A day in Marina Beach

Being a Chennaite, one thing which was always an integral, emotional and exciting part of my childhood was going to the beach. And not just any beach but Marina Beach, the world’s 2^nd longest beach. I remember sitting on the wet grass and having ‘sundal’ and ‘murukus’ with family and friends. Ofcourse the cotton candy have now taken over the murukus and aloe vera have taken over coconut water, but the sameexcitement still remains!

Whenever I visited or still visit the Marina beach, I start from the Gandhi statue. And I guess so is the way for many people. Whether it being a spacious and vast area or the solitude, whatever the reason, Gandhi statue is one of the places in beach where you can find people either in the morning or evening. 

As I move on further, a wave of laughter hits me. The laughter club. On a weekend, you just cannot miss this energetic group of men laughing away their troubles. We recognize each other from my earlier visits and exchange smiles and plesantries.

Cops patrol in the mornings on the inner beach road to ensure cars and motor cycles do not enter so that walkers, joggers and everyone else are allowed to have their routine peacefully without any incidents or mishaps.  Bicycles are another matter altogether.

An avid lover of dogs, I met this cute Otter hound named Rissi, who happily jaunts away with his owner on weekends. And this adorable Pug named Messi who just wanted to keep playing. Wanting to move on, when I said bye, Messi simply started barking and did not stop. Messi did not like good-byes. 

Master Sifu Ilayaraja of New Eagle Chinese Kungfu Academy is seen with his students at the end of the day’s class.

After all the walking, jogging, karate and boxing, people can relax and have a glass of ‘fresh aloe vera’ juice which seems to be the fad nowadays. Either you drink it for reducing weight or apply it on your skin to work wonders; aloe vera, considered an all-in-one package is provided by vendors at Marina on early morning weekends. 

Evenings are a different story at Marina. The place is abuzz with people of all ages of which I find the kids in abundance. Be it skating rinks, horse riding, cotton candy, toy shops, balloon shooting, carousel rides or the sea, kids are all over. 

A kid enjoys on a carousel ride while his parents watch.

Marina Beach is like a haven and a mini wonderland for the kids who in turn make it an enjoyable evening for the entire family. It is so wonderful to observe the Marina Beach during a weekend or a holiday. With so many activities around, even a loner will forget his/her loneliness.

You can never miss the ever famous Bajji-shops! They are an inseparable part of Marina. One of my personal favorites, I have them every time I come to Marina. You can get a variety of bajjis ranging from chilies to onions, from potatoes to plantains at a rate of 20 – 30 rupees a plate.

Toys galore!

It is not just a place to get your feet wet, but also a place to witness a collage of the cultural blend that Chennai offers. Irrespective of caste or creed, culture or religion, this is a place where only one thing matters, pure bliss and enjoyment. Here I feel a freedom from all my worries and troubles even if it’s for a while.

As I walk along, I stop at this group of people hovering around someone. I try to peek in and notice this young modern boy getting his future told by the fortune teller. It made me think that in this contemporary day and age, what not just people but the younger generation believes and thinks. It was amusing to note this woman telling him not to go searching for his lady love because his lady love will instead find him. A ripple of laughter arose from his friends teasing the poor chap and I moved on smiling.

“Can I please have one Grandpa?” asks the young girl politely. Sweet grandpa cannot resist her innocent smile and she ends up with her favorite red balloon. The balloon man spreads yet another smile. 

While in another corner, it pains my heart to see another child fixing a toy, not his toy, to be sold. He is shy at first to talk or to be photographed. I ask him his name, Raj Kumar he replies. I observe him for a while and ask him about his parents and school. As I feel him getting comfortable I ask him if I can take his photograph. He looks at me reluctantly. I persuade him saying I will show his picture and if he does not like I will not take further. He agrees. I get a couple of shots of him doing his activity and finally ask him to look at the camera. I show his picture and ask if he likes it. He just smiles shyly and continues with his work.

An old man and others in the background try to listen to the ticking sound of the wristwatch at MGR Samadhi.  M.G.Ramachandran better known as MGR was a popular South Indian actor who later became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Hundreds of people visit to pay their respect to this leader. Some people claim they can hear the ticking sound, while others don’t hear any. After trying to listen for more than a couple of times, I decided that I unfortunately fell in the latter category.

 A visit to Marina is incomplete without visiting the Light house which was re-opened last after 22 years to the public. The queue is right till outside the entrance on weekends. As seen through a child’s eye is a breath taking view from the 9^th floor.

There is also a museum attached to the light house.

The place is as busy at night as it is in the evening. This is one place where you can go with empty pockets but come back with lots of fun filled memories! 

Me at the MGR Samadhi, unsuccessful in hearing the tick-tock!

Marina Beach is the world's 2nd longest beach, along the Bay of Bengal. The beach runs a distance of 13 kms making it the longest natural urban beach.

A day in Ranganathan Street

Be it morning or evening, weekday or a weekend this is how Ranganathan street feels like!

Air conditioned shops, stores, roadside setups, vegetables, fruits, clothes, bags, shoes, artificial jewellery, you name it and this street has it all.

Even in the hustle and bustle vendors find a quiet time for themselves, taking a break while waiting for customers. 

A woman watches and deciding from outside a shop as to go in or not. 

A woman watches and deciding from outside a shop as to go in or not. 

All over I noticed women buying and suddenly I see a couple of men looking at handbags and dresses. I guess it was the Valentine’s Day effect.

I noticed this old man selling brushes, clothes pins, remote control holders etc. I just couldn't resist noticing the comparison of his attire and against the new generation clothes displayed on a mannequin outside a store. In the entire street, he was as unique as his turban, kurta and the lungi combination.

A woman selling handbags takes a tea-break. Like stores, now roadside shop vendors also now prefer to avoid the hassle of bargaining with customers. Fixed ‘pries’ – take it or leave it.

A ‘refreshing’ conversation amidst the colorful shop!

I would label this as a not so frequent sight. Though police men and women have the same needs as the public, it is thought provoking as to why they are viewed differently. Is it the uniform making a difference or the contemplation that they can have the same needs? Think about it.

Portraits of a security guard and a street hawker selling Valentine Day cards. 

Lifestyle of a common man.

Walking along I saw this man coddling a baby. While his wife shopped, he took care of his baby patiently without a fuss. It made me think how the time is changing and changed as a matter of fact. Gone are the days where a man’s job was just earning and the woman’s to cook and take care of the baby. Today both share equal responsibilities outside as well as inside home. 

I noticed this young mother of two roaming around the street begging people for money. Her son wanted an ice-cream but she did not want to waste whatever little money she had on a luxury such as an ice cream. A generous ice cream vendor gives the boy a free cone ice cream which her brother is unwilling to share so the little girl is seen sulking. The mother makes futile attempts to make the boy to share the ice cream with his sister. The boy doesn’t budge. Now normally in such cases, the boy is then beaten up for his non compliance. But surprisingly the mother is seen cajoling and trying to cheer up her little girl. Your caste or status doesn’t really matter when it comes to cheering up your child when he or she is upset or sulking. Mothers love for her child.

Love is in the air or is it? As years go by love loses its importance in a marriage or relationship and it becomes all about responsibility and children till the time where spouses rarely have time for each other. They just go through the notions of being married or they grow apart being in the marriage. 

Ranganathan Street, located in T.Nagar, is one of the busiest streets in Chennai. Many commercial establishments can be found on Ranganathan Street.

A day in Kasimedu Fish Market

An early morning

The first thing that hits me on entering was the strong fish stench. The second, yet another stench, this time of alcohol while ramming into some men in the massive crowd. Irrespective of it being a weekday or a weekend, Kasimedu fish market is buzzing with activity since 5 am and continues to be till early noon.

As soon as I enter with my camera I immediately become the center of attention. Some of them yell out loudly (obviously under the influence of alcohol, can’t really ignore the odor) demanding to take their photographs. I oblige and move on. Few people come up to me and politely enquire from which newspaper or media channel I am and the rest just stare. By the 3^rd day, they get accustomed to my presence.

I see a variety of fishes like sardines, pom-fret, seer fish, barracuda and crabs, prawns, red snapper, mackerel, squids hauled in by the fishermen from the trawlers to the shore in small boats and very narrow catamarans. Small fishes are taken to the market in baskets by carrying them and the larger ones are pulled by a rope or by transferring them in tricycles. I carefully tread as the whole area is covered with slime and decaying fishes and is wet due to melted ice. 

An early dawn

 “600! 600!” screams a man here. “500! 500!” screams a man there. Elsewhere someone finalizes a deal for Rs. 400/-. As soon as the fishes are brought in, the unorganized auction starts and ends within a couple of minutes! I see the auctioneers having bundles of 500 and 1000 rupee notes. 10’s 20’s and 50’s are a used as a mere change. They holler at me, pointing to their baskets asking if I would like to buy any fishes or prawns. I sheepishly reply no with a smile and move on rather than explain about what I am doing in a fish market being a vegetarian.

Networking at Kasimedu

Transaction of lakhs of rupees happening in a day, I feel like it’s a stock exchange market, the stocks being the sea creatures

You can see fishes of all sizes being hauled in different ways through using cranes, tricycles and sometimes even manually. It’s amazing to notice fishes ranging from 5 kg to 150 kgs weights. 

The fishes here are relatively less expensive compared to the other markets. Hence it attracts a lot of locals who come in to buy and end up with the best bargains. Even restaurants and hotels purchase or are supplied from here because of its lower price. It is definitely worth buying. I spot a foreigner bargaining with a fisherman for prawns. The fisherman signals Rs. 700/-. Negotiation happens. Deal doesn't work out in either one’s favor. And the foreigner moves on to buy from the next fisherman. Irrespective of language, business happens in the usual manner.

Old women waiting for someone to buy.

As I venture further, I can’t help but notice that there is absolutely no proper method for disposing the redundant fishes in a hygienic way and they are left to rot for days at a stretch. When I ask one of the women regarding this, she replies “Appadi daan ma”, meaning that is how it is. The place is soiled and unhygienic, obviously needing improvement in such facilities.

Ice transportation is another main activity that I see happening throughout the fish market. From big ice crushing machines to physically crushing it, blocks of ice are transported to the boats and the markets to ensure that fishes remain fresh till sold. The fishermen buy huge blocks of ice, crush them and stock them in the fishing hold of the boats which is where the caught fishes are stored till they bring them ashore.

Apart from the fishes and fishing related activities, these people make their own accessories like weaving baskets and making fishing nets and selling it in the neighborhood.

Small catches being removed from the fishing net

 Fishermen turn in for the day so they can continue with the next day.

Something smells fishy!

And of course, no fish market is complete without a cat! While leaving, I spotted this pet cat sitting in a shed beyond few women selling fishes. Quite unlike its character, it was not concerned about the fishes around it. Till I asked the lady how something like that is possible. And in a couple of minutes I got my answer. It is not possible.

This was my first experience in Kasimedu, in terms of visiting and shooting. My suggestion is go visit this place. Even if you don’t eat fish – this is still a place not to be missed!

A very different though enjoyable experience shooting in Kasimedu!

Kasimedu fishing harbour, located in the Royapuram area of Chennai, is one of the major fishing grounds for catching fishes. A retail fish market known as the Kasimedu Fish Market is within the harbour complex adjacent to the auction shed. The market sells a variety of fishes, prawns and crabs.