Taking Schools on Heritage Walks

I need to send two newspapers to bed on Friday night.
Mylapore Times gets the first attention. Arcot Road Times follows.
In addition to Adyar Times, these are the three neighbourhood weeklies I edit and publish.
So its is close to midnight when I get back home. Across the Adyar.

I didn't have time to rest this Saturday. Today, we had to host yet another group of students of Abacus school in Perungudi ( on the Old Mahab Road - OMR fashionably!) on a heritage walk through Mylapore.
This is the second time we are hosting Abacus.

The 'we' refers to 'Namma Mylapore', a small NGO which works on civic and heritage issues in the Mylapore area.
Most members are seniors but when one of us suggested that heritage walks could highlight our profile and also bring us funds, the idea gained popularity.

Namma Mylapore's walks are an edited version of the walks I promote. Our Mylapore-San Thome walk ( on foot and by van) takes over three hours and covers the two fascinating areas of this city. You may call them the Hindu and the Christian quarters. I will have more on this walk later on on the blog. (But if you have been on one before please share your experience and suggestions!)

The edited heritage walk starts at Luz church, goes through the area behind Sanskrit College ( surviving the infamous Buckingham Canal), leads on to the Sri Kapali Temple zone, winds down the Mada Streets ( the big bonus is to enter the temple tank, feed the fish and dream for 120 seconds on the steps) and ends at one of the old Mylapore houses.

For those who want breakfast to be served, we offer pongal, vada and the famed Kalathi rosemilk!

The Abacus experience tells us that we could host lots of students on this walk if we can get the word to them.
There are many bonuses on the way - the Saturday group spent time watching a traditional jeweller at work near Thiruvalluvar Temple ( Quiz question - where is the Thiruvalluvar Temple located? Actual location please!).

But we don't want to restrict the walks to the inner Mylapore area. And to schools. We would love to invite the people at IT cos. and BPOs. There are many, many new comers to the city who want to explore this metro quietly. (Perhaps it will be a great effort for them to rise at 5.30 am to be at the Luz start point!).

I have to grab a lunch time nap before zipping down to Pondy. Puducherry.
We have a heritage walk starting Sunday, 9 am. In association with INTACH, Pondy.
I will tell you more shortly, on this unique package we want to offer Chennaiites.