Missing Madras' old charm

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Chennai’s winning combination of technology and tradition may be drawing droves of people from across the world, but time has robbed this city of many a quaint pastime, lament old-timers who grew up in Madras. On the city’s birthday, they reminisce the charm of a sandy fishing village that gave birth to modern India.

“It was a joy to travel in the city. I used to love going by trams from Central station to Mount road. The main tram station was where the Dina Thanthi office now stands,” says cardiologist Dr V. Chockalingam, born in 1945, and who grew up in Kilpauk. “We also travelled by train a lot. The zoo in Madras was housed in the area that is now Nehru stadium.We used to jump up and down as we passed the zoo as we could see all the animals from the train,” he laughs.

Greta Samuel , 77, insists that the yellow cyclerickshaw, drawn by strong, wiry men, was her favorite mode of transport around Vepery, where she lived all her life.

Stella George misses the sharp cries of the traveling salesmen the most. “When we were children, there were salesmen who used to come home with yummy goodies. The best was the coloured sugar candy wrapped on a stick. In a jiffy, he would mould the candy into a watch for our wrists, or make us dolls and little edible animals...” she recollects.

Sweets like kamarkat, javvu mittai , a sticky, nutty blob that could be chewed on the entire day, and paal-ice covered with nuts are thoroughly missed by another old-timer Samiullah Khan. He also remembers his first swimming lessons in the Adyar river.

Dr Chockalingam still remembers the distinct taste of coconut and mint chutney ground on his mother’s ammi kal. “Masala pastes were ground on the ammi kal, the dry spices were pounded in the mortar and pestle. It’s a pity these equipment have disappeared from Chennai’s kitchens.