In the old days, the water pipes, were always placed outside the walls, clearly visible. Any issues? Just identify the culprit, remove it, and replace it. Nothing was hidden. Did those old houses look clumsy, ugly, or outdated? Not at all. I’ve seen some of the best houses—or, more accurately, bungalows—all along Poonamallee High Road, especially those majestic, south-facing ones. Huge grounds, grand bungalows, sweeping porticos, with trees inside and outside the compound. Many of these bungalows had names, and even the year of construction was proudly displayed. They were built with the old-style foundation, I believe, and all those pipes and wires were visible. It didn’t affect their regal look.

Nowadays, the modern idea is to hide and conceal anything we think spoils the aesthetic. But should everything be hidden? If I had closed eyes, bent earlobes, protruding teeth, or even a big paunch, should I conceal and hide them? And if so, how?

That’s just the way I look. People see me as a whole, not in parts—just like a house.

With this clever idea of concealing important, but visually unappealing, elements, what’s been done? The ceiling, which used to consist solely of reinforced concrete, is now filled with pipes running in every direction for electricity distribution. After the walls are smoothly plastered, they’re chipped to allow the pipes carrying wires to reach various electrical points, where ultra-modern switches will be installed. It may look neat for a while, but how clumsy will it be when those wires need replacing after they've outlived their utility?

And how can one survive in Chennai without air conditioning? We used to rely on window-mounted AC units, which required cutting the window. At least split ACs look better. But without a remote, they’re difficult to operate, and cleaning the filters is more taxing than it seems.

Continued in 176. Gaps In The Horizon - Part 4