A rasika’s day out: exploring the road to the sabhas and its canteens

When I first jabbed it out, this report came out in a chronological order. The account beginning at the beginning of the day. In the revision, the chronology got jumbled, the features of the day that stood out — in some cases, stuck out like a sore thumb — muscling their way to the front lines. 

So, my narration of how December 18 went visiting sabhas starts in medias res, the clock hovering over the interstitial space between late afternoon and early evening. And I had set out on a sabha-hopping schedule in the morning. If you are a soul currently domiciled in Chennai and sensitive to civic issues, which I think I am, you cannot miss how Metro Rail work has re-routed your life. And if one is given to kvetching about something or the other, the topic of how Metro Rail is redirecting your steps is just for you. 

Breakfast ordered at the canteen at Mylapore Fine Arts Club
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

While heading to Ethiraj Kalyana Nilayam in Alwarpet where Indian Fine Arts Society is conducting Marghazi concerts, I realised how Metro Rail work around Alwarpet makes sure you are never on time for anything unless you have given yourself enough buffer time for at least a couple of detours on wheels, and in some cases, some traipsing for good measure. On account of traffic diversions, I had to park my vehicle at C.P. Ramaswamy Road and walk towards Ethiraj Kalyana Nilayam. The trek to the venue had left a bad taste in my mouth, and a sumptuous meal from the caterer Mountbatten Mani would have reversed it. But my tank had already been filled to capacity, and a meal at this sabha canteen is reserved for another day. The ambience at this concert venue is commendable. 

Earlier in the day, when I had visited Narada Gana Sabha, which also boasts a good ambience, I was extremely thankful that it offered sufficient parking inside the campus.

On the topic of expansive spaces, how can one miss The Music Academy? It is expansive enough not only for the rasikas to move about but also the wheels that brought them there. There is an aura about this venue that is comparable to the Lord’s cricket ground. If you are an international cricketer, and you have not walked out to the middle at Lord’s, you are woefully short of having had a complete international cricketing experience. The Music Academy can be used analogously while describing a complete music experience during Marghazhi. A word of praise for the organisers for allowing people who visit the venue only for the canteen food, catered by Shastha.

At Thyaga Bramma Gana Sabha in Vani Mahal, T. Nagar, parking for two-wheelers was a sore point: I had to squeeze my two wheels through the narrow side entrance. Parking should be a huge challenge in the evening hours, and through the day during weekends. 

Krishna Gana Sabha at Maharajapuram Santhanam Salai in T. Nagar stands out for a building that seems to have been cut out of picture from the British era, and also for the trees that provide shade. The seats in the hall were filled, so were the ones in the canteen, where catering is being done by Sattvaa Catering. My civic consciousness coming to the fore, I could not help notice a glitch in the Greater Chennai Corporation name board at this road: ‘M’ in Santhanam is missing. 

At the end of the day, I wished I had carried a spare tummy along with me. My small tummy was filled to capacity in the morning after breakfast spread across two sabha canteens, and refilled in the afternoon at another sabha. So, at most sabha canteens, I was just a curious bystander. My commentary about sabha canteens in this report is therefore restricted. The Mylapore Fine Arts Club on Musiri Subramaniam Road is the sabha closest to my patch and by 7.30 a.m., I settled down at the sabha canteen to be served by ABC Catering. The footsteps on the road were thin, largely those of morning walkers. A few of them had settled down beside me. I go in for Pongal and Vadai. Pongal was lip-smacking good. I wished the Vadai was bigger and not of medium size that it was, and also wished the bill was on the lower side. But the gastronomic fare meets expectations; I gulped down coffee without sugar and left.

The next stop was Sri Parthasarathi Swami Sabha at Vidyabharthi Kalyana Mandapam. The sabha has on board Arusuvai Arasu Caterers. My tastebuds craving an experience from the past, I ordered a plate of idlis. With the exquisite softness of the idlis from this caterer etched in my memory, I could not but notice that this quality was not as pronounced as before. I gave my honest feedback to the one in charge of the counter; and I swept my eyes at the other tables, and how the gourmands were lapping it all up, I sensed all other items were fine.

Lunch happened at Thyaga Bramma Gana Sabha in Vani Mahal where Sattvaa Catering Service is on board. Lunch came in impressive quantities and damage to the wallet was low, just ₹ 400. Tastebuds were pampered. Features included Elai Sappadu without onion and garlic.