My nostalgic memories about Madras on its 375th birthday

Today Chennai celebrates its 375th birthday. And my 

memories about Chennai:

When I was a kid studying in b'lore, after vacations friends would ask wer did u spend ur vacations? I said proudly to my native "Chennai" and they mostly confuse with 'China' and lose their mind coz we were such kids not knowing the difference btw a city and country.

A week before leaving to Chennai I dream about it a lot, how I'd enjoy with my cousins and how carefree I'd roam around in the hot afternoons. As my parents hardly book the ticket in advance, there would always a be a hurry on catching the train. The early morning bus journey to Majestic(KBS) is the only mornign I'll look so refreshed.

The announcement in B'lore railway station "Lalbagh express will be arriving on bla bla bla" That lady's voice would give me the joy of my class teacher reading out the memo "Tomorrow will be an holiday!". After managing to get a seat in the train to Chennai and hear Tamil words all over and the vendors also yelling in tamil, I'd feel like I am already in Chennai. And I once took a book and pen with me to note down all the stations so that it'd be useful while playing "Name place animal thing"  And the most worse thing was when I get a peer and hearing from him that he has more no. of holidays than me 

My most dreadful journey would be from Basin Bridge Jn to Chennai Central station, I would have reached with 5 hours from Bangalore to Chennai and with that gaandu my mind voice would be "Dei na nadandhe poidren da".

After the train screeches at the Chennai central station and entering into that kind of a doom and the atmosphere with low light, those announcement in kannada would turn out to be in tamil  The coolie would take the luggages me and my mom used to carry in bitterness all the way Just Like That. He looks like the real Rajinikanth for me! And carries with the kindness of your blood relation and not uttering a word bout the money till he reaches the auto stand  And seeing any of my cousin to pick me up would be like that I'm coming from foreign country, that feel!

As the auto driver asks "enga ga ponum?" I'd reply him before my mom saying it. That feel you get when talking to auto driver our bus conductor in your mother tongue Tamil after a long time being in a completely diff place. Chancey illa! 
As I walk out of the station I admire the grandeur beauty of Central station It's architectural n the paint color so appealing though I knew nothing bout architectural stuffs. Something in a grandeur way with a clock in it was awesome for me. As in every tamil movie the hero reaches chennai first they show namma "Central station" Unma dhan ga adhu Chennai oda getthe adhan 

And the auto anna always cursing those going in cars, "Naadhari avangua appan road madhri otran paaru" and those paavam rickshaw thathas struggling to peddle with a huge marwadi aunty with her luggages  Gazing through the streets. And seeing all name boards and movie posters in tamil, though I couldn't read it. Was something creating a bliss. Share autos everywhere. It would like the autos are pregnant  As I reach the destination I get down when my mom's having a mouth fight about the fare, and not caring about the luggage
And getting into the house, first they provide water because of the scorching sun, all cousins gather inquiring about random stuffs, firstly about my sokka that I buy for my b'day. And wearing my cousin's pyjamas coz too lazy to open my luggage.

Roaming through the streets in the hot hot afternoon wearing my cousin's flip flops as I always forget to bring mine  Going to parks, drinking Neer moru, 1 ruba Ice with the begged money from grand parents. And showing off my cycle riding skills in 'vaadagai cycle'. And addressing every elderly as "anna/akka" though they maybe the age of my parents.

And people asking like "Thambi Bangalore la padikiriya pa?'. Bangalore was like a foreign country for them in those days.

Using Madras Baashai like "Gethu, scene, mass, chanc ey illa, weight u," which I can't use in any other city coz ppl won't understand it. Though few words are in English we have our meaning for it.

Marina would always be my first hangout in Chennai. And eating molaga bajji after playing with waves. Returning back with sand in your sandals, pants. Eww the irritating part. Visiting Egmore museum fondly called as "Setthupona museum". Trade fair in Island grounds, which looks like a modern oor Thiruvizha. VGP, statue thatha, golden beach  Abhirami Mega Mall the giant lady, watching movies there. Mahablaipuram just wow, as a kid, those days I was confused whether it was a temple or beach. These are all the places I primarily visited in Chennai. Nostalgia !!

Returning back to Bangalore, I always don't go the starting first week of school I'd still be in Chennai, postponing as much as possible. Crying to convince your relatives and grandparents. Leave with all the newly bought toys inside the luggage. Going back all the way to Central station with a depressed face. Finally boarding the train, after Bangarpet ppl start conversing in Kannada and the fresh breeze I get and realize that I'm gonna reach home soon. Now Majestic turns Pathetic to me. The place which had put a smile on my face a few weeks back would turn out to be the opposite.

First few weeks of the school would be so depressing thinking of when the next vacations would come. When will I grow up so that I'd travel on my own. And calling out neighbour's and friends with my cousins' name and take a week to cope up with it. And my friends would make me forget those stuffs in a few days.

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Now, After coming to Chennai and pursuing my studies here things have turned slightly vice-versa. Starting few months in Chennai had problems like the seating order for ladies in bus which was different from that from Bangalore's. Differentiating between deluxe, non deluxe bus was too tough. I'd give the bus conductor 20 rs in non deluxe and get abuses. Get confused with Chennai Central suburban and Chennai central. And hearing passengers saying the price of the ticket to the conductor instead of saying the stop. All passengers voluntarily buying tickets by going to the conductor's seat and him giving back the ticket with exact change were all a quite a shock to me.

Now in my college at SRM, students have come from different parts and can see them cursing Chennai of being so hot and other stuffs. I feel like "Bitch please, wait and watch Idhu Singara Chennai, you will definitely regret for what you said".

Chennai is more than a city, filled with more emotions, historical legacy. You can see from modern to cultured people here. Vandhaarai vaazha vaikum Chennai. Ending with this as a proud Chennaite though brought up in the culture of two.

Thankyou Chennai for giving me such memories  :')

‪#‎Madrasday‬ ‪#‎Madras375‬

PC: Digitally Inspired, Madras Memoirs

- Lohithaksha Sreedharan