Chennai, 23 Aug — Chennai’s coastline, particularly Besant Nagar and Elliot’s Beach, continues to serve as an informal but vital third place for city residents, offering space for recreation, art, reading and social interaction beyond home and workplace, according to accounts from participants and observers.
Beaches as multi-use public spaces
On weekend mornings and evenings, the sands shift roles — from a picnic ground and open-air gym to a reading room and venue for small cultural gatherings. Activities reported by regulars include watercolour workshops, art sessions, casual cricket, frisbee, moonlight cinema screenings, small concerts and informal food stalls serving bhajjis and tea.
- Art and workshops: Local residents conduct painting and art sessions at Besant Nagar to watch the sunrise and relax, with attendees across age groups.
- Reading initiatives: Elliot’s Beach hosts reading groups such as Bessy Reads where participants come specifically to read in public.
- Sport and leisure: Morning cricket, frisbee and informal fitness activities draw varied age groups to the shore.
Voices from the sand
Gynaecologist Dr Sarah Nazneen, who joins art workshops at Besant Nagar with her husband Muhammed Naleem, said the sessions are deliberately relaxed.
"We conduct art workshops here every weekend. It is mostly about watching the sunrise and painting leisurely to relax ourselves,"she said, adding that the group ensures the spot is cleaned after activities.
For some, the beach provides a comforting anonymity. Balachandar, a poet from Arakkonam who participates in the Bessy Reads initiative at Elliot’s Beach, described reading at the shore as freeing.
"If I read elsewhere in public, somehow attention still falls on me, but reading at the beach makes me feel invisible in the grand scheme of things, which is what I want,"he said, noting that the beach removes pressure to look presentable or to leave quickly.
Social context and civic practice
The growing use of Chennai’s beaches as third places comes amid wider conversations about social isolation and the need for inclusive public spaces. For many residents, the coast provides a no-cost, open environment where routine social encounters and spontaneous cultural activities can take place without formal membership or commercial pressure.
Participants emphasise informal norms that sustain these spaces: mutual respect, low-key programming, and cleanliness. Organisers of workshops often collect volunteers to tidy the beach after sessions, a practice they say helps maintain access and encourages responsible use.
| Activity | Typical spot |
|---|---|
| Art workshops / Watercolour sessions | Besant Nagar Beach |
| Reading groups (Bessy Reads) | Elliot’s Beach |
| Cricket, frisbee, fitness | Marina and Besant Nagar stretches |
| Moonlight cinema / match screenings | Various beach stretches |
Urban planners and community organisers often point to the need to protect and enhance such informal public spaces. While formal pedestrian plazas, parks and cafes have multiplied in Chennai, several residents feel the coast retains a distinct, democratic quality — a place to arrive without an agenda or a dress code.
Those who frequent the beaches say the informality is central to their appeal: it allows people to unwind, meet habitually, and build conversations that are not tied to productivity or commerce. Regular beachgoers insist that simple civic practices, like voluntary cleaning and respect for fellow users, are key to ensuring these spaces remain welcoming for all.
As Chennai continues to grow, the role of coastal public spaces in city life is likely to remain significant — serving as arenas for everyday socialising, cultural exchange and low-cost leisure that many residents value deeply.
