Chennai - The
Gateway To The Southern IndiaPopularly regarded as "The Gateway to
the South", Chennai is the fourth largest city in India and the
capital of Tamil Nadu state. With a vast population of about six million
people, Chennai is a city that is growing, expanding and changing
vigorously.
Location of
Chennai
Chennai has the
Bay of Bengal bordering its east, while the state of Andhra Pradesh is
on its northwest. It has the Kanchipuram on its south and the states of
Kerala and Karnataka on its western side.
Chennai,
previously called Madras, is comparatively a new city, about 350 years
old. The erstwhile villages of Mylapore, Triplicane, Ezhambur (Egmore),
etc., all now a part of Chennai, have a recorded historical past
centuries older than Chennai. Chennai is a gracious city that has a
clear skyline, long sandy beaches, parks, historic landmarks and tourist
infrastructural facilities which make it a convenient entry point or
base to start a tour of Tamil Nadu and South India.
PRIME
ATTRACTIONS/PLACES TO SEE
Marina Beach -
Golden sand, good surf and a shimmering clean blue sea; this in a
nutshell is Marina beach. This beach is counted among one of the longest
beaches in Asia.
Theosophical
Society - On a vast expanse of over 250 acres on the banks of the Adyar
estuary lies the more-than-a-century-old Theosophical Society, amidst
the woods, marshes, gardens and waters.
Kapaleeswara
Temple - The Kapaleeswara Temple situated in Mylapore is very famous
and attracts thousands of devotees, especially during festival days
EXCURSIONS
FROM CHENNAI CITY
MGR Film City -
Known to the world over for its film industry, MGR Film City is a
special delight, which houses various locations and settings for film
shootings besides dubbing and re-recording theatres.
Mahabalipuram -
Located at a distance of 58 km from Chennai, Mahabalipuram has
everything that makes a site memorable; tradition, history, piety,
western annals, and current importance as a centre of tourism.
Crocodile Bank -
Located 42-m from Chennai is a farm where several species of Indian and
African crocodiles and alligators are bred in captivity. This crocodile
bank is on the way to Mahabalipuram and is run by Romulve Whittaker.
Tirupati - 84-km
from Chennai at the extreme south of Andhra Pradesh is Tirupati, one of
the most important pilgrimage centres of India
HOW TO REACH
CHENNAI
Chennai, is an
international arrivel point and is well connected by Air from all the
major national and international cities around the world. Regular train
services also connect Chennai (Madras) directly with all the major
cities and National Highway connect the city with excelllant road
network from other capitals and major tourist places in India.
HOTELS
IN CHENNAI
Check out the
Chennai Hotels Guide offering a list of options to get online Hotel
bookings and instant hotel reservations before planning your trip to
Chennai.