Our lives would be a lot more enriched if we learnt to pay attention to the ‘unnamed’ and the ‘unsung’. In Somerset Maugham’s The Moon and the Sixpence Charles Strickland, the erratic genius-painter, towers like a colossus. In Strickland (said to be a shadow-image of Paul Gauguin), one finds a whacky irreverence towards the established norms of society and a twisted charm, both of which have endeared him to generations of readers. In his presence, it seems natural to ignore Dirk Stroeve and Ata. Because, they are hardly distinguished by any extraordinary qualities. They are commoners, affectionate but lacking in sparkle. However, anyone who values relationships above art, culture and any other pursuit through which man seeks immortality, will be drawn to them. It’s the nameless such as these that bring solace to the tired old human heart.
While driving from Kelambakkam to Vandalur on State Highway 121, one is likely to miss an ‘unnamed’ road, near Sonallur, that branches off it. As it borders on the Sonallur reserve forest, it has been rightly left in a pitted condition. It, however, serves a purpose, quietly and efficiently, just like Stroeve and Ata from The Moon and the Sixpence . It’s taken frequently by those heading towards Kolathur village. For anyone who wants to get away from it all, it leads to a pastoral setting that puts an invisible rudder on the mind, which travels futilely and forever, like Sisyphus, between hope and fear.
When you head past the reserve forest, the unpaved but wide pathway gives way to a bitumen-topped road that runs through a landscape marked by vegetable gardens. There are quiet spaces for one to stop and ponder. There is a small, beautiful pond, which seems to have been kept tucked away for wayfarers, as a surprise gift.
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For me, the best part of the trip to Kolathur village lay just outside it. After driving through the village and hitting 633, a district road in Kancheepuram, I came upon a sprawling lake, which is associated with Kolathur. A serpentine pathway cuts through the lake. Grassy, it looks inviting. A quiet hour around the lake can be followed up with a trip to the Kumizhi hills, which are not distant.
After a couple of kilometres on your odometer, down district road 633, you will reach Panangattukuppam, and taking a stretch through this village will lead you to the hills of Kumizhi, some of which can be climbed.
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Or, you may continue to drive down 633, which has other engaging sights to offer.
Leading off Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road (also known as State Highway 121), this stretch leads to other quiet, but heart-warming havens. (More on this, in a later column.)
Found in the shadow of the celebrated state highway, 633 reinforces my faith in the ‘unnamed’ and the ‘unsung’.
(Hidden Trails is a column that shows you how to be a tourist in your own city)