The Chennai kaleidoscope

Date: 30-April-2006
Place: Chennai.

We had arrived in Chennai the previous evening after a tiresome but enthralling visit to Tirupati. The flight back to Pune was still two days away. So, to utilize our time wisely, we decided to check out the one day trips that most tourism departments offer. We picked the half day ones which start at 1:30pm and go on till 6:30 or so. On agenda was Fort St. George, Govt museum (at Egmore), monument dedicated to Thiruvallur, Adyar snake park, Parthasarthy temple and finally the Marina beach.

No photography was allowed at the temple and the govt. Museum. So they could not be covered in here. Few photographs have been clicked indoors and without flash. So they may appear grainy/shaken.

Fort St. George is is the first British fort built in India in 1644 (More Details). Our destination was at the museum housed in the campus. There were statues, paintings, portraits, coins, artifacts, et al from the British era.

An intricate design on a porcelain bowl. A beauty.

More artifacts from the bygone era.

A scaled architectural model (or layout) of the fort.

A small mortar cannon. I wonder at what range and damage of what intesity did this thing inflict. Looks more like a toy cannon :).

One of the many portraits at the museum. This one is of Queen Victoria. Does it not look amazing?

More portraits from the gallery. Sorry, I cannot recall whose portraits are these.

Please meet Lord Cornwallis.

Above and below: Maps of the locality. The map below is a very old one, from the 18th century i.e.


This is Marianne, the Goddess of French Republic. Marianne is considered one of the most prominent symbols of the French Republic.

Our next destination was at a monument dedicated to poet-saint Thiruvalluvar. There is a 101-feet high temple chariot, just like we have in many South Indian temples. A view from top of the lawns and the city skyline in the backdrop.

Mom and Dad posing in front of the monument.

Life size statue of the poet-saint Thiruvalluvar.

Next stop was at the Adyar Snake Park. I had never been to a snake park before. And I had a notion of it in my mind. Kind of 'a well full of hissing snakes, crawling all over each other'. But to my relief, it was much saner than that.
I started off clicking the snakes, and this one was my first model. As I zoomed in to its face, a chill went down my spine (check it out for yourself). The looks were mean. And that was it, I decided not to click any more of these reptiles.

Now this is what I call a comic relief from tea angry looks of the python. Check out the 3 turtles peeking from below the water surface. And the guy going piggy back? :)

These are Ghariyaals. Now their behaviour was identical to that of the turtle gang. One was lazing around when I pulled out the cam. By the time I was done focusing 2 more were in picture, eager to get clicked, I suppose.

Final stop was at the Marina beach. The beach was dirty and sick. So no photographs from there. But I did go there the next day morning with Dad. It was a different world all together. Vast and empty beach, with sun just rising up.
The morning waves, with some ships in the distance.
Dad decided to 'ride the surf'. I prefer to stay away though.

This is the facade of the Anna Square at the Marina Beach. This is a monument dedicated to Dr. C.N. Annadurai, a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. (More details)

These are my memories from Chennai. There were other few, like the aroma of filter coffee and the searing heat, which can only be experienced but not captured. Before I sign off, a tip. Please get your own supply of water here in Chennai. Water outside is not so great and is salty.