Articles by Sri Loganathan

“Valayapatti Murungakaa enhances the taste of your Sambar. A bundle of ten costs only Rs 40,” tempts a vendor, as she quickly spreads out drumsticks on a clean mat in the Koyambedu vegetable market. She greets fellow vendors and they exchange hopes of good business for the day.  As day breaks, this is a common scene at the market. Vegetables from across the country reach Koyambedu, one of Asia’s largest perishable goods market, before the first light of dawn. Vendors arrange the veggies on mats, write the daily price on a slate and call out to customers, often luring them…

Far from Myanmar, their homeland, here they feel safe, but these 85 Rohingyas are not at home in the refugee camp in Kelambakkam. Dingy rooms that barely have ventilation, narrow stairways, cluttered spaces and untidy surroundings -- the camp located on the outskirts of Chennai paints a sorry picture. The deplorable living conditions probably don't bother the Rohingya Muslims as much as they should, for they are happy to be alive. But does it give them a decent quality of life? No. Space is the biggest constraint, a factor that is driving many refugees away from the camps. Each room is…

Thick Avocado milkshake, Red wine from paneer grapes, different varieties of mango and Kiwi -- exotic fruits are never in short supply in our cities these days. But have you ever wondered where these fruits are grown? Has it ever occurred to you that the Lichi you eat may have come all the way from China to our very own Koyambedu market? That there are three varieties of grapes grown in different parts of Tamil Nadu itself? The era of globalisation has seen an explosion of various foods available in urban markets, but most consumers are unaware of the origin…

Sriperumbudur election results on May 23 saw the DMK’s TR Baalu emerge the winner. He beat his nearest rivals Vaithilingam A (PMK) and Sridhar M (MNM) with a comfortable margin. Sriperumbudur is one of the largest parliamentary constituencies in Tamil Nadu. It is a manufacturing hub and is home to many automobile production units. Sriperumbudur parliamentary constituency consists of Maduravoyal, Ambattur, Alandur, Sriperumbudur(SC), Pallavaram and Tambaram assembly constituencies. According to the Election Commission of India’s website, the constituency has a total of  2253041 voters. The constituency went to polls on April 18, 2019, in the second phase of the 17th…

Triplicane, the oldest Islamic settlement in Chennai, bustles with activity now. The spirit of Ramzan is witnessed in every lane of the locality, as shops selling burkhas, Qurans and other necessities have mushroomed. The location of the Big Mosque, the oldest mosque tracing its origin to 1794, adds glory to Triplicane. Big Mosque is famous for its Mughal architecture and the less known, fascinating story of its chronogram. Chronograms are inscriptions where specific letters can be interpreted as numerals to signify a date or a period. “The numerical value assigned to each letter in the text will reflect the year…