Chennai is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the largest cities in India. It was established in the 17th century by the British who developed it into a major urban centre and naval base. By the 20th century, it had become an important administrative centre, as the capital of the Madras Presidency. It is also a economical and cultural hub in South India. The city has a vibrant theatre scene and is an important centre for Bharatanatyam, a classical dance form. In 2004, Chennai made world d headlines because of the Tsunami wave that killed hundreds of people and permanently altered its coastline.
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History:
The name Chennai is derived from Chennaipatnam, the name of the town that grew up around Fort St. George, built by the British in 1640. The town was named after the Chenna Kesava Perumal Temple, as the word Chenni in Tamil means face and the temple was thought of as the face of the city.
The region around Chennai has served as an important administrative, military, and economic centre since the 1st century. Chennai was the only Indian city to be attacked by the Central Powers during World War I. It has been ruled by various South Indian dynasties, notably the Pallava, the Chola, the Pandya, and Vijaynagar.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Chennai falls in the tropical zone and has a humid weather. The summer can be very hot and winter is mild. The best time to visit Chennai is any time between October and March
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The Indian Rupee (INR) is the acceptable form of currency here. There are a large number of shops that accept credit/debit cards and one can find many ATMs of most major banks. There are many places that change foreign currency and travellers cheque like the State Bank of India and Thomas Cook. It is advisable to carry enough cash to use at the smaller eateries and merchant locations.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
A tourist visa applicable for the entire country (India) is sufficient.
The Chennai International Airport comprising the Anna International Airport handles international flights and is the third busiest airport in India.
Europe and the United States: Lufthansa (Frankfurt), Air France (Paris), Jet Airways(Brussels) and British Airways (London-Heathrow), fly nonstop to Chennai with connecting service from their European hubs to points in the United States. Air India offers direct (as opposed to nonstop) flights to Europe and the US but be aware that these direct flights often involve a change of plane in Mumbai or Delhi.
South-East Asia: Thai Airways offers nonstop service to Bangkok from where it is easy to get connections to almost anywhere in South-East Asia. Singapore Airlines and Malaysian offer nonstop service to Singapore an Kuala Lumpur respectively.
Middle East: Nonstop services are available from Chennai to Dubai, Kuwait, Muscat, Ra's al Khaymah and Sharjah on Air India, Oman Air, Emirates and Gulf Air.
Sri-Lanka: Chennai is a hub for flights to Colombo with both SriLankan Airlines and Indian Airlines serving the route.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
By Air: Chennai International Airport, comprising the Anna International Airport and the Kamaraj Domestic Airport, handles domestic as well as international flights and is the third busiest airport in India. The city is connected to major hubs in South Asia, South East Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America through more than 30 national and international carriers.
By Road: Chennai is very well connected by National and State Highways. Five major national highways radiate outward towards Mumbai, Kolkata, Trichy, Tiruvallur and Pondicherry. The Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT), the terminus for all intercity buses from Chennai, is the largest bus station in Asia Seven government-owned transport corporations operate inter-city and inter-state bus services. Many private inter-city and inter-state bus companies also operate services to and from Chennai.
By Rail: Chennai has an excellent railway station that connects to all the major towns and cities in India. The city has two main railway terminals. the city's largest, provides access to trains to major cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Coimbatore as well as to smaller towns across India.Chennai Egmore is a terminus for trains traveling primarily within Tamil Nadu; it also handles a few inter-state trains
Local Transport : Buses, trains, and auto rickshaws are the most common form of public transport within the city.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Fort St. George, built in 1653 by the English Company of the Eastern Indies (CAIO), houses the Secretariat and the legislative Parliament of Nadu Tamil. There is a museum presenting of the objects of the time of the domination of the CAIO, and a banquetting suite going back to 1802 where the portraits of the governors of the fort are hung. The fort comprises also the oldest church Anglican of India, the church of St Mary.
Government Museum, or National Art Gallery on Pantheon Road, comprises an interesting archaeological collection and a room holding a significant and superb collection of Chola bronzes. One building has modern works, while the other has historical works.
National Shrine of St.Thomas Basilica Christians believe that one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ came to India in A.D.52 and died in A.D.72. His body was buried in Mylapore and the national Shrine of St.Thomas basilica, Santhome, Mylapore is built over the tomb of the Apostle.
St. Thomas Mount The hill where it is said St. Thomas died
Elliots Beach, is in the Besant Nagar suburb of Chennai. Sometimes called Besant Nagar beach, after the area it is located in. It popular a place to cool off from the city heat. It is a very nice beach, safe and good place for picnicking.
Breezy Beach is located in the quiet neighbourhood of Valmiki Nagar. It is smaller and less popular than the Elliots beach. This beach is not as commercialized as the Elliots beach, and is hence more quiet and peaceful.
Marina Beach, one of the worlds longest beaches is 13 km long. The tsunami on December 26, 2004, caused massive death and destruction along the beach. It has been difficult to recover, but the community is working hard to make the area attractive to tourists and vacationers once again.
Vivekananda Illam: It was earlier called Ice House. This landmark was re-christened Vivekananda Illam in 1963. This was in remembrance of Swami Vivekananda's brief sojourn here. The building served the Tudor Ice Company which used it for storage of ice from 1842 to 1874. Its structure was such that Ice could remain without melting for long period.
Natesan Park: This Park is a beautiful rendition of rare plants and playing spaces for children. It attracts hundreds of visitors everyday.
Chennai is the hub for enjoying South Indian cuisine. It includes vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Most of the restaurants and eating joints offer rice-based dishes like pongal, dosai, idli and vadai, served with steaming hot filter coffee.
Where To Stay:
There are five star hotels in Chennai because of its importance as a cultural and commercial hub. One can find lot of options in terms of comfortable hotels and boarding and lodging facilities.
Chennai is famous for its rich Kanjeevaram sarees. One can also find a lot of statues, wooden artifacts, incense, and souvenirs in Chennai.
Among Chennai's festivals, Pongal, celebrated over five days in January, is celebrated amid great fanfare. Tamil New Year's Day, signifying the beginning of the Tamil year, usually falls on April 14. Almost all major religious festivals such as Diwali, Eid and Christmas are celebrated in Chennai.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Chennai's culture reflects its diverse population. The city is famous for its concerts and performances that take place in various auditoriums and temples throughout the year, which are announced in local newspapers. During the Tamil month of Maargazhi (December - January) there is a series of classical Carnatic music concerts and classical dance performances in various parts of the city, but the best are organized in various Sabhas (loosely translates to "concert house"). You will see mostly older celebrities, although occasionally there will be some world-class young virtuosos. The city has a vibrant theatre scene and is an important centre for the Bharatanatyam, a classical dance form.
Sourse: Wikipedia/ wikitravel.
Chennai's culture is distinctly different from that of any other city in India. Being a cosmopolitan city, the culture of the city reflects its diverse population which has resulted in a unique blend. Though a modern city, it continues to be traditional and conventional in certain ways. The city is an interesting place to visit for those interested in knowing more about Indian art, culture and history. An ideal place to explore South Indian temple traditions and architecture. Best when combined with a tour of other nearby towns like Mahabalipuram, Pondicherry and Madurai.
