A
Walk along the Marina
Chennai's seashore hosts one of India's largest urban
beaches, stretching for 13km (8miles) along the city's
eastern flank.
The marina, connecing Fort St George with San Thome Basilica
almost 5 kms away, was built by Mounstuart Elphinstone
grant-Duff, the governor between 1881 and 1886. Described
by architectural
historian Philp Davies as " One of the most beautiful
marine Promenads in the World". it is a favourite
place for chennai's citizens to escape the humid heat
of the city and enjoy
the sea breeeze. The walk along Kamarajar Salai ( earlier
known as south beach Road) takes in parks, tree-lined
cobbled streets, spectacular colonical and Indo-Saracenic
Buildings.
Anna Park
The Walk starts from the Victory War Memorial
which marks the north end of Kamarajar Salai. This
Memorial originally commemorated the victory of the allied
armies
during World War I and was later dedicated to the
memory of those soldiers from the Madras Presidency who
lost
their lives in World WarII. To its south, in Anna park,
is the Anna Samadhi, a Memorial erected in honour of
CN Annadurai, the former Chief Minister of Tamilnadu,
who
introduced significant political and social reforms
in the state. Further south is the MGR samadhi a commemorative
garden with gateways and pathways built in honour of
the popular Tamil film icon and Chief Minister, MG
Ramachandran.
An array of souvenir shops and eateries can be found
along this stretch of the beach, attracting tourists
from the
rest of the state, particulary interesting is the sunday
market with its curious jumble of goods.
North
Marina
Across Kamarajar Salai is a series of imposing red
brick buildings built in a combination of architectural styles,
which include Indian and Moorish feaures. The Indo-Sarcenic
Madras University was founded in 1857, making it one of the
oldest universities in India. An architectural marvel the Senate
House was designed by Robert Chisholm in a mixture of Byzantine
and Saracenic styles. This became the headquarters of Madras
University in 1879. These buildings now stand in what was once
the sprawling estate of the old chepauk palace. This splendid
indo Saracenic structure, on Wallajah Road, was once the home
of the Nawab of Arcot. Though the palace was built in 1768,
Chisholm added the extensions, including the tower that once
connected the two wings. It now houses government offices.
Chepauk Stadium, Chennai's famous cricket ground, lies behind
the palace. Further down the road is Presidency College, the
first institution in South India for higher education founded
in 1840. This rather austere structure has aribbed dome with
four clocks on its surface. Among the famous alumni of the
college are the first Indian governor-general C.Rajagopalachari
and the Nobel Prize- winning Physicists, CV Raman and his nephew,
S Chandrasekhar.
South Marina
Further South, an inpressive landmark on Kamarajar
Salai is the statue. This sculpture was created by Debi Prasad
Roy Chowdhary,
who became the first Indian Principal of the Madras School
of Arts and Crafts in 1929. West of the main road, off Annie
Besant road, is the Ice House. In the 1840s, this circular
building with a stone pineapple perchd on its roof, was a storehouse
for ice, which was imported all the way from New England. It
was also the site from which Swami Vivekanda delivered his
speeches when he visited the city. It has now been handed over
to the Ramakrishna Mission which has plans to restore it. Further
south is Queen Mary's College, today the Madras College for
Women. Opened in July 1914, this was Chennai's first women's
College. A bust of the queen still
graces the entrance of the building. An imposing lighthouse
marks the southern end of the Marina.
