Chennai train singing group adapts route and songs, keeps harmony with passengers
For 30 years, a singing group on the Chennai suburban train network has evolved its route and repertoire, but maintained a core principle: respect for fellow passengers. The group, originally formed on the Pallavaram Return service from Pallavaram station to Chennai Beach, shifted to the 8.50 a.m. Tambaram local during the COVID-19 pandemic after the earlier service was discontinued.
Om Balachandran, a public relations inspector at the Anna Salai post office, is a longtime member, though he describes himself as a listener rather than a singer. He notes that despite the route change, most members still hail from Pallavaram and Chromepet. The group gathers in the third compartment from the guard van, which Balachandran calls their “mobile concert hall.”
The group’s musical style has also changed. Initially focused on devotional songs, it now features a mix of film songs—mainly Tamil, with occasional Hindi numbers—though sessions still begin with a devotional piece. S. Harishankar, who works at the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly secretariat, finds the group a welcome escape from daily routine and a source of companionship.
From an original core of 10 friends, the group has grown to about 30 regular participants, including three or four with professional stage training. The group, nicknamed “The Train Friends,” also attracts followers from other lines. I. Jayaseelan, an advocate at the Madras High Court who is part of a singing group on the Chennai Central–Tiruvallur route, sometimes detrains to join this session.
The group’s commitment to passenger comfort is strict. If any passenger objects to the singing, they stop immediately. Balachandran explains, “We immediately stop singing if even one passenger objects, as it may prevent them from having a quiet journey.” This balance of passion and social consciousness has kept the group thriving for three decades.
