Chennai’s Marina Beach, 3.5-kilometre stretch between the mouth of the Cooum River and the Lighthouse, a sandy coastline continues much farther from the harbour in north to Adyar in south. Beach did not exist in its present wide form before the late nineteenth century. Its growth is closely linked to the construction of the Madras Harbour in the 1880s. When the harbour was built, it interrupted the natural movement of sand along the Coromandel Coast. This process, known as littoral drift, caused large quantities of sand to accumulate on the southern side of the harbour, gradually forming the broad shoreline now known as Marina Beach, while the northern coast began to experience erosion.
The idea of developing a promenade along this stretch was proposed by Monstuart Elphinstone Grant-Duff, Governor of Madras from 1881 to 1886. The promenade was completed in 1884 and named “Marina,” an Italian word meaning “of the sea.” Running parallel to the beach is a major road that has existed since the mid-nineteenth century. Earlier called South Beach Road, it was later renamed Kamaraj Salai in memory of Chief Minister K. Kamaraj. Along this road rose many of Chennai’s most important institutions and buildings, including Madras University, Senate House, Presidency College, Chepauk Palace, the Public Works Department buildings, the University Examination Hall, the Ice House, Queen Mary’s College, the Lady Willingdon Institute, All India Radio, and the office of the Director-General of Police. This area is considered the birthplace of the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, which combined Indian and Islamic design elements with European techniques, beginning with Chepauk Palace in the 1750s and reaching maturity with Senate House in the 1860s.
From early on, the Marina became a popular place for relaxation, especially in the evenings. During colonial times, wealthy residents visited in horse-drawn carriages and later in cars. On certain days, bands performed on the beach, adding to its social life. In 1930, with the establishment of Corporation Radio, loudspeakers were installed so that people could gather and listen to music and programmes. Over time, the beach also became an important venue for public meetings, particularly during the Indian freedom movement.
Several monuments and statues on the Marina reflect this political and cultural history. A statue of Mahatma Gandhi, sculpted by D. P. Roy Chowdhury, was installed in the 1950s to commemorate his role in the freedom struggle. Another of Roy Chowdhury’s works, the “Triumph of Labour,” stands nearby and was inspired by the famous image of soldiers raising the flag at Iwo Jima.
In 1968, when the Second World Tamil Conference was held in Madras, statues of Tamil poets, scholars, writers, and literary figures were added along the beach. Other statues include Swami Vivekananda, who stayed at the Ice House for a week and is believed to have received inspiration there to attend the Parliament of Religions in Chicago. Memorials to former Chief Ministers C. N. Annadurai and M. G. Ramachandran stand on the Marina, as do statues of K. Kamaraj and Annie Besant, the Irish-born freedom fighter and Indian nationalist.
By the 1960s and 1970s, Marina Beach had also become associated with romance and popular culture. Couples visited the quieter parts of the shore, and many Tamil films were shot here, making the beach a familiar image in cinema. At the same time, it developed as a space for sports and fitness, with young people playing cricket on the sand, walkers using the promenade daily, and institutions such as the Presidency Cricket Ground nearby. Swimming, however, is unsafe due to strong undercurrents, though many visitors enjoy standing in shallow water to cool off.
For ordinary residents,
the Marina has long been a place of simple pleasure. Families and individuals
come to eat inexpensive snacks such as sundal (boiled legumes), sliced mango,
and fresh coconut, or simply to sit by the sea. One of its most distinctive
traditions is Kaanum Pongal, celebrated the day after the harvest festival of
Pongal, when thousands of people visit the beach as part of the festivities.
Successive governments
have attempted to “beautify” the Marina by adding walkways, seating areas,
gardens, gazebos, and decorative structures. Over the past century,
Marina Beach is not only known for snacks like sundal but also for its fresh and flavourful local seafood culture, Early in the morning, fishermen bring seer fish (vanjaram), pomfret, prawns, squid, crabs and anchovies. which are sold in nearby markets such as Pattinapakkam and Kasimedu.
