Always Madras to me, but Chennai to you!

Welcome to my hometown

Chennai is the capital city of the southern most state in India called Tamil Nadu (translates to Land of the Tamil). Located on the south-eastern coast, with one of the longest beaches in India, Chennai is one of the original four metropolitan cities along with Bombay, New Delhi and Calcultta.

The city was called Madras until 1996 when several cities in India reverted back to their original pre-British names. Madras became Chennai, Bombay became Mumbai, Calcutta became Kolkata, so on and so forth. The airport code remains MAA.

I was born in Madras and lived the first 21 years of my life. It will always be my hometown. I hope to give you a flavor for Madras through my senses.

Weather/ Climate

Every time I fly back and land in MAA, the first thing that hits me is this whiff of hot air. I’m reminded of the temperatures that await me at any time of the year. Sitting on the thermal equator, Chennai temperatures are hot, hotter, and hottest with high levels of humidity.

I never owned a sweater growing up. Didn’t know what it meant to “layer up.”

You are guaranteed to look like you worked out or ran a 10K just by the sweat oozing out through all your pores. It’s like a free sauna. Don’t worry, there is air-conditioning in most places you go and you will be fine. It’s not as bad as Dubai, but similar to Singapore.

One of the first things I do with jetlag is to go out for a run along the beach. I run past the old neighborhood I grew up in and wave to all the neighbors and vendors who are still around. I’ve spent many days at dawn and dusk by the beach.

Language

Tamil is the official language spoken in the state of Tamil Nadu (duh!). If you didn’t already know this tidbit, every state in India has its own language. Not a different dialect. A completely different language with its own script. Think of the countries in Europe and equate them to states. English is spoken by most white-colored folks.

Temples

Chennai is known for her temples and conservative society in comparison to other cities in India. An area called Mylapore is known traditionally to be the art and cultural hub of the city. The famous Kapaleshwar Temple is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Built in the 7th century BC, the temple has a large moat and is an example of Dravidian architecture.

Be sure to stop by the flower vendors outside the temple and buy yourself some fresh jasmine flowers. Flowers are given as offerings to the Gods, but they are also used as accessories for women. You will see women wearing flowers in their hair.

Food

Now, let’s get to the good part. What are some of the foods you’ll want to try when you are in Chennai?

Let’s get something straight here. Just like there are different languages, every state has its unique food that is made with ingredients that grow in abundance in that region. Big example - rice is eaten more in South India and wheat in the form of roti and breads are eaten in Northern parts of India.

I am not a coffee drinker, but you should try out the filter coffee in Chennai. I hear it is quite special with its mix of chicory ground with the coffee beans to give it its unique taste.

Chennai is known for its South Indian, breakfast dishes which are savory like the idli (rice and lentil steamed pancakes) and dosa (rice and lentil crepes) that are served with coconut chutney and sambar (lentil soup). There are a host of other dishes, but these two are a good start. The dosa can be made as crisp as paper and is called a paper dosa. Another variation is with a spiced potato filling called the masala dosa. Any guesses what a Paper Masala Dosa on a menu would be?

The other item unique to Chennai is Chicken 65! It is a deep-fried chicken dish that is spicy and goes really well as a snack with some drinks. Chicken 65 with a pint of beer….chug, chug, chug!

Marion is one of my favorite YouTube chefs and she knocked this recipe out of the ballpark! If you are serious about giving Chicken 65 a go, don’t tell me I didn’t share its recipe.

Most people in Chennai eat with their hands. Don’t be surprised when you walk into restaurants and see people’s fingers diving into the food. If you want a refresher on this tradition, check out my article on eating with your hand.

What to See

There are some historic buildings in the city, but most people who visit make a trip down east coast road to the ancient shore temples built in the 7th and 8th centuries by the Pallava dynasty in Mahabalipuram. It makes for a great day trip with a stop at one of the beach resorts for lunch and a swim in some of the private beaches along the way.

If you are visiting in January during the music festival, then you could check out one of the classical musical performances. If for nothing else, you can at least see how people get dressed for an evening out!

Silk Sarees

If you want to buy silk sarees with real gold threads, then Chennai is the place for it. Made in the town of Kanchipuram about two hours from Chennai, these sarees are known as Kancheevaram Sarees.

Most women wear sarees on a daily basis, but the silk saree is worn on special occasions and festivals. The amount of zhari (gold thread) on the saree is a dead giveaway to the approximate cost of the saree or the socio-economic status of the person wearing the saree. More gold = more wealth!

How many days in Chennai?

Set aside at least 2–3 days for Chennai. You can even stay at a beach resort and drive into the city to see the sights. I found this 2-day itinerary which pretty much sums up my take on the city.

I haven’t been back home since before the pandemic in 2018. I hope to visit in 2023. But until then, I will cherish every memory I have of my Madras.

Let me know if you want to plan a visit and we can chat further. Until then, as they say in Tamil, “Vannakam.” [synonymous with Namaste].

Thank you to Gerald Sturgill, Coyote Susan, Adrienne Beaumont, and JoAnn Ryan for the prompt to write about your hometown.

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