you visit Chennai do you realise that the city fills you up with more than good memories and fun experiences and that it enriches you on a higher level and everything about Chennai becomes a part of your life. It is after all Namma Chennai (Our Chennai) so you’re always welcome.

-Aditya Rajesh

Batch 2014-19