From a humble birth as one of the early settlements of the British East India Company in the 17th century, Chennai has grown into a vibrant metropolis retaining its cultural moorings as it celebrated its 372nd founding day on Monday.

It has been a long and eventful journey for the city which came into being on August 22, 1639 when the then British administrator Francis Day struck a deal with local Nayak rulers for a sliver of land where the Fort St George, the seat of power of the Tamil Nadu government, stands today. The city has today grown into a teeming metropolis of 4.6 million people (including suburbs 6.4 million), showing the continuing shift of rural population to urban areas in the state seeking better employment opportunities.

Commemorating the event, a week-long programme is being organised by various public and private institutions along with NGOs extending the Madras Day celebrations that have become a regular feature the last seven years. Heritage walks, tours, exhibitions including those of photo archives, quiz contests and inter-school meets are among the events planned for the birthday bash, billed as heritage revival and preservation initiatives.

Madras Day focuses on the city, its history, its past and its present and its core team, including famous historian S Muthiah, motivates communities, groups, companies and campuses to host events that celebrate the city.

As opposed to what we miss in terms of old memories and older landmarks comes modern lifestyle with shopping choices beyond imagination and well out of reach of most wallets at the swanky Express Avenue bang opposite the old style Spencers that mysteriously burned down to make way for the hideous Plaza of today.

Those who jive at the liberal discos of today may be surprised to know two nightclubs existed in the heart of the city itself –Pals and Nine Gems – but they highlighted cabarets rather than dancing couples and were strictly men’s hangouts. The bars were, of course, a big ‘no no’ as state policy dictated an unenforceable Prohibition, which we beat with quiet visits to a wine shop on Nungambakkam High Road that always obliged customers.

It’s a more vibrant Chennai that we see on its 372nd birthday and it reflects an India on the move. A bustling city exists in place of a conservative town, which instantly signals progress.


Source: August 22, 2011, The Deccan Chronicle