The article states all the reasons why I fled the confines of Chennai to far safer cities like Bangalore and Mumbai. But Shoba does not set the one great contextualiser for Chennai. Centre of Great Enduring Tradition and gutless bigotry, it is the city where women can NEVER be free. It is the city that condemns women who aspire to any kind of independence - whether in love life or career. If I, a normal male, can feel it so sharply how would a woman in Chennai feel?
[I am reminded of that wonderful song in Fiddler on the Roof called Tradition.]
Careful though, Chennai is more than merely conservative; it is prejudiced and depraved. It is a city without character. Where else can you find people preach old, ante-dated values (and slokas) for a pastime, yet elevate a rapist and a menagerie of ego-ridden actors as their political leaders? To those unused to its claustrophobic air, Chennai is verily the domain of the Big Brother. Thus Chennai, the city I love to hate.
