About Chennai
Chennai earlier known as Madras, is the capital of Tamil Nadu. Situated on
the Coromandes coast of the Bay of Bengal, the city is major tourist
attraction. The fourth biggest metropolitan city of India, Chennai is famous
as a big commercial and industrial centre of the South India. The city
manufactures a big portion of India's vehicles and referred to as the
'Automobile Capital of India.' From being a small fisherman's village few
centuries back, Chennai is now a beautiful city of India. Today, Chennai is
a busy city but its temples, shrines, forts and palaces retains the rich
cultural heritage.
Climate of Chennai
The
climate of Chennai is hot and humid for most seasons of the year. The summer
temperatures are - Maximum 40°C and Minimum 21°C, while winter
temperatures are -
Maximum 32°C, Minimum 20°C. The northeast monsoon brings most of
the rains in Chennai. The best time to visit Chennai is October to March.
Major Attractions of Chennai Tamilnadu
Fort St. George : The Fort St. George is situated at
Kamrajar road. Built around 1653, the fort is one of the best example of
India's British military architecture. Surrounded by a 20 feet thick wall,
the fort complex houses the country's tallest flagstaff, assumed to be over
300 years old. Besides the fort also houses the Secretariat and Legislative
Assembly of Tamil Nadu government.
High Court Complex : The High Court complex is situated
just north of St. George Fort.
The Complex is one of the largest judicial complex in the world. Built in
red sandstone, the complex buildings are an excellent example of
Indo-Saracenic architecture. The ornamental decorations of the walls and
minarates add more beauty to the complex.
George Town : George Town is the commercial heart of the
city. The streets of the George Town remain packed with businessmen, buyers
and the employees. The major attraction of the place is the Imperial styled
architecture, which flourishes along one side.
Marina Beach : The world famous beach is located 3 Kms
east of the city at Kamarajar Road. Marina Beach is supposed to be the
second largest beach in the world and runs to a length of 12 Kms. The
beautiful beach can be ideally visited in the early morning or in the late
evening, when the food stalls and other entertainments make the beach
lively.
Government
Museum Complex : One of the best museum of the country, this Museum is
located at Pantheon road. Established in 1857 the museum has a huge
collection of more than 2,000 Indian bronzes and Amaravati marbles. The
Museum complex has three buildings of architectural importance, which are
the Museum theatre, the extension hall and the Connemara Public Library. The
museum has four galleries namely, the Hindu sculpture gallery, the Amaravati
gallery, the Bronze gallery and the National art gallery.
St. Mary's Church : The church consecrated in 1680 is
located close to Fort St. George.
The oldest masonry church building has three arched aisles.
St. George's Cathedral : The beautiful white colonial
church is the headquarters of the church of South India. The church has a
130 feet high spire and the interior is very light and airy. The nicely
decorated roof, tombs and the gardens add beauty to the church.
Kapaleeswarar Temple : The ancient Shiva temple is famous
for its 13th century inscriptions. Built in Dravidian temple sculpture and
architecture, the temple has a 37 metre tall gopuram (tower). The interior
of the temple has paintings and inscriptions which depict incidents from
Hindu Mythology. The courtyard of the temple has several bronze statues.
Parthasarathi Temple : Dedicated to Lord Krishna,
Parthasarathi Temple is one of the oldest temples in Chennai. It was built
by Pallavas in the 8th century and rebuilt by the Vijayanagar Kings in 11th
century. The temple has a coloured gopuram and several shrines with
beautiful carvings.
Shopping
Chennai is one of the important trade centres of South India, the city is
the good place to buy a range of items. The famous shopping items include
traditional bell metal items, bronze icons, jewellery, stone sculpture and
other crafts of the southern region. The beautiful Kancheepuram hand woven
silk sarees, are also very popular. One can also buy some of the exquisite
souvenirs in silver, copper, bronze and wood.
How To Reach
Air : The Kamaraj National and Anna International
Airports are located at a distance of 20 Kms from the city centre. The
airlines operate flights for major cities of the country as well as abroad.
Rail : Chennai Central and Egmore are major railhead,
which are connected to major towns and cities of the country.
Road : Chennai is connected by good road network with all
important places of Tamil Nadu and rest of the country.
Accommodation
The city is dotted with several hotels, which provide best accommodation
facilities. The hotel range from luxury, star to economic hotels cater to
the needs of the guests. Among the famous hotels include Le Royal Meridien,
Radisson Hotel, Taj Connemara, The Park, Park Sheraton & Towers and Taj
Coromandel.
