Saturday, 20 September 2014

NAMMA Chennai



NAMMA Chennai

A prominent metro on India’s map
I was born and brought up, pampered on its lap
People call it Chennai, the erstwhile Madras.
The serene city, the visage of cultural heritage
Has changed its façade over the decades.
The story of Chennai is very old,
It was a placid place for one to behold
The conspicuous tranquillity of Chennai  
Seem to have gone into oblivion for the best.
With swelling number of migrant heads
Dwelling and slogging with full of zest.
Missing are those myriad “Thennais” and “Thinnais”
That many a vagrant head would take respite and rest.
Funny bags hang outside for the milk sachets to go inside.
Gone are the days where even cats and crows were
Honest enough not to touch the milk bottles kept outdoors.
Gone are those grimacing little monkeys and snake charmers
Now we get to see menacing monkey-like bike roamers.
Roads wore a deafening silence, it was an age
Varieties of vehicles make all of it a mirage.
Gone are the chirpy sparrows squatting on our docile homes
To make way for chirpy girls chatting on their mobile phones.
Playful shrieking kids clasping i-pods are here to stay
Joyful squealing squirrels clasping pods have gone astray.
All around, I see restaurants and shopping malls, so modern
But, all I need to hang around around is a pretty garden
With butterflies and dragonflies abound.
I am in search of this Chennai fondly called Namma Chennai.

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