5/5 roopan r. 1 year ago on Google โข 81 reviews
N4
Beach
in
Kasimedu
offers
respite
from
fast-paced
Chennai
city
life,
with
its
multi-coloured
boats
and
relaxed
vibe
At
eight
in
the
morning,
when
the
city
has
woken
up
from
its
slumber,
a
lone,
ignored
coastal
spot
in
North
Chennai,
near
Kasimedu
fishing
harbour,
begins
to
stretch
and
yawn.
The
cacophony
of
vehicles
gives
way
to
quietude
as
you
enter
this
fishing
harbour,
a
less
glamorous
neighbour
of
popular
Kasimedu
harbour,
teeming
with
fish
vendors.
This
port
is
more
of
a
dock
for
all
the
boats.
Around
1,000
vessels,
big
and
small,
painted
and
unpainted,
are
anchored
here.
There
is
a
roadway
that
leads
from
the
entrance
to
the
port
mouth.
It
makes
for
a
beautiful
drive;
on
your
right
you
see
fishermen,
lugging
heavy
nets
out
of
their
boats
and
cleaning
them;
and
on
the
other,
the
endless
expanse
of
sea
with
its
low-tide
waves.
A
speck
of
a
motor
boat
appears
on
the
horizon.
A
man
in
a
blue
lungi
spreads
a
battered
yoga
mat
and
squats
in
padmasana
,
with
his
spine
straight,
to
meditate.
The
day
has
begun.
Balai
Rajendran
and
his
fellow
seafarers
are
mending
their
nets.
โAfter
a
rough
day,
these
tend
to
tear.
Also,
a
lot
of
sea
waste
gets
caught
in
the
net.
We
clear
it
all
out
and
dry
the
nets
in
the
sun.
They
are
good
to
return
to
sea
again
after
a
few
hours
of
sun
bathing,โ
he
says.
They
say
the
61-day
ban
on
mechanised
boats
has
hampered
business.
โThe
Government
has
offered
just
โน5,000
for
compensation.
How
can
we
survive
on
it
for
two
months?โ
he
asks.
They
are
happy
to
return
to
work.
โWe
are
back
to
earning
โน1,000
to
1,200
a
day.โ
S
Charles,
who
sells
garlic
and
tamarind
in
front
of
N4
beach
says
he
comes
here
around
this
time
to
clear
his
mind.
He
comes
here
in
the
mornings
as
soon
as
he
is
done
with
his
sales.
Cops
patrol
the
space
constantly
in
the
evenings;
so,
it
is
safe.
However,
after
8
pm,
the
place
is
deserted,
there
are
no
lights.
Then,
people
usually
avoid
coming
here,
he
says.
The
busiest
hours
are
from
4
pm
to
7
pm,
when
pani
puri
and
ice
cream
stalls
emerge.
On
Sundays,
the
place
is
milling
with
visitors.
The
ride
to
the
port
mouth
is
windy
โ
ideal
for
a
diva
moment,
with
hair
on
your
face
and
your
scarf
swaying
wild.
At
the
port
mouth,
visitors
take
selfies
and
do
wedding
photoshoots.
S
Rajacharan,
the
shutter
bug,
is
a
resident
of
Rajakadai.
โN4
is
apt
as
a
shooting
locale.
Many
films
such
as
Kaakha
Kaakha,
Vikram
Vedha,
and
the
latest
Vada
Chennai
were
filmed
here.โ
The
beach
is
a
part
and
parcel
of
his
childhood
memories;
he,
along
with
his
friends,
would
come
here
for
a
swim,
followed
by
a
stroll.
The
beachโs
potential
to
be
used
as
a
public
space
is
still
untapped,
he
says,
adding
that
it
is
because
of
the
stigma
around
North
Chennai.
โNot
many
people
from
South
Chennai
are
aware
of
this
beach.
It
has
a
lot
to
do
with
peopleโs
mindset.โ
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