Chennai, Chennai Tourism, Chennai City, Chennai Travel, Golden Triangle India.
Chennai or Madras is the fourth largest metropolis in India. Located on a 17 km
stretch of the Coramandel coast, the city is trisected by the waterways
of Cooum and Adyar and the Buckingham Canal. Popularly regarded as the
'Gateway to the South', Chennai presents culture that is distinctly
different from that of northern India. Music, dance and all other art
forms of the South are cherished and nurtured in this city, which though
industrialized continues to be traditional and conventional in many
ways.
Chennai is a city where the traditional and the modern blend in life
everywhere. From traditional vegetarian fair to fast foods, from
nine-yard sarees to the latest in fashion, from ancient temple
architecture to modern high-rise - with Indo-Saracenic and Victorian as
stops along the way - from classical music and dance to discos throbbing
to heady beats, Chennai has them all and many more vivid contrasts that
are a pleasant surprise. And perhaps the most striking of them all is
that here is a modern metropolis with beaches, parks and even
sanctuaries in the heart of the City. Chennai offers a wealth of nature
and a rich historic past to visitors in the ambience of a city with
every modern facility. Modern Chennai grew out of a small village when
in 1639 a fishing hamlet called Madraspatnam was selected by early
English merchants of the East India Company as a site for the
settlement. There are a number of churches in Chennai that are connected
with the life and times of St. Thomas. There are also several ancient
temples around Chennai, and, within the city itself are two magnificent
temples - a temple in Triplicane and another in Mylapore.
Shopping Attractions
Chennai offers a wide variety of traditional and trendy merchandise
such as carvings on brass, stone, wood and ivory, leather bikinis, bags
and shoes. Traditional items from all over Tamil Nadu can be bought from
Chennai like Pattamara Mats and the leaf and palmyra-fiber handicrafts
from Tirunellveli, Metal works from Tanjavur, bronze and brass castings
and traditional jewellery from Kumbakonam, stone carvings from
Mamallapuram and Silks from Kanchipuram. The most popular shopping
centers are in Rannganatha Street in T. Nagar and Anna Salai.
Prime Attractions
Fort St. George:
The British East India Company under the direct supervision of Francis
Day and Andrew Cogon built Fort St. George in 1640 AD. The fort houses
St. Mary's Church and fort museum. St. Mary's Church is the oldest
Anglican Church in India built in 1680 and the tombstones in its
courtyard are the oldest British tombstones in India. This ancient
prayer house solemnized the marriages of Robert Clive and Governor
Elinu-Yale, who later founded the Yale University in the States. Today
the fort is used by the state legislative assembly and as the
secretarial offices of the Tamil Nadu government.
The flagstaff at Fort St. George is still the tallest in India. South
of the Fort is the War Memorial, a graceful monument built in 1939 in
memory of the warriors who sacrificed their lives during the First World
War. The Island Grounds, the biggest lung space in the city is situated
on an island formed by the river Cooum. This ground is the eventful
venue of Trade and the Tourist Fairs held periodically which are
seasonal attractions. The High Court with the decorative domes and
corridors reminiscent of Indo/Saracenic architecture and the adjacent
Parry's corner are the important landmarks of Chennai.
Fort Museum:
This museum contains many relics pertaining to the tenure of the East
India Company and British India. It has a collection of contemporary
paintings as well as the rare exhibits of weapons, uniforms, coins,
costumes, medals and some other artifacts dating back to the British
period.
Kapaleeswarar Temple:
The biggest temple in the city, it is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The
temple contains inscriptions dating back to the 13th century AD, and is
a fine specimen of the Dravidian style of architecture. The 37-metre
gopuram is especially noteworthy for its intricate carvings that depict
stories from Hindu mythology.
Sri Parthasarathi Temple:
The temple built in the 8th century is dedicated to Lord Krishna. It
was built under the patronage of the Pallavas. It houses the idols of
the five avataras of Sri Vishnu and has a small temple shrine dedicated
to Vishnu's consort, called as Vedavalli Ammai in the native language of
the region.
Santhome Cathedral:
San Thome at the southern end of Marina derives its name from St
Thomas, the apostle of Christ who is believed to have come to Madras
sometime during 52 AD. He was killed on St Thomas Mount just outside the
city in 78 AD and was interned in San Thome beach where a church was
later built. Several years later, another church was built further
inland and his mortal remains were transferred from the old church to
the new one. In 1606 the church was rebuilt as a cathedral and in 1896
it was made a basilica. The beautiful stained glass window at the
basilica portrays the story of St Thomas and the central hall has 14
wooden plaques depicting scenes from the last days of Christ. In the
cathedral is a 3 ft high statue of Virgin Mary, which is believed to
have been brought from Portugal in 1543.
The Snake Park and Children's Park:
The snake park attracts visitors of all ages as it houses a variety of
Indian snakes and reptiles, which can be viewed from close quarters.
Adjacent to the snake park is a children's park, which has a large
playing ground and a good collection of birds and animals.
The Marina Beach:
Lining the east of the city is the famous Marina Beach. Supposed to be the
second longest beach in the world, it is 12 km long. The beach can be
ideally visited in the early mornings or in the late evenings when the
area becomes a virtual fair ground with food stalls and other
entertainments.
The Theosophical Society:
The world headquarters of the Theosophical Society, formed to
facilitate and encourage the study of comparative religion, philosophy
and science is situated in beautiful sylvan settings in Adyar. The
society was founded by Madame Blavatsky and Col. Olott in USA, and later
moved to Adyar in 1882. Apart from shrines of all faiths and the
peaceful Garden of Remembrance, there is a 95-year old library which has
a very good collection of rare Oriental manuscripts written on palm
leaves and parchment.
Kalakshetra:
In Thiruvanmiyur, beyond Elliot's beach, is Kalakshetra or 'Temple of
Art'. It was founded in 1936 by Rukmini Devi Arundale to train,
encourage and revive interest in Bharatanatyam, which is the classical
dance form of the state and also textile designing and weaving. This
institution is among the finest of its kind in the country and is run on
the ancient gurukulam system. Throughout the year Kalakshetra conducts
music recital and dance performances in different parts of Chennai.
Birla Planetarium:
The Birla Planetarium at Kotturpuram, between Adyar and Guindy, is the
most modern planetarium in the country. It houses a fully computerized
projector to depict the skies. Adjoining the planetarium is a Periyar
Science and Technology Museum, which will be of interest to students and
other science scholars.
National Art Gallery and Government Museum:
The museums situated in the heart of the city at Egmore were founded in
1857. It houses various sections on archaeology, geology, anthropology,
numismatics, botany and zoology. There is also a fine collection of
sculpture and armory in the museum.
Anna Square:
The mortal remains of Dr. C.N. Annadurai, former Chief Minister of
Tamil Nadu was buried at the Anna Square, which is at the northern end
of Marina Beach. Situated about 30 km from the city, the Anna zoological
park is spread over an area of 510 hectares. Its main attractions are
safari parks, a nocturnal animal house, an Aquarium, Natural Museum and
many others.
Valluvar Kottam:
The memorial to the poet-saint Tiruvalluvar is shaped like a temple
chariot and is, in fact, the replica of the temple chariot in
Thiruvarur. A life-size statue of the saint has been installed in the
chariot, which is 33m tall. The 133 chapters of his famous work
Thirukkural have been depicted in bas-relief in the front hall corridors
of the chariot. The auditorium at Valluvar Kottam is said to be the
largest in Asia and can accommodate about 4000 people. It stands as a
modern memorial to the great poet who represents the glorious culture of
the Tamils.
Hotels in Chennai:
Courtyard by Marriott,
The Savera,
Radisson GRT Hotel
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