Dânesh Zaki

I was visiting my relatives in Triplicane and decided to take a stroll in the area. I started close to Star Theatre in Triplicane High Road. Time and lack of investment have taken their toll on this once bustling theater. It used to boast of new Hindi releases till about the early nineties. Then, it started airing some re-runs of popular Hindi movies, after that it sank into oblivion showing some old Tamil movies - some really tasteless stuff (Sathyaraj’s flops etc).

I walked past that and after a while, took a turn left into Pycrofts road. This place has not changed much, with the dry fruit & betel nut vendors co-habiting alongside other regular clothes & footwear shops. I walked further in that stretch and reached the Big Street intersection. I have always been fond of this corner for the Murukku, Seedai and Thattai that is sold here. The Ghee smell starts a few feet before the shops that sell these snacks/savories and continues for a few metres. I bought a few Murukku and other snacks, and moved on. The shop keeper wished me for the business that I gave him. I wondered whether things may not be going too well for him in these days of Ruffles Lays and Haldirams.

I continued my walk in Big Street where I crossed the “mansions” (lodges) where most bachelors who come to work in Chennai from other parts of the country stay. I stopped to have tea at a tea shop just opposite Hindu High School, then completed my walk passing through the narrower section of Big Street reminiscing my childhood days.