Double road

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 2/15/2013 5:53:00 PM

'Of course, being confused over roads with similar names is quite usual. But here is one that takes the cake. The sign shows a turn off from TTK Road. What is unusual is that the side road is also called TTK Road!'

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Roses for the lady?

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 2/14/2013 6:11:00 PM

'Valentine's Day, 2013. Thought we'd go for a 'Blind Date' show at Sathyam. But work happened. And am left with this picture of roses piled up at West Mambalam. But wait, who's that lady in the background?!'

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Special branch

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 2/13/2013 5:58:00 AM

'In one way, this branch of the Tamil Nadu Co-operative State Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Ltd, in Alwarpet, is special because it operates as an affiliating bank, linking up close to 200 Primary Agriculture and Rural Development Banks across the state. The Bank itself was set up in 1929 to provide long term finance for some basic agriculture-related activities. Over many years, the bank has surely provided relief to many thousands of farmers in Tamil Nadu. However, this br(...)'

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Thirsty birds

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 2/12/2013 5:48:00 PM

'It is just February and Chennai is getting into its second season - the 'Hotter' season. Temperatures are in the high 20s and are expected to move into the 30s during this week (and that's Celsius, in case you're wondering). Not dog days, yet, but bird days, maybe?At the Ambattur Industrial Estate, there is certainly one bird lover, at least. Outside a factory gate, there is this mid-sized ficus growing. As in many other places, a shrine has come up under the ficus, showing all sign(...)'

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Cool priest

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 2/11/2013 6:03:00 PM

'There are some smoke-less puja kits available, apparently. But does that serve the purpose? Have long held the belief that the smoke permeating into every room is a key aspect of the puja itself. Wouldn't like to lose that in a hurry.But it makes your eyes water. And turn red. Could this be a solution? The priest was prepared, and maybe, next time, I shall be, too!'

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Training Centre

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 2/10/2013 5:50:00 PM

'The Ambattur Industrial Estate Manufacturers' Association (AIEMA) is celebrating its golden jubilee this year. That's a bit surprising, because, just a little distance away from this building complex is a foundation stone saying that the Industrial Estate was inaugurated on July 3, 1965. It is quite likely that the Association pre-dated the formal Estate; Ambattur is one of those suburbs of the city that pre-dates the creation of the city of Madras itself.The Technology Centre of th(...)'

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Fast food

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 2/9/2013 5:48:00 PM

'The signboard says, rather grandly, "Drive In". Look at it, one barely has room to walk into this curry corner, let alone attempt to take a vehicle into it. Somehow, the late night revellers have never taken the sign literally. Maybe it is because they know that if not for this joint, they wouldn't have anywhere else to go when they remember that they haven't had dinner yet.Midnight Express, on TTK Road, usually sees a lot of action in the early hours - between midnight and about 2 (...)'

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Cafe Irani

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 2/8/2013 6:02:00 PM

'While Madras did have its share of Parsis and Zoroastrians, they were certainly not as numerous as those of Bombay. Yet, there were enough of them around for these kind of cafes to be recognized as a distinct niche - the Irani cafe. They were probably the first 'chain' of cafes. The red-on-white lettering, with nothing else on it but 'Irani', was used by all such cafes. I remember just a few of these in Chennai. There were a couple on Mount Road, one near the Thousand Lights mo(...)'

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Nearby

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 2/7/2013 6:17:00 PM

'Nothing to do with Chennai, specifically. Just a random picture to remind us that Pondicherry - now Puducherry - was always nearby...'

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Enclosed shrine

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 2/6/2013 5:59:00 PM

'How many times have you seen a shrine within a building? Especially when that building, from the outside, does not appear to have much to do with religion?Paramananda Doss and Chotta Doss began their silk trade in Mint Street in 1888, becoming one of the first in south India to source cloth from Benares. They had printed catalogues detailing their products - embroidered cashmere shawls, Calcutta linen, China white silk, khilat and kincob pieces - all of which would have be(...)'

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Sailing out

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 2/5/2013 6:11:00 PM

'That's the 'Tiger Bridge' getting out of the Chennai Port a few months ago. For more posts about Chennai's harbour, click here. And if you would like to know more about the ship itself, this is the place to go. And for its home port, Majuro - there is always Wikipedia!'

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Temple sign

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 2/4/2013 5:52:00 PM

'To all those who think people in Chennai don't speak anything other than Tamizh (or "Madras bashai": take a look at this sign. Now, how about a bit of English, as well?'

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Sparrow family

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 2/3/2013 6:13:00 PM

'The IUCN's Red List continues to list them as 'least concern', because of their large range and, within that range, their numbers seem to be large enough to be not worried about. If Chennai had a Red List, however, these birds (Passer domesticus) would be heading that list. A generation ago, you were in danger of these birds building a nest in your hair if you stood still for long enough. Today, their nests are not to be seen at all. First noticed this family at Santhome, (...)'

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Water woes

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 2/2/2013 6:03:00 PM

'If you had grown up in the 1970s and 80s in Madras, you will look at this with nostalgia. Pumping iron had a completely different meaning, but you had to get this mechanism going before you could use it as your personal gym. That first mug of water, poured into the barrel as you start moving the lever up and down, to "build up presser". And the thrill of hearing the wheezing change into a solid thump as the water surges through the pipes in time to your pumping. One-handed pumping, (...)'

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Umbrella

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 2/1/2013 3:50:00 AM

'That's the theme for the month for the CDP bloggers. These umbrellas cannot be rolled up, however. At the Bhaktavatsala Perumal temple at Thiruninravur, the deity was being paraded through the streets around the temple as part of the . The March sun is hot and it wouldn't do to have it strike the idol directly. So, along with the palanquin bearers are the umbrella carriers......to see more umbrellas from around the world, take a look here.'

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Right wrong

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 1/31/2013 9:58:00 AM

'Do you find anything odd about the cars on this road? No? Look again and you will notice that both the vehicles are on the wrong side of the road, which, in India is the right.This is probably the only stretch of public road in Chennai where you are allowed - actually expected - to drive on the wrong side of a two-way street. Traffic on Luz Church Road - where the white car is turning in from - is only westbound, while Musiri Subramaniam Road, nearer to us, permits vehicles to only (...)'

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An arc, a covenant

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 1/29/2013 6:31:00 PM

'India observes Martyr's Day today, in memory of "such a one that ever walked the earth in flesh and blood", so it is rather appropriate to celebrate another martyr, though of a cause which may be much lesser and yet, much more. William Lambton was in his mid-40s, having made a name for himself as a geographer and a geodesist during the determination of the border between USA and Canada after the American War of Independence. By 1799, he was back in India, as Lieutenant Lambton, havi(...)'

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New, Happy Year!

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 1/1/2013 1:24:00 AM

'If you are numerically inclined, here are a couple of things you might like to know about 2013:a. It is the first time after 1987 that we are using four different digits to write the yearb. Sequential digits being used. But not in the same sequence. Big deal? The last time it happend was about 600 years ago. The next will be 2031.Even if you are not numerically inclined, you can still have a fun time in the New Year. Enjoy a wonderful 2013, making life interesting for yourself and f(...)'

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Grand hotel

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 12/31/2012 4:33:00 PM

'The most recent entrant into Chennai's list of luxury hotels, the ITC Grand Chola is indeed quite grand. Spread out over 7 acres in the middle of Chennai, it is truly a spectacle. Inside the building, too, are grand spaces, where everyone wants to be photographed.As if the lights from the buildings weren't enough, the car had to appear just as the photo was taken - at least it didn't run me over!'

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Boatman

Author : Shantaram      Blog : Chennai Daily Photo      Date : 12/28/2012 6:17:00 PM

'Pulicat Lake straddles the border of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Just over 100km away from Chennai, it is easily accessed from the city. People flock there to watch the flamingoes, which come in every year to these backwaters - which is what Pulicat Lake actually is.Several boatmen are willing take you out to watch the flamingoes, adding to their regular fishing income. Almost the entire stretch is quite shallow, so the boats are actually punted across the lake. And in some (...)'

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