Together, for Madras

We might call ourselves children of this beautiful city, but how much do we really know about it? There is always that one part of the city we have never been to, one piece of history we haven’t explored, or one expedition we have never taken. On the 378th birthday of our very own Madras, let’s finally step up to explore the city in a way we haven’t done before. There are many initiatives we can take part in, which will give us an immersive experience of the city. From taking walks and treks, to painting walls and gorging on food, we take a look at a few groups who are giving Chennaiites a whole new perspective of the city.

The city on Pedals

Cycling Yogis is a non-profit organisation that comprises of people from various walks of life, with a common cause for cycling and respecting heritage. What started off as a 30-member group on Madras Day in 2012, is now a group that is inching towards 5000 members! They have been organising heritage rides commemorating important occasions starting from Republic Day, World Heritage Day, Madras Day and also conduct heritage site cleanups.

Ramanujar Moulana, the founder of Cycling Yogis says, “This is an initiative we started to promote the importance of both heritage and cycling. It’s a way for people to take part in something interesting to know more about our glorious past. Apart from just cycling, we also take part in Swachh Bharat heritage site cleanups. The response from people has been overwhelming, and we have just come out with books that directs readers to go on different cycling trails — like beach trails, bridge trails, lighthouse trails and much more.”

A walk through legacy

Chennai has an abundance of heritage sites, thanks to it’s rich colonial history, but a large part of it remains either unknown or ill-maintained. In a bid to bring the much needed attention it deserves, the Heritage Walks community has spearheaded many walks around heritage sites in and around Chennai. With renowned historians leading the walks, one can get a good idea about the good ol’ days of Madras, and can turn out to be quite an exciting short trip for the history-nut.  

Right from areas like Mylapore, Triplicane, Adyar, to historical sites like Fort St. George and Madras High Court, one can soak in the legacy of the city. Be on the look out for themed-walks, too. A popular walk was conducted post- demonetisation last year, covering Mint Street, where historians discussed currencies minted and used a— nd the issues that new currencies created in the old times!

Towards cleaner shores

Chennai’s identity are the lovely beaches. If you want to give back to Chennai in anyway, you can, by volunteering with Angels of Marina.

An NGO kick-started by Blessing Manikandan, AOM is cleaning up the beaches since 2012. You can be part of the Sunday morning clean up sessions at different beaches. The volunteers are provided with proper, strong sacks, gloves, hand sanitisers and a certificate of participation as well. Manikandan shares, “We are also coming up with an app soon, on which you can know the event place and time and choose your preferences before registering.”

Beyond just leisure

Chennai trekking Club has been around for close to nine years — and over the period, they have become a lot more than what their name possibly suggests.  Apart from organising a wide diversity of outdoor and sports activities to promote an active and healthy lifestyle, CTC has also grown into a great group of volunteers who take part in various initiatives like beach cleanups, waste segregation, blood donation and much more.

Prabakaran M, a long-time member for CTC says, “We have volunteers right from school students to senior citizens who help us in every way they can. Apart from the trek-related activities, for now, our weekly waste segregation drives are what we are concentrating on.”

Turtle trail

Don’t be surprised if you spot a bunch of people walking through the beaches late at night between January and March every year. An initiative we Chennaiites can be very proud of, the Turtle Walk is conducted by The Students Sea Turtle Conservation Network. It is a voluntary group, mainly comprising students who have been working in the beaches of Chennai since 1987.

The Olive Ridley turtles nest on the beach stretch between Neelangarai and Besant Nagar at night, between January and April every year. During this season, the group walk the beaches every night looking for turtle eggs which they collect and relocate to a safe place. 45 days later, when the turtle hatchlings emerge, they release it safely into the sea. Walks for interested people are conducted on Friday and Saturday nights.

The food route

What better way to explore a city than through its food? Foodie or not, food walks in Chennai are a must for the sheer experience of buzzing roads, bustling shops and the very smile you can see on people’s faces after they relish the food. The Chennai Food Walks community organises food walks in special places like Sowcarpet, Triplicane, Mylapore or during festivals, where you can enjoy seasonal treats. Join their group on Facebook to get the best recommendations and to join them on a gastronomic adventure too.

(With inputs from Priyanka Shankar)