Spatial and social study of the relationship between public place and retail activity: the temples of Chennai, South India

Abstract

Chennai, South India, is a city whose historicity and modernity are evident, both culturally and physically. It is a typical example of an Indian city which has many of its temples in its urban landscape, each having varied commercial activity around them, often in the form of retail activity. The researcher's initial curiosity about why, where and how the retail activity related to Chennai temple -locations developed into an inquiry about the contextual meaning of this relationship. The approach taken was to study the spatial and social contexts of Chennai that shape this particular urban phenomenon. The literature review examined both contemporary and historic Middle -Eastern mosques and European churches to establish their relationship with retail activity, while at the same time, considering the historic and current relationship of South Indian temples to similar activity. The empirical, case -study research explored the contemporary spatial and social contexts of 36 temples in Chennai city and established how these contexts exemplify the relationship between the temples and retail activity. The spatial study used Space Syntax analysis (Hiller et al.), land -use and figure -ground studies, from which the researcher derived five typologies to look at spatial heterogeneity, namely, a set of principles that would show the spatial relationships. The social study used a questionnaire survey and found significant socio- economic and socio- cultural patterns that impinge on these two activities. The research conclusion chapter: a) examines contemporary and historical contexts to establish the development of the relationship between the temple location and retail activity; b) draws comparisons with international contexts in order to gain a wider perspective of the religious /commercial relationships that have existed or currently exist in other places and to establish any associated retail activity patterns that have existed or exist at these sites, and the significance of these findings in relation to the Chennai case studies; c) correlates the findings from the empirical investigation, namely, the social and spatial studies in order to establish the social meanings behind the spatial landscape and CO presents recommendations that would help the future of Chennai city.