Celebrating Navarathiri in Chennai

The other day, I visited a friend’s house for Kolu. For those who do not know, Kolu is a traditional doll festival durimg this time of the year in Chennai. Various dolls made from clay and other materials are arranged on a doll stand. Very often, the arrangements follow some theme. The theme at my friend’s house was “Nava Durgai.” Papers like the Hindu and the Adyar Times organize competitions and give away prizes to best-arranged Kolu. It is almost like a huge family affair at my friend’s house. Three generations of women–mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, and the grandchild enthusiastically participate. The men in the house also contribute albeit in a smaller measure. Though Kolu is mainly celebrated in south India, it may surprise many to learn that a similar doll festival is celebrated in Japan also.

During this season, if one visits Mada Street in Mylapore, you are forgiven if you think that you are not in good old Chennai, but in some village fair far away. The area is bustling with activity with dolls displayed and sold in pavement shops all along the roads. Brisk sales are going on in the shops behind the shops also. Plastic dhabbas and small trinkets (generally given as present for those visiting the kolu) are arranged in a heap–so much so, that one cannot even see the name of the shop behind. Even shops like “Indra Stores” (my favourite shop) selling stainless steel and other vessels are stocked to the maximum capacity. All these shops offer good discounts during this period. It is best to walk around the Mada streets and not travel in a car and take a good look at all the goodies offered at throwaway prices. Be careful of your wallet though and safeguard it from pickpockets.

Walking in the Theosophical Society, Adyar, Chennai

While walking this morning in the society today, I was thinking how fortunate I am to live in Besant Nagar, whch is close to the society. Surely, if my home is very far away, I will not even think of walking in this vast forest-like grounds in the heart of the city.
I get to meet many interesting people. Sometimes, I meet some walkers every day, but we just pass on with a small smile or a "good morning" each intent on walking or immersed in some thoughts,or listening to music on the ipod. There is a wonderful old couple, whom I meet almost every day. The husband is just 93 years young with a wonderful sense of humor. He is so active and even drives himself and his devoted wife everyday to the grounds. His wife, about ten years younger, is a wonderful old lady and just loves people. Sometimes, I feel very young while walking in the society since most of the co-walkers are either in the sixties or seventies though I am in early fifties myself.
Almost every day I meet some bird watcher or the either.There are plenty of rare birds on the grounds. My sister, a fellow walker, claims that is a family of four small owls on a tree near the entrance. She stands there very often admiring them. After overnight rain, I see snails, big and small, laboriously crossing the walking path. I pause quite often to admire them and am very careful not to step on them.Very often, a family of mongooses  quickly darts playfully across the path. People claim that there are plenty of snakes in the society though I am yet to see a single one. ( I hope I don't meet one either. I hate snakes.)
 The path I like best is the one running parallel to the Adayar river. It is so beautiful in the morning. One hears sounds of fishermen fishing in the shallow waters and bringing in their catch. Further down the path is a small gate which leads to the beach. It is almost like a private beach with only walkers here and there. The beach here is much cleaner than the Marina or the Ellliots.One can see the Adayar river entering the sea from this point.During the Olive Ridley hatching season, one can see a protected enclosure wherein the eggs are stored. The baby turtles are let out into the sea batch by batch. It is a fascinating  sight to see the baby turtles walking unhesitantly towards the sea. A huge crowd is usually present cheering them on.

The picture you see in the blog is a tall cactus plant in full bloom!

Enthiran-The Robot

By now, every Indian would have at least heard of Rajnikant's latest starrer " Enthiran" (Robot in Hindi). it is touted to be the costliest Indian film ever made. The producers are said to have spent about Rs 170 to 200 crores. Only time will tell whether the film will make a profit though tall claims are made by the producers.
I saw Enthiran, Rajni's new superman movie and enjoyed it.Undoubtedly, it is a lot better than his last movie, Shivaji. The first half of Enthiran was a complete entertainer,comical in some parts. The first half managed to raise quite a few laughs. The second half was a bit of a bore with a lot of CGs. The second half was too long with a lot of songs crammed in too. A. R. Rahman's music was quite good with fantastic songs. Rajni was well, Rajni. The scientist saw a sober, older, Rajni.The good robot was a riot. The wicked one was comically evil. Rajni looked his age in most part. Ash was looking gorgeous, but I fear that age is also catching up with her.It was fun watching the movie at Satyam along with other raucous fans on the first day of the film's release. All in all, Enthiran is surely worth at least one watch.

Chennai's own botanical garden

By now, all Chennaites have sort of grown used to the absence of the Drive-in Woodlands.But I wonder sometimes whether we will ever get used to it. Frankly, I still think of it and miss it a lot!
However, in its place. a new botanical garden is coming up fast.Nature lovers are in for a real treat!
Bamboo trees have already been planted near the compound wall opposite the American Consulate.Tress and pruned plants have also been planted, and a pond has been constructed. The garden will have the existing tree cover in place and also some exotic plants. Some rare plants will be housed in an exclusive place.
Separate enclosures are being constructed to house separate varieties- bonsai, herbs, and medicinal plants.
A cascade fountain, aroma garden, and a butterfly garden will also find a place here.
Seats will be constructed below the existing trees, and an amphitheater will also come up shortly.
A food court and a children's park will complete the picture.
The botanical garden is sure to become a family destination, ideal for an evening out.

Police Lawyer Clash at the Chennai High Court

By now, you must have seen or at least heard of the clash between the city police and the lawyers inside the High Court premises.
These tensions are the off-shoot of incidents happening over the years-the constant heckling of the young policemen on court duty. Not even the policewomen are spared by some bad elements the lawyers numbering about some fifteen to twenty lawyers. These young policewomen suffer eve-teasing and constant heckling from some lawyers.It is these lawyers that is holding the state to ransom and also forcing the other lawyers not to attend to their duty.
The grim situation raises some serious disturbing questions? Are these lawyers who are so concerned about the Srilankan Tamils not at all concerned about the plight of the Tamils in Tamilnadu,? The courts have functioned just for ten days in the past two months.. And justice delayed is justice denied!
Are lawyers above the law and are they being permitted to behave in whatever manner they choose because they are sure that they will not be arrested?
Isn't it time to cleanse the system and get these twenty-something lawyers punished for their offensive behaviour?Permanently bar them from entering the court premises so that the judicial systems and procedures can be conducted in peace and without fear?
When are the judiciary and the other decent and law-abiding lawyers ( who are the majority) going to rise in protest, and when are they going to act before the judicial system is permanently scarred?

Police and the lawyers have to work towards a reconciliation and sort out this issue once and for all as they are the two arms of the law-system in any civilised society and have to work together to mantain peace.

Woodlands Drive-In Restaurant

The Drive-In which has been a part and parcel of Chennai for a long long time has disappeared, and so is a small part of the soul of Chennai. For long, the restaurant used to be a favorite haunt of many. People used to meet there, and linger for long after the cup of coffee. The famed PB Srinivas, yesterday playback singer, used to literally make the restaurant his second home.I think he got many a inspiration there for I have always seen him writing something in his book. During the sixties, the restaurant used to be a really posh place. The tables and chairs were all cane, and each table was covered with pristine white tablecloth. The tablecloth was changed after each meal.The cutlery was all new and porcelain, and the meals were served with a fork, spoon, and a knife. I am sure that recent memories of the restaurant would make these fond recollections of mine difficult to digest. The restaurant had been slowly running to seed the past few years. Probably, the management knew that the lease would not be renewed. The cutlery was sometimes chipped. The porcelain plates were all the more hardy stainless steel plates. The tables and chairs and in general the decor was bad. The menu was not improved and remained the same for the last fifty years. But to its credit, the masala dosa was always the same, and one never got a stomach problem after eating at the Drive-In. Inspite of all the drawbacks, the restaurant still used to draw huge family crowds especially during the weekends, though there plenty of new swankier eating spots in Chennai. The main advantage of the Drive-In was the huge drive, expanse of space surrounded by giant leafy trees, plenty of chirping birds. The ambience will sorely be missed in Chennai!

Chennai sans Hoardings!

I was pleasantly surprised when I returned in the first week of June after a two-month holiday in the US. The ugly and huge hoardings which were part and parcel of Chennai's skyline had all disappeared! One could now actually see the old massive trees in front of some buildings. Of course, most of them have been chopped mercilessly to make the hoardings more visible.But I am reaaly happy that the Corporation of Chennai is at last pulling up its socks and doing some work. In the past, all the local politicians always used to go on harping about making Chennai a world-class city, but nobody actually did anything. I feel the present Corporation Commissioner and the Mayor are coperating well, and doing something concrete for the city. Though I feel happy that the hoardings have all gone, my teenage daughter disagrees.She actually missses them, saying that they used to add color and life to the city. I am not sure whether all the younger lot feel the same way!