Waiting for the bus

Coming out of the Chennai Central railway station, a newcomer to the city is likely to be overwhelmed. The crowds, the traffic, the general hustle and bustle of a great city would make the newbie's head spin. If he has been properly advised though, all he would have to do to get some peace and quiet is to cross the road and get into the compound of the Ramasamy Mudeliar Choultry.

True, it is slightly difficult to spot the narrow gate of the Choultry. But once inside, the rush, the sounds, and even the smell of the city disappears. The passage opens to a large-ish courtyard; two or three lush trees give a sense of greenery which would have been unimaginable merely moments ago. From somewhere behind, the smell of woodsmoke chases away the stench of the city, forcing it to go out of the gate and back into Poonamallee High Road.

The bonus is, this is the place where TTDC's Hop-on Hop-off bus to Mamallapuram starts off from; what better way to begin that tour than by relaxing in the thick of the maddening crowd!