Somewhere in between all the declarations of undying love, advertisements for magic shows and tuition classes, and garbage that lies strewn around, accompanied by the stench of being used as a urinal, the walls of this structure that stand like a lone survivor on the sands of the Elliott's Beach cannot be missed.

A plaque on the walls proclaims the structure to be the 'Schmidt Memorial' dating it back to December 30, 1930. It was built to commemorate the gallantry of Karl Schmidt, a European sailor, who had drowned near the spot trying to save the lives of others.

The memorial which should have been adopted by either the Public Works Department or the Chennai Corporation, which has a beach beautification plan, lies in a derelict state now. The memorial is visited only by couples who take refuge in its sheltered space and destitutes who nap there during the hot afternoons, when it could have been converted into a tourist attraction with a little restoration and painting.

Mr.Shantosh, a regular at the Besant Nagar beach, said that the structure should be restored as it has historical value and can look much better on the tourist maps of the city. But, Ms.Aarthi a student of electronic media, felt that the melancholic and bereft beauty of the structure was what made it appeal to so many amateur photographers among whom it is a favourite for silhouettes against the backdrop of the setting sun. "I have used the memorial myself for a couple of my photography assignments in college and I wouldn't really bother with it if it loses its look of loss through restoration!" she claims.

On the whole, the city seems to stand divided on its idea of a future for the Schmidt Memorial, with a few wanting it to be restored so that it can look beautiful and a few others feeling that the structure will lose its charm if restored. Mrs. Latha, a resident of Kalakshetra Colony, struck a midpoint by saying that the government should take steps to prevent the structure from being vandalized more, but leave it looking the same. The ball is in the government's court now!

Aruna.V.Iyer