Registered with the Reg. No. TN/CH(C)/374/09-11 Registrar of Newspapers Licence to post without prepayment for India under R.N.I. 53640/91 Licence No. WPP 506/09-11 Rs. 5 per copy (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS CHENNAI INSIDE • Short ‘N’ Snappy • The Editor & Madras Week • Madras Week blogs • Tamil film publicity • Two men of letters Vol. XXI No. 11 MUSINGS September 16-30, 2011 Marina’s elevated road plans now abandoned You design whatever you want and however you want, but you know that – But is beach permanently safe? anyway I’m going to change it a hundred times...! he Tamil Nadu Govern- other places, some nowhere Tment has informed the near the coast. Secondly, it in- Building blocks High Court of Madras that it volved work being done at en- Buildings are a slightly worried lot has dropped the idea of build- vironmental hotspots such as these days. ing an elevated road along the the Theosophical Society, the Understandable. East Coast Road. The project Adyar Creek and the beach- Picture this. had faced strong protests from front, the last also being the You were created, even launched, as a symbol, a monument, to environmental activists and the nesting spot of the Olive Ridley the majesty and gravitas of au- fisherfolk right from inception. turtles. Thirdly, there was the thority. The decision to drop it has, question of whether the whole Then, suddenly, your role gets re- therefore, been widely wel- project would finally play into written. comed. But all this does not in the hands of the real estate You are now a supermarket. any way ensure that our coast- lobby, which would begin look- Bizarre? line, certainly among the most ing at development along the And rather upsetting? beautiful parts of our city, is in seafront, a long cherished idea “Can you blame us?” demands a anyway secure from develop- of its members. And, finally, gorgeous, yellowing, days-of- ments of a similar nature that there was the question of the the-Raj structure. “I was once a dangerously-close-to-Royalty may be thought of in future. Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) habitat – and now I’m a large, The project, if it had been laws which severely restrict any ungainly, apartment block. I’m implemented, would have been (Continued on page 6) One of the two trees that was saved in Nandanam by two tree-loving women. confused. Who am I?” another of those schemes that “Stop whining,” says a Road. “I are frequently thought of by went from ‘Lady Lord Avenue’ Government agencies in com- to ‘Appalam Depot Street’ plete conflict with Nature. overnight. Do you know what Chipko at Nandanam Envisaged as a four-lane high- that did to my psyche?” “Well, things change,” you offer, way, it was to begin with a ramp t dawned just like any other cut two 50-year-old trees on our went to support the two feeling it’s time you stood up from near the Lighthouse, pro- Iday. The koyals nesting in the street – to make way for a women. In fact, one of our for your species. “Time ceed along San Thomé, Fore- tree next door cooed endlessly, stormwater drain, the men neighbours asked the two marches on, and...” shore Estate, cut across the urging the world to wake up and stated. The two women argued women to move away and let “We understand change, as in Adyar Estuary (where a steel get on with life. Squirrels let out that the path of the drain could the men get on with their work! ‘Change’ with a capital ‘C’.” bridge named the Signature startled little squeaks and be curved around the tree. Why When I came back from The building sighs, “It’s the Bridge would provide the nec- leaped restlessly from one cut two lovely, full-grown trees? work that day I saw the mother overnight-quick-change that essary connection), cross the branch to another with their The men insisted that they had and daughter sitting by the gate throws us. And you guys do Theosophical Society, run par- that. Very restless, you are tails in the air. Dogs, tired after orders to cut the trees and they of our building. When I asked ....as a species. Always search- allel to Elliot’s Beach and, a busy night, curled up for a would do so. Even as they ar- them why, they told me the en- ing, seeking....” finally, connect with the East snooze under the shade of the tire story. I promised to support “Chopping, changing,” the Road Coast Road at Kottivakkam. 50-year-old tree, oblivious of them in case the men came gloomily adds his bit. The entire distance would have the call of the koyals. back again. “With the operative word being been 9.7 km and it would have Everyone went on with his G by Deepa Ravi And they did. ‘Chop’,” the building been a part of the circular trans- routine. Sleepy kids left for This time, fortunately, on a mumbles, bitterly. portation corridors that have school. Office-goers grumbled Saturday morning – when we “What next?” these much-tried been planned to ease traffic their way to work. gued, one large branch of the were all at home. Once again, souls ask, sarcastically. “An old congestion in the city. museum forced into mall- And then it happened. tree collapsed under the tyr- the two – mother and daughter hood?” While ostensibly meant to A brood of lungi-clad men anny of the saw. The two – were the first to get down and When one person’s ‘Change Fest’ provide for smooth vehicular came with saws and started women persisted, argued, protest. The men were prepared means another person’s ideas flow (read, cars only), the hacking branches of the tree. screamed, raved and ranted. Fi- for them. They quickly tied being turned inside out, things project raised several questions. My neighbour upstairs saw this nally, the men gave up and ropes around the tree and were suffer. Firstly, it cut off the fishing happening – as did all the went away threatening to come all set to totally uproot the trees And, inevitably, someone pays.... community’s access to the sea neighbours around. She, along with greater force some other forcibly. The mother went and sometimes heavily. and there were rumours that with her daughter, went and day. Surprisingly, not a single Ranjitha Ashok they would be relocated to protested. They were there to person from the neighbourhood (Continued on page 3) CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS September 16-30, 2011 Growing An obstacle course faced by awareness of the remover of obstacles is the season of festi- towards the sea. Those who after several cups of tea and a City’s past ’T vals and among the first are conveying him to the wa- desultory holding up of ban- to be worshipped is the el- ters shout, dance and some- ners, everyone suddenly nd ephant-headed deity who re- times also indulge in rather in- galvanised into action. The as Madras Day/Week that lasted from August 2 to moves obstacles. Like any el- appropriate and unacceptable media, particularly the TV th WSeptember 10 a success? With about 150 events, a few ement of life that wishes to gestures especially when they cameras, were on their way. thousand participating, and plenty of Press coverage getting many remain au courant, worship- espy a woman driver in the As the cameras rolled, fierce more to talk about the occasion, it certainly could be considered a ping this god has changed traffic. For some reason, some expressions were used, slo- success. Particularly noteworthy, and reflecting wider recognition, with the times. And The Man of the spirited worshippers gans shouted and chests was that some of the city’s newspapers and magazines had special from Madras Musings is left have chosen to interpret or beaten. The police, rather features or supplements and these – and some other publications wondering if all change is for misinterpret this festival as a like the time when the el- as well – hosted full page ads wishing Madras that is Chennai a the good, especially with re- variant of another one, usually ephant-headed god was very happy birthday. The New Indian Express, in fact, devoted a spect to this divine being and celebrated in the North with wending His way to sea, kept the mass-based adulation He colours. So they throw colour a watchful eye on the pro- page every day during the Week to reports of events. All this was enjoys. powders as well, much to their ceedings. another sign of success. MMM lamented a year own amusement and the dis- Someone somewhere ap- As was another welcome feature, the Coordinators of Madras ago on how public worship of comfiture of passers-by. And peared to have broken some Week had for some time been wondering whether there was this Lord tends to happen at at times, rival organisers in- little known law and then all enough spontaneity of what was essentially meant to be a volun- the most inconvenient loca- dulge in a race to the sea, with mayhem broke loose. Police tary celebration, or whether many of the events took place only in tions – busy traffic intersec- vehicles attempting to over- vans appeared and everyone response to appeals from the Coordinators. This year the happy tions, narrow street corners, take each other in a reckless courted arrest. The traffic feature was that several events were organised without the Coordi- and near hospitals and dash to the finish (all puns which had slowed down con- nators even being aware of them.