Walking Chennai’s Marina Beach Offers Intriguing Views of Local Life
What is It - Chennai is a sprawling industrial city of six million people located on the Bay of Bengal in southern India which serves as a commercial center for the Tamil Nadu region. While Chennai lacks the fascinating heritage and natural beauty of some other destinations in India, the city has a sandy beach that extends for more than eight miles along a century old promenade that is believed to be the second longest urban beach in the world. Moreover, the beach serves as a prominent gathering place for City residents to socialize, shop, eat, celebrate, demonstrate, play along the water, and otherwise escape the rigors of life. Walking along the frontage roads and observing the activities of residents is an effective way to get some exercise and sample their lifestyle.
Conceived and built by a British governor in the late 1800s, the main roadways along the beach were once described as “one of the most beautiful marine promenades in the world”. Today, this description would be a stretch, but the route is still distinctive in several respects. First, the outer beach road known as the Kamarajar Promenade passes by some interesting neighborhoods with shady cobblestone streets, parks, and historic buildings with Indian, Moorish, and gothic style architectures. These include the Madras University, the Senate House, a circular structure that once served as an icehouse, and the Chepauk Palace used by the area’s former Nawab rulers. The 500-year-old St. Thome Cathedral Basilica is also adjacent to the Kamarajar Promenade. For centuries, Chennai has been considered as the place where the Apostle Thomas preached and was martyred in India, and his tomb under the church is an attraction for Christian pilgrims.
Second, the inner road closest to the beach borders an eclectic collection of monuments, statues, and displays. Chennai has the tradition of honoring its political and industry leaders so monuments to everyone from Mahatma Gandhi to former government leaders and film stars can be seen. This area has been further improved by adding two swimming pools, gazebos, marble pathways, benches, and landscaped areas.
Third, Marina Beach is incredibly wide. The distance between the road and the water is as much as 1500 feet across the sand in places. The surf can be rough at times with a large undertow. While most people do not swim at this beach or even dress in bating suits, in some years as many as 20 people drown in the water.. However, a sizable fishing fleet of experienced mariners venture out into the waves regularly to catch local seafood.
Finally, on weekends, during festivals, and on special weeknights the beach transforms into what looks like a traveling carnival. Substantial portions of the beach become filled with crowds patronizing shops and pushcarts selling fresh seafood, spring rolls, local food, drinks, and snacks. All kinds of entertainment such as merry-go-rounds and games for children, horseback rides along the water, acrobats, and singers and dancers are also common.
Walking the Beach is No Walk in the Park
On a visit to Chennai, I decided to explore Marina Beach by walking the portion between the St. Thome Basilica and Fort St George and by crossing the “desert” of the beach to the Bay of Bengal on a hot April afternoon. I met some friendly people along the way and enjoyed chatting with the few pushcart vendors who were open during the day. I was reminded of the expression that “only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun” because even the local dogs had dug holes in the sand and were lying in the shade under the pushcarts. It was a different kind of hike than walking along a mountain stream in Utah or the rocky shores of a New England village but still scenic in an unusual way.
