Triplicane - Peregrination into Past

Triplicane - one of d oldest & most bustling place in Chennai. I wud say its d nosiest, crampiest, dirtiest place but also d sweetest, warmest place at heart. I grew up there, 1st 10 years of my life were spent there. And I loved every bit of time I spent there growing. But then, things changed, we got our own house in suburban chennai, Villivakkam & moved, one & for all. But my love 4 that place remained at heart with memories to last forever. I never visited Triplicane much past 15 years, hardly had a reason to go there & staying far away from city, didnt even think to travelling so long too. But I longed to visit it. Last saturday, I got a chance to ve a nice ride around places where I lived, played, strolled, rolled (!!), studied, enjoyed, missed....

My last visit to proper visit to Triplicane was GOK. I was jus thinking of returning home, after dropping my mom in her office last sat'day, that suddenly I thought y not visit Triplicane and also blog d experience?? And then i decided, yes its time and I was heading towards old home following my school route from Gopalapuram. I used to get dropped in a cycle Rickshaw with another 8 kids. I wonder know how we all fitted in that little vehicle and a puny rick puller used to bear all our weight and peddal all d way smoking his beedi, playing MGR songs. I just headed to Royapettah where, I realised I had forgotten d route, obviously...then after enquiring a passer-by, I reached Triplicane High Road, Big Mosque junction...things unfolded b4 me in B&W. Ice House, I knew d lane from where our rick used to enter d Ice House rd, I stopped a couple of houses where my old friends used to get in, well didnt know they still stay there or not. Entering one of d lanes, i noticed, Triplicane had truely transformed. So many flats in d cramy lanes whr 2 bikes coming in opposite directions wud get stuck, & even more shops...I still remember, these lanes used to be so free & with Odu veedus (tiled roof houses)...everything gone today...but still home is home at d end, i still love d place. There was aura of holiness and tradition still lingers all thro' d place.

My old homes at VR Pillai st & another at OVM st to which we shifted for a brief period. They unvieled a scene of d movie 'Autograph' b4 me..man, i can empathise wat cheran wud ve felt to see old people, old places...Then came d temples which were my favorite in my childhood, though now i hardly get time to visit them...d huge Parthasarthy temple & d gigantic ther outside d temple, small but equally holy Raghavendra temple...Ganesh temple at Big st...my fav one & fav god...i dont know how many pradhakshanams i wud ve made there praying for everything & anything of childish desires.
Half of our neighbours had vansihed, either to abroad or other cities...so many new faces all around, except few shops and houses we knew which existed thro' time.

Certain hangouts of those days were degree coffe stall at triplicane market, ratna cafe, were still there...drawing people in thousands even today..my dad used to take me there every sunday for a wonderful b'fast of hot idlies & steaming sambar. Queen store, Rex fashions, hundreds of second hand books shops near Ghosh hospital, Jam bazaar, Chepauk stadium, parakum train (MRTS), PWD office, Madras University, Marina beach...everything remain till data reminding of place...d mad crowd, wandering cows, cranky cycle ricks, mosque chants, numerous mosques with people from all over india, bustling markets...Man, thats Triplicance for you - one gr8 landmark place of Chennai forever.

After meeting a few friends and my old landlords, it was time to leave...of course, that wasnt so pleasant a feeling....but then, villivakkam beckons me....bye bye Triplicane...miss u always...