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Tours to Chennai
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CHENNAI TOURS GUIDE
CHENNAI TOURIST INFORMATION :-
Chennai, widely known as Madras till 1996, has a rich
tradition and civilisation with a blend of the old, and
the new, vibrating ceaselessly to keep pace with the
rest of India, as the buoyant metropolis of the third
most industrialised State. People in Chennai are deep
rooted in their cultural moorings and traditions, even
though modernity has its own impact. Chennai is airy,
spacious with verdant green patches and beaches. With a
population of about six million, Chennai is the fourth
largest city in India. It has played a notable role in
deciding the political destiny of India on many an
occasion. Chennai has regained its pride of place in the
automobile industry as the 'Detroit of the South'. Days
are not far away when Chennai may be a 'Silicon City'
with high-technological knowledge in software. Maybe
that real India, in her pristine cultural warp and
beauty as detailed in history, still lives in Chennai. A
visit to Chennai to see the graceful people of glorious
land will surely help the visitor to carry home this
imprint of Indian heritage.
CHENNAI HISTORY :-
The region around Chennai has served as an important
administrative, military, and economic centre dating
back to the 1st century. It has been ruled by South
Indian kingdoms, notably the Pallava, the Chola, the
Pandya, and Vijaynagar empires. The town of Mylapore,
now part of the metropolis, was once a major port of the
Pallava kingdom. When the Portuguese arrived in 1522,
they built a port and named it São Tomé, after the
Christian apostle St. Thomas, who is believed to have
preached there between the years 52 and 70. The region
then passed into the hands of the Dutch, who established
themselves near Pulicat just north of the city in 1612.
On 22 August 1639, the British East India Company was
granted land by the Nayak of Vandavasi as a base for a
permanent settlement, believed to be called Madrasemen.
A year later, Fort St George was built, which
subsequently became the nucleus around which the
colonial city grew. Elihu Yale, after whom Yale
University is named, was British governor of Madras for
five years. Part of the fortune that he amassed in
Madras as part of the colonial administration became the
financial foundation for Yale University. In 1746, Fort
St George and Madras were captured by the French under
General La Bourdonnais, the Governor of Mauritius, who
plundered the town and its outlying villages. The
British regained control of the town in 1749 through the
Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and subsequently fortified the
base to withstand further attacks from the French and
Hyder Ali, the Sultan of Mysore. By the late 18th
century, the British had conquered most of the region
around Tamil Nadu and the northern modern-day states of
Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to establish the Madras
Presidency, whose capital was Madras. Under British rule
the city grew into a major urban centre and naval base.
With the advent of railways in India in the late 19th
century, it was connected to other important cities such
as Bombay (now known as Mumbai) and Calcutta (since
renamed Kolkata), facilitating communication and trade
with the hinterland. It was the only Indian city to be
attacked by the Central Powers during World War I, when
an oil depot was shelled by the German light cruiser SMS
Emden. After independence in 1947, the city became the
capital of Madras State, which was renamed as Tamil Nadu
in 1968. From 1965 to 1967, Chennai was an important
base for the Tamil agitation against the perceived
imposition of Hindi. Chennai had witnessed some
political violence due to the ethnic conflict in Sri
Lanka, after 33 people were killed by a bomb planted by
the Tamil Eelam Army at the airport in 1984 and
following the assassination of thirteen members of the
Sri Lankan separatist group EPRLF, and two Indian
civilians by the rival LTTE in 1991. In the same year,
Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, was assassinated in
Sriperumbudur, a city close to Chennai, whilst
campaigning in Tamil Nadu, by Thenmuli Rajaratnam A.K.A
Dhanu. Dhanu is widely believed to be have been a LTTE
member. Strong measures were taken and the city has not
faced any major terrorist activity since then.
In 2004 the Indian Ocean tsunami lashed the shores of
Chennai, killing many and permanently altering the
coastline.
CHENNAI AT A GLANCE :-
Chennai Facts & Figures
Area 174 km²
Population 42,16,268
Rain Fall 254 cms (annual)
Literacy 80.14 %
Languages Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu and
English
Tourist Season Throughout the year
STD Code 044
Hotels in Chennai :-
Hotel Chola Sheraton Hotel Taj Coromandal Hotel Benz
Park Tulip Pleasant Days Inn
Hotel ITC Park Sheraton Hotel Hilton Hotel Ampa Crystal
Inn Hotel Quality Inn Sabri
Hotel Le Royal Meridien Hotel Savera Hotel Ambassador
Pallava Hotel Radha Park Inn
Hotel The Park Hotel Taj Connemera Hotel Ambica Empire
Hotel Dee Cee Manor
Chennai Tourist Attractions :-
Kapalishvara Temple San Thome Cathedral St. Thomas Mount
St Mary's Church
Fort St. George St Andrew's Kirik Goverment Museum
Vedanthangal Birds Sanctuary
Marina Mamallapuram Crocodile Bank Dakshina Chitra
Kanchipuram Little Mount Shrine
Chennai Travel info :-
By Air - Chennai is an international airport with flight
connections to all major parts of the world, Domestic
airlines connect Chennai with all the major cities of
India.
By Rail - If you intend to travel any where from within
India, Chennai is connected by rail with all major towns
and cities in India. Suburban Electric trains run from
Beach station to Tambaram and from Central to
Gummidipoondi and Arakonam.
By Road - You can also travel by your own transport
since Chennai is connected by a good road network with
all other parts of India as well as important places in
Tamil Nadu. Taxis, Auto-rickshaws and cycle rickshaws
are available. All types of tourist vehicle are easily
available on hire.
By Sea - There is a sea line to Andaman and Nicobar
islands.
CHENNAI FAIRS AND FESTIVALS :-
Fairs and festivals are celebrated with traditional
gaiety and fervor to invoke divine blessings as well as
for the sheer joy of living. A celebration of life at
its best.
Arubathimoovar Festival : Literally, 'Arubathimoovar'
refers to the 63 saints of Shiva canonized for leading
exemplary lives of devotion and penance. Bronze figures
of these 63 saints adorn the magnificent Kapaliswar
Temple at Mylapore, Chennai. Once, every year, they are
carried in a colourful procession through the streets of
Mylapore.
Chithirai Festival : Madurai brings you a spectacular
re-enactment of the marriage of the Pandiyan princess
Meenakshi to Lord Sundareswarar. You can witness an
ancient legend unfold right before your eyes as Lord
Vishnu rides to his sister's wedding on gleaming
real-gold horse chariot.
Kavadi Festival : Dancing in a hypnotic trance to the
rhythm of drums, devotees of Muruga carry the 'Kavadi' a
flower-decked decoration, all the way up the Palani
Hills to fulfil their vow. According to Hindu mythology,
Idumban is said to have carried two sacred hillocks on
two ends of a pole laced on his shoulders.
Kanthuri Festival : A truly secular festival where
devotees flock to the shrine of saint Quadirwali,
believed to do equal good to people of all faiths. One
of the descendants of the Saint is chosen as a Peer or
spiritual leader and is honoured with offerings. On the
tenth day of the festival, the Saint's tomb is anointed
with sandalwood - and later the holy sandal paste,
renowned for its healing powers, is distributed to
everyone.
Mahamagam Festival : A holy festival that will bring you
to Kumbakonam once in 12 years - the temple city that
gets its name from "Kumbha" - the divine pot. Legend has
it that Brahma, the Creator, held a pot containing
nectar and the seed of creation. Shiva. in the form of a
hunter shot an arrow at the pot - spilling the nectar
into the famous Mahamagam tank at the Adi Kumbeswarar
Temple.
Velankanni Festival : Wondrous legends surround the
church-the most famous being that of the ship-wrecked
Portuguese sailors, who in the 16th century, vowed to
build a great shrine for the Virgin Mary, for saving
their lives in a terrible storm. The Velankanni festival
attracts thousands, clad in orange robes to the sacred
spot where the ship landed. Equally famous are the
Virgin Mary's miraculous healing powers- earning for the
church the name 'Lourdes of the East'. Tayagaraja
Festival : Tyagaraja was a South Indian composer and
saint born in 1767, and is celebrated for many Telugu
songs he composed in praise of Rama. His life and works
are a source of great inspiration to young poets and
musicians. At Tiruvaiyaru, about 13 km. from Tanjore,
South Indian musicians gather at the composer's memorial
to sing in his memory. Young artistes believe that they
will be blessed with a melodious voice if they anoint
the shrine with honey and sing Tyagaraja's songs at his
memorial.
Tourist Fair : In January, the sun gets into a pleasant
holiday mood and Chennai gets a cool respite from her
famous hot weather! Time for family outings to the
colourful TTDC Trade Fair. The exhibition presents a
panorama of Tamil Nadu - all her places of
touristinterest, her cultural wealth and economic
progress. Pongal : At dawn on this day families
everywhere gather around a new earthen pot. As the pot
of milk boils over, signifying prosperity, a shout of "Pongalo
Pongal" rents the air.
Summer Festival : The summer festival might find you in
the 'Queen of Hill Stations', the evergreen Ooty; the
exquisite Kodaikkanal or the salubrious heights of
Yercaud - where boat races, flower and fruit shows are
specially organised. Also, a splendid opportunity to go
trekking in any of Tamil Nadu's other hill stations that
promise unforgettable holidays off the beaten track.
Saral- Vizha : A festival that makes a celebration out
of a simple, daily ritual bathing! In addition, indeed,
a bath at the picturesque Courtallam waterfalls is no
ordinary event. The healing waters of the roaring
Courtallam are famed for their medicinal properties.
Karthigai Deepam : Rows of glittering earthen lamps
outside every home, and the joyous burst of firecrackers
mark Tamil Nadu's Festival of Lights.
CHENNAI SHOPPING :-
Chennai leads the rest of the country when it come to
the retail experience with some of the swankiest and
largest retail stores setting up shop here first. These
stores sell western and ethnic wear. For traditional
arts and crafts visit Cottage Emporium, Poompuhar
Emporium and Victoria Technical Institute all of which
are at Anna Salai. For exotic Kanjeevaram silk sarees
Nalli's Rasi and Kumaran silks at T Nagar are a delight.
Both plastic and paper currencies are widely accepted.
CHENNAI CUISINE :-
Chennai is noted for its delectable South Indian
cuisine, so distinct from North Indian cuisine but
equally famous and much sought after everywhere. From
the idli, vada, and idiyappam to uppuma and dosa,
Chennai provides delicious variety for the taste buds.
There are numerous vegetarian restaurants in Chennai
serving simple meals where a thali lunch is served on a
banana leaf to sumptuous spreads in the big hotels. One
can also savour non-vegetarian Chettinad cuisine that is
a specialty in Tamil Nadu and will be a delight for
those who like hot and spicy non-vegetarian food. This
type of food has several variations of fish, mutton, and
chicken dishes of which the Chettinad Pepper Chicken is
special. Tamil Nadu, especially Chennai, is famous for
its filter coffee as most Tamils have a subtle contempt
for instant coffee. The Chennai cuisine has a variety of
recipes. The menus are usually influenced by the menu of
different people who have moved into Chennai from
different parts of Tamil Nadu. Each ingredient in a dish
has some medicinal value associated with it. On festival
occasions, even today the traditional Chennai lunch is
served on a banana leaf. It is an ancient Tamilian
belief that the banana leaf has the ability to take away
untraceable amounts of toxins in the food we eat. The
Chennaites also do not mind experimenting with their
taste buds occasionally. The upcoming pizza centers and
fast food joint explain it. Spices are added to give a
distinctive taste. The Tamil style of Mughlai food can
be savoured in the biriyanis and paya. The later is a
kind of spiced trotters broth and is eaten with either
parathas or appam.
CHENNAI BEACHES :-
Some of the well-known beaches in Chennai are:
Marina Beach : The famous Marina Beach the pride of
Chennai is second longest beach in the world with a
stretch of 4.5 kms (2.5 miles) and has a wide sandy
foreshore. You can see the statues of heroes from Tamil
culture to samadhis of great leaders like Anna and MGR
here. Walk along the Marina in the evening to cool off
and eat crispy sundal and murukku. An aquarium is also
located on the Marina Beach. Watching sunset and sunrise
from the beach is a fascinating experience.
Covelong Beach : Now a luxury beach resort. This beach
has a fort built by the Nawab of Carnatic. It was here
that the French General Laboudonnais landed his troops
in 1746. Later it was taken by Robert Clive in 1752 and
destroyed. The Beach is separated from the mainland by
the canal running from Chennai to Mahabalipuram. Taj
Group of Hotels runs the Fisherman's Cove Resort with
rooms in the main buildings and cottages and the sandy
beach here. It is located on the way to Mahabalipuram.
Elliot's Beach : Elliot's Beach is spread along the
coast down south from Marina. It is also the night beach
for Chennai youth. This beach is comparatively quieter
and an ideal place to go sea bathing. It is located near
Besant Nagar. At the end of this beach are the
Velankanni church and the Ashtalakshmi temple. Good
roads, pavements, illuminated sands, makes a visit to
this beach a real pleasure.
CELEBRATION OF CLASSICAL DANCE AND MUSIC, CHENNAI :-
The Chennai Dance and Music Festival is held every year
in Chennai from mid December to mid January. The month
long musical extravaganza is a celebration of classical
music and dances of South India and features
performances by various artistes from different parts of
India. The festival is held at various venues around the
city. These include auditoriums, well-known temple
premises and heritage bungalows. The festival, popularly
known as the `Margazhi Festival of Dance and Music'
started way back in 1927 to commemorate the anniversary
of Madras Music Academy. It was later adopted by various
organizations, which held art festivals in different
parts of the city. The Tamil month of `Marghazi' is
considered a sacred month by the Hindus and South Indian
classical music, which is devotional in nature, has been
a traditional form of worship from time immemorial. The
festival attracts Indians from all over the world and
gives a glimpse of our rich cultural heritage.
Performances include Vocal and Instrumental music, Dance
- solo and group. The festival provides wonderful
opportunity for upcoming artistes to display their
talent. The weather is cool and very pleasant at this
time of the year. Information about the tickets and
venues can be obtained from the tourism office, Chennai.
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