The twenty-eight-h Chennai PhotoWalk
Is it just me or is it very, very, very difficult to pronounce 28th? And how do you spell it?
Anyway. This time, Vatsan’s outdone himself (and bordered very close to my greatness and my supreme skill and natural talent) in picking a superb route for the photowalk. He’s an able protege and a good guide.
Here’s the route/idea for this month.
The past photowalks have concentrated in and around Parry’s corner or Broadway areas of North Madras. This walk we will head further into the so called black town areas of Washermanpet and Royapuram.The walk will begin at the start of West Madha Church Street just outside the entry to Royapuram Railway station, where one of the earliest photowalks ended, and then proceed down that road. Madha Church Street and Arathoon Road were the areas where the Parsi community, yes the dwindling fire worshippers of Madras lived. West Madha Church has the only existing fire temple in the city, apart from its name sake Madha Church. At the end of the road is a single screen theatre, and then the walk heads to Arathoon road, which was the where the Parsi’s in Chennai lived. Both these streets do not look like the typical Royapuram/Tondiarpet areas and starkly different with their Parsi roots very evident. Before ending the walk at the Royapuram Market.
Date of the walk: 14th March 2010
Place: West Madha Chruch road Begening (Outside entrance to Royapuram Station on West Madha Church Road)
Time: The usual 7 am.
And for those who are scratching their heads after reading the route, here is the map.
For directions, questions, and to play pranks on Vatsan, call 94449 99456 or 95000 70176 or email sm.vatsan@gmail.com
The twentyseventh Chennai PhotoWalk
Vatsan, who shall be my culture minister and the third in command in the soon to be unveiled Chandrachoodan World order, has a great route for this walk.
So after the successful exhibition and walking through Mylapore, Im sure we are all bored of Mylapore for photowalks. So we should trek to another part of town this time.So this time we end the photowalk, where we left off in one of the Madras Week Photowalks. Yep in another ancient part of town with with old houses, one of which has been restored to house the Rasam Resturant, namely Puraisaiwalkam.
So we start the walk at Nehru Park (its opposite Sangam Theatre on Ponmallae High Road) and walk down Flowers Road, take the right T Junction and proceed till Dewan Rama Road (take a u turn after finishing this rd) and come back to the Flowers road again till M Ct M school (Rasam) and take the left at Gangadeeswarar Koil street and proceed till the temple.
And end it at the Gangadeeswarar Kovil.
Starting Point: Nehru Park
Time: 7. Am
Date 7th Feb 2010.
And Then there is always the option of Welcome Hotel’s lovely Sambar Idlies for breakfast.
For directions and for other queries, call Vatsan on 95000 70176 or 94449 99456
The Chennai PhotoWalk/Mylapore Festival Exhibition
The Chennai PhotoWalk folks have collected some of the best photos of Mylapore. Ever. In December, if you recall, Vatsan organised two special walks in Mylapore, to document the locality’s specialties. The idea was that the organisers of Chennai PhotoWalk and Mylapore Fest will collaborate to curate an exhibition of photos of Mylapore’s unique architecture and contagious mood.
Vincent and Vatsan have vorked out the logistics and all, and the exhibition is all set to go live. I’ve seen some of the images, and I honestly think they are nothing short of amazing. (More photos below the fold.) Vatsan is, as you read this, printing the first batch of photos. And shortlisting a few more photos (As supreme lord of PhotoWalking, and as the Prince of Madras, I have final veto. It’s a power I wear light).
Anyway, it promises to be a superb collection.
If you are in Madras, please do go take a look at the exhibition. And buy a few photos, help support these talented photographers. If you are not in Madras, perhaps a good time to come? The weather’s nice and pleasant now, and a lot of events are in the offing.
Start Time: Thursday, 21 January 2010 at 18:00
End Time: Sunday, 24 January 2010 at 21:00
Location: Lady Sivaswami Girls High School Mylapore
The twentysixth Chennai PhotoWalk/Mylapore Festival Walk
The PhotoWalkers, particularly me, like Mylapore. Which’s why, 5 photowalks have happened there. In fact, the very first Chennai Photowalk in, um, Chennai, began at Mylapore. Vincent D’Souza of Mylapore Times has long been a Chennai PhotoWalk enthusiast and supporter. He is also one of the principal agents behind Madras Week and Mylapore Festival, two events I cannot stop gushing of, like a high-school boy on his first crush.
So, it was only natural that at some point the two (not the high school boy and the crush. PhotoWalk and Mylapore Times) would come together. And that is now.
Announcing the first ever Mylapore Festival PhotoWalk/Exhibition and the 26th Chennai PhotoWalk.
The idea is simple. This December, the PhotoWalk gang will grossly invade privacy of home owners in Mylapore by taking photographs of classic Mylapore houses. Once we shoot the houses (with the permission of the houseowners, of course.) we will exhibit these photos as part of the Mylapore Festival, to be held in January.
This promises loads of fun and the only official chance to walk into a random house and shoot the owner. With Cannons.
And Nikons and Sonys and Pentaxes and Olympuses, as well. This also promises good fame and popularity and press mentions and a chance at becoming the future prime minister of India.
So anyway, that’s the big picture idea. Now to the details.
Since I am here, in Bristol, and slaving over a presentation I have to give in two days and have no solid material to work with, Vatsan is organising the walks and doing the routes. He’s come up with the following.
Walk #1 will be on the 13th of December, starting from the 16 Pillar Mandapam of Kapaleeshwar Kovil at 7 am
Walk #2 will be on the 20th of December, starting from the Kutchery Road Police station. at 7 am
Further information on exactly which houses to photograph etc will be provided soon. All you have to do now is mark your diaries and your calendars and your best aperture number, and wait. With breath bated or otherwise.
The twentyfifth Chennai Photowalk
November 11, 2007 was the first photowalk in Chennai. 2 years, and 3500 photos later, it’s going strong.
Vatsan has an interesting route for this month, and one we have done in the past (but none of you old boys/girls are around anymore.) in whole or as part of other routes. Great photo-ops are there.
Route info, from Vatsan.
This month the photowalk heads northwards, North Madras is always fascinating. It is a curious mix of the old and the new. The routes so far taken have focussed on Mint street area and back alleys of Parrys corner. This time we will walk along the main road, on a previously untaken but common route. Start at the Beach Railway station, then wind our way down Rajaji Salai photographing the fabulous GPO, SBI Building and the Muruguppa group HQ - Dare House. Then turning right at the signal and hopefully managing some pics of the High Court with the sun setting in the background, and maybe the YMCA Building and Armenian Church, and ten turning left near the law college. Walking down towards the Fort Railway Station. On the way to the Fort Station there is the Raja Annamalai Hall, before snaking our way down the Muthuswamy Bridge and to the Fort Station where the walk ends.
Pertinent Information:
Date: November 15th 2009
Time: 15.30 Hours.
When in doubt or when lost, call 9444999456 or 9500070176 for help.
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.
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.
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