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THE CITY
 Chennai, one
of the four major metropolitan cities of India, is the capital the
southeastern state of Tamilnadu-the exotic state famous for its cutworks
in the temples, coconut fringes, and silk saris. Stretched out at the
coastline of the country, it has number of sites for the tourists to
visit. The Marina beach, where the blue waters of the Bay of Bengal
mingle with the golden sands, or the forts and palaces, which remind one
of the bygone eras, Chennai is a preferred destination of the tourists.
LOCATION
Chennai (formerly
Madras) has the Bay of Bengal bordering its east, while the state of
Andhra Pradesh is on its northwest. It has the famous district of
Tamilnadu, Kanchipuram, on its south and the states of Kerala and
Karnataka on its western side. Being situated at the tropical zone,
Chennai normally has a very hot and humid climate. The best time to
visit this city is the winter season. Winter and summer temperature does
not vary much as it rains frequently through the year.
HISTORY
The city of Chennai was
once a village of the fishing community. In 1639, the British took over
the place and made it the capital of the British presidency. It used to
be the center of conflict for the supremacy of the British and the
French.
PLACES TO VISIT
There are several
places to visit in and around Chennai.
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The Marina beach,
stretched over an area of 13 km, is the second longest beach in Asia.
It looks like a festive ground on weekend evenings.
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Presently used as the
state secretariat, the St. George Forte is another landmark of
Chennai. The British East India Company built it in the year 1653. It
has a museum that houses a variety of British and French antiques and
other commemorations. Inside the fort is the St. Mary's Church, the
first English church Chennai.
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One of the many old
temples of Chennai is the Parthasarthi temple. This temple is
dedicated to Lord Krishna. Built in the 8th century BC by the Pallavas,
the temple was renovated in the 16th century by the Vijaynagar kings.
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Guindy National Park
and Snake Park, situated close to each other near the Guindy station,
are other places to visit.
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Kapaleeswarar Temple,
the oldest temple of Chennai, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple
is a living testimony of the architectural skills of the Dravidian
people of the 13th century. However, non-Hindus are not allowed to
enter into the main worshiping place of the temple.
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Santhome Cathedral,
built during the 14th -15th century, is another place worth visiting.
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The Birla
Planetarium, Elliot Beach, Valluvar Kottam, National Art and
Government Museum, Anna Zoological Park, Kalakshetra and the
Theosophical Society are some of the other sites of tourist interest.
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Once the port city of
the Pallavas, Mamallapuram or Mahabalipuram is situated at the
outskirts of Chennai and is approximately 61 km from the main city.
The artisanship of this place is beyond parallel.
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A positive step
towards maintaining the ecological balance of nature is the setting up
of the crocodile bank. Just 44 km away from the main city, it houses
many rare species of Indian and African alligators and crocodiles.
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Covelong beach is
another place worth visiting in order to experience the history of the
state as a whole. The fort, church, mosque and the seashore are quite
interesting.
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Besides these,
Muttukkadu, Thirukkalukundram, Vedathangal bird sanctuary, etc., are
other sites to visit around the city.
GETTING THERE
Chennai has domestic as
well as international airports. The Kamaraj Domestic Airport and the
Anna International Airport are located at Tirusulam, at a distance of 20
km from the city. It is also well connected to all the major cities in
India through a wide network of railways. The main railheads are Madras
Central and Egmore. |
