madras « Selective Amnesia

13Jan/102

The Chennai PhotoWalk/Mylapore Festival Exhibition

Posted by Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan

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

Filed under: Photos, Travel Continue reading

5Jan/101

Original Sound Track

Posted by Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan

It’s 6:28 AM, and it is my third night running that I’ve stayed up, un-sleeping-ly, reading, researching, note-jotting for my 5000 word essay. Make that two essays, minimum length 3000 words each. While I am no stranger to late nights, (*) what makes this bloody difficult is that I miss the unique sounds of a Chennai night.
There were no dogs barking/howling. No watchman thumped the platform with his stick. No creaking cots. No sudden blare of a car horn as a late night reveler/worker sped past. No mosquitoes. In short, nothing familiar about this bout of insomnia.
As morning approaches, and as the skies pink at the horizon, Madras’ many temples wake up. December/January is devoted to LR Easwari, SP Balasubramaniam and Seergazhi Sivachidambaram and their multiple gods. Tinny speakers on temporary poles borrowing electricity from the closest apartment, out-shouting the other shrine not more than 20-30 feet away.

Suprabhatam or Bhaja Govindam plays, and in the rare case of absence of that particular tape, any MS offering. Not cliches, not perpetuating blind stereotypes. Even in August 2009, I assure you, early morning Kelly’s performed to this particular mix.

Like Kamal in Pushpak/Pesum Padam, I think I should get me a tape of these sounds.

(* Aargh. The Brits have got me. The line – no stranger to late nights – HAS to be understatement of the decade past, and the decade present.)

Filed under: General/Unclassified 1 Comment

14Dec/096

Hyderabad, Telengana and Andhra Pradesh

Posted by Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan

Dear people of Andhra. Fear not. Let Telengana be ruled from Hyderabad. As the truest Madras boy of them all, I offer to share my city with you. Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh shall once more be united under Madras.

Filed under: General/Unclassified 6 Comments

2Dec/093

The twentysixth Chennai PhotoWalk/Mylapore Festival Walk

Posted by Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan

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.

Filed under: Photos, Travel 3 Comments

23Nov/092

The first Chennai PhotoWalk?

Posted by Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan

Reasons yes: Super cool, twin-lens reflex camera, and Photowalk former regular, Anand K.
Reasons no: They are in a car. Lame!

Filed under: Travel 2 Comments

30Oct/093

On loop

Posted by Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan

I definitely needmusthaveimmediately சுட சுட சுட சுட சுட இட்லி.

Filed under: General/Unclassified 3 Comments

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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.