For all chennai lovers!

This 22^nd Aug 2016 was Madras 377^th birthday of Madras that is the Greater Chennai. It was celebrated in a big way. Lot of unknown information have now been compiled for the information of public. Here are they:-

1. Second oldest corporation in the world.

2. Kathipara flyover in Guindy is the largest Clover leaf shaped flyover in Asia.

3. 31st Largest metropolitan city in the world.

4."Higginbotham" book shop on Mount Road is the first and oldest existing book shop in India.

5. Fourth most populous metropolitan city in India

6. Chennai is the only city in South Asia and India to figure in the "52 places to go around the world" by The New York Times

7. St. Mary's Church inside Fort St. George is the oldest Anglican church in India.

8. First printing press erected in 1711

9. Chennai is referred to as the Gateway of South India.

10. Chennai region has the oldest rocks in the country dating back to a billion years.

11. Chennai is the only oldest serving municipal corporation in India

12. Chennai central prison is one of the oldest prisons in India.

13. LIC building which was  completed in 1959 was the tallest building in India at that time.

14. Madras High Court building is the second largest judicial complex in world after the one in London.

15. Royapuram railway station is the third oldest station in India.

16. Government college of fine arts and crafts is the oldest college in Asia.

17. In 1930, Madras University introduced Bachelor's course in Music for the first time in India.

18. Chennai remains top in the most visited cities in India till 2008 by tourists.

19. Phoneix shopping mall at Velachery is one of the biggest malls in Asia.

20. Chennai contributes to 40 % of retail Gold sales in India.

21. Marina is the second longest beach in world

22. Chennai is the cultural capital of South India.

23.Second largest IT exporter in India.

24. According to Forbes magazine, Chennai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and the only Indian city to be rated in the "Forbes-Top 10 Fastest Growing Cities in the World"

25. A major part of India's automobile industry is based in and around Chennai thus earning it the nickname "Detroit of India"

26. Tidel park in Chennai was Asia's largest IT park when it was built.

27. Chennai is the largest electronic hardware exporter in India.

28. One of the four cities in India to be connected by under sea fiber optics cable.

29. First Indian city to have widespread Wifi facility.

30. World bank permanent back office in Chennai is the biggest building owned by World bank outside its headquarters in Washington D.C

31. Chennai is termed as health capital of India. Chennai Koyambedu CMBT is the biggest bus terminal in Asia.

32. Chennai is the biggest artificial port in India & biggest in Bay of Bengal

33. Chepauk M.A. Chidambaram stadium is the oldest cricket stadium in India

34. Only Indian city to be attacked during world war 1

35. Bus transportation was  introduced by year 1925 in Chennai. Interestingly Flight service was introduced in 1917 itself.

36. Madras was renamed as Chennai in the year 1996.

37. Cancer institute established in 1920 is the oldest Cancer hospital in India.

38. Anna Centenary Library in Chennai is the biggest library in Asia.Vandalur zoo is the first public zoo and also largest in India.

39. Chennai has the highest two wheeler population in India.Chennai is the second largest employment producer in India with 35,000 jobs every year.

40. Chennai is the best place for post production work for all Indian cinema according to experts.

41. Chennai ranked first for its educational institutions by Outlook magazine.

Above all VANDHARAI VAZHA VEIKKUM city is Chennai. Its mixture of population highlight this point.

….

In Tamil Nadu !

தமிழ் நாட்டுல,

4042 நூலகங்கள் இருக்கு,

6824 டாஸ்மாக் இருக்கு,

நான் படிக்கவா?

குடிக்கவா?

10 ஊருக்கு  1 பள்ளிக்கூடம்!

1 ஊருக்கு 10 டாஸ்மாக் கடையா?

காய்ச்சி  விற்றால் கள்ளசாராயம்!

அரசே விற்றால் நல்ல சாராயமா..!

இந்த வருஷம் இவ்வளவு

பெட்ரோல் விக்கனும்னு தீர்மானம் போட்டால் அது அரபு நாடு.

இந்த வருஷம் இவ்வளவு

வாகனங்கள் விக்கனும்னு தீர்மானம் போட்டால் அது ஜப்பான் நாடு.

இந்த வருஷம் இவ்வளவு

சாராயம் விக்கனும்னு தீர்மானம் அது தமிழ் நாடு...

குடிச்சா அரசாங்கத்துக்கு வருமானம்..

போதைல வண்டி ஒட்டுனா

போலீஸ்க்கு வருமானம்..

அடிபட்டா

ஆஸ்ப்த்திரிக்கு வருமானம்..

குடிக்கிற உங்களுக்கு

அவமானம் மட்டுமே..!

காலியான சாராய பாட்டில் சொல்கிறது..

இன்று உன்னால் நான் காலி

நாளை என்னால் நீ காலி...!

டாஸ்மாக்"-

எப்படி... ?

Destiny that cannot be changed!

One Day Yamaraja approached a person and said:

"Hey, today is your last day!"

The person replied:  "But I'm not yet ready!".

Yamaraja said:  "Well today your name is the first one in my list".

"Okay then !  Kindly be seated, I will make some tea so that we will have it before we go".

Yamaraja obliged.

The Person served Yamaraja tea with some sleeping pills dissolved in it.

Yamaraja finished the tea and fell into a deep sleep as anticipated.

In the meantime the person took the 'terminal list' that Yamaraja was chasing and  removed his name from top of it and listed at the bottom !

Yamaraja woke up. He was too pleased with the person’s hospitality and told: "Because you have been so nice to me, I will start pick up the names  from the BOTTOM of the list today..!”

Moral:

Destiny ... Will never change... no matter how much you try.

The Onden Master

Ex HM AHS

It was in  1963 that I just joined my eighth standard class at AH School. Many days passed but our class didn’t have a regular class teacher. Well, imagine a headless class with mischievous boys, many of whom were out grown in size and aged for that class. A few little boys like me were sandwiched among them in the class and found it extremely uncomfortable. We told the problems to some friendly teachers and got a stock response saying that the new class teacher will come and join anytime soon and thereafter he would take care of your well being. We prayed for that day and waited impatiently. One fine morning a lean fellow clad with a spotless shirt and dhoti arrived in the class and introduced us as our new class teacher. Many grown up laughed and a few smiled and the weakest of all sported despair. Wondered will he be able to do justice to his job!

Alas! He did a wonderful job as teacher, mentor and counsellor. Unfortunately it was only that year I had the opportunity to be their in his class. I never remembered him after leaving school. When I saw the obituary put up by his family members it was already five years over after he left the world. Sad indeed! 

My Gurunathan

Late Sri O V Kammaran Nambiar, an accredited Astrologer of yore and a Sanskrit Scholar par excellence and a distinguished Educationist of last century is my Guru who initiated me to the world of letters. 

The affection shown by him at a time when it was not forthcoming from many other relatives, was immense and that is one big reason I wish to publish his details here even though he left this world way back in 29^th September 1980 at the age of 82. OV as affectionately known, has eminent sons and daughter and a large family. The village Azhikode got the first primary school through his efforts in 1925 , nearly 90 years ago. His knowledge in astrology made him an authority and is known throughout Kerala state.  The last day I met my Gurunathan was way back in 1978.

I had an occasion to meet his eldest son T K Damodaran Nambiar who visited  our home in 2005 April a few days after Vishu rejuvenating his fondness and respect to my father who died in 1999. He is also a teacher himself and scholar who won  the best teacher award in his thirties. His younger brother Ramachandran Nambiar is an expert Ayurvedic Physician whose dedication is well known. He too visited us to condole on hearing the demise of my father. I am extremely thankful to both the persons who took so much of effort to locate our home deep inside the village Kalliasseri  as a matter of courtesy  that can be found rarely now.