FM radio stations; get them going . . .

Raja Marthandan and Kunal Koushik of Big92.7 FM came by to see us today.

Madras Day was on top of the chat.

The duo promised to bounce the idea at their weekly meetings . . .

FM radio stations are perhaps the best media to create the buzz for such events.

Last year, All India Radio dedicated 8 hours on one of its FM channels to programmes dedicated to the city. It surprised us.

We hope with 10 plus stations in this city, the programming will be exciting

If you know of RJs and radio station honchos, do tell them to dedicate a week in late August to Chennai.

Chennai Photowalk plans . . .

Chandrachoodan is another passionate Chennaiite.

And he promises to host at least three Photowalks in August.

Great news this is.

The Chennai Photowalk is Chandra's idea ( chandrachoodan@gmail.com)

Every second Sunday, Chandra leads about 30/40 people down a colourful/heritage/shopping/green/unknown/strange neighbourhood of Chennai.

Most walkers carry cameras, click lots of pictures and share all that they know of the place.

Some go on to post these pictures. Velachary Balu is a well known face and so are his pictures.

More info at Chandra's blog - www.selectiveamnesia.org

Chandra has this weakness for the 'rising sun'. So his walks start at about 6.12 a.m. So you will have to sacrifice your Sunday snooze if you want to be on the Madras Day- Chennai Photowalks!

A docu-film on Mount Road

I meant to do take a walk down Mount Road this Sunday last. 

To prepare for the Heritage Walk scheduled for August 24 morning.

I dropped that in favour of the Chennai Photowalk of St. Thomas Mount. 

Almost. And didn't do either!

I better do a recce midweek because there is a stream of  postings on my blog on Mount Road.

Stories, experiences, anecdotes.

I have invited everyone who has stories to share on this road to join us on the walk - we may have to arrange for a car to transport the elderly . . . to ensure that this Walk turns out to be truly a community Walk!

Our plan is to walk from Simpsons to Spencers and am hoping the sudden rise in daytime temp to 38degrees doesn't persist in August.

The more I hear about Mount Road the bigger the temptation to document this road on film.

Do you think a docu-film is a great idea?

Heritage Walk of Film Studios

A walk of the film studios of the city would be a big draw.

I tried to get film writer and historian Randor Guy into it.

Randor isn't biting. He says he has lots of writing to do - he begins work at 3.30 a.m.!

I am not giving up.

Our idea is to have a trail from Vijaya Studios to Prasad Studios via AVM's campus.

The people at these three places will welcome us. But we need people who worked in the studios in the 50s and 60s to join us and share stories.

We also need people who worked here and lived closeby to share stories of this area.

A film editor has promised his notes. But who will lead the walk?

Two walks have been firmed up. One inside Fort St. George on Aug.17. And one on Mount Road on Aug.24.

It would be nice to have a walk in Vepery and Purusawalkam. Are there old-timers who can put this together? There are no costs involved in this! Plan the walking tour, let people know and go! If some one can sponsor coffee and snacks, the walk can end on a warm note!

Plans roll for Madras Day 2008

Madras Day 2008.

August 17 to 24.

So what has been lined up for this year's celebrations?

Walks, talks, exhibitions, films, contests . . .

We are making an attempt to get communities in the city's neighbourhood's to get involved.

Perhaps this is one way of spreading the celebration.

We emailed a group of active residents in Kilpauk. How about organising a Sunday walk of the old parts and end it with coffee at an old bungalow? We hope there will be a positive response. . .

My colleague Sashi Nair has put up a programme in Vadapalani. Hotel Green Park will be the host. Readings, a puppet show and a talk on ' Temples of Chennai' by Dr. Chitra Madhavan.

Putting together an event isn't difficult.  

A walk around the neighbourhood which has a past is certainly a nice start on a Sunday morning. Get senior residents to meet, do a recee and then lead the walk and share stories along the way.

If your local school can share its hall, you could organise a talk on a city-related topic. Look around and I am sure you can locate a great speaker. A film professional, a police officer, a journalist, a community activist . . . give them time to work on a theme and I am sure you will have a great evening.

My friend D. Hemachandra Rao of Virugambakkam has a huge collection of everything related to ships. He is also a senior philatelist. Rao has been an active host of Madras Day events.

Rao has been documenting the Buckingham Canal, which runs north to south, from Andhra Pradesh to Marakkanam. Last week, he drove to a few nooks along the Canal to take pictures of the giant levers and gates used to regulate water in this once-navigable Canal.

Rao hopes to exhibit these pictures at an exhibition. If you lend him a hand and help on creating a PP package, the Canal can be a theme for a talk.  His contact no is - 98408 70172.

Rao would love to loan pictures of the Canal as it was 50 years ago. Can you help him with leads?