an early morning trot in T Nagar!

The Arc de Triomphe de ( 'Triumphal Arch of the Star') is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, France, standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle, formed by its twelve radiating avenues. The Arc de Triomphe honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.

 

It is a fascinating destination – a shoppers’ paradise !  .. .. lakhs of people throng this area, and with Deepavali around the corner, every shop touches its peak sales.  Perhaps, none would have time to see anything else other than shops and walking on the streets is a very big challenge and risky at times !!

One should not be surprised if someone were to statistically say that 10000 people were walking on  Ranganathan Street – a small bylane leading to Mambalam Railway station, having Saravana Stores, Jayachandra and 100 others !!

An early morning walk throws some surprises !  -  empty Pondy Bazaar, Usman Road, Ranganathan Street – only small coffee shops open.   A good coffee at Geetha’s café added to the morning romance.

Some photos of T Nagar area sans people .. .. surprised to see that in the Textile ocean of Nallys, Kumarans, Pothys, Chennai Silks, RmKV, Saravanas and .. .. .. – there is a shop exclusive for ‘9 yards’ – 9 gajam pudavais are worn by traditional people or rather people only on religious occasions only  these days ! 

May be, you could have seen a man inside the closed glass doors !  .. ..BUT the pleasant morning walk was sort of spoiled by an educated man !!  -  there was this white good looking dog – it’s leash itself could be worth a few hundreds ! -  this friendly animal was literally pulling the elderly man in shorts on the broad pavements of Pondy Bazaar.

.. .. then, it stopped at couple of places – one such was a pile of goods – closed with a rubber sheet by a vendor – the illiterate/ irrational  animal lifted its leg, urinated on the merchandise (not sure whether there were any edible items kept for sale) – then moved on to its next destination, the good looking slabs meant for people to sit and continued its work !

The educated owner was busy fiddling his phone and on the other end of leash – unmindful, or perhaps allowing the animal its daily routine.  Went nearer and told him that it is so unfair – he gave a strong cold look – gave the animal a small whip – turned the other way.

For a moment thought, a crowded T Nagar, is better than a free one !!

Thyagaraya Nagar, famously T Nagar, historically was East Mambalam, now  a very affluent commercial and residential neighbourhood in Chennai. It was constructed between 1923 and 1925 by the Madras Presidency government as a part of town planning activities initiated according to the Madras Town Planning Act of 1920.  T. Nagar is believed to be the first planned urban neighborhood in Chennai created in 1920, conceived in a European style, with the Panagal Park resembling the Arc De Triomphe and the Pondy Bazaar resembling the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Initially built as a residential neighbourhood, it is now considered the largest shopping district in India by revenue !

With regards – S. Sampathkumar
Morning of 23^rd Oct 2022.