Chennai, Bay of Bengal, India

Sewage pipe burst on the road

After a week in India, we have been struggling to start this first blog. 

What could we possibly write that would explain or showcase the country in the way we experience it? The way in which we see it? Smell it? Hear it? 

Looking across the road 

India has, overwhelmingly assaulted our tastes, senses and perceptions and we are still working out if we like it, or not! 

As the airplane descended into Chennai we both peered out the little square plane window at the dry dirty countryside underneath. We knew better but by the look of nervousness that crossed John's face it could have been like we were flying into Soweto, Joburg. 

The buildings were derelict and collapsing like a giant slum and before we knew it, the plane bumped down on Chennai's overgrown runway into the middle of it all. 

We walked into the airport with the searing muggy, tropical heat surrounding us. Overcome with the smell, noise, lack of English speakers, difficulty getting out money from several empty ATMs and remembering what we had seen from the plane, we panicked. It took some time as we talked ourselves down before then engaging in an unproductive argument with the staff at the pre-paid taxi stand about the 'foreigner rates' they wanted to charge us. We finally boarded an old black 1980s ambassador taxi with a driver who had no idea where he was going, but really, neither did we. 

Passing another filthy river

View from Divya's house

The taxi was fitted out with tiger interior, ripped decor and equipped with a hanging chandelier and broken fairy lights but no seat belts. The driver's crackly radio bellowed out a local Tamil song at a painful decibel and off we went on the most terrifying ride of our lives! There were cars, auto rickshaws, buses, motor cycles, trucks, two wheelers often carrying three or more people weaving across the roads in all directions, barely missing the wandering cows, dogs and pedestrians. After fearing for our well-being in the taxi, we eventually arrived at our couch surfing hosts home. 

Dressed up in new clothes!

Divya, a local and an IT professional by trade welcomed us and we greatly appreciated her hospitality, even with her squat toilet and the sheets on the floor which she kept referring to as a 'bed'.

Kara and Divya in an auto-ricksaw

Along with our host Divya, we explored the polluted city. Chennai, a coastal city off the Bay of Bengal and capital of the Tamil Nadu state is considered the 'Detroit of India' (for its automotive industry) and the 'Gateway to South India'. With a population of over 8million the city is the fourth largest in India and was not at all like we expected. 

But, what did we expect? We weren't and still aren't sure. The city was founded along the site of earlier settlements in 1639 as 'Madras' and one of the first British East India Company outposts, but we didn't really think about that. We were too busy making sure each step we took wasn't onto human or animal faeces, into the slimy urine-soaked mud or on a stray leg. In essence and generally speaking the city is a degustation for the senses and far dirtier but safer and louder than we had thought. 

Protecting homes from the 'evil eye'

The noise never stops, the cars honking and just constant rumbling and hammering of workers. One of the most fascinating aspects of Indian culture is that the music follows you everywhere! Played for the enjoyment of all at an ear aching/bleeding volume on public buses, trains and from government loudspeakers along the road, it's common to see people break into dance or sing anywhere. Despite the filthy environment and the feeling like you're in a Bollywood movie, the locals are friendly, with a head wiggle and a smile they are some of the most helpful and well-dressed people we have met. Women dress in stunning saris with fresh flowers in their hair and families decorate their houses in colours of pinks, purples, oranges, greens etc. It's common to see elaborate white chalk drawings outside entrances to protect houses and mounds of flowers flowing out the windows. 

We were grateful to have Divya with us, navigating the electrical stores for an adapter and teaching us how to race safely across the road. She took us to her favourite restaurants, were she patiently explained the menus and correct ways to eat (right hand only, tuck fingers, don’t put your whole hand in your mouth) and of course we went shopping for some local clothes! The small things we learnt from her in our first days have been invaluable. 

It's a party all the time

BBQ Sear fish, Besant Nagar beach

We joined her to a local Krishna dance festival, to a school theatre play and met many of her friends for a grilled fish dinner on the beach. The tropical heat of India's east coast is overwhelmingly humid but the beach gave us some respite. Our clothes which stick to our damp skin, along with the aroma of hot spices, smoke and animal waste, could bellow out in the ocean breezes.

Customary breakfast- Ghee Dosa

Cows just tied to the street signs

Street view, National museum

On Monday we ventured off on our own to Chennai's National museum. There was a lot of different sections in the museum but what we liked most were the small Hindu statues, incarnations of Siva and Parvati deities. 

The main building also had a really interesting archaeological section representing all the major South Indian periods from 2nd-century-BC sculptures to 16th-century Vijayanagar work, with special rooms devoted to Hindu, Buddhist and Jain sculptures.

Bronze statue of Ganesha

Chennai history museum 

After that we attempted to walk back to the beach across the city which wasn't practical but we made it! Seeing the beach in daylight wasn't as exciting as it sounds, more liken to an open toilet bowl this beach will no doubt become famous for its stench, squalor and massive population of starving homeless dogs. It's terrible to think we ate fish from this sea just the other day.

One filthy beach

Along the Marina beach promenade 

After several days in Chennai we were running on a mix of awe and adrenalin, we said goodbye last Wednesday before heading south via bus to Mamallapuram. There's also no sign of any predicted monsoon yet. The South East state is waiting in anticipation for the expected rains, they must be arriving any day now!

Tot siens

John and Kara