Chennai gives Anand grand welcome

Viswanathan Anand was accorded a grand welcome in Chennai on Wednesday on his first visit to the city after winning the World Chess Championship in Mexico City.

Scores of people and students turned up at the Chennai domestic airport to receive the World champion, who has also broken through the Elo 2800 points barrier.

Overwhelmed by the grand reception, Anand described the moment as "awesome".

Traditional music was played at the airport by two groups. One played Nadaswaram, a wind instrument, while another chendamelam (percussion) of Kerala.

The World champion walked out of the arrival lounge to a huge round of applause and cheering. He was presented bouquets by students and later a purnakumbam (a traditional kind of welcome) welcome was accorded to him by a couple of Hindu priests.

Anand was then taken on a two-horse chariot from Adyar in the city to his house in Customs Colony. The chariot was preceded by four ceremonial guards on horseback.

The bespectacled 37-year-old sent the crowd into a frenzy when he stood on the chariot and waved the tricolour.

Some students at the airport held placards that read read, "Sunday - first in week, January - first in month, Anand - First in Chess."

A child held a banner comparing his triumph to the Indian team's T20 World Cup win recently.

Another one read: "Rose is Red, Sky is blue, Anand you made it through!"