Ranganathan Street is a major commercial street in the neighborhood of

T. Nagar Thyagaraya Nagar, commonly known as T. Nagar, and historically known as East Mambalam, is a very affluent commercial and residential neighbourhood in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is surrounded by Nungambakkam in the North, Teynampet in the ...

, located in

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

, India. It is one of the most crowded streets in Chennai. The street houses several commercial establishments, primarily those involved in the clothing and jewelry industry. It has often been referred to as the most crowded street in Chennai.

History

Ranganathan Street ought to have been named Rangaswamy Iyengar Street after the first resident of that street. It was the usual practice then to name streets after the first resident irrespective of their class, caste or contribution. Tupil Rangaswamy Iyengar, a retired Civil Servant of the erstwhile Madras Presidency, built his house in early 1920s. When civil authorities approached him for his formal approval the gentleman requested it be named after

Lord Ranganatha Ranganatha, also known as Ranganathar, Rangan, Aranganathar, Sri Ranga, and Thenarangathan, is a Hindu deity with his origin in South India, serving as the chief deity of the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam. The deity is a resting form of ...

of Srirangam temple.

General

Usman Road is on one end of the street. At the other end is the Mambalam train station. On the street can be found many commercial establishments ranging from street hawkers selling

safety pin The safety pin is a variation of the regular pin which includes a simple spring mechanism and a clasp. The clasp forms a closed loop to properly fasten the pin to whatever it is applied to and covers the end of the pin to protect the user from t ...

s to big stores selling

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile me ...

jewelry Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry ( U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a w ...

. Many

vegetable Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems, ...

vendors also sell their wares on Ranganathan Street. Throughout the year the street is full of people. Traditionally, it is busiest during

Deepavali Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali (IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is on ...

by nature of this street offering consumers the opportunity to purchase a variety of commodities. The most famous among the establishments on Ranganathan Street are the Saravana stores and Jeyachandran Textile and jewellery

Commercial shops

Some of the commercial shops established in Ranganathan street include

Saravana Stores Saravana Stores, founded in 1969, is a chain of retail stores in India. It is the largest family owned business retail chain in India. According to Kishore Biyani of Big Bazaar, it is India's No. 1 retail store in one locality. Locations Sara ...

, Jeyachandran Textile and Jewellery, Rathna Stores, and Textile India, among others. The street is a famous icon of

and due to its proximity to

Mambalam West Mambalam is a residential and commercial area in Chennai, India. It is known for its shops, bazaars and Hindu temples. It is bounded by Kodambakkam to the north and Saidapet to the south. T. Nagar and Nandanam stretch all along its eastern ...

railway station, people from all parts of

and

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

flock to Ranganathan Street for shopping, especially during festive seasons.

In popular culture

The critically acclaimed 2010

Tamil film Tamil cinema, also known as Kollywood is a part of Indian Cinema; primarily engaged in production of motion pictures in the Tamil language. Based out of the Kodambakkam neighbourhood in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, it is popularly called ''Kollywo ...

'' Angaadi Theru'' focuses on the bad working conditions, faced by workers, working in stores on the Ranganathan street.

References

{{Roads of Chennai Retailing in Chennai Streets in India Roads in Chennai