Regular Articles

• Vol. XXXII No. 13, October 16-31, 2022

W(h)ither Chennai’s Art Deco?

-- by The Editor

Mumbai has done it. In 2018, thanks to a concerted effort by citizens and a sympathetic Government, the city’s Gothic and Art Deco precincts were accorded UNESCO’s world heritage status. Since then, the movement to protect the city’s heritage structures has only gained ground. While the challenges of protecting the buildings, especially those in private […]

• Vol. XXXII No. 13, October 16-31, 2022

Chennai highest in number of road accident deaths among metros: NCRB report

-- by A Special Correspondent

According to a report released earlier in August by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Tamil Nadu suffered the second-highest number of road fatalities in 2021, with the state recording 15,384 casualties in 14,747 accidents. Titled Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India – 2021, the document also revealed that Chennai accounted for the highest number […]

• Vol. XXXII No. 13, October 16-31, 2022

Heritage Watch: The Father of Art Deco in Madras

While there is no doubt that Dare House is the most iconic Art Deco building of the city, what is interesting is that the art form had already made its presence felt prior to the construction of that edifice. Dare House was constructed between 1937 and 1940 but the city’s first building in Art Deco […]

• Vol. XXXII No. 13, October 16-31, 2022

Short ‘N’ Snappy

-- (Wo)MMM

Chennai’s urban wild It is said that pets and owners share the same personality traits. Going by a few recent encounters in Namma Chennai, The Woman from Madras Musings proposes that the same can be said for a city and its urban wild. The first incident happened while (Wo)MMM and the better half were driving […]

• Vol. XXXII No. 13, October 16-31, 2022

Our Readers Write

‘Toilet’ usage Since when has toilet become a dirty word? And why? What is wrong with the word? It is no longer toilet. It is now ‘rest room’ (and sometimes ‘wash room’). An example is Chennai airport. People seem to be embarrassed to use the word toilet. ‘Where is the rest room’ is what one […]

• Vol. XXXII No. 12, October 1-15, 2022

Government (finally) moves on heritage conservation

-- by The Editor

There is some good news on the heritage front. The State Government has announced a budget of Rs 100 crores or thereabouts for the restoration of 17 heritage structures across the State. The buildings that will be attended to within the city are Rajaji Hall, the Pay and Accounts Office East and Agricultural Records Building […]

• Vol. XXXII No. 12, October 1-15, 2022

Recent Swiggy strike enumerates the need for labour codes governing gig work

-- by A Special Correspondent

A June 2022 NITI Aayog report titled India’s Booming Gig and Platform Economy carried a few revealing facts about the sector. 77 lakh workers were engaged in gig employment in 2020-21, a number that is projected to hit 2.35 crores in 2029-30, which would amount to a significant 4.1 per cent

• Vol. XXXII No. 12, October 1-15, 2022

The Cat Burglar of Madras

-- by Sriram V

‘In general, a cat burglar is a thief who intrudes into homes to steal personal property, getting their name from the idea that cats can be quiet and sneaky. Cat burglars are essentially thieves who are able to break into a home without being noticed’ – thus runs a definition on the internet. Madras city had […]

• Vol. XXXII No. 12, October 1-15, 2022

Umbrella Magic – Ebrahim Currim & Sons

-- by Shobha Menon

Go to Ebrahim Currim & Sons on NSC Bose Road at the busy Parrys junction, and you can pick up an umbrella that matches your personality, your mood and style – even if it’s not raining! It all began when Ebrahim Currim, a kirana store owner in Mumbai, imported the first ‘rain’ umbrella to India […]

• Vol. XXXII No. 12, October 1-15, 2022

Toothsome Chennai – A returnee’s discovery of food trails in the city

-- by Chandramoulee Palani, chandramoulee.palani@gmail.com

We were rooted and solemnly sworn Bengalurians until recently when we relocated to Chennai after a period of 14 years. The shift has been nothing short of a epiphany. I wonder if we locals are rather unappreciative of our city – it is a typical Chennai characteristic isn’t it, underplaying hard-won pride and focusing on […]