North — Madras Rowdies

Today, the landscape is shifting. The gentrification of North Chennai is slow but steady. The old, open clashes between gangs in open grounds have largely moved into the shadows or dissolved entirely. The police department’s encounter squads and the rise of modern surveillance have made the open reign of the "rowdy" a thing of the past.

The North Madras Rowdies were formed in the 1920s, when a group of young friends from the city's working-class neighborhoods began to hang out together, exploring the streets and sharing stories. United by their experiences growing up on the rough-and-tumble streets of North Madras, they forged strong bonds and developed a distinct identity. north madras rowdies