Chennai Tourism

The metropolitan capital of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the largest city in South India. Located on a 17 km stretch on the Coromandel Coast, off the Bay of Bengal, the city is trisected by the waterways of Cooum, Adyar and Buckingham Canal.

Popularly known as the "Gateway to the South", Chennai presents a culture rich in music, dance and other art forms, which despite its 6million population make it traditional and conventional in many ways.

Fort St. George
Built in 1640 AD by the British East India Company, this bastian achieved its name from St. George, the patron saint of England. The flagstaff at Fort St. George is still the tallest in India. The fort currently houses the secretariat and the legislative assembly of Tamil Nadu. St. Mary's Church in the Fort Complex is the oldest Anglican church in India. The marriages of Robert Clive and Governor Elinu-Yale were solemnised in its prayer house. The tombstones in its courtyard are the oldest British tombstones in India. The Fort Museum has a rare collection of the British period. The banquet hall upstairs was built in 1802 and has paintings of Fort St. George's governors and officials of the British regime. South of the Fort is the War Memorial, built in 1939 in memory of warriors who sacrificed their lives during World War I. Visitors can also see Robert Clive's House in the vicinity of the fort.

Marina Beach
13 km long Marina Beach is the pride of Chennai and is much sought after for the cool evening breeze. On the sea front lie memorials dedicated to political leaders and freedom fighters. Impressive buildings like Chepauk Palace, Madras University, Presidency College, PWD office and Ice House add opulence to the spot. The Aquarium, Light House and Boulevard of Walks, gardens and drives make the beach one of the best attractions of the city.

Government Museum
Located on Pantheon Road, between Egmore and Anna Salai, the Government Museum is a daunting storehouse of ancient historical treasures. Originally owned by the Pantheon Committee, a group of eminent British citizens in charge of improving the social life of the British in Madras, Buddhist sculptures from Amaravati, relics of the Pallava, Chola and Pandya eras, and bronze statues of the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva - Nataraja, Durga, Ganesha from the Chola empire are a pride of this museum. An Art Gallery, Department of Natural History, a Museum Theatre and the Connemara Public Library are housed within the complex.

Kapaleeswarar Temple
The 8th century Pallava temple in Mylapore is characteristic of Dravidian style of architecture easily visible in its massive and intricately carved gopuram towering into the sky. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple has some beautiful sculptures with as many as 63 Saivite saints or nayanmars sculptured in bronze which adorn the outer courtyard. Under the old Punnai tree in the courtyard is a small shrine depicting Goddess Parvathi in the form of a peacock worshipping Lord Shiva. It is from this legend that Mylapore derived its name -'myil' meaning peacock and 'oor' meaning town. During the Arupathu Moovar festival held in March-April every year all the nayanmars are taken in a procession around the temple.

Parthasarathy Temple
This temple in Triplicane is dedicated to Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu. The temple was originally built by the Pallavas in the 8th century AD, though additions were later made to it by the Chola and Vijayanagar kings.

Elliot's Beach
The road down south from Marina leads to the charming Elliot's beach. The shore is an enjoyable stretch for relaxation and leisure. The modern Astalakshmi temple and Velankani Church are revered spots of faith on its shores.

Chennai Harbour
Another ancient landmark in the city is the harbour, one of the finest in India and entirely artificial, almost a century old.

Ice House
The Ice House was used to store enormous blocks of ice cut from the Great Lakes in northern USA and shipped to India for refrigeration purposes during the British rule.

Guindy National Park
The Deer Sanctuary at Guindy provides an opportunity to see some rare species of the Indian antelope (black buck) along with spotted deer, mongoose, civet cats, jackals and a variety of monkeys.

Snake Park
The famous Snake Park has a deadly collection of cobras, kraits and pythons.

Valluvar Kottam
A memorial to the poet-saint Tiruvalluvar, Valluvar Kottam is shaped like a temple chariot. The immense stone structure at Nungambakkam built in 1976 has a life-like statue of the saint. The 133 chapters of his famous work Thirukkural have been depicted in the front hall corridors of the chariot. The auditorium attached to this complex is one of the largest in Asia.

Birla Planetarium
The Birla Planetarium at Kotturpuram is the most modern planetarium in the country and has a seating capacity of 236. Adjoining the planetarium is the Periyar Science and Technology Museum.

V.G.P Golden Beach Resort
A popular spot for locals and tourists, its entertainment arcade for children and adults is much visited. Folk dance performances enthral. An art centre sells handicrafts and articles made out of seashells. The beach is clean and ideal for sunbathing.

Vedanthangal (85 km)
One of the largest bird sanctuaries in India its marshy 30-hectare park is visited by over 1,00,000 migratory birds every year. The majority of these birds can be seen between November and February. Herons, darters, spoonbills, pelicans, sandpipers, white ibis, cormorants, blue winged teals and sans can be seen here between November and February.

Muttukadu (36 km)
The backwaters of Muttukadu have been developed by TTDC as a scenic picnic spot and a centre for water sports. The windsurfing regatta organised in February every year attracts enthusiasts from all over the world. Training programmes are held for beginners. Art and Entertainment.