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Chennai Diaries: A Weekend of Nostalgia and Kollywood Déjà Vu
Mom and I went to Chennai over the weekend for a short trip. The flight time was just 40 minutes, but the commute to the airport took 1 hour 40 minutes a reminder of the perks of living in Bangalore, where the airport is a bit far off but flights are quick. This was my first trip to Chennai, and even though it was brief, I managed to cover all the iconic streets and roads I'd only ever seen referenced in Kollywood movies.
In the Uber, I was so happy listening to Tamil film songs on the radio. I used to listen to the radio a lot growing up but had stopped somewhere along the way hearing Tamil songs brought back all those good old days. At one point, I saw a lady on her two-wheeler carrying loads of flowers, including malli poo, and it instantly reminded me of A.R. Rahman's "Malli Poo" song (if you haven't heard it, you should it's a beautiful composition). And right then, as if the universe was answering my prayers, that very song came on the radio. I was grinning like a child. Some wishes get granted instantly, so be careful what you wish for!
Chennai has amazing roads and excellent public transport connectivity metro, local trains, and buses. It was just too hot and humid for me to step out and try anything other than AC cabs. Had I been travelling solo, I would have loved to try the local trains watching people commute reminded me of the train sequence from Alaipayuthey. I passed through Chrompet (cue the “Pettai Rap” song) and Mount Road (that scene from Kaakha Kaakha) covering all the major roads of Chennai felt surreal. When I spotted the Nalli shop on Usman Road, I finally understood the old ad line, "Nalli, 100 Usman Road." It felt like stepping straight into a Kollywood reference.I was also surprised to spot a "Manali" signboard and wondered how a place in Tamil Nadu shared its name with Manali in Himachal Pradesh turns out the pronunciation is different, as my driver, Anna, kindly corrected me.
I also passed by a few flower markets and couldn't stop staring at how beautifully the garlands were woven. At one shop, someone was weaving a garland for a wedding light pink roses with carnations, woven together so delicately it looked almost like art. I wanted so badly to take a picture, but the Annas at the shop kept giving me dirty stares, so I let it go and just watched them work instead, not wanting to disturb their flow.
We went to T. Nagar for some shopping, and I bought a Kanchi half-saree even though I had no occasion to wear it. It had always been a dream purchase, and this time I was sure about it. Between work and personal stuff, life had felt so chaotic since August there were days I genuinely thought I was going fully crazy. This little break and a bit of retail therapy left me feeling so much lighter. At another shop, the co-owner turned out to be from Bangalore she'd recently gotten married and moved to Chennai. We ended up chatting in Kannada and Hindi, and she told me how much she missed home.
We visited Marina Beach, and I was surprised by how far the shoreline was from the road it was dark, I could barely see the water, and walking on the sand made the distance feel endless. I hadn't realized beaches could stretch so far from the road, since the one in Pondicherry is right by the roadside. But Marina Beach was beautiful and serene nonetheless, lined with little shops, twinkling lights, a merry-go-round, and games for children.
We also visited Kapaleeshwarar Temple, which was stunning the architecture was on another level. I'm not someone who visits lot of temples , but this one is an absolute must-see. There's something about the famous temples in Tamil Nadu many have air conditioning inside the main shrine! I couldn't tell if the calm I felt was the sanctity of the place or just the AC, but either way, it was lovely. I imagine it's even more beautiful in the evenings. Near the temple, there were shops full of dolls for Golu displays so many beautiful pieces that I wanted to buy them all, even though we don't keep Golu at home. Maybe it's time to start a new tradition.
And of course, I can't leave out the food. I didn't get to explore much of Chennai's food scene, but I did try a few different dosas. I went hunting for a good place serving puli kuzhambu and vatha kuzhambu but couldn't find the right spot so that's unfinished business for next time, along with a visit to St. Thomas Church.
But what stayed with me the most was something quieter. I call everyone Bhaiya when I'm travelling up north, Anna in Chennai, and Sir in Bangalore. Somehow, using the local language gives us the freedom to talk to strangers like we know them already that sense of apna pan (belonging) is such a beautiful, quiet part of India. Every place has its own charm, but it's that instant, unspoken familiarity with a shopkeeper who misses home, with a driver correcting your pronunciation, with a stranger on the road that makes travelling within India feel less like visiting somewhere new, and more like meeting family you didn't know you had.
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