Coaxing Presidency College . . .

If you haven't, please do check out the EVENTS section of Madras Day 2008.

The first list is out.

But we'd like to see it packed.

We should have info on the weeklong talks that 'Madras Musings' is hosting across the city.

S. Muthiah and V. Sriram have put them together.

This year, there will be a weeklong programme in Royapuram - talks, shows and performances on the city at the Ramanujan Museum complex.

Info should be on the web site by August 1.

But what is your community doing for Madras Day?

I put this to Prof. Amarnath of the History Dept. at Presidency College.

He has promised to take his PG students on a  tour of that part of the city.

What about the History departments of Loyola, MCC, WCC?

I realise we really haven't got the colleges linked-in here . . .

IIT-Madras is celebrating its golden jubilee . . .would the IITians come up with something for Madras Day?

Cycling Only Days?

How about 'only cycling' days for Chennai?

Well, Congressman and community activist 'Americai' Narayanan hopes this can happen. At least in some small way. He emailed his plans and we suggested some thing of this sort for Madras Day 2008.

Narayanan says 'yes' and hopes to host an event.

We also hope Madras Bike Hash group who do the ECR stretch dedicate a run thro' the city for this event.

If you belong to a club, think of a simple event for the city and push it through. Mail us to share the buzz.

Design the Chennai T Shirt!

The city lovers still place their orders for the T-Shirt that was produced during the Madras Day 2007.
The design of filter 'kapi' served in traditional 'dabara-tumbler' was designed by Shreys R Krishnan, a student of NID Ahmedabd. She won the prize in the 'Design a T-Shirt contest' and was invited to come out with a unique design for our city.
We are waiting to see more designs this year.
If you haven't tried your hand at designing a T-shirt for your city, here is a chance. Last date for submission - Aug.10, 2008

Have a look at the sample designs here:

tshirt contest - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: tshirt contest

Do you want Madras Eye?

Lets have your suggestions on this one.

Madras Eye isn't that irritating eye infection that strikes us at monsoon time ( Chennai hasn't had it for some year now . . But then have we really had great monsoons? )

Madras Eye is a Madras Day creation. We hosted it in 2006, I think.

We posted a video cam at 2 different locations - on the Marina in the morning and in Mylapore after 11 a.m. and linked it to the Net. (thanks to ChennaiStream)

Which meant you could see the city 'live' on August 22. Anywhere in the world.

We plan to click on the cam on August 22. From 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. We have a few locations in mind - Marina, Parrys Corner, Mount Road, Egmore, Gemini, Besant Nagar and Pondy Bazaar.

We need inputs from you.

1. Better locations perhaps? (Or you can host the cam!)

2. Sponsor the effort.

3. Volunteers to hold the cam!

Write in!

Walking Tour of Madras Port?

This is my second short at it - getting a tour of the Port off the ground. And not into the sea!

My friend Manoj V. Joy, once a shippie and how an activist in that area, gave us a lead.

And so we have met the Principal Officer at the MMD and he seemed positive.

We are hoping Port Chairman Suresh will support the idea. And the PO will coax him too.

A port with 150 years of history behind it certainly needs to host a walking tour. ( Check this link - www.chennaiport.gov.in/Abt_History.html ).

And more so when most of what is left of another century on this campus will be lost forever as the development of a new port begins this year.

All we ask for is an hour-long tour which can have a few stops, led by an enthusiastic Port guide. At the Wednesday meeting at the renovated Seafarers Club located opposite the RBI, I learnt that ASI has a wing on the Port campus. Will they be our allies?!

The old Port of Mumbai has a monthly walking tour with the first stop at a small but nice museum. Now, Chennai can follow this example. Starting with Madras Day 2008.

If you know the Port chairman well, can you coax him please?