This is not some comparison about the present and the colonial times, but it is more about the cosmopolitan city I traversed in the ‘90s and the one I’m encountering at present. It’s an amazing coincidence that my professional sojourn had to start at Grill-X for which I had to board 29C at Sterling to alight at Music Academy and precisely doing the same all over again 18 years since. Life seems to have traversed a full circle. The monstrous fly-over near this place seems to be the only major addition. There weren’t this many vehicles (and people) then, share auto culture was unheard of. The Nungambakkam high road was not one-way in stretches as it is now, the parapet wall near the Sterling road bus halt (where Ramesh, Senthil and I used to spend ‘quality’ time) has been raised up. Hotel Ganpath isn’t flourishing as of then, Landmark and Hotel Ranjith remain though. Stella Maris thrives, Ispahani centre and M.O.B.Vaishnav college are new additions. I left when I was 26 and feel as if I’ve woken up from a dream after all these years. There is a Coffee day kiosk near the petrol shed where I sip a cup of Cappacinno before boarding the share-auto back home. Once crouched in to the space available ( after waiting for over half hour at most times) it’s very embarrassing to be staring at fellow passengers,(mostly the fairer sex) each one with an agenda of their own. If I’m lucky, I get to sit next to the driver and if a bit more luckier, get a cheerful fellow driving the vehicle. A strike a conversation for the next 45 minutes while he maneuvers through the heavy traffic, swearing, smiling and speaking to me all at the same time. He even gets copped at strategic points along the way, rude and selfish passengers not helping his cause either. Finally, my destination is reached and I sign off with a wave to my buddy (?) and cross the road which in itself is dangerous and requires quite a bit of skill. Chennai never the less, continues to sizzle…..