Mylapore of Yore!

I become nostalgic when I remember the good old Mylapore, where I entered as a young newly married bride, decades ago, – now, the same place has changed into a blend of tradition and modern!

Life, for Mylaporeans, was centred around this temple years back and still this temple stands tall, a witness to the passage of time. The small shops that lined the two sides of the famous Sannadhi Street, selling bommais, ceramic dolls, flowers and sarees , old jewellers then called Thattaans, messes and cafes created a truly Mylapore effect, an aromatic mix of jasmine flowers, coffee and vadai-pakoda.

Giri Traders which was housed in a 10 by 10 ft small space used to be my most favourite shop to buy cassettes. The now famous T S Ranganathan was a young teenager then. He used to sing beautifully all the bhajans from the cassettes in the shop and I would end up buying them, tempted by his rendering. His business knack, as young boy, was incomparable!

The Mada veedhi has changed very much. But even years back, jewellery shops were aplenty. Sadly the famous D K Murthy shop is no more. He was famous as a "rasiana (lucky) thattan" to make diamond earrings. He was a charmer with a way for pleasant words. Then the speciality in his shop was the Nagerkovil jewellery called Temple jewellery which could be easily mistaken for antique jewellery.

I am sad Sampurnam Silks has also vanished. That shop always prided on the "azutham" of their sarees, which was their special trademark. The combinations were always traditional and their "Bhavaans" border was a speciality, unsurpassable in grandeur combined with elegance. I had a "mayilkazuthu" colour silk saree with bhaavaans border, which was my most prided possession. Most of my silk sarees which I wear till today were bought there.

Radha Silks was ruling high even then and they had the more fashionable combinations in silk sarees. That many V I Ps were their regular customers, was a feather on their cap.

Shukras though a comparatively late starter had silverware, which was not available in other shops. As far as I know (I am likely to be wrong as well!), they were the first to introduce silver flowers, silver arukampul etc for archanais.

Leo Coffee on the South Mada veedhi was and is still famous. They continue to have their faithful clientele (like me!) who swear that Mylapore Leo stocks the best coffee powder than their branches in other parts of the city. That is because we think, we, Mylaporeans are connoisseurs of the best coffee !

Now after shopping clothes etc, let us have a coffee-break, now !

A landmark opposite Radha Silks is the famous Karpakambal Mess. The "tiffin room" atmosphere is still maintained, the snacks being served on banana leaves. Their idlis, adai-avial, keerai vadai and badham halwa make mouth water ! The heady aroma of Kapi, the pure filter degree coffee fills the air. The way the coffee is cooled, from tumbler to davara and then the full tumbler is upturned into the davara with not a drop falling down, is an art which we cannot copy easily. They give no savvy advertisements. The mess has survived only by word of mouth.

Rayar's Café, yet another landmark has shifted from Kutchery road to one of the inner streets of Mylapore. People still wait patiently for a table early every morning to enjoy their fantastic idlis. Most of their clients are the V I Ps of Chennai ! Similarly the Kalathi Kadai on the East Mada Street near Chithrakulam corner has been serving standard rose milk to thirsty school going children from the early 1940's.

Now, let me stop drooling over food and move on !

The houses around the Srinivasa Perumal kovil had the old world charm and Vaishnava character. The typical scenes were kolams outside houses, the old mami taking a quick look at her Perumal through the collapsible gate of her house, the mama in his panchakcham with a bright namam carrying a kudam of water in his shoulder !

After all the eating we do in Mylapore, does not our stomach rumble a little? Do not worry, we can move on to Dabba Chetty Kadai, another landmark, The shop has been selling herbal medicinal drugs as well as puja items, for many years and is called nattu marundu kadai. It was and still is a wayside shop and they pack their medicines in small pottalams.The quality of medicines has been maintained and the prices are reasonable. Medicines for post-natal care and Deepavali legiyam are their specialities. Ladies may deliver their babies abroad, but stick to the post-natal legiyams taken from here!

How can I not write about Srividya Upasaka Nilayam on the Mada veedhi? It was originally started to supply manjal-kumkumam to all major temples and mutts of India. In those days, no kumkumam other than the Srividya kumkumam was used by women, as a safe bet. They also stocked pure sandalwood powder, agarbathis, rose water etc. The shop was not big, but as you approached near, the strong smell of kasthuri manjal and kumkumam tickled the nostrils. The feeling, rather aroma was just divine.

Dear old Mylapore is a land of eternal mysticism, of infinite smells, sounds and sights with temples and the typical old fashioned food flavour. Mylapore, one of Chennai's oldest pockets, a quintessential representation of the spirit of Chennai is a mix of tradition and modernity. No part of Chennai is older or deserves greater recognition than Mylapore, as evident from the following verse by Saint Thirugnanasambandhar.
Mylai – beautiful and surrounded by sweet-smelling punnai trees was chosen as his seat by Lord Kapalishwar.

Love,
Chithra.

 

at the earliest & we will paint the town red !
Giri's now stocks such lovely things, right from small gifts, idols, CDs, statues, varieties of brass puja things........etc. My favourite jaunt for window shopping is Giri's, besides Chennai City Centre, which is also in M'pore.
The "antique still modern" look of M'pore has no match !
Love,
Chithra.

 

"contained" in one post ! I stricty kept, to the area around the Kapali temple. I did want to mention about R K mutt also.
Anyway, I know you must be proud to call yourself a Vivekananda student !
I love the name Thirumayilapuri much more than Mylapore !
Love,
Chithra.

 

for joining us here !
If you have lived in M'pore for a few years, you can never get it out of your system (read thoughts!). The charm is everlasting.
13 yrs back, when we shifted from an independent house to the present flat, V's only condition was that he will not shift out of Mylapore.
Of late M'pore is self-contained with big malls as well as old-fashioned shops ! I have no hassel in calling myself a M'pore mami because that is what I am !
Love,
Chithra.

 

still maintain our "old world" charm & we enjoy it that way !
The gypsies ( one of them is Lata, now my very good friend!), now sell such lovely fashionable beads in myriad colours. My daughter, DIL & GDs buy "cheaper by the dozen", to match all dresses including pattu pudavai. That was my "vethilai pakku" gift for Navarathri this season.
I will reserve the best for you as a gift when we meet !
Love,
Chithra.