Chennai’s Brilliance – Don’t be Skeptical.
Chennai.. The moment you utter this name; People of North Indian region
& for that matter even the east ,west & the central region ;look with
an apparent sympathy. Oh! You work in Chennai. So far… No !! I went through
these sorts from expressions many a times. So thought to Pour my heart out
& share the experiences garnered so far in my stint of 3 years in this
beautiful place.
Well ; the question is how do we define a place as good. Is the Criteria
comprises closeness to the place you hail from or the eatery joints where you
can find the stuffs you can drool over or the capability of the
inhabitants to speak the same language as you or the beautiful weather. Every
point mentioned above do have its impact & but are not the major ones leave
alone the deciding power.
1) Chennai’s claim to be the hub of medical
tourism can’t be undermined. You name any chain of good hospitals & you
will find either its origin here or one of the best centre here. I can
vividly recall the welcome board of Shankar Nethralya at the Chennai Centre
greeting the patients upon their arrival. This centre has attracted the
patients from unknown regions even from the distant east & the Innards of
Bihar to this wonderful city for treatment & recovery; leaving many big
cities & metros in between behind. I myself have personally orientated
around 10-15 patients in last 3 years.
2) When I was a Kid; I used to hear that”
Pithampur , Near Indore” has been given a sobriquet of the Detriot of India.
Gone are those days. Now Chennai is much ahead of all its contemporaries. I
can’t say fortunately or Unfortunately; but if you have landed up in an IT or automotive
Job; then You must have to Come to this place once in your
whole career if you look forward to prosper your carrier. With the
Main manufacturing centers of the Biggest automobile companies such
as the likes of Ford, Hyundai , Daimler , Caterpillar , Ashok Leyland &,
Mahindra . This Place has attracted talents from all other states.
3) Chennai has often been blamed wrongly as a
city of Conservatives. This can be countered by the way we look at It. Is
Wearing heavy Kanchipuram Sarees , respecting tradition & behaving
gently in public a sign of Conservatives? I have never felt so
secured in any place of India. Chennai must be congratulated for the way people
here treats Women. I have hardly seen Eve-teasing here & Women are widely
respected. Respecting Women is what We have been told as Child but I have seen
it being practiced here. I dare not to compare Chennai with Delhi ( NCR
Region). The Delhi brave girl’s story is not a old one. On So
Many occasion ; When boarded on the last train from beach to Tambaram; I have
seen a flocks of Gals travelling in the local train without any trace of fear.
Is not It praiseworthy? Can it be expected in the Capital. Answer is left to
you.
4) Local versus Immigrants : This aspect is
extremely crucial in determining the Chennai’s Claim. How Well this
city has welcomed students; employees ,Technocrats alike is wonderful . 30-40
Percent of Students studying here in engineering colleges hail from distant
eastern places. I have not heard of discrimination complaints . There have been
numerous Instances of North Indians being targeted in the cosmopolitan &
Economical capital Of India but I am yet to hear such things in Chennai . &
I sincerely wish it remains the same.
5) I have often heard of the people cribbing
about this place having three weather: hot, hotter & the hottest . But does
it really matter?? I am not a medical expert but can vouch for sure that to
perspire is good for health. Atleast you would not find the waves of Hot air (
which is called “Loo” in nothern region burning the skin & posing
potential risk & yes if you can’t beat the heat ; Air conditioners are
there ;supplemented by the one of the lowest power tariffs you can find in
India. So an arguable humid ( read : Bad) weather is well compensated
& by the way I forgot to mention the beautiful coastline – ECR. What
a scenery . No city in India Claims such a beautiful & lengthy coastline .
Often I have been to ECR beaches with my Books beside me & I thoroughly
enjoyed my weekends.
6) Magazines & Journals : In my childhood; I
used to ask the hawker to deliver “ The Hindu " as it was declared a must
pre- requisites for people appearing in the competitive examination &
also so that I can boast of reading the paper although not understanding
it fully. Such was its impact & “ The Hindu “ was delivered one day(
that too; Delhi edition) late in my hometown & yet aspirants were
very keen to have it . I wondered then; how lucky are those who have its access
on the same day of publication. & Now I can say myself lucky as I am in the
same place where it is headquartered & founded 135 years ago & having
access to “ The Hindu” on the same day. Well It is just not just about one
particular newspaper but about the plethora of options one is having after
waking up.
7) Art & Cinema : Here I come to the end of
my torturous piece. The splendor & technical brilliance of Tamil
Cinema & art is known to all. Best of Indian talents hails from this
place & call it their home . I will name some of them as my respect for
them . Illayaraja , A R Rehman , M . S . Subbulakshmi , Kamal Hassan & So
many.
I love this land & respect it from the core of my heart & thank it
to embrace me without any bias.
Rajan
Somewhere
in Chennai
31-
Jan-2013.
