Rare images of Madras, music, food and more at The Hindu’s Made of Chennai

In 1956, crowds gathered on Mount Road in Madras, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Indian Olympic Hockey team that was taken on a grand open-car procession through this arterial stretch. A few years later, in February 1959, star-struck students at the Presidency College listened to Martin Luther King Jr deliver a speech during his visit to India.

These moments, frozen in time by The Hindu’s photographers through striking black-and-white images over the last century, indicate that the city has always had a reason to gather and celebrate. As Chennai gears up to turn 386 this year on August 22, The Hindu’s archival photo exhibit Thiral Thiran Thaakkam (People — in motion, in emotion, in unison) at the newspaper’s headquarters at Kasturi Buildings on Anna Salai, will explore what makes the city come alive.

“When I looked into the archives, I realised that there are many different moments through the years that have brought people together to celebrate. This is not limited to dances or loud celebrations, but a host of smaller reasons as well — from receiving important dignitaries to book fairs or even different sporting events,” says Thirupurasundari Sevvel, architect and founder of Nam Veedu Nam Oor Nam Kadhai, who has curated this exhibition. There are 75 photos on display, and over 110 photos from the archives showcased digitally too. 

Explaining the genesis of Thiral Thiran Thaakkam, she says that the exhibition offers a glimpse into the city’s many collective, celebratory moments. “Thiral here means crowd, and thiran is a celebration of strength. Thaakkam, is the impact that all of this has had and how it has seeped into the very identity of the city and its history,” she says.

The photos include a bevy of guests the city has welcomed, from Martin Luther King Jr to Queen Elizabeth II; small and big sporting events and other milestones; the launch of new schemes and policies for the public; and the city’s many vibrant spaces that have housed all this.

While Madras, much like the country, has revered cricket, the archival exhibition offers interesting insight into the city’s tryst with other sports too. There is a striking image of famed Hungarian-British table tennis champion Victor Barna on an assignment to India, with trainees under the Rajkumari coaching scheme started to support budding sportspersons.

There are also the city’s spaces that have nurtured its people, crowds, and celebratory milestones. A far cry from its current hustle and bustle, vast open spaces in Anna Nagar housed the International Trade Fair in Madras in 1968, complete with an artificial lake and an escalator bridge.This is when the famed Tower Park was built. “Holding up cameras and phones now to record events has become so common now but this was not the case in the past,” Tiruppurasundari says.

Thiral Thiran Thaakkam is on display until September 8 at Kasturi Buildings, The Hindu, 859/860, Anna Salai, Chennai. Entry is free.

The Hindu Made of Chennai is presented by Casagrand and powered by SRM. In association with Union Bank of India. Associate Partners: Tata Tea Chakra Gold, Tata Coffee, Hell Energy. Tourism sponsor: UP Tourism. Hydration partner: Parry Foods. The event is also done in partnership with Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation, Greater Chennai Corporation, Greater Chennai Police, Greater Chennai Traffic Police and Namma Marina, Namma Pride. Radio Partners: Big FM, Fever FM and Radio On. Activewear partner: Technosport. Walk partners: Port Trust of India and Kamarajar Port Limited. Happiness Partner: On The Streets Of Chennai.

Silverscreen by the sea

For residents of Chennai, the beaches are no doubt our biggest flex. What could then be better than catching some silver screen favourites by the waves, complete with sundal and bajjis? As a part of Moonlight Cinema, the 2008 comedy-thriller Saroja featuring an ensemble cast including Shiva, SP Charan, Premgi Amaren, and Prakashraaj, and the 2018 gritty thriller Kolamaavu Kokila starring Nayanthara, will be screened at the Marina Beach. Grab a friend or two, and find a comfortable spot on the sands for these back-to-back films.

Moonlight Cinema will take place at the Marina Beach on August 16. Register for free at madeofchennai.thehindu.com.

Rhythm and cuisine

The city’s vibrant food scene is ever evolving; one that celebrates the old favourites and makes space for the new, more experimental additions. At the food and music festival, there will be varied cuisine from over 40 restaurants from across Chennai, in accompaniment to a musical lineup of some of the city’s most promising artistes who will take the stage.

The Food and Music festival will take place on September 13 and 14 at YMCA Nandanam.

Lace up!

Are you ready to put your best foot forward? Registrations are now open for The Hindu Made of Chennai run, which will be co-hosted by Chennai Runners. This year, there will be a five and 10 kilometre run, routes for which will be announced shortly. Runners can register for ₹499 and this includes a bib, t-shirt and a medal on finishing the run.

The Hindu Made of Chennai run will be held on September 7. To register for the run, scan the QR code and check @thehindu_madeofchennai on Instagram for updates.

A walk through history

A celebration of a city like Madras is a celebration of its hallowed legacy and modernity. Through a series of walks, explore various facets of the city, ranging from its impressive architecture to its vibrant food scene. On August 16, food blogger Shabnam Kamil will explore Burma Nagar through signature Burmese-Tamil street food from the Tamil families who migrated from Burma decades ago. Chennai’s port will be the setting for a walk led by Thirupurasundari Sevvel on August 17, where participants can explore the architecture of the Port Trust buildings, as well as get a glimpse into the current key operational areas of the port. Through the next few weeks, walks through the Police Museum, and those covering Chennai’s art deco buildings will also take place.