Marina beach is a natural urban beach in Chennai, India, along the Bay of Bengal. Running a length of about 3.7 miles, it is the longest in the country and one of the busiest. It attracts about 30,000 visitors in a day on weekdays and about 50,000 on weekends and holidays. The beach accommodates about 2000 vendors who make a living by selling everything from snacks and drinks to balloons and gifts; there are mini giant-wheels, merry-go-rounds, balloon-shooters, and joyrides on every nook and corner.
I visited the beach on a monsoon day’s evening, immediately after a downpour, anticipating an empty beach with just the makeshift shops, huts, poles, wheels, rides, trolleys and desks, without the people who make use of it. My intent was to document the infinite variety of inanimate objects and installations that support the livelihood of thousands of people and entertain millions in a year. Those are revenue-makers for some and fun-givers for the other. Together, this system of structures develops into a unique band of life-makers of Marina Beach.
