|
 Two
or three decades ago, the place was deserted and there were just a
handful of buildings. It was also the den of criminals including
Auto Shankar. “In those days, women would never go out of the house
after sun set. The entire place was dark and lonely”, says a long
time resident of one of the recent hubs of Chennai-Thiruvanmiyur.
Thiruvanmiyur is no more the desolate, inhospitable place it was. It
is bright and illuminated, active and alive, brisk and bustling even
after midnight. It is the home of the famous Tidel Park and the IT
Corridor is located very close to this place. Hence, the area is
busy 24X7 and safe for the commuters.
Thiruvanmiyur is named after sage Valmiki, the
author of Ramayana. He is said to be blessed by lord Marundeeswarar
and hence, the place was originally named Thiruvanmikiyur. In due
course, it became Thiruvanmiyur.
 The
East Coast Road or as it is better known, the ECR starts from this
part of Chennai. Travelling through ECR, one could reach the Union
Territory of Puducherry (Pondicherry) in around two hours. The ECR
also has the privilege of owning many famous tourist, entertainment
and regional spots like Mamallapuram, Mayajaal, Crocodile Park,
Mutukkadu boat house, MGM Dizzee World, Dakshina Chitra, Nitya
Kalyana Perumal temple (Tiruvidanthai) and Sri Jagannath temple (Kannathur).
Txhe ancient Marundeeswarar temple is located in
Thiruvanmiyur, near the bus stand. Lord Shiva is known as
Marundeeswarar in this temple, as he is believed to cure diseases
and ailments. The temple is said to have been built way back in the
11th century. Another notable sacred place in this area is the
Samadhi of Pamban Swamigal, an ardent devotee of Lord Muruga.
 Textile
shops, supermarkets, restaurants and mobile stores are aplenty here.
People from all walks of life including those below poverty line and
film personalities like Vijay, Ajith and Sarath Kumar and a large
number of Srilankans dwell in and around Thiruvanmiyur. As a result,
buildings are growing upwards day by day, as well as the rent and
land charges.
For the film lovers, there are two theatres-Jayanthi
and Theyagaraja. The former, which was established in 1972, is the
oldest theatre in Thiruvanmiyur. Other than these, there are also
Aradhana, Mayajaal multi complex and the drive-in theatre, Prarthana.
 Music
and art lovers from all over the world are attracted by this part of
the city, as the world famous art institution, Kalakshetra is
located here. Apart from the institution, passed out students of
Kalakshetra also conduct music and dance classes, which has spread
like melody-mushrooms. A library in memory of Tamil Thaathaa U. Ve.
Swaminatha Iyer is also situated inside Kalakshetra.
Even as Marina beach is known as the second largest
beach in Asia, its extension, the Thiruvanmiyur beach is known for
its cleanliness. It is the favourite for walkers of all age groups.
The vegetable market in Thiruvanmiyur has over 106
stores and the vegetables are sold at nominal rates. Everyday, more
than 300 city buses ply from this area connecting almost all parts
of the city. One could also reach this place by Mass Rapid Transit
System (MRTS).
 While
many schools including Sri Sankara Vidyashramam and Sri Sankara
Matriculation School are situated in Thiruvanmiyur, Patrician
College of Arts and Science, Adyar is the nearest. Also Academy of
Maritime Education and Training (AMET) and National Maritime Academy
(NMA) are located in ECR.
Other notable places in and around Thiruvanmiyur
include the RTO South, Cheshire Home, Indian Medical Practitioners
Co-operative Pharmacy & Stores Ltd (IMPCOPS) and the increasing
numbers of beauty parlours, fitness and yoga centres.
A person, who visits Thiruvanmiyur, will never stop
coming again and again. Such is the inviting speciality of this
multifaceted place.
U. Bakialakshmi |
