Located at the heart of the city the street traditionally houses the grocery market of the Temple City with both retail and wholesale merchants occupying every inch of available space. Though the place is conventionally a market, it also has residential houses. Overcrowding of buyers and vehicles has turned this place into a commercial hub.
But still there are some residences located here.
"I am a long time resident of this place. When we were kids we used to play on the East Masi Street, only bullock carts passed through the street. Now, heavy traffic and pollution caused by automobiles have pushed many of us out of this place. Since this house is my ancestral property, I am reluctant to leave this place which has seen the good and bad of me," says C. Ramanathan, a retired Government employee, who has been living in this place for more than 60 years.
Connecting Yanaikkal on the North and Vilakkuthoon on the South, the long stretch houses food grains and grocery stores.
"Earlier, the whole of East Masi Street used to be occupied by food grains and grocery merchants but now northern end of the street near Yanaikal is used by fruit vendors and auctioneers while on the other side textile merchants are occupying the street," notes S.V.S. Sundaramurti, past president, Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Tamil Nadu Foodgrains Merchants Association.
The street is also the procession path of presiding deities of Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple during festivals.
Besides, it also houses the temple car. The `thermutty' is located on this street.
Native medicines
It also has exclusive shops selling traditional native medicines. There were times when elders in the family thronged this place to buy medicines, especially for pregnant women.
The oldest vegetable market of the city is just metres away from this street. Still this market is much sought after place for bulk purchases. There are also hardware shops.
The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited telephone exchange here serves the public in the heart of the city.
The East Masi Street has been the retail grocery trade for the southern districts. But with the development of extension areas and creation of shopping malls, the number of those who come to this place for bulk purchase is coming down. "Moreover, loading and unloading of goods have become a huge problem for grocers. Hence Tamil Nadu Foodgrains Merchants Association has planned to shift the base from East Masi Street to a place near Sikkander Chavadi where 30 acres of land has been bought to set up a market yard," Mr. Sundaramurti informs.
Given its historical significance and its proximity to the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, the place remains a buyer's paradise for years.
T.SARAVANAN
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