Nurungukal..2......
Chromepet and
its adjacent areas, in 1970 were set in for transformation. The process might
have been commenced since the laying of a sub urban electric train service,I
presume. Earlier to this so- called development activity it was an agriculture
belt providing produces to Madras city. Slowly industries like the chrome
leather factory emerged. Central ware house was the latest when I was there.
Then came many housing schemes and the area gained the status of a satellite
township.
The ware house was located in
Chitalapakkam, a few minutes walk from Chromepet railway station. In those days
it had the look of a village aspiring for urbanisation. Accommodations for
outsiders were very rare. Those available were built in the typical Tamilian
style, having the rooms one behind the other ,connected by a common corridor. I
managed to locate such a one, considering the rent which I could manage. It was a portion of a house where the owner lived. My wife had some problems to
adjust with the hard water. She complained about the loss of her luxuriant
plait day after day. Water was sticky and ordinary soap did not form bubbles.
But over a period of time we got adjusted to the taste and hardness of the water. To our relief
a water supply system was commissioned
after a few months. For shopping we depended on either Thambaram or
Mambalam markets. We spent our weekends in Adayar with my brother and family. Adayar beach
provided a perfect setting for a just married couple, unlike Mrina which denied
privacy. Gazing at the sun emerging slowly in the morning
from Bay of Bengal piercing a red hole on the horizon provided warmth to the onlooker. Many couples in various shapes and styles
from the nearby government quarters used to enjoy a morning stroll on the
silky sands, where as we could see a few fishermen heading for the shore,
strenuously rowing their catamarans full with the night’s catch.
Our routine
life was interrupted when my wife showed signs of expecting our first
child....contd....