Urban subway tailor

"We stitched Former Deputy Chief Minister M.K.Stalin’s marriage suit “says Mr.Karnan Rao.

The subway near new build Secretariat is patronized by tens of thousands every day but no one notices the tailor shop over the subway which is located exactly opposite to Anna Statue. It’s the second subway to have shop leased by the highway department of tamilnadu, the other one in park station, central. This subway also has Anna Lassi, triplicane’s popular recipe shop and a fast-food centre on the other two sides. P.M.tailor shop has a transparent mirror show casing the stitched dresses; it can be exposed to all who ever crosses the anna statue.

P.M.tailors, five decade year old self-organized tailoring shop for men is managed by karnan rao. 50 year old Spectacle Rao has a measurement inch tape hanging on his neck like a scarf while cutting the trouser cloth. “Earlier, there were less number of colleges in Chennai, my father used to visit college Hostels and find customers from Medical College to arts College”. When the subway was built; this 250-300 sq ft place was sanctioned by the government and was rented out. We moved here in the 1970s.Says Mr.Karnan Rao.

“We are pioneers in stitching blazers and western styled apparels”

P.M.Gopal Rao founded the shop, a cloth merchant turned tailor in 1958.Its our traditional profession and many new customers are arrived because of the referrals by one another. Minister Durai Murugan is my regular customer, Infact Veteran actor Mr.Jaishankar (Late) was my customer says Mr.Karnan. “Five members are working in our shop and we don’t prefer night shift since we have got three men on sewing machine”. “In 1980s, the stitching cost for a pant was between 50 and 60 INR and now we charge 250 for a pant and 150 INR for a shirt. We are pioneers in stitching blazers and western styled apparels.

Whenever he comes to Chennai, he brings the clothes and I stitch and send them by parcel.

I stitch not only for the chennaimates, my customers are also from arrupukottai,dindugal, etcetera . “Aruppukottai Gnanasekaran, a retired bank employee, has been our customer for more than five decades from now. In fact, whenever he comes to Chennai, he brings the clothes and I stitch and send them by parcel.”It’s all about the way in which we interact with customers and deliver things within the fixed date.”We also stitched marriage suit for Youth Wing President M.K.Stalin “.There is no need for advertisement since it’s one of the triplicane’s oldest and famous shop. It’s really proud to have a shop in heart of the city and I have less desire in expanding. The atmosphere is calm and leaves no disturbance, “I don’t know about the future, since my son and daughter are pursuing studies” he says.

Lingaraja Sivanaiah

For Marina Times