’My earliest memories are of the church in front of my home in Chintadripet’

If you connect Chennai Central, Egmore, and The Hindu office on a city map, it would form a triangle, and it was in this triangle, in Chintadripet, that I was born and spent my formative years. 

My earliest memories are of the church in front of my home, the gong of its huge bell, the daily 6.30 a.m. mass, the broken church organ, and Latin rites slowly changing into Tamil. I also remember our games of kabaddi, volleyball, football, hockey, spinning tops or the pambaram from Ansar Bhai’s shop in Periamet; they spun so well, and it was a pride to own one! Chintadripet was full of carrom champions. I have played carrom with then World Champion V. Lazar so many times, though I never scored even a single point. The betting reward was mostly bun butter jam and tea at National Durbar in Periamet. Festivals like Christmas and New Year brought much happiness with friends and Anglo-Indian relatives.

My school, Chintadripet High School, is also unforgettable. Rita Ice cream sold at 10 paise in front of our school was only for special days. 

This is the Chennai I remember with fondness and gratitude. It gave me everything, including vascular surgery.

(As told to Zubeda Hamid)