Memories of Madras | The Hindu

Chennai is in many ways the Madras it once was. A city with a rich history, it thrives on the skills of its people, its arts and culture, its food and architecture, and much, much more. The pace of life is slower than Mumbai's, faster than Kolkata's, and different from Delhi's. The place holds all in its embrace. This curated volume reprises the popular column Memories of Madras that was published in The Hindu's Metroplus supplement between 2008 and 2011. It features eminent people from different walks of life speaking about the 'Madras' they knew, revisiting old times, the anecdotes rich with detail about how life was in "those days". Singers, dancers, playwrights, filmmakers, academics, sportspeople, industrialists and others trace back memories to their early years, giving us an insight into the city that reveres its past. In essence, this selection captures the evolution of the city, tracking its growth through the recounting of lived experiences. Call it by any name, the city's character remains the same. A strong, rooted place that envelopes diversity in a way that is at once special and universal.