My childhood days revolved around a plethora of gentle souls popping in and out of our home everyday. Their regular visits were interrupted only during the most intense cyclone, that would promptly render all roads virtually impassable.
We never really needed to look at a clock to check out the time. The paalkari's (milk lady) early morning cry meant that only 30 more minutes of blessed sleep remained before we had to face another grueling day at school. At 9:00 am, it was Sakunthala's turn, feeding my mom with the day's gossip along with menu ideas when supplying the day's veggies. The 'poo' kari (flower lady) would show up just as the evening lamps were being lit, with a face as cheerful as the blooms in her basket. My mom would passionately swear that she was robbing us by gradually reducing the number of jasmine flowers per foot of twine, and the pookari would defend her trade like her family's honor depended on it and magnanimously give us a 'free' 2 inches of threaded jasmine.
The lady who fascinated me the most was our 'araikara mami' ('the aunty who grinds' being a literal and rather weird translation). Impossibly tall and skinny, she would show up every week. After patiently making small talk with my paati, she would sprinkle a few drops of water on our old fashioned grinding stone. Then, she would magically transform soaked rice and dhal into fluffy dosa and idli batter. I would sit next to her, utterly fascinated. Somehow, I could never comprehend how, in the abscence of sharp blades, just a dull stone appliance could work so effectively. I would often playfully drag my fingers along the batter's surface, and mami would never say a word; smilingly, she would simply maneouver the grinding stone away from my fingers.
I took her presence for granted. Now looking back, I can only remember the haunting sadness in her eyes, even as she quietly smiled at me. Was she unwell? What financial troubles prompted a lady like her to take up such physically intense work for a livelihood? In this day of instant dosa and idli batter, what does she now do for a living? Or, has God been kind to her...maybe her son now earns a good paycheck and takes care of her?
After I moved to the USA (its now exactly eight years since), I miss all of them immensely - the milk lady, the watchman, the flower lady, and the grinding lady. I really do. They have always been there for us - even spending many hours with my ailing grandmother, giving her the company that she yearned for. I am now too far away to return their affection - I can only thank them with all my heart.
Showing posts with label Madras. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Madras. Show all posts
Monday, July 28, 2008
Sunday, April 01, 2007
...If you get only one great love, then Chennai may just be mine...
Qoute source: Carrie Bradshaw (and ofcourse, substitute Chennai with New York!)
I'm back after two blissful weeks in the most fabulous city on the planet, Chennai. I've been to India and the UK a few times before, but I have never had such a wonderful time. Everything somehow came together...perfect times with my family, friends, cousins, and ofcourse, beautiful Chennai. I spent the next couple of weeks back in Naperville feeling rather bad for myself, terribly homesick, and missing all the smiling faces around me. Anyway, i guess our hearts are more tenacious than what we think... i am back to slogging away at work, catching up with American politics, shopping for groceries, and remembering my times with my baby loves without getting a lump in my throat...
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Top 10 must-eats in Chennai
Ok, so i love food. And i love Madras. And in just 21 days, i will be homeward bound! I am starting a new series of blogposts, to celebrate the delicious torture of the next 21 days - the waiting, the anticipation, the nervousness and excitement! Its going to be about all the things i want to do when i'm home.
Madras is a gourmand's delight, and here is a list of my personal favorites -
10) Keerai vadai and paneer tikka at Alumni Boat club - best enjoyed in the open air, with the smell of the adyar river wafting around you!
9) Idiyappam and sambar vadai at Dasa Dosa - This is a really classy restaurant, opposite LIC
8) Badam milk at Ambikas appalam depot (and their fiery peanuts to take home) - How do they make it that thick? Ofcourse, best enjoyed after shopping for some leo coffee and bangles at the road side shops near the tank
7) Vegetable pulao at Baahar - I dont know if this restaurant still exists (its opposite the music academy) , and i really hope it does for the sake of their wonderful mint flavored pulao
6) Gobi manchurian and veg fried rice at Saravana bhavan - Its kinda oily, but a truly great celebration of indo-chinese cuisine
5) Fourteen idlis and finger chips at Saravana bhavan - I've eaten fries everywhere in the US, but nothing comes close to Saravana's giant spicy chips
4) Bhel puri from Ajnabis (and some north indian pickle to take home) - This joint is a favorite to many north indians in Madras. Tucked away in a tiny corner, the tastes are truly authentic
3) Channa samosa at Gangothri - Their pani puri stand is too crowded, and the fragrant channa samosa is more enjoyable
2) Kaara kozhambu at Sangeetha - This comes with their thali meal. I dont have the right words, you have to taste this to believe how good chettinad cuisine can be
1) Phulkas and aloo mattar at the Bombay halwa house with a side of hot jalebi and samosas with green chutney - We used to trek all the way to their old location in mount road and were heart broken when they shut it down. And then, miracles do happen. They opened a new branch in luz., and it is almost as good as the old one (and they have also reopened a branch in mount road). Not many Chennai-vaasis know about the Bombay halwa house, but the aforementioned dishes are truly amazing. The phulkas are big and light as air, the aloo mattar is spiced in the most subtle and flavorful manner possible.
Madras is a gourmand's delight, and here is a list of my personal favorites -
10) Keerai vadai and paneer tikka at Alumni Boat club - best enjoyed in the open air, with the smell of the adyar river wafting around you!
9) Idiyappam and sambar vadai at Dasa Dosa - This is a really classy restaurant, opposite LIC
8) Badam milk at Ambikas appalam depot (and their fiery peanuts to take home) - How do they make it that thick? Ofcourse, best enjoyed after shopping for some leo coffee and bangles at the road side shops near the tank
7) Vegetable pulao at Baahar - I dont know if this restaurant still exists (its opposite the music academy) , and i really hope it does for the sake of their wonderful mint flavored pulao
6) Gobi manchurian and veg fried rice at Saravana bhavan - Its kinda oily, but a truly great celebration of indo-chinese cuisine
5) Fourteen idlis and finger chips at Saravana bhavan - I've eaten fries everywhere in the US, but nothing comes close to Saravana's giant spicy chips
4) Bhel puri from Ajnabis (and some north indian pickle to take home) - This joint is a favorite to many north indians in Madras. Tucked away in a tiny corner, the tastes are truly authentic
3) Channa samosa at Gangothri - Their pani puri stand is too crowded, and the fragrant channa samosa is more enjoyable
2) Kaara kozhambu at Sangeetha - This comes with their thali meal. I dont have the right words, you have to taste this to believe how good chettinad cuisine can be
1) Phulkas and aloo mattar at the Bombay halwa house with a side of hot jalebi and samosas with green chutney - We used to trek all the way to their old location in mount road and were heart broken when they shut it down. And then, miracles do happen. They opened a new branch in luz., and it is almost as good as the old one (and they have also reopened a branch in mount road). Not many Chennai-vaasis know about the Bombay halwa house, but the aforementioned dishes are truly amazing. The phulkas are big and light as air, the aloo mattar is spiced in the most subtle and flavorful manner possible.
Friday, June 30, 2006
Oh..How the world has changed!!!!
I just discovered a Chennai metroblogging pool on flickr.com. There are some amazing Photos of Chennai, and if you browse through other collections of the contributors, you can check out some beautiful pictures of Thamizhnadu.
You have GOT TO SEE THIS PHOTO. It is one of the best i have seen recently. The picture speaks a 1000 words, and captures the essence of Chennai in one snapshot -- The fancy multi national company hoarding jostling for space with the little potti kadai, PCO booth and tiny Aruna repair shop in a blue box...The crumbling sidewalk and bright plastic water buckets...Hmmm...I miss you Madras....really do..
You have GOT TO SEE THIS PHOTO. It is one of the best i have seen recently. The picture speaks a 1000 words, and captures the essence of Chennai in one snapshot -- The fancy multi national company hoarding jostling for space with the little potti kadai, PCO booth and tiny Aruna repair shop in a blue box...The crumbling sidewalk and bright plastic water buckets...Hmmm...I miss you Madras....really do..
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Madras during Margazhi = Heaven on earth
Oh those glorious Margazhi days in Madras! The blustery winds and storms of Karthikai give way to misty cold mornings, and the narrow side streets in Mylapore are decorated with beautiful rangoli patterns. Lazy me, I never woke up early enough to enjoy the absolutely divine chakkarai pongal, puli saadham and thayir saadham that many temples served. My adorable paati brought back prasadham for me though.
One of the things I am truly grateful for in my life is the childhood I had growing up in Mylapore. Starting in the middle of december, and continuing upto the beginning of Thai, Madras hosts one of the greatest music festivals in the world. I lived a short walk away from some of the great music halls - The music academy, Mylapore fine arts, Naradha gana sabha, Bharathiya vidya bhavan, Rani seethai hall etc...
90% of the concerts during the december music season are traditional Carnatic vocal, but you also have a small but very significant number of hindustani, bharathanatyam, kathak, jugalbandhi and instrumental recitals. The performances are organized by the seniority and popularity of the artists. Free concerts held in the mornings have performances by budding artists, and these are often the best concerts to go to. I have had the pleasure of watching performances by Sudha Raghunathan, Unni Krishnan and many others, long before they became super stars.
Going to the katcheris is an experience by itself. The crowd is very heavily TamBram, mostly populated by the Mami Mafia dressed in their winter finery. The first two rows are typically filled with thathas and paatis, and a few Americans and Europeans dressed in tie and dye clothes with jasmine flowers in their hair. Every new entrant into the auditorium will be immediately stared at, and the Mamis also double up as fashion police. The curtain then lifts and the artists make a grand appearance. The male performers have it a little easy, but the female singers are compelled to dress like divas (they fear the mami mafia too you see). You can see the most spectacular kancheepuram sarees and accessories on Nithyashree, Sudha and Bombay Jayshree.
The music finally starts and all the mundane things are forgotten. There may be many critics for the Katcheri season (too many concerts in too little time, not enough Thamizh music etc). My question for them is this: Have you ever sat through an entire concert, a really good one at that?
Even the most sophisticated music systems cannot ever capture the spirit of a live Carnatic concert. I cannot find the right words to describe it- its a combination of Bhakthi, talent, and a unique relationship which the performers establish with the audience for the duration of the concert. Its three and a half hours of pure bliss...
When the concerts got over, we would then head to the cafetarias. These have gained a lot of popularity over the past few years. The original purpose was to offer refreshments to tired rasikas as they hop from one concert to the next, and unfortunately many people look forward only to the tiffin and not the concerts these days. For a similar reason, December was also the only time I got to meet a lot of my relatives. Because we lived so close to the sabhas, they would stop by our house. The official reason for their visit was apparently to say hello to my paati, but my mom and I knew better.
My parents and I would walk back home, doing an intensive review of the concert, with my mom humming different raagas to herself and I pretending to look bored (it wasnt cool at my time to be seen in Katcheris!).
Life has changed now, its years since I've spent a december in Madras. There are many people like me out there, and die-hard Carnatic music fans in the USA are attempting to recreate the Margazhi magic. Between may and june, a lot of major Carnatic singers make the Dallas-NJ-Phoenix-California-Chicago rounds. I was lucky enough to catch a brilliant T.M Krishna concert this summer with my parents. And to make the Katcheri experience complete, we managed to quickly review the sarees the ladies around us were wearing, I got stared at by every mami in the crowd and we even had good tiffin and kaapi before we went back home..
One of the things I am truly grateful for in my life is the childhood I had growing up in Mylapore. Starting in the middle of december, and continuing upto the beginning of Thai, Madras hosts one of the greatest music festivals in the world. I lived a short walk away from some of the great music halls - The music academy, Mylapore fine arts, Naradha gana sabha, Bharathiya vidya bhavan, Rani seethai hall etc...
90% of the concerts during the december music season are traditional Carnatic vocal, but you also have a small but very significant number of hindustani, bharathanatyam, kathak, jugalbandhi and instrumental recitals. The performances are organized by the seniority and popularity of the artists. Free concerts held in the mornings have performances by budding artists, and these are often the best concerts to go to. I have had the pleasure of watching performances by Sudha Raghunathan, Unni Krishnan and many others, long before they became super stars.
Going to the katcheris is an experience by itself. The crowd is very heavily TamBram, mostly populated by the Mami Mafia dressed in their winter finery. The first two rows are typically filled with thathas and paatis, and a few Americans and Europeans dressed in tie and dye clothes with jasmine flowers in their hair. Every new entrant into the auditorium will be immediately stared at, and the Mamis also double up as fashion police. The curtain then lifts and the artists make a grand appearance. The male performers have it a little easy, but the female singers are compelled to dress like divas (they fear the mami mafia too you see). You can see the most spectacular kancheepuram sarees and accessories on Nithyashree, Sudha and Bombay Jayshree.
The music finally starts and all the mundane things are forgotten. There may be many critics for the Katcheri season (too many concerts in too little time, not enough Thamizh music etc). My question for them is this: Have you ever sat through an entire concert, a really good one at that?
Even the most sophisticated music systems cannot ever capture the spirit of a live Carnatic concert. I cannot find the right words to describe it- its a combination of Bhakthi, talent, and a unique relationship which the performers establish with the audience for the duration of the concert. Its three and a half hours of pure bliss...
When the concerts got over, we would then head to the cafetarias. These have gained a lot of popularity over the past few years. The original purpose was to offer refreshments to tired rasikas as they hop from one concert to the next, and unfortunately many people look forward only to the tiffin and not the concerts these days. For a similar reason, December was also the only time I got to meet a lot of my relatives. Because we lived so close to the sabhas, they would stop by our house. The official reason for their visit was apparently to say hello to my paati, but my mom and I knew better.
My parents and I would walk back home, doing an intensive review of the concert, with my mom humming different raagas to herself and I pretending to look bored (it wasnt cool at my time to be seen in Katcheris!).
Life has changed now, its years since I've spent a december in Madras. There are many people like me out there, and die-hard Carnatic music fans in the USA are attempting to recreate the Margazhi magic. Between may and june, a lot of major Carnatic singers make the Dallas-NJ-Phoenix-California-Chicago rounds. I was lucky enough to catch a brilliant T.M Krishna concert this summer with my parents. And to make the Katcheri experience complete, we managed to quickly review the sarees the ladies around us were wearing, I got stared at by every mami in the crowd and we even had good tiffin and kaapi before we went back home..
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Celebrating Ambi mama!!!
DISCLAIMER:
I am posting this, totally unaware of any copyright violations I might be guilty of!I truly do not know who wrote this originally. I got this as an email forward and spent 10 minutes rolling on the floor laughing!
Ambi Mama is leading Brahmin relative" - Survey
A survey has revealed that 'Ambi Mama' is the leading relative among Tamil Brahmin families worldwide, with six in ten families having one of their own (a 60% repsesentation. Apparently, Ambi Mama held off stiff competition from Mani Mama (with 55% representation) and Baby Chitti (39%) for a well-deserved win.
"It's a great day for all Ambi Mamas. All the years of hard work – drinking coffee, criticizing the Indian team selection and complaining about blood-pressure – have finally paid off. Yay!", said Ambi Mama, a spokesman for the Ambi Mamas Association of Dear Old Rascals (AMBASSADOR), a division of the Hardcore Brahmin Organisation (HBO). [Editor's note – The previous sentence has been roundly condemned by the Society for Prevention of Abbreviations that are Needless, Dumb and Execrable (SPANDEX)]
Some of the stalwarts of the Ambi Mama team pose for a photographer, after blading him with outdated advice on the best cameras, film, and lighting.
Mani Mamas all over the world watched in anguish as the final results were announced, plunging them into gloom. "It's no fun being a Mani Mama anymore", said Mani Mama. " Maybe if I change my name to 'Ramesh Anna', I will have a brighter future", he pondered pointlessly.
The survey also said that a respectable number of families (or a number of respectable families, as the case may be), have a Vaidhi Thatha, Bangalore Anna, and at least one random guy named 'Chandroo' who is at all functions, but no-one can really place (and may not be related at all).
Predictably, bringing up the rear were non-entities like Driscoll Periappa, Jessica Alba Anni and Darth Vader Mama, which had zero representation. "Brahmins are way too conservative, dude!", complained Cleveland Shankar, one of the more modern Iyer boys (or boyz, if you prefer. We offer multiple-choice reading. You're welcome.). "When are they going to drop old duds like Venkatakrishnan, Suresh and Balaji, and start using hipper names like Jason, Beyonce and The Human Torch?", he asked, to wide applause from a group of people watching cricket on a nearby television.
Not all are happy with progress, however. "These youngsters are ruining everything by naming their children Archish, Dhruv and Plaha.", thundered Badri Athimber. " Can you imagine how it will sound? Dhruv Mama, Anamika Athai, Archish Chittappa – Ugh! Phooey! That is so not cool!!", he growled, using expressions of disgust picked up from his states-based co-brother.
When asked for their response, several Brahmins living in Adyar merely arched their eyebrows, pursed their lips, and continued waiting for the December music season.
I am posting this, totally unaware of any copyright violations I might be guilty of!I truly do not know who wrote this originally. I got this as an email forward and spent 10 minutes rolling on the floor laughing!
Ambi Mama is leading Brahmin relative" - Survey
A survey has revealed that 'Ambi Mama' is the leading relative among Tamil Brahmin families worldwide, with six in ten families having one of their own (a 60% repsesentation. Apparently, Ambi Mama held off stiff competition from Mani Mama (with 55% representation) and Baby Chitti (39%) for a well-deserved win.
"It's a great day for all Ambi Mamas. All the years of hard work – drinking coffee, criticizing the Indian team selection and complaining about blood-pressure – have finally paid off. Yay!", said Ambi Mama, a spokesman for the Ambi Mamas Association of Dear Old Rascals (AMBASSADOR), a division of the Hardcore Brahmin Organisation (HBO). [Editor's note – The previous sentence has been roundly condemned by the Society for Prevention of Abbreviations that are Needless, Dumb and Execrable (SPANDEX)]
Some of the stalwarts of the Ambi Mama team pose for a photographer, after blading him with outdated advice on the best cameras, film, and lighting.
Mani Mamas all over the world watched in anguish as the final results were announced, plunging them into gloom. "It's no fun being a Mani Mama anymore", said Mani Mama. " Maybe if I change my name to 'Ramesh Anna', I will have a brighter future", he pondered pointlessly.
The survey also said that a respectable number of families (or a number of respectable families, as the case may be), have a Vaidhi Thatha, Bangalore Anna, and at least one random guy named 'Chandroo' who is at all functions, but no-one can really place (and may not be related at all).
Predictably, bringing up the rear were non-entities like Driscoll Periappa, Jessica Alba Anni and Darth Vader Mama, which had zero representation. "Brahmins are way too conservative, dude!", complained Cleveland Shankar, one of the more modern Iyer boys (or boyz, if you prefer. We offer multiple-choice reading. You're welcome.). "When are they going to drop old duds like Venkatakrishnan, Suresh and Balaji, and start using hipper names like Jason, Beyonce and The Human Torch?", he asked, to wide applause from a group of people watching cricket on a nearby television.
Not all are happy with progress, however. "These youngsters are ruining everything by naming their children Archish, Dhruv and Plaha.", thundered Badri Athimber. " Can you imagine how it will sound? Dhruv Mama, Anamika Athai, Archish Chittappa – Ugh! Phooey! That is so not cool!!", he growled, using expressions of disgust picked up from his states-based co-brother.
When asked for their response, several Brahmins living in Adyar merely arched their eyebrows, pursed their lips, and continued waiting for the December music season.
Friday, June 17, 2005
Crazy T.Nagar!
Here is a hilarious blog about the perils of shopping in T.Nagar. It is a must read!
Being a resident of Thirumylai for 21 years, i always prefer Luz corner over Ranganathan street. However, luz has no nagai kadais worth mentioning. So, during my visit to Madras, a week before my wedding, I decided to brave the heat and headed to Prince Jewellery in Panagal park. I entered the store, and it was a good 25 minutes before I could even get to within a foot of the sales counter. I could not believe the kind of crowds, and that too, at a shop selling gold!! (and people say India is not shining?)
Turns out it was Akshaya thrithi - a concept that has become the new craze. Its a day in the last week of april, and its supposed to be a nalla naal; if you buy jewellery that day, you get riches all through the year I suppose! Over the past few years, jewellery stores have ads with pious looking josiakaarargal advising people to buy atleast a gundumani worth of gold that day (or what happens i wonder??!!). Dont even get me started about the Adi Kazhivu sales!
Its only a matter of time before the memorial day, thanksgiving day, mother's day, father's day, secretary's day, increase-your-greeting-card-store's-revenue day plague hits India (if it hasnt already)
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
The greatest bookstore
Here is the post that inspired me to write this: Tilotamma's blog
For two years, I lived in Luz corner in Mylapore, a block away from the beautiful Luz Church. In the sidewalk opposite my apartment, there was a huge used books "shop" - there were no walls, no billing counters - just mountains of books on the sidewalk, guarded by old pieces of plastic sheets (luckily for the books, it almost never rains in Madras!)
For a long time, in all my ignorance, I thought of it as just a big dump. When I started college, I heard people mention a famous used books store in Mylapore. I realized that it was Azhwar kadai, the "dump" opposite my apartment. I was still sceptical, but I went there anyway to get an engineering book.
I tried to find the store owner. There was an elderly man sitting on an old chair. He had a long white flowing beard, and was wearing an old white veshti. At first I ignored him, looking for someone else (ignorant me). He finally offered to help me. Turns out, he was Azhwar himself. I reeled out the name of the book, and he gave me a choice of two different authors for that subject. I was absolutely shocked.
The book was not for any popular beginner's engineering subject. It was for a course that few people take (in production engineering). If he could immediately recognize the name of the book, and list all the authors in that subject, he HAD to be the greatest librarian. He did not need any dewey decimal system - he just disappeared into the book pile for a few minutes and found it.
I saved Rs 350 that day (by not buying a new book) and had a profoundly humbling experience. How quick was I to dismiss someone just because his appearance did not fit into the narrow definitions of what we generally think is sophisticated?
There are many stories about all the rare books that can be miraculously found in Azhwar kadai. It is truly a Madras treasure. I just hope that the Madras Corporation does not do away with this gem in an attempt to "beautify" the city.
For two years, I lived in Luz corner in Mylapore, a block away from the beautiful Luz Church. In the sidewalk opposite my apartment, there was a huge used books "shop" - there were no walls, no billing counters - just mountains of books on the sidewalk, guarded by old pieces of plastic sheets (luckily for the books, it almost never rains in Madras!)
For a long time, in all my ignorance, I thought of it as just a big dump. When I started college, I heard people mention a famous used books store in Mylapore. I realized that it was Azhwar kadai, the "dump" opposite my apartment. I was still sceptical, but I went there anyway to get an engineering book.
I tried to find the store owner. There was an elderly man sitting on an old chair. He had a long white flowing beard, and was wearing an old white veshti. At first I ignored him, looking for someone else (ignorant me). He finally offered to help me. Turns out, he was Azhwar himself. I reeled out the name of the book, and he gave me a choice of two different authors for that subject. I was absolutely shocked.
The book was not for any popular beginner's engineering subject. It was for a course that few people take (in production engineering). If he could immediately recognize the name of the book, and list all the authors in that subject, he HAD to be the greatest librarian. He did not need any dewey decimal system - he just disappeared into the book pile for a few minutes and found it.
I saved Rs 350 that day (by not buying a new book) and had a profoundly humbling experience. How quick was I to dismiss someone just because his appearance did not fit into the narrow definitions of what we generally think is sophisticated?
There are many stories about all the rare books that can be miraculously found in Azhwar kadai. It is truly a Madras treasure. I just hope that the Madras Corporation does not do away with this gem in an attempt to "beautify" the city.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Madras Pictures
Dont miss these realistic photos of Mylapore, swamimalai etc.
http://www.rajeshkrishnamurthy.com/plog/archives/cat_india.html
http://www.rajeshkrishnamurthy.com/plog/archives/cat_india.html
Sunday, April 24, 2005
The Bloggers of Madras
There are hundreds of Madras bloggers online. And I didnt know it till today! My blog journey started at www.lazygeek.net. Lazygeek is one of the more popular bloggers, i think some of his articles have been talked about in the hindu. His Seattle pallavan articles are pretty good (havent seen any recent updates though). His site also links to a number of different blogs, and I started clicking on some links randomly.
Each blog links to other blogs and also to interesting articles. The subjects range from why Chennai is better than Bangalore to rare pictures of Kappalotiya Thamizhan VOC.
Some things are common among many of these bloggers - they hail from Madras, they probably live in the USA now (or spent a year here on an on-site project) , and they think Madras totally rocks! And thats why I had so much fun browsing - it was like seeing a lot of my own thoughts being echoed. Their names are cool too - sambar mafia, tea kadai etc!
Here are some links to get you started out with. Scroll to the right to check out the blogs the sites link to (you will have to wade through some boring articles to reach the really good ones)
http://thayirsaadham.blogspot.com/
http://karthikblogs.blogspot.com/
http://chennaicentral.blogspot.com/
Each blog links to other blogs and also to interesting articles. The subjects range from why Chennai is better than Bangalore to rare pictures of Kappalotiya Thamizhan VOC.
Some things are common among many of these bloggers - they hail from Madras, they probably live in the USA now (or spent a year here on an on-site project) , and they think Madras totally rocks! And thats why I had so much fun browsing - it was like seeing a lot of my own thoughts being echoed. Their names are cool too - sambar mafia, tea kadai etc!
Here are some links to get you started out with. Scroll to the right to check out the blogs the sites link to (you will have to wade through some boring articles to reach the really good ones)
http://thayirsaadham.blogspot.com/
http://karthikblogs.blogspot.com/
http://chennaicentral.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)