Chennai means everything to me. This city is my home and my best friend. The joy of seeing the Basin Bridge while returning to Chennai with my father Kalaignar, after visiting other parts of the State still stays with me. Even if I tour the globe, true intimacy is only with Chennai.
The people in the city are friendly and helpful, but they are not overly familiar or intrusive. I agree that casteism exists, and many people impose numerous conditions before renting out their houses or flats. Non-vegetarians may find it difficult to find accommodation. There is a divide between North Chennai and South Chennai. Though this is unfortunate, there is also a sense of fluidity. Chennai is perhaps the only city where someone can say they do not know Tamil despite having lived here for decades. Yet the locals embrace them and offer them space. I feel deeply connected to the city, as it is the birthplace of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The Self-Respect Movement and the reformist policies that brought about sweeping changes in society were conceived in Chennai. It is the fountainhead of all such reforms.
