Jacob's Delhi: Missing in Action

It has been a couple of weeks since I last posted here. There is still a lot to see in Delhi, and certainly very short window of good weather left before Delhi becomes a blazing inferno. However, my blogging was interrupted because I was in Chennai over the weekend. While it was far from being my first visit there, I managed to see a few amazing place and experience a few new things. Ever the foodie, the highlight of my trip was the excellent food that Chennai has to offer (something that seems to baffle and bewilder most people I say this to). Delhi does have some catching up to do, if what I saw is any indication of the general quality of eateries.

I do want to maintain the Delhi-focused nature of the blog, and so I won't turn this into a report of my trip. What I do want to share are pictures of three places that I visited while in Chennai.

The Armenian Church: This is a surprisingly little-known institution on, where else, Armenian Street, just off the High Court. It was constructed in 1712 for the then sizable Armenian community that largely engaged in trade, and later demolished and rebuilt in 1772. Officially called St. Mary's Armenian Church, it is a simple, unassuming building whose only embellishment is an altar with a beautifully framed painting of the Virgin Mary. All along the pathways are tombstones with lettering in Armenian. The church itself is small and can probably house no more than a hundred at a time. There is a bell-tower to the side of the church with images of angels set into the plaster on the inside.

Entrance to Armenian Church, Georgetown, Chennai

Rear of the Church - the conical dome is a very Armenian feature

Bell-tower with a creaky wooden staircase

Altar of the Church with a beautiful painting of the Virgin Mary

One of four angels inside the Bell Tower

Tombstones in Armenian line the pathways

Madras War Cemetery: Similar to the Commonwealth War Memorial in Delhi, the MWC is a beautiful memorial to British soldiers who died in World War II (with a wall remembering the names of those killed in World War I). Walking through the entrance, one comes to a serene and prim garden where rows of tombstones are neatly arranged. Glancing through the epitaphs, one can't help but feel moved by the personal circumstances of these individuals. Today, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintains the cemetery, and it stands out for its beauty and its simplicity.

Entrance to Madras War Cemetery

Stone of Remembrance and the Cross of Sacrifice sandwiching the gravestones

Tombstones

Memorial wall to British soldiers that died in WWI

Government Museum and Museum Theatre: Now, this is one place where the venue outdoes the curated collection. The Museum Theatre is a lovely place to catch stage plays, and is still maintained in much the same way as it was in the past. Finding out about events here is another matter altogether. The museum itself is a bit of a disappointment, and I found it disappointing that they charge Rs 200 to use a still camera...something that borders on daylight robbery given the poor quality of the displays and facilities. Still...there are a few gems that do sparkle. The highlight is the Bronze Gallery which houses some very beautiful Bronze statues, primarily from the Chola period. The other display that caught my attention is an enormous whale skeleton, beautifully arranged with its lower jaws turned into an archway.