3 Review(s)

From moody, magical Madras to bursting-at-the-seams, tech-savvy Chennai, the two aspects of the city are inseparable. As Bishwanath Ghosh tells us, while Chennai is usually known as conservative and orthodox, almost every modern institution in India—from the army to the judiciary; from medicine to engineering—traces its roots to Madras.Today the city once again figures prominently on the global map as ‘India’s Detroit’, a manufacturing giant and a hub of medical tourism. There have been sweeping changes since Independence, but even as Chennai embraces change, its people hold its age-old customs and traditions close to their hearts.It is this city that Bishwanath Ghosh explores, delving into its past, roaming its historic sites and neighbourhoods, and meeting a wide variety of people—from a top vocalist to a top sexologist, from a yoga teacher to a percussionist, from a yesteryear film star to his own eighty-five-year-old neighbour. What emerges is an evocative portrait of this unique city, drawn without reservation—sometimes with humour, sometimes with irony—but always with love.