Indian Columbus

Not anyone could imagine such a rural setup hidden amidst the hustle and bustle of the congested  Ayanavaram  locality in Chennai. It is a peaceful hamlet located within the busy part of the city. A neat and clean temple in the center, with flower vendors at the entrances, surrounded by tile-roofed old houses and a big old-styled guesthouse called choultry - it gives an entirely different perspective on the otherwise busy Ayanavaram. The temple has an interesting historical background. Located near the Ayanavaram bus stand close to Medavakkam Tank Road, the unknown area was so prominent in the olden days. It was known as  Viswanathapuram . The presiding deity of the temple is Viswanathar. The  Gujarati community of Chennai  has its own history and tradition. Kheda is a district near Ahmedabad city in Gujarat state. The Brahmin community from Kheda is called  Khedawal  Gujaratis. A group of Khedawal Gujaratis from the Kheda district migrated to Tamil Na...

All hit films of yesteryear's superstar MGR used to get released in this theatre. Importantly, Haridass, the 1944 classic, ran for three successive years in this theatre. Despite being engulfed with such rich history, hardly anyone from today's Chennai could reminisce about this theatre.  Located on Broadway Road and named after the Road as Broadway Cinemas, it was inaugurated in the 1920s.  The city is growing faster, and the citizens of newly developed areas from OMRs and ECRs might not even know the old or the "original" Madras. George Town, the highly crowded locality, is where the city originated. This locality was planned and developed in the 1780s. Broadway, though it appears to be a misnomer today, was a prominent commercial thoroughfare in the 19th century.  In 1897 CE, a few short clips were screened in the Victoria Hall; it was the first cinema viewing experience for the citizens of Madras. Since then, the animated photographs were regularly screened in the...

"He is a philosopher and a poet, a savant and a saint, a mystic and a religious reformer. Such diverse gifts did he possess that different images present themselves, if we try to recall his personality."  - Dr. Radhakrishnan about Adi Shankaracharya. Now, we have got a new museum on the life and works of Sri Adi Shankaracharya in Chennai. Inaugurated on 5th June 2022, this unique museum is located within Sri Kanchi Mahaswami Vidya Mandir Complex in Rajkilpakkam near Tambaram. The sprawling museum called "Kanchi Kosh" is a proper tribute to the greatest philosopher of this country. There are multiple sections in this three-storied structure exhibiting the life of Adi Shankaracharya and providing a glimpse of his literary works and spiritual services. The glorious history of Shankara establishing five Shankara Mutts across India and his visit to various holy sites are well captured.  It is a divine feel to get darshan of the images of Kamakshi Amman, Adi Shankarachary...

Would you believe me? One thing that motivates me to frequently visit the crowded Sowcarpet - Lassi! Yes, the best among the best lassi in the entire Chennai! It is served by a wrestler! Dinesh Soni has been running this unique Anmol Mohit Patiala Lassi Shop for the past 30 years. Born and brought up in Govindappa Naicken Street in the same locality, his ancestors are from Pushkar in Rajasthan. When he was young, he was a professional wrestler in his native place.  This 6 feet 6-inch tall wrestler is known as the Khali of Sowcarpet. He has hundreds of regular customers. And all of them vouch for the consistent quality and taste of lassi he has maintained for three decades.  What makes his lassi so unique? What ingredients does he add to enhance his taste? Dinesh never divulges his trade secret. When time permits, visit this Tamil-speaking Rajasthani's shop to taste the best lassi in Chennai. Happy travelling!