Panagal Park, T. Nagar

Panagal Park sits at the centre of T. Nagar, Chennai's busy shopping district, and gives its name to the area around it. When the Long Lake was drained and T. Nagar was carved out of Mambalam in 1923, a park designed by Ganesh Iyer was laid out in the middle of the new residential quarter. Its name honours the then Chief Minister of Madras, Panaganti Ramarayaningar, Raja of Panagal. In early years a public radio inside drew crowds for music and news.

The park covers 8 acres with three gates and, as of 2019, about 218 trees, among them gulmohar, neem, peepal, almond, mahogany, mast trees and West Indian elms. A renovation finished in 2010 added a lotus pond, seating, walkways, lawns and a play area. Six main roads radiate from it, including Pondy Bazaar, and the textile and jewellery shops of South Usman Road and Ranganathan Street are close by. Part of the park is needed for metro rail construction and is due to be handed back afterwards.