Focus on Chennai

Chennai, also known as Madras, is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Southeast India, and one of the largest cities on the subcontinent with a population of nearly 6 million.

Chennai is by the sea and is a major port. Its coastline was altered drastically by the Tsunami of 2004. It has the second largest beach in the world. It has many monuments and temples exemplyfying the contributions of the Chola and Pallava Dynasties to the ancient Dravidian civilization. Chennai is also full of churches and Cathedrals from the British era that spanned some 200 years.

Quote from About Chennai

"Particularly charming features of Chennai are its allegiance to ancient traditions, no matter how modernised it has become, and its willingness to spread out further rather than develop into a multi-storey concrete jungle. The result is a widespread city still open to skies; a green, airy city with several vestiges of its rural past; a city that adheres to the leisurely tempo of life of a world of yesterday; a city whose values of another day still survive midst of the humdrum bustle of today; a city that still retains the charm, culture and courtesies of the ages."

A few of the places you could visit in Chennai:

Kapaleeswarar
Kapaleeswarar is an ancient Shiva temple and is in fact the largest temple in Chennai.

Sri Parthasarathy Temple
Sri Parthasarathy Temple is devoted to Lord Krishna. It is home to the 5 avatars of Lord Vishnu, and has a small temple shrine dedicated to Vishnu's consort, Vedavalli Ammai.

The Santhome Cathedral Church
The Roman Catholic Santhome Cathedral Church was originally built over 500 years ago, but it was rebuilt in neo-Gothic style in 1893.

St. Thomas Mount
This is where St.Thomas is said to have lived back nearly 2000 years ago. It is a tiny cave known as Chinnamalai and is accessed through the Portuguese Church that was built in 1551.

Fort St.George
A British Fort much altered since being built in 1640.

St.Mary's Church
The first English Church in Chennai and the oldest surviving British Church in the whole of India.

The Fort Museum
There are letters from Clive here, lots of good paintings and memorabilia of the East India Company.

The Snake park
There are lizards, crocodiles, turtles and plenty of other reptiles here. There is also a Children's park next door.

Kalakshetra
More peaceful and typically thoughtful Indian surroundings dedicated to the revival of classical arts. it was set up by Rukmini Devi Arundale in 1936. Lessons in Classical dance, Classical music, traditional textile designs and weaving are all taught here in a beautiful natural setting.