The thirtieth Chennai PhotoWalk
Vatsan does indeed, both literally and conceptually, follow in my footsteps. This month’s photowalk begins where the 2nd and the 13th photowalk end.
Here are the pertinent details. From the horse’s mouth.
This is a quasi repeat of the 2nd Chennai walk. It is a classic Chennai Route. This walk begins at the War Memorial outside Island Grounds. The aim is to shoot that and then walk down the marina beach, hopefully capturing images of Napier Bridge and then cross the Samadhis of Anna And MGR before ending the walk hopefully somewhere near Kannagi Statue. This route is littered with examples Indo Saracenic architecture and there the backdrop of the recently opened Secretariat.
The only change is that considering its peak summer, this has to be an evening walk. There will be the setting sun in the Horizon when viewed from Napier bridge making for some wonderful shots.
Date: 23rd May
Time: 17.00 Hrs
Starting Point: War Memorial
And as usual if your lost/have questions contact Vatsan via email at sm.vatsan@gmail.com or mobile phones 9444999456 or 95000 70176
The twentyninth Chennai PhotoWalk
In all honesty and with absolute sincerity, I can say I had thought of this month’s location/route as a PhotoWalk idea a long time ago. In the same spirit of sincerity, I must kick myself for not having acted on my idea and letting opportunities slip by. Oh well. Vatsan has come up with a very good route for this month’s photowalk. He explains
When the vegetable market moved from KothavalChavadi to its current location in Koyembedu, it was viewed as being outside the city and lacked the public transport connectivity of KothavalChavadi.But now Koyembedu is a bustling with activity and no one seems to be complaining about shifting the market there. The flower market in Koyembedu is a lovely place for a photowalk, and so the next one shall be there. It does not allow for the entry of sunlight and is almost entirely lit up by incandescent bulbs of various colours to make the flowers look good. The market is interesting for awesome low light portrait shots.
So there you go. Details
Date: April 4th 2010
Location: Meet outside the Main Entrance of the Flower Market
Time: The standard 7 am.
Standard disclaimer/footnote: In-case anyone lands up at the vegetable market looking for photowalkers, call Vatsan on 94449 99456 or 95000 70176 but if anyone is totally lost and is unable to locate Koyembedu emailing sm.vatsan@gmail.com. In any case, please do call Vatsan many times, especially at night, to throw him off his schedule.
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 sight of Madras and the Sound of Music
So, here are a few of my favourite Madras things.
5 AM filter coffee (sugary, but good) at Udipi Welcome
6 AM Sambar iddli at same Welcome
Filter Coffee and Real Vanilla ice-cream at Peter’s road Saravana Bhavan. (Ice-cream first, then Filter Coffee.)
Walking from Nilgiris/Radhakrishnan Salai to Ranjith hotel in Nungambakkam High Road at 7 in the evening.
Doing the same walk the next day, but with two friends for company.
Walking along Thanikachalam Road, Dr. Nair road, TP Road, Valluvar Kottam and Village road because you were bored of riding your bike.
Bored, so you take your bike out and go everywhere, without getting anywhere, and enjoy traffic for what it is – a huge affirmation that the city is still alive, is worth living in. Powercuts between 6 and 9 in the evenings, so you walk out and gossip with cousins and uncles and neighbours, catching up on old family scandals while the air cools down, mosquitoes warm up. Those 2-3 hours spent doing nothing, but sitting on the steps out your home.
Mint Street, Parry’s Corner, Fort St. George, Mandavelli-Mylapore markets, P.T Rajan salai, Natesan Salai and 9th Sector, KK Nagar, Sardar Patel Road, Mount. Road, Chamier’s Road and TTK Road, GN Chetty Road, Jeeva Park, Bazullah Road, Rangarajapuram/Samiyar Madam, Besant Avenue, Besant Lane, Besant Road, Peter’s Road, Gen. Patter’s Road, Pattulo’s Road, White’s Road, Greame’s Road. Tambaram via Velachery, GST Road from Airport to Tambaram, Irumbuliyur Road/NH45/NH4 to Poonamallee.
Thalankuppam, Water, Beach, Sand. Sitting with your feet at the edge of the wave at 11 AM in Thiruvanmiyur, after a night spent at the office, working with bosses who’ve become friends. Foggy mornings on Napier bridge, clear skies over Broken bridge, evenings and sunsets at Muthuswamy Bridge/Zero point, Watching red taillights of cars diminishing in size while standing on Anna Flyover. 5 minutes later, another motorcyclist stops and the two of you watch taillights of disappearing cars on NH road.
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
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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