Experiencing Madras through a logbook

This logbook will contain entries by people who have lived in Madras at some point in time or have a connection with the city. Though the logbook initiative was started only in January, Thirupurasundari Sevvel, founder of Nam Veedu, Nam Oor, Nam Kadhai says, “This project has been in the pipeline for some time.” 

“The person entering the logbook doesn’t necessarily have to be an artist or photographer. They get one page or one spread in the logbook and get to add something in terms of how they see the city or what the city means to them,” says Srishti, curator of the Madras Logbook initiative. 

Those interested in filing their entries in the logbook can either write down their personal experience of the city or from the perspective of a kid/senior citizen/object like a building. “For example, you see the city through (the perspective of) the tea stalls; you can fill the logbook as a tea shop or a tea glass,” explains Srishti. 

While describing the process of collecting the journal entries, Srishti tells us, “We will be sending out the journal (an A4 size book) and those who are interested will have a couple of days to finish their entry and pass it on to the next person. If for any reason, they are uncomfortable with receiving or sending the journal to the next person, then they can make their entry on an A4 sheet and send it by post to us. We’ll add it to the book.” 

The logbook comes along with a Madras Memory Box, where an intangible object related to Madras is collected. After the journal entry is complete, a word would be given as a hint for the next person to jot down the entry on that line. Discussing further plans for the logbook, Srishti informs, “After collecting the entries, we are planning on converting this to a moving exhibit, maybe, even put them together and publish them as a book with a detailed story and ideas behind each of the entries.”