Madras, or Chennai as it is now called, is known as the Gateway of
Southern India. The East India Company developed Madras as one of the major
trading centres in India. Chennai has a blend of Dravidian and Gothic
architecture in its buildings. The city might have grown but it has never
lost its traditional grace and charm. The Tamil society might have
incorporated English culture but the Dravidian roots are as strong as ever.
Chennai is the epitome of tradition, culture and life-style of Southern India.
But like the rest of India, Chennai has over the years, developed its share
of urban style and modernity. Accommodation and transportation are cheap and
efficient. It is very likely that the temples that you will visit in Chennai
are unlike any other that you have seen before. Visit the 4.5-km long Golden
Marina beach - one of the longest beaches in the world.
Unlike Mumbai, the Chennai port is not a natural harbour.
Nevertheless, this man-made port is very modern and efficient in handling
cargo and other traffic. Today Chennai is the fourth largest city in India
and commands a major share in the trade from the South.
Population: About 5.9 Million
Climate: Chennai has a
very hot tropical climate. The temperature variation between winters and
summers is minimal. Rainfall is timely and tends to be heavy during the
monsoons. Proximity to the sea makes the atmosphere heavy and humid. The
summers are sultry and hot while winters are warm. As such Chennai has
enough to offer a year-round tourist season and one can visit the place any
time.
Best times to visit: Between November and February
Fort St. George Fort St. George was among the first few
bastions built by the East India Company to protect its interests in India.
This fortification also marks the beginning of Madras (Chennai) as a modern
city.
Kapaleeswarar Temple Chennai has many temples
and each one of them is worth a visit. One of the largest and oldest temples
in Chennai, the Kapaleeswarar temple has inscriptions from the 13th century
A.D. and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The architectural style of the temple
is one of the best examples of Dravidian architecture. The walls and pillars
of the temple are very delicately and intricately carved and depict scenes
from Hindu mythology.
Sri Parthasarathy Temple This
8th century temple was built by the Pallavas and is dedicated to Lord
Krishna and houses images of the five avatars (incarnations) of Vishnu. It
also has a small shrine dedicated to Vishnu's consort Vedavalli Ammai. The
temple was renovated in the 16th century by the Vijayanagar kings.
Little Mount Shrine If you like visiting places of both
historical and religious interest, the Little Mount Shrine is perfect. It is
said that St. Thomas lived and preached from this place.
St.
Thomas Mount The apostle is believed to have been killed by his
assassin on this hill. St. Thomas Mount remains a landmark in Chennai.
The Snake Park One of the largest and best snake parks in
India, the Chennai Snake Park attracts visitors of all ages. The collection
of reptiles and Indian snakes is quite amazing. One can watch the snakes
being fed, their venom being removed and if one is not squeamish about
snakes, can touch them too.
The Marina Beach
Golden sands, good surf and a simmering clean sea
is what one can expect to find on one of the longest beaches in Asia. Take
along your sun tan lotions though.
The Theosophical Society
Chennai is head quarters to the Theosophical society in India. The
society was initially located in the USA but was later shifted to Chennai.
The huge Banyan tree spanning 40,000 sq. ft serves as the place where
discourses are given. This place houses shrines of almost all faiths and a
95-year old library with a rare collection of books and manuscripts, many of
which are written on palm leaves and parchments.
Kalakshetra
Meaning the 'Centre of Arts', the Kalakshetra was established to train
people in the traditional dance form, Bharatanataym. Founded by Rukmani Devi
in 1936 to encourage and arouse interest in this classical dance, this
temple has developed into an institution devoted to the revival of
traditional dance, textile designing and weaving, taught in its natural
harmonious environs.
Birla PlanetariumEquipped with
fully computerised projectors to depict the world beyond earth, the Birla
Planetarium is one of the most modern planetariums in the country. It makes
audio-visual presentations to the public and students on various themes in
astronomy. These presentations are made in a manner that introduces even the
basic of laymen to the mysteries of the universe.
Valluvar
Kottam A memorial to the immortal Tamil poet-saint Thiruvalluvar,
this landmark is located at Nungambakkam. The shrine is a replica of the
chariot temple of Thiruvarur. A life-size statue has been installed on the
chariot. It also has an auditorium, which can accommodate 4000 people at a
time and is the largest in Asia.
National Art Gallery and
Government MuseumThe museum houses a fine collection of items in
various sections of geology, archaeology, numismatics, anthropology, botany
and zoology.
EXCURSIONS:
Mamallapuram A site of many ancient sculptural marvels,
Mamallapuram was the port city of the Pallavas. The Pallavas had mastered
the art of construction without using bricks or mortar, carving out
exquisite sculptures from rocks. The best example of their art here are the
five monolith chariots, the pride of Mamallapuram. The various panels on the
walls depict scenes from Hindu mythology and fables from the Panchtantra.
Located 61 kms from Chennai, it is now known as Mahabalipuram.
Crocodile Bank Close to Mahabalipuram and 44 kms from Chennai is
the Crocodile breeding and research centre run by Romulus Whittaker. This
farm breeds several species from India and Africa in captivity to augment
the crocodile population. These crocodiles are kept in captivity and can be
viewed from a safe distance.
Muttukadu This place
is an ideal picnic spot with facilities for boating and wind surfing. It is
6 kms from Chennai.
Thirukkalukundram The Shiva
temple here is located on top of a hill, 160m high. Try and make it to this
place around lunch time. Every afternoon, two white kites come to the temple
and are fed by the priest. It is believed that these kites are saints who
stop at the temple on their journey to Varanasi from Rameshwaram. Below the
hill temple is the larger Shiva temple with a tank which is said to have
healing powers. Every 12 years, a conch is found in the tank. A large
collection of such conches is kept in the temple. Thirukkalukundram is 70
kms from
Chennai.
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
A variety of birds migrate to
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary every year. This sanctuary is one of the largest
sanctuaries for birds in India. Varied species of birds can be spotted here.
The best season to visit this marshy, 30-hectare park is between November
and February. It is 85 kms from Chennai.
Kancheepuram The
golden city of temples is one of the seven most famous holy cities of Hindu
mythology. The weavers of Kancheepuram have been famous from ancient times
for some of the best woven silk sarees in the world. It has also been the
centre of culture and learning down the ages. Adi Shankaracharya, one of the
greatest gurus of Hindu spirituality established his ashram here.
Kancheepuram is 75 kms from Chennai.
Pongal: While Chennai celebrates most major Indian festivals,
Pongal - the harvest festival is Tamil Nadu's own festival. This festival is
a thanks and prayer for prosperity, celebrated in mid-January with much
feasting, music and dance.
Diwali:The festival of
lights and Holi, the festival of color are popular. The other festival
celebrated with a lot of fervor is the Tamil New Year, which falls in the
month of April.
HOW TO GET THERE:By
Road: Madras is well connected with almost every major South Indian
city.
By Air: Madras is extremely well connected by air
with major cities in India and is served by Indian Airlines, Jet airways and
Sahara Airlines with frequent flights. Madras is also an International
Airport as well and is served by several International Airlines including
British Airways, Lufthansa, Malaysian Airlines, Singapore Airlines,
Airlanka, Emirates, Indian Airlines, Air India and a few others.
By Rail: Madras is well connected to
Delhi,
Bangalore,
Mumbai,
Chennai,
Hyderabad
and to almost all other cities in Southern India by a network of super fast
trains.
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India Travel Hotel.
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