R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, AUG 25
Before Chennai became a metropolis of glass towers, traffic and technology, it was a city of temple bells, silk, classical dance, coastal flavours, filter coffee and stories passed from one generation to another. At Taj Connemara, those enduring threads of Madras came together in an evening where tradition did not merely look back—it danced, sang, dressed up and found its way onto the dinner plate.
- Taj Connemara turns storyteller as Chennai’s traditions, tastes, textiles and performing arts converge
- AU Small Finance Bank presents an evocative celebration of the city’s enduring cultural identity
- RMKV Wedding Silks brings Madras Checks from textile legacy to contemporary fashion showcase
- Bharatanatyam recital opens an evening where classical tradition meets modern creative expression
- IndoSoul by Karthick Iyer adds a vibrant musical bridge between the classical and contemporary
- A specially curated culinary journey revives the unmistakable flavours and nostalgia of old Madras
That was the spirit of ‘The Madras Affair’, presented by AU Small Finance Bank at Taj Connemara, Chennai, with RMKV Wedding Silks as Showcase Partner.
The Ballroom of the iconic hotel became a vibrant canvas for the city’s many identities, bringing together music, dance, fashion, art and gastronomy in a celebration of Chennai’s distinctive cultural personality.
When tradition took centre stage
The evening opened on an appropriately classical note with a captivating Bharatanatyam recital by students of Shri Nrittalaya School of Arts, Chennai, an institution committed to preserving tradition, inspiring artistry and nurturing excellence.
The dancers brought the timeless grammar and expressive richness of Bharatanatyam alive, creating a graceful opening to an evening rooted firmly in Chennai’s cultural heritage.
The classical mood then flowed seamlessly into contemporary musical territory with an engaging live performance by IndoSoul by Karthick Iyer, whose distinctive fusion of classical influences and modern energy added another dimension to the celebration.
It was a reminder that Chennai’s cultural inheritance does not remain frozen in time—it constantly reinvents itself.
Madras Checks get a contemporary spotlight
The city’s textile legacy also found its moment under the spotlight, with RMKV Wedding Silks showcasing the iconic Madras Checks, bringing together the unmistakable visual identity of the fabric with contemporary creativity.
For guests, the experience extended beyond fashion into a celebration of a textile tradition intrinsically woven into the city’s identity.
The evening also featured a live vintage photography experience by AU Small Finance Bank, allowing guests to view Chennai through a nostalgic lens and creating an engaging connection between memories of the old city and its present-day character.
Shilpa Rameja, General Manager, Taj Connemara, Chennai, said the event was conceived to capture precisely this relationship between the city and its heritage.
“Taj Connemara and Chennai share a relationship shaped by history, heritage and a deep sense of place. Through The Madras Affair, we wanted to bring this connection alive in a way that was both nostalgic and contemporary,” she said.
She described the vintage photography experience as one of the evening’s highlights and noted that RMKV’s showcase of Madras Checks “beautifully brought together the city’s textile heritage and contemporary creativity.”
“It was wonderful to see music, dance, art, fashion and food come together to celebrate the many facets of Chennai and the enduring spirit of this remarkable city,” Rameja added.
Old Madras arrives on the plate
If the performances brought alive Chennai’s artistic soul, the culinary experience gave guests a chance to taste it.
Executive Chef Raj Sekhar Sastry and the culinary team at Taj Connemara crafted a specially curated journey through the flavours of old Madras, drawing upon familiar regional favourites while adding contemporary touches.
The high tea offered temptations such as Railway Mutton Mince Turnover, Chocolate Fudge infused with Chettinad spices and delicately spiced Uppu Urundai.
The gastronomic trail continued with a lively Marina Beach Sundal Station, hearty Railway Mutton Curry, tangy Meen Manga Kuzhambu, and freshly prepared dosas and appams.
The spread celebrated the bold and aromatic character of South Indian cuisine with Soft Shell Crab Varuval, fragrant Karuvepillai Yerra, earthy Uslampatti Kari Sukhha and Chettinad Flavoured Fried Chicken.
Vegetarian offerings brought their own creative flair, including Crispy Tofu Yellu Varuval and Kuzhi Ragi Paniyarram stuffed with Gongura and cream cheese.
The finale was steeped in nostalgia, with Kavuni Arisi Halwa and creamy filter coffee ice cream providing a fittingly indulgent conclusion.
A hotel that remembers the city
The choice of venue was itself part of the story.
For more than 170 years, Taj Connemara has been woven into Chennai’s evolving narrative. It has witnessed generations pass, neighbourhoods transform and the city grow from an old colonial-era settlement into one of India’s major cultural and economic centres.
Yet, amid that transformation, the hotel has retained its own connection with the city’s history and traditions.
‘The Madras Affair’ drew upon that heritage to celebrate a Chennai that remembers where it came from while embracing what it is becoming.
A Chennai story told through many voices
What made the evening distinctive was its refusal to define Chennai through a single cultural expression.
It brought together Bharatanatyam and fusion music, silk and vintage photography, street-food nostalgia and fine culinary interpretation, allowing each element to tell a different part of the city’s story.
The result was more than an evening of entertainment or gastronomy. It was a celebration of a city whose greatest strength lies in its ability to carry its past into the future without losing its character.
At Taj Connemara, Madras was not merely remembered—it was relived, reimagined and served with style.
