The first city of modern India, Chennai, is celebrating its 384th birthday today. (then Madras, founded on 22 August, 1639). Rechristened as Chennai in 1996, the capital of Tamil Nadu is now home to more than 6 million people.
The idea of “Madras Day " was born when a group of Madras Lovers got together 12 years ago to celebrate the City, its history, traditions , culture & Heritage Madras is one of the oldest cities.
Kolkata is 50 years younger than Madras and Bombay is about 35 years younger. And it was here that almost virtually everything in modern India began - the first Municipality, as early as in 1688, the first Technical College - Guindy Engg College in 1794, first shopping Mall - Spencer's in 1863, the first Cricket Club in India was set up here in 1846, and the list of firsts continue with first Big library in Connemara, first big book store in Higginbothams, country's oldest Railway Station in Royapuram, first Public Zoo in the country and so on. Over 400 temples, 200 churches and 200 mosques, thousands of young people get employed newly every year in this City, Asia's biggest IT Park is here in Tidel Park, Asia's biggest Bus- Stand in Koyambedu; it's one of the safest cities to live in!
In December 2015 floods, Chennai showed to the rest of the world what is humanity n Solidarity - without any barriers of cast, creed, rich or poor, people just rallied around and helped each other;
In my opinion, Chennai is the:
Knowledge Capital, Medical Capital, Automobile Capital - Detroit Of Asia, Beach Capital - Marina being the Second Longest Beach in the World, Music Capital - Music Academy being the Mecca Of Music, Oscar Capital - A R Rahman Mozart of Madras to bag The Oscar Award, Cultural Capital, Sports Capital - International Chennai Open Tennis, Chess Capital, IPL Capital, International Kite Festival, International Surfing.... And Chennai is the Land of Bharat Rathnas ....
Chennai is the place where people claim to be not ‘mine’ or ‘yours’, ‘his’ or ‘hers’ - but " Ours " - Namma Ooru Chennaiku Oru Periya Whistle Podu
Happy Birthday Chennai!
Love U Loads CHENNAI!!
COMPILED BY DR RP