Bessi beach 'n Broken bridge...

For a long time i wanted to get up early (means real early) and venture out to beach and breathe some fresh air and watch the sun rise in Chennai. Also, have heard so much about the broken bridge in Besant Nagar and wanted to hit it. After couple of false starts over the last 1 month, today me and my cousin(yeah! yeah! the same newly married cousin. His wife has gone to her home for a week.So, he obliged to join) decided to hit the road. I had kept alarm sharp @ 4:30am and never had a clue if it rung.

My cousin being a sincere guy (thanks to his wedding, he has been well domesticated) woke me up around 5. We both got ready and started in his bike by around 5:30am. The almost full moon was still wandering on the west, slowly trying to hide itself giving way to the more majestic partner - the Sun. We had a tea in a roadside tea shop near besant nagar on the MG road. Once we hit the beach, i was surprised to see the sheer number of people sleeping in the open beach under the roof of sky. Do cops allow this?? not sure...

As we walked to the waters, i was shocked to see the "Schmidt memorial" a.k.a Karate statue (raised in the memory of dutch sailor Karl Schmidt) in such a dilapidated condition. More so one citizen was in fact attending his nature's call right on it. Being a chennaiite i was so pained to see this but couldn't do anything. Then clicked few snaps and walked to the waters.It's always a pleasure to see the sea and waves with the blue sky as background. The sky was pink as in a artist's canvas and the waves were hitting the shores as if it's filtering the white foam from the bluish green water. Fishermen started off on their catamarans for the first catch of the day(tough work they have). Started clicking few snaps of the sun rise, though i was totally disappointed not to see the big red ball of fire floating in the horizon.

Early morning in the beach is always a fresh feeling, with joggers, kids in their roller skates, guys playin cricket, frisbee, kabbadi, young fellas working out in the bars, old folks sitting and exercising...oh boy...whatta feeling...

Then my cousin started getting little restless and hence we started towards the broken bridge. Broken bridge was a small stretch of bridge built long back connect the fishing hamlet of Adayar and Foreshore Estate. A part of which was supposed to have washed away by monsoon and the tidal waves couple of decades back. Now the bridge stands as-is as a mute spectator of the passed by time. It's definitely a photographer's paradise. But the low point being the "kuppam"(slum settlement) that comes between the Besant Nagar beach and this particular spot. Also, little lonely and not so safe place for anyone after dark or before dawn. Once, there is light it's a pretty safe place with people movement around.

The high rise buildings on the MRC nagar, Theosophical society, Aamir Mahal (palace of the Nawab of Arcot) and the slum tenements in the background with the Adyar river merging with bay of bengal gives an ample clicking opportunity. The place was so nice far from the mad city noise, all you hear is the sound of waves hitting the beach and few birds(crows inclusive)...

I was happy that i finally saw this place in Chennai, worth visiting.

Find some of the pics clicked today...