Chennai
Formerly known as Madras, Chennai is a journey into timeless India, a kaleidoscope of moods. The city is rich in treasures of history, temples, shrines, forts and palaces. The landscape of the past lives easily with the present. Chennai is the fourth largest city in India and the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu. Retaining much of its traditional charm, this age-old city is the gateway to the south India, providing many a fascinating vignette of southern heritage. With an estimated population of 7.60 million (2006), the city has the 2nd longest seashore in the world.
Chennai boasts of a long history from ancient South Indian empires through colonialism to its evolution in the 20th century as a services and manufacturing hub. The city was founded in 1639 when the East India Company was granted land to build a trading settlement by the local Indian administrators.
Particularly charming features of Chennai are its allegiance to ancient traditions, no matter how modernized it has become, and its willingness to spread out further rather than develop into a multi-storied concrete jungle. The city is home to a host of Tamil culture art forms including dance, literature, sculpture, music and cinema.
South Indian cuisine from Chennai could be the best memory that you take away from here. From the idlis and vadas, to idiyappam and dosa, Chennai is so full of different delicacies that once you have a taste of them, you will be left asking for more. Having your lunch on a banana leaf might not be on your wish list before you come to Chennai. Tamil Nadu, especially Chennai, is famous for its filter coffee called as ‘Kaapi’ without which your trip to Chennai is not complete.
Chennai’s economy has a broad industrial base in the automobile, technology, hardware manufacturing, and healthcare industries. The city is India’s second largest exporter of software, information technology (IT) and information-technology-enabled services (ITES). A major chunk of India’s automobile manufacturing industry is based in and around the city. Chennai Zone contributes 39% of the State’s GDP. Chennai accounts for 60% of the country’s automotive exports.
The result is a widespread city still open to sky; a green, airy city with several vestiges of its rural past; a city that adheres to the leisurely tempo of life of a world of yesterday; a city whose values of another day still survive midst of the humdrum bustle of today; a city that still retains the charm, culture and courtesies of the ages. Tourists can hang around Chennai via the developed transport infrastructure. The city is well connected with state run buses and electric trains, private operators of call taxis. There are over 50,000 autorickshaws operating in Chennai. But beware! Despite the government making it mandatory that autos should run on meters, hardly any driver abides by it. New tourists are fleeced in every possible manner by these ruthless autodrivers. Despite of the desperate steps taken by the state government by introduction tourist-friendly autorickshaws, the tourists specially the foreigners find themselves in a helpless position.
Places of interest
Fort St. George
Fort St. George occupies a place of pride and prominence in Chennai. It was built in 1640 AD, by the British East India Company under the direct supervision of Francis Day and Andrew Cogon. This bastion achieved its name from St. George, the patron saint of England. The fort comprises also the oldest Anglican church of India, the church of St Mary. This also happens to be the world’s oldest church to the east of the Suez Canal.
The High Court
With the decorative domes and corridors reminiscent of Indo-Saracenic architecture at the adjacent of Parry’s corner are the important landmarks of Chennai. This area is always crowded and active. Built in 1892, the High Court of Chennai is believed to be the second largest judicial complex in the world.
The High Court building was damaged in the shelling of Madras by S.M.S. Emden on 22 September 1914, at the beginning of the First World War. It remains one of the very few Indian buildings to have been damaged by a German attack.
Marina Beach
Marina Beach is one of the world’s longest beaches with a shoreline of about 13 km long in the city of Chennai, India along the Bay of Bengal, part of the Indian Ocean.
A famous characteristic of the beach is the set of stone statues that adorn the roadside area of the beach. Most statues are of Indian/local legends like Mahatma Gandhi, Kannagi, Thiruvalluvar, while others have symbolic significance like the Statue of Labour.
People visiting Chennai make it a point to visit the beach. The beach is popular for its shops and food stalls. The memorials and statues, morning walk, joggers’ track, lovers’ spot, aquarium, etc., make it a hangout for people of all ages.
The tsunami on December 26, 2004, caused massive death and destruction along the beach. It has been difficult to recover, but the community has done exceptionally well to make the area attractive to tourists and vacationers once again.
Other places of interest:
Climate is humid pretty much throughout the year because the city is on the coast. Summers are very hot and humid. The weather is pleasant in December with temperature hovering in the range of 22-26 degree Celsius.
Know more about Chennai - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madras
Hotels at Chennai - http://www.hotelsinchennai.org/
