The Beach at Chennai

Fisherman repairing nets. Net repair in the cooler evening air of Chennai Beach Joggers on a road near beach. Joggers nearing the beach The City of Chennai (Madras in Imperialist times) has a five mile beach front offering the cooler fresher air of the sea within easy reach (indeed joggable) of the city. Here fishermen work on their boats and nets on return from the sea. These shots date from the 1990s when the population was around 4 million, it is now estimated to be above 10 million, so the city has changed greatly in that time, but hopefully the spirit of simple fun, sitting comfortably beside gentle work, still prevails. New flats by old huts at the water's edge. The flats were built for the people in the line of huts, canny people that they are, realising the concrete bunkers were far less comfortable than their old houses, rented them out and rested on the proceeds Goat resting on food bin. Ubiquitous to southern India are these concrete bins provided for organic waste which is then eaten by the goats that wander throughout the land Goat at beach edge. A goat occupies a comfortable place on the sands near the bin, families, students, children and workers are spaced out beyond Boy posing for camera. Men dragging boat. The beach at dusk hosts work and play; fishermen finish their day hauling their boats out of the water, while students, and children relax in the relative cool of the setting sun Young men breakdancing. Two students sitting on boat. Boat on beach held upright. The boat is held upright with the oars in the sand View along line of disassembled boats. These boats are made of six logs which dismantle Men maneavering  boat up the beach. These log boats are heavy and have to be levered up from the water
- alternate ends being lifted and swung up the beach
Boat with sewn panels and the words 'God is Love' backwards. Familiar in shape but the panels are sewn rather than riveted together.
And no, Tamil reads from left to right, "evoL si doG" is curious!
Man beside log boat. One of the log boats being unpacked
and ready hauled up the beach
Line of logs from disassembled log boats pointing skywards. Once above the water line, the logs are untied and left to dry separately Man coiling rope amongst piles of nets. Tidying up after the day's work Men sitting mending nets others talking to them as sun sets. The sun sets leaving workers and friends to talk in the cooler air Five men sitting on boat logs looking at camera. Fishermen with a passing interest in the foreigner Trailers... Children in silhoutte. The next page has a walk through the side streets of Chennai. Mist in a valley in Ae Forest. The next page of the Mosaic Section is headed:
'Thought's Clothes'.
Or go to the contents of the Mosaic Section.
line
Saturday 6th July 2019 Murphy on duty


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