Chennai has its own Hop on – Hop off tours in two routes. One between Chennai & Mamallapuram (aka Mahabalipuram) and the other one around the city.

Hop on - Hop off Tour Bus

The Yellow A/c buses are between the tourism complex and Mamallapuram and the Blue A/c buses (run by TNSTC) are running between High Court, Marina, Valluvar Kottam and Ripon Building with 15 stops.

The Stake holders of these Yellow buses are some of the Prominent Hoteliers & Travel Operators.

One could also do an ONLINE BOOKING HERE and save time visiting the Tamil Nadu Tourism Offices.

Owing to the popular Chennai climate, thankfully the buses are Air-conditioned and unlike its famous counterparts at London, Munich, Paris its not open top. And they have a professional Guide in each bus.

For other options head directly here to the TTDC homepage.

Yes, Chennai would be famous for one more reason!

It will have the biggest blood bank comprising a storage capacity of 2laks units of blood. The place is allocated near GH, opposite to central. Though part of it has been used by OP’s we(Chennaiaties) should be proud of this initiative.

Hope similar initiatives will soon happen in and around chennai. The credits to this post goes to indiatimes group which has the complete details.  Here’s the link.

…. Yes walking helps us in many ways, it helps us to reduce fat and improve fitness, maintain healthy living, it transforms your health and many more tangible benefits.

Ok this is not about the merits of walking and why you should start it immediately.

This is about Walking, but with a Camera. (As C says … any type of camera be it a Mobile phone or Point & Shoot or a SLR).

Photowalkers

More Photowalkers

The Eighteenth Chennai Photowalk is on 19th April ’09 & 26th April ’09. Yes, two editions, different locations, different times. Check here for more details.

Kalakshetra, the premier training centre for arts and performance in Chennai is having the Birthday celebrations of one of its founders, Rukmini Devi Arundale.

The institute founded in 1936 was formed to culturally revive the country at that time which was under the British Rule.

Check the details about the celebrations here at kalakshetra

The Centre has announced the Non-Smoking rule in the Public areas from Oct2nd, and as per latest report its a go ahead from the pinnacle court.

Hope the next Gandhi Jayanthi changes the scene in picture below …

Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan, of the popular blog Selective Amnesia the person who initiated Chennai Photo Walk, along with Mahesh and Seshu Badrinath are conducting The First Chennai Photoworkshop on October 8, 2008 at Chennai.

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The Photographic Society of Madras will commemorate its 150th anniversary with an exhibition of photographs to be held from September 17th to 21, 2008 at Lalit Kala Academy, Greames Road, Chennai.

This is a house in a residential colony at Velachery in Chennai. What is striking about the image is the paint – fluorescent paint – in ghastly colours. This is a recent trend observed in different parts of the city. These colours are not so pleasant to eyes. Yet there could be reasons why people go for such paints. In some apartments, only the frontage is painted with such colours. Some sources say it has got to do with Vaastu.

Vaastu is considered significant in India as it is an ancient science on the use and correctness of the space. A friend tells me that such fluorescent paints are sold as Vaastu paints by paint companies to dispose of their not so fast moving shades. The second image is that of a mansion at Triplicane ( bachelor’s quarters in Triplicane area are called mansions).

The third image is a shopping complex coming up at Taramani Road which houses Peter England showroom in the ground and first floor. The frontage painted with fluorescent shade paint.

A search in google with “Vaastu – Colours” throws some 55,800 entries. One such site www.http://www.sereneinteriors.com/colors-and-vastu.html  correlates colours with Zodiac signs as below :

Zodiac sign Colors suggested
Aries                            Coral red
Taurus                         Milky white
Gemini                         Green
Cancer                         Rose red, pearl white
Leo                              Ruby red, dim white
Virgo                           Emerald green
Libra                            Cement color, milky white
Scorpio                        Pink, coral red
Sagittarius                   Golden yellow
Capricorn                     Dim red
Aquarius                      Pink, blue
Pisces                          Yellow, pure white

The same site also bring out the colors compatible with the directions.

It is common belief in this part of the world that certain colours are lucky, brings good fortune and certain colours bring ill luck. The marriage invitations are still printed in yellow colour and obituaries are bordered in black.

But why this sudden craze for fluorescent shades ?

Could it be true that paint companies are selling their slow moving shades by calling them Vaastu Paints ?

Today we remember the great Mahakavi on his 87th death anniversary and pay tributes for the freedom fighter.

the above is a collage of his home where he lived in triplicane & the plaque installed by the TN govt.

Check out more about Bharathi and his works here in the site hosted by the TN Govt.

Though this was not a favourite subject of mine during my school days, the interest on Chennai aka Madras’s history is high and continuing.

Came across this sign board which traces the history about a particular shrine, hillock in Chennai.

Yes, its about St.Thomas Mount.