This post has nothing to do with Arugam Bay.
Although “Arugam” is a fairly unique word, globally.
Chennai is just a little North of our Bay, in Tamil Nadu, India.
Both Indian Ocean resorts seem to have an interesting beach:
August 31, 2008 by archanaraghuram
I love Chennai. Most people cannot understand why. It is not a fun and happening place. It is very conservative. I have heard it said many times that it is not very welcoming of outsiders. As for me, there is no place else were I would rather live. One of the most enduring symbols of Chennai is the Marina beach. It is the second longest beach in the world. It is my favorite haunt and I feel it truly reflects the spirit of Chennai.
If you take an early morning walk on a Sunday (by early morning I mean 5:30 AM), it will be buzzing with energy. You will find all sorts of people in the long stretch. You will find actors and athletes, ordinary people, police men and women doing their early morning jogging, several laughter clubs bringing a smile to every passer by, children playing cricket and football and boxing. Vendors selling tender coconut water, papaya and Arugam Pul juice (it is made from a variety of grass and is believed to control diabetes). I can’t think of any other city where people rise so early on a Sunday morning.
Evenings are even more colorful. The Marina beach is the greatest leveler. The richest and the poorest can find a place to relax. It also affords an odd sense of privacy. Although there are thousands of people all around you, you feel quite alone, as if no one is really see you. Here are some pictures I took of the Marina at dusk.
The statue of Mahathma Gandhi just outside the Marina Beach
Children Shooting Baloons. This is a major attraction which was absent during my childhood daysMerry-go-round, wind mills and baloons
Boats used by fisher men
Lady selling roasted corn. You can see the light house in the back ground.
Roasting Corn
Crow pecking the cord discarded by people
Another major attraction are the hot bajjis, made from powdered Bengal Gram and onions, potato, chilly and raw bananna.
Bajji Stall
Sundal and Muruakku Seller
A little boy selling Sundal and Murukku
An Indian fast food stall. Very spicy, very oily. Try at your own risk 
A vendor selling cotton candy
Son Papdi - A sweet made with maida and suger. It is the indian version of the cotton candy
A vendor selling fresh Sugar Cane juice
Woman selling jasmine garlends. These are normally worn by South India women on their hair
Mounted police who patrol the beach
A view of the ocean
Sunset from the Marina
Since Marina is on the east, the sun appears in the morning from the ocean and disappars from the other end. Do you notice the white building in the picture. It is the office of the Director General of Police. It was built during the days of the British empire. It was due to be demonished. Then someone filed a public interest litigation against the demolition. It was then renovated and being used by the police. The building is almost half a kilometer in length and looks beautiful in the night.
I carry so many wonderful memories of the Marina beach. Flying kites, playing with my cousins in the water and emerging soaking wet, building sand castles and tunnels in the sand, taking a ride on the merry-go-round. I can never forget the day when my husband and my son went for a walk to the Marina and left just 5 minutes before the Tsunami stuck. My dad used to tell us stories of his childhood in the beach. The entire extended family of nearly 40 people visiting the beach on full moon nights and having a moonlight dinner. I am sure my son too will have many stories to tell his children. Marina to me is one place where continuity and change co-exist in perfect harmony.
5 Responses to “Glimpses of the Marina”
source:
http://archanaraghuram.wordpress.com/2008/08/31/glimpses-of-the-marina/
Nice post and pictures of the Marina beach. My childhood was spent more on the santhome beach right behind the cathedral. not many vendors and not much crowd. these days eliots beach in besantnagar is where we go. still comparatively less crowded.
Thanks Sukumar. Actually, I took these pictures on Krishna Jayanthi day, so the beach was comparatively less crowded. Normally it is jam packed on a weekend.
Lovely post Archana!! I have visited Marina 5-6 times whenever I have come to Chennai. It is one of my favorite beaches too. You have captured the whole essence of Marina beach beautifully in the post.
hello prayer,
nice pictures. did you get my email btw. no reply. angry?
entire coast of india is beautiful but under massive ecological pressure. untreated pollution, municpal waste, polluting coal power plants, ill fated ecological disaster called sethu project - you name it, and it is there destroying our coasts.
hey that little boy should be in school ma’m - http://www.eurekachild.org/
also, did you catch bombay jayashree killer voice in dhamm dhoom - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9w_ef2g0l8
>>> I can never forget the day when my husband and my son went for a walk to the Marina and left just 5 minutes before the Tsunami stuck.
oops. missed the para totally because of small fonts. pretty shocking to hear and glad they were safe. tsunami was ghastly and in india i think there is no on-coast warning system and offshore-alert system even now if another one strikes. talk about being a technological powerhouse (perhaps more of java, .net and bug fix powerhouse??), we have outdated systems when it comes to crucial science.
you can catch up on ecological stories of india at http://www.cseindia.org / http://www.downtoearth.org.in