Saidapet

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Coordinates: 13.02358° N 80.22371° E

Saidapet is a suburb of the city of Chennai, India. Mambalam, T.Nagar, Guindy, Nandanam, K. K. Nagar are its neighbourhood suburbs. A subway joining Alandur road and Anna Salai (earlier Mount Road) has been constructed recently. This allows easier access to Anna Salai, the arterial road in Chennai. Saidapet is largely a residential area with very less number of shopping places. However, shopping places are gradually developing here.

Saidapet bus terminus is located in the eastern part of the city. Beyond the Karunanidhi Arch lies West Saidapet. This part of Saidapet is located near the Adyar river. It has healthy mix of people from different strata of the society rich to poor. It has Teachers College which is a quite famous landmark.

Saidapet has a famous fish market known locally as `meen market' attracting people far and wide. Real estate costs in Chennai are increasing day by day and Saidapet is no exception.

1 Some interesting facts about Saidapet
2 Transportation
- 2.1 Railway station
- 2.2 Buses
3 Architecture
4 Politics
5 Miscellaneous
6 External links

[edit] Some interesting facts about Saidapet

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In the old Chennai, the Saidapet market was a very important one. Today modern markets are functioning in every part of Chennai. But if you need to buy a mud pot now you should go to Saidapet. A small trading company went from door to door and transformed the face of salesmanship in India. That is the VGP Brothers. They made the "Murphy" radio affordable even to a poor man by their easy monthly instalment scheme, with which the less fortunate had access to all radio programmes. It will not be an exaggeration if we say that, the advent of the VGP Company brought out a new dimension in the daily life of the Tamil people. After radio, they started selling various household products in the easy monthly instalment scheme. This grew up to such a great level and they started selling house sites also. Today this instalment scheme has become a very common aspect of life. This VGP Company is also running a large entertainment park today. The VGP Square at Saidapet was a needed change to that place. The few metres occupied by the VGP Square are the only modern structure in Saidapet which otherwise reflects obsoleteness everywhere.

If one boundary of Saidapet is the Adyar River, then a significant place in it is the Maraimalai Adigal Bridge. It was called the Marmalong Bridge for over 200 years. The Armenian trader who built the steps in St. Thomas Mount constructed this bridge. In the 1970s this bridge was broadened. This was a time when Tamil enthusiasm was prevalent everywhere and every non-Tamil name was replaced by a Tamil name. This bridge was also renamed. Even then for many it is just the Saidapet Bridge. But Saidapet itself is a very big bridge. It is the bridge that links the South Tamil Nadu and Chennai.

Today, if someone said that Saidapet is synonymous with elephantiasis would anyone believe it? They might think that the Adyar River flowing there should be the reason. But when elephantiasis was prevalent, the Adyar River was very clean indeed. In those days, in Saidapet, quite a number of washermen steam-washed the clothes in large urns kept there, rinsed them in the Adyar River and dried them in bright sunshine. The increase in the Chennai population has proportionally increased the number of washermen and the clothes they wash. The size of the Adyar banks has shrunk today. But in that available space we see thousands of clothes being dried up and it is a very special scene to view. The open sewer lines along the streets have vanished in Saidapet. Even now the main streets and houses in Saidapet resemble those of a traditional small town. Large multi-storey buildings and apartments have not yet occupied the area. There was a time, when the construction of more than one floor was banned in Saidapet. The reason for that was its proximity to the airport. These regulations have been liberalized to a large extent now. In Guindy, which is close to Saidapet, large, tall buildings have come up.

The Karaneeswarar Temple and the washing area in the Adyar River are not the only aspect that adds fame to Saidapet. An educational institution makes Saidapet very distinguished. That is the Teachers' Training College that has completed 100 years, whence thousands of trained teachers have come out and enlightened lakhs and lakhs of students. This college, located in an extensive area, has buildings that are spacious and beautiful. Since one building is in a dilapidated condition it has been kept closed. Efforts are being taken to renovate that building. Just half a kilometre away from the Teachers' Training College there is another spacious institution. The former imparted intellectual education to students, while the latter gave physical education. The YMCA school at Saidapet is a training centre for the physical education instructors. This is also a very reputed institution. In the past 20 years, dozens of Tamil and Telugu movie shootings have been held in this open field. In these 20 years in our film industry, if the hero has to share a few words with the heroine then there should be 50 identically clad persons dancing behind them. It is a compulsion for the heroine too. To accommodate 50 persons at a time for them to dance and to do somersault and all such acrobatics a large open space is inevitable. The Saidapet swimming pool, maintained by YMCA, is also famous. There was a time when there were only two swimming pools in Chennai. One is the swimming pool on the Beach in Marina. The next one is the YMCA pool at Saidapet. If one wondered, "How can water be green?" it implies that he hasn't seen the Saidapet pool.

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Railway station

There is a suburban railway station towards the north is Mambalam and Guindy towards the south.

[edit] Buses

Saidapet has a MTC bus terminus located on Anna Salai. it is well conected by no of buses to central chennai. saidapet is enroute to most of the buses to central chennai. There is a proposal to construct another bus terminus in west saidapet. some of the famous bus servicefrom this area is 18 k

[edit] Architecture

[edit] Temples

[edit] Karaneeswarar temple

This temple is located next to the railway station. This temple has a 7-storied Gopuram with two prakarams. The main deity is Lord Karaneeswara and Goddess Swarnaambikai. This temple has a beautiful tank. Annual ten day Brahmotsavam takes place in the Tamil month of Chithirai.

[edit] Soundareswarar temple

This is an ancient temple situated near the new subway. The Pillayar sannidhi of this temple (Varasidhi Vinayakar - facing west) is very famous. The main deity is Soundareswarar and Thiripurasundari.

[edit] Senguntha Kottam Sri Sivasubramanya Swamy temple

Situated in West Saidapet, the main deity of this temple is Lord Muruga. The annual Brahmotsavam happens during the Tamil month of Maasi.

[edit] Sri Prasanna Venkata Narasimha Perumal kovil

Popularly known as Perumal Kovil of Saidapet. The main deity is Lord Vishnu. Annual Brahmotsavam takes place during the Tamil month of Chithirai. Vaikunta Ekadasi festival is very famous here.

[edit] Kadumbaadi Chinnamman kovil

A very famous Shakthi temple in West Saidapet. Fridays of the Tamil months of Aadi and Thai are famous. Annual brahmotsavam takes place during the Tamil month of Aadi.

[edit] Anjaneyar temple

This Hanuman temple is situated on the banks of the Adyar river.

[edit] Churches

Saidapet has about seven churches, St. Thomas church has a congregation of 500 families and is situated in Abdul Razzaq Street, the NLAG Church is situated across the bridge.

[edit] Bridges

The bridge located near the market on Jeenis road serves as a vital link to Mount Road from West Saidapet.
Jones road underpass (currently under construction) when built will serve an important link for West Saidapet.
Aranganathan subway serves to connect Ashok Nagar and Mambalam.

[edit] Politics

Kalaignar Karunanidhi, the present Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu was once elected from this constituency. It occupies an important place in Tamil Nadu politics being the starting place for election rallies.

[edit] Miscellaneous

Saidapet is an important administrative center. The health district in Chengalpet district is split into Saidapet hud and Kanchipuram hud. Panagal building which is a part of saidapet is a famous landmark.

Saidapet had a large weaver population and handlooms were in operation as late as 1990. It was quite notorious for filariasis in the olden days.

Saidapet has a very busy shopping market place called the Bazaar Road. It is famous for its fish market attracting buyers from faraway places.

[edit] External links

Saidapet Businesses

Saidapet
Next station north: Mambalam	Chennai suburban railway : South line		Next station south: Guindy
	Stop Number:9	KM from starting:{{{5}}}

These are the stations of Chennai suburban railway - South line

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