Day 7: Stories of Chennai
Chennai is a sprawling metro-city on the coast of Southern India. The theme that I took away from explorations today is ‘storytelling’. Stories are embedded in the culture. Religion, temples, street food and worldview, and this makes the city unique and culturally accessible. Our host’s approach to our shared time with her in Chennai is motivated by the Tamil proverb ‘Athithi devo bhava’ which translates to ‘a guest is akin to god’. On our first day of sightseeing in Chennai, our host, Kritika, made every effort to ensure that we experienced her city fully, completely and in comfort.
Our first stop was the Shore temple in Mahabalipuram. The Shore temple is a complex consisting of 3 separate temples; one to Vishnu and two to Shiva. The temple is located on the shores of the Bay of Bengal and is frequented by locals and tourists alike. While there, Kritika told us stories that she had heard as a child, about the pantheon of gods that are worshiped at the temple. One of them involved the race between the two sons of Shiva; Ganesha and Kartikeya. Once upon a time, Parvati was presented with a unique mango that would give whoever ate it extraordinary qualities and powers. Parvati wanted to share this fruit between her sons, so a contest between the brothers was initiated. The challenge was: each brother had to go around the entire world three times. Whoever returned first would be the winner and claim the mango. Kartikeya swiftly mounted his peacock and began his flight around the world. Ganesha, on the other hand, had a mouse as his vahana (vehicle) and he did not think his mouse would be up to the task, consequently, he began walking around his seated parents. When Kartikeya returned from his flight around the world, he was surprised to see that his brother Ganesha had claimed the reward, on the grounds that his parents are his world, and that by encircling them 3 times, he had completed the task. Parents and community members use this story to instill religious beliefs, and to reveal moral lessons that serve the continuity of the communal mores and values.
Shore temple in Mahabalipuram
Ganesha going around his parents
After noticing the number of crows that have made the temple home, Kritika shared that in Hindu tradition, people believe that the crows are the embodiment of ancestors or loved ones that have passed on. The belief is that food offered to crows is an offering to ancestors.
We also visited other temples and rock reliefs that symbolized Hindu beliefs and legends about creation, religion and culture. The Krishna Mandapam (square hall or pavilion) consists of pillars in front of a rock relief wall with carved out depictions of life in rural Tamil, and Vishnu holding up a mountain. The Descent of the Ganges rock relief shows intricate and beautiful carvings of gods, half humans and animals carved into the rock, measuring 49ft x 98ft. One interpretation states that the Rock Relief shows the descent of the sacred Ganges river from the Shiva in the heavens.
Krishna Mandapam
We indulged in local street treats like spicy raw mango, coconut water sipped from the coconut and jamun; a fruit that turns the tongue purple. After visiting a distinctly South Indian restaurant and local food spot called Eli’s Kitchen, we were nourished by the stories of friendship, history and locally sourced food that made up the tapestry of the restaurant and it’s owner.
The final story of the day was discovered in the streets of Mahaballipuram. We stopped to explore musical instruments and the store owner walked us through the different instruments and what they are typically used for. We also shopped at a local clothing store where the owner sells a range of clothes and other accessories made from locally sourced fabric, by local seamstresses that is utilized to the last scrap. Items that drew my attention include colors that I have now come to realize are indicative of the Indian fashion sense and preference. The dresses and shirts had colorful flower designs in print that dared the wearer to remain monochromatic in style. The earrings, purses and accessories depicted religious and cultural perspectives and reflected centuries of style that has evolved into what it is today. I like to think that by the end of the day, we had become part of the story of Chennai, whether it be through the people we met, talked to, drove with, or ate with, I think we became part of the fabric of this unique city.
