Stepping out of the plane, I was expecting a whiff of horrible smelling poo, I was wrong. People painted a horrible picture of India; however they were all proven wrong during my trip to Chennai. It was a great trip given that the company and the food were amazing. Chennai is indeed a larger version of Sri Lanka. Everything was double its size. The highways and roads are bigger; malls are huge and even their tuk tuks, rather known as rickshaws are larger and more spacious.
My trip to Chennai was on business, therefore given its convenience we were housed at ‘Radisson Blu Hotel Chennai City Center’. It is situated about 18 kilometers from the Chennai International Airport at the heart of the central business district in Egmore. It offers spacious rooms and suites, offering respite from the city’s hustle and bustle. While the restaurant offers flavourful cuisines with a pinch of Indian touch, the staff of the hotel was extremely helpful and caring. My stay was extra special as a result of the comfort the hotel offered during my stay.
Chennai is indeed a very special city, and is not how the media paints about India and thus a very safe stay and a peaceful one. Given that my stay was on a tight schedule I managed to squeeze in one important tourist / religious attraction of Chennai, St. Thomas Mount, a Holy place of international prominence and historical eminence. The ancient church a top of the St. Thomas Mount has served as the light house for the Portuguese and [1] Armenian vessels in the Bay of Bengal during the 16th and 17th centuries. The five hundred year old shrine atop of the mount, can be accessed by devotees easily through the vowed climb of 134 granite steps, constructed in 1726, as an act of penance and sacrifice. However to make possible vehicular traffic, the historical shrine is also accessible through the south-western base.
According to folklore, the cross chiseled on a stone of this hill by St. Thomas himself was used as a means to offer his personal prayers. In addition it is believed that the cross provided protection from those seeking to persecute him. It was when he was praying before the stone cross, that he was stabbed from behind with a lance. It is believed that the Cross has been stained with the blood of the Martyr. This Cross was accidentally discovered by the Portuguese when they dug the foundations for the new Church in 1547. Ancient records show that the stone cross had sweat blood, during the holy mass celebrated by Fr Gasper Coelho on 18th December 1558. The last known occasion on which it was found sweating blood was in 1704. Popular faith says that innumerable miracles of cures were attributed to this sacred stone cross through mere contact with it in faith and it has roused the conversion of many unbelievers. Even today the natural dampness on its surface is a perennial factor of surprise and devotion.
In addition to the stone cross the shrine also houses the oil painting of the Madonna of the Blessed Virgin painted by St. Luke the evangelist on wood, known better as the ‘Scapular of St. Thomas’. In the “Tombs and Descriptions in the Madras Presidency” ( A Government Publication ), Mr. J. J. Cotton says of the painting that “This is a picture painted by St Luke who was an artist. The Virgin died when Thomas was away and on his return he had the tomb opened in order that he might once more look upon her. It was found that the body had been miraculously removed and Thomas was so disturbed that St. Luke offered to paint him a portrait of the Virgin as a consolation. This portrait St. Thomas carried with him on all his wanderings”. The first written account of this painting was made in 1559 when the King of Bisnaga took it to his court in Chandragiri, which he later returned to the Mount. The Madonna is considered to be one of the oldest and most venerated paintings in India where countless blessings have been recorded by devotees who have prayed before it.
The facade of the Shrine is beautifully ornamented and highlighted by the Portuguese coat of arms engraved in rich granite and it serves as an official signature of the Portuguese who were the architects of this historical place of worship. The shrine entombs a piece of the Bone of St. Thomas casketed in a beautifully ornamented monstrance. Many have witnessed miracles that have been affected through the efficacy of this holy relic. This Sanctuary is said to be the spot where St Thomas was martyred. Any one standing on this surface will certainly feel the vibrations of the hidden current that floods this main altar area. The enchanting atmosphere atop the hill further enhances the serene experience of the church as it overlooks the city of Chennai is remarkable. The Mount is a proud heritage of Christians and remains a popular attraction for devotees far and wide.
Of course indulging one’s self in shopping especially given the seasonal offers was indeed therapeutic. Other than rickshaw’s, Uber is the easiest, cheapest and safest way to get about in Chennai. T-nagar considered to be one of the biggest shopping districts in Chennai and was indeed spectacular in the night. It is always good to take someone who speaks the local langue, allowing you to bargain and get goods for cheaper and better deals. The night traffic in this district was literally crazy, as much as it was so colourful! Some of the recommended shops were Pothi’s and Nalli’s which I am sure most of us who travel to Chennai indulge in hunting for colourful sarees and kurtha’s. In addition the street shops are also good places to scry for beautiful ethnic jewelry as well as shawls and other goods. Given the demonetization India is currently going through we found it exceptionally difficult to change money. However every shopping mall particularly Express Avenue has money changing facilities making it convenient for tourists looking to indulge in more shopping.
If you are looking for something more ethnic to bring back to your loved ones Cane and Bamboo located in Egmore, very close to Radisson Blu Hotel is one of the best places to shop. Cane and Bamboo houses traditional Indian arts and crafts ranging from bags to wall hanging mirrors to wind chimes that are hand made by artisans from Kashmir to Kanyaumari and Gujarat to Assam. The diversity of the products were unbelievable showcasing exquisite workmanship influenced by religious, traditional, geographic and cultural factors each artisan is subjected to increasing high aesthetic and functional value.
In terms of the traditional cuisine, we experienced the traditional recipes of ‘Ente Keralam’ a traditional restaurant allowing its customers to indulge in Kerala’s rich culinary heritage. It was indeed an exquisite experience although not very different from Sri Lankan cuisine, there is however a significant taste that tingles your taste buds. I was surprised to see ‘Ap-pa’ also known as ‘Ap-pam’ on their traditional platter along-side string hoppers. The restaurant is located in Alwarpet, if you are looking for a diarrhea free indulgence. Not heeding pre-warnings to not eat street food, on my night out shopping I had the chance of indulging in the tastes of Panipuri from a street vendor. It consists of a round, hollow puri, fried crisp and filled with a mixture of flavored water (pani), tamarind chutney, chili, chaat masala, potato, onion and chickpeas. You get five of these Panipuri’s, giving you the strength to carry on walking in search of more shops.
It was indeed one of the best trips I have been on given especially that the company was amazing. Chennai was indeed an experience of a life time; a city that never sleeps in India.
Photography by: Nikka Almazan
[1] http://www.stthomasmount.org/