Skip to main content

India's scented city: Jasmine perfumed Chennai is full of exotic flavour



The first thing that hits me on arriving at Chennai is the scent of jasmine. The all-engulfing warm night air is delicately perfumed with the fragrance.


In the state of Tamil Nadu, cultivation of the flower is an important industry. It is grown on a huge scale, and its odour permeates daily life.


Walking the streets the following day, I see plump, pure-white garlands for sale, hanging from wooden carts on street corners; clusters lying as offerings before Hindu shrines.




Vibrant: Flowers are a colourful part of daily life in Chennai

A sprig or two is woven into the oiled, jet-black hair of most Tamil woman, young and old. The city is full of aromas. In colourful, crowded Mylapore, an old quarter that was once the stronghold of the Portuguese, I catch waves of warm, earthy cumin being freshly ground at spice stalls.


Cloves, cardamom and cinnamon are mixed into the mutton biryani which is cooking in the open, the smoke clouding the air.


From the packed vegetarian restaurant Saravana Bhavan comes the tempting smell of masala dhosas being fried. This is too hard to resist, so I stop for a delicious late breakfast that includes other regional specialities such as idli, a fluffy, ground rice cake, the round lentil ‘doughnut’ vadai and
a milky South Indian coffee.


The whole area is dominated by the smoke of incense burning in the beautiful 16th-century Kapaleeswarar temple, dedicated to Shiva, which is nearby.



Temple of delight: The Kapaleeswarer Siva Temple in Chennai radiates colour


Later, as dusk begins to fall, after a day of browsing the endless gold shops filled with heavy bangles,
delicate diamond nosepins and amethyst earrings, I am swept along with the crowds heading to the temple for the float festival.


Here we watch statues being placed on a raft and pulled around a large pond to bless onlookers amid a cacophony of music, chanting and more incense.


While these traditional sounds and smells have changed little over the passing centuries, in recent years Chennai has grown upwards and outwards. One disgruntled local I talked to blamed the hospitality of the southern Indians for making so many outsiders welcome, but most people embrace the changes.


Millions of Indians have come here to find work, but the city also has one of the largest Japanese populations in India, thanks to the successful car industry that has earned it the nickname ‘the Detroit of India’.



Exotic: The statue of Lakshmi (middle), consort of Lord Vishnu, and Hindu goddess of prosperity, decorates the exterior of the Kapaleeswarar Temple

All this new-found wealth is good for tourists, business is booming and pleasure is keeping pace. I am staying at the new Leela Palace, which rises magnificently on Marina Beach, the second longest urban beach in the world.

There are sea views as well as glimpses of local life — children playing cricket, fishermen bringing in their catch. The interior dazzles elegantly: dark wood is inlaid with mother of pearl; flowers — red, orange and yellow — to brighten every corner.


There is a beautiful rooftop swimming pool and an ESPA spa on the way. And, it seems that the elite of Chennai have taken up residence in Jamavar restaurant, which is sumptuous, from the silk sharwanis of the waiters to the fiery chicken Chettinad.


There is no single iconic building in Chennai — although the temples of Kanchipuram, two hours away, are a must — but it was fascinating to dip in and out of cultures and centuries as I explored the city.







Trail of history: Shiva (left) is one of the Chola bronzes on show while the 8th century Kailasanatha Temple in Kanchipuram is two hours away


Walk around Fort St George, which was established by the British in 1640 at the start of the East India Company. It was here in St Mary’s Church, the oldest Anglican church in Asia, that Robert Clive was married.


On the other side of town stands the soaring white Catholic basilica of St Thomas, originally built by the Portuguese in the early 16th century to mark the burial site of the Apostle, who came to South India soon after Christ died.

My Catholic Tamil driver, Kennedy, tells me that he worships there — Catholicism, he explains, is often adopted by the poor for its lack of caste system.


In the Government Museum I seek out the 10th to 13th-century Chola bronzes. They are magnificent, with a grace and delicacy that belie their weight: Shiva, as the Lord of Dance, Nataraja, whirling in a ring of fire, and the three-armed Ardhanarishiva, embodying the male and female forms.





More...
Wild about India: Lorraine Kelly goes in search of the elusive Bengal tiger
From Slumdog to Millionaire: A honeymoon of two halves amid the wonders of India
The kids are alright: Chaotic, magical India proves a surprising hit for a family holiday

Close by is the 19th-century Connemara Library, one of India’s four National Libraries, which is worth a visit for the ceilings alone, their bright floral designs and curved sides of fragmented coloured glass illuminating the old manuscripts.

The city seems to be growing before your eyes. New buildings are emerging daily; the IT corridor is 20km long and still growing.


Louis Vuitton has already arrived in Chennai, and the first stretch of Metro is almost ready, although when I remark to Kennedy how that would help to ease the burden of heavy traffic, he answers: "The traffic won’t get any better. The rich will still drive big cars, the middle-rich will still drive medium cars, the middle-poor will still drive tuk-tuks and the Metro will be for the poor-poor, who never drove."


Many people come to India for the glories of Rajasthan or the backwaters of Kerala, but I can think of no better place to understand the phenomenon that is modern India — the past, present and future all tangible and held together in a loose framework, like flaky, warm paratha bread.

Travel Facts
The Cleveland Collection offer 5 nights B&B at The Leela Palace Chennai from £1,250pp in a deluxe sea view room, including direct flights on BA and private transfers ( 0207 843 353,

Popular posts from this blog

Study Abroad USA, College of Charleston, Popular Courses, Alumni

Thinking for Study Abroad USA. School of Charleston, the wonderful grounds is situated in the actual middle of a verifiable city - Charleston. Get snatched up by the wonderful and customary engineering, beautiful pathways, or look at the advanced steel and glass building which houses the School of Business. The grounds additionally gives students simple admittance to a few major tech organizations like Amazon's CreateSpace, Google, TwitPic, and so on. The school offers students nearby as well as off-grounds convenience going from completely outfitted home lobbies to memorable homes. It is prepared to offer different types of assistance and facilities like clubs, associations, sporting exercises, support administrations, etc. To put it plainly, the school grounds is rising with energy and there will never be a dull second for students at the College of Charleston. Concentrate on Abroad USA is improving and remunerating for your future. The energetic grounds likewise houses various

Best MBA Online Colleges in the USA

“Opportunities never open, instead we create them for us”. Beginning with this amazing saying, let’s unbox today’s knowledge. Love Business and marketing? Want to make a high-paid career in business administration? Well, if yes, then mate, we have got you something amazing to do!   We all imagine an effortless future with a cozy house and a laptop. Well, well! You can make this happen. Today, with this guide, we will be exploring some of the top-notch online MBA universities and institutes in the USA. Let’s get started! Why learn Online MBA from the USA? Access to More Options This online era has given a second chance to children who want to reflect on their careers while managing their hectic schedules. In this, the internet has played a very crucial in rejuvenating schools, institutes, and colleges to give the best education to students across the globe. Graduating with Less Debt Regular classes from high reputed institutes often charge heavy tuition fees. However onl

Sickening moment maskless 'Karen' COUGHS in the face of grocery store customer, then claims she doesn't have to wear a mask because she 'isn't sick'

A woman was captured on camera following a customer through a supermarket as she coughs on her after claiming she does not need a mask because she is not sick.  Video of the incident, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on Twitter alone, allegedly took place in a Su per Saver in Lincoln, Nebraska according to Twitter user @davenewworld_2. In it, an unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of the customer recording her. Scroll down for video An unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of a woman recording her A woman was captured on camera following a customer as she coughs on her in a supermarket without a mask on claiming she does not need one because she is not sick @chaiteabugz #karen #covid #karens #karensgonewild #karensalert #masks we were just wearing a mask at the store. ¿ o