Chennai சென்னை aka. Madras மெட்ராஸ்

Raganathan Street, a popular street market in Chennai.

Sources & References:
Primary Reference - Wikipedia: Chennai
WikiTravel: Chennai
World66: Chennai
Lonely Planet: Chennai

Compared to Mumbai/Bombay and Bengaluru/Bangalore, one wouldn't take much notice of Chennai. The fourth largest city of India, it's a city constantly clog with ridiculously heavy traffic jams, smog, and the incredibly hot weather (as one Chennalite put it, even movie stars are not as hot as the weather), it is one of the prominent economical state of India with the city being the largest software and hardware exports of India.

With an estimated population of 7.5 million, the city boast a rich musical, theater and art background and not to mention the gorgeous Hindu temples. Chennai also house most of the biggest Indian movie production companies, and churns out about 150 movie stars every year, sort of like the eastern Hollywood. With the released of the internationally acclaimed movie Slumdog Millionaire, composer A.R. Rahman and director Danny Boyle single-handedly propelled Chennai to international fame by winning 2 Oscars.

On the travel attractions front, Chennai house the second longest seashore in the world called Marina Beach. Aside from that, you could also drop by various centuries old temple, or better known as Ashram around the city, as well as the popular night markets such as Ranganathan Street or Pondy Bazaar.

3 Vocabularies:
(a) Agglomeration: A jumbled cluster or mass of varied parts.
(b) Consecrated: To make/declare sacred/honorable.
(c) Coast: Land next to sea aka. seashore.

One of the many beautiful temples in Chennai.

Busy traffic in a street in Chennai.

Marina Beach, the second longest coast in the world.

Aftermath of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami @ Marina Beach, one of the worst hit areas.

Indian Cuisine

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Indian Cuisine is rich in flavor and the spiciness it imprints onto our tongues. Curry, for example, the national Indian cuisine and tandoori chicken is famous throughout the globe for their abundance in flavors and textures.

So why is a country with a scorching hot weather has spicy, sweat inducing food as their staple? Chili and turmeric, two of the main components of Curry is known for their health benefits such as regulating the blood flows and induce sweats to regulate the body heat. Back in the days, most Indians are farmers who have to work for long hours under the blazing sun, so curry will come in pretty helpful for they will sweat if they eat curry, and everyone knows that your body sweat to lower your body temperature.

Despite that, curry isn't the only food from India. The country has been deeply influences by neighboring countries with different cultures, therefore the cuisine and culinary styles differ by regions.

All in all, one thing that is fixed throughout the Indian cuisine is the generosity in the use of spice; curry alone consist of up to 20 different kinds of spices all blended together to an aromatic concoction. Different components also create a different kind of curry. There are the usual Chicken or seafood curry, and then there's daal curry, green curry etc, each with a different texture and a unique taste of its own. In fact, certain Indian cuisine, especially Curry is so popular that you can find all sorts of modified curries around the globe such as the chinese watery curry, the Japanese sweet curry and the Malaysian version.

3 Vocabularies
(a) Abundantly: Present in great quantity.
(b) Immense: Vast, very huge, a great amount
(c) Pickles: Vegetables (eg: cucumber, olives) preserved in vinegar and eaten as relish.

The Colorful Indian Feast

Banana Leaf Rice: Serve on a banana leaf to bring out the aromatic quality of the leaf and the Basmati Rice, along with a few selection of dishes and curries.

The variety of Spices used in Indian Cuisine

A buffet in a typical Indian Restaurant

Last but not least, a pot of delicious Chicken Curry cooked by yours truly! (Picture taken on July)

Taj Mahal ताज महल

Taj Mahal

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Taj Mahal, famous across the globe for its exceptional architectural beauty fusing Hindu, Persian and Muslim architectural styles, and the heart wrenching love story behind the origin of the construction lead it to be crown one of the eighth world wonders of the world.

Originally constructed under the supervision of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, planned as a tomb for his beloved third wife Mumtaz Mahal, who passed away during labor. After 21 years of construction, the emperor was locked away under house arrest by his son. Legend has it that Emperor Shah Jahan were only able to reminiscence and wallow on his memory of his favorite wife through a tiny hole on a wall.

The building itself has some bloody myths as well, with some claiming that the Emperor had all the construction workers and those who were responsible for the building, architecture etc. either blinded or had their limbs (particularly the arms) dismembered to prevent them from making another replica.

Each year, millions of tourist visit the holy and wondrous site, with hundreds of thousands foreign tourist flocking in to the mystical building.

3 Vocabularies:
(a) Ascending: Moving upwards.
(b) Palatial: Befitting or suitable for a palace.
(c) Inventory: To catalog.

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Walkway beside the reflecting pool

Tomb of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal

Deepavali aka. Diwali (The Celebration of Light)

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Deepavali, also known as Diwali or the Festival of Light, usually celebrated at around October or November, is the new year for Hindus. Legend has it that the demon Narakasuka, the King of Pradyoshapuram rule his kingdom with iron fist. Seeing his wickedness, Lord Krishna destroyed him and every year, the Hindus celebrate the day as Deepavali.

Rituals including an oil bath before dusk, and set out to the temple for prayers. Of course, guests who visits will be treated a wide variety of Indian delicacies such as Chicken Tandoori, curries, and all sorts of pastries including the delightful Badham Phirni.

The little lights which Hindus place around their house to ward off Evil on Deepavali.

3 Vocabularies:
(a.) Inauspicious: a bad omen.
(b.) Clad: covered/ wearing.
(c.) Prosperity: a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition, esp. in financial respects; good fortune

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Coincidentally, this year's Deepavali will be on the 17th of October, meaning less than 5 days from today. Therefore,

Happy Deepavali
to all my Indian friends back in Malaysia!

Welcome to India! भारत का स्वागत !

India National Flag

Map of India

Original Article: Click Here

India, like its world famous dish, the spicy and rich Curry,
is rich and diverse in its culture and history,
a country so colorful and so unique you wouldn't be able to find another like it.

With history dated back to when Hinduism was first founded (3,200 B.C.), and a unique location where the subcontinent lies in south Asia, between Pakistan, China and Nepal, bordered by the world's highest mountain chain to the north, where foothill valleys cover the northernmost of the country's 26 states and plateaus, tropical rain forests and sandy deserts bordered by palm fringed beaches on the southern continent, It is why as of today, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism. Judaism. Zoroashtrianism, Christianity and Islam all exist within the country.

3 Vocabularies:

(a.) Antagonistic - In active opposition or mutually oppose.
(b.) Topographical - The study of the Earth's surface, shapes and features on the surface of planets, asteroids etc.
(c.) Fringe - an outer edge; margin
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Taj Mahal