M A D R A S!

There is MAGIC and NOSTALGIA just with a pronunciation of it!

What comes to your mind when you arrive at the word Chennai? Oh wait, is that just a word? Perhaps not! Chennai is an amalgamation of a modern society built upon strong moral ethics of diverse everyday aspects of life instigated by the then contemporary city of Madras.  Be it the iconic monuments and temples that impart rich cultural and spiritual significance, the mark of excellence left behind by the many rulers of kingdoms that existed in Tamil Nadu and the then political leaders of independent India, the hub of technical education featuring some of the best engineering and medical universities in the country, the essence of some of the greatest music artists the country has ever produced, the elegance of film personalities and their celebrated stature among the crazy fans, and I could keep that list extending. For sure, the city has transformed the livelihood of hundreds and thousands of people. Chennai is not just a city, it’s an emotion.

But, what’s so special with August 22 and the city of Madras, now Chennai? Over the past decade, the city has been celebrated in myriad ways. Chennai, the home of Tamil Language, one of the oldest surviving classical languages in the world has a rich historic past through the colonial British era to becoming the Detroit of South Asia. Every year, August 22 is celebrated as the founding day of the beautiful city of Chennai! Let’s go back in time and recollect some of the defining moments of this historic city!

BIRTH OF MADRAS (narrated as I understand it)

By the mid 16th century, the once prominent Vijayanagara Empire, was declining and on the verge of getting disestablished. The Nayakar empire soon transformed Deccan plateau of the then Indian subcontinent into independent Nayak monarchies of Jinji, Thanjavur and Madurai. Under the Nayaks, the country was dotted with feudal estates of the poligars.  A poligar is a territorial administrative and military governor appointed by the Nayaka rulers of South India during the 16th–18th centuries. The wars against the feudal powers and suppression of their resistance coincided with a steady and gradual drift of the Tamil provinces to the imperial authority of the British. It was in the year 1639, and the 22nd of August sealed a historic trade between the Nayaks and the British. The East India Company bought a piece of land from the Nayak rulers What started off with a small fortress (today’s Fort St.George) began emerging from villages to towns and soon after the city of Madras was born.

Today, the 22nd of August 2023 marks the 384th founding anniversary of the beloved City of Madras! On this occasion, here’s my collection of photographs showcasing the many fascinating and iconic landmarks of the modern-yet-conventional Chennai!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHENNAI!

PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ICONIC LANDMARKS:

Does the city look any different from a photographer’s perspective? Check these out for yourself! Here’s a curated pick from my archives. My journey as a Photographer took shape in this very city! As you relish the following photographs, identify the respective location of each photographed landmarks in the comments section below! Let’s see how many you score.

Here’s a magnificent video prepared in 2022, when Chennai played the host for the International Chess Olympiad.

What are your thoughts on these magnificent photographs? Let me know in the comments section below.  Feel free to share this blog with your family and friends!

Did you feel happy about guessing them all correct? Why not take a look at another such mesmerizing blog on the city?

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