I was searching for some old snaps of Palavanthangal (Pazhavanthangal) before the subway was built. But google didn't share any results. I myself do not remember taking any photographs of the old Palavanthangal. So all I have now is whatever image of the railway gate (which was there before the subway was built) is etched in my mind.
I am someone who like to time travel to the past using my mind to reminisce the old days. Today my thoughts went back the days before the subway was built and the days when it was being built.
We settled very close to the station around 1984 and our residence was on the GST road side and not on the Nanganallur side. So technically our area was called Meenambakkam while the landmark near by to our house is always mentioned as Palavanthangal subway. Obviously I cannot write anything about how this place was before 1984. I wanted to capture as much as I can remember about the time between the railway gate got converted into a subway.
As my school was in Kodambakkam there was not a single day during my childhood that I did not see the railway gate junction. Everyday morning we used to hurry to Palavanthangal station and take the then meter gauge train to Kodambakkam.
We were living near Saidapet railways station and it was a very busy place even in those times. Our house in Palavanthangal was getting constructed and my mother used to take me along with her to visit the construction during some evenings. For someone coming from a concrete jungle Saidapet Palavanthangal had the charm of a rural area. It had newly constructed houses lot of greeneries. Even the well in Palavanthangal looked different from the well we had in Saidapet. It looked almost untouched by human invaders. After visiting the construction when we return my mother used to take to a Hotel which was very close to the railway station. The hotel was called "Hotel Asoka" and it was situated on the left hand side when you walk towards Vembuliyamman Koil. Remember there was no subway it was just a normal street. My favorite used to be Bonda and Rosemilk.
Since this railway gate was the only connection between GST Road and Nanganallur (Thillai Ganga Nagar Subway didn't exist then) there used to be huge traffic near the gate. Whenever the gates were closed traffic used to pile up. Also the gate was very close to the track of the train towards beach and it will be difficult to see if a train is indeed coming. So many times have crossed the closed gate by pushing the cycle through it.
Dr. Saravanan had his clinic where the ICICI ATM (close to Umar Biryani) is currently situated. Amudha Medicals was right next to his clinic and Anandhi medicals (Current Bakery Garden group) used to be on the opposite side of the road. Both these medical shops exists today at near by locations. Dr. Saravanan still practices as Jai Scans. Visited the doctos clinic so many times. Then he moved his clinic little further where current Amudha Medicals exists. Near by the Amudha medicals we used to have Bata showroom from where we used to buy all our school shoes and near to that there was a fancy items shop.
Anandhi store, Kali store they continue to exist from those days carrying forward the legacy. Kali store has moved little further while Anandhi store was there at the same place if my memory is right.
Near Anandhi medicals there was a bakery called "Jacintha Bakery". My dad used to take us there and we used to buy all our snacks there. Many types of biscuits, chips, bread, bun butter jam used to be available there. Close to that we used to have a newspaper shop and Soda shop. Drinking Paneer Soda in this shop in a steel tumbler during summer used to be like the best drink.
There used to be a Video cassette lending library very close the gate.
Selvam sweet shop, the tea shop, ground nut shop near by the station still exist.
On the road which runs parallel to the track we used to have a rental cycle shop and thats were we used to rent the small cycles for an hour. Even though the cycles will be in bad shape that was the only way for us to ride a cycle and we used to love it.
The Sakthi Fast Food, Umar Biryani, Bakery Garden, ATMs never used to be there.
The place has been transformed into a totally different place once we had the subway.
Since we used to live on the GST road side we had our own Nathan store for our provision needs.
As and when I remember more details I will keep updating this post.
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