Editorial: Birthday bumps

Madras, now known as Chennai, celebrates the 384th anniversary of its founding today. We are 16 years short of completing four centuries as a city, but look what a long way we’ve come. The metropolis, which for the remainder of this piece shall be referred to as Madras, is an oddity of sorts compared to major metros of India — thanks to that unparalleled mix of tradition and modernity that the city balances ‘oh so effortlessly’. You’d be hard pressed to find another urban landscape that holds on to its nativity so dearly. The idea of Tamil identity is so strongly ingrained within the psyche of Madras, it would be impossible to distinguish it from any other city in Tamil Nadu.

Holding on to one’s roots becomes a formidable challenge in the face of a post-colonial era when the temptation to embrace all things Western peaks. But Madras stuck to its guns, and ensured that assimilation of new cultures did not have to come at the cost of abandonment of old ones. It’s why things considered staples of life in south India, or more specifically Madras, remain unchanged to this day. As a beacon of spiritual unification, the haloed grounds of the Theosophical Society in Adyar had set the template for harmonious coexistence among various communities decades ago, thanks to the efforts of doyens like Dr Annie Besant.

The metro is a melting pot of ethnicities today, as people from across India, and abroad, call Madras home. Sure enough, there might be more cosmopolitan urban congregations in the country, but what is intrinsic to Madras is something that defies explanation. From its rich literature to the deep-rooted prowess in the arts — music and dance, sports and everything in between; from its awe-inspiring academia and industry to vibrant cuisine, stellar architecture and a matchless history of heralding social movements through political intervention.

It’s a city that has matured like a vintage wine, but don’t be fooled by appearances. Madras is pretty much adept at chugging down its filter coffee at the crack of dawn, as it is at sipping on some fine spirits at sundown. Those who are young at heart, swear by a few dictums that make the city tick. Both Rajini and Dhoni wear the sobriquet of chieftains — one’s a Thalaivar, the other Thala. We are striving to catch up with the New York vibe, as a city that never sleeps, but then one could always count on Raaja and Rahman to keep the night young.

A walk down Anna Salai, right besides the masses congregating at Bilal and Buhari serves up adequate proof that biryani is a comfort food that can be munched down anytime, for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but not necessarily in the same order. And it can be washed down with a spurt of goli soda, unless of course, one prefers tea, which would necessitate accompaniment of the customary batter brigade — podi dosas, medu vadas and adai — a perennial favourite of the expat community.

Oh, and did we mention we have beaches — to surf, kayak, and chill... you get the drift. It’s no stretch to pitch for the cool factor of Chennai within this space. But we’ll just leave it at this — if you haven’t lived here, you wouldn’t understand. Stay the same, Madras.