Chennai and Lonely Planet
My brother, Seshadri, comments on the post about LP’s rating of Chennai.
I object to LP’s subjective take in rating the city, but I don’t see Chennai faring any better if there were to be an objective rating. You can probably argue that there are african cities in much more deplorable states than what Chennai is in, but while you are doing it, you shouldn’t ignore that we are rating the city as tolerable (comparing it as being better than filthier places), and not welcoming. Aren’t we being defensive? Do we note that we act like schizophrenic paranoids, in attributing a motive to the LP writer and LP?
It is a fairly long, but well reasoned comment. I say this not entirely out of filial love.
But I don’t understand this point of us being defensive. When someone is attacking you, whatever form the attack takes, you have to defend yourself first, and then launch a counter attack. Which’s what the Madras blog world has done. Defensive? Yes. Because that is the first and logical response to an attack.
Secondly, are we attributing a motive to LP?
Yes. We are. Not out of paranoia but out of a careful observation of whatever evidence is presented.
We object to LP’s absolute lack of objectivity in comparing the cities in India. The opening paragraph, to remind you, went like this.
Chennai has neither the cosmopolitan, prosperous air of Mumbai (Bombay), the optimistic buzz of Bengaluru (Bangalore) or the historical drama of Delhi. It’s muggy, polluted, hot as hell and difficult to get around. Traditional tourist attractions are few. Even the movie stars are, as one Chennaiker put it, “not that hot
If those are your benchmarks for rating a city, then you have to apply it equally and without bias to all the cities you are writing about. If, that is, you want to be known as a reputable, credible source of information for travellers.
LP failed to do that. And threw in a random statement that isn’t relevant to the issue at hand.
Foodblogging Bristol
I’ve discovered the joys of cooking, and rediscovered the joy of setting things on fire.
The one thing I make on a daily basis is soup. Here’s how.
Veggies: 5 of my 5-a-day food. 
Preparing stock for soup. I go for the simple, “throw veggies in a pan and boil till mushy goo” approach to making stock.
Once the stock is ready (seasoned with salt, chilli powder and lemon rinds), I filter out the vegetable matter and get this. 
. This is both my basic soup and stock for further experiments.
Since I am the good baai from Madras, 
rice and vegetable kootu/sabzi
Also because I am good boy from Madras, 
Vegetable Biryani, in the making.
Over the next few weeks, I intend to explore the frontiers of Indian cuisine, and as my crowning achievement learn how to make Paneer Butter Masala.
70 sq.km?
Much has been written, discussed, commented and analysed about dear old Lonely Planet’s little rant about Madras, so I shall not flog that horse any further. Except to point out one teeny, weeny, itsy-bitsy piece of factual error. Chennai only 70 sq.km? DUDE!
Even ignoring Chennai’s current urban sprawl/suburban extensions, the city proper is 172 sq.km# large. And it has been that for at least 15 years. Tip for the writer: Negative biases go down much easier when they are coated with factual accuracy.
#: Dilip points out that current city limit is 181 sq.kms.
The twentyfourth Chennai Photowalk
Have I got the numbering right? Ah, whatever. New month, another walk. This promises to be a fun, interesting walk. Pity, I am in Bristol. As KR Aadishtan says, such is life.
The idea is to explore a side of Triplicane not seen in previous walks in the area. We’ve seen the Iyengar/Hindu side of the lotus-pond town. Now to see the Islamic side. According to Vatsan, who’s leading this walk…
“Meet near the Royapettah Clock Tower (Meeting there would be difficult) by 7-7.15 am latest…....
And then cross the road and head into Thiruvellikeni which pre dates the founding of the city by Francis Day crossing Amir Mahal which is the current residence of the Nawab Of Arcot is steeped in the city’s history. which we can photograph from the outside and then photograph the bustling Zam Bazar Market as it opens. At the triplicane high road -pycrofts road junction we could turn left into triplicane high road, probably shoot Star Theatre from the outside, walk through the bylanes of triplicane and end the walk again on pycrofts road near Chepauk Stadium.”
Recap: Sunday, 25th October 2009, at 7:15 AM, to start at Royapettah Clock tower.
If you need help/directions, call Vatsan 94449 99456.
P.S: My successors have a spanking new Chennai PhotoWalk group blog. Check it out. But I shall continue to reign by proxy and put Photowalk announcements on SelAm.
Two in Bristol
I am sorry, but not surprised, to see that the west hasn’t progressed since the Cartelian stalwart first made this very important observation. What is worse, the average quality and strength of the paper in the toilets leave a lot to be desired. In a far-too-politically-correct, nanny-state UK, I am surprised no government has yet prescribed minimum standards for toilet rolls.
About
Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan is a copywriter, photographer and goofball from Chennai. He is also an archaeologist, historian and a city lover. He is currently a documentary film-maker and desk-monkey for a film production house.
Photos
Archives
Categories
Blogroll
Badges
RSS/XML-
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 License. -
